Baking with Hayley

Last week I got to bake with one of my best friends Hayley. We grew up together living in the same small town and going to church together. Ever since we turned 15 we've been working at the same cafe/bakery uptown. She herself loves to bake and cook for her family, so why this is the first time we've ever baked with each other (outside of work) I don't know! We just both had a free afternoon the other day and decided to make the most of it! We made Cinnamon rolls and S'more Cupcakes; we made the cupcake recipe up ourselves! And it turned out to be smashing success, except we didn't let the ganache completely firm up before putting it in the cupcake so it seeped into cake a bit. But it still tasted wonderful! A few pictures from the afternoon:

Hayley punching down the Cinnamon Roll dough

Me making the Marshmallow Frosting

Cupcakes!

Torching the cupcakes. I've never used a torch before. Let's just say it was awesome and I'm putting it on my Christmas list!

Finished Product!

And the amazing Cinnamon Rolls! (before the frosting)

Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients:
1 pkg. cook & serve vanilla pudding
2 c. milk
1 stick butter
2 beaten eggs
2 pkg. yeast (4 1/2 tsp.)
1/2  c. warm water
1/2 Tbsp. almond flavoring
6 1/2 c. flour
Directions: 
[1] Cook pudding and milk according to  package directions. Add butter to let melt, stir and cool. Add beaten eggs
[2] Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup warm water. Add 2 Tbsp. sugar. When yeast is foamy, add to other mixture with almond flavoring.
[3] Stir in flour and salt gradually. Let rise 1 hour. Punch down and let rise for 45 minutes.
[4] Turn out and knead in 1/2 cup flour. Divide in half and roll out. Butter and sprinkle generously with sugar and cinnamon. Roll out and cut into slices. Let rise.
[5] Bake 15- 20 minutes at 375. Frost.

S'more Cupcake

Graham Cracker Yellow Cake Ingredients: 

1 c. unsalted butter

1 3/4 c. sugar

4 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

1 Tbsp. vanilla

3 c. cake flour (spooned and leveled) 

1 Tbsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 c. buttermilk

1 c. finely crushed graham crackers

Ganache Ingredients:

1c. Whipping Cream

12 oz. milk chocolate

Marshmallow Frosting:

8 large egg whites, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon fine salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions: [1] Bring cold ingredients to room temperature. Butter should be soft enough to hold a thumbprint but still keep its shape. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar on high until light and fluffy, about 6 minutes.[2] Beat in 4 eggs plus 2 yolks, one at a time, until combined. Beat in vanilla extract.[3] In another large bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking powder, and salt. With mixer on low, add 1/3 the flour mixture to butter mixture, beating to combine.[4] Beat in 3/4 cup buttermilk, another 1/3 the flour mixture, another 3/4 cup buttermilk, and remaining flour mixture until just combined. Add crushed graham crackers. Mix.[5] Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.[6] Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan bring whipping cream just to boiling over medium-high heat. Remove from heat. Add chocolate (do not stir). Let stand for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Cool for 15 minutes. (Make sure the ganache is thick enough that it won't seep into the cupcake)[7]  After the cupcakes are done baking and have cooled, place them on on a baking sheet (they can be touching) and set them aside. [8] Fill a medium saucepan with 1 inch of water and bring it to a simmer over medium heat.[9] Place the egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt in the clean bowl of a stand mixer and whisk by hand to combine. Nest the bowl over the saucepan, making sure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water. Heat the egg white mixture, whisking constantly, until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is hot to the touch (about 120°F on an instant-read thermometer), about 6 minutes.[10] Transfer the bowl to a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Turn the mixer to medium and whisk for 1 minute. Increase the speed to high and whisk until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 5 minutes more. Add the vanilla and whisk until just incorporated, about 1 minute.[11] Transfer the frosting to a large piping bag fitted with a 1/2-inch star piping tip and pipe it onto the cupcakes. [12] Use a kitchen torch to brown tops, watching carefully to avoid burning. [13] Serve immediately or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 hours.

