Slutty Brownies

Hello again! How the hell are you guys?! I have missed you one and all! I won’t go into a long explanation of why I haven’t posted (or commented on my favorite blogs) in almost a year because it’s boring, and quite frankly, pretty lame. Just know I have come baring gifts. Delicious, ooey, gooey, finger-lickin’ gifts.

**My plan is to post once a month this year, at least… I will really try to keep to that, but I’ve already missed January (that’s what these were for) and I missed my Valentine’s Day cupcake post. Monthly goal – big Zoe FAIL! But I haven’t abandoned the idea and I hope you don’t either!

I used ‘Birthday Cake’ Oreos which have colored bits inside. Yummy!

This naughty post is dedicated to one of my favorite blogs, LaFemmeRoar, because I promised her a recipe worthy of Crazy Chicks (and dudes) everywhere. I think this one fits the bill on all levels!

SLUTTY BROWNIES! Before you say anything I’ll tell you that I didn’t invent these NOR did I name them, but they are named appropriately. In the original authors own words… “they are oh so easy and more than a little filthy!” I have to agree with her. The original post is from a blog I think is pretty cool called “The Londoner, a lifestyle blog”. Here is the link to the original recipe. Check it out.

Okay, enough! Lets get to the delicious naughtiness!! Chocolate chip cookie on the bottom, Oreo cookies in the center and brownies on top… Ah-ma-gaw.

YOU WILL NEED

• 1 Pouch/Box Betty Crocker Chocolate Chip Cookie mix
• 1 Box Betty Crocker Brownies
• 3 eggs (needed for the first two ingredients)
• 1/2 C vegetable oil (for brownies)
• 3 Tbsp. water ( also for brownies)
• 1 package Oreo Cookies (get whichever ones you like, I used ‘Birthday Cake’ Oreos for this batch.
• A bit of sea salt
• A bit of parchment paper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat your oven to 350 degrees. (The cookies say 375 and the brownies call for 325 so right in the middle works out great.)
2. I used a 13″x9″ Pyrex dish and lined it with parchment paper that I cut down to cover the bottom and sides. If you don’t want to remove these from the pan you bake them in you can skip this step. But if you want to lift them out and cut them easily to share or display on a pretty plate then this is a super easy way to do that. Otherwise I would spray your pan lightly with cooking spray.
3. Make the cookie dough according to directions. Press it into the bottom of the lined/sprayed dish. It can present a bit of a challenge but just keep working the dough carefully around the dish. (I used a silicon spatula that I sprayed with a bit of cooking spray as I went to keep it from sticking to the dough as I pressed it around). It doesn’t have to go all the way neatly to the edges, close is good enough in this recipe. Just don’t leave holes in the bottom.
4. Next, lay the Oreos neatly in rows on top of the cookie dough.
5. Now, make the brownie mix. As suggested in the original recipe, I added just a splash extra of both oil and water to keep the brownies moist which I agreed with, it definitely helps. Pour over the Oreos you just arranged in the pan making sure all of the cookies and the edges get completely covered.
6. Sprinkle across the top with sea salt. (This is an addition by me, it only seems natural – all this sweetness needs a bit of salty).
7. Cool completely before lifting them from the pan and cutting them up.

Viola!

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Boozy Chocolate Cupcakes

Beautiful and rich... what a combo!!

I’m admittedly not great at making cakes (or cupcakes)… yet. Although I love to make and decorate them, I definitely need to practice a bit more often to improve my skills. It’s been too long, for sure!

I found these “over 21″ cupcakes a couple of months ago and bookmarked the recipe to make just for St. Patrick’s Day, which I did, but they would be great anytime you want something delicious and boozy….on those rare occasions, like a Tuesday Boozeday?

The big flavor from the Guinness really brought an extra decadence to the cake that I was happily surprised about and I won’t even get into how yummy the frosting is. I really liked the flavor of it – sweet but with a little extra sumthin.

The original recipe didn’t call for this, but after the cupcakes were completely cooled down I used a toothpick to poke about 8-10 holes in the top of each one about 1/2 way down and drizzled drops of Bailey’s into the tops of each one and it soaked right in. I just couldn’t leave them alone. It added another great layer of flavor and made them extra moist.

