Orange Rolls

These orange rolls take me back to the honeymoon phase of our marriage. When my husband and I were first married, we lived in this little old 4-plex in the basement. I think we must have felt pretty invincible when it came to sweets because we ate them like there was no tomorrow! On our honeymoon in St. George, we discovered Ben & Jerry's Oatmeal Cookie Chunk and Chubby Hubby ice cream flavors. They were our favorite and still continue to be (although we restrain ourselves much better now than we used to).

Rhodes Orange Rolls were another treat we indulged in quite often. And what made it better was that there would always be a $1.00 off coupon on the package so we'd use it to buy the next one. Mmm, we would pop these rolls in the oven at night after work and school and snarf a couple of hot ones while watching TV. We'd always leave 2, one for each of us for breakfast the next morning. I'm not sure when we stopped doing that, but It was probably a good thing or we'd each be about 500 lbs!

I got this recipe from my sister years ago and I think it is every bit as good as those Rhodes rolls. I'm not sure where she got it, but it is just delicious! The dough is a basic sweet roll dough and really could be used for many different kinds of rolls. You could do cinnamon rolls, or even try cream cheese and chocolate chips rolled up inside. What do you put in your rolls?

For the dough:
4 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 Tbsp. dry active yeast
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3 eggs, well-beaten
1 1/4 cup warm water

For the filling:
1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
zest of 1 orange

For the glaze:
juice of 1 orange
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
powdered sugar

In mixing bowl fitted with dough hook, combine flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Mix for a few seconds. Add remaining ingredients and mix for about 30 seconds. Make sure it's not too wet or dry and add water or flour if necessary. Knead for about 5 minutes on low speed. Dough will be slightly sticky. Remove dough to another bowl, sprayed with cooking spray. Cover and let rise until doubled.

Gently deflate dough and divide dough in half. Roll one half of the dough out into a rectangle. Spread half of the butter onto the dough, followed by half of the sugar and orange zest.


Roll up and pinch off slices about 1-1/2 inches thick with a piece of dental floss.


Place rolls into 2 foil pie tins, about 7-8 per tin.


Bake at 375 degrees F for 13-17 minutes or until slightly golden on top.


Mix glaze in a medium-sized bowl and whip until smooth. Spoon over warm rolls.


*NOTE:By putting these in two different tins, they are perfect to give away. You could also bake one and freeze one to pull out later. No need to thaw frozen rolls, just stick them in a cold oven. Turn on the heat to 350 degrees F and bake for 30-35 minutes, until golden. Make all of the glaze at one time and just freeze half of it in a small tupperware with the rolls. Thaw completely before glazing rolls.

*This recipe linked to Potluck Sunday @ Mommy's Kitchen.

Cooking Class: Classic Baguette

I'd like to start a new segment on my blog (not sure about how frequently yet), featuring how to do different things so if there's anything you'd like to know, leave a comment and I'll see if I can help you out. Feel free to leave your feedback as well.

Today's Cooking Class I'd like to feature a simple and classic baguette.

As I've said before, making bread is not really that hard, it just takes practice and "getting it." Over a year and a half ago I endeavored to make bread for our family instead of buying it. I found a good recipe from my husband's great aunt in a family cookbook we had and since I actually knew her I gave her a call. I had her talk me through her recipe and I wrote down notes and I thought I was good to go. However, I made the bread and my loaves turned out like bricks!

For me, the "getting it" part didn't happen until I actually saw for my self how to do it. I took a bread-making class and my bread has been forever changed; for the better. Hopefully these step-by-step instructions and photos will help you "get it" as well and make beautiful bread.

This recipe takes some forethought and several hours from start to finish, but minimal effort on your part. Most of the time the dough will be sitting on the counter while you go about your business.


First of all you'll need to mix together the flour, water and a little yeast for the starter. Cover and let sit. You'll want to let this sit at room temperature on your counter at least 4 hours, up to 14 hours. I just do mine overnight. The picture above shows what it will look like after you've let it rest.


The next day, add your flour, salt and *yeast to your mixing bowl and whiz a second or two to mix it up. Then, add all of the starter and water.

*I use instant yeast and just throw it in with my dry ingredients. If you are using active dry yeast, you'll want to add the warm water to your starter then sprinkle the yeast on top to proof it. Stir it around a little bit to get the yeast off the sides of the bowl, then add it to your dry ingredients.

You may have to adjust the amount of water you use because it will vary depending on type of flour, yeast, weather conditions, etc. I measure approximately the amount in the recipe then when I've poured almost all of it in, I turn on the mixer for a second to see how it's coming together. You don't want it too dry so it's already pulling off the sides of the bowl at this point, you want it just wet enough to leave a little on the sides. Knead the dough in the mixer for about 5 minutes until it's cohesive and somewhat smooth.


Dump it out into a greased bowl and form a ball. Cover with either a lid, light dish towel or plastic wrap. Let raise about an hour (or until doubled).


Gently punch it down and flip it over. Replace cover and continue to let it raise. After about another hour, punch it down and turn it over again. Replace the lid and let it rise for the third time.


This was my dough at the end of the third rise.


Turn the dough onto a lightly greased work surface and divide the dough into 2 equal balls (you can do 3 if you want skinny baguettes). Cover with a light towel or greased plastic wrap and let rest about 10-15 minutes.


Roll out the dough into a rectangle. Fold the dough in half, flatten it and seal the edges. Fold the dough over again and seal the edges. Turn the seam under and gently roll it back and forth, starting from the center, to lengthen and shape it.


Pinch the ends closed and tuck them under if you wish.




Gently lay the loaf on a greased baking sheet. (Obviously I have trouble dividing my dough evenly. You could use a kitchen scale to weigh each dough ball if you wanted to get them the same size.)


Once the loaves have been formed, cover them again with either a light kitchen towel or greased plastic wrap. Let rise until puffy but not quite doubled. Near the end of the rise, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Liberally spray the loaves with warm water.


Take a very sharp knife and, holding it at 45 degree angle, make 3 diagonal slashes down the baguette.


Throw them in the oven and bake for about 25 minutes. Make sure you bake them long enough, they should look pretty golden.


When you take the loaves out of the oven you will hear them snap and crackle. Listen closely! From the cross-section here you can see, I rolled my dough up and didn't flatten it very well so air was trapped in between.

Typical artisan breads are holey. While these homemade loaves won't be quite as holey, they'll be holey enough to hold onto some garlic butter or herbed olive oil. Hope you enjoy!