It really works!

a couple of weeks ago i was talking to one of my cousins and he was telling me about a recipe he saw on pinterest for bread. the caption of it was something like "two ingredient bread, so good and easy!" turns out the two ingredients are self-rising flour and any type of ice cream you want.

that's it. now, i was pretty skeptical and thought it sounded like on of those "good ideas" on pinterest that in reality turn out to be a disaster. well, fast-forward to this week and a co-worker of mine sent me this two ingredient bread recipe and told me try it. so i decided, what's there to lose? that, and i wanted to see if it really worked. i was pleasantly surprised to find it actually did!

for all of you skeptics out there, this is why it works. ice cream is made up of eggs, dairy, fat and all that good stuff. when you combine it with self rising flour you have a bake-capable product and voila, two ingredient bread. however, i found that i didn't love the bread. it wasn't bad, it just wasn't my favorite. on the other hand, i had mixed reviews from my family  some loved it, some disliked it, and some felt how i did. i'm really glad i tried it, but i don't think i'll be adding it to my list of favorites.

Ice Cream BreadMakes: 8 x 4 loaf
Ingredients:
2 Cups Ice Cream, any flavor, softened
1 1/2 cups Self-Rising Flour
Directions
[1] Preheat your oven to 350 Fahrenheit. Spray and flour a 8 x 4 loaf pan, or line it with parchment paper.
[2] In a medium bowl mix the ice cream and flour together until just combined.
[3] Scoop into the loaf pan and smooth out.
[4] Bake for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick stuck in the loaf comes out with a few crumbs stuck to it.
[5] Remove from the pan and allow to cool.
* For best results..use full fat ice-cream!

Suprise 2X

i'm sorry. I've become a failure of a blogger and cook. my blogs have been inconsistent. my cooking has dwindled to one night every other week, and the things I've been making haven't been all that adventurous. I wish I could say I have these grand plans of doing better, but I can't. i'm growing up, and I don't have time every week (as sad as that sounds) to make a meal consistently. i'm not going to stop blogging and i'm most certainly NOT going to stop cooking...it just won't be as consistent. to make up for my lameness I made a surprise for all you faithful viewers who have put up with me these last few months. make sure you watch all of it because there's a surprise at the end ;)

potato cheese soup

sorry it's been a while since i last posted. the cord for my camera to get my pictures on to the computer went mia, but thankfully i found it last night. so here we go! the other night i made potato cheese soup. it was perfect for a sunless rainy day. i got the recipe from Renee's cookbook, but i added carrots to the recipe to give the soup some texture. my mom always made this soup for us kids growing up and i love it!

Potato Cheese Soup
SERVES: 4
 Ingredients:
3 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/4 c. finely chopped onion
1 c. boiling water, lightly salted
2 medium-sized carrots, diced
Milk
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
2 Tbsp. flour
3/4 tsp. salt
Pepper
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
Directions:
[1] Add potatoes and onion to boiling water. Cover and cook until tender, about 20 minutes.
[2] Meanwhile cook carrots in microwave or over stove until tender.
[3] Mash tender potatoes and onions lightly; do not drain.
[4] Add milk to make soup about 5 cups.
[5] Blend butter, flour, salt, and pepper. Stir into potato mixture.
[6] Cook and stir until mixture thickens, then add tender carrots and cheese. Cook until cheese is partially melted. Serve immediately.

family dinner

my brother, Jesse, just graduated last sunday from his jockey program and came back home for a week off before he heads to Maryland (read more here). it's been great having him around! last night we had a family dinner with the whole family minus Jon & Kali, because they're having too much fun in Argentina or New Zealand...wherever they are in the southern hemisphere! (read more here).  anyways, i had the pleasure of making dinner for everyone last night! i made skillet chicken and ravioli, parmesan zucchini and a baguette on the side, with double-chocolate swirl pound cake for desert. lucky for us, the weather was beautiful so we were able to eat outside. it was so much fun sitting out on our back deck with the family, laughing and sharing over supper. my family loved the meal. however, i adjusted the recipe for the skillet a bit, because turns out our local IGA doesn't have such delicacies as frozen ravioli (i didn't have time to make my own). i used  tortellini as a substitute, which worked out fine. the recipe also called for mushrooms, which i was hesitant to put in because i am not that big of a mushroom fan, but i decided to give it a go. i'm so glad i did because i absolutely loved them! the mushrooms were also my dad's favorite part of the dish and my brother, who feels the same way on mushrooms as i do, loved them too! lesson learned: try the foods you don't like because they might just surprise you! the dessert was really good too, but my only complaint would be, as usual, double the glaze!