YOU WILL NEED

Cupcake

• 1 cup Guinness
• 1 stick, plus 1 tbs unsalted butter, chopped into 1-inch chunks
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 2 cups dark brown sugar
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbs. vanilla extract
• 2 cups flour
• 2 1/2 tsp baking soda

Frosting

• 1/3 C butter
• 1 tbsp. milk
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• Bailey’s Irish Cream, to taste
• Jameson Whiskey, to taste
• Chocolate Jimmies, as decoration

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
2. Combine the Guinness and the butter in a large sauce pan and heat to melt the butter.
3. Remove from heat, and whisk in the cocoa and sugar.
4. In a bowl, whisk the sour cream and the eggs and vanilla, then add it to the beer mixture.
5. Sift together the flour and baking soda, and then fold it into the batter.
6. Pour into muffin molds or cupcake liners and bake for 25 minutes, or until inserted cake tester comes out clean.
7. Let stand 10 minutes, remove from muffin tin, and cool completely on a rack.

For the Frosting

1. Bring the butter to room temperature then cream it at high speed with an electric mixer.
2. Add in the milk and 1 cup of the powdered sugar to create a wet and thick pasty mixture.
3. Add in the remaining liquids to taste and mix until frosting is spreadable.

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Killer Chicken Pot Pie

This was just something I was craving and thought would be a nice change from the normal routine of meals I make. I tend to make a lot of the same stuff every week, partly because we are pretty much creatures of habit around here and partly because I like perfecting the things we really do like. So I stick to our favorites.

I decided to make this out of the blue and was so glad I did. It was great. I don’t remember the last time I’ve had pot pie… But, I’m pretty sure it was frozen and a really long time ago. Not interested in frozen pot pie anymore, not after this comforting Sunday dinner.

It might seem like a lot of ingredients, but it’s not really that bad when you get everything ready to go and the cheater pie crust helps a lot.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb. chicken breast, diced
• 1/4 c. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• Pinch of ground Thyme
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 Russet potato, peeled and diced
• 1 white onion, diced
• 1 zucchini, peeled and diced
• 1/3 c. butter
• 1/3 c. flour
• 1/2 c. milk, room temperature
• 1 1/3 c. chicken broth
• 1 tbsp. capers, minced
• Pinch of fresh grated nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
• Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper
• 1 box refrigerated pie crust, softened per box directions
• 1 egg, beaten

DIRECTIONS

1. Before you start chopping all of the vegetables, marinate the diced chicken breast in the first four ingredients, a pinch of salt and pepper and set aside for about 30 minutes to an hour before you cook it for best flavor.
2. Heat oven to 425°F.
3. Once you’ve chopped the vegetables and marinated the chicken, bring a large skillet with the olive oil up to medium-high heat.
4. Add the chicken, salt and pepper, and cook until its thoroughly done, about 10 minutes.
5. Remove the chicken from the skillet (in a bowl) and set aside.
6. Put all the vegetables in the skillet, salt and pepper, and cook until they’re almost tender, about 10-15 minutes, turn off the heat, and leave them for now.
7. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
8. Add the flour to the melted butter and cook, stirring continually, for about 2-3 minutes, until it becomes pasty. Stir in the broth and milk gradually, cooking and stirring until bubbly and thickened. Add about a tsp. of salt and pepper, the capers, crushed red pepper and nutmeg. Stir well and remove from heat. Taste for flavor – add anything you think it’s missing. Salt, pepper… if your sauce is bland your whole dish will taste bland. This is 80% of your flavor. Fix it before the next step.
9. Now, add the cooked chicken and cooked vegetables into the sauce you’ve just made. Mix it all together well, set it aside while you prepare the crust.
10. Prepare the pie crusts as directed on the box for Two-Crust Pie using 9-inch glass pie pan.
11. Spoon chicken mixture into crust-lined pan. Top with second crust; seal edge.
12. Brush the top of the pie with the beaten egg.
13. Cut five or six slits in the top crust to vent.
14. Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until crust is golden brown. During the last 15 to 20 minutes of baking, cover crust edge with strips of foil to prevent excessive browning.
    Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving.

It's like stew in a crust and it was so flaky. Wish I could make homemade pie crust like that.

You could easily tailor this to your own preferences by adding different veggies. I meant to add (frozen) peas but forgot. Darn it. You could add corn, broccoli, squash… or even use a different protein like beef, turkey or tuna. Endless possibilities and kinda fun.

