Berry Chicken Salad with Berry Poppyseed Vinaigrette

I love it when summer rolls around because I get to eat lots of salad! I didn't used to be much of a salad eater. I thought salads were rather boring, although I did eat them when they were offered but mostly because I knew they were good for you and that's what I should do.

Last summer I discovered the beauty and diversity of salads; how flavorful and colorful they can be as well. I ate lots of salad and I didn't get bored with it. I fell in love with this Asian Slaw with this Ginger Lime dressing and ate it a ton.

This year I have found a few more gems and this Berry Chicken Salad is one of them. Apparently it's similar to a more commercially made one but I rarely eat out and when I do, it's not fast food. So, I wouldn't have been the wiser. I love that the berries in this salad are so deep and bright in color that it just makes the salad pop! They lend the sweetness, then the soft feta gives it that salty contrast. This would have been the perfect July 4th salad because it's red, white and blue. Come to think of it, I think I may have actually eaten this salad on July 4th. I ate it for the first time at a family reunion that weekend and when I came home I just had to have more!

Berry Chicken Salad
1/2 head Romaine lettuce, washed and shredded
6-8 oz. baby spinach
2 chicken breasts, well-seasoned to your liking, grilled and either thinly sliced or chopped into bite-sized pieces
8 oz. strawberries, rinsed and sliced
8 oz. blueberries, rinsed
4 oz. crumbled Feta or shredded fresh Parmesan cheese (or both!)
1 c. sliced almonds
Berry Poppy Seed Dressing to taste

For serving a large crowd, toss all the salad ingredients in a large serving bowl and add dressing to taste. For individual servings, arrange ingredients on plates and serve the dressing on the side. Makes about 8 side dish servings and 4 main dish servings.


Berry Poppy Seed Vinaigrette
1/2 c. white wine vinegar
1/2 c. honey (or sugar)
1-2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon grated onion
1 tsp. kosher or other coarse salt
About 10 cracks of freshly ground black pepper
1 c. raspberries, blackberries, or strawberries
2/3 c. oil
1 1/2 tsp. poppy seeds

Combine the vinegar, honey, garlic, onion, salt, pepper, and berries in the jar of a blender. Blend until smooth and then, with the blender running, add the oil in a steady stream. Turn off the blender and whisk in the poppy seeds. If possible, refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.

This dressing will last in your fridge about as long as the berries they are made with. So, if you want a good indicator, leave a berry or two in the fridge and about the time it starts wilting, you know your dressing is about done.

SOURCE: Our Best Bites

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Chicken Parmesan

Back when my husband and I were first married, I used to make chicken parmesan often; well, my version of it anyway. It was also my favorite meal to take to my friends who had just had a baby. For some reason, over the years, I stopped making it. Then a while back I saw this version, bookmarked it and it still took me forever to try it! Call me crazy because this stuff is CRAZY good.

I'm not really a fan of fried foods, although chicken parmesan is traditionally fried. However, this version is baked, after sauteing the bread crumbs in olive oil, still giving it a crunchy texture and keeping the chicken moist and tender. For me, the flavors and seasonings are SPOT ON. There's a good balance without being overpowering. You're definitely going to want to make this soon. I will be keeping it in my monthly rotation for a while, if we ever get sick of it.

Chicken Parmesan
1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 large eggs
cooking spray
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterflied and cut into halves (4 pieces total)
2 cups marinara sauce, warmed
about 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tbsp. minced fresh basil
Hot cooked spaghetti noodles

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Combine the breadcrumbs and oil in a 12-inch skillet and toast over medium heat until golden, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Spread the breadcrumbs in a shallow dish and allow to cool slightly; when cool, stir in the Parmesan.

In a second shallow dish, combine the flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper together. In a third shallow dish whisk together the eggs.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and spray the foil with vegetable oil spray. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Lightly dredge each chicken piece in the flour to coat completely, shaking off the excess. Then dip into the eggs and finally coat with the breadcrumb mixture. Press on the breadcrumbs to make sure they adhere. Place the chicken pieces on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake until the chicken is no longer pink and feels firm when pressed with a finger, about 15 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven. Spoon 2 tablespoons of marinara sauce over the top of each piece of chicken and top with 2 tablespoons of the shredded mozzarella. Return the chicken to the oven and continue to bake until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the fresh basil and serve as desired, with extra Parmesan and marinara sauce on a bed of hot cooked spaghetti.


SOURCE: Annie's Eats

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Coconut Curry Noodles w/ veggies

Being a food blogger, it isn't often that I make the same dish twice within a short period of time. The only exception being maybe pancakes, which if you've been reading the blog a while, you'll remember I'm a little obsessed with pancakes and I have quite an arsenal of recipes. But, back to these noodles, I made them twice in 2 weeks! Now that's saying something.

I've tried many different Thai-style noodle dishes, which never amounted to more than mediocre in my book. However, when I saw this recipe, for some reason I just had this feeling it was going to work. The flavors in the coconut curry sauce are really perfect for me. I had never used or purchased curry paste before (small bottle found in the Asian section of the supermarket; about $3-4), but I really liked the flavor it lent and didn't think it was too over powering.

This dish is kind of like a stir-fry in that you can really change the veggies up to your liking. I did love the flavors of broccoli, peppers, mushrooms and carrots together and thought they gave great eye appeal as well. You can also substitute the fettuccine noodles for rice noodles, (probably more authentic) but in my experience with rice noodles, they are a bit rubbery and I don't care for them much.

Coconut Curry Noodles with Veggies
1 lb. fettuccine noodles (or rice noodles, if you prefer)
2 small heads broccoli, chopped into florets
1-2 bell peppers (red, orange or yellow), thinly sliced
1 cup carrots, thinly sliced
8 oz. mushrooms (no need to rinse with water, just brush off the dirt with a paper towel), sliced
1/2 c. green onions
1 Tbsp. fresh, minced ginger
1 Tbsp. fresh, minced garlic
1 Tbsp. curry paste (red or green works; I used red)
Juice of 1 lime
1 can coconut milk (I always use full-fat)
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2-3 Tbsp. sweet chili sauce
sesame seeds, for garnish
lime wedges, for garnish

With the stove on high, bring a large stock pot of water to a boil. In the mean time, prep veggies.

Once water comes to a boil, drop pasta and cook according to package directions.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, curry paste, and lime juice. Set aside.

While the pasta is cooking, heat a generous drizzle of olive or coconut oil in a large frying pan or wok. Add broccoli, peppers, carrots and mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, over medium-high heat until crisp-tender; about 4-5 minutes. Add the green onion, garlic and ginger and cook another minute or two. Add coconut milk mixture and allow to heat up then remove from heat.

Once pasta is done cooking, drain and pour into a large serving dish. Pour the veggies and sauce over the pasta and toss to coat. Let it sit for about 5 minutes to soak up some of the sauce, toss once more then serve warm.