Recipes:

Skillet Chicken Ravioli
TIME: 30 minutes SERVES: 4 (i doubled this recipe for my family)
Ingredients:

Kosher salt
1 9-ounce package small cheese ravioli
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 1/4 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
Freshly ground pepper
8 ounces white mushrooms, halved
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, basil or a combination

Directions: 

[1] Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the ravioli and cook as the label directs; drain, then drizzle with olive oil and toss.
[2] Meanwhile, season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken; cook, undisturbed, until beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Continue to cook, stirring, 1 more minute. Transfer to a plate.
[3] Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in the skillet. Add the mushrooms and cook, undisturbed, until browned in spots, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and continue to cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 more minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, garlic and vinegar and cook until the tomatoes begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Return the chicken to the skillet, then add the ravioli, broth and parmesan; bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through, about 4 minutes. Top with the parsley.

For the Parmesan Zucchini all i did was saute the zucchini and sprinkle parmesan on top when they were tender. Delicious and easy way to cook zucchini.

Double-Chocolate Swirl Pound Cake

TIME: 1 hour 26 minutes SERVES: 16

Ingredients: 

1 3/4 cups sugar 
1/3 cup canola oil 
6 tablespoons butter, softened
2 large eggs 
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
9 ounces all-purpose flour (about 2 cups) 
3.4 ounces whole-wheat pastry flour (about 3/4 cup) [ can substitute for all-purpose]
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup light sour cream 
1/4 cup 2% reduced-fat milk 
1 teaspoon canola oil 
1 ounce chopped bittersweet chocolate
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
Baking spray with flour

Glaze: [double this]
2/3 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons 2% reduced-fat milk 
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions:

[1] Preheat oven to 350°.

[2] Combine first 3 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, beating until incorporated. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.

[3] Weigh or lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level. Combine flours, powder, soda, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Combine sour cream and 1/4 cup milk. Add flour mixture and sour cream mixture alternately to butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

[4] Combine 1 teaspoon canola oil and chopped bittersweet chocolate in a microwave-safe dish. Microwave at HIGH for 1 minute, stirring every 20 seconds until smooth. Stir in 2 tablespoons cocoa. Remove 2 1/2 cups vanilla batter; add to chocolate mixture, and stir.

[5] Using 2 ice-cream scoops or 2 large spoons, add batters alternately to a 10-cup Bundt pan coated with baking spray; swirl.

[6] Bake at 350° for 50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 15 minutes. Remove from pan; cool on wire rack.

[7] Combine powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, 1 tablespoon cocoa, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla, and 1/8 teaspoon salt; stir until smooth. Drizzle glaze over cake.

Orange-Glazed Baked Chicken

last night was they very first time i hosted potluck. my friend and i are in it together as a "couple". since i hosted the potluck at my house, it was my duty to cook the meat. i knew i wanted to do chicken breasts and i thought something citrusy would be fun. i found a recipe for orange-glazed baked chicken in our church cook book. it looked like it would be perfect, but i decided to do a trial run on my family the week before. the recipe called for a cut-up chicken, but i adapted the cooking time to make it work for boneless skinless chicken breasts. after my family and i taste tested it, we all decided that it would be better with a few alterations: rub the chicken in salt before coating the chicken with the flour mixture and double the sauce so there would be extra to pour over it after serving. with these few minor changes, the chicken turned out wonderfully and delicious! i loved that the dish was not too complicated and involved, but still looked beautiful.

for my family i served rice on the side with the chicken

my version of Orange Glazed Baked Chicken

SERVES: 8 TIME: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

8 (6 oz.) Boneless skinless chicken breasts

1/2 c. Butter

1 c. Flour

2 tsp. Paprika

salt

Glaze:

1 c. Brown sugar

2 Tbsp. Cornstarch

2 c. Orange juice

Directions: 

[1] Preheat oven to 375. Melt the margarine or butter in a 9x13-inch baking dish. 

