Classic Angel Food Cake

A few weeks ago we celebrated my husband's birthday. I kept asking him what kind of cake or dessert he wanted for the special occasion and he would tell me, "nothing." HELLO! You can't have NOTHING to celebrate your birthday, it's a special day. Truth is my husband is not big on any celebration, be it Christmas, birthdays or whatever. I do, however, love to celebrate anything, especially when I can make something special to eat.

Since spring has been peaking around the corner the past little while, even though we woke up to snow flurries this morning, I wanted to do a dessert that was light, fresh and tasty. I immediately went to strawberries and lemon curd. I love, love, love lemon curd. I could totally eat it off the spoon, but that's beside the point. So I was thinking of a strawberry shortcake kind of deal and had to figure out what kind of base to put all that strawberry-lemony goodness on.

Angel food cake seemed perfect for the task. I had never made one but heard they were much better than store-bought versions. Plus, I had lots of egg whites in the freezer that needed to be used. The cake was actually really fun to make and I love how it came together. I baked mine in a bundt pan, although it calls for a tube pan, because that's what I had and, it turned out fine. I was a little leery when the directions said to bake in an UN-greased pan but I trusted and went with it. I think the trick is to let it cool enough that it all comes out in one piece.

This is the perfect cake for any spring dessert with lots of fruit and cream. It would even make a great trifle! Oh, and here's my favorite lemon curd recipe.

Classic Angel Food Cake
1 cup sifted cake flour
1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
12 large egg whites
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon almond extract


Preheat oven to 325°.

To prepare cake, lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and 3/4 cup sugar, stirring with a whisk.

Place egg whites in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar and salt; beat until soft peaks form. Add 3/4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Beat in vanilla, juice, and almond extract. Sift 1/4 cup flour mixture over egg white mixture; fold in. Repeat with remaining flour mixture, 1/4 cup at a time.

Spoon the batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan, spreading evenly. Break air pockets by cutting through the batter with a knife. Bake at 325° for 55 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Invert pan; cool completely. Loosen cake from sides of pan using a narrow metal spatula. Invert the cake onto a plate.

SOURCE: Cooking Light on myrecipes.com

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Cherry Pistachio Biscotti

Just about every month we have a family dinner and celebrate everyone's birthday that falls in that month. A while back it happened to be my mom's birthday and we decided to have an Italian-themed meal. I put it together with my sister and it was lots of fun and a big hit! We had spaghetti and meatballs, Zuppa Toscana, garlic bread, yummy salad and for dessert my sister got some spumoni ice cream and I made these biscotti.

Biscotti are fun to make and you can create so many flavor combinations, probably as endlessly as cookie combinations. For this biscotti, I really wanted it to just "scream" Italian and I thought pistachios and dried cherries were perfect, especially since they are two of the flavors in traditional spumoni. The biscotti turned out wonderfully! The saltiness of the pistachios worked great with the sweetness of the dried cherries. It was also a great dipper for our ice cream.


Cherry Pistachio Biscotti
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup chopped pistachios
1/2 cup dried cherries


In a small bowl, beat sugar and oil until blended. Beat in eggs, then almond and vanilla extracts. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to sugar mixture and mix well (dough will be stiff). Stir in pistachios and cherries.

Divide dough in half. With floured hands, shape each half into a 12-in. x 2-in. rectangle on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 18-22 minutes or until set.

Place pan on wire rack. When cool enough to handle, transfer to a cutting board; cut diagonally with a serrated knife into 3/4-in. slices. Place cut side down on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until firm. Remove to wire racks to cool. Store in an airtight container. Yield: about 2-1/2 dozen.

SOURCE: Adapted from Taste of Home

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Lasagna Rolls

I have had this recipe for so many years, I can't believe I'm just now getting around to posting it. The first time I made it was for some friends we had over for dinner and it was a huge hit!

I've had some serious cravings the past couple of months. Pregnancy will do that to you once in a while. I could not stop craving lasagna so I just had to make it again. Now, I don't usually make meals with so much dairy when my husband works (lactose-intolerant), but he had the week off so he said to bring it on.

I like that this lasagna uses a marinara rather than a meat sauce. I felt like the cheese and spinach mixture were definitely filling enough and more the star of the dish. However, we all loved the little crumbs of bacon here and there, which gave it a yummy kind of smoky taste.

Although these lasagna rolls may have an extra step or two compared to your typical lasagna, it's definitely worth it and not difficult. To save time when you're actually putting it together, you can do some of the steps ahead of time, like prepare your favorite marinara sauce, cook and crumble the bacon and even make the bechamel right before. You've gotta try these, you'll just love them!

Lasagna Rolls

For the Bechamel Sauce:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups whole milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Pinch ground nutmeg

For the Lasagna:
1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
6 ounces bacon
1 large egg, beaten to blend
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
14 uncooked lasagna noodles
2 cups marinara sauce
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella, divided


Turn oven to broil. Place bacon slices on a cookie sheet and broil about 4-5 minutes on one side. Flip bacon over and cook another 4-5 minutes. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Once cool, crumble bacon and reserve.

To make the sauce: Melt the butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk for 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk. Increase the heat to medium-high. Whisk the sauce until it comes to a simmer and is thick and smooth, about 3 minutes. Whisk the salt, pepper, and nutmeg into the bechamel sauce.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Whisk the ricotta, spinach, 1 cup Parmesan, 1/2 cup mozzarella, bacon crumbles, egg, salt and pepper in a medium bowl to blend. (I actually used my stick blender to blend the spinach, ricotta and egg together, before I added the rest, so my girls wouldn't pick out the spinach. And it worked too!)

Bring a large pot of water to boil on the stove. Salt, if desired. Boil the noodles until just tender but still firm to bite; about 1-2 minutes shy of what the package says to cook them for. (Note: I always add 2-3 extra noodles in the pot in case I need more or they rip.) Drain. Arrange the noodles in a single layer on a baking sheet to prevent them from sticking.

Butter a 13x9 glass baking dish. Pour the bechamel sauce over the bottom. Lay out 4 lasagna noodles on a work surface, then spread about 3-4 tablespoons of ricotta mixture evenly over each noodle. Starting at one end, roll each noodle like a jelly roll. Lay the lasagna rolls seam side down on top of the bechamel sauce in the dish. Repeat with the remaining noodles and ricotta mixture. Spoon the marinara sauce over the lasagna rolls. Sprinkle 1 cup mozzarella and remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan over the lasagna rolls. Cover tightly with foil.

Bake until heated through and the sauce bubbles, about 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until the cheese on top becomes golden, about 15 minutes longer. Let stand for 10 minutes to firm up a bit.

SOURCE:Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis

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BLT Pasta

I made something similar to this dish several months ago when I had my mom and sister over for dinner. I kept craving it, but knew I wanted to change it a little bit. I'm glad I finally got back to the dish because after a few tweaks, this dish instantly became some delicious comfort food!

