Taste and Tell

Cookbook of the Month Recipe - Pudding Cookies

2009-11-30T07:29:00.003-07:00

I hope all of you that celebrated the holiday last week had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I know mine was so good that I decided to take the rest of the week off from blogging! It was nice to have a little break, but now I'm back!!

Since I didn't post on Friday, I missed my Cookbook of the Month recipe for last week. I actually made a pie from this month's cookbook, but I didn't manage to take a picture on Thanksgiving. It was delicious, though, so I need to make another sometime to share with all of you.

We have been on a cookie kick lately. (Actually, I think we are always on a cookie kick!) I saw this recipe for these pudding cookies, and wanted to make them. I think that I have made a similar cookie in the past, and I remembered them being good, and they were easy, so I thought I'd give them a try. These are basically just a chocolate chip cookie, but the pudding mix really helps to soften the cookies. In fact, days later, these cookies were still not even close to hard! So if you like soft cookies over crispy cookies, these are definitely the cookie for you. My husband didn't care for the mint chips that I used, but I loved them! But beware if you make this recipe - it makes a TON of cookies. Luckily, I halved the recipe, but I still ended up with way too many cookies!

Recipe Rating: 4.25 out of 5

Pudding Cookies
from Recipes from River View

Makes about 8 dozen cookies

1 cup butter
1 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
3 eggs
3 teaspoons vanilla
5 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 large box instant vanilla pudding, or 2 small boxes
1 pkg. chocolate chips or other chips

Preheat oven to 375F.

Cream together butter, shortening, sugars and eggs until well mixed. Add the vanilla, flour, salt, baking soda and pudding mix. Mix well. Add in the chocolate chips.

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until slightly browned on top.

Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix

2009-11-25T19:39:00.001-07:00

Head over to the Cafe Zupas blog to check out a great idea for a host/hostess gift for tomorrow!

I'll be taking the day off of blogging tomorrow to enjoy time with my family and to eat lots of pie. Can't wait!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Taffy Apple Cheesecake Pie

2009-11-24T07:00:00.000-07:00

My family is a pie family. Just last night, my husband and I were talking and I was telling him what pies I was planning on taking to my family for Thanksgiving. He mentioned that he loves that my family loves pies, because he'd rather have a slice of pie any day over a piece of cake. And really, I think I'd have to agree!! I think it is my dad who leads the pie obsession in our house. As long as I can remember, my mom has made him a chocolate meringue pie for his birthday. And just earlier this month, everyone made a pie and took it over to my parent's house to celebrate his birthday. I was so bummed that we had to miss out because we had a house full of sickies, but it has made me that much more eager for Thanksgiving. And from the sounds of it, we are going to have more pies there than people!!

I'm sure you all have your Thanksgiving menus down by now, but I wanted to share this pie with you - and just in case you haven't decided what you are going to make yet, you should seriously consider this one. I didn't get the best picture of this pie, so you'll have to trust me that this pie is delicious. It's a caramel apple layer topped by a caramel cheesecake layer. And in between, just a little bit of chocolate. I have really been contemplating bringing this pie on Thanksgiving, and I just might end up adding another pie just so I can have another slice of this. Delicious!

Taffy Apple Cheesecake Pie
adapted from Pillsbury Best of the Bake-Off

Makes 1 10-inch pie

Filling

2 tablespoons butter
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar, divided
4 medium apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced (about 5 cups)
21 caramels, unwrapped (about 5.8 ounces of caramel)
1/2 cup half and half
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 egg
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips, chopped

Crust
1 homemade crust or refrigerated pie crust, baked

Garnish
pumpkin pie spice
whipped cream

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter and 1/2 cup brown sugar, stirring constantly. Add apples; cook and stir 12 to 15 minutes or until apples are caramel in color and tender. Set aside. Drain, if necessary.

In top of double boiler or in medium heavy saucepan over low heat, melt caramels and half-and-half until mixture is smooth, stirring frequently. Keep warm.

In small bowl, beat cream cheese and 1/2 cup brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, vanilla and egg. Beat until blended.

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Fold half of caramel mixture into cream cheese mixture. Add apple mixture to remaining caramel mixture; mix well. Spoon apple caramel mixture into crust-line pan. Sprinkle chocolate over apple layer. Top with caramel cream cheese mixture.

Bake at 375 degrees F for 35 to 45 minutes or until deep golden brown and filling is set. Cool completely. Refrigerate 30 minutes or until cold. Fold pumpkin pie spice into whipped topping. Pipe or spoon mixture onto pie. Store in refrigerator.

Healthy Banana Cookies

2009-11-23T07:00:00.000-07:00

I have to say right up front - I DID NOT LIKE THESE COOKIES.

I understand that a lot of people don't always read through a blog post, and really, that's ok. But I'm known to blog about a recipe that I don't like from time to time, and I have to laugh when I post about a recipe that didn't work, and someone will make it and email me about how horrible it was. So just know, this is one of those recipes that didn't work out for me!