[2] Mix the flour and paprika. Rub the chicken in salt then coat the chicken with the flour mixture. Place in the baking dish and bake for 20 minutes. 

[3] Turn the breasts over and continue baking for another 10 minutes. 

[4] While chicken bakes, make the glaze. Blend the brown sugar and cornstarch. Stir in the orange juice. Heat the mixture until clear.

[5] Pour the glaze over the chicken, reserving about 3/4 c. for extra sauce, and continue to bake another 10 minutes, or until chicken is nice and tender.

[6] Serve chicken with the extra sauce on the side.

Saucy Ribs and Parmesan Potatoes

 two weeks ago I made saucy ribs and parmesan potatoes. i was looking for an easy crock pot recipe and came across this recipe for ribs in Renee's cook book. if you don't have her cookbook you should get one; she has some fantastic recipes. but back to the ribs. i've never made ribs before so i decided to give it a whirl. they were good, but not one of my favorites. this is probably due to the fact that i'm not really a big fan of ribs. they're just so messy and i feel like a cannibal eating them. anyways my family did like them a lot, so if you're a ribs fan, i would definitely suggest trying them. the parmesan potatoes came from our church's cook book. i absolutely loved them! crispy on the outside but soft on the inside; now that is my kind of potato!

Recipes: 
Saucy Spareribs
TIME: 7 hours SERVES: 6-8 
 Ingredients:
4-5 lb. pork spareribs or 3-4 boneless country style ribs
Salt and pepper to taste
Garlic salt to taste
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 c. finely chopped celery
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1 c. ketchup
1/2 c. water
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4c. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. vinegar
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/8 tsp. pepper
Directions: 
Season ribs with salt, garlic salt, and pepper; place in crock pot on HIGH for 6 hours or until tender. Meanwhile in a saucepan, saute onion and celery in butter until tender. Add reaming ingredients; mix well. Bring to boil; reduce heat. Cook and stir until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Drain juices from ribs in crock pot. Pour sauce over ribs. Cook at least one hour longer.

Parmesan Potatoes
TIME: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Ingredients: 
6 potatoes (5 to 6 c., cubed)
1/4 c. flour
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese
3/4 tsp. salt
Dash of pepper
1/3 c. butter
Directions: 
Peel potatoes and cut in cubes. Combine flour, cheese, salt and pepper in large baggie. Add moist potatoes to bag and shake gently to coat. Melt butter in 9x13-inch baking dish. Place potatoes over the butter. Bake at 375 for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, turning once during baking.

Cheesy Penne with Broccoli and Herbed Breadsticks!

once again, sorry for the no post last week...my family and i got home from florida the beginning of last week so i didn't cook until the weekend and i haven't gotten a chance to blog until now! so, here we go! i made cheesy penne with broccoli and herbed breadsticks. both of these recipes i got from Cooking Light, and both were easy and fast! i had almost all the ingredients for them at home except for the broccoli. the meal only took twenty minutes total to make and it was delicious. i'd say it was a win-win situation. if you're ever in a rush, or even not in a rush, try this!

Recipes:

Herbed Breadsticks
TIME: 15 minutes SERVES: 4
Ingredients:
4 oz. of leftover Pizza or Bread dough [i used half of this recipe]
1 Tbps. chopped Oregano
1 Tbsp. chopped Thyme
Cooking Spray
1 tsp. olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Directions:
[1] Pre-heat oven to 425.
[2] Roll out dough in an 8 x 4-inch rectangle. Sprinkle herbs over it. Fold dough over twice; knead 4 times.
[3] Roll into an 8 x 4-inch rectangle once again. Cut into 4 (4 x 2-inch) rectangles; twist.
[4] Arrange on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; bake for 10 minutes.
[5] Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt & pepper.