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Oatmeal Coconut YumYums

Yep, you guessed it… The cookie jar is empty again and I set out lookin’ for a new cookie. This week I found a recipe using a new combination (for me) of oats and coconut. They kinda remind me a little bit of the Better Than Sex Bars.

Traditional oatmeal cookies have never been a favorite of mine, The only way I really eat oats is as Bobby Flay’s homemade granola recipe which I make and always keep on hand now – we love it with yogurt for breakfast. (My better half’s favorite).

I would sometimes have an oatmeal cookie every so often if it was the only cookie left in Gramma’s cookie tin at Christmas. Even Gramma could make my least favorite cookie taste good. But, I thought in the interest of culinary experience I should try making them at least once. And, I have been trying to eat more whole grains. Does this mean I can tag them under “healthy” snacks? Maybe not, but either way, it won’t be the last time I make them.

So, this recipe calls for chocolate chips but I mixed it up by using chocolate, white chocolate and butterscotch chips to equal the same amount. I also used Pecans instead of Walnuts. Both substitutions are solely out of what I had on hand (and are noted) but I think they were an improvement on the original.

I cooked the first batch at 375 degrees according to the original directions but they turned out too crispy on the bottom and still uncooked in the center so I reduced the heat to 350 and increased the time from 10 minutes to 12 minutes. They came out perfect that way. Overall, I really like them. They’re a little bit chewy on the inside but have a nice crunch. They’re both sweet, hearty and wholesome, I’m thinkin’ that they probably won’t last long.

I got about 48 cookies.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
• 3 cups rolled oats
• 2 cups mix of semisweet chocolate, white chocolate, and butterscotch chips
• 1 cup chopped walnuts Pecans (optional)
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• Sea Salt (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar and white sugar until smooth.
3. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the milk and vanilla.
4. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt.
5. Stir into the sugar mixture, in thirds, until well blended.
6. Stir in the oats, chocolate chips, walnuts pecans and coconut until evenly distributed.
7. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
8. Bake 10 to 12 minutes for a chewy cookie or 14 minutes for a firmer cookie.
9. Sprinkle with a bit of sea salt while they’re still hot.
10. Cool for 1 minute on the cookie sheet and then move to wire rack to cool completely.

Store in tightly sealed container.

Thanks, AllRecipe.com, for another great recipe.

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What Do You Think?

Soft Sparkly Sugar Cookies

Yes, more cookies!! Since there was only one Lemon Yummy left, I decided that tonight would be the perfect time to replenish the cookie supply. I’ve noticed that every other post lately is a cookie post – what can I say, I love cookies!

As usual, I set out looking for a new recipe, something I’ve not tried yet. I found and borrowed this sugar cookie recipe at AllRecipes.com. I didn’t change a thing since I haven’t tried this recipe before and didn’t assume I needed to improve on it. I think it nails the whole essence of a sugar cookie. Sweet and soft with just a hint of saltiness. I liked the sugar on top but, as always, think it would be even more yummy with a sugary glaze drizzled across the top.

INGREDIENTS

• 2/3 cup shortening
• 2/3 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar for decorations, any color.

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, shortening and sugar.
3. Stir in the eggs one at a time and then the vanilla.
4. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt.
5. Stir it into the creamed mixture, in thirds, until the dough comes together.
6. Put the decorative sugar onto a plate or in a small dish.
7. Roll the dough into walnut sized balls and then press them into the sugar using your fingers just hard enough to flatten them a bit and make the sprinkles stick.
8. Place them on an ungreased cookie sheet about 2″ apart.
9. Bake cookies 10 to 11 minutes until the bottom is light brown (too long and they’ll be hard).
10. Cool on the cookie sheet for a minute or two, then transfer from the baking sheet onto wire racks to cool completely.

The original recipe said it makes 24, but as usual, I got about double that. I must make tiny cookies.

I’ve been nominated for a Homie Award for 2012 Best Recipe Blog at theKitchn.com. Please vote… I am up against some crazy good competition and it’s my first time so I don’t expect to win, but I’d love to try! Thank You!!!

PLEASE VOTE HERE

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Rotini with Rosemary Vinaigrette

It’s been awhile since I’ve posted on a Meatless Monday, but this yummy salad should more than make up for it.

This is from The Healing Foods Cookbook and is a recipe that boasts a tasty, light flavor, is super delicious and very satisfying. It’s simple and quick to make and low in calories…what else, you ask?