So why post about a recipe that I didn't like? Well, first of all, I would hate for someone to find this same recipe and make it and find that they have wasted their time and ingredients. Also, the main reason I'm posting this, is because I would love for any of you to share your "healthy" cookie recipes with me. My husband is a cookie addict. So I'm making cookies quite often. But we all know that eating cookies every day is probably not the best thing for any of us. So when I saw this recipe, I thought - wonderful! A cookie I can make and not feel too terrible about. But I did not like them at all. The texture was weird, and even though I added a little more sugar and some mini chocolate chips, the sweetness was just all off. But I would love to have a at least semi-healthy cookie recipe on hand for when we just need to fill that cookie craving! So share with me!

Healthy Banana Cookies
adapted from allrecipes.com

Makes about 3 dozen cookies

3 ripe bananas
2 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a large bowl, mash the bananas. Stir in the oats, sugar, vegetable oil, vanilla and chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly brown.

Cookbook of the Month Recipe - Corn Dog Casserole

2009-11-20T07:00:00.000-07:00

If you look over at the side bar on my blog, you will first see that it says "I am not a food snob." And this recipe right here proves it!!

First of all, I have to say that I was getting really good at scaling recipes down to 2 servings. I got tired of always having so many leftovers in the fridge. And now, it's dark at 5pm. I usually start making dinner at 5 pm. So now I am either stuck with making extra food so I can photograph the leftovers, or trying to make do with the horrible lighting. Oh, the trials of a food blogger!!

For some reason, as soon as I saw this recipe, I couldn't get it out of my head. I'm not ashamed to admit that I love a good hot dog, and a good corn dog as well. But this sounded so easy, I just had to try it. Corn dog flavor without having to get out the fryer? Of course I'd try it!

And I'm not ashamed to admit that I really liked this. Maybe it's the kid in me. (And I know kids would love this meal!!) You do get that taste of corn dogs all wrapped up in an easy casserole. Maybe it's not what you want to share at your next dinner party, but it sure is a kid and family friendly meal!

Recipe Rating: 4.4 out of 5

Corn Dog Casserole
from Recipes from River View

2 cups celery, sliced
1 cup onions, chopped
1 1/2 pounds hot dogs
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon sage
1/3 teaspoon black pepper
18 oz. cornbread mix
8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese

In a skillet, cook celery and onions until tender. Place in a mixing bowl; set aside. Cut hot dogs into quarters, then into thirds. Place in a skillet, cook until lightly brown. Fold into celery mixture; set aside. Reserve one cup mixture. In another bowl, combine eggs, milk, sage, and black pepper. Fold in hot dog mixture. Stir in cornbread mix. Add on and a half cups cheese. Spread mixture into a greased 3 quart dish. Top with the reserved hot dog mixture and cheese. Bake uncovered at 350F until golden brown.

Emeril 20-40-60

2009-11-19T21:36:00.002-07:00

And the winner of Emeril 20-40-60 is:

Heather said...: Emeril has never let me down! I would love to try these recipes!

And it just happens to be Heather's birthday, so she gets another birthday gift! Congrats, Heather!

Spicy Orange-Glazed Drumsticks

2009-11-19T05:57:00.000-07:00

The night I was making this meal, my husband's physical therapist was at our house. I just did what I normally do, taking dinner out of the oven, plating it up, and setting up my little photo spot in the dining room. I've been doing this for so long now that taking a picture of my dinner is nothing strange - I forget that to most people, I would probably look like a weirdo. So, I'm taking pictures of the dinner, and the physical therapist asks if this is what I do at dinner time every night. At this point, I realize how strange this must look to him! I quickly explain that I have a food blog, and that is what the pictures are for, and then I quickly disappear into the kitchen to enjoy my dinner. I'm sure that we food bloggers look like crazy people to most of the world!!

Besides looking crazy while taking pictures, this chicken was so easy and delicious. I wish the glaze would have penetrated the chicken a little more, but there was still plenty of flavor. This is a great dish for a weeknight because it takes only minutes to put together - most of the time is just spent in the oven. It's a great dish for one of those nights when you just feel like you don't have the energy to make dinner!

Spicy Orange-Glazed Drumsticks
from Real Simple October 2009

Serves 4

1/4 cup orange marmalade
1/2 teaspoon chili-garlic sauce
8 chicken drumsticks, (about 2 1/2 pounds)
salt and pepper

Heat oven to 400º F. In a small bowl, mix the marmalade and chili-garlic sauce.

Season the chicken with 1⁄2 teaspoon salt and 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper. Roast on a foil-lined baking sheet until cooked through, 35 to 40 minutes, brushing with the marmalade mixture during the last 10 minutes of cooking.

Cheesecake-Filled Pumpkin Cupcakes

2009-11-18T08:44:00.001-07:00

After making the only semi-successful pumpkin bread last week, I still had pumpkin and cream cheese on the brain. So when I saw these cupcakes, I knew I had to make them! Find the recipe on my post at Cafe Zupas today!