Cheesy Penne with Broccoli
TIME: 20 minutes SERVES: 4
Ingredients:
8 ounces uncooked mini penne pasta
5 cups broccoli florets (about 1 medium head)
1 1/3 cups fat-free milk
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
2 tablespoons 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2.5 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2/3 cup)
Directions:
[1] Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. During the last 3 minutes of cooking, add broccoli to pan; drain. Place pasta and broccoli in a large bowl.
[2] Combine milk and flour in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Cook 5 minutes or until slightly thickened; remove from heat. Add 2 tablespoons Parmesan and remaining ingredients, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Add cheese mixture to pasta mixture; toss. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan.

Oopsy

first off, i would like to apologize for the no post last week.  i was planning on posting the meal i made last tuesday night over the weekend but i ended up getting sick and never got it done. so, here we are. last tuesday night i made hamburger steak with onion gravy and chive mashed potatoes, from  Cooking Light, and old-fashioned biscuits from Food Network. it was, to quote hannah montana, the best of both worlds. (yes, i was a fan back in my dark days.) when i was making my old-fashioned biscuits, a recipe by Paula Deen by the way, i made a little oopsy, okay actually a huge oopsy. when putting the dry ingredients together i read 1 tablespoon of baking soda. i thought that seemed like a lot of baking soda so i re-read it one more time. i was correct, one tablespoon of baking soda. so i gave Mrs. Deen the benefit of the doubt and dumped it in. well, when i tasted the biscuit at the supper table i knew it had too much baking soda. my mom even asked me if i put too much baking soda in, but i assured i read the recipe twice and that's what it said to do. after supper as i was cleaning up i happened to glance over at the recipe, and there in black ink was clearly printed one tablespoon of baking powder. i thought, wow, Hannah, you must be getting old. as my grandpa used to say, "biscuits like that never last long at our house." we threw them out.

the steak and mashed potatoes were delicious! i'm sure the biscuit would've been too!

Recipes:

Hamburger Steak with Onion Gravy
TIME: 20 minutes SERVES: 4

Ingredients: 
1 pound ground sirloin 
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 tablespoon canola oil, divided 
1 1/2 cups vertically sliced onion 
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour 
1 cup unsalted beef stock
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions (optional) [i opted out]

Directions: 
[1] Divide beef into 4 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty. Sprinkle patties evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; swirl to coat. Add patties; cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned; remove from pan.
[2] Add remaining 1 teaspoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add vertically sliced onion; sauté 3 minutes or until lightly browned and tender. Sprinkle onion with flour; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add stock and remaining salt and pepper; bring to a boil. Return patties to pan; reduce heat to medium, partially cover, and cook 5 minutes or until gravy is slightly thickened. Sprinkle with green onions, if desired.


Quick Chive Mashed Potatoes
TIME: 6 minutes  SERVES: 4

Ingredients: 
2 c. of frozen mashed potatoes [i made 2 c. of homemade mashed potatoes]
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives
2 Tbsp. creme fraiche or sour cream [you guessed it, i used sour cream]
2 Tbsp. fat-free milk
1 Tbsp. butter
1/8 tsp. black pepper

Directions:
[1] Prepare 2c. of mashed potatoes [frozen or homemade]
[2] Stir in all 6 ingredients


Old-Fashioned Biscuits
TIME: 45 minutes YIELDS: about 10 biscuits

Ingredients: 
2 c. all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 tsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
8 Tbsp. cold lard or un-salted butter [i used butter]
Unsalted butter, softened, for the plan and biscuit tops

Directions: 
[1] Preheat oven to 425.
[2] Mix the flour sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl with a fork.
[3] Cut the chilled lard into small cubes and add to the dry ingredients. Use a pastry blender (or two forks) to cut the lard into the flour, pressing and twisting until the lard is in pea-size bits.
[4] Make a well in the flour-fat mixture and slowly pour in the milk. Mix with a fork until just combined, then knead gently with your hands until the dough comes together into a sticky ball.
[5] Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and pliable; do not overwork. Roll out into a 1/2-inch-thick round, flouring the rolling pin and dough as needed.
[6] Smear a 10-inch hoe cake pan or cast-iron skillet with softened butter. Cut out 2-3 inch biscuits using a clean empty can, the mouth of a glass or biscuit cutter. Put the biscuits on the pan. Re-roll the scraps and cut out more biscuits. Make a fist and mark the top of each biscuit with your knuckles. Dot with softened butter. Bake until golden, 15-20 minutes.

