tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51185385928999885442024-02-18T19:34:29.325-08:00Epicuriosity Killed my WaistlineMe, my camera, and my love/hate relationship with food.bertahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14852738062269668484noreply@blogger.comBlogger169125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118538592899988544.post-55790420986908920792014-02-21T22:49:00.003-08:002014-02-21T22:49:43.592-08:00I've moved!Please come visit me at my new blog <a href="http://mommylikewhoa.com/" target="_blank">Mommy Like Whoa</a>, I share recipes as well as DIY and product reviews.<br />
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See ya there!<br />
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Bertabertahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14852738062269668484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118538592899988544.post-83213577529539283762012-07-03T10:53:00.000-07:002012-07-03T10:53:00.054-07:004th of July Pretzel Sticks! (A Pin a Day #7)Huzzah! I did it! 7 days of trying pins and making ish work! Woot!<br />
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So anyway, this last one is kind of a cheater one... but technically is was a <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/100627372894684585/" target="_blank">pin I saw</a>...there just isn't a tutorial, because 1. it's kind of self explanatory, and 2. someone needs to learn how to Pin things *cough cough*.<br />
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Anyway, I saw the picture and I decided to make this another fun thing to do with Audrey while she was visiting us for a few days. The kid is 6, so she's got the attention span of a commercial break, so the projects we do have to be quick and easy, or she will just rush through them to get back to the Disney Channel and drive me insane with the amount of work I put into it verses the amount of care she put into it. But like I said, she's 6...<br />
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We don't have her this year for 4th of July, so I figured we should do a fun holiday project for the BBQ we're going to on Wednesday, and since it involves licking the spoon and sprinkles, plus a trip to Micheal's she was totally into it.<br />
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Who doesn't love a chocolate covered pretzel with patriotic sprinkles?<br />
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You will need;<br />
<ul>
<li>1 package of white Candy melts (you can find them at craft stores, like Micheal's)</li>
<li>1 package of pretzel rods</li>
<li>red, white and blue sprinkles!</li>
</ul>
First you will need to melt your candy in a double boiler. This is very easy to do, so don't fret. Place a heat proof bowl inside the rim of a larger pot, with a couple inches of simmering water. Do not let the water boil or get too hot, as the candy will scorch and get lumpy. Stir until the candy melts and remove from heat.<br />
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Next, transfer the melted candy into a tall glass, and place the glass into the warm water to keep it from hardening. We use the tall glass as it makes it easier to dip the rods into.<br />
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Dip your pretzels into the melted candy mixture and transfer to wire racks to decorate and cool. You will have about 5-10 minutes to decorate the rods before the candy hardens, so no need to be in too much of a hurry. Audrey took care of the decoration portion of the program. It's best to not let the kids dip the pretzels into the hot candy without a good portion of supervision, so let them be the sprinkle masters.<br />
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We used 3 different kinds of sprinkles for variation.<br />
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When the pretzels are dried, place in an air tight container, or just eat them!<br />
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Have a Happy 4th of July!!bertahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14852738062269668484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118538592899988544.post-34589803051646212832012-07-02T13:12:00.000-07:002012-07-02T13:12:00.267-07:00Auntie Anne's Pretzel Copy Cat recipe! (A Pin a Day #6)You know what I love about going to the mall? Hint: It's not the parking lot situation.<br />
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It's the food court. And even more so, it's the soft hot, freshly baked pretzels, with butter and salt and even though they run you like freaking $4 each, I don't think I can turn one down if I tried.<br />
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I figured there had to be a recipe on Pinterest of a tired and true Mall style pretzel shop pretzel, and after sorting through a page or 2 of results, I decided on the Copy Cat version of an Auntie Anne's Pretzel, because good old Auntie Anne is who I was trying to be today.<br />
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I had promised Audrey that we would make cinnamon pretzels when I picked her up from day care on Friday, I figured we could make them together and then blog about them. We had a fun day of learning about yeast, and how dough rises and what makes the dough feel so soft and spongy when we roll it out. I think the recipe below is pretty spot on in taste to a mall style pretzel, but we obviously do not have the skill that goes into rolling out and twisting the dough into the famous Auntie Anne's shape. Instead of being big, and thin, ours were more thick and chubby, but they tasted delicious just the same.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx4FLbvMGBZhVZUnyexeALZKq09MF1JNgnl8abGUPP8QiIMImDeecdWWFQXOv1SWlAKtk6a2VcYjRN4yIxaNgG7DFU2rZiOYmzOKlif72kcWwuCp5bEHZE43xvG2wDv7cveAeMjU9ATlA/s1600/food+318.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx4FLbvMGBZhVZUnyexeALZKq09MF1JNgnl8abGUPP8QiIMImDeecdWWFQXOv1SWlAKtk6a2VcYjRN4yIxaNgG7DFU2rZiOYmzOKlif72kcWwuCp5bEHZE43xvG2wDv7cveAeMjU9ATlA/s640/food+318.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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So even though we had a little twisting fail, and would probably never be hired at a pretzel shop in the mall, the kid and I actually just had a grand old time baking. You can do this too, and it even gave me a great idea using handmade soft pretzels, and a bunch of toppings and dips to make a party pretzel bar! How delicious would that be??!?! Anyway...<br />
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To start your own mall pretzel shop you will need;<br />
<ul>
<li>3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (maybe a little more or less)</li>
<li>1 1/2 teaspoons table salt</li>
<li>Kosher Salt & melted butter for Topping (we also used cinnamon sugar, and garlic bread seasoning)</li>
<li>1 teaspoons vegetable oil</li>
<li>1 teaspoon butter (melted)</li>
<li>3/4 cup plus 1 <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD8">tablespoons</span> <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD12">powdered sugar</span></li>
<li>1 small package of quick acting yeast (we used Red Star brand - I think if you buy in bulk, it's roughly 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon.)</li>
<li>1 cup water (plus1/4 cups 2 tablespoons warm <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD3">water to activate yeast)</span><span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD3"> </span></li>
<li><span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD3">2 cups warm water, plus 2 tbsp baking soda, for the pretzel bath (last step before baking) </span></li>
</ul>
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<span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD3"> </span><br /><span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD3"> In a small bowl, combine yeast, sugar and 1/4 + 2 tbsp warm water (110* roughly</span> - too hot and you'll kill the yeast). Stir and let it sit for about 10-15 minutes until it gets all foamy and frothy. Add oil.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnFm9r1AR6Vz-6_vAV-MlPbLTjFW_xMSNi1qhjGq6fOOpFr_ZlisnzFkvZv7f7rEJt8qRpU5o9EfCtMsCyyWhwCYJReFybbXDVqdArhv3sfwVSQl84TXkIozvLHafY7Wn_k-juWmvi3mI/s1600/food+302.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnFm9r1AR6Vz-6_vAV-MlPbLTjFW_xMSNi1qhjGq6fOOpFr_ZlisnzFkvZv7f7rEJt8qRpU5o9EfCtMsCyyWhwCYJReFybbXDVqdArhv3sfwVSQl84TXkIozvLHafY7Wn_k-juWmvi3mI/s640/food+302.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It should look AT LEAST like this.</td></tr>
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In another larger bowl, mix together flour, powdered sugar, salt and melted butter. Add yeast mixture. Add remaining 1 cup of water. Mix until incorporated and knead for 10 minutes. We used our KitchenAid and a dough hook and the kneading only took us about 6 minutes. It should form a nice ball that is sticky but isn't so sticky that it gets all over everything. If your ball is too sticky, add more flour. If it's too dry, add an extra tbsp of water until fully incorporated. This kind of stuff should just be common sense, but you'd be surprised the emails and questions I get...<br />
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The sides of your bowl should be clean, and the dough should form a nice ball. Cover this bowl with plastic wrap and a towel and let sit for at least an hour at slightly warmer than room temperature (80*) If your house is cool, place the bowl in the oven (turned off obviously) and let it rise in there. You can also add a small pan of freshly boiled water to help with the rising, but you should only have to do this if you live in Minnesota or it's the dead of Winter, or both.<br />
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After an hour, your dough ball should look like this...<br />
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If it doesn't a couple of things could have gone wrong.<br />
<ul>
<li>Your yeast was old, and either needs more time to rise, or needs to be replaced.</li>
<li>Your "warm" water was actually "hot" and you killed it. So sad.</li>
<li>Your house is freezing and you didn't read what I wrote about Minnesota, the dead of Winter, or my handy tips about the boiling pan of water and the oven. Please reread the entire blog post and start over. :)</li>
</ul>
Remove your dough ball and divide into 8 "as equal as you can get them" pieces.<br />
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This is where we went wrong... <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66UsIi4WcXI&feature=player_embedded" target="_blank">We didn't watch this video first</a>! Which is full of helpful hints from the girl at the Auntie Anne's Pretzel University where she got a PhD in freaking awesome pretzel making. So you might want to watch it, and learn how to roll the dough out properly, and how much counter space you REALLY need, which is like 5 times bigger than the room we had, and how to do the one handed twisty swish to a uniform and beautiful pretzel every time. Ours looked like this...<br />
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So roll out your dough, into your desired shape, we happen to like fat lumpy soft pretzels, and dip into the pretzel bath (2 cups warm water plus 2 tbsp baking soda - it helps give it that nice browned color), place on your lined baking sheet (sil-pat, silicone sheet, parchment, whatever) and bake at 425* for 10-12 minutes depending on the size of your pretzels. Our zoftig ones took about 12 minutes.<br />
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Brush with melted butter (or don't, you health nuts) and sprinkle with the powdered flavor of your choice. I prefer mine with coarse kosher salt and some spicy mustard. Charlie likes Johnny's Garlic Spread. Audrey likes hers (or so we thought) with cinnamon and sugar, but then she just licked the sugar off and decided she just liked them plain the best.<br />
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Variations:<br />
<ul>
<li>Jalapeno Cheese - Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and sliced peppers before placing in the oven.</li>
<li>Pizza - Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and pepperoni, and serve with marinara dipping sauce.</li>
<li>Cinnamon Roll - Sprinkle with Cinnamon and sugar before baking and <a href="http://www.wilton.com/recipe/Confectioners-Sugar-Glaze-Icing" target="_blank">drizzle with icing</a> after.</li>
</ul>