Ham and Cheese Pan Souffle

2009-11-17T06:28:00.000-07:00

Now, I'm no stranger to chiles. I grew up in New Mexico, and I love chiles in everything. And I've cooked with them often. Usually, if I'm cooking with a spicier chile, I'll wear gloves, especially now that I have a baby and I wouldn't want my hands to get spicy and then get all over the baby. But I don't really bother with a mild chile. Well, to me, Anaheim chiles are not usually spicy. In fact, they are usually pretty mild. So I went about making this meal, and at some point, I must have put a finger in my mouth. All of a sudden, my mouth was on fire! At first, I didn't know where it came from. Then I tasted a bit of one of the chiles I used, and I couldn't believe how spicy it was!! I immediately tried to wash it off my hands with no luck. I searched the internet and even asked my Facebook friends for advice on how to get the spice off my hands so that I wouldn't accidentally touch the baby's face or get my fingers in her mouth. There were all kinds of solutions, but nothing that really worked. Luckily, the spice wore off pretty quickly and we were all ok.

And this dish was worth all the chile worry as well. I was afraid it was going to be too spicy to eat, but I actually liked the hearty kick that it had. And the chiles really mellowed out the next day, so the leftovers were perfect. If you are a fan of breakfast for dinner, this is one that you will love!

Ham and Cheese Pan Souffle
adapted from Food Network Magazine October 2009

Serves 4

2 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
salt
6 large eggs, at room temperature, separated
8 ounces cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more if needed
1 onions, halved and thinly sliced
2 Anaheim chili peppers, halved, seeded and thinly sliced
1/2 pound boiled ham, cut into small cubes
1 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 clove garlic, minced

Preheat the oven to 400. Cover the potatoes with water in a pot; season with salt, cover and boil until just tender, 2 minutes. Drain.

Whisk the egg yolks, cheese, flour, and pepper to taste in a bowl.

Heat a 10-inch ovenproof nonstick skillet over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, the onion and chiles and cook until browned, 4 minutes. Add the ham and cook 3 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and the potatoes to the skillet and cook until golden, 4 minutes. Add the paprika, parsley and garlic and cook 1 minute. Transfer to the same bowl.

Beat the egg whites, 2 tablespoons water and 1/2 teaspoon salt with a mixer until soft peaks form. Stir one-third of the whites into the yolk mixture, then gently fold in the rest. Oil the skillet, if dry, and place over medium-low heat. Add the egg mixture, cover and cook until the top just sets, 4 to 6 minutes. Top with the filling and transfer to the oven, uncovered, until set, 5 to 7 minutes.

Clam & Bacon Focaccia

2009-11-16T07:37:00.000-07:00

We didn't eat a lot of seafood or fish growing up. My dad loved to fish, so every once in awhile we'd have something like trout. But clams, shrimp or salmon? I don't ever remember having them as a child. But these days, I can't imagine living without them!! Clam chowder is a must and shrimp is so versatile, I would hate to go without it.

But although I love clams, I don't cook with them often at home. I'm really thinking I need to change that. I have never seen fresh clams here, but the canned ones work just fine for this recipe. And I'm betting this would be a great way to introduce clams to someone that is a bit leery of them, because when you cover anything with bacon and cheese, people are going to love it! I made this recipe as a main course, and it was super filling. I do have to say, though, that although I loved the topping, and I loved the focaccia, I probably wouldn't do them together again. The focaccia was just much too thick and it overpowered the flavor of the topping. I'd probably make this more into a pizza and use pizza dough. It might make the meal a bit faster that way, too!

Clam & Bacon Focaccia
from The Recipes of the Five Brothers

Serves 6

1/2 recipe baked focaccia bread (recipe below)
1/2 cup alfredo sauce
1/4 cup torn fresh basil leaves
4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, drained and sliced
1 can (6 1/2 oz.) minced clams, drained
3 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled

Preheat oven to 425F.

Prepare and bake focaccia as directed below. Spoon alfredo sauce over focaccia. Top with basil leaves, mozzarella slices, minced clams and crumbled bacon. Bake 8 to 10 minutes in preheated oven.

Focaccia

5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 cup warm water
1 package dry yeast
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional for drizzling

In a large bowl, combine flour and salt; set aside. In another bowl, combine warm water with yeast; stir until yeast dissolves. Whisk in olive oil. Add yeast mixture to flour. Mix on low speed using an electric mixer about 2 minutes or until well combined. Remove dough from bowl; knead until a smooth ball of dough forms. Place dough in bowl; cover and let rise 60 to 90 minutes or until doubled.

Generously oil a 17x13 inch baking sheet with additional olive oil. Place dough in pan; press and stretch dough evenly with oiled fingers to fill pan. Pierce the dough with a fork at 1-inch intervals. Drizzle lightly with olive oil. Cover the focaccia dough and let rise about 45 minutes or until doubled. Preheat oven to 450F. Bake focaccia about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Place on a rack to cool.