Chicken Fajitas

....last night i made chicken fajitas! i got the recipe from Food Network. the chicken in it was superb. i loved the flavor. the only thing that i did differently to the recipe was to substitute cotija cheese for feta cheese, as my local grocery store does not carry a wide variety of cheeses. cotija is a hard goat's milk cheese that originated from mexico, but feta cheese substitutes just fine! at least that's whats Gourmet Sleuth told me. Gourmet Sleuth is a website i recently stumbled upon that has a culinary dictionary with substitutions, ingredients, and equivalents. i would really recommend checking it out, it has been a life saver to me many a times. anyways, back to the fajita, super good, super easy, super quick, you should try it.

Chicken Fajitas
TIME: 35 minutes   SERVES: 4
Per serving: Calories 372

Ingredients: 

1 teaspoon chili powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 bell peppers (any color), sliced
1 red onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon grated lime zest, plus wedges for serving
8 corn tortillas [i used flour]
1/2 cup prepared pico de gallo or fresh salsa
1/3 cup crumbled cotija cheese (about 1 1/2 ounces)

Directions: 

[1]Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Mix the chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper and rub on the chicken breasts.
[2] Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning, until golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a baking sheet, reserving the skillet, and bake until just cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board to rest, 5 minutes.
[3] Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in the reserved skillet over medium heat. Add the bell peppers, onion, garlic and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon cumin and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are lightly browned, 8 minutes. Stir in the lime zest and 2 tablespoons water. Season with salt.
[4] Wrap the tortillas in aluminum foil and warm in the oven, 5 minutes, then divide among plates. Slice the chicken. Top the tortillas with the chicken, bell pepper mixture, pico de gallo and cheese. Serve with lime wedges.

Good News & Bad News

i have good news and bad news. i'm a firm believer in giving the bad news first in this type of situation. because, after you hear the bad news you know it can only get better, but when you hear the good news first you know it'll only go downhill from there. so, enough of my jabbering.............BAD NEWS: i'm not cooking until the weekend, and miraculously i'm all caught up on my posts (okay so this is kind of good news for me,) which means i don't have a meal to post about..............GOOD NEWS: i've had something that's just been waiting to be posted on here but i've been waiting for the opportune moment. it's a recipe for the best cheddar cheese ball ever known to man! (well in my opinion) I found this recipe from An Edible Mosaic. my naive cooking mind always thought that making a cheese ball was close to impossible. turns out it isn't. it's super easy. oh how innocent i am when it comes to food sometimes!

Cheddar Cheese Ball Appetizer (Or Cheddar Pub Spread if you're feeling fancy)
TIME: 9 hours MAKES:  2 large cheese balls [i just made one]

Ingredients:
8 oz. sharp cheddar, shredded
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
8 oz. Farmers cheese (no salt added)
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1 c. toasted pecans, chopped.

Directions:

[1] Pulse together all ingredients in a food processor until it forms a smooth paste.
[2] Divide in half, and roll each half into a ball.
[3] Put the cheese balls on a paper towel-lined plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
[4] Before serving, roll each ball in pecans and then let them sit at room temperature for 45 minutes; serve with crackers.

the finished product in the line up of appetizers at a party i took it to.