Garnish with sesame seeds and freshly squeezed lime, if desired.

SOURCE: Adapted from Our Best Bites

*This makes about 6-8 generous portions. I halved the recipe both times I made it and it was perfect for our family. In fact, the first time I made it, there wasn't a LICK left and the second, there was only one helping left that my husband took to work the same week. If you're worried about only using half a can of coconut milk and not knowing what to do with the rest, check out my label on the side for coconut and you'll find many ways to use it up. Otherwise, you can throw some in your fruit smoothie for breakfast. Coconut is very healthy for you, fat and all! Coconut milk will keep in fridge, in an airtight container, about a week.

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Blueberry Lime Muffins with Coconut Streusel

Breakfast is anything but boring at our house; well, most of the time anyway. I don't like to get in a rut, eating the same thing over and over and I try not to feed my kids too much cold cereal either. The morning is when I have the most energy and desire to do things so it's a great time for me to throw together a batch of pancakes, muffins, or whatever.

My mom and brother have been using the original recipe for for these muffins for years and always rave about how it's just the best muffin recipe they've used. The muffins are quite delectable, I've partaken of them many times. In making theses muffins, I only made slight changes, using lime instead of lemon in the batter and throwing in some coconut with the streusel. I don't think it compromised the recipe at all, they are still wonderful! This recipe makes about a dozen muffins, so you can make them one day and enjoy them for several!

Blueberry Lime Muffins with Coconut Streusel
For the batter:
1 3/4 cups flour
2 3/4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup sugar
Juice and zest of 1 lime
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. sugar

For the streusel:
1/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 Tbsp. flour
1 1/2 Tbsp. butter
3-4 Tbsp. flaked, sweetened coconut

Combine flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, lime zest and juice in a large bowl; stir to combine. In a separate bowl, combine egg, milk and oil. Stir well. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, stirring just until moistened.

Combine blueberries, 1 tablespoon flour and sugar, tossing gently to coat. If using frozen blueberries, do not thaw, just put them in frozen. Fold blueberry mixture into batter. Spoon into greased muffin pans, filling about two-thirds full.

Combine streusel ingredients, except butter. Cut in butter with either a pastry blender or 2 knifes, until mixture is crumble. Sprinkle over batter.

Bake at 400 degrees F for 15-18 minutes, or until golden. Remove from pans immediately and let cool.

Yield: 1 dozen muffins

SOURCE: Adapted from Southern Living

Homemade Ricotta Cheese

Homemade cheese? Who knew, right? I love how I can make just about anything I want from scratch. There's not only the satisfaction in doing it, you often times get a superior, more fresh product and there's not all those preservatives and additives you get from processed food products.

Let me tell you this stuff is heaven! It's rich and creamy, totally indulgent and super easy to boot! Ricotta, meaning "recooked" in Italian, is typically made from the whey from making cheese or yogurt. While that method is not difficult, this is just a few steps easier and just as delicious.

Ricotta is great in lasagna, cannoli, ravioli stuffing, stuffed shells and cheese cakes. I mostly enjoyed it plain, smeared on top of some crusty, toasted bread. I have been known to throw ricotta into pancakes as well; there's another great use!


Homemade Ricotta Cheese
3 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 - 1 tsp salt
3 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

Pour the milk, cream and salt into a 3-quart nonreactive saucepan. Attach a candy or deep-fry thermometer. Heat the milk to 190°F, stirring it occasionally to keep it from scorching on the bottom. Remove from heat and add the lemon juice, then stir it once or twice, gently and slowly. Let the pot sit undisturbed for 5 minutes.

After an hour the ricotta will be tender and spreadable. If you like a softer spread, you'll stop straining at this point. Put it in an airtight container and refrigerate. It will also firm up a bit once it's chilled. After about two hours, the ricotta will be more like cream cheese, thick but still spreadable and still very smooth.

Discard the whey, or, save it and google the many ways you can use it. Even better yet, save it and make ricotta using the "recooked" method.

SOURCE: Smitten Kitchen

Orange Chicken with Broccoli and Peppers

Stir-fry dinners are great. They are so versatile and fairly quick to throw together. My husband loves any kind of stir fry so he's always pleased when I make it. I really like stir-fry because it is a great dairy-free option for our family and my kids are pretty good about eating it. I usually like to go heavier on the veggies and lighter on the meat, with a little extra sauce that I can pour over my rice.

This orange chicken was quite a hit in our house! Both my girls ate up everything on their plate and my oldest daughter even asked for more. We all loved how tender the chicken turned out and the sauce went with it perfectly.

Using freshly squeezed orange juice was just delicious, and for me is a must in this dish, although you could use store-bought in a pinch. You'll love the little bit of heat from the cayenne, even if you don't like your food spicy. I'm not huge on spice and this was perfect and not overpowering, which balanced out the light sweetness of the rest of dish. For the veggies in this stir-fry, I used broccoli and red pepper because they add great color and complimented the flavors well, but they are also easily substituted to your own tastes.

You're going to want to make this soon, your family will thank you for it!

Orange Chicken
For the marinade and sauce:
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (about 3-4 oranges)
1 1/2 tsp. finely grated orange zest
6 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. fresh ginger, grated
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 1/2 lbs. chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 Tbsp. cold water

1-2 red peppers, julienned
1 bunch broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces
hot cooked rice
Sesame seeds, for garnish (if desired)


To make the marinade and sauce, combine the chicken broth, orange juice, orange zest, vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and cayenne pepper in a bowl; whisk to blend well. Measure out 3/4 cup of the mixture and transfer it either to a zip lock plastic bag or a small, shallow baking dish. Add the chicken pieces and turn to coat evenly. Leave on the counter to marinate 30-60 minutes, prepping the veggies in the meantime.

Heat a large fry pan over medium heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil and add the broccoli and peppers and cook until crisp-tender. Remove veggies to a plate and set aside. Increase the heat to medium-high heat and add another drizzle of oil to the pan. Drain the chicken from the marinade and add it to the hot pan. Let it sit for a minute or two, then flip it as it turns a golden brown color. When chicken is just about done cooking, add the reserved sauce (not what you used for marinating) and bring to a boil. Combine water and cornstarch and add to the sauce to thicken. Boil about a minute or so. Turn off heat and add reserved veggies.

Serve over hot cooked rice and garnish with sesame seeds.


SOURCE: Sauce from Annie's Eats

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Sweet and Salty Cake

So, if you remember a while back, in May actually, it was my birthday. My family kept asking me how I wanted to celebrate but I just kept telling them I didn't want to celebrate until all that pregnancy nausea was done and I could enjoy some really good food. (I know where my priorities are!)

So we decided to celebrate in June instead and have the family over for a pool party. I had been deliberating over three different cakes to make and finally decided on the Sweet and Salty cake from the Baked cookbook. I had recently checked the book out from the library and LOVED most everything in it. This cake is their signature cake as well as their most requested. That's what sold it for me! Well, that and the combination of sweet chocolate and salty caramel.