Cookbook of the Month Recipe - Layered Pumpkin Loaf

2009-11-13T07:57:00.006-07:00

**Don't forget to enter to win a copy of Emeril 20-40-60! Details here.**

A few weeks ago, I was given a loaf of pumpkin bread. The label said it was called a "Pumpkin Cream Loaf." I took it home, and both my husband and I were excited to try it out. After slicing it open, we realized it was nothing more than regular, old pumpkin bread. Not that there is anything wrong with pumpkin bread - I love pumpkin bread. But that "cream" in the title had both of us thinking there would be a creamy center or something different to it.

I hadn't been able to stop thinking about a pumpkin bread with creamy center since that bread. So when I saw this recipe for this Layered Pumpkin Loaf, I knew it would be one that I would be trying out.

This is another recipe where I wish I would have trusted my initial instinct. After noticing that the original recipe called for egg whites, fat free milk, and fat-free cream cheese, I realized that they were trying to cut down on the fat and calories for the recipe. Now, I know that I can always use a lower fat/lower calorie recipe. But last time I tried a "healthy" quick bread, it wasn't the best.

I compromised, and used the egg whites, but used 2% milk and regular cream cheese, because I had them on hand. The final bread was good, but it was missing some richness because of the eggs. Both my husband and I liked it enough to eat more than our fair share of it, and I really love the idea of this bread, but next time, I would make a different pumpkin bread recipe and add the cream cheese layer. Because that cream cheese layer really does bring something special and different to this bread!

Recipe Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Layered Pumpkin Loaf
adapted from Recipes from River View

Makes 1 loaf

1 cup pumpkin
1 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
4 egg whites, divided
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup canola oil
2 cups flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened

Heat oven to 350F. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan; set aside.

Mix pumpkin, 1 cup sugar, brown sugar, 3 of the egg whites, milk and oil in a large bowl. Add flour, baking powder, pie spice and salt; stir just until moistened. Set aside.

In another bowl, beat cream cheese, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and the remaining egg white until well blended.

Spoon half of the pumpkin batter into the prepared pan; spoon the cream cheese mixture evenly over the batter. Cover with the remaining pumpkin batter.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 2 hour or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Run a knife or thin spatula around the edges to loosen the bread. Cool in the pan on a wire rack fro 10 minutes. Remove bread from pan to the wire rack to cool completely.

Emeril 20-40-60 Fresh Food Fast: A Review

2009-11-12T07:00:00.000-07:00

**Win a copy of Emeril's 20-40-60 Fresh Food Fast. See details at the bottom of the post.**

What is the #1 thing you look at in a recipe when you are looking for what you are going to make for dinner? Is it the ingredients? The cooking method? Where the recipe comes from? All of these are important to me, but the first thing I usually look at is how long it takes to make. But really, the majority of recipes don't say how long they take - you kind of just have to read through the directions and figure it out yourself. But for a weeknight, I always try to keep my meals quick. But on the weekends, I usually have more time, and want to spend that time on something special.

So when I was asked to review Emeril Lagasse's newest cookbook - 20-40-60 Fresh Food Fast, I was super excited. I love how this cookbook is organized. A section of recipes that can be done in 20 minutes, a section for 40 minute recipes, and a section for 60 minute recipes. There are also a few 60 minutes + recipes thrown in at the end. But do you know what I love the most about this cookbook? The majority of the recipes are in the 20 minute section. Which is perfect for me because we eat quick recipes about 5 times a week.

Each section of the book contains soups, salads, sides, pastas, desserts... just about every category is included. And for the most part, it looks like each recipe contains ingredients that are easy to find. And the book is loaded with beautiful pictures, which is always a big plus for me. So no matter how much time you have to make dinner, this book will be there to save the day!

Kicked-Up Tuna Melts

This one was so simple that I actually made it for lunch one day. A definite improvement on your basic tuna fish sandwich. A great way to enjoy a delicious, warm lunch without a lot of fuss!

Linguine Alla Carbonara

Carbonara. That's all you have to say and I'm all over it!! I didn't even have this one originally bookmarked to make, but when I found myself without plans for dinner one night, I ended up making this. And I am so glad I wasn't prepared to make something else! Even my husband lived this, and he usually has to have gobs of sauce on his pasta.

Boneless Pork Chops Parmigiana

What a great change up from regular old chicken parmigiana! I had just bought a bunch of boneless pork chops on sale, so this one really called out to me. Quick, easy, and amazingly delicious!

Country-Fried Steak with White Gravy & Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

I had been craving country-fried steak for weeks, so when I saw this recipe, I knew it was one that I was going to try. My only complaint with this recipe was that it contained so much of Emeril's Essence, that the finished dish was much too seasoned. But if you cut back and used probably half of what was listed, it would be wonderful. And I forgot to add the bacon back into the gravy - what was I thinking!! But I would make this one again with a few modifications.

Shrimp and Corn Chowder

Boy, did I make this soup at the perfect time. I mentioned last week that my daughter was sick, and unfortunately, it made it's way through my whole house, getting my husband and I sick as well. Luckily it was just a pretty bad cold and nothing serious. But I made this soup right at the beginning of the sickness, and it was the perfect answer to a sore throat. It has smoked sausage in it, which gives it some amazing flavor. So much, in fact, that I would probably leave out the shrimp part next time, because it wasn't really needed. So good for either the cold weather or for the sickies!!