I love the combination of flavors going on here. First of all tomato and basil are an amazing duo and really brighten the dish. Next, the Parmesan and bacon contrast that with a little saltiness, and, of course, the pasta ties it all together. Oh, and I can't forget to mention the spinach, which served as the "lettuce" and adds heaps of color and good nutrition.


BLT Pasta
12 slices smoky bacon, cut into half-inch dice
1 1/2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
A handful of parsley, chopped
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
A pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 pint (about 2 cups) cherry tomatoes, quartered (or other less-juicy tomato like Roma)
1/2 cup chicken broth
Salt and pepper
3/4 pound bowtie pasta
4 cups baby spinach, coarsely chopped
1 cup basil leaves, about 20 leaves, torn or coarsely chopped


Heat a skillet over medium-high heat; add bacon and brown to crisp. Remove bacon and drain on paper towels. Leave about 3-4 tablespoons of drippings in the skillet, add the Panko crumbs and toast to golden brown. Add the parsley and grated Parmesan. Toss to combine, turn off heat and reserve the crumbs.

Bring a pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Salt water and cook bowties to al dente. Drain pasta and pour into a 2-quart baking or serving dish.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet. Add onions, garlic and red pepper flakes, and cook to soften, about 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add chicken broth and diced tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Add fresh tomatoes, along with the reserved bacon, basil and baby spinach. Let simmer for another minute or so until the spinach just barely wilts. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Pour sauce over bowties and toss to coat. Sprinkle with reserved bread crumb mixture. Serve warm.




SOURCE:Adapted from Rachael Ray and Let's Dish

Oreo Cupcakes

I have to admit I'm not a fan of store-bought cookies. Maybe that's not a surprise though since this is a food blog. Ever since I can remember I've had in my mind that store bought cookies are just not worth the calories (ok, maybe the huge Costco ones could come close to homemade and maybe I could eat about 4 or 5 of them in one sitting).



Oreos are pretty much one of the only store bought cookies that I could go to town on. Man, those things are addicting, especially when you have a nice cold glass of milk to dip them in and wash them down with. Once when I was first married my husband and I brought a package of Oreos camping with us and I ate so many of them that I vowed I would never eat them again. It took me several years, but I eventually caved.



When I was looking for a birthday cupcake treat for a friend, I knew these would be perfect and they were. I really loved the batter, especially the cookie bits inside. And the Oreo cookie on the bottom was a nice surprise. I used a cream cheese frosting, but a whipped cream frosting would be just as nice.

Oreo Cupcakes

For the cupcakes:
24 Oreo halves, with cream filling attached
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 2/3 cup sugar
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup milk
20 Oreo cookies, coarsely chopped (I quartered them)

For the cream cheese frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 tbsp. heavy cream

For the garnish:
Oreo cookie crumbs
24 Oreo cookie halves

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line the wells of two cupcake pans with 24 paper liners. Place an Oreo halve in the bottom of each liner, cream side up.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar and beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Blend in the egg whites one at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in the vanilla extract.

With the mixer on low speed, beat in half of the dry ingredients just until incorporated. Add the milk and beat just until combined, then mix in the remaining dry ingredients. Gently fold in the chopped Oreos with a rubber spatula until evenly incorporated, being careful not to over-mix.

Evenly divide the batter between the prepared cupcake liners. Bake for 18-20 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pans 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Blend in the vanilla extract. Beat in the powdered sugar until incorporated and smooth, 1-2 minutes. Add the heavy cream to the bowl and beat on medium-low speed just until incorporated, then increase the speed to medium-high and whip for 4 minutes until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Frost the cooled cupcakes as desired. Sprinkle with Oreo crumbs and garnish with Oreo halves.


SOURCE: Annie's Eats

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Chipotle Bean Tostadas

Have you ever made a fresh pot of beans? There is nothing like them and they don't even compare to what you buy in a can at the store. They taste so fresh and just free of "stuff." If you've never made your own beans, you should at least try once, it's about the easiest thing you can do. Just add water and boil. You can buy uncooked beans in 1-2 pound packages at your local market but they are not usually the freshest and take longer to cook, though they can still turn out a good product as long as you cook it long enough. I like to buy my beans at my local WinCo where they have a nice selection of bulk foods that tend to be more fresh since they are stocked more frequently.

I grew up eating tostadas a lot so this concept was nothing new to me, but I was used to topping them a little differently. I think these more closely resemble an authentic Mexican Tostada and boy are they good! Topped with beans, tomatoes, cilantro, radishes and queso fresco, they are pretty simple, but feel free to add salsa, Crema Mexicana (or sour cream), lettuce, guacamole, olives, you name it! You can buy pre-made tostada shells, but frying them up at home only takes a little time and effort.

Chipotle Bean Tostadas

For the beans
1 lb. dry pinto beans (about 2 cups)
2 quarts of water
salt

Rinse beans and remove any bad beans, pieces of dirt or stones.

Put the beans in a pot and cover with water and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer, covered for about 2-3 hours (time will vary depending on the freshness of the beans). The beans are done when they are soft and skins are just beginning to break open.

Strain beans of cooking water and return them to the pot. Add about 1/4 cup (or more) water and either mash with a potato masher or use a stick blender to puree the beans. Add salt to taste.


For the tostada shells
1/2 cup high flash-point vegetable oil, such as grapeseed oil, peanut oil, or canola oil
1 dozen corn tortillas

To prepare the tortillas, heat the oven to 200°F. Line a baking pan with paper towels and place next to the stove. Heat 5 Tbsp of oil in a small skillet on medium high heat, until the bubbles form immediately when you insert the edge of a tortilla in it. Using tongs, place a tortilla in the hot oil and let cook until golden brown on both sides, about 30 seconds per side. You can use a metal spatula to flatten down the tortilla while cooking.

Use tongs to lift the cooked tortilla out of the pan, allowing the excess oil to drip off of it, back into the pan. Place the cooked tortilla on the paper towels to absorb more of the oil. Sprinkle a little salt onto each warm tortilla. Do each tortilla one at a time this way. As you fill up a baking pan, put the pan in the oven to keep the tortillas warm.

Add more oil as needed. Carefully monitor the oil temperature. Don't let it get too hot, or the tortillas will burn, or too cool - they won't fry up crisp enough.


For the Tostadas
4 cups smashed pinto beans
4 tsp. Chipotle Tabasco Sauce (not regular)
1 tsp. cumin
1 dozen tostada shells
Cotija, Queso Fresco or Feta cheese
finely diced fresh tomato
thinly sliced red radishes
cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

Just after finishing cooking the beans and while they are still warm, add the chipotle tobasco sauce and cumin. Adjust seasonings if necessary. If beans are too thick, add more water, if they are too thin, cook them down a bit.