Well… Let’s add healthy to the list. The healing foods this little salad is noted for are it’s green onions, pasta and spinach. All nourishing foods thought important in the prevention of cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure, gall bladder issues and in weight maintenance. Not to mention how our immune system loves dark green veggies like fresh spinach.

We had it alone but it would make a great side dish and would be easy to customize if you’d like to take it in your own direction. I used the Barilla Tri-Colored Rotini for color, flavor and they’re made from veggies.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 1/2 cups Rotini, cooked
• 2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
• 1/2 cup scallions, diced
• 1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
• 3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 clove garlic, minced or grated
• 1 tsp. dried rosemary
• Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl, mix the first four ingredients.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the next five ingredients to create the vinaigrette. Salt and pepper to taste.
3. Pour it over the pasta and veggies and toss gently until it’s coated well.
4. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.

Simple, yes? I hope you enjoy it. Your body will!

My additions: I added the chopped red pepper on my own. I wanted the flavor of it and the color. I also sprinkled a bit of fresh Parmesan cheese on top before serving it. Come’on…I’m only human.

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Speckled Meatloaf with Balsamic Glaze

This isn’t a new recipe for me, I’ve made it before, but it is the first time I’ve posted it. It is by far the best meatloaf I have ever tasted! Ever. I stumbled upon it browsing through Bobby Flay’s recipes on Food Network while looking for something new to try and it’s been a favorite ever since. Thank you Bobby Flay. It’s called Roasted Vegetable Meatloaf with Balsamic Vinegar Glaze, but it confused me since the veggies are sautéd, not roasted… ?? I renamed it, anyway. Oh well, it doesn’t really matter because it’s fabulous.

I’ve made a couple specific choice variations from the original recipe and have indicated them below in the ingredients but left the original recipe so you can make your own choices. I omitted the fresh Thyme altogether, it’s just not one of my favorite flavors so I don’t miss it. I had 1/2 a green pepper and 1/2 a red pepper, so used those, that’s why you see green peppers in it. Also, I’ve made it with turkey and chicken, chicken this time – both good. It literally just falls apart it’s so tender and juicy and if you love Balsamic like I do you’ll love the specific flavor it adds. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 small zucchini, finely diced
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
1 yellow bell pepper, finely diced
5 cloves garlic, smashed to a paste with Kosher salt
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tbsp. finely chopped fresh thyme
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1-1/2 lbs. ground chicken (instead of ground pork, veal & chuck)
1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup fresh grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over high heat and add the diced peppers, zucchini and garlic paste.
3. Cook until the vegetables are almost soft, about 5 minutes. Set aside and let cool.
4. Whisk the egg and fresh herbs in a large bowl. Add the meat, Panko, grated cheese, 1/2 cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar and the cooled veggies. Mix until just combined.
5. Gently press the mixture into a 9″x 5″ loaf pan.
6. Whisk the remaining 1/4 cup ketchup, 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flames in a small bowl then brush it over the entire loaf.
7. Bake for 1 to 1-1/4 hours.
8. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

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Lemon Yummies

Super moist and lemony deliciousness.

Time for more delicious cookies! I wanted to try something I’ve never made before so I though a moment about all the different cookie recipes I’ve discovered, been given, experimented with and sometimes eaten so many of that I end up on the couch drooling on myself in a cookie coma, and realized I have never tried a lemon cookie. So, I tried one. They definitely rival the Creamsicle cookie as a favorite.

I stumbled on this recipe here and I think it’s an over-all success. It’s light, lemony, chewy and super delicious but it’s hard to stop at just one. I can’t decide if that’s a ‘pro’ or a ‘con’.

The only thing I did differently was I used the zest of a whole lemon instead of just a teaspoon, I love citrusy treats so I usually go heavy. Everything else was identical. I bet they’d be great with Meyer Lemons, as well… I have to find those.

YOU WILL NEED

• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1/2 cup low-fat lemon yogurt
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 egg
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest zest of one whole lemon
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Grease your cookie sheets. I used a light coating of cooking spray.
3. In a large bowl, combine sugar, yogurt, oil, eggs lemon zest, and lemon juice. Stir until well blended.
4. Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
5. Add to the wet mixture in thirds and stir until smooth.
6. Drop cookies by rounded teaspoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets. They spread a bit so leave about 3″ in between them.
7. Bake in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Edges should be slightly brown.
8. Let cookies cool 1-2 minutes before removing from cookie sheets and transferring to cooling racks to cool completely.