With a pound of both chocolate and butter, you can imagine that this cake is rich. But, it's not too sweet and the salted caramel sauce between the cake layers really balances out the flavors and brings it together.

I do have to say that if you've never made caramel or even candy, for that matter, the salted caramel sauce can be a little tricky. You may want to allow yourself some extra time to mess up the first batch, like I did, so you can make the second batch perfectly. One thing that I will suggest you do is calibrate your thermometer!! Living at different elevations will change the temperature at which your candy is ready.

Calibrating a thermometer is simple, just stick it in some water and watch it to see at what temperature it boils. Boiling point is 212 degrees F. My water boiled at about 200 degrees F; I live at nearly 5,000 ft. elevation. Since the sugar and water have to boil to 350 degrees F, I had to subtract 12 degrees F and stop it at about 335 degrees F. You have to be very vigilant, especially at the end because the heat starts increasing very quickly. It will burn and become too hard to work with.

With all that said, this cake was pretty time consuming, but also the most decadent cake I have ever made. It was really delicious, something you don't make all the time, but perfect for that special occasion.

Sweet and Salty Cake
For the cake layers:
3/4 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/4 cups hot water
2/3 cup sour cream
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking Powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup (1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract

For the salted caramel:
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp. fleur de sel
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. light corn syrup
1/4 cup sour cream

For the whipped caramel ganache frosting:
1 pound dark chocolate (60-70% cacao), chopped
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. light corn syrup
2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, soft but cool, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

To assemble the cake:
2 tsp. fleur de sel, plus more for garnish

Make the cake layers
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter 8-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper, and butter the parchment. Dust with flour, and knock out the excess flour.

In a medium bowl, combine the cocoa powder, hot water, and sour cream and set aside to cool.

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together into a medium bowl and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and shortening on medium speed until ribbon-like, about 5 minutes. Add the sugars and beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, then add the vanilla and beat until incorporated. Scrape down the bowl and mix again for 30 seconds.

Add the flour mixture, alternating with the cocoa mixture, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.

Divide the batter among the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 35-40 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean. Transfer the cakes to a wire rack and let cool for 20 minutes. Invert the cakes onto the rack, remove the pans, and let cool completely. Remove the parchment. (I made the cake layers the night before, wrapped them individually in plastic wrap and stored them in the fridge. Chilling the cake layers also helped put the cake together a little easier.)

Make the salted caramel
In a small saucepan, combine the cream and fleur de del. Bring to a simmer over very low heat until the salt is dissolved.

Meanwhile, keeping a close eye on the cream mixture so it doesn't burn, in a medium saucepan, combine 1/4 cup water, the sugar and corn syrup, stirring them together carefully so you don't splash the sides of the pan. Cook over high heat until an instant-read thermometer reads 350 degrees F, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool for 1 minute. (See my note above about making the caramel sauce.)

Add the cream mixture to the sugar mixture. Whisk in the sour cream. Let the caramel cool to room temperature, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until you are ready to assemble the cake. (I also did this the night before as well.)

Make the whipped caramel ganache frosting
Put the chocolate in a large heatproof bowl and set aside.

In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a simmer over very low heat.

Meanwhile, keeping a close eye on the cream so it doesn't burn, in a medium saucepan, combine 1/4 cup water, the sugar and corn syrup, stirring them together carefully so you don't splash the sides of the pan. Cook over high heat until an instant-read thermometer reads 350 degrees F, 6-8 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the caramel cool for 1 minute.

Add the cream to the caramel and stir to combine. Stir slowly for 2 minutes, then pour the caramel over the chocolate. Let the caramel and chocolate sit for 1 minute, then, starting in the center of the bowl, and working your way out to the edges, slowly stir the chocolate and caramel mixture in a circle until the chocolate is completely melted. Let the mixture cool, then transfer it to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.

Mix on low speed until the bowl feels cool to the touch. Increase the speed to medium-high and gradually add the butter, beating until thoroughly incorporated. Scrape down the bowl and beat on high speed until the mixture is fluffy.

Assemble the cake
Place one cake layer on a serving platter. Spread 1/4 cup of the caramel over the top. (I used a toothpick to poke holes in the cake so the caramel would seep in better.) Let the caramel soak into the cake, then spread 3/4 of the ganache frosting over the caramel. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the fleur de sel over the frosting, then top with the second cake layer. Spread with caramel frosting and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon fleur de sel. Then top with the third layer. Spread with caramel. Crumb coat (watch this video to learn how.) the cake and put the cake in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to firm up the frosting. Frost the sides and top with the remaining frosting. Garnish with a sprinkle of fleur de sel.

This cake will keep at room temperature in a cake saver for 3 days. If storing in the fridge, let it sit at room temperature for at least 2 hours before serving.




SOURCE: Baked: New Frontiers in Baking, by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito

Pina Colada Ice Cream

Happy Tuesday everyone. I hope everyone had a safe and fun holiday. After sleeping on an air mattress in a tent for 4 days, it's really good to get back to civilization and my OWN BED! Today I have a delicious ice cream recipe to share with you that you're going to love.



Even though I don't drink alcohol, I still love the flavors of pina colada. Pineapple and coconut just go well together. Creamy coconut and tangy sweet pineapple-YUM! Now that the weather is warm, I've been keeping homemade ice cream in the freezer pretty much all the time. It's just too tempting not too.

This particular ice cream was a big hit in our house first of all because of the wonderful flavor, but also because it's dairy-free. Coconut milk in place of regular dairy milk and/or cream obviously works because of the pina colada flavor profile but it's also nice and creamy so you still get a good texture when you us it.

Pina Colada Ice Cream
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups water
1-15 1/4-oz can crushed pineapple, undrained
1 cup coconut milk (full-fat)

Combine sugar and water in a saucepan; bring to a boil until sugar dissolves. Set aside to cool.

Once sugar and water have cooled, pour into a mixing bowl and add pineapple and coconut milk. Whisk together until incorporated. I used a stick blender to more finely chop the pineapple and give it a little smoother texture, but it is not necessary.

Pour ice cream base into chilled ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. Spoon ice cream in to freezer-safe containers and freeze until set.

SOURCE:Casual Cuisine

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July Menu

Oh my goodness, I should really be in bed rather than typing this, but I'm heading out of town for the holiday weekend and wanted to get it up before I left. After taking a two month hiatus from menu planning I am ready to get back to a little more organization (and variety) in the kitchen. At almost 22 weeks pregnant, I'm finally over all the sickness that made me want to eat nothing half the time and cheese and crackers or cereal the rest of the time.

I tried to keep July's menu pretty light and fresh, minimizing time spent over a hot stove or with the oven on, and maximizing the bounty of summer produce. I didn't do sides this time because I'm planning on using whatever I get in my CSA produce box from the current week to supplement the meals.

Have a wonderful and safe holiday!