The Recipe

For the Starter
1/2 cup (4 ounces) cool water
1 cup (4 1/4 ounces) Bread Flour
1/16 teaspoon instant yeast

For the Dough
All of the starter
1 teaspoon instant yeast or 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 cup (8 ounces) lukewarm water*
3 1/2 cups (14 3/4 ounces) Bread Flour*
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

*If you use bread flour, increase the water to 1 cup + 2 tablespoons (9 ounces).


For the starter, mix together the flour, water and a little yeast for the starter. Cover and let sit. You'll want to let this sit at room temperature on your counter at least 4 hours, up to 14 hours (or overnight).

The next day, add your flour, salt and *yeast to your mixing bowl and whiz a second or two to mix it up. Then, add all of the starter and water. Knead the dough in the mixer for about 5 minutes until it's cohesive and somewhat smooth.
*I use instant yeast and just throw it in with my dry ingredients. If you are using active dry yeast, you'll want to add the warm water to your starter then sprinkle the yeast on top to proof it. Stir it around a little bit to get the yeast off the sides of the bowl, then add it to your dry ingredients.

Dump kneaded dough out into a greased bowl and form a ball. Cover either with a lid, light dish towel or greased plastic wrap. Let raise about an hour (or until doubled).

Gently punch it down and flip it over. Replace cover and continue to let it raise. After about another hour, punch it down and turn it over again. Replace the lid and let it rise for the third time.

Turn the dough onto a lightly greased work surface and divide the dough into 2 equal balls (you can do 3 if you want skinny baguettes). Use a kitchen scale to make them the same size if you wish. Cover with a light towel or greased plastic wrap and let rest about 10-15 minutes.

Roll out the dough into a rectangle. Fold the dough in half, flatten it and seal the edges. Fold the dough over again and seal the edges. Turn the seam under and gently roll it back and forth, starting from the center, to lengthen and shape it.
Pinch the ends closed and tuck them under if you wish.

Gently lay loaf on a greased baking sheet. Once the loaves have been formed, cover them again with either a light kitchen towel or greased plastic wrap. Let rise until puffy but not quite doubled. Near the end of the rise, preheat the oven to 450degrees F. Liberally spray the loaves with warm water.

Take a very sharp knife and, holding it at 45 degree angle, make 3 diagonal slashes down the baguette.

Bake the baguettes for about 25 minutes. Make sure you bake them long enough, they should look pretty golden.

Remove loaves to a cooling rack and let cool completely.


SOURCE:King Arthur Flour

Sticky Coconut Chicken

My cooking tends to go through themes and lately I've had this thing for coconut ANYTHING! I think it all started when I made this Thai Coconut Rice that I absolutely fell in love with, to go with my mom's Honey Curry Chicken. It's divine! Then, I saw this sticky coconut chicken from Amber @ This Mommy Cooks and I knew I wanted to try it. I love how moist this chicken is and the glaze makes it yummy and sticky. My husband doesn't usually say too much about the food I make, even though he eats it without complaint, but he said he really liked this chicken. This is so easy and quick to prepare; I'll be adding this to my menu more often.

Ingredients:
4 boneless chicken breasts
1 cup canned coconut milk
1/2 tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1 tsp. red pepper flakes

Marinate chicken in coconut milk, ginger, pepper and red pepper flakes at least one hour (You could probably get away with marinating it overnight). Grill on barbecue.

Glaze:
3/4 cup rice vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. red pepper flakes

While the chicken is grilling, bring above ingredients to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until mixture is reduced and thickened, about 8-10 minutes. Once it starts getting really thick, immediately take it off the heat. Glaze both sides of chicken the last few minutes of grilling.

SOURCE:This Mommy Cooks

Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

I am loving this salad lately. I have had it several times at my mom's house and finally made it for us. It's very quick to throw together, and so tasty. I love the feta and walnuts. Drizzle a little poppy seed dressing on top and it's heaven! The poppy seed dressing I tweaked a little from my sister's mother-in-law's recipe. It's one of the best poppy seed dressings I have had.

Throw some grilled chicken on top to make it a main dish salad, or serve it up as a side on any summer menu. Be ware though, if you take it to a pot luck, you'll come home empty-handed!


For the salad:
1 10-oz. bag baby spinach
feta cheese, crumbled
1 quart strawberries, sliced
walnuts

Put everything in a large salad bowl and gently toss. Add dressing and toss again. (Note: Add dressing to the whole salad only if you do not plan to have leftovers; otherwise it will wilt.)




For the dressing:
1 cup sugar
2 t salt
1 t dry mustard
1 t Dijon mustard
2/3 cup red wine vinegar
3 T red onion (about 2 slices)
1 cup vegetable oil
2 Tbsp. poppy seeds

Put everything but poppy seeds in a blender and whiz until well-blended. Add poppy seeds last and pulse breifly just to combine.

Store in fridge for 3–4 weeks

Garlic Rosemary Roast Chicken

Ok, I seriously did not want to post this recipe because I just could not get a good picture to save my life! But, it was so good, I couldn't NOT post it. I know the recipe is for a whole chicken, but I actually cooked a turkey breast, of about the same size, I have had sitting in my freezer; I think it worked just as well.

I love brining my birds. It makes them so incredibly moist. My first experience with brining was with this Cider Roasted Chicken, which we loved. I think this is equally as good. I love the flavor of roasted garlic and rosemary is one of my favorite herbs to cook with; especially with poultry.


For the brine:
½ cup table salt
10 cloves garlic, unpeeled
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 cups hot water
1½ quarts cold water

1 whole chicken (3½-4 lbs.), giblets discarded

For the garlic-rosemary paste:
2 tsp. minced fresh rosemary
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1/8 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

For the sauce:
10 cloves garlic, unpeeled
½ tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1¾ cups low-sodium chicken broth
½ cup water
¼ cup dry white wine
1 spring fresh rosemary
Salt and pepper, to taste

To prepare the brine, combine the salt, and hot water in a large bowl or stockpot. Smash the garlic with the flat side of a knife and add it, along with the rosemary, to the pot. Let stand 10 minutes to release the flavors. Mix in the cold water and stir to dissolve the salt. Immerse the chicken in the brine, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (I did mine overnight).

Remove the chicken from the brine and pat dry with paper towels. With an oven rack in lower-middle position, preheat the oven to 450˚ F. With a rack inside a roasting pan, spray the rack lightly with cooking spray.