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What's your favorite way to enjoy a soft pretzel??bertahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14852738062269668484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118538592899988544.post-24137853712568724442012-07-01T21:30:00.000-07:002012-07-01T21:30:35.904-07:00Meatballs! (A Pin a Day #5)<br />
My family loves meat. We are 100% total meat eaters and you would be hard pressed to find another family who loves meat as much as we do. Half of us also love fruits and veggies, so I think it evens it out. In fact! Charlie can not even fathom a meal without meat, he even puts bacon on his grilled cheese (which is really good BTW). I am always on the look out for different ways to prepare the same old chub'o'burger that I buy at the store and always have on hand in the freezer at a moments notice (that reminds me, add chub'o'burger to my shopping list...)<br />
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I came across this meal while trying to figure out what I would make for dinner for the #5 blog post. These meatballs looked too delicious to pass up, and trust me, I looked through A LOT of meatball pins...<br />
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<a name='more'></a><a href="http://www.canyoustayfordinner.com/2011/05/22/my-favorite-meatballs/" target="_blank">This is the recipe folks.</a> It's to die for! And it's healthy! *GASP!* The recipe calls for a lot of dried herbs, which is great if you are on a budget or don't have a garden, but dollar for dollar, fresh just tastes better. I have a tiny little garden on the balcony, that's pretty much taken over my balcony, except for the BBQ, where I grow all sorts of lovely things to eat... I guess I'm going to have to dedicate a week of the blog on how to grow your own sustainable herb garden now.<br />
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Anyway, I digress. The recipe calls for dried, yada yada yada, I prefer fresh. Either will work. *NOTE* if you ARE using fresh, you'll need a bit more as the dried variety shrinks down and has a more concentrated flavor, but I don't think you can really ever use too much fresh herbs (well, maybe in SOME cases...). I tweaked this a bit, as I make a lot of Italian food and have my own favorite marinara. My recipe is below, the original can be found up top.<br />
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This recipe calls for mint and I know what you're thinking, but really the mint just adds a nice freshness to it and does not whatsoever taste like a stick of double mint gum, I promise.<br />
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You will need;<br />
SAUCE:<br />
<ul>
<li>1 large can crushed tomatoes</li>
<li>1 large can (or 2 mediums) tomato sauce</li>
<li>1 generous ribbon of concentrated tomato paste in the tube (or one small can)</li>
<li>1 medium yellow onion</li>
<li>3-4 cloves garlic</li>
<li>2 tbsp olive oil</li>
<li>salt and pepper (probably more than you think, so taste and adjust) </li>
<li>a good handful of fresh herbs (rosemary, oregano, thyme, parsley, basil and mint - what I used from my garden) if you use dried, a heavy palm full of any combination of the above herbs will do, or a palm full of "Italian seasoning" works too. You will need to taste the sauce about 30 minutes in and adjust the flavor to your liking.</li>
</ul>
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MEATBALLS:<br />
<ul>
<li>1 lb lean hamburger meat</li>
<li>1 egg</li>
<li>1/3 cup plain breadcrumbs (I ALWAYS use plain so I can season as I need for whatever I will be making. It's also really easy to make your own with old bread, a toaster and a blender.)</li>
<li>5 or 6 fresh spearmint leaves, minced</li>
<li>5 or 6 fresh basil leaves, minced</li>
<li>2 sprigs of oregano, minced</li>
<li>2 sprigs of rosemary, minced</li>
<li>2 sprigs of thyme, minced</li>
<li>a handful of parsley, chopped (for garnish, optional)</li>
<li>salt and pepper</li>
<li>parmigiano reggiano cheese (for garinsh and amazingness, optional but who wouldn't?) </li>
</ul>
Start by making the sauce. In a large stockpot, add the olive oil and heat until shimmering. Add the onion and garlic and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the hearty fresh herbs (the oregano, rosemary and thyme - go ahead and leave them on the sprigs if using fresh, the leaves will cook down and you can remove the twigs later).<br />
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When everything is fragrant, about 5-10 minutes (cooking is as much about following the recipe as it is using your other senses! So smell and taste frequently!) add the canned tomatoes (crushed, sauce and paste) and stir until combined. Add your other herbs and seasonings. Cook for 10 minutes, and taste. Adjust seasons and flavor to your palette. Cook on low for 30 minutes while you make your meatballs.</div>
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Now it's time to make your meatballs!</div>
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In a large bowl, combine the meat, egg, breadcrumb, seasonings and herbs.</div>
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Mix the meat very gently, folding and combining the ingredients but not over working the meat. If you over work it, they will be like dense little meatloaf balls, and not tender juicy meatballs! Mix until totally combined and roll your meat into balls. You will be able to make about 15 small meat balls, or 10 medium ones (or I guess 5-6 large ones).</div>
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My recipe differs a little here. I like to brown the outsides of my meat balls in a skillet to bring out the natural caramelization of the meat and produce a more flavorful outcome. To do this, simply heat a skillet over high heat, place meat into the skillet and brown each side for about 3-5 minutes until nice and browned.</div>
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Don't worry too much about the edges, as long as you have some browning, you'll be fine. This also creates a "crust" and helps the meatballs hold up as they cook in the sauce. Place the meatballs into the sauce gentle and spoon the sauce over them to cover. Simmer the meatballs in the sauce for at least 30 minutes, but as long as it's on low, you could let them go up to an hour.<br />
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Prepare your favorite noodle according the package directions and your prefrence to how "al dente" you like it.<br />
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Serve the meatballs and sauce on top of your pasta, garnish with cheese (optional, but come on!) and sprinkle with fresh parsley (because I love that delicate grassy flavor) or dried for mostly effect.<br />
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TADA!bertahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14852738062269668484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118538592899988544.post-16323569330677277552012-06-30T09:12:00.000-07:002012-06-30T09:12:00.470-07:00The Best Potatoes You Will Ever Eat, Ever (A Pin a Day #4)So I'm sitting here blogging, and Charlie asks me what I'm going to write about. It goes a little something like this...<br />
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Charlie: What are you going to blog about?<br />
Me:<a href="http://www.myadventuresinthecountry.com/2012/03/23/oven-roasted-potatoes/" target="_blank"> Remember those delicious potatoes</a>?<br />
Charlie: The really delicious ones?<br />
Me: Yes.<br />
Charlie: Those were delicious.<br />
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We're very articulate around here with our food.<br />
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So here's the deal. You read the blog, you know how my family has a love/hate relationship with food. They hate the healthy stuff, and love to drive me crazy reminding me of that. So when I saw this pin on the feed, I knew they would love it because it's enveloped with bacon, <span class="st">garlic and Parmigiano Reggiano, <i>the undisputed king of cheese</i>. I don't think I've ever found a roasted potato recipe that's ever been this delicious. It's a keeper for sure. </span><br />
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<span class="st">Now I'm not exactly sure if you believe me when I say that these are <i>seriously</i> the best potatoes ever. Because they are. The best. Really. Yes THAT good! </span><br />
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<span class="st">You will need;</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span class="st">Small to medium tender fleshed potatoes such as Yukon Gold (maybe 5 per person to be safe, cuz you don't want to run out of these!)</span></li>
<li><span class="st">1 tbsp olive oil</span></li>
<li><span class="st">1/2 thick cut bacon (the good stuff, do splurge here)</span></li>
<li><span class="st">2 cloves garlic, minced (more if you really like garlic)</span></li>
<li><span class="st">fresh rosemary</span></li>
<li><span class="st">fresh flat leaf parsley</span></li>
<li><span class="st">course salt</span></li>
<li><span class="st">pepper</span></li>
<li><span class="st">1/2 cup FRESH grated </span><span class="st">Parmigiano Reggiano (go ahead and buy the chunk of it and grate it fresh with a micro plane, you'll use the rest of it for a ton of other recipes you didn't even know you were missing out on)</span></li>
</ul>
<span class="st"></span><br />
<span class="st">Start by boiling the potatoes in a large pot of salty water. Cook until fork tender, about 15 minutes, drain and let cool.</span><br />
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<span class="st">Cut bacon into chunks and cook until about halfway done. If you over cook the bacon now it will really crisp in the oven, so just cook them until they render out most of their fat.</span> Remove from pan and drain. Do not discard the drippings.<br />
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Preheat the oven to 450* and mince the garlic, rosemary and parsley. Set aside.<br />
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Prepare your baking sheet by brushing the olive oil on it and drizzling half of the bacon grease as well. Put into the oven to get hot.<br />
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Quarter cooled potatoes, pull out hot baking sheet and place potatoes, cut side down, on the hot pan. Bake for 30-40 minutes. Toss potatoes halfway through.<br />
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Reduce temperature to 375*. Sprinkle with garlic, rosemary, bacon and cheese. Return to oven for another 20 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and parsley. Serve.<br />
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<br /><span class="st"><br /></span>bertahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14852738062269668484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118538592899988544.post-19011364730694457742012-06-29T15:54:00.000-07:002012-06-29T15:54:00.289-07:00Homemade Strawberry Lemonade Cocktails! (A Pin a Day #3)Welcome to the third installment of my A Pin A Day project! Today's pin is actually a mash up of 3 different pins I've seen floating around, so I thought I'd test them out for you and see how well they actually work!<br />
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I bring to you...<br />
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<a href="http://laylita.com/recipes/2012/06/08/strawberry-lemonade/" target="_blank">Homemade Strawberry Lemonade</a> (Cocktails)! Or for a kid friendly version, just omit the booze people. Family friendly recipes from me to you!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_andu7W07WlG947gJtS2kqx2iXWPH9FWdd0tKYB7GfkjoVNSmCbi-U1t8GziTXL372ErXE94h_oW6nxkaQlWDq8u67BiABo6a1gGubPEZwZ022NXYkI9mmDa_yxeanEwGmB27IsKl1ag/s1600/food+239.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_andu7W07WlG947gJtS2kqx2iXWPH9FWdd0tKYB7GfkjoVNSmCbi-U1t8GziTXL372ErXE94h_oW6nxkaQlWDq8u67BiABo6a1gGubPEZwZ022NXYkI9mmDa_yxeanEwGmB27IsKl1ag/s640/food+239.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Strawberry Lemonade Caipirinha!</td></tr>
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So here's a great thing to do with all those strawberries and lemons before they go bad. And on that note, here's the first tried and true pin of the day... <a href="http://thefrugalgirls.com/2012/04/how-to-keep-strawberries-fresh.html" target="_blank">How to keep Strawberries Fresh</a>! and it really does work! It's just a simple rinse with 1 part white vinegar to 10 parts clean water, soak for a few minutes, drain and let dry! Simple and easy tip that I will actually use, and I did, and it worked like a charm. I bought these strawberries last week and here they are, still fresh and not even kinda moldy!</div>