To assemble the tostadas, spread 3-4 Tbsp. of the beans on each tostada shell. Either top with tomatoes, cilantro, radishes and cheese and serve or put the topping in separate bowls on the table and let each person top their tostada how they wish. Garnish with additional toppings as desired.


SOURCE:Adapted from Simply Recipes

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A Shout out to Classic Banana Bread

I know this is not a new recipe on the blog but don't you agree that everyone needs a great basic banana bread recipe? This is my favorite basic and classic banana bread and it comes from Cooking Light. In fact, I think all but one of my banana bread recipes comes from Cooking Light, they have a great collection, many of which I've made.

I've had an over abundance of bananas lining my counter tops lately and I didn't want to get sick of just eating them plain. So, I decided a few other things were in order. First we made my favorite banana pancakes, now this banana bread and I'm planning on making some delicious banana breakfast cookies that are super healthy! Maybe I'll make some muffins too, I seem to be craving them lately. What is your favorite way to use bananas?

Classic Banana Bread
2 cups flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
1/4 butter, softened (can also use coconut oil)
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 medium)
1/3 cup plain yogurt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt in a small mixing bowl and set aside. In a stand mixer, fitted with a whisk attachment, cream together butter and sugar until well-blended. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition. Add banana, yogurt and vanilla; beat until blended. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until moist. Spoon batter into an 8 1/2 X 4 1/2-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 35o for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.


More banana recipes:
Banana Bars
Oatmeal Cookie Pancakes
Jamaican Banana Bread
Bananas Foster Bread
Peanut Butter Banana Muffins


SOURCE: Cooking Light

Orange Dark Chocolate Pancakes

Ok, it's been a few weeks since I posted my last pancake recipe so I figured I was due for another one. I can't believe I waited so long to make these pancakes. I mean, who can resist orange and dark chocolate together? They are an amazing duo and taste absolutely wonderful in these pancakes. I don't usually put chocolate chips in my pancakes so these were a special treat. And I didn't even eat them with syrup because they were sweet enough and a little gooey from the chocolate, I didn't think they needed it. However, if you just can't eat pancakes without something on top, a light syrup or even a dusting of powdered sugar should do you just fine. Try these soon though, they are delicious!

Orange Dark Chocolate Pancakes
1 1/2 cups flour
3 Tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
zest of 1 orange
juice of 1 orange
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, soda and salt together and set aside. In another small bowl, mix orange zest and juice, egg and milk. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and GENTLY mix until just incorporated. (Usually I don't have a problem with this when I make pancakes but the first time I made these I think I stirred too much because the pancakes were not light and fluffy. So, just make sure you don't stir too much.) Fold in the chocolate chips.

Let batter sit while griddle preheats. Ladle batter by the 1/4 cup onto griddle. Cook until bubbles start to pop, flip and cook about another 1-2 minutes.

SOURCE: Adapted from Baking Serendipity

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Favorite Sugar Cookies and Cherry Buttercream Frosting

I know there are a lot of sugar cookie recipes out there and everyone has their favorite but today I wanted to share with you MY favorite sugar cookie recipe. It's pretty basic but it uses almond extract in addition to vanilla extract and I LOVE it! I got this recipe from a dear friend and co-worker in college. She used to bring these sugar cookies into the office every holiday and there were never any leftover! As for the frosting, it was kind of an experiment and it worked out fabulously. I have a small collection of flavored oils for candy making and I happened upon a cherry-flavored oil that I thought would be great in a buttercream frosting. Pairing that cherry flavor with the almond in the cookies and, my friends, we have a winning combination! I told my husband that these cookies were so amazing and my favorite sugar cookies ever. He didn't believe me at the time, after all, a sugar cookie is a sugar cookie right? Well, he changed his mind after eating one; he agreed with me. You will too! 

Favorite Sugar Cookies

2 sticks butter 

1 1/2 cups sugar 

2 eggs 

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract 

1/2 tsp. almond extract 

1/4 cup milk 

1/2 tsp. baking soda 

1/2 tsp salt 

4 cups flour 

Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, vanilla and almond extract and milk; mix. Add flour and baking soda and mix until combined. Chill dough for about 10-15 minutes. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface and cut with cookie cutters. Bake at 400 for 8-10 minutes. 

Cherry Buttercream Frosting 

1 stick butter, at room temperature 

2 1/2 - 3 cups powdered sugar 

1-2 tsp. cherry flavored candy and baking oil 2-4 Tbsp. milk Food coloring (if desired) 

In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat butter at medium-high speed until smooth, about 20 seconds. Add powdered sugar; beat at medium-low speed until most of the sugar is moistened, about 45 seconds. Scrape down the bowl and beat at medium speed until mixture is fully combined, about 15 seconds. Scrape bowl, add cherry oil and milk, and beat at medium speed until incorporated, about 10 seconds. Then increase the speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down bowl once or twice. 

SOURCE:Cookies recipe from my friend Anita; Buttercream adapted from Annie's Eats. 

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Spring Green Risotto

Need something green for St. Patty's Day? Although this risotto isn't completely green, it's studded with green veggies and is the perfect one pot dish that will put you in the mood for spring. I absolutely love risottos and this one sure didn't disappoint. I loved the combination of the veggies and the lemon. The lemon seemed to bring out their flavor as well as lighten it up a little. I also liked the creamy smooth texture created by adding the cream cheese at the end. We ate this as a main dish, but you could also serve it as a beautiful side with ham or grilled chicken.

Spring Green Risotto
5 cups chicken broth or stock
1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 shallots, minced
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
2/3 cup dry white wine
1 lb. asparagus (thin spears), cut into 1-inch pieces and tough ends discarded
10 oz. frozen peas, thawed (or 1½ cups shelled fresh peas)
1/2 Tbsp. freshly grated lemon zest
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 oz. cream cheese (original recipe actually called for 1/3 cup mascarpone cheese)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
3 tbsp. minced fresh chives

In a medium saucepan, heat the chicken broth or stock over medium heat until simmering. Reduce the heat to medium-low, keeping the stock warm.

Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the shallots to the pan and sauté for 5-7 minutes, until tender. Add the rice to the pan and stir to coat well with the oil and butter, cooking for about 1 minute. Add the white wine and simmer over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until most of the wine has been absorbed. Add the chicken stock, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring almost constantly and waiting for the stock to be absorbed before adding more.

Meanwhile, blanch the asparagus in boiling water for about 1 minute (longer for thicker spears). Drain and rinse immediately with cold water to stop cooking. (If using fresh peas, blanch them in boiling water for a few minutes as well.)

When the risotto has been cooking for 20 minutes, add the asparagus and peas to the risotto. Stir in the lemon zest, salt and pepper. Continue cooking and adding stock, stirring almost constantly, until the rice is tender but still firm. The entire process should take about 25-30 minutes.