To prepare the garlic rosemary paste, combine the rosemary, garlic, salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon of the oil in a small bowl. Mix well. Rub 1½ teaspoons of the paste inside the cavity of the chicken. Gently loosen the skin over the breast and thigh on each side of the chicken. Divide the remaining paste between the two sides of the chicken, slipping it underneath the skin. Rubbing over the surface of the skin, distribute the paste over the breast and thigh on each side. Tie the drumsticks together with kitchen twine. Brush the surface of the chicken with 2 teaspoons of the olive oil. Season with freshly ground pepper. Place the chicken breast-side down in the roasting pan and bake for 15 minutes.

While the chicken is cooking, toss the garlic cloves with the oil for the sauce. After the chicken has roasted for 15 minutes, add the garlic cloves into the roasting pan and bake for 15 minutes more.

Remove the pan from the oven and lower the oven temperature to 375˚ F. Rotate the chicken so it is breast-side up. Brush the remaining 1 teaspoon of oil over the breast. Add the chicken broth and water to the roasting pan. Return the pan to the oven and continue roasting until the chicken is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the breast reads 160˚ F. Transfer the chicken to a large serving platter and cover loosely with foil.

Transfer the roasted garlic cloves to a cutting board. Pour the liquid from the roasting pan into a liquid measuring cup (or a gravy separator); let sit a few minutes, then skim the fat off the surface. You should have about 2/3 cup of liquid (add water if needed). Peel the garlic and mash the cloves into a paste with a fork. Combine the roasting liquid in a small saucepan with the mashed garlic, the remaining ¾ cup broth, wine and rosemary. Heat over medium-high heat until simmering. Reduce heat and continue to simmer about 8 minutes, until partly reduced. Discard the rosemary sprig and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper to taste. Carve the chicken and serve with the sauce.


SOURCE:Annie's Eats

June Monthly Menu

Well, it's a new beginning. The start of a new month and a new menu. I don't have school age kids yet so I haven't been anticipating the end of the school year, but I sure have been anticipating the warmer weather. It has been so strange here. It's June 1st and it's in the low 60's, cloudy and rainy. I don't think we've had a really hot day yet this year. Well, I guess I shouldn't complain because I'm sure the days of summer will bring plenty of sunshine and heat. I'm so excited to have a pool where we live now so I can take my girls often. When I was growing up I was a "pool rat" and hung out at the pool all summer.

On to my menu for this month. I am excited to have so many fresh foods and a lot of variety. I'm trying to cut down on how much meat we eat and make lots of different salads. My menu will be shorter than usual because we're going on a week long vacation to Oregon for my husband's family reunion. I'm really excited, I've never been there and I hear the Redwoods are amazing!

Most of my recipes this month came from my Cooking Light Cookbooks. I know I've said it many times, but I LOVE those books. They have some great recipes. If you see something that sounds yummy make sure to check back for the recipe later in the month when I post.

Lunch Salads
Apple-Pecan Salad w/ Peanut Sauce (Making this w/o the chicken)
Orange Edamame Salad
Strawberry Mango Jicama Salad

Dinners
Sticky coconut chicken with rice and roasted cauliflower
Mexican Rice Bake
Bourbon steak w/ mashed potatoes and Strawberry Spinach Salad
Spaghetti Pie with green salad and whole wheat baguette
Pad Thai w/ tofu

Chopped BBQ Chicken Salad
Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad with Fresh Mozzarella
Baked Penne w/Caesar salad
Creamy Taco Mac
Pizza Rolls

Grilled portabellos, wild rice & Sugar Snap Pea Salad w/ Ginger-soy dressing
Pecan-Crusted chicken with honey-mustard dipping sauce, mashed potatoes & green beans
Greek Chickpea Salad w/ homemade whole wheat pitas and Feta Spinach Tarts
Honey-Lime grilled chicken w/ Creamy Parmesan Orzo
Stuffed Poblanos w/ Chipotle bacon cornbread

Other Things I will be making
Coconut French Toast
Apple Pancakes w/ Butter Cream Syrup
Ricotta-honey Mousse w/ berries
Apple-Walnut Flax Seed Bread

Peanut Butter Cup Trifle

If you're going to be having a gathering for Memorial Day, you should really make this! It is a definite crowd-pleaser and someone might go as far as to lick the bowl clean! It's that good. I made it for a family gathering, not thinking all of it would get eaten. However, once the first serving was dished, it was a mad dash to get it before it was gone. This makes a whole trifle bowl full, perfect for a few more than usual for dessert.

Peanut Butter Cup Trifle
1 (9x13) pan of baked brownies, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 (5.1 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding
3 cups milk
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tsp vanilla
1 (8 ounce) container thawed Cool Whip, divided
20 peanut butter cups, crumbled (or more if you're using minis)
6-8 peanut butter cups to garnish.

Mix pudding according to package directions. With a whisk or beaters, beat in peanut butter until fully incorporated. Fold in 2 cups cool whip.

Layer in trifle dish 1/2 the brownies, 1/2 the crumbled peanut butter cups, ½ the pudding mixture. Repeat. Top with cool whip and peanut butter cups. Chill at least four hours before serving.



SOURCE:The Girl Who Ate Everything

Linked to...
Potluck Sunday @ Mommy's Kitchen
Sweets For A Saturday @ Sweet As Sugar Cookies
These Chicks Cooked @ This Chicks Cooks

Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Bread

Wow, if you're a fan of blueberries and cheesecake, you're definitely going to love this bread. I spied this recipe months ago and have been waiting to try it. With the weather warming up, I have started to find blueberries at a more affordable price so I decided to grab some at the store last week. The original recipe called for a box muffin mix for the bread but I prefer to make my own so I used a homemade version.

This bread is an absolutely delicious treat. The lemon glaze on top keeps it moist and gives it a little something special, then when you bite into the cheesecake middle you'll think you've died and gone to heaven. If you can't find blueberries at an affordable price, frozen work well too.

For the bread:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 Tbsp. grated lemon zest (about 1 lemon)
1/2 milk (or buttermilk)
1 cup fresh blueberries

For the filling:
8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 egg

For the glaze:
1/4 cup granulated white sugar
2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1 lemon)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a small mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt and set aside. In a mixing bowl, fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 1-2 minutes). Add eggs, one at a time, and mix until incorporated. Add vanilla and lemon zest and mix together. Alternately add the dry ingredients with the milk, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix well. Fold in the blueberries.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add all the ingredients for the filling and whisk together.