Dinner
Greek Panzanella
Sweet and Sour Meatballs
Bean Burritos
Lemon Linguine
Pesto Paninis

Chopped Barbecue Chicken Salad
Black Bean Burgers
Chicken Enchiladas
Dirty Risotto
Coconut Curry Noodles with Veggies

Asian Slaw w/ Roasted Peanuts
Greek Lettuce Wraps
Chicken Milano
Creamy Caprese Pasta
Spaghetti

Mushroom, Wild Rice and Spinach Fritatta
Chinese Chicken Salad
Coconut Curry Noodles with Veggies
Parmesan Chicken
Pizza


Other things I'll be making...
Kale Almond Pesto
English Muffins
Fresh Homemade Ricotta
Garlic Basil Cheese Spread

July 4th Recipes

What's more American than red, white and blue and root beer? Hmm, maybe apple pie? Here are two desserts that I made last year for our family 4th of July celebration. Lemon desserts are some of my favorite to eat, especially when paired with fresh berries. These Red, White and Blue Lemon Berry Bars were not only festive, they were so tasty!


I absolutely loved the Chocolate Rootbeer Bundt Cake because it tasted so chocolaty and had a great rootbeer flavor. Amazingly enough, the flavors really go well together.


Below I have listed some of my favorites that are sure to be crowd pleasers at your July 4th celebration. Hope you have a great holiday!


Desserts
S'mores Bars, Pops, and Ice Cream
Berry Cheesecake Ice Cream
Lemonade Cake
Raspberry Almond Cookie Bars

Dinner & Sides
Chipotle-Lime Shrimp
Chopped Barbecue Chicken Salad
Basil Chicken Burgers
Broccoli & Apple Slaw
Strawberry Spinach Salad w/ Poppy Seed Dressing
Asian Slaw with Roasted Peanuts

Chiles Rellenos with Mexican Tomato Sauce

A little over a month ago my friend had an overabundance of produce in her CSA basket and offered some Anaheim peppers and fresh garden tomatoes to anybody who wanted them. I was quick to take her up on her offer because really, who can pass up fresh garden tomatoes? Certainly not me, especially now that I don't have a garden anymore.

I used a few of the tomatoes for tomato sandwiches but thinking of them with the peppers, I couldn't get the idea of chiles rellenos out of my mind. I have had chiles rellenos before but have never actually made them, mostly because they are fried. I don't really eat fried foods let alone make fried foods but these just kept nagging at me.

I found a REALLY fabulous recipe on the Food Network website for the chiles rellenos that had a fresh tomato sauce to go with it. It was perfect. It called for just the amount of peppers and tomatoes I had left. It was fate I tell ya!

The peppers are stuffed with a mild Mexican cheese, then battered with a beer batter, typically, but I opted to use ginger ale instead because we don't drink beer. I don't think the quality of the dish was compromised at all by using the ginger ale instead of the beer because, I tell you, it was one of the most fabulous things I have eaten. The tomato sauce was pretty wonderful too. It tasted so fresh and has a unique ingredient that'll make you go hmmmm.

Chiles Rellenos
For the chiles:
6 poblano chiles
8 oz. Mexican style cheese, such as Queso Fresco or Cojita (you could also substitute mozzarella, or Monterey Jack if you can't find the other)

For the batter:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dredging
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. fine salt, plus more for sprinkling
1 12-oz bottle or can ginger ale (or lager-style beer)
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
Mexican Tomato Sauce, warm, recipe follows.

Position a rack on the upper most shelf of the broiler element and preheat. Put the chiles on a foil-lined broiler pan and broil, turning occasionally with tongs, until the skin is charred, about 10 minutes. Transfer the chiles to a bowl, cover, and cool for 10 minutes or more.

Carefully rub the charred skin off the chiles. Using a small knife, make a lengthwise slit along the side of each chile to form a pocket. Carefully cut out and discard the seeds, carefully rinsing in cold water, if necessary.

Cut the cheese into 6 (1/4-inch-thick) slabs, about 3/4 the length of each chile (your chiles probably vary in length, so tailor the cheese to the chiles). Slip the cheese pieces into the pocket of each chile so they're 2/3 full. (If the cheese protrudes from the chiles, just cut a little off.) "Sew" each chile shut with a wooden skewer or long toothpick.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, cumin, and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the ale/beer to a make a smooth batter.

In a large, wide, heavy-bottomed pot, pour in the oil to a depth of about 3 inches. (It is important here to make sure you have enough oil so your chilies don't stick to the bottom of the pan while frying.) Heat over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer inserted in the oil registers 365 degrees F.

Put the flour for dredging on a plate. Working in 2 batches, dredge the chiles in the flour (the dampness of the chiles creates a light paste with the flour that seals over any tears), dip in the batter, and carefully add to the oil. Fry, turning the chiles once, until golden brown and crispy, about 4 minutes per batch. Using tongs, transfer the chiles rellenos to a dry paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain. Sprinkle with salt, to taste. Gently pull out and discard the skewers.

Heat the sauce. Spoon some of the sauce on a plate and set 1 chile relleno on top. Repeat with the remaining sauce and chiles. Serve.


Mexican Tomato Sauce:
2 pounds ripe tomatoes, cored and roughly chopped
1/4 medium yellow onion
6 cloves garlic
5 sprigs fresh cilantro
1 serrano chile (I omitted this because I was serving it with peppers already)
1/2 Tbsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon (preferably Mexican)

In a blender, combine all the ingredients and puree until smooth.

Transfer the tomato puree to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until slightly thick, about 10 minutes. Makes about 3 cups.


SOURCE: Food Network

Linked to...
Recipe Swap Thursday @ Prairie Story
It's A Keeper Thursday @ It's A Keeper
Seasonal Sunday @ Real Sustenance
Savory Sunday @ The Sweet Details

Recipe Rewind: Baked Oatmeal

I'm taking you back to the early days of my blog, a few years ago. Baked oatmeal was added early on, had a terrible picture and no description of the dish. Let me just tell you that we eat a lot of breakfast around here; like every morning! No, really how I meant to say that was that I like to make breakfast often, I'm not into eating cold cereal every morning. My girls devour hot cereal, like cream of wheat and oatmeal, so I figured this baked oatmeal would hit the spot just as well.

No big surprise that it has been a big hit in our house over the years. It's a little sweeter than our usual oatmeal "mush," and the cinnamon and nutmeg make it even better. My favorite is the top of the baked oatmeal that gets a little crunchy, adding a little texture.

This is a really quick and easy breakfast to throw together with ingredients you're sure to have on hand.

Baked Oatmeal
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
1/4 oil (I used coconut oil, melted)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
2 cups oatmeal

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8 or 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together milk egg and oil. Add the rest of the ingredients, except the oatmeal and whisk until well incorporated. Fold in the oatmeal with a spatula.

Pour oatmeal mixture into prepared baking dish and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. Serve warm, with a splash of milk and fresh fruit, if desired.