When the risotto is done, remove the pan from the heat. Mix in the lemon juice, cream cheese/mascarpone, Parmesan and chives. Stir until the cheeses are melted in and the risotto is creamy. Serve immediately with additional Parmesan, if desired.

SOURCE:Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics via Annie's Eats

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Kale Almond Pesto

If you're a Sweet Luvin' Facebook fan, you'll remember a couple of weeks ago I posted some pictures of some pestos I was working on. Three to be exact. I don't know what got into me but all of a sudden I was just in this mood for pesto. And although I absolutely ADORE traditional basil pesto, I wanted to go out on a limb and try something new.

For those of you who aren't sure what pesto is, the name pesto comes from the same Latin root of "pestle," (like a mortar and pestle) which is fitting as the sauce, in its simplest form, is made by crushing a few key ingredients together (thank you wisegeek for the definition). I like to call it a condiment rather than a sauce. You can use it in so many ways. I've thrown it in some some ground chicken to make burgers, used it on sandwiches, on cooked pasta, dipped crackers, dipped my finger...and so on.

To say that I just enjoyed this pesto is an understatement. I finished off a the leftovers one day for lunch with some tortilla chips and I couldn't stop thinking about it the rest of the day. I wanted more! I like kale. It's a different green, very hardy and a little peppery but it just feels good eating it. That's probably because it's so good for you. It's high in fiber and has lots of good vitamins and minerals.


Kale Almond Pesto
1/2 bunch kale,
1/3 cup almonds
3 cloves garlic
1 tsp salt
2 tablespoons lemon juice (about half a lemon)
2-4 Tbsp. olive oil
2-4 Tbsp. warm water (this will soften the kale just a little)
pinch red pepper flakes

Place kale in food processor with water and lemon juice and pulse until chopped. Add almonds, garlic, and olive oil and pulse again to incorporate. Add salt and red pepper flakes to taste and pulse again to incorporate. Continue pulsing until you reach desired consistency, adding water and/or olive oil as desired.

Serve with crackers, chips or cooked pasta. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

SOURCE: Adapted from Elana's Pantry

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Lemonade Cake

Ok, maybe right now you may be thinking, what's so special about this cake, it doesn't look like much. I mean how good could a cake from a mix actually be right? Well, be prepared to get your socks knocked off. Especially if you like lemon. We have been eating this cake in my family for as long as I can remember! I've eaten it so many times and I can't even count. This is one of our absolute favorites and one my dad got just about ever year on his birthday.

The lemon flavor in the batter gets kicked up a notch by adding some lemon Jell-o, then once again, after it's baked, by using lemonade in the glaze. This cake is best eaten completely cooled and is actually better and moister a day or even two after it's made.

Now, I get asked to make a lot of desserts, which I don't mind, and I tend to go for desserts that are a little more involved. I like to challenge my culinary skills once in a while. However, I can have this cake whipped up before the oven can even preheat. This recipe, no matter how easy, will never leave my recipe box!

For the cake:
1 small pkg. lemon jell-o
1 pkg. lemon cake mix
1/2 cup oil
3/4 cup water
3 large eggs

Mix all ingredients together at medium speed for 3 minutes. Spray a 9x13 pan and pour batter in. Bake at 350°F for 30-40 minutes. Slightly cool and poke full of holes with a fork or toothpick. Spoon glaze slowly over the top, it will seep down into the holes. Cool completely.

Glaze:
6 oz. (half a can) lemonade concentrate, thawed
1/2 cup powdered sugar

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Sesame Noodles

We love dishes like this in our house! The flavors are amazing and the colors brilliant. It's also very quick and easy to throw together, and healthy to boot. I have made this about 4 times over the past few months and there has never been enough leftovers to get a decent picture. So, I made sure this time to take photos BEFORE we ate it all.

We have dairy issues in our house so the fact that this dish has no cheese or milk is wonderful. This is a great one dish meal because you've got your grains and veggies all together. When we have unsalted peanuts, we throw them on top to make it a little more "meaty."

Sesame Noodles
1/2 lb noodles (spaghetti, whole wheat, rice, etc.)
1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
1 Tbsp canola oil
1 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
2-3 green onions, sliced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 red pepper, sliced thin
1/4 head cabbage (purple or green), sliced thin
2 whole Carrots, cut into matchsticks
1 1/2 cups thawed frozen peas
1/2 cup sesame seeds

Cook noodles according to directions. Drain, rinse under cold water. Prepare vegetables and put them in a large salad bowl. Add sesame seeds and noodles.

To make dressing, whisk together soy sauce, sesame oil, canola oil, vinegar and crushed red pepper. Pour over noodles and veggies and toss well to coat.




SOURCE: Adapted from Aggie's Kitchen


Linked to...
Recipe Swap Thursday @ Prairie Story
It's A Keeper Thursday @ It's A Keeper
Potluck Sunday @ Mommy's Kitchen
Seasonal Sunday @ Real Sustenance
Mangia Mondays @ Delightfully Dowling

Tortilla Soup with Southwest Cabbage Slaw

I don't know what happened to all the soup I used to make. I was so good last winter to make a pot of soup about once a week and we'd eat the leftovers over the next couple of days. This year I just haven't made it as much. Soups really are wonderful and generally easy and quick to throw together. You can usually sneak in lots of veggies too.

The last soup I made like this was your typical taco soup with hamburger and prepackaged seasonings, etc. This soup is definitely a step up from that has more of a WOW taste factor where tortilla soups are concerned. This soup is really easy to customize to your own tastes. For example, I chose not to use meat, but some grilled chicken might sit nicely on top. Or you could use different beans, different veggies, whatever strikes your fancy. While not all of this is as easy as opening up a can and dumping it in the pot, it is pretty easy and so tasty!

Oh and if you don't think you like cabbage, you might change your mind. The Southwest Cabbage Slaw is a great little topper that will add flavor and awesome texture to your soup.

Tortilla Soup
1-2 dried mulato or ancho chile peppers

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 small onion, sliced

3 cloves garlic, smashed

1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes

1 tablespoon coriander seeds (or roughly 2 tsp ground coriander)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
6 cups vegetable broth

2 cups frozen corn (or 14-oz can)
2 cups (14-oz can) black beans
2 bay leaves

4 sprigs fresh thyme
Kosher salt


Garnishes:
crumbled queso fresco

diced avocado

Fresh cilantro

Southwest Cabbage Slaw (recipe below)

Crush the dried chilies in a mortar and pestle until pulverized. Set aside. Alternately, you can place dried chiles in a small saucepan, cover with water and boil about 5 minutes. Drain, pull out stems and seeds then puree in blender, adding a small amount of water water as needed for a smooth texture.