Prepare a loaf pan by coating with cooking spray. Spoon about half of the batter into the pan, then spread the filling over the top. Spoon the remaining batter on top of the filling; you may want to drop by spoonfulls to get an even distribution as it will be hard to spread over the filling.

Bake bread for about 55-65 minutes, checking for doneness after 55 minutes. While bread is cooking, prepare lemon glaze. In a small saucepan, bring to a boil lemon juice and sugar. Stir until completely dissolved. Remove from heat. When bread is done, remove to a cooling rack and spoon on warm glaze. Let cool 10-15 minutes in the pan then remove the loaf to a cooling rack to cool completely. Resist the urge to cut into the loaf while it is hot, it needs time to set up.

SOURCE: Adapted from And Baby Makes Five and The Joy of Cooking

Chocolate Chipotle Cupcakes with Chili Chocolate Ganache and Cinnamon Ice Cream

Woo! Fire and ice baby. These cupcakes pack a punch. About two years ago I first visited Bakerella's blog. I saw this post for cupcakes using chipotles and a chocolate chili bar for the ganache. I was intrigued and wanted to try it. Time passed and I never found a chance to make them. Several weeks ago when I decided to have a little Mexican party for my birthday, I knew I was finally going to get to try these out.

If you like chipotles and little bit of heat, you'll enjoy these cupcakes. The cake itself is really moist and the toppings just take it up another notch. To balance out the heat, I served it with Cinnamon Honey Ice Cream. YUM!

For the cupcakes:
1 cup unsweetened cocoa
3/4 cup boiling water
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
3 tsp chipotle powder*
2 cups sugar
1 cup butter, room temperature
4 eggs, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
2 Tbsp canned chipotles in adobe sauce, pureed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake tins with baking cups (36). Puree canned chipotles and set aside. In a small mixing bowl, mix boiling water and cocoa until the cocoa is dissolved (it will be thick). Set aside.

In another bowl, mix the rest of the dry ingredients together and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl fitted with a paddle attachment, mix sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, incorporating after each addition. Add buttermilk and vanilla and mix well. Add flour mixture to the wet ingredients in three additions, alternating with chocolate mixture in two additions, ending with flour mixture. Beat until combined with each addition. Add pureed chipotles and beat until combined.

Scoop batter into prepared cupcake tins and bake for 13-15 minutes. Cool completely.

*If you cannot find chipotle powder, just use dried chipotles and pulverize them either with a mortar and pestal or a spice blender. It takes about 2 for this recipe.


Chili Chocolate Ganache:
3 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
3 oz. chocolate with chili pepper
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2 cups confectioner’s sugar

Combine chocolates in a bowl. Heat cream and sugar until it just begins to bubble. Pour over chocolate and let it sit for about 5 minutes. Stir until milk and chocolate are completely incorporated and they are silky and smooth.

Let cool.

Additional ingredients:
Cinnamon Ice Cream -store bought or homemade
Dulce de Leche, warmed and slightly thinned with milk

To assemble cupcakes, first remove wrapper from cupcake. Cut cupcake in half and place a small scoop of ice cream on the bottom half. Replace the top half and put another small scoop of ice cream on top of that. Drizzle with chili chocolate ganache and dulce de leche. Garnish with chocolate shavings, if desired.

SOURCE:Adapted from Bakerella

Linked to...
It's A Keeper Thursday @ It's A Keeper
Recipe Swap Thursday @ Prairie Story

Crockpot Tamales

WOW! They worked. Let me back up. I think I had my first tamale months ago when I went out on a limb and got one at my favorite restaurant. Since then I get them every time we go there. I love them. I kept craving tamales and really wanted to make them at home but I knew you had to have a large pot and a steamer, which I didn't have.

In my search for a tamale recipe I came across The Crockpot Lady who had made them in the crockpot with success. My search ended and it was only a matter of time before I could make them. I originally wanted to make them for Cinco de Mayo but we were still unpacking from our move so I decided to have a little Mexican party for my birthday last weekend and made them. We invited guests and the party was great. I served the tamales, with my Spanish rice, black beans a little pico de gallo and some virgin pina coladas. For dessert I made Chocolate Chipotle Cupcakes with Chili Chocolate Ganache and Cinnamon-Honey Ice Cream. Everything was delicious!

The tamales were surprisingly easy to make, despite all the comments I had read and heard that they were so labor intensive. I takes minutes to get the dough ready and it only took me about a half hour to fill the tamales (and that was with 2 little helpers too). I guess if you were making double or triple the batch for a big gathering it would take a bit more time. I do suggest making the pork the day before since it takes several hours to cook and it also uses the crockpot.


Crockpot Tamales
For the tamale dough:
2 cups Maseca or masa harina for tamales
2 cups warm water or chicken broth
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
a few dashes of chipotle tabasco sauce
2/3 cup lard, vegetable shortening, or coconut oil

For the tamales:
1/2 recipe Cafe Rio Sweet and Spicy Shredded Pork
tamale dough
1 (6-oz.) package dried corn husks (I found mine in the Mexican section of Walmart)


Soak the "ojas," or corn husks, in hot water while you prepare the masa.

Combine maseca, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Remove wrapper from the chipotle seasoning cube and crumble it in with the dry ingredients. work broth or water with your fingers to make a soft moist dough.

In a small bowl, beat lard or shortening until fluffy. Add it to the masa

and beat until dough has a spongy texture.

 

Prepare tamales with filling. First spread out an oja on a work surface.

 

Next, with a paddle or a small putty knife, spread the masa evenly on the lower, wider half of the oja. Make sure it is thick enough that you don't see the oja through the dough.

 

Put about a tablespoon or so of the shredded pork

in the middle of the dough,

 

roll it up,

 

then fold the bottom half up

 

Place the tamales in a dish with a lid while you finish assembling the remaining tamales.

 

When you've finished assembling the rest of the tamales, place them in the crockpot facing upwards. Cover and cook on high for about 2-3 hours. (Note:The crockpot recipe I used said they were done in about 6 hours. On my first batch, I just happened to check at about 2 1/2 hours and they were a little more done that I would have liked, some around the edges were even a little crispy. My second batch, I cooked them closer to 2 hours and they came out fine. 2-6 hours is a very wide range to work with. I suggest you aim closer to 2 hours and check often after that. Use the same tester tamale each time. The ones around the edges will probably be done a little sooner than the others.)