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So! Back to the drink I know you're dying to try in this heat...</div>
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You will need;</div>
<ul>
<li>2 lemons (plus one more for garnish)</li>
<li>10-15 strawberries (plus another handful for garnish)</li>
<li>sweetener of your choice (I used agave nectar)</li>
<li>water</li>
</ul>
That's it!<br />
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Quarter the lemons, and throw them into the blender, half the strawberries and put them in there too. Add your sweetener, and 2 cups water and blend until pretty smooth.<br />
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Next you need to strain out the pulp, trust me you're going to want to do this, unless you like drinking bitter bits of rind and zest. Every time I have to strain something I always curse myself for not having a fine mesh strainer. DAMN IT! SO I had to do it the old fashioned way and sit there with my wire skimmer and strain it slowly.<br />
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After you've removed the bulk of the pulp, you will want to add more water, taste and adjust the sweetness. We like things pretty sweet around here, so I added quite a bit more agave to it. Now comes the fancy part. If you plan on just sitting in your undies on the couch drinking this alone, I'm sure you could forgo the fancy part, unless you like feeling fancy, then by all means...<br />
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I wanted a bit of pulpiness to my lemonade, so I added some macerated strawberries to it. Easy peasy... check it out.<br />
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Take those extra strawberries you set aside for garnish, and roughly chop them. Add about a tablespoon of sugar - the granules help break down the fruit because of the abrasiveness of them - and mash with a fork until syrupy. Then add to the pitcher! And if you wanna get even MORE fancy...<br />
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You can make these adorable lemon slice flowers! <a href="http://media-cache-ec7.pinterest.com/upload/229261437251302658_qxeYURUR.jpg" target="_blank">Our next tried and true pin! </a>Simply take the big part of your fruit zester, the scorer I think it's called, and peel away strips of the zest to create petals. I made 8 by first doing it into quarters, then eighths. Then simply thinly slice slices and you've got pretty little flowers to garnish your beverages!<br />
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Add ice, taste, adjust, stir, serve. We added cachaca, a Brazilian rum, but feel free to experiment with other boozes. I think this is a nice refreshing drink, with or without alcohol, Charlie was expecting a more "strawberry flavor" because I think he thinks artificial flavors are what fruit really taste like... I like it.<br />
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Fancy!bertahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14852738062269668484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118538592899988544.post-52941791682808826982012-06-28T11:49:00.000-07:002012-06-28T11:49:00.871-07:00Crock Pot BBQ Ribs (A Pin a Day #2)Let me start this off by saying that I LOVE BBQ, and Charlie just thinks it's OK. I could eat ribs all day and never get enough, but my biggest complaint is how expensive they can get when you order them out. I never really attempted to make them, probably because I didn't know where to start, so every time I saw ribs on a menu, I was all over them. Then I found a pin for ribs cooked in a slow cooker, and I thought, "YES! I can do this!".<br />
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I love using my crock pot, I don't care what season it is. I love putting the food in and 8 hours later, pulling my dinner out with little to no work involved. It's great for a busy mom like myself. So ribs in a crock pot was like 2 of my favorite things ever having a delicious smutty relationship and dinner was going to be the bastard son result of the tryst. I bought a rack of ribs when they were on sale, figuring 1 rack was enough for 2 people, but these ribs were so tasty I totally regretted not getting 2 racks and will in the future (maybe even 3, nom nom nom). Heed this warning, 1 rack just barely satisfies 2 people, so do your math people.<br />
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It's so easy! Plus it's the week before 4th of July, so you KNOW your local grocery store has ribs on sale right now. Albertson's has them for 2.99/lb.<br />
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I adapted this recipe from <a href="http://www.mmmisformommy.com/2011/09/easy-barbecued-ribs.html" target="_blank">MMM is for Mommy</a>, and she adapted it from <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/Americas-Test-Kitchen-Slowcooker-Revolution/dp/1933615699" target="_blank">America's Test Kitchen</a>, so feel free to add and subtract at will.<br />
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You will need;<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>2 tbsp brown sugar</li>
<li>2 tbsp smoked paprika (the smoky flavor really helps here!)</li>
<li>salt & pepper</li>
<li>1/4 tsp cayenne pepper</li>
<li>2 racks of Baby Back Pork Ribs</li>
<li>Favorite BBQ sauce of your choice, homemade or store bought </li>
</ul>
Combine the dry ingredients and run all along the outside of the ribs, coating them well. Place them into your slow cooker on LOW heat and cover with BBQ sauce. Cook for 6-8 hours.<br />
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Here is where my recipe differs, only because my broiler hates me and I really love utilizing cooking on the BBQ outside in the summer.<br />
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Carefully remove your ribs from the crock pot and put onto a plate to rest. Transfer the juices and BBQ sauce in the crock pot into a sauce pot and simmer until reduced and thickened.<br />
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If you want to use the broiler, follow her directions for broiling the ribs, if you want a smokier flavor, keep reading.<br />
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Preheat your BBQ on HIGH for a few minutes and clean the grates with a wire brush. Reduce heat to MEDIUM and place the ribs bone side down on the grill. Baste the ribs with reduced BBQ sauce mixture every couple minutes until sauce becomes thick and sticky, about 10 minutes. Remove from grill, pour extra sauce on top if you wish and serve.<br />
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Charlie said they were THE BEST ribs he's ever eaten, which is saying a lot because as I said before, he doesn't really care for ribs. The meat LITERALLY fell off the bone, and by that I mean, when I picked up a bone to bite into it, all that I pulled up, was a bone. The meat was tender, smoky and delicious, like I had paid $20 for the plate at a BBQ joint. I did it!! Abbey loved them too.<br />
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We served ours with some Bush's Grillin' Beans in Bourbon and Brown Sugar and some mustard potato salad from the deli. Delish!bertahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14852738062269668484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118538592899988544.post-70181140546131800942012-06-27T10:47:00.000-07:002012-06-27T10:47:36.390-07:00Boozey Rainbow Jello Cake (A Pin a Day #1)<i><span style="font-size: small;"> I went to lunch with my cousin the other day and she told me about a great idea she had using a blog, and Pinterest. She wants to try a pin a day and blog her successes and fails, and I thought that would be a great project for me too, except I'd mostly be doing food since this is a food blog (duh). So here is my first post in my week of blogging a pin a day! Enjoy!</span></i><br />
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So now that summer is here, and BBQ's are a-plenty, it's time to make some really show stopping stuff to bring to your potlucks! If you're like me, then it doesn't matter how much time you spend doing something if the end result produces a "WOW! Factor" of epic proportions. I had seen this recipe online and thought it was just too beautiful not to make, I just needed the right occasion, so for our last family BBQ, I made it. I bring to you, the Boozey Rainbow Jello Cake!<br />
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A few years ago, my sister worked at a bar at the beach and she was the Jello Shot girl. She got to be really good at making Jello Shots and would always being them over to family get togethers (we're quite the troop of lushes). Hers, although tasty, we're so plain and boring in their little monochrome single serving cups. I decided to step it up a notch after a trip to <a href="http://jelly-shot-test-kitchen.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Jelly Shot Test Kitchen</a> and viewing some of the most beautiful creations you would swear they couldn't be made of Jello.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE8jK86j28QuqfPsaSGqepwlMEGSzx2wTvWM-q0sf6qbl_hefFiS9T9j3RyL3cBt3rJdEBqDDteTqDLiizbYxVg_T4qMLNXYPJKkAEXpa1oDVuU3uG_SBvCgvn3GIhKDWeo88WVVHBJE-x/s400/Photo2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE8jK86j28QuqfPsaSGqepwlMEGSzx2wTvWM-q0sf6qbl_hefFiS9T9j3RyL3cBt3rJdEBqDDteTqDLiizbYxVg_T4qMLNXYPJKkAEXpa1oDVuU3uG_SBvCgvn3GIhKDWeo88WVVHBJE-x/s640/Photo2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rainbow Jello Cake from Jelly Shot Test Kitchen</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I became such a fan of JSTK, that I started buying boxes of Jello every time I saw them on sale at my local grocery store, and eventually had a huge stash of them (check the local ads and coupon savers, you can find them as low as 33 cents a box!). These treats are cheap, pretty and a total showstopper. Warning though, this does take up a good chunk of your afternoon (or evening) to assemble and then an additional 24 hours in the fridge to firm up, so don't think 2 hours from now you'll be feasting on this. If you opt for an alcohol free version of this "cake", just substitute your favorite juice for vodka. Every step is incredibly important so if you're not of the directions-reading-patient-and diligent variety, do not attempt or it will look something like <a href="http://everythingfunny.org/nailed-it/rainbow-jello-cake-nailed-it/" target="_blank">this</a>.<br />
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You will need;<br />
<ul>
<li>4 1/2 cups water, divided</li>
<li>6 3oz packages gelatin dessert mix (colors and flavors of your liking - I used Cherry, Orange, Lemon, Lime, Blue Raspberry, and Grape for the rainbow effect)</li>
<li>3 envelopes plain Knox gelatin (6 teaspoons of gelatin powder total)</li>
<li>3 cups vodka(or your favorite alcohol, flavored or unflavored)</li>
<li>1 can sweetened condensed milk (yogurt or cool whip will also work, you'll need about 12 tbsp)</li>
<li>a bundt pan</li>
<li>cooking spray or oil to coat pan </li>
</ul>
Place your vodka in the freezer to keep it chilled. Prepare your pan by lightly spraying it with cooking spray or oil, and wiping out the excess.<br />
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Start with your first layer (I used grape first)<br />
<ol>
<li>Heat 3/4 cup of water in a small sauce pan over low heat and sprinkle with 1 tsp (half a package) of unflavored gelatin. Stir to dissolve.</li>
<li>Wisk in package of flavored Jello, stir to dissolve, about 5 minutes.</li>
<li>Remove of heat and add 1/2 cup of alcohol.</li>
<li>Pour half of the mixture, about 3/4 cup into the mold and return to refrigerator to set up, about 20-30 minutes. Transfer remaining mixture to a separate cup and place in the fridge to cool about 5 minutes. </li>
<li>Add 2 tbsp sweetened condensed milk to mixture in separate cup and stir to combine. Let cool and thicken slightly, about 5-10 minutes.</li>
<li>Test the Jello in the mold. Place your finger on the top. If the mixture is sticky, but releases from your finger, it is ready for the next layer. Slowly pour the 2nd mixture on top of the Jello in the mold and return to the fridge to cool and set up. </li>