Linked to...
Mangia Mondays @ Delightfully Dowling

Key Lime Pie Smoothie

I'm a big smoothie fan, the green kind too, and I'm always up for a good recipe to put in my "keeper" file. If you're a frequent smoothie drinker you know that there can be a lot of trial-and-error when it comes to finding just the right combination to suit your palate. And on the other end, there's always that chance of getting stuck in a rut with the same old smoothie day after day, week after week.

This smoothie was a nice refreshing change from the green drinks I usually make, and chock full of goodness. I like the bright flavor of the lime and I LOVE coconut milk. Not only does coconut have great flavor, but it has some AMAZING qualities as well. Coconut milk, the typical kind you see in small cans at the supermarket, is extracted from the meat of the coconut and is different from coconut water, which is the naturally-occurring liquid in the hollow of the coconut. Read here, and here for more information on coconut.

Key Lime Pie Smoothie
2 Tbsp. key lime juice (about 8 limes) OR you can use the juice of 1 regular lime
1 Tsp. key lime zest
1 Tbsp. coconut oil*
1 cup light coconut milk
1 ripe frozen banana
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. agave syrup (or other sweetener)
2 Tbsp. graham cracker crumbs
ice cubeshttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

Combine all ingredients in a blender and pulse until smooth. Top with additional graham crackers, if desired.

*If you do not have coconut oil, do not replace it with another oil, just leave it out.

SOURCE: Munchin with Munchkin

Linked to...
Recipe Swap Thursday @ Prairie Story
It's A Keeper Thursday @ It's A Keeper
These Chicks Cooked Link Party @ This Chick Cooks
Party Mindi Style Link Up @ Bacon Time with The Hungry Hungry Hypo
Sweets For A Saturday @ Sweet As Sugar Cookies
Seasonal Sunday @ Real Sustenance
A Themed Bakers Sunday @ Cupcake Apothecary

S'mores Pops

I'm all about s'mores in any way, shape or form. They are just delicious and such a fun summer treat. It's been fun finding different s'mores treats made in many different ways, yet still resembling that classic s'mores taste. Check out these former posts for more S'more inspiration:

Giant S'mores Cookies
S'mores Bars
S'mores Ice Cream
Brownie S'mores
S'mores Pancakes

I made these S'mores pops several months ago for my daughter's 4th birthday party. They were actually really fun to make and pretty quick and easy. And, of course, they were loved by all who ate them.

I inherited the block of wood you see in the picture from my dad. He made it when we were very little kids. See, when my parents were still in college, my dad managed a gas station and my mom made homemade suckers to sell there. So, my dad made this sucker stand to hold all the suckers as they sat on the counter top. Pretty nifty if you ask me. I feel lucky to have it. I also inherited all the candy-making molds and oils, but that's another story for another day...

Show up with these treats at your next get together or family barbecue and you'll be the hit of the party!

S'mores Pops
1 bag large marshmallows
1 package semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 sleeve cinnamon graham crackers
lollipop sticks

Lay out about 20 marshmallows on wax paper and insert lollipop stick about 3/4 of the way through.

Using a food processor, whiz graham crackers until it makes a fine crumb. Alternately, you can place crackers in a zip top bag and crush with a rolling pin. Pour crumbs onto a plate for dipping.

Melt chocolate chips in a bowl in the microwave for about 2 minutes at 50% power, stirring every 30 seconds.

Taking one marshmallow at a time, dip in the melted chocolate, then roll in the graham cracker crumbs. Place coated marshmallow back on the wax paper to completely cool and harden.

Linked to...
Sweet Indulgences Sunday @ A Well-Seasoned Life
Sweets For A Saturday @ Sweet As Sugar Cookies
Mangia Monday's @ Delightfully Dowling
Recipe Swap Thursday @ Prairie Story
It's A Keeper Thursday @ It's A Keeper
Sweet Tooth Friday @ Alli-N-Son

Apple Cheddar Meatalls

Apples and cheddar: ohhhh or ewwww? I say ohhhh! It really is a great combination. Have you ever thrown a few apple slices on a grilled cheese sammy? You get that gooey, salty cheesiness and then a little crunchy tangy yet slightly sweet surprise when you get that bite of apple. Well, these meatballs are kind of like that.

These meatballs are super easy to throw together, I'd say under 10 minutes, which makes for a quick weeknight meal when you throw in the noodles and a salad or veggie. Another plus is that they are kid-friendly. The flavors are tasty, yet subtle enough that it's not over powering for the developing palate.

While you can make the meatballs any size you wish, I found that a 1-inch scoop was perfect for us. It made close to 30 meatballs, which is enough for leftovers the next day or some to throw in the freezer for dinner another night.


Apple Cheddar Meatballs
1 pound ground turkey or pork
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
3/4 cup breadcrumbs
1 small, tart apple, such as granny smith, peeled and grated
1/2 small onion, grated
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
One 12-ounce package egg noodles
4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a large cookie sheet with either a silicone baking mat or foil.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground turkey/pork, cheese, breadcrumbs, apple, onion, 3 tablespoons parsley and egg. Season with salt and pepper. Using a medium scoop, shape into meatballs, about 1-inch in size. Arrange on baking sheet. Bake for 30-40 minutes (or until thoroughly cooked), turning half way.

During the last 15 minutes while the meatballs are cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the noodles to al dente. Drain, then return to the pot and toss with the butter and remaining 5 tablespoons parsley; season with salt and pepper.


SOURCE:Rachael Ray via Baking Serendipity

Linked To...
Savory Sunday @ The Sweet Details
Mangia Mondays @ Delightfully Dowling

S'mores Ice Cream

I have a thing for s'mores. Especially during the summertime. I love roasting marshmallows over a camp fire then putting them atop a Hershey's bar to make it all melty, only to eat it sandwiched between a crumbly graham cracker. Yum!

I like to kind of slow roast my marshmallows so they get evenly toasty all around and get nice and poofy. I love that toasty flavor. That's why I decided, when making this ice cream, that I would try to simulate that same toasty marshmallow flavor in the ice cream base by putting the marshmallows under the broiler. The verdict: UH-mazing! The ice cream base really tastes like toasted marshmallows and the whole deal tastes like one big fat cold s'more! Now, what's not to love about that?

I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing that this only makes about a pint of ice cream, but heaven sakes go ahead a double it if you're worried about it or have more than yourself to feed!

S'mores Ice Cream
Makes about a pint

1/2 package mini marshmallows
1 cup whole or 2% milk
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2-1.55 oz. bars Hershey’s Chocolate (they're usually the ones that come in a 6-pack)
3 graham crackers


Put milk and cream into a medium saucepan and warm over medium heat. Meanwhile spread marshmallows out on a cookie sheet and put under broiler for about 30-60 seconds. DO NOT take your eyes away or you'll have flaming marshmallows! Cool for a few seconds then immediately scrape into the saucepan with the milk and cream. Stir constantly until marshmallows are melted and incorporated.