The recipe said it makes 30, but I got about 42 and my cookies vary between about 2 1/2″ – 3″ across.

Next time I do believe I will make a lemony glaze using powdered sugar, lemon juice and a touch of vanilla to drizzle over them… not that they need it, but hey – why not!?

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Pull-Apart Breakfast Biscuits

Tender Biscuits laden with Bacon, Cheese, Onions and Green Peppers.... OMG.

This is the best way I could think of to say Happy Valentine’s Day to the Love of my life… Nothing says I Love You like pork fat and cheese for breakfast!! Right?? Right.

I did modify this in a couple ways. First, I didn’t use any margarine (I don’t use margarine, so I would’ve used butter if anything, but I didn’t see the need) I also cut back on the amount of biscuits and played with the amounts of the other ingredients. I like the way it turned out, definitely not something we’d eat everyday, though. I served it topped with a sunny side up egg, popped the yolk and let it ooze down over the whole thing. It was scrumptious.

Not the prettiest plating, but I was working against hunger!!

I think next time I’ll use jalapenos and maybe Jack cheese… I can think of a few different ways to make this different every time. Maybe even use these for biscuits and gravy… oh my goodness – covered with sausage gravy? <faints>

Here’s the original recipe.

YOU WILL NEED

• 1/2 lb. Bacon
• 1 tbsp. bacon fat, derived from cooking bacon
• 3/4 cup cheddar cheese, grated
• 1/2 white onion, chopped
• 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 can biscuit dough
• Cooking spray

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook the bacon until crispy. Drain and crumble. Set aside for now.
2. Remove all but about a tablespoon of the bacon fat from the skillet and sauté the onions and peppers until tender.
3. Cut each biscuit into fourths and place in a large bowl.
4. Mix in peppers, onions, bacon and cheese.
5. Put into a standard size loaf pan (9″x5″) that you’ve lightly sprayed.
6. Bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes, or until the tops are a nice golden brown.
7. Remove from pan immediately. Enjoy warm, but they’re great after they’ve cooled, too.

Just before they were baked - everything mingling so happily together.

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Peanut Butter M&M Cookies

Chewy and delicious. Another great cookie!

Happy Valentine’s Day! I admittedly am not a big Valentine’s girl, but I sure do enjoy all of the sweets and chocolates that start circulating around about now.

Lately, I have really enjoyed discovering new cookie recipes and then tweaking them just a tad to re-create something yummy and all my own. This just happens to be one of those recipes. I found the original recipe HERE. The only substitution I made was using Valentine M&Ms instead of chopped chocolate chunks so they looked more lovable. They would be fun to customize the colors for just about any holiday or occasion since M&Ms come in every color.

I made these for my boyfriend to take to work for his friends at work and also wanted some for home, so I doubled the recipe, made them smaller, and ended up making almost 8 dozen! (But I did burn a dozen so actually ended up with about 7 dozen, it made a lot) Oops. The peanut butter really shines through but they still have that old fashioned brown-sugary chocolate chip cookie taste – I will definitely keep this one.

This recipe, as written, says it makes about 24 cookies but it says to drop by 1/4 cupfuls, but to me they would be way too big, but if you want big cookies – perfect. I did large tablespoons and adjusted the baking time to exactly 9 minutes. (That’s how I ended up with so many.) This will make more than 2 dozen if you do the same.

YOU WILL NEED

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups chopped semisweet chocolate Valentine’s Day M&Ms

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth.
3. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the corn syrup, water, and vanilla.
4. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the peanut butter mixture. Fold in chocolate chunks.
5. Drop by large spoon fulls, 3 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets.
6. Bake for 9 to 10 minutes or until edges are golden. Allow cookies to cool for a couple minutes on the cookie sheet before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Sweets for the Sweet! Enjoy.

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Avocado & Tomato Salad

Great as a snack with tortilla chips or as a fresh side dish!

This delicious little salad came about out of my crazy love for the individual ingredients. The Balsamic vinegar goes so well with the fresh veggies, it’s really addicting. A great healthy snack or side, I last served it with grilled chicken and shrimp, but it would be super with tortilla chips for munching while you watch Super Bowl Sunday. I’ve enjoyed it that way, too. I’m not sure how yet, but I know I’ll be eating it come half time.