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, then add the onion and cook until the onion is translucent. Add garlic and cook about a minute longer. Add the tomatoes with their juice, 2-3 Tbsp. of the dried/pureed chilies, the coriander seeds and cumin and cook about 5 minutes. Add the broth, corn, beans, bay leaves and thyme and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook about 15-20 minutes.

Serve soup warm with you choice of garnish(es).

Southwest Cabbage Slaw
2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lime
2 c coleslaw mix or thinly sliced cabbage
2 green onions, chopped
1/3 c chopped fresh cilantro

Combine all into a medium bowl and mix well. Keeps in the fridge, covered, for about a week.

SOURCE:Adapted from Perry's Plate

Linked to...
Seasonal Sunday @ Real Sustenance
Potluck Sunday @ Mommy's Kitchen
Recipe Swap Thursday @ Prairie Story
It's A Keeper Thursday @ It's A Keeper

March Menu

Yeah, it's March! It's already getting warmer and I'm so excited. I'm so done with being sick and ready to get outside for some sunlight and fresh air. This month I'm trying to use up what I can in my freezer and my pantry, as well as plan for the produce I get in my weekly CSA basket. I don't have a plan for anything too indulgent because I want to get outside for lots of walks with my girls and shed that "winter coat," if you know what I mean. I do, however, have my 7 year wedding anniversary coming up in a couple of weeks so I'll probably make an exception that day, but I don't know what yet.

For those of you who are new, I'll link the recipes I've made before and posted. The other recipes I'll post as I make them. Last month I wasn't able to post several dishes I made and I was totally bummed about it. I hope I can get through them all this month.


Dinners
Chicken Burgers on Homemade Burger Buns, green beans and Herbed Potato Salad
Cold Sesame Noodles
Spring Risotto and Mango Chicken Salad
Cauliflower Soup
Butternut Squash Gnocchi with Roasted Garlic Pumpkinseed Pesto, Salad

Baked Penne w/ Broccoli and Smoked Mozzarella
Parsley-Feta Pesto, Roasted Garlic Hummus & Pita chips w/ raw veggies
Spinach Orzo Ensalata w/ Grilled Chicken
Pretzel Pizza Bites
Zuppa Toscana and Breadsticks
Chipotle Bean Tostadas, corn
Fiesta Chicken Salad w/ Cilantro-lime Rice

Pistachio Chicken w/ brown rice and veggie
Black Bean and Jicama Salad w/ Roasted Red Pepper Fritatta
BLT Pasta w/ Salad
Greek Tostadas w/ Chopped Greek Salad (this is an old recipe, I plan on re-writing it this month after I make it)
Thai Shrimp Soup

Orzo Stuffed Peppers
Spaghetti w/ Breadsticks
Shrimp Fried Rice w/ veggies
Chicken Barley Soup w/ Walnut Pesto

Other
Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars
Breakfast Cookies
Movie Theater Cookies
White Chocolate Coconut Brownies
Cinnamon Roll Pancakes
Strawberry Shortcake Pancakes
Fig, Date and Almond Granola Bars


Linked to...
Menu Plan Monthly @ Mommy's Kitchen

National Pancake Day and Chicken Pot Pie Pancakes w/ Herb-Dijon Gravy

Ok, here is my last installment of new pancakes for National Pancake Day (today, if you didn't know). Don't you worry though, I have pleanty more to post in the future. Have you ever had a savory pancake? I doubt most people have. I hadn't until this summer when I stumbled across this amazing recipe for Corn and Basil Cakes. We made these many times. My girls even liked and ate them. They'll make just about anybody a believer in a pancake that is not sweet or doused in syrup.



I've only tried a few different savory pancake recipes and I have to say that these are the most creative. Chicken pot pie is the ultimate comfort food and it's pretty much the epitome of cold weather baking. I love it. I couldn't resist trying it in pancake form.

Believe it or not, these pancakes were a success! My husband commented that he'd never had mustard on pancakes before but that he actually liked them. I'm glad I wasn't the only one eating them. These are actually a really great quick dinner option when you don't have much time or much in the fridge. Just throw in your leftover veggies, chopped up fine, make a little gravy and, voila!, you have dinner.

You still have time to celebrate National Pancake Day, even if you missed it for breakfast. Check out the end of this post for some more ideas or see my posts the past two days, I've linked up my favorites.

Chicken Pot Pie pancakes w/ Herb-Dijon Gravy
For the pancakes:
Double recipe Buttermilk Pancakes
1-1/2-2 cups chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (about 1 large breast)
1/2 cup frozen peas, defrosted
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup thinly sliced celery
3 green onions, thinly sliced

For the gravy:
2 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. flour
1 cup chicken stock
1 Tbsp. fresh dill or tarragon, finely chopped
2-3 tsp. Dijon mustard
Salt and ground black pepper

In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Stir in flour and cook about 1 minute. Whisk in stock, dill or tarragon and Dijon, and cook until well thickened and season with salt and pepper.

Prepare buttermilk pancakes according to directions. Stir in the chicken, peas, celery, and green onions until incorporated. Let batter sit while griddle heats.

Pour batter onto griddle by 1/4 cups. Cook until golden brown on each side, and continue with the rest of the batter. Place cooked pancakes on a plate and keep warm in a 250˚F oven with foil on top.

Serve pancakes warm with herb-Dijon gravy.

SOURCE:Adapted from Rachael Ray


More pancake love....
Corn and Basil Cakes










Buttermilk Pancakes

Carrot Cake Pancakes w/ Cream Cheese Topping

I'll have to admit, I was a little nervous to try these pancakes because the pancakes I made previous to these were a savory veggie pancake and my kids would NOT touch them! I thought I would be doomed and banned from making pancakes after that. I actually made these pancakes the very next morning after that fiasco and I was trying to make the batter up quickly before my girls saw that I threw in the shredded carrots. I had this plan to tell them they were yummy sprinkles but my 2 year old came in and called me on it, she knew exactly what they were. Much to my surprise though, she wasn't put off by them and asked for a bite. In the end, both girls ate up their pancake and we all liked them.

Although these are carrot CAKE pancakes, don't let the name fool you. They are actually pretty healthy with whole wheat flour and flax meal, as well as little added oil and sugar. The cream cheese topping is quite a treat, but, again, not too sweet. If you like carrot cake, you'll enjoy this healthy version as a pancake.


Carrot Cake Pancakes w/ Cream Cheese Topping
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup ground flax seeds
2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
dash ginger
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 cup milk
1 Tbsp. canola oil
1 egg
2 cups finely grated carrot

Clean, peel and grate carrots. Mix flour, flax, baking powder, nutmeg, ginger and brown sugar in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine egg, milk and oil. Add liquid mixture to the dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated. Fold in carrots. Let batter sit while griddle heats up.