Pour mixture (yes, the hot mixture) into ice cream maker that has been frozen according to manufacturer’s instructions, and churn for about 30-60 minutes. It may take longer than normal to get to the right consistency since the mixture is hot when you pour it in. Add ice and rock salt, if necessary to keep it cold enough.

While the ice cream is churning, break chocolate into chunks or pieces however you like. Break graham crackers into a little bit larger pieces.

After churning is completed, turn off ice cream maker and fold in chocolate and graham cracker pieces. Pour into freezer safe container and freeze until firm.

SOURCE: Adapted from Bonnie the Baker

Linked to...
Sweet Tooth Friday @ Alli n' Son
Sweets For A Saturday @ Sweet As Sugar Cookies
Sweet Indulgences Sunday @ A Well-Seasoned Life
Sweet Treats Thursday @ Something Swanky
Savory Sunday @ The Sweet Details
Potluck Sunday @ Mommy's Kitchen
Mangia Mondays @ Delightfully Dowling

Roasted Garlic Pasta Sauce

I love hoarding fresh garden tomatoes during the summer time. The last time we had a garden, I planted about 11 tomato plants. I love eating them fresh, but I like to plant so many so I can do some home canning. I love to do spaghetti sauce, pizza sauce, salsa and just some stewed tomatoes as well.

It's been several months now that my supply of spaghetti sauce has ended and I can't wait to make more of it by summer's end. In the meantime, I have been trying other recipes but have not found something I like as much.

With that said, however, I did like this sauce. It is simple, easy and pretty tasty, especially if you are a fan of garlic. I like garlic to begin with but I absolutely love the taste that roasted garlic brings to a dish.

This sauce, along with a sprinkle of freshly shaved parmesan cheese, would compliment any pasta. It would also be great on homemade pizza as well.


Roasted Garlic Pasta Sauce
1 large onion, chopped
3 T olive oil
1 T minced garlic
1/4 c. tomato paste
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp dried basil
2 (28 oz) cans whole Italian tomatoes, with juices
3 whole heads roasted garlic, cloves removed from peels

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Peel off the loose papery skins of each of the heads of garlic. Cut the top 1/4-1/2 off of each of the heads and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap the garlic heads in foil and bake for about 45 minutes.

Allow garlic to cool enough to handle it without getting burned. Either squeeze the garlic cloves out with your hand, or use a small fork to pull them from their skins. Set garlic aside.

In a large saucepan saute onion in oil over med-high head until lightly golden, about 5-7 minutes. Add minced garlic and saute, stirring, for 1 min. Add tomato paste, salt, balsamic vinegar, crushed red pepper, Italian seasoning, and basil, and cook for another minute longer. Add tomatoes, with their juices, crushing with your hands as you place them in the pan. Stir to combine well and bring to boil. Reduce heat to slow simmer and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add roasted garlic cloves and stir to combine. Continue to simmer for 30-45 min. longer or until flavors have come together.

Serve over pasta or use as pizza sauce. Makes about 1 1/2 quarts of sauce.

SOURCE: Perry's Plate

Linked to...
Seasonal Sunday @ Real Sustenance
Savory Sunday @ The Sweet Details
Potluck Sunday @ Mommy's Kitchen

Grilling Favorites

Memorial Day is a time of year where lots of things are just happening. It's the end of school, the start of pool season and warmer weather and when most people break out the grill. I personally love to grill and love to do it all summer and even into fall. For me, there's nothing tastier than meat or veggies that have been grilled on an outdoor grill. I've put together some of our favorite grilling recipes that I hope you enjoy. They are all really tasty! I hope you all have a wonderful holiday weekend.


Lemon Linguini with Grilled Chicken















Chipotle Lime Shrimp















Feta and Sun-dried Tomato Turkey Sliders














Basil Chicken Burgers

Spicy Cucumber Salad with Peanuts

Peanuts and cucumbers, who would have thought? I would have never put them together, but they make a surprisingly wonderful combination. I saw a similar recipe one day while blog hopping and remembered seeing this recipe in my Cooking Light cookbook. I've turned past that recipe so many times, without even considering making it. I don't know what flipped the switch this time, but I couldn't get it out of my mind and just had to make it.

Let me tell you, it was a huge hit, even with my kids. We couldn't stop eating it as we prepared it, so when it was actually time to bring it to the dinner table, there was not much left. Needless to say, there were no leftovers.

This is a great salad, perfect for spring or summer. It's got some great combinations going on too: light and fresh, sweet and salty, crispy and crunchy!

Spicy Cucumber Salad with Peanuts
1 1/2 pounds cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (I left these of my kids' portions)
2 tablespoons minced red onion
1 tablespoon chopped dry-roasted peanuts

Place the cucumber slices in a colander; sprinkle with salt. Toss well. Drain 1 hour. Place cucumber slices on several layers of paper towels; cover with additional paper towels. Let stand 5 minutes, pressing down occasionally. Rinse and pat dry.

Combine vinegar, water, sugar, and pepper in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cook until reduced to 1/3 cup (about 10 minutes). Remove vinegar reduction from heat; cool. Stir in onion. Combine cucumbers and vinegar reduction in a medium bowl; toss well. Sprinkle with peanuts.

SOURCE: Cooking Light

Linked to...
Recipe Swap Thursday @ Prairie Story
It's a Keeper Thursday @ It's A Keeper
Mangia Mondays @ Delightfully Dowling

Lemon Poppy Seed Cakes with Raspberry Filling and Lemon Buttercream

Happy Sunday everyone! I've been without a computer for about three days and it feels like it's been forever! Crazy how we've become so attached to technology these days.

I have a special treat for you today. These cakes are absolutely delicious. I first had it as a layer cake that my mom made for a family dinner. As soon as I tasted it, I knew I wanted to make it as well and I had the perfect occasion for it. I was hosting a Mother's Day brunch for our little preschool co-op group so I decided to make them into little cakes to easily serve to everyone. Using a mini bundt pan was great because, first of all, it made just the right portion sizes, and secondly, it created the perfect crevice to hide the surprise filling in.

I loved every part of this dessert. Lemon anything is wonderful and raspberries are just about my favorite fruit ever! However, if I had to pick one component that was my favorite, I would have to say the frosting. I know that may sound strange, and I don't usually like frosting above the actual dessert, but it was truly amazing. When my mom made the cake, she added a little more lemon to intensify the flavor and to lighten it up added some cool whip. I think those two things made it just perfect, absolutely finger-licking good! Frost just the tops or frost the whole thing, you'll love it either way.

Lemon Poppy Seed Cakes with Raspberry Filling and Lemon Buttercream

For the cakes:
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 Tbsp. poppy seeds
1 cup plain yogurt
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
zest and juice of a lemon
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegetable oil

For the raspberry filling:
1/2 recipe Berry Coulis, using only raspberries
(Raspberry preserves may be substituted.)