<li>Wash your sauce pan, and get ready to repeat steps 1-7 with the next flavor.</li>
</ol>
*TIPS* <br />
Make sure the layers are still sticky before pouring the next layer on top of the layers will not stick. Make sure when pouring the mixture into the mold that the Jello is not too hot, or it will melt the layer below and you will not get a defined line, which is the most striking element of this dessert. If you plan on using yogurt or whipped cream instead of condensed milk, make sure the mixture is completely cooled, or you will get a lumpy curdled effect in your creamy layers. You should have 12 alternating creamy and clear layers at the end. As you work up to the top of the dessert the chilling time will shorten due to the dessert becoming more cold, so double check the stickiness frequently.<br />
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When you are finished, let the mold sit in the fridge for at least 24 hours. This allows the Jello to set and thicken so it's easier to remove from the mold, and cut into slices.<br />
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To remove the cake from the mold, dip into warm water for about 10 seconds. Make sure the water isn't too hot, or you leave it in the water too long as the Jello will melt and make an unsightly mess (Trust me haha). Place a plate on top of the mold, and flip over to release. There might be a bit of melty jello, so just clean it up with a paper towel and place back into the fridge until ready to serve so it can firm up one more time.<br />
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Your cake, if you followed all the directions above, should look like this.<br />
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Remove from fridge.<br />
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Revel in the awe.<br />
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Slice.<br />
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Enjoy!bertahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14852738062269668484noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118538592899988544.post-46651645166821272772012-06-23T15:12:00.000-07:002012-06-27T15:13:21.407-07:00Perfect Pan Fried Pork ChopsHere in our house, we love pork chops. I especially love when they are on sale and I can get them really cheap! And by really cheap I mean for like a buck each, now THAT'S cheap! I often struggle with new ways to cook an old standard, because after awhile, I just get tired of baked pork chops.<br />
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I found this recipe in the 2010 issue of The Best of America's Test Kitchen, and fell in love with it the first time I tried it out. It produces a flavorful and juicy chop, and in a lot less time than baking them. Plus! cooking it this way doesn't heat up the house in the summer. A perfect pan fried pork chop is such a staple in the south, home of comfort food, and I am always happy when I find something Charlie requests on a semi-regular basis.<br />
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You will need;<br />
<ul>
<li>1 tsp garlic powder</li>
<li>1/2 tsp paprika</li>
<li>1/2 tsp salt</li>
<li>1/2 tsp pepper</li>
<li>1/4 tsp cayenne pepper</li>
<li>1 cup all-purpose flour</li>
<li>4 chops, bone in or boneless will both work, about 1/4" thick</li>
<li>3 slices bacon (or reserved drippings, about 1 tbsp)</li>
<li>1/2 cup vegetable oil</li>
</ul>
Combine all the spices together to make a rub. I sometimes use this rub recipe, or I will use <a href="http://www.amazingtaste.com/ItemDetail/tabid/66/ProductID/5/Default.aspx" target="_blank">Amazing Taste Brand Malibu Seasoning</a>, which is perfect for pork chops. Place flour in a shallow bowl or plate. Pat the chops dry, make 2 slits in the fatty side of the chop (to prevent chops from curling when cooking) and season with rub. Dredge the chops through the flour to coat. Let rest 10 minutes and dredge again.<br />
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Cook the bacon in a large skillet until crisp, or heat up reserved drippings. Discard bacon for another use later and keep the drippings in the pan. Add oil and heat over medium until just smoking. Cook chops until brown, about 4 minutes on each side.bertahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14852738062269668484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118538592899988544.post-55103679848867021662012-06-22T18:31:00.000-07:002012-06-22T18:31:00.282-07:00Sliced Garlic Baked Potatoes (Hassleback Potatoes)Here's a little Scandinavian treat I whipped up the other night! Even though I am Danish, and my mother used to cook all kinds of Scandinavian dishes when we were growing up, she never made these and now I'm super mad at her. These are pretty to look at, easy to make, and fun to eat. They are called Hassleback Potatoes and a Google search pulls up <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=hassleback+potatoe+recipe" target="_blank">a ton of results for recipes</a>.<br />
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I used some good sized russet baking potatoes, but I think any sized potato would work fine, you would just need to adjust the cooking times. Mine took a little over an hour, and even then the very center of each slice was still a bit too firm and we ended up nuking each potato for a couple minutes longer. I think next time I'll make smaller ones of a waxy variety.<br />
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You will need;<br />
<ul>
<li>1 medium to large potato for each person (I used 2)</li>
<li>2-3 large cloves of garlic, sliced thin</li>
<li>butter</li>
<li>olive oil</li>
<li>salt & pepper to taste</li>
</ul>
Preheat oven to 450* and scrub your potatoes. Using a VERY sharp knife, carefully slice the potato thinly ALMOST all the way through, but leaving the slices intact on the bottom.<i> I've read in a couple recipes that you can place the potato on the divet of a wooden spoon as a slicing guide, but I have not used this technique. </i>Place the thin slices of garlic in between the potato slices, doubling up on some if needed. Place on a lined baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place VERY thinly sliced pats of butter on the top of the potatoes, so the butter will melt into the slices when cooking, and place into the oven for 40-90 minutes depending on the size of your potatoes.<br />
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We served these with some <a href="http://seeyalatermasticator.blogspot.com/2012/06/pan-roasted-brussel-sprouts.html" target="_blank">Pan Roasted Brussel Sprouts</a> and Perfect Pan Fried Pork Chops. <br />
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Once again, we used standard baking russets and ours took over an hour and were still not totally done. Charlie mentioned using our convection toaster oven next time and I think that might be a better bet so we don't heat up the house so much.bertahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14852738062269668484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118538592899988544.post-39978823784238870822012-06-20T19:16:00.000-07:002012-06-20T19:16:36.951-07:00Pan Roasted Brussel SproutsAs a kid, my sister LOVED brussel sprouts. I thought she was a crazy person, but she freaking loved them. I don't remember how my mother made them for her, but I'm sure they we're steamed and over cooked to the point of me not finding them appetizing at all. My mom made a lot of really delicious things, but steamed veggies weren't one of them. It wasn't until a few years ago that I tried brussel sprouts again, and I understood what my sister had known all along.<br />
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They are pretty amazing little veggies.<br />
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Of course, I don't like mine steamed, I prefer a nice long oven roast, but in the summer when they are in abundance in the markets, and I don't really like heating my house up with an oven, I prefer this method.<br />
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You will need;<br />
<ul>
<li>4 large, or 8 small brussel spouts per person </li>
<li>oil of your choice (I usually use olive oil, but rendered bacon fat makes an amazing substitute!)</li>
<li>salt & pepper to taste</li>
</ul>
Wash and prepare your sprouts by cutting off the nubby stem at the bottom and slicing them down the center length wise. Remove any damaged or loose leaves. Heat a large skillet to high and add oil to pan until hot. Lower heat to medium high. Add sprouts, cut side down, to the pan and let roast/caramelize for 5-8 minutes or until golden brown. Flip and cover, reducing heat to medium low.Continue to cook until softened, about 5-8 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper. Serve!bertahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14852738062269668484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118538592899988544.post-79501774073534419072012-06-20T17:49:00.000-07:002012-06-20T17:49:01.525-07:00French Dip Sandwiches (with homemade bread!)Pinterest is my life. I use it whenever I have a free moment to meal plan for the week, and look for new and interesting recipes that my very picky family will eat. It's very hard to eat healthy when the people you cook for favorite food groups are bacon, butter, cheese, and meat. No veggies, no fruits, no whole grains, so I gotta sneak them in when I can. Luckily the baby will eat anything without much objection. Usually after a meal or two of me making them eat more healthy, I reward them with something extra delicious. I saw this pin a few months ago and added it to my board, <a href="http://pinterest.com/mommylikewhoa/recipes-to-try/" target="_blank">Recipes to Try</a>.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>I attempted to make this last Saturday, got all the ingredients into the crock pot and was about to start making bread, when some sort of horrible 24 hour flu hit me like a ton of bricks and kept me down all day. The resulting misfortune actually lead to an A-ha! moment, as I had Charlie put the meat into the fridge for 2 days (We went to the San Diego Fair Sunday for Father's Day so the dips we're once again bumped from the menu). As a result, the meat had firmed up, making it ridiculously easy to cut and did not ready shred at all, but still remained super tender. Plus it had an extra 2 days to soak up more flavor, the fat solidified and I was able to scrape it off the juices, and I had the extra time to make the homemade bread! The meat was delicious, the bread however was not as much, and I blame me 100%.<br />
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First off my yeast was older than I wanted and because I knew I had yeast in the back of my mind I didn't think to buy more. I remedied that by buying more today at the store, because I am SO attempting this again for piece of mind. Secondly, I didn't follow my gut and by feeling, but I followed the recipe, simply because when baking with a new recipe for the first time I try not to deviate from the instructions too much, and I should have added more flour. The resulting bread was a bit flatter than anticipated (more like a cross between sourdough and ciabatta), and although it did have a nice chewy texture inside, it really did need fresher, faster acting yeast. Charlie said it "tasted gluey" but I think that adjective came from him misunderstanding the meaning of "gluten", as the bread tasted nothing like glue. I promise to make this again, and reblog the bread, but for now you can find the recipe I used <a href="http://www.dealstomeals.blogspot.com/2009/03/blog-post_09.html" target="_blank">here</a>. The girl who runs the site says you can make these loaves for about .25 cents each, but that's not entirely true as she food stockpiles and I just don't have the room for that. The yeast alone cost me .25 cents a loaf. So just keep that in mind.<br />
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The meat is super easy to prepare, as all you do it throw it all in a crock pot and cook on low all day (about 6-8 hours) until the meat falls apart and shreds easily, except you don't want it to shred. If it does I have a great taco recipe for that that I'll post in the future. In fact the meat tasted an awful lot like my shredded beef taco meat, except my meat has a lot more flavor and a lot less juice. The original recipe can be found <a href="http://bakingbites.com/2008/02/slow-cooker-french-dip-sandwich/" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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You will need;<br />