To serve, unwrap 1 or 2 warm tamales, place them on a plate and top with the extra sauce from the pork. (I added an extra can of tomato sauce after the pork was done and shredded so I would have enough to put on top of the tamales.)

Makes enough dough for about 16 small tamales.


**Update 5/16/2013- I no longer use vegetable shortening in my cooking. Use coconut oil in it's place; it whips up similarly.

SOURCE: Maseca and A Year of Slow Cooking

Pecan Apple Chicken Salad with Peanut Sauce

Woohoo, I finally got to make this salad. I think I have put it on my monthly menu for the past 3 months and just have not gotten to it. It was totally making my mouth water when I saw it on Tasty Kitchen, featuring The Noshery. This was a total hit. My husband usually likes most everything I make, and even if he doesn't he eats it and even finished the leftovers. He doesn't say much about it most of the time but when he bit into this salad he said it was delicious! I was so thrilled. I think I'll be working this into our spring and summer menus often.

This would also be delicious as a meatless salad. You could beef it up with more veggies and add whole, or roughly chopped, pecans.

For the chicken:
6 chicken tenderloins
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 egg, whisked
salt & pepper

For the salad:
1 red apple, thinly sliced (I used Gala, it was perfect)
1 granny smith apple, thinly sliced
green leaf lettuce, about 2 bunches (enough for 6 people)
1 cucumber, thinly sliced
2 carrots, shredded
raisins

For the sauce:
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tsp lemon juice
Worcestershire sauce, a couple splashes

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees, spray baking sheet with cooking spray or line it with a silpat. Sprinkle chicken with salt & pepper.

Combine chopped pecans and breadcrumbs together with cinnamon and nutmeg. Lay out on a pie tin or a large plate. Use another tin or large plate for the egg.

Set up a breading station by setting the egg tin first, the pecan mixture next to it and the baking sheet right next to that. Dredge chicken tenders in the egg, then the pecan mixture and place them on the baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes.

While the chicken is baking prepare the sauce and salad. For the sauce, combine all ingredients in a blender and give it a whirl until smooth. (You can also use a whisk in a bowl if you don't have a blender.)

Make sure all the vegetables are washed. Chop everything and mix it together in a large salad bowl.

To serve, place the salad on a large plate, top with chicken tender and drizzle with sauce.

Serves 6

SOURCE:Adapted from The Noshery

Homemade Burger Buns

I always have these good intentions to make bread to go with some of my meals, but somehow time always gets away from me and by the time I remember, it's too late to start making it. Today I was proactive. I made a batch of bread AND the burger buns for these basil chicken burgers for dinner all in good time.

While I love the warm weather of the spring and summer for grilling anything and everything, I just cannot stand store bought burger buns. Once and for all I finally decided to make my own and hello! it's so easy. The dough is quick to whip up and you can be doing other things while they rise. These are light and tasty and will compliment even your best burger!

3 tbsp. warm milk
1 cup hot tap water
2 tsp. instant yeast
2½ tbsp. sugar
1½ tsp. salt
1 large egg
3 cups bread flour
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2½ tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg beaten with 1 tbsp. water, for egg wash
Sesame seeds

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flours salt, sugar and yeast. Pulse to combine. Next add the milk egg,and butter. Pulse again to combine. Last, add the hot tap water. Pour the water a little at a time, mixing a second or two in between. Only add enough water so that the dough is slightly sticky; you may need more or less than a cup depending on where you live and the climate. Knead dough on low speed for about 5 minutes. The dough will be a little sticky, but do not add any extra flour at this point.

Spray your hands with cooking spray to get the dough out of the mixing bowl and transfer it to another bowl that has been lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Cover loosely with a light towel or lid and let rise in a warm place until doubled; time will vary depending on climate so watch closely.

Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray. Divide the dough into 8 equal parts. Gently roll each portion of dough into a ball and place on the baking sheet, 2-3 inches apart. Cover and let rise again until puffed up and nearly doubled.

Set a large metal pan of water on the lowest rack of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400˚ F with a rack in the center. Brush the tops of the buns lightly with the egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake the buns about 15 minutes rotating halfway through baking, until the tops are golden brown. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.


SOURCE:Adapted from Annie's Eats

This post linked to Potluck Sunday @ Mommy's Kitchen.

Bean Curry

Wow! I was not planning on making this curry or even curry from scratch but I found this recipe from my sister. They are huge Thai and curry fans. To be honest, I chose it more because it had some of the ingredients I needed to use up in my fridge and I knew the box of Golden Curry would last in my cupboard. I started getting excited about making the curry when I realized it had dairy in it. That meant a dairy dinner two nights in a row (corn chowder from Sunday) that my husband couldn't eat and that he may have to scrounge for something from the freezer again!

Then, a light went on and I remembered my love for coconut and that it paired perfectly with curry. So, I swapped the dairy for coconut milk and let me tell you, this curry was divine. Even if you think you don't like curry, you'll like this. The flavors are mild enough for those not so inclined to spicy food (me) but still showcase a fantastic curry flavor.

I served the curry with this Thai Coconut Rice that I discovered recently and Naan, an Indian flat bread. You can buy Naan pretty readily at your local market (I found mine at Walmart), or, if you're ambitious, you can make your own. Other flat bread or pita bread would also go great with this curry.

Oh, and I just have to mention the cilantro. At first I just sprinkled a little bit on, but after I took a bite, I added a lot more. I loved the freshness the cilantro brings.

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped (you could really add a whole onion, but I'm not a huge fan)
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tsp. freshly grated ginger*
1 14-oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 tsp. tumeric
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. Garam Masala
3/4-1 cup coconut milk
1 cup vegetable stock or chicken broth
2 cups white beans (I cooked from dry beans, but you can certainly substitute a can of beans.)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and saute 5 minutes or until translucent and slightly browned. Add in garlic and grated ginger root, stirring constantly so it doesn't burn; about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes then the turmeric, salt, paprika, and garam masala. Stir to combine. Add coconut milk, stock, and beans. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in some cilantro and then use a little more for garnish. Serve with jasmine or Thai Coconut Rice.

*I like to freeze my ginger if I don't use it often enough, then when it's time to use it, I can just grate it frozen over my microplane and it works great!

SOURCE:Adapted from my sister who got it from My Kitchen Cafe.