Butternut Squash Ravioli with Spinach Pesto

...last tuesday was a snow day for me. my classes for the afternoon were canceled so my whole day was wide open. i decided to take advantage of it and make ravioli! i love. love. l-o-v-e to make homemade pasta. there's just something so rewarding about it. now, i have just been dying to make ravioli since Christmas because my awesome sista, Kali, gave me a vintage ravioli kit for Christmas! when i found a recipe in cooking light for butternut squash ravioli with spinach pesto, i knew i had to make it on my next free day. this particular recipe was labeled as "shortcut fresh ravioli" because it used wonton wrappers instead of fresh ravioli dough, but i made it longcut and made my own fresh pasta dough!

first you make the dough and then roll it and place it over the cutter

then you use this handy dandy thing to press wells into the dough

then you scoop the filling into the wells

you then put another sheet of pasta on top and use a rolling pin to press the two sheets together

after that, you peel the excess pasta off around the edges, flip the cutter over and push out the pasta onto a pan

cook it and add a delicious sauce and Ta-da!

the butternut squash filling was sooo good! another thing that i loved was that you make your own pesto! i've had pesto before and i loved it, but i always wondered if i could make it myself and if it would be hard. well, turns out it's super easy! snow day = success

Recipes:

Pasta Dough
[in case you want to make it the long cut way, and if you don't have a ravioli kit: never fear, just click here]

MAKES: 36 raviolis SERVES: 6

Ingredients: 

2 c. flour

3 lg. eggs

1/2 tsp. salt

Directions:

[1] Pour flour into bowl, make a well in the center. Add the eggs and salt into the well. Mix together with a fork.

[2] After it's mixed well, take the dough out and begin kneading it on a lightly floured surface. Add water if it is too dry or flour if it is too wet. 

[3] Let rest for 10 minutes and then begin rolling.

Butternut Squash Ravioli with Spinach Pesto

TIME: 1hour & 15 minutes SERVES: 6

Ingredients: 

1 butternut squash, halved lengthwise and seeded (about 1 1/2 pounds)
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2.5 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated and divided
3/8 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
36 wonton wrappers
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 garlic cloves
1 1/2 cups fresh baby spinach
1/2 cup fresh basil
1/4 cup walnuts, toasted, chopped, and divided
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons organic vegetable broth
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
6 quarts water

Directions:

[1] Preheat oven to 400°.
[2]  Place squash halves, cut sides down, on a foil-lined baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 30 minutes or until tender [it took 40 minutes for me.] Cool. Scoop out pulp; discard peel. Mash pulp. Combine oregano, squash pulp, and butter in a large bowl. Stir in 2 ounces (about 1/2 cup) cheese, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Working with 1 wonton wrapper at a time (cover remaining wrappers with a damp towel to keep them from drying), spoon about 1 1/2 teaspoons squash mixture into center of each wrapper. Moisten edges of wrapper with beaten egg; bring 2 opposite corners together. Pinch edges together to seal, forming a triangle. Repeat procedure with remaining wrappers, squash mixture, and egg. Cover ravioli loosely with a towel to prevent drying.
[3]  Place garlic in a food processor, and pulse until finely chopped. Add remaining 1/2 ounce (about 2 tablespoons) cheese, remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, spinach, basil, and 2 tablespoons walnuts. With processor on, slowly pour oil, broth, and juice through food chute. Process until well blended. Place pesto in a large bowl.
[4] Bring 6 quarts water to a boil in a large Dutch oven. Add half of ravioli; cook 3 minutes or until thoroughly cooked. Remove ravioli with a slotted spoon. Repeat procedure with remaining ravioli. Add ravioli to pesto; toss gently to coat. Arrange 6 ravioli on each of 6 plates; sprinkle each serving with 1 teaspoon walnuts.