For the lemon buttercream frosting: 
8 Tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar
zest of one lemon
juice of 2 lemons
1/4-1/2 cup cool whip

Prepare raspberry filling as directed and set aside to cool.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Liberally grease a 12 cavity mini-bundt pan.

In a small mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt; stir in poppy seeds. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, sugar, eggs, lemon juice and zest, and vanilla extract. Whisk in the dry ingredients. Add the vegetable oil to the bowl and fold in to the batter with a rubber spatula until completely incorporated. Spoon batter into the prepared bundt pan and bake for about 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let the cakes cool about 10 minutes in the pan then gently slide them out. Wipe out pan and grease about half of the molds again. Spoon remaining batter into prepared molds and bake and cool as directed above.

To prepare lemon buttercream, add butter to a mixer bowl and beat on medium speed until smooth; about 1 minute. Add powdered sugar, lemon zest and juice and mix until incorporated. Then turn the mixer on medium speed and beat for another 1-2 minutes, until frosting is light and fluffy. Add cool whip and mix until just incorporated.

Assembling the cakes: Fill each cavity in the cakes with the raspberry filling. Either dollop lemon buttercream frosting on top of each cake or, using a spatula, frost as desired.

Makes 16-18 mini bundt cakes

My notes:
1)When making the raspberry sauce, I do not strain my seeds as they are small and do not bother me.
2)If you do not have a mini-bundt pan, have no fear. Simply bake them up in a cupcake pan. You can then either hollow them out to create a cavity for the filling (there are tools for this these days, or you could just use a knife) or cut them in half and spread the filling in between.




SOURCE:Adapted from Annie's Eats

Linked to...
Potluck Sunday @ Mommy's Kitchen
Whisking Wednesdays @ Pinch of This, That & the Other
Recipe Swap Thursday @ Prairie Story
It's a Keeper Thursday @ It's A Keeper
Sweets For A Saturday @ Sweet As Sugar Cookies
These Chicks Cooked Link Party @ This Chick Cooks
Sweet Tooth Friday @ Alli n' Son

Cake Batter Pancakes

I love to celebrate, especially when it comes to my kids and birthdays. I love to make them feel special and make them food that makes them smile. Saturday, however, was my birthday and I got to make these fun pancakes to share with everyone.

Seriously, if you're a fan of birthday cake, cake batter or heck, even pancakes, you're going to love these. My oldest daughter helped me make the batter and was so thrilled that she could dump in all those sprinkles. That just made it for her.

This is such a fun way to celebrate a birthday and it doesn't take much effort. Even if it's not anybody's birthday, these are fun and are sure to put a smile on anyone's face.

Wondering what to do with all that leftover cake mix? May I suggest you make MORE of these pancakes? Or you can even use it to make cake batter ice cream. Keep it in an ziploc bag or an air-tight container and it will keep for months, you don't have to use it right away.

Cake Batter Pancakes
makes about 10 pancakes

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup yellow or white cake mix
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg
1-2 Tbsp. oil
1 1/2 cups milk (dairy, almond, rice, etc.; I used almond)
1 tsp. vanilla extract

assorted sprinkles

Combine flour, cake mix, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl and mix. Add egg, oil, milk and vanilla extract and stir until smooth. You want the batter to look like regular pancake batter; not too thin, not too thick. Add more milk, if needed. Let batter sit while griddle heats up.

Preheat griddle or skillet, whichever you are using. Fold desired amount of sprinkles into batter. Pour batter in 1/4 cup measurements onto skillet and let cook until bubbles form on top, about 2-3 minutes. Flip and cook for 1 minute more. Serve with vanilla glaze and extra sprinkles, if desired.

For the glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
2-3 Tbsp. milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix milk, extract and powdered sugar until glaze forms. You may need to add a little more sugar or water/milk to reach desired consistency.


SOURCE:Adapted from How Sweet It Is


Linked to...
Whisking Wednesdays @ Pinch of This, That & The Other
Potluck Sunday @ Mommy's Kitchen
Recipe Swap Thursday @ Prairie Story
It's a Keeper Thursday @ It's A Keeper
Mangia Mondays @ Delightfully Dowling
Savory Sunday @ The Sweet Details

Lemon Garlic Shrimp with Orzo

When I made my (half) menu this month, I was looking for lots of quick and easy meals. Although I've been cooking a little more lately, I have still had many nights I've just fed everyone cold cereal. So, when I came across this recipe from Pioneer Woman I knew it would be a keeper. For one, there is minimal prep, I'm talking under 10 minutes and all you have to do is throw this stuff in the oven and put the pasta on. Secondly, everyone here just adores shrimp!

I have actually made this twice recently. The first night I made it I only had a mere 1/2 lb. of shrimp from my freezer to work with and none of us got our fill. So, of course, I had to make it again! It's amazing what a few simple ingredients can to. It may not look much, but this dish has so much flavor. That along with the simplicity of it, it'll be calling your name too!!

Lemon Garlic Shrimp with Orzo
1 pound raw, frozen shrimp, deveined, shells on
1 stick cold butter, cut into pieces
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 cups orzo pasta

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Rinse frozen shrimp to separate and partially thaw them, then arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Fill a pot of water and put it on the stove to bring to a boil.

In the bowl of a food processor, add cold butter, garlic, lemon juice, salt and parsley. Pulse until combined. Sprinkle cold butter crumbles over the shrimp.

Bake until shrimp is opaque and butter is hot and bubbly. Mine was done in under 10 minutes, but times will vary depending on oven and how frozen shrimp is.

While shrimp is cooking, drop orzo into boiling water and cook according to package directions. Drain pasta and pour into serving dish. Pour cooked shrimp and lemon garlic sauce over the pasta and toss gently to coat.

*If you want to add a little extra heat, add a few sprinkles of red pepper flakes to the butter sauce.

SOURCE:Pioneer Woman

Linked to...
Seasonal Sunday @ Real Sustenance
Potluck Sunday @ Mommy's Kitchen
Whisking Wednesdays @ Pinch of This, That & The Other

Tres Leches Cake

Ok, so I know I'm a day late and a dollar short on this Tres Leches Cake, but it is soooooo good! It was definitely the highlight of my weekend. And, I've been eating it since I made it Thursday night-YUM! I've been wanting to try Tres Leches for a long time. Last year I found a coconut Tres Leches Cakes that I thought would be fabulous because I love coconut. However, it wasn't so hot, so it put me off for a while. When we decided to have a Cinco de Mayo celebration, I knew this was my chance to make it again, the REAL thing this time though.

I did a little research on Tres Leches Cake and found out that the basic cake recipe is probably the most important part of it all coming together. Using cake flour and beating the egg whites separately gives the cake the perfect crumb and makes it rise enough to be able to soak up all the milky goodness. Otherwise, you may have a milk moat from a cake that cannot stand up to all that milk.