Using a 1/4 measuring cup, scoop batter onto preheated griddle. Cook over medium heat, flipping when the pancake bubbles and the edges become slightly dry. Continue cooking until batter is gone. Serve warm with cinnamon cream cheese topping.

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Topping
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 Tbsp. powdered sugar
2-3 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. cinnamon

Beat cream cheese until smooth, then add powdered sugar, milk and cinnamon. Beat again, until well incorporated.

SOURCE: Adapted from Baking Serendipity

Here are a few more of my favorite pancakes:
Oatmeal Raspberry Pancakes w/ Berry Coulis









Banana Pancakes w/ Peanut Butter and Maple Syrup









Gingerbread Pancakes

S'mores Pancakes and National Pancake Day

 Did you know that Tuesday, March 1st is National Pancake Day? That may not mean much to you, but to a pancake lover like me, that thrills me! Any excuse to make pancakes and I'll take it. I love celebrating food holidays. It gives me something to look forward to and also something fun to do with my kids.

Over the next couple of days I'll be sharing some new pancake recipes that I've made as well as sharing links to ones I've made previously. My first installment are these scrumptius S'mores Pancakes. Enjoy!

About right now, I'm longing for summer. And summer reminds me of camping and camping reminds me of s'mores. Every time I go camping and there's a campfire, I just have to have a s'more. Even if I'm stuffed from delicious Dutch Oven cooking, I still have to have a s'more. It's like a ritual. I've branched out here and there and made dump cakes in a Dutch Oven, but I just long for that s'more. There's something about that perfectly cooked marshmallow, sandwiched in between melty chocolate and graham cracker. Mmm, hits the spot every time.

Well, as you know I also love pancakes. These pancakes combine two of my favorite things. What better food to eat than that? These pancakes really were amazing! Although they are a little sweeter, studded with chocolate chips and drizzled with marshmallow syrup, than I usually make for breakfast, it was a special occasion so I felt like I could indulge a little bit.

If you are a pancake lover like me, or even a s'more lover, you will love this new take on pancakes.

S'mores Pancakes
For the pancakes:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 1 sleeve of crackers, crushed)
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk (I used almond)
2 eggs
2 tablespoon oil
½ cup mini chocolate chips

For the marshmallow syrup:
1 cup Marshmallow Fluff
2-4 Tbsp.  hot water

Whisk together the flour, graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl combine the milk, eggs, and oil and mix well. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Let batter sit while griddle heats up.

Spray griddle as needed. Pour batter by 1/4 cup on to the griddle and cook until bubbles start popping. Flip and cook another minute or two longer. Remove to a plate and continue with remaining batter.

For the Marshmallow syrup: Mix the marshmallow fluff and hot water in a bowl. Whisk well to combine, until it becomes smooth in texture.

Serve pancakes warm, with marshmallow syrup and more chocolate chips, if desired. If you have a kitchen torch, even better...toast those babies up!!  If not, no biggie.  You could try it under the broiler or just eat as it, still delish!


SOURCE:Inspired by The Mixing Bowl Diary

Here are some more of my favorite pancake recipes:
Oatmeal Cookie Pancakes








Whole Wheat Apple Cinnamon Pancakes








Lemon Poppyseed Pancakes








Pumpkin Pancakes with Pumpkin Maple Syrup









Linked to...
Potluck Sunday @ Mommy's Kitchen
Seasonal Sunday @ Real Sustenance
Recipe Swap Thursday @ Prairie Story
It's A Keeper Thursday @ It's A Keeper
Sweet Tooth Friday @ Alli-N-Son
Sweets For A Saturday @ Sweet As Sugar Cookies

Decadent Brownie Pie

This decadent dessert was actually part of our Valentine's Day celebrations, which we had about 5 days late because I was sick. When I was thinking what kind of dessert I wanted to make, I remembered back a couple of years ago when my husband bought me this flourless chocolate cake for my birthday. It cost a whopping $40 but it was every bit worth it. It was so delicious. I wanted to try something similar this year but couldn't find a recipe for a flourless chocolate cake I was happy with. I decided to look through all my desserts that I have bookmarked and came across this recipe for a brownie pie. Hello! I totally love brownies, and ganache, well that stuff just leaves me speechless. The recipe was so simple, I was worried it would deliver that intense, dense chocolaty goodness I was hoping for. Thankfully I was wrong.

This brownie pie practically melts in your mouth. If you want to eat it straight up, with out any toppings, I would suggest letting it sit out at room temperature first; and then, maybe even nuke it for 4-5 seconds. If you want to top it, I would HIGHLY suggest something raspberry, be it preserves, sauce, fresh or frozen. The dark chocolate is a perfect match with the raspberry. Other toppings you could try are caramel, ice cream, mints, peanut butter chips, you get my drift.

Decadent Brownie Pie

For the brownie layer:
2/3 cup butter, melted
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons milk

For the ganache:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
12 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

In a large bowl, add melted butter, sugar and corn syrup. Whisk to combine. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine the flour, cocoa and salt in a separate bowl; gradually add to the butter mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition. Spread batter into a greased 10-inch springform pan. Bake at 325° for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted 1 inch from side of pan comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

For the ganache: In a small saucepan, bring cream to a boil. Remove from the heat and pour in chocolate; let sit for 3-4 minutes, then stir until smooth. Set aside about 10 minutes until slightly cool. Pour ganache over brownie layer and refrigerate until ganache is completely set.

Take out of the fridge about 30 minutes before serving and let it sit at room temperature. Garnish as desired.

SOURCE:Let's Dish

Linked to...
Recipe Swap Thursday @ Prairie Story
It's A Keeper Thursday @ It's A Keeper
Sweets For A Saturday @ Sweet As Sugar Cookies
Potluck Sunday @ Mommy's Kitchen

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

Let me just tell you that these pancakes were a dream!! They were gone all too quickly, if you ask me. I make a lot of pancakes, so I don't mind the few mintues it takes to whip them up a couple of times a week. If that is a stretch for you though, you may want to reserve these for a special occasion, because they require a little more effort and time than your average pancake. But, don't give up because they are totally worth it.

Lemon and ricotta are perfect in these pancakes. The ricotta makes them super tender and moist and the lemon flavor is present but not too much. It makes a perfect pair with some raspberry preserves, in fact it was pretty much heaven. My girls snarfed down THREE pancakes each, and that is unheard of. I have never seen them eat that many pancakes in one sitting.

Make these today for breakfast, lunch or dinner. If you don't have some ricotta on hand, just strain some yogurt really well over some cheesecloth (about 15-20 minutes) and it works perfectly.

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup milk (I used almond, but whatever is fine)
3 large eggs, separated
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 1/2 cups cake flour*
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup sugar

Raspberry preserves, warmed

*You can substitute 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespons all-purpose flour plus 2 tablespoons of cornstarch per 1 cup of cake flour.