<ul>
<li>2-3 lb chuck roast, boneless</li>
<li>2 cans beef broth (<i>next time I will use beef consomme</i>)</li>
<li>1 can french onion soup (<i>next time I think I will add some Lipton onion soup mix to this as well for extra flavor as I felt the meat juice wasn't as deep of a flavor as I would have liked, also possibly an actual onion.</i>)</li>
<li>salt and pepper to taste</li>
<li>2 tsp onion powder</li>
<li>2 tsp garlic powder </li>
<li>thinly sliced cheese like provolone or swiss (optional) </li>
</ul>
<i>*I do plan on making this again, as it was very good, but next time I really would like to add a few things. A whole sliced, and browned onion would really deepen the flavor, as would browning the meat prior to adding it to the crock pot. It's all about layers of flavor people, and this one, though good, fell flat and could really be improved on. For the level of easiness it allows, it's very good, but even an extra 30 minutes of prep would really make the flavor better. Also fresh garlic, and thyme would kick it up a notch.* </i><br />
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Put the meat into your crockpot, and pour the soup over the top. Season with spices, pop the lid on top and let it slow cook on low for 6-8 hours. Remove meat from heat and let sit.<i>Yes, if you don't have a crockpot, this can be done in the oven on very low heat (250*) as long as you TIGHTLY cover the meat with a lid or foil.</i> <b>I recommend allowing the meat to rest, cool, and be refrigerated at least 24 hours before slicing to prevent shredding, but if this recipe is calling your name, by all means cut the meat to the best of your ability and eat it tonight. Otherwise, eat it tomorrow.</b> Slice french rolls lengthwise and toast. Pile meat on top of toasted bread.Place cheese slices on top of meat if using. "Dip" the top of the bread into the meat juices and place on top of sandwich. Serve with a side of juice for additional dipping.<i> If you do plan on letting it rest 24 hours, reheat the meat put simmering in the meat juices at least 1 hour before serving.</i>bertahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14852738062269668484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118538592899988544.post-66891850522617593942012-06-17T14:34:00.000-07:002012-06-17T14:34:00.329-07:00Lemon Grilled Chicken in Creamy Piccata Sauce<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This recipe came right off the pages of Pinterest, and after reading the recipe, realized it's just a healthier, pasta version of Charlie's favorite chicken dish I make him, so I knew it would be a hit! I thought I blogged about his favorite Lemon Chicken, but now I can't seem to find it on the blog, so I guess I'll add it to the list of things to share.</div>
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This is a lemony, creamy pasta paired with marinated grilled chicken. It's light, flavorful, delicious and hard to mess up. The original recipe can be found <a href="http://www.plainchicken.com/2010/08/creamy-grilled-chicken-piccata.html" target="_blank">here at Plain Chicken</a>, and mine is below. Make sure you make this for dinner this summer! It's such a great dish that tastes much richer than it is!</div>
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<a name='more'></a>You will need;<br />
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<i></i>For the Chicken<br />
<ul>
<li>Juice of 1 lemon</li>
<li>3 tbsp olive oil (hearty drizzle)</li>
<li>
2-3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced</li>
<li>
1 tsp salt</li>
<li>
1 tsp black pepper</li>
<li>
few leaves of fresh basil and oregano chiffonade (rolled and chopped) or 1 tsp each if using dried</li>
<li>
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts</li>
</ul>
<i><i></i></i><i></i>For the Pasta;<br />
<ul>
<li>
2 cups dried penne pasta</li>
<li>
2 Tbsp butter</li>
<li>Juice of 2 lemons </li>
<li>
3-4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced</li>
<li>1/2 cup half and half </li>
<li>5-6 leaves fresh basil chiffonade </li>
<li>
1/2 cup fresh grated parmesano reggiano cheese</li>
</ul>
Marinate the chicken by combining the first 6 ingredients into a zip top bag. Add chicken and marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight. Grill over a medium high heat until done, about 8-10 minutes on each side.<br />
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While the chicken is grilling, fill large stock pot with water and salt generously. Bring to boil and cook pasta according to package directions. Melt butter in a medium pan. Add lemon juice and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes until garlic sweats and is fragrant. Add half and half and bring to a gentle simmering boil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add 1/2 the cheese and stir until melted. Add remaining cheese, and basil and simmer until thickened. Drain pasta and reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water. Pour penne into sauce and stir to coat. Add pasta water to thin sauce if needed. <br />
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Serve with chicken and garnish with more cheese on top if desired.<br />
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<br />bertahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14852738062269668484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118538592899988544.post-37483219314242103382012-06-15T21:39:00.000-07:002012-06-15T21:39:38.428-07:00Buffalo Chicken Pizza<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So if you live in Southern California, perhaps you've heard of <a href="http://www.oggis.com/" target="_blank">Oggi's Pizza</a>. If not, you're missing out on a great little pizza and brewery with a delicious menu. Since Abbey's been born we don't get out as much as we used to, but our cravings for our favorite goods hasn't really subsided, so I've gotten pretty decent at copycatting recipes that we can enjoy at home for less money and less calories! Enter Oggi's Slam Dunk Buffalo Chicken Pizza! My version is less like Oggi's and more Charlie friendly, but it's still a pretty amazing substitute. Feel free to add or subtract toppings as you wish, but please, give this a try sometime this summer. It goes great with blue cheese or ranch.</div>
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<a name='more'></a>I start off with a premade crust to keep things easy, but you're more than welcome to go to your favorite pizza place and buy dough, make your own, or just use your own favorite crust. My choice is Boboli's Whole Wheat thin crust, it's quite good.<br />
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You will need;<br />
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For pizza sauce: (reserve 1/4 cup for chicken to toss in)<br />
<ul>
<li>1/2 Bottle of Frank's Red Hot Sauce</li>
<li>1 tbsp butter</li>
<li>1/2 packet of Italian Dressing mix</li>
<li>2 cloves garlic, minced</li>
</ul>
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For the Pizza:<br />
<ul>
<li>1 boneless, skinless chicken breast (marinated in a few spashes of Frank's, an acid of your choice; lemon juice, vinegar etc., salt & pepper</li>
<li>1 pizza crust</li>
<li>1 cup low fat mozzarella cheese, shredded finely</li>
<li>pepperoni (optional - and using low fat turkey pepperoni would be an even healthier option!)</li>
<li>your favorite toppings like green peppers, red onions etc. (optional) </li>
<li>buffalo sauce recipe from above</li>
<li> Italian seasoning</li>
<li>red pepper flakes</li>
</ul>
Start by marinating your chicken breast in a zip top bag for at least 1 hour. Grill chicken on a hot BBQ until cooked thru about 95% of the way. (a little bit of pink will be ok since the chicken will be cooked in the oven on the pizza and you don't want it to dry out). Start your sauce by melting butter in a small sauce pan, and adding garlic to sweat and release flavor. Add Frank's and cook. Add dry dressing mix and stir. Simmer over low heat until thick and reduced by 1/3 (It should coat the back of the spoon well). Preheat the oven to 450* (or according to your favorite crusts directions) Prepare your premade Boboli crust by spreading most of the sauce on it (leave just enough sauce to toss the chicken in).<br />
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Add pepperoni in concentric circles on top of sauce.<br />
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Top with cheese. Cut up chicken into small bite size pieces, toss in remaining sauce to coat and top pizza with chicken. Season top of pizza with Italian seasonings and red pepper flakes. Bake at 450* for 12-15 minutes or according to package/recipe directions for your crust.<br />
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Let rest 5-10 minutes, slice and enjoy.<br />
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<br />bertahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14852738062269668484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118538592899988544.post-42436664635009214162012-06-15T11:52:00.002-07:002012-06-15T11:53:12.984-07:00Healthy Pancakes? Nooo... YES!Healthy Pancakes? Can it be!? Yes! And no, they don't taste like cardboard, they are actually delicious! The secret? Oatmeal, greek yogurt and bananas. Abbey and I had these for breakfast yesterday and they were too good not to share. I got my inspiration for these delicious pancakes from <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/100627372894573425/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a> but made a few tweaks with what I currently had in my Fridge. Follow this<a href="http://www.biggest-loser-recipes.com/oatmeal-pancakes.html" target="_blank"> link</a> for the original Biggest Loser recipe, or read on below for mine.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>The original recipe calls for cottage cheese, which I abhor, so I decided this healthy recipe needed a pick me up. For you to also enjoy this delicious treat for breakfast...<br />
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You will need:<br />
<ul>
<li><span class="textstyle3">
3 eggs (or 6 whites)</span></li>
<li><span class="textstyle3">3/4 cup rolled oats </span></li>
<li><span class="textstyle3">1/4 cup steel cut oats </span></li>
<li><span class="textstyle3">
1 individual Fage brand plain Greek yogurt & fruit cup*</span></li>
<li><span class="textstyle3">1 banana, 1/2 for batter and remaining 1/2 sliced thin for pancakes</span></li>
<li><span class="textstyle3">
2 teaspoons sugar</span></li>
<li><span class="textstyle3">
1 teaspoon cinnamon</span></li>
<li><span class="textstyle3">1 teaspoon vanilla </span></li>
<li><span class="textstyle3">1 tablespoon <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvia_hispanica" target="_blank">Chia seeds</a> (optional, but you could also use flax or any other favorite seed) </span></li>
</ul>
<i><span class="textstyle3">* What I actually did was use the Greek yogurt from the individual Fage fruit cups, and then used the fruit compote that comes on the side, on the top of my pancakes. If you don't have those cups, you can just use 1/4 cup plain yogurt instead and top with whatever you want.* </span></i><br />
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<span class="textstyle3">Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. </span><br />
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<span class="textstyle3">Heat a non-stick griddle on medium high heat and spray with cooking spray. Pour batter onto griddle in 1/4-1/2 cup rounds and place reserved banana slices into batter.</span><br />
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<span class="textstyle3"> </span><i><span class="textstyle3"> </span></i><span class="textstyle3"> </span><br />
<span class="textstyle3">When pancakes begin to bubble, flip and cook until golden brown. Serve with your favorite toppings. I used thin slices of butter and the blueberry acai compote topping from my yogurt cup. Enjoy!</span><br />
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<span class="textstyle3"><br /></span><br />
<span class="textstyle3">Even Abbey loved it! Healthy low fat, high protein pancakes that are kid friendly!? Amazing!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gimme more Ma Ma!</td></tr>