This makes about 2 cups.

YOU WILL NEED

• 2 Avocados, ripe
• 1/2 cup Grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup Green onions, chopped – tops only
• 1/2 cup Sweet red or yellow pepper, chopped
• 2 tbsp. Fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsp. Balsamic vinegar
• Kosher salt & pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Chill then cube the avocados.
   Slice avocados in half lengthwise, remove seeds, slice 4 cuts – skin deep lengthwise without cutting through the skin. Then do the same thing crosswise so that there are now cubes still in the skin. Take a spoon and run it under the flesh (between the skin and the cubes) to loosen all the avocado.
2. Place the avocado cubes in a medium bowl and cover it with the lemon juice right away (to keep it from browning) and the balsamic vinegar. Stir gently to blend the flavors.
3. Season with a little salt & pepper.
4. Fold in the green onions, peppers and tomatoes carefully so to not smash the avocados.
5. Taste for seasoning and add if it needs more to suit your taste.

A great combo with moist, juicy grilled chicken!

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Thank You Everyone For Your Amazing Support in 2011!!!

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2011 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 2,800 times in 2011. If it were a cable car, it would take about 47 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

Dark Chocolate Chip Cayenne Cookies

The combination of savory & sweet is gaining popularity these days. It’s not that it’s so much of a new idea, just that it’s becoming more and more “main stream” and we’re seeing more unlikely pairings now than ever before. Just the other day I was in a self-serve yogurt shop and they had Maple Bacon Doughnut fat free yogurt! The doughnut itself is a wonderfully yummy creation, but now yogurt? My question: How did they do it fat free? I did try a taste – and I’ll admit – the bacon didn’t really show up, it was all maple, but the idea itself came to fruition, a feat in itself. Awesome in my opinion, but here I am off topic once again.

I’ve always loved salty and sweet. At the movies, my favorite treat is salted buttered popcorn and Red Vines, and I eat them together, bite by bite. I also love Frito’s dipped in vanilla ice cream, but don’t indulge in it as much as I used to, hardly ever, actually. There’s probably a great recipe waiting in that last combination… if there isn’t one already. Anyhow, my point being these cookies might seem strange, but nowadays, they’re really a very mild mix of flavors. Very chocolatey with a hint of heat and although the orange isn’t that prominent, it really brightens up the other flavors.

These are for the serious dark chocolate lover since I used unsweetened cacao and dark 60% baking chips, and the bit of sea salt sprinkled on top really brings out the chocolate notes. You can barely taste the orange, but I love it. Hope you enjoy!

Cook’s Note: I will use more cayenne pepper next time for sure, but I love spicy foods. It is noticeable but I could take more heat, SO, if you like things on the spicier side, I would double the cayenne pepper.

YOU WILL NEED

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 cups flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder (I used Ghirardelli Unsweetened Cacao)
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (or 1 tsp. for a spicier cookie)
• 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
• Zest of one orange
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Baking Chips)
• Sea Salt for sprinkles

Here are the chocolates I used:

Ghirardelli Baking Chips

Ghirardelli Unsweetened Cacao

DIRECTIONS

You will need to chill this dough for about an hour before baking, so no need to re-heat the oven just yet. The key to a chewy cookie is cold dough into the oven. Warm dough spreads out immediately and gives you a thinner, crisper cookie. I wanted these a bit chewy, so chilled the dough first.

1. In a large bowl, cream the butter and both sugars. Mix well until fluffy and smooth.
2. Add the egg and mix until smooth again.
3. Add to this the cocoa powder, baking soda, cayenne pepper and salt. Make sure you blend this very well to distribute the cayenne pepper thoroughly so that you make sure the heat is distributed evenly.
4. Now, add in the orange zest.
5. Next, add the flour in thirds until it’s incorporated completely into a nice thick delicious dough.
6. Try not to eat it all now. This was a difficult step for me.
7. Fold in chocolate chips and refrigerate for about an hour.
8. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
9. Drop onto ungreased cookie sheet about 2″ apart and bake for 10-12 minutes. In my oven it’s 11 minutes, but it will depend on your oven how long you bake them. Check them at 10 minutes. Of course, if you like them a bit crisper add another minute.
10. When they come out of the oven, immediately sprinkle with just a tiny bit of sea salt. I have Hawaiian, so I used that.
11. Cool them for 2-3 minutes on the cookie sheet then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

This recipe makes about 24-26 cookies. I didn’t want to make a large batch if it turned out I didn’t like them. They’re almost gone…. should’ve made more. Very soon and I have a new idea to make them even better. Stay Tuned!