Combine the ricotta, milk, egg yolks, lemon zest and lemon juice in a large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine. Add in the cake flour, baking powder and salt and mix just until incorporated. In another clean, dry mixing bowl, beat the egg whites on medium-low speed until foamy. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and continue to beat, adding the sugar gradually, until medium-soft peaks form.

Fold one third of the egg white mixture into the ricotta mixture with a spatula until completely incorporated. Add in the remaining egg whites and fold in gently until the mixture is smooth and light.

Heat a griddle or skillet over medium heat. Grease as needed. Ladle a 1/4 cup of batter onto the cooking surface for each pancake. Allow to cook until bubbles begin to form on the top surface. Use a large spatula to carefully flip the pancake and cook the other side until light golden and cooked through. Repeat with the remaining batter. Serve warm with raspberry preserves.

SOURCE:Annie's Eats

Mango Madness Green Smoothie

I've been trying out some new combinations in my green smoothies lately. I want to create a handful of really good smoothie recipes I can make any time that I know are delicious, instead of leaving it to chance every time, wondering if this fruit is going to taste good with that, etc. I don't want EVERY green smoothie I drink to be an experiment.

I was really surprised how tasty and refreshing this smoothie was. I think it has something to do with two unsuspecting characters, fresh ginger and lime. They go great with mango. I guess it's kind of tropical if you think about it, especially if you use coconut milk. I love the taste of ginger but it is also a natural remedy for many things, like nausea and morning sickness. I recently found that it is also good for respiratory conditions because it helps loosen and thin mucus that forms when you get sick.

So, whether you're sick or not, you'll love the tropical blast you get from this refreshing smoothie.

Mango Madness Smoothie
1/2 cup coconut milk*
1 cup water/ice
2 big handfuls of spinach
2 cups mango, sliced (frozen or fresh)
1 Tbsp. lime juice
1 tsp. freshly grated ginger (I added 1 Tbsp. when I was sick)

Pour milk and water into the blender and add spinach. Whiz for 10-20 seconds to blend the spinach fine. Add the rest of the ingredients and whiz for about 30-60 seconds, until smooth. Pour into drinking glass and enjoy!

Makes about 3 cups.


*I used coconut milk from a carton, like you find next to the regular milk. You could probably use lite coconut milk from a can, almond or rice milk or even yogurt. If you are sick I would avoid using diary milk as it tends to create more mucus.

FEATURED!!

Guess what, I'm being featured!!! Well, actually my Bananas Foster bread is being featured today over at It's A Keeper.



If you have a minute head on over to It's A Keeper and check out the It's A Keeper Thursday blog hop party to see all the lovely crafts and food everyone is linking up.
.

Sweet Italian Sausage and Spaghetti Bolognese

Years ago I began making my spaghetti sauce with ground beef because, like most daughters, that's what my mother did and my cooking roots came from her. It wasn't until I got married that I explored other things in making my spaghetti sauce. For example, I threw in mushrooms and zucchini lots of times and per my husband's request started using Italian sausage. I found out that I really loved sausage in my spaghetti sauce and that I much preferred it over ground beef. One thing that I didn't like about sausage though, was that if you're not careful about what kind you buy, you can get some pretty gristly stuff that's not too appetizing. Finally, I got to the point where I didn't even want to buy pre-packaged sausage and started searching for a recipe that I could easily make at home with the knowledge of every single ingredient that went into it.

In my search, I found this breakfast sausage blend that we really love and enjoy but I didn't think the flavor combination was quite right for a big bowl of Italian-style spaghetti. Then I came across this Italian blend and as soon as I saw the list of ingredients, I knew I was going to love it! And love it we did. My girls, however, didn't like the big fennel seeds in it so next time, I might try grinding them a little bit before I add them. This is a very flavorful sausage, so whatever you pair it with, I would make sure it is very lightly seasoned.

Sweet Italian Sausage
5 lbs ground meat (chicken, beef or pork or a combination)
40 grams kosher salt
35 grams sugar
20 grams toasted fennel seeds
6 grams cracked black pepper
4 grams ground nutmeg
1 cup minced fresh parsley
1 head garlic, peeled and chopped
1 cup dry sherry (I used sherry cooking wine)

Mix all the spices together then add it to your meat. Using the paddle attachment to a stand mixer (or a stout wooden spoon, or your VERY clean hands), mix the sausage well. Add the sherry to the meat mixture. With a stand mixer set on level 1, let this go for 90 seconds. It might take a little longer with the spoon or hands. You want the mixture to get a little sticky and begin to bind to itself – it is a lot like what happens when you knead bread.

Now you have sausage. I like to portion mine out in to 1 lb. sections and freeze it. You could make 1 lb. blocks, links, patties, meatballs or whatever shape you want!

For the Bolognese sauce:
olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
1 quart crushed tomatoes (you could also use tomato sauce)
1 lb. Sweet Italian Sausage

Drizzle olive oil into a large saucepan and add onion and sausage. Fry on medium-high heat until sausage is no longer pink. Add crushed tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes. Serve hot over cooked spaghetti and shave fresh parmesan over the top.

SOURCE:Sausage recipe Adapted from Simply Recipes

Butternut Squash Gratin

I got a surprising thumbs up from my husband for this dish! While I really enjoy butternut squash, I have a hard time making it any way that my family would like it. I almost never make gratins because of all the dairy but I thought I would try coconut milk in place of the typical cream. Although the coconut milk imparted a slight sweetness to the dish, it paired really well with the butternut squash and the saltiness of the Gruyère balanced out the flavors. I really liked using Gruyère because it melts really nicely and since it's an aged cheese doesn't have any lactose.

Butternut Squash Gratin
1 small (about 1.5 pounds) butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/3-inch-thick slices
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese (about 3.5 ounces)
1 cup canned coconut milk (or heavy cream)
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs

To make the bread crumbs, toast well one slice of whole wheat bread, then either cut into very small pieces or crumble between your fingers into a small bowl.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter a 2 quart casserole dish and arrange half of the squash slices in the bottom. Sprinkle with shallots and half of the cheese. Cover with remaining squash and sprinkle with remaining cheese. In a small bowl, whisk together coconut milk (or cream), salt and pepper; pour mixture over squash. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and bake until browned on top and bubbling, about 45 minutes. Cool 15 minutes before serving.

Serves 5-6

SOURCE: Whole Foods Market

Linked to...
Seasonal Sunday @ Real Sustenance
Recipe Swap Thursday @ Prairie Story

SLK Facebook Fans

Apparently there has been a problem with facebook that everyone cannot see the feed from the Sweet Luvin' In The Kichen page. Here is a link that explains it. Hope it is helpful to you all.