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<span class="textstyle3"></span><i><span class="textstyle3"></span></i><span class="textstyle3"></span><i><span class="textstyle3"></span></i><span class="textstyle3"><br /></span>bertahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14852738062269668484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118538592899988544.post-90413339363121108712012-06-15T10:57:00.000-07:002012-06-15T11:15:40.339-07:00Homemade Cheez-its!My family is OBSESSED with cheese crackers. Nary a box makes it out of our house alive or survives for more than a day or two. My step daughter Audrey always asks if she can "have a snack", and her choice du jour is always a cheese cracker. Not only are store bought cheese crackers expensive, but they are LOADED with extra salt and preservatives. I don't know about you, but I've been trying to eliminate those from our lives for a long time. I found a recipe that not only is easy to make, but so closely resembles the look and taste of the ubiquitous cheese cracker that even Charlie was convinced. Special thanks to <a href="http://thefrugalgirls.com/2012/01/homemade-cheez-its-recipe.html">The Frugal Girls</a> for this tasty recipe!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Homemade, customizable cheese crackers! <br />
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What I really love about these crackers are they are entirely customizable so the possibilities for what you can come up with are endless! If you're stumped just travel to the cracker aisle and check out all the flavors that are available and get inspired!<br />
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You will need:<br />
<ul>
<li>2 cups shredded cheese of your choice, we used sharp cheddar</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>3/4 cups of flour of your choice plus more for dusting, we used plain old all purpose, but what's to stop you from using whole wheat, or even gluten free?</li>
<li>4 tbsp butter, cubed and softened</li>
<li>1/2 tsp salt</li>
<li>1/2 tsp pepper</li>
<li>1 tbsp milk, half & half, or cream ( don't use skim, it needs a bit of the cream to help it set) </li>
</ul>
Preheat your oven to 350* and grab a food processor or do it by hand with a good old fashioned bowl and pastry blender (or heck get messy and use your hands). Add the cheese, salt, pepper, flour and butter and pulse or mix well to combine into a coarse meal. Add the milk and mix until incorporated into a ball.<br />
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Dump out onto a floured surface and dust with flour. Roll out to a large thin rectangle, about 1/16" thick. I really mean it, these puff up so the thinner the better. I used a rolling ravioli cutter to give it a scalloped edge.<br />
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Transfer the crackers to a lined baking sheet and using the flat side of a bamboo skewer make a hole in the center, then sprinkle with coarse salt.<br />
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Bake for 15-30 minutes, checking crackers halfway through. When the edges are golden brown and the crackers fragrant, they should be done. I made the mistake of not rolling my crackers out thin enough, so mine took a little longer to cook and crisp up. I actually twice baked them, first for 15 minutes, then again for 10 and it worked better for me. The crackers will continue to bake on the sheet as they cool.<br />
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Abbey LOVED these crackers! I can't wait to try more flavors, pepper jack anyone? </div>bertahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14852738062269668484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118538592899988544.post-78323984919943556142012-06-12T12:45:00.000-07:002012-06-12T12:47:10.126-07:00The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPBpwKyceX1C2YBl2ykA0TMspUbpTTqcJyYeeWoR0CnAzJWwAB1iNYeEwmDIOlxfwlzfH3Ooc4ApNVdD06QNkyf_AiJqLKSLeaAwGc6NUiJF24E7y3QIx0jsA72XvqcH_PvRlSfxUGKJw/s1600/food+051.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPBpwKyceX1C2YBl2ykA0TMspUbpTTqcJyYeeWoR0CnAzJWwAB1iNYeEwmDIOlxfwlzfH3Ooc4ApNVdD06QNkyf_AiJqLKSLeaAwGc6NUiJF24E7y3QIx0jsA72XvqcH_PvRlSfxUGKJw/s640/food+051.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crunchy on the outside, gooey in the center.</td></tr>
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I love cookies, it's a well known fact that chocolate chip cookies are the end all to be all of cookies. Don't try to contest this, you will not win. I have, over the years, made countless batches of cookies, with almost as many different recipes. It's also a well known fact, just like pizza and sex, that even a bad cookie is still pretty good. But the art of making a perfect cookie is often lost in translation, but we'll get to that in a bit.<br />
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I found this recipe online whilst looking for the holy grail of chocolate chip cookies to make for Charlie and his work buddies. I wanted to be the one that all those hungry construction workers begged to make "those amazing cookies" so I really needed a good recipe, cuz let's face it, hungry men aren't that picky. I can't tell you how I found this recipe, because simply put, I don't remember, but I bet it went along the lines of me googling "the best chocolate chip cookie recipe ever". What I found was this...<br />
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The blog <a href="http://savorysweetlife.com/2009/10/alices-chocolate-chip-cookie-recipe/">Sweet Savory Life</a> and Alice Currah's recipe. It's true, her cookies are amazing. I've tried them, many times, but my problem with her method is, for whatever reason, inconsistent. And believe me, I've tried. The first batch was flavorful, but flat, the second had more rise, but the brown sugar created too much caramelization and created a lacy center. I weighed the flour like she suggested and both times I was unhappy. Once it was too cakey, the next too flat. I decided that her method worked for her and I had to just chalk up my failure to the fact that I wasn't her. Now don't get me wrong, her recipe is great and every time the cookies tasted great, but my results just didn't look like hers, or even hold up past 24 hours. The last time I made it, I had to substitute a few things as I didn't have enough brown sugar, and I was low in the semi-sweet chocolate chip department as well. But low and behold, I created the perfect cookie! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDOBnua3s5WAFWaccKcwjBDTzw5T0IsomlaU-6SiTTYD3U6HrbT3AFWJvoNfPkcYgX4pI51Ggjk81GYOiJKV9pyHu-J5jFmlMNgdG-T0GVDMYgow2KL20V6-f_YneG1TJlYSsynbO2W9k/s1600/food+069.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDOBnua3s5WAFWaccKcwjBDTzw5T0IsomlaU-6SiTTYD3U6HrbT3AFWJvoNfPkcYgX4pI51Ggjk81GYOiJKV9pyHu-J5jFmlMNgdG-T0GVDMYgow2KL20V6-f_YneG1TJlYSsynbO2W9k/s640/food+069.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A plate of perfection.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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The last time I went to Costco with my parents I mentioned I needed to grab some more butter because I was going to be making Charlie these cookies, since he asked so nicely, and my dad asked me why Charlie couldn't just make the cookies himself? I laughed and he asked, "Don't you have a Betty Crocker cookbook? Can't he read and follow a recipe?" Well, yes and most likely yes, but making cookies is more than just reading a recipe. There are reasons why people's cookies come out flat, and hard, or burned, or lumpy, or whatever other reasons befall them. It's called technique, and my dear Charlie does not possess it, which is why he asks me (plus I'm sure a bit of laziness) to make them for him. Now I've never tasted my dad's cookies, because frankly he probably has never made them in his life, but I could assume they would come out decent seeing as he knows how to follow a recipe, but there would be no finesse. These cookies, dear children, require finesse, and if you do no possess it, I would recommend either learning it, or reading and rereading this recipe until you can almost do it without looking. Baking, unlike cooking, requires a lot of precision and measuring as it's a chemical reaction that occurs, so unless you're 100% committed right off the bat, you cookies won't live up to the hype. Not that I am putting any undeserved hype on them, but... well you'll see.<br />
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My recipe very closely follows Alice's original recipe, but on the fateful day in question, when I was running low on supplies and had to improvise with what I had, I made what I believe to be MY perfect cookie recipe, full of 2 differnt kinds of chips, littered with flaky, crunchy salt surprises and crunchy on the edges while still staying gooey in the middle. I share it with you below. You're welcome.<br />
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(My reasons for my changes and some notes are at the bottom and denoted by an asterisk)<br />
1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, softened<br />
<ul class="ingredients">
<li class="ingredient">1 cup sugar*</li>
<li class="ingredient">1 cup packed brown sugar*</li>
<li class="ingredient">2 large eggs (most eggs are "large" if you are unsure check your carton, when measured it should come to roughly 1/2cup of egg. If using egg substitute use 1/2cup.)</li>
<li class="ingredient">3 tsp. vanilla extract*</li>
<li class="ingredient">2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (sifted please)</li>
<li class="ingredient">1-2 tsp. coarse salt - (I use Morton's Kosher salt in the big blue box)*</li>
<li class="ingredient">1 tsp. baking soda*</li>
<li class="ingredient">1 1/2 tsp. baking powder*</li>
<li class="ingredient">1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips*</li>
<li class="ingredient">1 bag milk chocolate chips*</li>
</ul>
<i>* Please please please make sure your baking soda, and baking powder is fresh or else your cookies won't get the proper rise they need, and you're gonna end up with flat, crunchy discs. At that point might as well just have bought some Chips Ahoy. I changed a few things because frankly I really like salt and vanilla, and because at the time my brown sugar was low so I had to substitute with white. In terms of chips I had a bag of semi-sweet and a bag of milk, and I really enjoy the subtle flavor that both chips provide. Feel free to experiment with chips for different effects. Please DO NOT use table salt as your cookies will come out far too salty. Coarse salt adds a unique texture and a flaky crunch that table salt does not provide.*</i><br />
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Preheat oven to 360 degrees.<br />
Cream butter, and sugars until light pale yellow and extremely fluffy. It should almost look like frosting.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Properly creamed butter and sugar.</td></tr>
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Add eggs and vanilla and beat on medium to incorporate. Add dry ingredients (baking soda, baking powder, salt and flour) in another bowl and sift together. Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet in batches of 3 until fully
incorporated. Reduce speed to low, and add in chocolate chips.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You know you wanna lick the bowl.</td></tr>
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(I like to keep my chips in the freezer until ready to add, as it keeps them from breaking up in the batter.)
Place your dough into the fridge to cool and "harden" for at least 10
minutes (more if where you live is hot at the time of baking) This
insures the dough will not flatten too quickly in the oven causing
burning or lacing.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Successfully firmed dough, ready for the scooping!</td></tr>
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When your oven is ready and your dough has firmed up, drop 2 tablespoons of the dough onto a baking
sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking sheet, like a silpat. This is to help the cookies 1. Not Burn and 2. makes it easier to remove them to cool.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heaping tablespoons of heaven.</td></tr>
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Bake them 12-14 minutes until when peeked upon they have a nice rise and are starting to turn golden around the edges. They might look like they aren't done yet, but the cookies will continue to cook and set up after you remove them from the oven. Remove from heat and allow the cookies to rest on the pan for 2-3 minutes to set. Slide the