Chicken Corn Chowder with Sweet Potatoes

Sunday Soup

Even though it's getting warmer, I still love to make soup. Today was actually a perfect day to make soup because, although it was sunny, the wind gave us quite the chill coming home from church! This soup warmed me right up.

My sister gave me this recipe last year and I wasn't sure how I'd like it. I was definitely surprised how much I liked it. I love sweet potatoes to begin with, but they were great paired with the corn. I also loved using the corn muffin mix to thicken it up, it's very tasty!

3 cups milk
1 cup yellow corn muffin mix (like Jiffy)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, chopped fine
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. oregano
2 quarts chicken broth
1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 lbs), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup Monterrey Jack Cheese
3 cup frozen corn (not thawed)
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Mix muffin mix in a bowl until well combined; set aside. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 8 minutes. Stir in garlic, cumin and oregano and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add broth, chicken and sweet potatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until sweet potatoes are just tender.

Stir in milk and muffin mixture and simmer until soup thickens, about 3-5 minutes. Add cheese and corn and cook until cheese begins to melt. Stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper.

May Monthly Menu

Because we've been in transition the past couple of weeks, trying to move, I completely spaced making a menu and didn't even think of it until today. Usually I think about it the month before and write it down as I go so I pretty much know what to plan when the next month rolls around. This time I had to cram and do it all in one day.

We have a lot of celebrating this month, I'm so excited. I've been waiting for Cinco de Mayo to get here so I can have a little party and kind of a house warming. I'm going to attempt making tamales. I'd never really eaten them in my life until recently. Whenever they're the special at Cafe Rio I always get them, but I wanted the challenge of making them myself. If you don't see a recipe pop up for tamales this month then you'll know it was a flop.

I was so excited about making tamales that I forgot it was also my birthday this month. I haven't decided on a cake yet but I'm leaning towards this Cherry Chocolate Cake. I think it's my all-time favorite and I haven't made it in a while.

Last, but certainly not least, we, as I'm sure many of you, will be celebrating Mother's Day. My husband was very thoughtful last year and gave me a wonderful book on Mothering. This year I want to make a point to be thoughtful about the special women in my life and do something for them. Not sure what yet...any ideas? I also don't know what we'll be having for dessert. I'm leaning towards something light and springy and maybe fruity.

Dinners:
Corn chowder with Sweet Potatoes
Beef and Broccoli with Rice
Basil Chicken Burgers with coleslaw
Pecan Chicken with Apple Salad and Peanut Butter Dressing (Maybe I'll actually get to make it this time; it's been on my menu for 3 months!)
Golden Curry with Thai Coconut Rice

Roast Turkey Breast with Whipped Sweet Potatoes & Corn
Crockpot Tamales with Cafe Rio Pork, rice and beans
Bourbon Steak with Steak Fries and Peas
Coconut Chicken with Rice and Broccoli

Poblano Chicken Chowder
Pizza Rolls and Salad
Cranberry Pork with Mashed Potatoes and Peas
Spaghetti & Green Beans

Meatloaf(recipe to be determined)
Taco Pasta
Stuffed Poblanos
Stir Fry

Other goodies:
S'mores Brownies
Chocolate Chipotle Cupcakes
Homemade Hamburger Buns
French Bread

Lemon Linguine with Grilled Chicken

I think I am officially back to cooking regular meals. It feels good. I don't like being in limbo, but I think we've got a little more stability around here now and I can actually get to my kitchen and cooking utensils.

Now on to the meal. I have eaten this lemon linguine many times but I have never made it! This is one of my mom's regular meals and I always ate it when she made it. It is so delicious and refreshing. The fresh flavors of the lemon, tomato and basil just shout spring.

For the tomato mixture:
2 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered
1-2 tsp. salt
2-4 leaves fresh basil
2 Tbsp. dry basil
2 Tbsp. parsley
2-4 garlic cloves, minced
4 Tbsp. olive oil
juice of 2 lemons

For the sauce:
4 Tbsp. butter
1 cup half and half
juice of 2 lemons
zest of 1 lemon

For the chicken:
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenders
olive oil
your favorite grill seasoning, such as Montreal Chicken Seasoning, or Johnny's Garlic Spread seasoning

1/2 lb. linguine*
Parmesan cheese

2-3 hours prior to mealtime, combine all ingredients of the tomato mixture and let sit on the counter until you're ready to eat.

For the sauce, heat cream and butter in a medium skillet until cream begins to boil. Add lemon juice and zest. Reduce sauce over medium-high heat until reduced by half; stir occasionally.

In the meantime, preheat outdoor grill and fill a large stockpot with water. Salt the water, cover with a lid and bring to a boil. Drizzle olive oil over chicken and sprinkle with seasoning. Place chicken on grill an cook until no longer pink; about 5 minutes on each side.

When the water comes to a boil, drop the pasta and cook according to package directions. Remove chicken from grill and let rest. Cut into thin slices.

Drain pasta and place in a large serving dish. Pour in sauce and toss to combine. Top with grated Parmesan cheese.

To serve, spoon pasta onto a plate, followed by the sliced chicken and topped with the tomato mixture.

*I think my mom may use close to a whole pound of pasta for this sauce but I like a lot of sauce on my pasta so 1/2 lb. is just the right amount for me.

This recipe linked to Potluck Sunday @ Mommy's Kitchen.

Jamaican Banana Bread

*I'm back, yeah! We moved on Saturday and it has been quite an ordeal! I hope I don't have to move again for a LONG time! We just bought our first place and it's been fun decorating a little as I unpack things. I still have about half of our stuff left to unpack but I'm tempted to just toss it, this is really tiring.

This is the last recipe I had saved to post while we were in transition. Hopefully I'll be up and cooking here soon. I think I've cooked 1 or 2 times in the past week and I'm ready to get back to my kitchen.


Oh how I love my Cooking Light cookbook. I think it's my favorite ever. I don't think I've made anything from it that I didn't like. This banana bread is no exception! I actually saw this pop up on another blog and it reminded me that I already had this recipe. I wasn't sure about the flavor combinations at first but it looked too good to pass up and I had bananas that were screaming banana bread! I figured it would be good because my two most favorite banana bread recipes, classic banana bread and banana chocolate chip bread, are from Cooking Light.

I could not wait to cut into the bread after it was done. I was pleasantly surprised. This bread is so soft and fluffy and the lime glaze keeps it moist for days!

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 tsp. grated lime rind
2 tsp. lime juice
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 bananas)
1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt or lite sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup skim milk
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp. flaked sweetened coconut, divided
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Preheat oven to 350°.