Facebook Settings

Bananas Foster Bread

If I were to tell you I've been under the weather a little bit, to try to explain my lack of posting the past week, that would be a great understatement! To be honest, I haven't felt this terrible in a very long time! I know in the long run, a week or two of being sick isn't too long, but while I'm here deep in the trenches of it all, it seems like never ending darkness. I've been trying to keep it low key around here so I can recover quicker but I'm a doer and a busy body and there's only so much time I can sit and do nothing.

That said, I told myself I would get this post up today. Period. I actually tried writing it the other day but my brain was too foggy and I couldn't think straight.




Now, let's get on with this bread. If you like banana bread, I think you're going to be blown away with this one. I totally love banana bread and used to make it often. Now that I use bananas in my smoothies I hardly ever have brown bananas on my counter to "take care of." However, a little while back I bookmarked some new and interesting banana bread recipes that I wanted to try, and I actually bought brown bananas at the store just to make bread. Twice. Last week I made banana bread three times, all different recipes, and this was my favorite.

I jokingly called this bread boozy banana bread because of the rum (extract in my case) that it calls for. But I love the rum flavor and think it goes great with the roasted banana flavor. With the sweet glaze you may not want to eat it for breakfast, but definitely save room for dessert!

Bananas Foster Bread
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana
1 cup packed brown sugar, divided
6 Tbsp. butter, divided
1-2 Tbsp. rum extract (If you wish, the original recipe called for 3 Tbsp. dark rum or cognac. In that case, omit the milk.)
1/3 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup milk (cow's milk, almond, coconut)
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. allspice
Cooking Spray
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. rum extract (cognac or rum)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine banana, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 5 tablespoons butter and rum extract in a nonstick skillet. Cook over medium heat until mixture begins to bubble. Remove from heat; cool slightly. Place banana mixture in a large bowl. Add yogurt, milk, remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar and egg. Beat with a mixer, or whisk, until well incorporated.

Combine flour and next 4 ingredients in a small bowl. Add flour mixture to banana mixture; beat just until blended. Pour batter into a 9x5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees F for 50-60 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes in the pan. Remove bread from pan and cool on a wire rack.

For the glaze, melt remaining tablespoon of butter and combine it with the powdered sugar and 1 tsp. of rum extract. Add milk, if necessary to thin out. Drizzle over warm bread.

SOURCE:Adapted from Cooking Light

Linked to...
Recipe Swap Thursday @ Prairie Story
It's A Keeper Thursday @ It's A Keeper
Sweets For A Saturday @ Sweet As Sugar Cookies

February 2011 Menu

Happy February everyone, it's the month of LOVE! Well, first things first. As you may have noticed to the right, I have created a Sweet Luvin' In The Kitchen Facebook page. If you're not a fan yet, make sure you are one when you leave and spread the love to others. I'll have to admit, it took me longer than I would have liked to create and it still may need to do some tweaking. So, if you know of any tricks or have suggestions to help a girl out, PLEASE, send them my way.

Now, on to the menu for this month. I've been dragging my feet the past couple of days to get it done because I have had sick kids! If any of you have kids you know how rough it can be, especially trying to get a good night's sleep. Well, I finally sat down this afternoon and wrote it out while my girls were watching a movie. The menu is going to be a little shorter this month because I'm a few days late and it's a shorter month. Also, as I've mentioned previously on a few posts, I get a CSA produce basket about every other week and I like to leave room on my menu to allow me to fit in what produce I get.

My husband and I don't have any Valentine's Day dinner plans yet so I don't have anything special on the menu, but I'm sure when the time comes it will involve either steak or shrimp if he has anything to do with it. I am, however going to make a few treats with my girls and for our preschool co-op group.

Breakfast
Peppery Bacon Cheddar Scones
Carrot Cake Pancakes
Cinnamon Roll Pancakes
Breakfast Cookies

Dinner
Thai Meatballs w/ Ginger Sauce, Coconut Rice and steamed Brussels Sprouts
Chinese Chicken Salad
Butternut Squash Gnocchi and roasted asparagus

Ham Fried Rice & veggies
Fettuccine with Cashew Cream & peas, Orange Edamame Salad
Beans & cornbread

Tortilla Soup
Cold Sesame Noodles
Chipotle Beef Taquitos, Spanish Rice, salad
Pasta with Kale Pesto, Butternut Squash Gratin with Gruyere

Spicy Thai Shrimp Soup
Spaghetti Bolognese, garlic bread sticks & Salad
Grandma's Chili w/ fresh pico de gallo and guacamole
Pistachio Chicken w/ Coconut Rice

Other things I'll be making
Roasted Garlic Hummus and Whole Wheat Pita Chips
Chewy Pretzel Bites
Homemade Italian Sausage
Peanut Butter & Jelly Bars
Peanut Butter Pretzel Truffles
Flourless Chocolate Cake

Raspberry Almond Cookie Bars

Before we bought our place we live in now, we rented this little farm house where we were completely spoiled. We had free reign over a nicely established raspberry patch in the back. It was huge. During raspberry picking season it would take me about an hour and a half to pick the whole patch, and that was picking about every 2-3 days. I was in heaven because I am a huge lover of raspberries.

I also love to make treats, especially on Sundays and, with my girls when possible. On Sundays we don't do much else other than go to church and maybe an occasional family dinner, so I like to do something special with my girls. My oldest said she would make cookies with me the other Sunday and when I asked her what kind she wanted to make, she said raspberry. I was at a little of a loss because I wasn't exactly sure how I was going to make them. I've seen raspberry flavored icings on cookies, raspberry chips and even raspberry jam, but I wanted that pure, unadulterated raspberry flavor that comes from using real berries.

Well, I altered a simple bar cookie recipe and this is what I came up with. They were amazing! I was kicking myself for only making a very small batch because they didn't last more than 4 or 5 hours. My husband said he liked them as much as I like brownies. Now that's saying something.

Raspberry Almond Cookie Bars
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup almonds (slivered, sliced or roughly chopped)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup fresh raspberries (if using frozen, thaw and let drain)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray, line with parchment paper. then spray again.

Combine flour, oats, baking powder, salt and almonds in a medium bowl. Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy; 2-3 minutes. Add egg and almond extract and mix to incorporate. Mix in the flour mixture until just incorporated.

Spread about 2/3 of the dough into the prepared baking pan. The dough is pretty sticky, you could use a spatula to help you spread it out or even just drop it by the spoonful very close together. When it cooks, it will all come together anyway.

Gently lay raspberries evenly over the first cookie layer, then drop the rest of the dough by spoon fulls over the raspberry layer.

Bake for 25-30 minutes. Let cool for about 10 minutes in pan, then gently pull them out with the parchemnt paper and let them completely cool on a rack.

Linked to...
Recipe Swap Thursday @ Prairie Story
Sweets For A Saturday @ Sweet As Sugar Cookies
It's A Keeper Thursday @ It's A Keeper