parchment paper with the cookies still on top off the sheet and transfer to a cool surface (granite counter tops work well).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIwFndDjYL6FE_HaRd3Ap9P8l2Oy58dPVlMZGC9jOYx3kN5B2xTN40ygO7qqK5tKqI178ki7wKgqMVRwEPkwj09N0cAJ3ltSRE7sXx_3p5GvNLyZsQPyKQllV1_xrFbf-ViSpGrT69jC0/s1600/food+048.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIwFndDjYL6FE_HaRd3Ap9P8l2Oy58dPVlMZGC9jOYx3kN5B2xTN40ygO7qqK5tKqI178ki7wKgqMVRwEPkwj09N0cAJ3ltSRE7sXx_3p5GvNLyZsQPyKQllV1_xrFbf-ViSpGrT69jC0/s640/food+048.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Golden brown edges.</td></tr>
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Resist the urge to devour them, and let them sit for a few minutes to cool before serving. If you plan on cooking the entire batch, store any left over uneaten cookies in an air tight container like a zip top bag. If you want to keep the dough around for fresh batches on call, store in air tight plastic containers. It will last a few days in the fridge, or up to 3 months in the freezer.bertahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14852738062269668484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118538592899988544.post-39086847828203395672012-06-12T09:16:00.000-07:002012-06-12T09:16:25.700-07:00Zuppa ToscanaYesterday I made a pot of this tasty soup for a few reasons; 1. I LOVE this soup!, 2. I had all the ingredients on hand from an earlier meal, and 3. I was cleaning out the fridge and needed to make something before it went bad. I understand for some people that soup isn't really a summer staple (I'm in California remember? It's hotter earlier here!) but I just love soup all the time, and it's just a great and quick lunch to have on hand.<br />
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I posted this on my Facebook page and got a few comments regarding wanting the recipe, so I figured, why not? Here you go!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b> Zuppa Toscana</b></span></div>
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(An Olive Garden inspired Copycat Recipe, after the cut)</div>
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You will need:<br />
2 Italian sausages, OR your favorite ground meat, OR, your favorite meatless option<br />
2 slices bacon, cut into baton sticks <br />
1 tbsp olive oil <br />
1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced<br />
1 large shallot, halved and sliced<br />
2-10 cloves of garlic (depending on how much you like), peeled and thinly sliced<br />
2 tsp fennel seed, crushed in your hand or with a pestle and mortar<br />
1 tsp red pepper flake<br />
2 large russet potatoes, skins intact and cut into 1/2-1 inch cubes<br />
1 large bunch of kale, (or any other leafy greens) rinsed, and roughly chopped<br />
1 carton Chicken broth + water to cover<br />
1/4 cup cream or half&half (milk will curdle, and you don't want that!)<br />
Salt & Pepper to taste<br />
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Start by browning your meat in a very hot stock pot. This step is crucial! The browning activates the "caramelization" of the meat and the brown bits are where the flavor is. Add spices, to toast and release aromas. Drain the meat on paper towels, leaving the brown bits in the pot, but removing most of the oil. Return the pot to heat and add the olive oil, heat til hot, but not smoking. Add the onions and shallots, scraping up the brown bits and evenly coating with the oil and cook til translucent and starting to brown, add garlic until soft. Add half the broth to deglaze the pan, add drained meat back into pot. Add potatoes, and remaining broth. Add water to cover. Bring to a slow rolling boil, about 10 minutes. Add kale and cover to wilt. Take your cream out of the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature. Simmer for 30 minutes to an hour, letting kale wilt, and potatoes soften. Add cream, stir to combine. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve and enjoy.bertahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14852738062269668484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118538592899988544.post-55632997863453070842012-03-31T10:29:00.005-07:002012-03-31T11:35:05.275-07:00Guess What? & Roasted Chicken in PotacchioI should start off by saying that, for the past year plus I have been incredibly busy and this blog has totally fallen by the wayside. I am still cooking, in fact, my new project lately has been purees. That's right, I have a baby now! My daughter, Abbey, was born mid-September and since then, and even before, my time has been consumed with everything baby.<br /><br />I didn't think being a mom would be so amazing and so tiring at the same time. It's a good thing she's cute, because she stinks, keeps me up at crazy hours in the night and barfs on me.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcVzX-a6u6RUYtuxyrnRPxhL2ovZvMg_E-Ye-Ned_6FsuC9_rzeg9c1CLahfQo0yQELDpHlnOao2XryMr71RU0MNIfIDRXewZA3I6CVJBCtq2FDeoJbUfPGFSMaEPr6B11KT_i8zSs2gM/s1600/Mommy+and+Abbey+photoshoot+080.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcVzX-a6u6RUYtuxyrnRPxhL2ovZvMg_E-Ye-Ned_6FsuC9_rzeg9c1CLahfQo0yQELDpHlnOao2XryMr71RU0MNIfIDRXewZA3I6CVJBCtq2FDeoJbUfPGFSMaEPr6B11KT_i8zSs2gM/s320/Mommy+and+Abbey+photoshoot+080.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5726118046913525970" border="0" /></a>I am in the middle of starting a new blog, <a href="http://mommylikewhoa.blogspot.com/">Mommy Like Whoa</a>, that will chronicle my life as a mom, with recipes, crafts, and DIY projects, but like this one, it's subject to the time I find to keep it up. I am also now on Pinterest and will be making a great effort to try pinned recipes and share the worthwhile ones with you. <a href="http://pinterest.com/mommylikewhoa/">Follow & Repin me!</a><br /><br />And since no EKmW post would be complete without some sort of recipe review, I bring to you:<br /><br /><a href="http://beta.abc.go.com/shows/the-chew/recipes/Whole-Roasted-Chicken-Potacchio-Scott-Conant">Roasted Chicken in Potacchio by Scott Conant</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://cdn.beta.abc.com/service/image/index/id/70a94591-99da-4895-83ad-11948db828d5/dim/290x290.jpg?cb=29923.0"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 290px; height: 290px;" src="http://cdn.beta.abc.com/service/image/index/id/70a94591-99da-4895-83ad-11948db828d5/dim/290x290.jpg?cb=29923.0" alt="" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:78%;">Photo by ABC's <a href="http://beta.abc.go.com/shows/the-chew">The Chew</a></span><br /></div><br />I got this recipe on The Chew, which is my new favorite daytime "talk show". I don't usually have time to watch it, but I always DVR it and catch up on the weekends. This week, on a rare occasion, I got to watch it early and this recipe was the inspiration for last nights dinner.<br /><br />My local Albertson's was having a sale on whole fryer chickens for 88 cents a pound, so I took advantage! This is a super easy one pan meal, and you'll end up having very minimal dishes, plus it's kid friendly!<br /><br />You start off with;<br /><br />1 whole chicken, cleaned and patted dry<br />1 large yellow onion (or whatever color you have on hand or prefer)<br />1 can tomatoes (I used diced, but once again anything you have on hand)<br />4-6 potatoes; quartered, 1-2 inch cubed(I used red, and they worked nicely)<br />1 cup wine or broth<br />6 sprigs rosemary (I foraged mine from the wild bush that grows outside our house!)<br />Olive Oil<br />Salt & Pepper<br />Red pepper flakes, paprika, cayenne, or whatever your favorite roast chicken seasons are<br /><br />I started off by preheating my oven to 375* and pulled out my roasting pan. I cleaned the chicken and patted it dry, and placed it in the center of the pan. Drizzle the chicken with the olive oil, and season the inside and outside with the salt, pepper, and the seasoning of your choice. Arrange the onion, potatoes and rosemary around the outside of the chicken, drizzle with more olive oil, season, and pour the tomatoes over the top. Place in the oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, basting every 20 minutes or so, or until the thigh temperature is 170* and juices run clear. I removed the chicken from the pan to rest and tossed the potato mixture and put it back into the oven for another 15 minutes. Serve.<br /><br />The best part about this was Charlie LOVED IT, which for some reason lately he hasn't been all that into new dishes for dinner. Even Abbey liked it! I cut off a small piece of the breast and minced it, mixed it with some of the potatoes that I mashed with a fork and she devoured it! Not that I have had a problem with her, she's such a foodie! Just like her mommy!bertahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14852738062269668484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118538592899988544.post-41603697723432749172010-11-07T10:44:00.001-08:002010-11-07T10:44:02.916-08:00Pumpkin Soup<p><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA-agWXlL2WqBXCkBsrB_Ph_cCakbKqa5Rng5kdfNEUo9Ezm678kfVOhTfmPv7qq1r8JMi8A5x50hrP4rqDSre1ScEuyBty8kae4e3LR8_Z33L7rfVuPdINw0vgN8Az91f4XKRPxNg8Sk/'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA-agWXlL2WqBXCkBsrB_Ph_cCakbKqa5Rng5kdfNEUo9Ezm678kfVOhTfmPv7qq1r8JMi8A5x50hrP4rqDSre1ScEuyBty8kae4e3LR8_Z33L7rfVuPdINw0vgN8Az91f4XKRPxNg8Sk/s400/IMG_20101101_132145.jpg' /></a></p>Last week I was inspired by the coming of November and a delicious cup of soup that a coworker brought to work. At first the creamy peach hue inside the stockpot on the break room table had me hesitant, but the smell coming out of it had me intrigued, and of course after one sip, it had me hooked. I asked for the recipe made a few tweaks to add a couple more veggies and started on my own version the following day. Below is the original recipe with my tweak connotations in parentheses. <br/> <br/> PUMPKIN SOUP <br/> 1 cup butter <br/> 1 large onion, chopped <br/> (6 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed) <br/> (1 handful of Italian parsley, rough chopped) <br/> 4 stalks celery, chopped <br/> (2 carrots, peeled and chopped) <br/> (2 medium potatoes, skins intact and chopped) <br/> 1 cup flour <br/> 6 cups chicken broth (I used 1 carton broth and 16 cubes [roughly 2 cups] of my homemade stock) <br/> 1 29oz can of pumpkin puree, I recommend Libby's <br/> 1 cup apple juice <br/> 3 cups milk (I used 2 1/2 cups milk and 1/2 cup cream for extra richness) <br/> Salt, pepper and thyme to taste <br/> <br/> Melt butter in a large stockpot over medium high heat and saute onion, celery, garlic, parsley and carrots until softened and translucent. Add flour and mix well to create your roux. Slowly stir in broth until smooth, add potatoes and apple juice and bring to slow rolling boil. Add pumpkin and return to slow boil. When potatoes are tender, using a hand blender, mix until smooth and little to no lumps remain. I use my Vita-Mix in batches, but anything would work. Return soup to heat, add milk (or cream), salt, pepper and thyme and continue to cook over low heat until ready to serve. <br/> <br/> I honestly think this would be a great appetizer before Thanksgiving dinner, and even more adorable served in baby pumpkin bowls. <br/> <br/> Garnish with croutons, pumpkin seeds and a sprig of parsley. Enjoy!