I had a hard time deciding which recipe to leave you with out of these, but the pork chops won out!

Boneless Pork Chops Parmigiana
from Emeril 20-40-60 Fresh Food Fast

Serves 4 to 6

Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 10 Minutes
Total: 20 Minutes

2 pounds boneless thin-cut pork chops (about 8 small chops)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 cup fine dry unseasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
4 teaspoons Emeril's Original Essence or Creole Seasoning
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup jarred marinara sauce, plus more (heated) for serving with pasta, if desired
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
Cooked pasta, for serving (optional)

Preheat the broiler, and line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Season the pork chops on both sides with the salt and pepper. Set three shallow pans side by side. Place the flour in one, the egg and milk in another, and the breadcrumbs and cheese in the third pan. Season the flour with 1 1/2 teaspoons of the Essence, the egg-milk mixture with 1 1/2 teaspoons of the Essence, and the breadcrumbs with 1 teaspoon of the Essence. Stir the flour to incorporate the Essence; bet the eggs, milk, and Essence to blend; and toss the breadcrumbs with the cheese and Essence to combine.

Dredge the pork chops in the flour and shake to remove any excess. Working with one at at time, dip the pork chops in the egg wash to coat, then transfer them to the breadcrumb mixture and coat evenly, shaking to remove any excess.

Set a 12-inch saute pan over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, place half of the breaded pork chops in the pan and cook until golden brown, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer the browned pork chops to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining pork chops.

Spread 2 tablespoons of the marinara sauce over each of the pork chops, and top each with 1/4 cup of the grated mozzarella. Place the baking sheet under the broiler and cook for 2 to 2 1/2 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and lightly browned in spots and the chops are just cooked through. Remove from the oven and, if desired, serve over cooked pasta with additional marinara sauce.

WIN A COPY OF EMERIL 20-40-60 FRESH FOOD FAST!!

There are 3 ways to enter:

1 - leave a comment on this post.
2 - Tell someone about this giveaway, whether it be on a blog, facebook or twitter. Then come back here and leave a new comment letting me know.
3 - I have 2 cookbook reviews in the wings, plus the monthly Cookbook of the Month review I do every month. I want to know what you want to know about these cookbooks. What persuades you to buy a cookbook? What kinds of things do you look for? Leave a comment and let me know what you would like for me to include in my cookbook reviews.

This giveaway will last until November 18th at 11:59pm MST. The winner will be announced November 19th.

_______________________________________________
Copies of Emeril 20-40-60 were provided by Harper Studio

Pumpkin Pie Spice

2009-11-11T07:43:00.001-07:00

Tis the season for holiday baking!! Have a recipe that calls for pumpkin pie spice but you don't have any on hand? Well - it's simple to make your own! Find out how in my Cafe Zupas post today.

Chocolate-Blueberry Thumbprints

2009-11-10T06:37:00.000-07:00

Growing up, I don't remember my mom every buying store-bought cookies. Sure, she'd buy Little Debbie treats sometimes, but then again, what mom didn't? But no cookies. (Unless we were camping. When we went camping, that was the one time we really got to splurge with the junk food!) Well, every Sunday night we would go over to my grandparent's house. And although this night was the night that my mom made a dessert, I always looked forward to going over to grandma's house for Oreos. My grandma had this glass cookie jar in the kitchen shaped like a dog. And it was always filled with Oreos. Double-Stuffed. Sometimes, there would be some macaroons in there as well, but there were always Oreos. I don't know if it's the fact that this was just a once-a-week treat, or if I just love Oreos, but to this day, I still have a special place in my heart for these cookies.

For some reason, these thumbprint cookies remind me vaguely of Oreos. I'm sure it's the super chocolatey base, so rich that it calls out for a glass of milk. And you can't go wrong with a cream cheese filling! The topping on the original recipe for these cookies is strawberries, but I just happened to have some blueberries on hand when I made them, so that is what I used. I think that strawberries would probably be prettier and have more flavor, but I really think that any berry would work. Just make sure to have a big glass of milk close by!

Chocolate-Blueberry Thumbprints
adapted from Martha Stewart Cookies

makes about 3 dozen cookies

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup plus 6 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 large egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
4 ounces blueberries, diced (or substitute any berry!)

Sift flour, cocoa, and salt into a bowl; set aside. Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring until smooth; set aside to cool.

Put butter and 1/4 cup granulated sugar into the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Mix in yolk, vanilla, and chocolate. Reduce speed to low. Mix in flour mixture until just combined. Refrigerate, covered, 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put 6 teaspoons granulated sugar into a small bowl. Form dough into 3/4-inch balls; roll in sugar to coat. Space 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment. Press center of each ball with your thumb. Bake 10 minutes. Press centers again with end of a wooden spoon, making 3/4-inch indentations. Bake until slightly cracked and set, about 5 minutes more. Cool completely on racks. Unfilled cookies can be stored in airtight containers up to 3 days.