Three-Cheese Calzones

....why do magazines always send out their issues two weeks to a month early? this is something i have never understood. they call it their "march" issue but here i am reading it in the middle of february? anyways, while perusing though Food Networks "march" (really february issue) i found a recipe for Three- Cheese Calzones. I decided to give it a try last week and the result: delicious and fun to make. i changed the recipe up a bit  and made my own pizza dough instead of buying pre-made pizza dough. i used a recipe i've put on here before. (click here)

Three-Cheese Calzones
TIME: 40 minutes SERVES: 4

Ingredients:

2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (about 8 ounces)
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
2 scallions, sliced
1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons grated parmesan cheese (about 1 1/2 ounces)
1 tablespoon breadcrumbs
1 pound prepared pizza dough, at room temperature [or 1 recipe of my Thin Pizza Crust Dough]
All-purpose flour, for dusting
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Marinara sauce, warmed, for dipping [i used Prego]

Directions:

[1] Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
[2] Make the filling: Mix the mozzarella, ricotta, basil, scallions, 1/4 cup parmesan and the breadcrumbs in a medium bowl until combined. Divide the pizza dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll out each piece on a lightly floured surface into a 7-to-8-inch round.
[3] Spoon one-quarter of the filling onto one half of each dough round, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Lightly brush the edges of the dough with some of the beaten egg; fold the dough over the filling and crimp the edges with a fork to seal. Transfer the calzones to the prepared baking sheet.
[4] Brush the calzones with the remaining beaten egg and cut 2 slits in the top of each to let steam escape. Sprinkle the calzones with the remaining 2 teaspoons parmesan, then bake until golden brown and cooked through, 18 to 20 minutes. Serve with marinara sauce, the salami and giardiniera.

Per serving: Calories 725; Fat 39 g (Saturated 17 g); Cholesterol141 mg; Sodium 1,432 mg; Carbohydrate 61 g; Fiber 3 g; Protein 38 g

mmm mmm good (:

...i was on a new food blog i had stumbled across the other day. it's called An Edible Mosaic and it has all sorts of unique recipes. i found one for pistachio-chai muffins and just had to try it! (i love pistachios and chai!) so i made them for my cooking adventure and they turned out to be AMAZing. like seriously good. if you like chai tea you'll love them! i also made glazed pork chops & apples for the main dish. i found this recipe in my cousin Maria's cookbook. the chops were fairly easy and delicious! i then made butter-toasted carrots for the side dish, which i've posted on here before. (click here) it's a super quick and tasty way to cook carrots.

Recipes:

Pistachio-Chai Muffins
TIME: 28 minutes  YIELD: 12 muffins
 Muffins:
cup milk (I used 1%)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup coconut palm sugar (or lightly packed brown sugar)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 chai tea bags, opened (I used Tazo Organic Chai)
1/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/4 cup shelled roasted, unsalted pistachios, chopped

Glaze:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2-3 teaspoons water

Directions: 
[1] Preheat oven to 375F; line a muffin tray with paper liners (or butter and flour the muffin wells).
[2] Pour the milk into a medium bowl and drizzle in the lemon juice; let the milk and lemon juice sit for 3 minutes without stirring or moving the bowl.
[3] Whisk together the flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and tea in a large bowl.
[4] Stir the oil, vanilla, and egg into the bowl with the milk/lemon juice.
[5] Stir the wet ingredients into the dry all at once, being careful not to over-mix.
Scoop the batter into the muffin tray and sprinkle the pistachio on top.
[6] Bake until a toothpick inserted inside comes out clean, about 16 to 18 minutes. Cool completely.
[7] Once the muffins have cooled, make the glaze. Whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla, and enough water so it reaches your desired consistency.
[8] Drizzle the glaze on the cooled muffins and allow it to set before serving.

Glazed Pork Chops & Apples
SERVES: 4
 Ingredients: 
4 boneless pork loin chops
3/4 tsp. rubbed sage
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. Canola oil
1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. chicken broth
1 Tbsp. cider vinegar
2 medium tart apples [thinly sliced]
4 tsp. brown sugar

Directions:
[1] Preheat oven to 350
[2] Sprinkle pork chops with sage and salt
[3] In a large skillet, brown chops in oil on both sides. Transfer to an 11" x 7" baking dish coated with cooking spray.
[4] Stir flour into the pan drippings until blended. Gradually stir in broth and vinegar. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes until thickened. Remove from the heat.
[5]Arrange apples over chops; sprinkle with brown sugar. Drizzle with broth mixture. Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until meat thermometer reads 160.