Sift dry ingredients into a mixing bowl and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, fitted with a paddle attachment, add sugar, butter, lime rind and 2 tsp. lime juice; beat until well blended. Add egg and beat well. Add banana, yogurt/sour cream and vanilla; beat until blended. Add flour mixture and milk alternately, beginning and ending with the flour mixture; beat at low speed just until moist. Stir in 1/4 cup coconut.

Spoon batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with 2 tablespoon coconut. Bake at *350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. If you are using a dark, non-stick pan, reduce the heat to 325 and cook 10-15 minutes longer, checking for doneness about every 5 mintues after 60 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Combine powdered sugar and juice, stirring with a whisk; drizzle over warm bread. Cool completely on wire rack.


SOURCE:Adapted from Cooking Light

Perfect Pizza Crust

*Wow, has it already been a week since my last post? Time flies when you're packing. The big day is Saturday. Then all the unpacking, ugh! Here's another one I saved up for ya'll.


We make pizza for lunch at our house about once every other week and we LOVE it! I used to use my white bread recipe but I found this one from Annie's Eats that I now use all the time. It's easy and it's yummy and it's quick. This dough makes enough for one pizza.

Perfect Pizza Crust
Makes 1 large pizza
2 cups bread flour
1 1/2 tsp. instant yeast
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 tsp. salt
1 cup hot tap water

Place flour, yeast, and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with dough hook. Pulse a second or two to combine dry ingredients. Add oil and hot tap water and mix for about 10 seconds. If it looks too wet, add a little more flour, if it's too dry, add a little more water. (NOTE: You want it wet enough to leave a little residue on the side of the bowl at this point but not so wet that it's gooey.) Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Dough should be a little sticky to the touch. Do not add any flour or water after the dough is done mixing.

Form the dough into a ball, put it in a deep oiled bowl, and cover with plastic wrap,a damp towel or a lid. Let rise until doubled in size (times will vary, so just keep an eye on it). Punch dough to deflate it.

Form dough into a ball and cover with a damp cloth. Let the dough relax for about 10 minutes. Preheat the oven and your pizza stone to 450 degrees F. If you don't have a pizza stone, you can use the back of a cookie sheet.

Roll out dough on pizza peel that has been generously dusted with cornmeal. If you don't have a pizza peel you can use parchment paper and slip it right onto your hot stone. If you are using the back of a cookie sheet, no need to preheat it.  Add toppings of your choice. Gently slide pizza off onto the stone and bake about 7-10 minutes or until the edges brown and cheese is golden brown in spots.

SOURCE:Adapted from Annie's Eats.

Lemony Poppy Chicken with Sweet Pea & Mint Cous Cous

*No Sunday Soup today. We're busy,busy, busy in the middle of moving and painting and cleaning. I typed this up the other day, knowing I wouldn't have much time. Enjoy!



This is another family favorite. I love Rachael Ray recipes because they're tasty and so quick to put together. This is about a 15-20 minute meal from start to finish and even faster if you prep everything beforehand. With my husband working most evenings I'm always on the lookout for meals that don't take too much effort so I can still be with my little girls; this one fits the bill. I didn't make any alterations to the original recipe, but I have made the cous cous without the basil and mint. If you don't grow your own, buying fresh herbs can be pricey. If I had to choose one or the other to include, it would definitely be the basil!

2 1/2 cups chicken stock, divided
1 10-ounce box frozen peas
1 1/2 cups couscous
3 to 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup flour
Salt and pepper
2 lemons zested, 1 juiced
1 1/2 to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
10 leaves of basil, chopped
10 leaves of mint, chopped

Place a medium-size saucepot over high heat and add 1 1/2 cups of the chicken stock. Bring to a boil then add the peas and the couscous. Place a lid on the pot and turn off the heat. Let sit for 5 minutes.

While the stock is coming up to a boil for the couscous, place a large skillet over high heat with 3-4 tablespoons olive oil. While the skillet is heating up, place the flour on a plate. Toss the chicken in the flour to coat, shaking off any excess. Add the chicken pieces to the hot skillet. Season the chicken liberally with salt, pepper and the lemon zest, and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring every now and then to get them brown all over.

Once the chicken has browned, add the remaining cup chicken stock to the skillet. Once the stock is hot, add the butter and poppy seeds. Stir until the butter has melted and the sauce has thickened up a bit, about a minute. Add the garlic the last 2 minutes of cooking. Turn off the heat and squeeze the juice of 1 lemon into the pan.

When ready to serve, take the lid off the cous cous, fluff with a fork and add the fresh mint and basil.

SOURCE:Rachael Ray

Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Brownies

If you're a chocolate and peanut butter lover you have just got to try these! They are totally out of this world. I made them a while back for my extended family and haven't made them since for fear I would eat the whole pan if I did. Well, I found occasion to make these again recently but I didn't have any plans for sharing them-BIG mistake! I kept eating and eating them. Luckily my husband came home during his dinner break the day after I made them and asked if he could take the rest back with him. Whew! That was a close one. I quickly packed the rest up for him and they were outta my hands.

For the brownies:
1 box of your favorite brownie mix (13x9 size)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
2 eggs
1 pouch peanut butter cookie mix (1 LB 1.5 OZ)
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg

For the Ganache:
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup heavy cream
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom of *13x9-inch pan. Make brownie mix as directed on box, using oil, water and 2 eggs. Spread in pan.

Make cookie mix as directed on pouch, using butter and 1 egg. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls evenly onto brownie batter; press down lightly.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center come out ALMOST clean. Cool.

To make ganache, pour chocolate chips into a medium sized mixing bowl. Heat cream and butter in small saucepan until just a boil. Pour over chocolate chips and let it sit for about 5 minutes. Stir until the cream and chocolate are completely incorporated and ganache is smooth and glossy. Pour over brownies and cool completely.


*I always cook my brownies in a smaller pan because I like them thick. I used an 8x11.5-inch pan and had to bake them for about an hour, but I was checking every 5-7 minutes after they had been baking 40 minutes. I also halved the ganache recipe but I think I would even go for a little more and do 2/3 the recipe next time. If you use a dark, non-stick pan, decrease the oven temperature to 325 degrees.