I wasn't sure how I would like eating a cake that was so moist, but after my first bite, I was blown away! The drizzle of dulce de leche was an extra special treat as well, making this actually a Cuatro Leches Cake! This dessert has lodged a place in my recipe book I'm sure for years to come.

Tres Leches Cake
For the cake:
6 3/4 oz. cake flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
4 oz. unsalted butter, room temperature
8 oz. granulated sugar
5 eggs, separated
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

For the milk mixture:
1 (12-oz) can evaporated milk
1 (14-oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/2-1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

For the whipped topping:
2 cups heavy cream
4 oz. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Garnish:
cinnamon
maraschino cherries
dulce de leche


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Liberally spray a 9x13 baking pan with oil until well coated. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.

Separate eggs. Beat egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form. With the mixer on, pour in about 1/4 cup of the sugar and beat until egg whites are stiff but not dry. Remove to a bowl and set aside.

Beat butter on medium speed until fluffy, approximately 1 minute. Decrease the speed to low and with the mixer still running, gradually add the rest of the sugar over 1 minute. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl, if necessary. Add the egg yolks, 1 at a time, and mix to thoroughly combine. Add the vanilla extract and mix to combine. Add the flour mixture to the batter in 3 batches and mix just until combined; do not overmix. Add about 1/3 of the egg whites to the batter and mix on low until combined. Remove the paddle/whisk attachment from the mixing bowl and gently fold in the rest of the egg whites with a spatula. (You don't have to get them completely incorporated, it's ok if you still see ribbons of egg white throughout the batter-kind of like a souffle.)

Pour batter into prepared pan and spread to even out surface. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cake it lightly golden. (Remember all ovens are different so be vigilant near the end of baking time to ensure proper doneness.)

Remove cake pan to a cooling rack and allow cake to cool for 30 minutes. Take a fork or skewer and poke holes all over the cake. Allow the cake to completely cool.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the milk mixture. Slowly pour mixture over the cake, cover and refrigerate overnight.

For the whipped topping, place the heavy cream, sugar and vanilla into the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, whisk together on low until stiff peaks are formed. Change to medium speed and whisk until thick. Spread the topping over the cake and allow to chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

To serve the cake, drizzle some dulce de leche onto a small plate and place a piece of cake on top. Lightly sprinkle cinnamon and top with a maraschino cherry. Keep leftovers refrigerated.

Some notes:
1)As always, you can make your own cake flour. For every cup of all-purpose flour, take out 2 tablespoons and replace with cornstarch. Sift well.

2)A kitchen scale really comes in handy in this recipe. They are a good investment, relatively inexpensive and I have used mine more than I thought I would. With that said, I'll give you an idea of the equivalents: 6 3/4 oz cake flour is just over 1 1/2 cups, 8 oz sugar is about a cup and 4 oz of butter is 1/2 cup or 1 stick.

3)I purchased dulce de leche in the Mexican section at my local grocery store, although you can easily make your own. I also thinned it out with a little milk so that I could drizzle it easily on each plate.

SOURCE:Adapted from Alton Brown and Pioneer Woman

Linked to...
Sweets For A Saturday @ Sweet As Sugar Cookies
Potluck Sunday @ Mommy's Kitchen
Sweet Indulgences Sunday @ A Well-Seasoned Life

Cinnamon-Honey Ice Cream

Remember how I told you that last year I made these cupcakes for my birthday/Cinco de Mayo celebration? Well, I also made this Cinnamon-Honey Ice Cream to go with them. My sister asked me to post the recipe ages ago and here I am a year later and I still haven't posted it!!!

I love making ice cream at home and I started doing it lots last summer. This ice cream is great. It's sweet and creamy with all the yuminess of cinnamon and vanilla all swirled together.

If you're planning on celebrating Cinco de Mayo with Mexican fare, this ice cream is the perfect accompaniment either by itself or along side some sopapillas, Mexican Wedding cookies or bunelos.

Cinnamon-Honey Ice Cream
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
1/4 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
20 cloves
2 sticks cinnamon
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Warm the half-and-half and sugar in a medium saucepan. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Temper the eggs by slowly pouring the warm milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

Tie the cloves in a small piece of cheese cloth and add them, along with the 2 sticks of cinnamon, to the saucepan. Stir mixture constantly over medium heat until mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Pour custard through a strainer, or cheesecloth, then stir in the cream, honey, vanilla extract and ground cinnamon. Add the cinnamon sticks and the cloves back to the custard mixture, cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled (up to overnight).

Take out the cloves and cinnamon sticks and pour custard into ice cream maker. Freeze according to manufacturer's directions.

Linked to...
Recipe Swap Thursday @ Prairie Story
It's A Keeper Thursday @ It's A Keeper
Sweets For A Saturday @ Sweet As Sugar Cookies
Sweet Indulgences Sunday @ A Well-Seasoned Life

May Menu

Happy days it's May! I'm so glad it's May, not only because I get to celebrate both Mother's day as well as my birthday, but we get to welcome in warmer weather and sunshine!!! After being cooped up inside with two young children all winter, I'm looking forward to spending half our days in the sun at the park with the kids running wild with their friends.

I'm also excited about Cinco de Mayo. We're getting together with some of my extended family to enjoy some good eats and smack down a pinata. On the menu so far we have fajitas, rice and beans, chips, salsa & guacamole. I'm bringing a traditional Tres Leches cake and some horchata, which is a traditional rice milk drink that I absolutely adore!

Last year we had just moved in to our new house around this time so I combined our Cinco de Mayo fiesta with my birthday party and had a great bash. My girls helped my make these Crockpot Tamales, and for dessert I made these Chocolate Chipotle Cupcakes with Chili Chocolate Ganache and Honey Cinnamon Ice Cream.

I have yet to decide what I will make for my birthday celebration. I have just passed my first trimester of pregnancy and am still feeling ill most of the time. I wanted to wait until it passed so I could really enjoy a wonderful meal, especially dessert. Dessert will most likely be something chocolate. I've had my eye on this Chocolate Malt Cake from Bon Appetit for a while, as well as the famous Sweet and Salty Cake from Baked cookbook. We'll just have to see what it comes down to.

And one last thing. Although I didn't make a menu last month and only cooked dinner a handful of times, I'm going to make an effort to do better this month. Yesterday, after looking at an empty fridge, not seeing a fresh fruit or vegetable in sight, I decided to make a menu and go shopping. I only made a menu for 2 weeks, I hope we can get through it, so here it goes....

White Chicken Chili
Lemon Garlic Shrimp w/ orzo and broccoli
Roasted Garlic Pasta Sauce over Spaghetti, green beans and garlic bread
Spicy Dr. Pepper Shredded Pork Tacos with Spanish rice and beans

Chicken Divan
Mashed potatoes and broccoli
Sesame Noodles w/ snow peas and peppers
Coconut Crusted Tilapia w/ wild rice and green beans
Pizza
Apple Cheddar Meatballs, egg noodles and veggie