Stir cream cheese and confectioners' sugar in a small bowl. Toss berries with remaining 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar in another bowl. Spoon cream cheese mixture into center of cookies; top with sugared berries, dividing evenly.

Feta-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

2009-11-09T06:05:00.000-07:00

How many of you use a reader to keep up on your favorite blogs? If you do, have you ever noticed how sometimes, a blog's updates will just stop showing up, for no reason at all?? I'm just wondering if anyone knows why this happens. I've had a few blogs that I've had to go back into and re-subscribe, just to get them to work again. And I had a comment on my blog a little while back when a reader said that my posts weren't showing up on her reader. I haven't changed anything. Weird...

Well, even though sometimes technology doesn't work, this meal does. It's a great way to fancy up some boring chicken breasts. But then again, stuff anything with cheese and I'm usually a happy girl! And you'll notice the Peppery Cheese Bread that I posted about the other day making another showing here. Delicious!

Feta-Stuffed Chicken Breasts
adapted from Family Circle Quick & Easy Cooking

1 tablespoon snipped dried tomatoes (not oil-packed)
boiling water
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 1 1/4 pounds)
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
2 tablespoons softened cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon olive oil

Preheat oven to 350F.

Place tomatoes in a small bowl. Cover with boiling water. Let stand for 10 minutes. Drain and pat dry; set aside. Meanwhile, using a sharp knife, cut a pocket in each chicken breast by cutting horizontally through the thickest portion to, but not through, the opposite side; set aside.

In a small bowl, combine feta, cream cheese, basil, and tomatoes. Spoon about 1 rounded tablespoon into each chicken pocket. If necessary, secure openings with wooden toothpicks. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.

In a large oven-proof skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken, cook until browned, flip over, and cook on second side until browned. Move skillet to the preheated oven and bake until chicken is no longer pink and registers 170F on an instant read thermometer, about 25 minutes.

Cookbook of the Month Recipe - Sweet and Sour Chicken

2009-11-06T07:15:00.000-07:00

Last year when I got laid off, I had this idea in my head of what life as a stay-at-home mom was going to be like. Part of the idea was dinner on the table every night. The first couple of months after Abbi was born, I realized that it is just not that easy. My baby was definitely my priority, and dinner often got pushed to the back burner.

Fast forward to now. My beautiful girl is now 9 months old, and almost doesn't seem like a baby any more. But still, sometimes dinner is hard to get on the table. Maybe it's the time of day - she's usually so good about playing by herself and keeping herself occupied, but as soon as the evening strikes, a lot of the time she wants full attention. I try to keep her entertained by letting her watch me make dinner while sitting in her high chair. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't. I've had a fair share of times that dinner ends up half made on the stove, only to end up eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for dinner.

I loved quick and easy dinners before, but now I completely love them. Don't get me wrong, I love to make something complicated and "all out" every once in awhile, but for every day - quick and easy is my mantra. And really, it doesn't get any easier than this recipe. Seriously - a total of probably 5 minutes of prep work, throw it in the oven and less than an hour later, dinner is on the table. That is exactly why I chose this recipe. Another recipe you can make while holding a 9-month old in one hand!!

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked this. As I was making it, I thought to myself, "you never like things made with these onion soup packets. Why in the world did you choose this recipe??" But I'm glad I did, because it was quite tasty, and even better the next day! I think I should start rating recipes by how good they are as leftovers sometimes! And even though this is nothing fancy or spectacular, I'd totally make it again!

Recipe Rating: 4.1 out of 5

Sweet and Sour Chicken
adapted from Recipes from River View

Serves 4

4 chicken breast halves
1 cup Catalina salad dressing
1 cup brown sugar
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
rice, for serving

Preheat oven to 350F. Place chicken in a casserole dish.

In a small bowl, combine the dressing, brown sugar and onion soup mix. Pour over chicken breasts. Cook in preheated oven for about 45 minutes, or until no longer pink in the middle.

Serve over rice.

Brownie Macaroons

2009-11-05T07:29:00.000-07:00

My poor daughter is sick for the first time. This is the first time I'm experiencing taking care of a sick child, and as a mother, it is so hard to watch her suffer. Luckily, it's nothing big, (no H1N1), but even if it was only a few sniffles, it would still be hard to watch. I've spent 90% of the last day and a half with her in my arms. I know that when I am sick, cuddling always helps!!

Needless to say, I haven't done much cooking in the last 2 days. It's a bit difficult to do anything when you've got a 20 pound child in one arm! But these cookies - they would seriously be easy enough to make one-handed!! I do have to say, I'm not a big boxed brownie lover. I think from scratch is almost just as easy and a lot tastier. But I will seriously keep boxed brownie mixes on my shelf for these cookies! If you can't decide which you are craving - a cookie or a brownie - then these are for you. But they are addictive - I'm warning you now!