<div style='clear: both; text-align: center; font-size: xx-small;'>Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.4</div>bertahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14852738062269668484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118538592899988544.post-89589576472295509162010-10-20T11:30:00.001-07:002010-10-20T11:30:40.968-07:00Semi-Homemade Sundried & Roasted Garlic Chicken Alfredo<p><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxO9LGvwnK5RfV3UB3BaJsOQWfli8EmILCfN1CU0qpDvB4wi7L9n-JAg95f67KTD5XJclSJgSP8HrV8ZJOpg4cEFWwHJ3HK4zr_zvJcaHF90Pf6pWs4IJFlske4LTSNBYfQyMcr1q2JRY/'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxO9LGvwnK5RfV3UB3BaJsOQWfli8EmILCfN1CU0qpDvB4wi7L9n-JAg95f67KTD5XJclSJgSP8HrV8ZJOpg4cEFWwHJ3HK4zr_zvJcaHF90Pf6pWs4IJFlske4LTSNBYfQyMcr1q2JRY/s400/received_8.jpg' /></a></p>The other night Charlie was craving Alfredo. I don't usually make it because it makes me feel like a stuffed pig for about 23.5 hours, but I had everything I needed at home, and honestly wasn't feeling the grocery store in this rainy weather, so I obliged him. <br/> <br/> Now if you know me, or read this blog regularly, you know I can't just leave well alone and I always have to one up every meal I make. In other words, I'm not ok with putting jarred sauce on some noodles and calling it a day. I decided to fix up my alfredo with a jar of marinated artichoke hearts, some homemade sun-dried tomatoes my mom made, fresh parsley and some faux roasted garlic. <br/> <br/> You will need; <br/> * 1 jar of your favorite Alfredo sauce. I used the Roasted Garlic flavor from Classico <br/> * 1 head of garlic <br/> * 1 jar of marinated artichoke hearts <br/> * 1 jar sun dried tomatoes ( or make your own!) <br/> * 1 tsp sugar <br/> * 1 tbsp butter <br/> * 1/4 cup heavy cream <br/> * Italian flat leaf parsley <br/> * shredded parmesan cheese <br/> * 2 chicken breasts <br/> * Italian seasonings <br/> * 2 tbsp olive oil <br/> * pasta noodles of your choice <br/> <br/> Start by faux roasting your garlic by separating the head, peeling, and rough dicing the garlic. Add the sugar and butter into a small pan and melt over medium heat. Add garlic and sautee until straw colored. <br/> <br/> Clean and season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper and Italian seasonings. In a medium to large frying pan add olive oil over medium heat and cook chicken breasts until golden brown and juices run clear. <br/> <br/> Boil water in a large pot and cook pasta until al dente. Drain. <br/> <br/> In a large saucepan, combine Alfredo sauce and heavy cream, whisk together until mixed and smooth. Dice sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts and parsley and add to sauce. Add roasted garlic. Add parmesan cheese. <br/> <br/> Serve by placing a serving of pasta on a plate. Top with sliced chicken breast, pour sauce over the top and garnish with additional cheese and parsley. Viola! <br/> <div style='clear: both; text-align: center; font-size: xx-small;'>Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.3</div>bertahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14852738062269668484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118538592899988544.post-39235212212239783542010-10-20T10:58:00.001-07:002010-10-20T10:58:57.812-07:00Red Velvet Cupcake Wine!!!<p><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6n890ULGX8eHbFXFiROOoAHe_kBIs577OBuoTIYOyJZuKqAzMQWNag-mILVW8Muz4dzv-gBlHhXxQLQYpitZdXqmmix_Wtsuz7LuRUv14iF4Vqnxx8M4sZ1TQX5u94wWuC2QBtiuAq4w/'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6n890ULGX8eHbFXFiROOoAHe_kBIs577OBuoTIYOyJZuKqAzMQWNag-mILVW8Muz4dzv-gBlHhXxQLQYpitZdXqmmix_Wtsuz7LuRUv14iF4Vqnxx8M4sZ1TQX5u94wWuC2QBtiuAq4w/s400/FxCam_1286246620805.jpg' /></a></p>Seriously. <br/> <br/> We saw this at Albertson's last week and I was floored. I mean I've had Cupcake Winery before but just their Rosé sparkling wine (the night Charlie gave me my ring!) and I've tried their whites, but Red Velvet!? How could I resist? <br/> <br/> We had it before dinner with a bit of Scharffen Berger's 65% cacao chocolate bar. In December of 2008 Michelle, Melissa, Michelle's brother Jimmy and I toured the Sharffen Berger factory in Berkeley and that's when I fell in love. I've never been a huge dark chocolate fan, but theirs is creamy and delicious and tastes amazing. The pairing was awesome. <br/> <br/> The wine had undernotes of mocha, blackberries and creamy chocolate and is recommended to pair with Smokey sweet food such as big juicy Bacon cheeseburgers. <br/> <br/> It's a "California Red Wine", sampling from several vineyards in what I can only guess come from the Alexander and Napa valleys, but to us it tasted like a sweet Cabernet. Just like a red velvet cupcake it was dark, rich and left you craving more. <br/> <br/> <div style='clear: both; text-align: center; font-size: xx-small;'>Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.3</div>bertahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14852738062269668484noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118538592899988544.post-67202608287166076312010-10-17T16:05:00.001-07:002010-10-17T16:05:03.313-07:00Hot Spiced Apple Cider<p><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcapP-zQZFSibl2hDDj0chLSTanqIfvJyoy9kVTeqEh7Qin5gGOnPV3ZvDzi8FzXXIYdaNVVX1OaEvY7M5Rq2_IGMi8nYKjGUwUywcyt6u-mO_iI03LMmljopWswiSgvqk0TbLpUwOr_c/'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcapP-zQZFSibl2hDDj0chLSTanqIfvJyoy9kVTeqEh7Qin5gGOnPV3ZvDzi8FzXXIYdaNVVX1OaEvY7M5Rq2_IGMi8nYKjGUwUywcyt6u-mO_iI03LMmljopWswiSgvqk0TbLpUwOr_c/s400/IMG_20101017_155543.jpg' /></a></p>So today in San Diego it decided to drizzle... all day. No rain, no thunder, no lightening, just barely there drizzle. Charlie was supposed to go riding with the boys, but seeing as how slick wet roads and motorcycles at 60+ MPH don't mix, we stayed in, cleaned house, and watched The Breakfast Club instead. He's currently folding laundry (*gasp!* a man who does housework!) so I decided to warm up with a mug of spiced cider. I worked with what I had in the house and came up with this sweet little autumnal treat. <br/> <br/> * apple juice or cider (if you use juice, use twice as much liquid and cook longer to reduce by half) <br/> * ground cinnamon <br/> * freshly ground nutmeg <br/> * a dollop of maple syrup <br/> * a pinch of salt <br/> * a dab of brown sugar <br/> <br/> You could also add any of the following; <br/> <br/> * Allspice <br/> * Clove <br/> * Citrus peels <br/> <br/> Put it all into a medium saucepan and cook for 10-15 minutes, pour into an adorable mug, let cool and enjoy!<div style='clear: both; text-align: center; font-size: xx-small;'>Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.3</div>bertahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14852738062269668484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118538592899988544.post-27914345218362455822010-10-17T11:49:00.001-07:002010-10-17T11:49:21.408-07:00Enchilads Verdes<p><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbtxLR5x_s_Szj07_42zxGT2iI-RcryBXhNhpZf8kPpWCXeDNZi6q4vcjliJGJWBc7LUnfYQ6UBMSrxFHAs6cxvdSwJuClTqvK9-46q8esrltpYuWznbGxU4zPFEAjHTTxXYIK1irrynA/'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbtxLR5x_s_Szj07_42zxGT2iI-RcryBXhNhpZf8kPpWCXeDNZi6q4vcjliJGJWBc7LUnfYQ6UBMSrxFHAs6cxvdSwJuClTqvK9-46q8esrltpYuWznbGxU4zPFEAjHTTxXYIK1irrynA/s400/IMG_20101016_200011.jpg' /></a></p>Whenever Charlie has a bad day, I do my best to make the rest of his day perfect. This usually includes letting him play Red Dead Redemption for hours on end, giving him a back massage, buying him a 12-pack of his favorite beer of the moment and cooking him one of his favorite labor intensive meals I try to avoid on a normal day. Charlie's love is a little different from mine so when I have a bad day I just ask that he's a little nicer and caring than normal. If I'm really lucky he'll give me a night off from cooking duty and make me one of famous dishes that he makes so well. <br/> <br/> Yesterday was one of those days. I spent the majority of my day with my dads side of the family at a memorial and celebration of life of my recently deceased Uncle "Wesser", and I was drained. Emotionally, mentally and physically. So Charlie stepped up and made me one of my favorites - Enchilada Verdes! <br/> <br/> We both grew up eating a lot of Mexican food - both mine and Charlie's father's sides of our families are part Mexican - which leads to some of the best food you're going to find anywhere. Plus we're from San Diego, so you could say we're both pretty picky about our Mexican food. His enchiladas are better than any enchiladas I've ever gotten at a restaurant and I'm going to share with you the secret. Lucky you! <br/> <br/> You're going to need; <br/> <br/> * 6 medium sized flour tortillas <br/> * 2 cans La Victoria mild green enchilada sauce <br/> * 2-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts <br/> * 1 cup shredded "Mexican" Cheddar Jack cheese <br/> * 1/4 cup sour cream <br/> * 1 bunch of cilantro, finely chopped <br/> * 1 block of Jack cheese, sliced into 1/4 inch chunks <br/> <br/> Start by boiling the chicken breasts until cooked, then cool and shred with your hands or 2 forks. Open and dump both cans of sauce into a medium saucepan and let simmer until slightly reduced and thickened. In a large bowl combine the chicken, shredded cheese, sour cream and cilantro and mix well. Stuff a tortilla with the chicken mixture, roll up and place in a casserole dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas and chicken. Pour the thickened sauce over the top and top each enchilada with the sliced cheese. Bake at 350* until sauce bubbles and cheese on top is melted, about 15-20 minutes. Cool to set and serve with rice, beans and a ridiculously healthy appetite! Om nom nom. <br/> <div style='clear: both; text-align: center; font-size: xx-small;'>Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.3</div>bertahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14852738062269668484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118538592899988544.post-3025065681566766142010-10-15T12:48:00.001-07:002010-10-15T12:48:53.313-07:00Caramel Apple Crumb Pie<p><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGVg-b7Adn8mJDSftnk6jsra8DTKB_TImdgTUdSafZidC8-p96zv780Qf13aw4xc537U1v_jW1ngndwWPU0h2gQ5SA3Sv0VSgj9zwlUY4AHC7Nf23J3sLbccLBjXFYEEYdhDwQYpnK7CA/'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGVg-b7Adn8mJDSftnk6jsra8DTKB_TImdgTUdSafZidC8-p96zv780Qf13aw4xc537U1v_jW1ngndwWPU0h2gQ5SA3Sv0VSgj9zwlUY4AHC7Nf23J3sLbccLBjXFYEEYdhDwQYpnK7CA/s400/IMG_20101014_202259.jpg' /></a></p>Last night, the fall weather got the best of me and I decided to make an apple pie. This is the first pie from scratch I've ever made so I researched the components extensively beforehand and made my decisions based on ingredients, level of difficulty and the comments left by the people who had attempted it before me. <br/> <br/> I posted pictures of my success on Facebook and after an overwhelming response of people asking for the recipe, I decided to share it here. Bear in mind this was my first pie and feel free to add and subtract ingredients at will to your liking. My pie was tart with a sweet syrup and a slightly salty crust, which in my opinion balanced itself out perfectly. <br/> <br/> I started out using 5 Gala apples because they hold up well in baking and are a nice in-between of sweet and tart. I peeled them, and sliced them into thin slices, placed them into a large bowl and set them aside for the moment. Next in a medium sized bowl I added 1/2 a cup of apple juice (reduced from 1 cup, but 1/2 a cup apple cider would work too) the juice from 1/2 a lemon, cinnamon and fresh grated nutmeg, 1/3 cup maple syrup (the real stuff people, not Aunt Jemima) and 2 teaspoons of sugar - brown or white depending on the flavor you want to achieve. In a large skillet I melted 2 tablespoons butter and sauteed the apples until the color changed to a rich yellow, sprinkled them with some cinnamon and sugar, then poured the juice mixture over the top and cooked about 2 minutes more. I transferred the apples into my pie crust that I had prepared earlier and returned the juice mixture to heat, added 2 teaspoons of cornstarch and simmered until thickened, and poured it over the apple filled crust. I topped my pie with a crumble I made of 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup brown sugar, cut with 3 tablespoons butter until it resembled a coarse meal, then I sprinkled it over the top but not before drizzling the apples with caramel sauce. I got mine at Starbucks, I use it to make Charlie his coffee in the morning, but it worked well on the pie too! The girls at my Starbucks got a kick out of my creative use for it. I baked the pie at 375*, loosely covered with tinfoil for 25 mins and then uncovered for another 25 and it came out perfectly. <br/> <br/> For the sake of me testing this recipe I used a Pillsbury readymade rolled pie crust. They are found in the refrigerated section of the grocery store and come in packs of 2. Feel free to use any type of crust you would like. Next time I'm going to attempt to make homemade crust, so I will definitely share those results as well. <br/> <br/> I topped my pie with some homemade whipped cream to which I added a bit of sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon and whipped on high in my Kitchen-Aid for about 5 minutes.<div style='clear: both; text-align: center; font-size: xx-small;'>Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.3</div>bertahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14852738062269668484noreply@blogger.com0