SOURCE: Adapted from Betty Crocker

Roasted Tomato and Red Pepper Soup

Sunday Soup

Another tomato soup winner! This soup is thick and full of flavor without adding any dairy; my husband will thank me for that. I love the combination of the tomatoes and the red peppers, it reminds me of a simple bruschetta. The sun-dried tomatoes also help to thicken the soup as well as add depth of flavor. If you don't have sun-dried tomatoes and don't want to fork out a ton of cash to buy them, you could make your own, as I have, or slow-roast your tomatoes. (See below)

1-2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 quart jar tomatoes (whole, halved, stewed, whatever you have, or 1 28-oz can tomatoes if you don't have)
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes
2 roasted red peppers*, skins removed, roughly chopped
1 can chicken broth
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/4-1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped

Garnish:
fresh basil
parmesan cheese
cream or milk

Put sun-dried tomatoes in a small pot and barely cover with water. Bring to boil, reduce heat and cook about 5 minutes to rehydrate; most of the liquid should be gone. Heat olive oil in a large pot. Add onion and turn down heat to medium low and cook until just starting to brown. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and saute about a minute. Add tomatoes, peppers and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Simmer about 5 minutes. At this point, either use an immersion blender to puree soup or use a blender, pureeing in batches. Add brown sugar and basil and check for seasoning, adding more, if needed.

Ladle hot soup into bowls. If you want a more creamy soup, drizzle cream or milk into the soup and top with fresh basil and grated parmesan cheese. If you want to add cream or milk to the whole pot of soup, add about a cup.

*To roast peppers, chop peppers in half, removing stem and seeds. Place, cut side down, on a cookie sheet and put under broiler until black. Remove peppers to a bowl and either cover with a lid or with plastic wrap. Let peppers cool completely. When cool, skins should slide right off.

**To slow-roast your tomatoes, cut them in half and place on a cookie sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper (or even Italian seasoning if you wish). Cook on 225 degrees F for about 4 hours.

SOURCE: Adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod

Linked to...
This Week's Cravings @ Mom's Crazy Cooking

Thai Coconut Rice

Wow, we've been busy. I'm finally just getting time to post this tonight after making it earlier this week. I made this rice to go with the Honey Curry Chicken. I love coconut and this was really good. I loved the coconut in the rice as it cooked as well as the toasted coconut garnish that gave it another dimension of texture. I used regular coconut milk and the rice was very creamy. I liked it, but next time I may try lite coconut milk to see the difference. This is a great side dish for any curry-type or spicy dish. You could also add in fresh pineapple or mango, especially if you're doing an island theme dinner.

2 cups Thai jasmine-scented white rice
2 cups coconut milk
1 3/4 cups water
2 Tbsp. dry shredded unsweetened coconut (baking type)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. oil

Garnish:
1-2 Tbsp. toasted coconut
Chopped fresh cilantro

Rub oil over the bottom of a deep-sided pot. Place rice, coconut milk, water, shredded coconut, and salt and set over medium-high to high heat. (You can also add about 2 tsp. sweetener, such as sugar, at this point if you wish.) Stir until liquid comes to a gentle boil; stop stirring and reduce heat to low (just above minimum). Cover tightly with a lid and let simmer about 15-20 minutes, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice.

When the liquid is gone, turn off the heat, but leave the covered pot on the burner to steam another 5-10 minutes, or until you're ready to eat. Toast coconut by placing dry shredded coconut in a frying pan over medium-high heat and stir ("dry fry") until light golden brown.

When ready to serve the rice, remove the lid and fluff with a fork. Taste for seasoning and add more if needed. Garnish with toasted coconut and cilantro.

SOURCE:Adapted from About.com.

*Still have leftover ham? Try this Penne Pasta with Smoked Ham and Pepper Cream Sauce, it's one of our faves!

Honey Curry Chicken

Who doesn't like chicken and rice? It is so versatile with endless possibilities for flavor combinations. Curry and coconut go great together. They are a perfect match. The sweetness and creaminess of the coconut rice balances out the slight spiciness of the curry. This is a very easy recipe, quick to pull together and uses ingredients that are most likely already in your pantry or fridge. I have chosen to use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but it would also be great with legs or thighs or even a whole chicken. I got this recipe from my mom She just uses the sauce as a marinade and cooks her chicken on an outdoor grill. Baked or grilled, this is a keeper!

1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup honey
2 Tbsp. dijon mustard
1 tsp. salt
1-2 tsp. curry powder
1-2 lbs. chicken (which ever cut you choose-I usually cut my chicken breasts into tenders so more of the chicken gets flavored)

Melt butter and mix with the rest of the ingredients. Place chicken in a large baking dish and pour sauce over chicken. Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for about 30-45 minutes or until done, basting about every 10 minutes.

To grill, thread chicken tenders onto skewers and grill on medium heat until done, turning half way through.

Crustless Quiche Cups

First of all, I have to say that these were delicious! They were so flavorful, while still being healthful at the same time. I love the mix of mushrooms, peppers and asparagus, together with the smokiness of the ham. One of my favorite flavors was the herbes de Provence used to season the mixture. I couldn't find it at my local grocery store so I made my own. I'll put the recipe at the bottom if you find yourself in the same predicament.

The picture here doesn't do these quiche cups justice. Regardless, put this in your recipe stash and pull it out when you're ready to use up some of that holiday ham.

2 tbsp olive oil
1/4- 1/2 cup onion, diced
1 small red pepper, diced
1/2 lb asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 c. mushrooms, sliced
1 tsp herbs de Provence
1 cup cooked ham, chopped
salt and pepper
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 c. shredded Parmesan
6 large eggs
1/2-3/4 c. milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Add pepper and onion and saute until just tender. Add mushrooms and saute 2-3 minutes more, then add herbes de Provence and asparagus and saute another 2 minutes. Remove veggies to a large bowl and set aside. Add about 2 tsp. olive oil back in the pan and saute ham until just barely starting to brown. Add to the veggies.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine cheeses, milk, eggs and salt and pepper. Add to the veggies and mix.

Using a scant 1/3 measuring cup, pour egg and veggie mixture into well-greased muffin tin. Bake for 30 minutes, or until eggs are cooked.

Remove from oven and cool slightly. Slide a knife around each cup and gently ease the quiches out. Cool before serving.


Herbes de Provence

2 tablespoons dried savory
2 tablespoons dried rosemary
2 tablespoons dried thyme
2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons dried basil
2 tablespoons dried marjoram
2 tablespoons dried fennel seed

Mix together and store in an airtight container.


SOURCE:Adapted form Good Things Catered