Brownie Macaroons
adapted from Best of the Bake-Off

Makes 24 cookies

1 (19.5 oz.) pkg. brownie mix
2 cups coconut
4 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons oil
1 egg

Heat oven to 350F. Lightly grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients; beat 50 strokes with spoon. Shape dough into 1 1/2 inch balls. Place 3 inches apart on greased cookie sheet; flatten slightly.

Bake at 350F for 12 to 15 minutes or until edges are set. (Centers will be soft.) Remove from cookie sheets.

Celery Root

2009-11-04T10:43:00.001-07:00

Have you ever tried celery root? Want to know more about this root vegetable? Check out my post over at Cafe Zupas today!

Amazingly Moist Salmon & Peppery Cheese Bread

2009-11-03T06:54:00.001-07:00

I am so proud of myself. I have been working on organizing things on my computer, and trying to move a lot of it off my regular hard drive and onto my external hard drive. In the process, I started going through the recipes I have yet to blog. But I'm happy to say, I have now gone through all of them, typed out the recipes, and have them all prepared to post about. Now I just have to remember the details on some of these meals I made a few months ago!

Even though I made this quite some time ago, I do remember it. Except for that broccoli side dish. I don't know if it is just steamed broccoli, or if I did something special with it... I always love salmon recipes. I love salmon to start off with, and it is just so easy to prepare. I used to be scared of preparing any type of fish until I discovered it's much easier to cook a salmon fillet perfectly than it is to cook a chicken breast perfectly! This salmon is exactly what the title says - amazingly moist. If you area mayonnaise hater, you'll probably want to skip this one, but I love it, so I loved this recipe. And the bread is quite delicious. And it's perfect for a week night since it is a quick bread. I don't see savory quick breads often enough, so I'm always quick to jump on them when I do see them. Altogether a delicious meal!

Amazingly Moist Salmon
adapted from Extraordinary Meals from Ordinary Ingredients

Serves 4

3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
4 salmon fillets, about 1 1/2 pounds
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 500F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, parsley, and lemon rind.

Sprinkle the salmon with the salt and pepper. Coat each fillet with some of the mayonnaise mixture and set on the baking sheet.

Roast until the salmon flakes easily with a fork, 10 to 12 minutes.

Peppery Cheese Bread
from Better Homes & Gardens Treasured Recipes

Makes 1 loaf

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 beaten eggs
1 8-ounce carton plain low-fat yogurt
1/2 cup cooking oil
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions

Grease the bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of an 8x4x2-inch loaf pan; set aside. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, pepper, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture; set aside.

In a medium bowl combine eggs, yogurt, oil, milk and mustard. Add egg mixture to flour mixture; add cheese and green onions. Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy). Spread batter into prepared pan.

Bake in a 350F oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan; cool for 1 hour on wire rack. Serve warm. Wrap any leftovers and store in refrigerator for up to 3 days.

October Cookbook of the Month Review

2009-11-02T07:30:00.000-07:00

I remember when I first moved away from home and had to cook for myself, I was always drawn to the magazines at the check out counter at the grocery store. I often walked away with a copy of Family Circle magazine. First of all, it was always inexpensive, and second of all - the cover recipes always looked so good. I ended up with a huge stack of magazines that I still wish I had today, but I think they made it into the garbage during one of my many moves while I was single. I don't know if I ever even made a recipe from one of those magazines, but I've always been a sucker for a pretty photograph!

So when I chose this cookbook - Family Circle All-Time Favorite Recipes - as the Cookbook of the Month, I didn't know what I was getting myself into. I had no idea if I would like the recipes or not. And now, looking back, I realized that this cookbook is everything I was hoping it would be - tasty, family friendly food. If you are a regular reader here, you will know that this kind of cooking is what I am all about. So you can bet you'll be seeing more recipes from this cookbook!

Sweet 'n' Nutty Chicken - 4 out of 5

Chocolate Peanut-Butter Balls - 4 out of 5

Pork Stir-Fry - 4.25 out of 5

Orange-Honey Sticky Bun Muffins - 4 out of 5

Pork & Squash Burritos - 4.4 out of 5

Average Recipe Rating: 4.13 out of 5

I really wanted to buy a new cookbook for this month's Cookbook of the Month, but I am still forcing myself to use cookbooks from my shelf. And I could not make a decision this month. I changed my mind several times, but ended up settling on one called - Recipes from River View. It is a neighborhood cookbook that my mom's neighborhood just put together. I usually hesitate to choose books like this for the Cookbook of the Month, just because it is not a book that you can go out and buy. I usually like to highlight a cookbook that you may want to add to your collection, but I couldn't resist using this cookbook this month. There are so many recipes in it that I want to make. So even if you can't buy it, hopefully you'll enjoy the recipes I share with you from it!

Spicy Pumpkin Soup

2009-10-31T21:04:00.001-06:00

Remember the pumpkin puree I made earlier this week? Well, this is a perfect use for it! Check out the recipe for this Spicy Pumpkin Soup at the Cafe Zupas blog.

Cookbook of the Month Recipe - Pork & Squash Burritos

2009-10-30T10:04:00.000-06:00

I love it when a month has 5 Fridays in it - so that I get to do an extra recipe from my Cookbook of the Month!! This month's cookbook - Family Circle All-Time Favorite Recipes - is so full of recipes that I want to try, so I didn't struggle to find a fifth recipe.

These are quite delicious - and squash is in season right now, so these are a perfect dinner idea. But do you want to know what I like the best about them? They freeze wonderfully! I only had soft taco sized tortillas on hand, so my burritos ended up a bit smaller - and the recipe ended up making a ton. More than we could eat in a few days. So I wrapped each of the leftovers individually, first in plastic wrap, then in foil. Then I popped them all in a freezer bag, and into the freezer they went. Last night I was feeling lazy, so I popped a few of these into the microwave (minus the foil, of course!) and they came out wonderful and delicious! In fact, I think I even enjoyed them more the second time around than I did the first!

Recipe Rating: 4.4 out of 5

Pork & Squash Burritos
adapted from Family Circle All-Time Favorite Recipes

Makes 6 servings

1/2 medium butternut squash, peeled and cut into 2x1/2 inch x 1/2 inch sticks
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 red onion, halved lengthwise, then sliced crosswise
1 pork loin (1 pound), trimmed and cut into matchstick strips
1 medium zucchini, cut into 2x1/2 inch x 1/2 inch sticks
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
6 flour tortillas (10-inch)
1 cup shredded monterey-jack cheese

Bring 1/2 inch water to boiling in a large skillet. Add squash; cook 3 to 5 minutes, or until tender. Drain.

Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook 6 minutes or until softened. Increase heat to medium-high. Add the pork, zucchini, chili powder, cumin, salt and cinnamon. Cook, stirring frequently, 6 to 8 minutes or until pork is cooked through and vegetables are tender.

Stir in orange juice and reserved squash; cook 2 minutes or until heated through.

Meanwhile, wrap tortillas in damp paper toweling. Microwave on high for 1 to 2 minutes or until steaming and very pliable.

Spoon squash filling over warmed tortillas, dividing equally. Sprinkle with cheese. Fold up each tortilla, envelope style.

[Fill in the Blank] Upside-Downer

2009-10-29T21:14:00.003-06:00

Remember last week when I posted about the not-really-in-season Shrimp Rolls? I mentioned that I also found a cake that I hadn't posted about whose season had also passed. And then I started thinking. Yes - this cake did have nectarines on it, and yes - nectarines are now out of season. But guess what?? The original recipe called for cranberries - not nectarines! So while my version may be out of season, this cake is one that is good for any season. Just substitute the fruit, and you can have this year-round!

I'm especially glad this cake is good year-round because it really is quite delicious. Definitely nothing fancy. But good enough that I wish I would have gotten a second piece! I made this for a dinner I went to, and there were 5 of us there. It sliced perfectly into 6 portions, leaving 1 slice for me to take home to my husband. Although I seriously thought about eating it myself on the way home!

[Fill in the Blank] Upside-Downer
adapted from Baking: From My Home to Yours

Makes 1 8-inch round cake, about 6 servings

1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ¾ sticks (14 tablespoons) butter, at room temperature
1 cup minus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups fruit
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or ½ teaspoon almond extract
1/3 cup whole milk
1/3 cup jelly, for glazing

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F Put a 8x2 inch round cake pan on a baking sheet.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.

Melt 6 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan. Sprinkle in 6 tablespoons sugar and cook, stirring, until the mixture comes to a boil. Pour this evenly over the bottom of the cake pan, then top with the fruit, either smoothing the layer and pressing it down gently with your fingertips or fanning out the fruit. Set aside.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the remaining stick of butter on medium speed until smooth. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar and continue to beat until pale and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition and scraping down the bowl as needed. Pour in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add half of the dry ingredients, mixing only until they disappear into the batter. Mix in the milk, then the rest of the dry ingredients. Spoon the batter over the fruit and smooth the top with a rubber spatula.

Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the cake is golden and a thin knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove it from the oven and run a blunt knife between the sides of the pan and the cake. Carefully turn the cake out onto a serving platter. If any of the fruit sticks to the pan-as it might-just scrape it off with a table knife and return them to the cake.

If you want the glaze, warm the jelly in a small saucepan over low heat, or in a microwave. Gently brush the glaze over the hot cake. Let the cake cool at least 20 minutes before serving.

Get Cooking Winner

2009-10-29T08:35:00.002-06:00

Oh my goodness - I don't know where my brain has been! I keep complaining that my memory is going since having my first child, but I actually think it's my whole brain that is going!!

If you haven't noticed, I was supposed to have up the winner of Mollie Katzen's Get Cooking on Tuesday. Hey, I'm only 2 days late!! But better late than never - here's the winner!

kd said...

Would love a copy! :)

October 20, 2009 9:45 AM

Congratulations kd! You will love the book!

Pumpkin Puree

2009-10-28T22:56:00.002-06:00

Want to learn how to make pumpkin puree from scratch? Head over to Cafe Zupas to find out how easy it is!