These might not be great to give to kids, especially if you double the heat…I’m not sure, though, since I don’t have any I could test them out on.

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One Hour Oat Bread

Well hello! I apologize for my absence but here I am with a delicious recipe as a request for your forgiveness! I do hope everyone is starting the new year out happy and well fed. I have tried a few new recipes over the last couple of weeks but did not find them up to par to post. Finally, a success.

The holidays were a great reason to indulge, but now I must get back on a healthier regimen.

I received a cookbook as a gift for Christmas called “The Healing Foods Cookbook” and it is a wealth of information. Here is a bit from the inside cover: “The editors of Prevention magazine have researched the 100 best foods and from them have devised over 400 recipes for your good health. Each dish contains at least three healing foods – foods that contain nutrients with amazing powers to help prevent disease, promote healing and contribute to lifelong health.“

It covers everything from arthritis to preventing cancer. It’s pretty cool and I am interested in trying all of the recipes and excited to share them with you. It’s not full of diet recipes, but instead healthy ones.

Next to each recipe is a list of items that are in the recipe that are known to combat disease or benefit us a great deal in some way. Here’s the first recipe I’d like to share, I listed the “healthy” ingredients after the recipe, but for this one it’s pretty much all of them!

I’ve never made bread before so when I came across this recipe I was quite excited to try it. It only took an hour from start to finish and is, in my opinion, delicious! It’s dense and rustic with a crusty outer shell and an oaty tender middle. It’s not a sandwich bread, but more like a dinner or snacking bread. Tear a chunk off and enjoy it warm with a pat of butter or cut a slice and drizzle it with a bit of olive oil. It’s great toasted, too. Delicious, and healthy!!

One Hour Oat Bread
Here is the recipe as it is written but with the changes I made.

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup oat bran (I had wheat bran on hand and used that)
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/4 cup raisins (I’m not a big fan, so I omitted them)
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 cups low fat buttermilk
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (this was my addition, I HAD to!)

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, bran, oats, raisins and baking powder.
3. Pour in the buttermilk and use a large rubber spatula to mix well. If the dough becomes too stiff to stir, flour your hands a bit and finish mixing that way. (My dough was quite moist)
4. Shape the dough into a round loaf about 7 inches in diameter and smooth the top and sides.
5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set the loaf on it. Use a sharp knife to slash an “X” about 1/4″ deep across the top. If you use raisins and any are visible, poke them down into the dough with your finger so they do not burn.
6. Sprinkle a little flour on top.
7. Bake for about 45 minutes or until the bottom of the loaf sounds hollow when you tap on it. Let it cool completely before slicing. (Which I did not do and savored a warm slice as soon as I could touch it) Yes, with butter!! (I said healthier, not boring.)

Healing Foods

• Bran
• Buttermilk (low fat)
• Oats
• Whole Wheat Flour

Each of these foods has more than one healing property according to the book. If you are interested in knowing them, let me know. I will happily respond. It’s quite an extensive list over several pages. It’s not hard to tell by the ingredients, though, that it’s a healthy option to most store bought loaves. I think it would be good with sunflower seeds so I’ll probably try adding them next time.

(I am storing it in the fridge to keep it fresh longer, and it will also freeze well)

It was still warm, but I couldn

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HAPPY NEW YEAR

Hi y’all!
Well, here we are…. Another year has flown by and I have no idea where it’s gone! It went crazy fast.
It was mostly pretty good with maybe a little bit of life getting in its own way. Thank goodness we made it another twelve months without any real treachery and I truly hope you all can say the same.
We’re not really the going out types so even if my Love didn’t have to work tonight, which he does (he’s a manager/bartender), I know we’d be staying in – but since he does work I’ll definitely be in front of the fire probably watching a movie, and that’s just fine with me.
I hope this year brings new and unexpected surprises, opportunities and delicious findings; keeps everyone in good health and in good prosperity and keeps great food on the table!!
Thank you all for reading and even more for sharing. I appreciate you all and have really enjoyed getting to know bits and pieces of your lives, and especially learning all the wonderful things you buy, cook and eat!
I hope to continue sharing my foodie obsessions with y’all in 2012!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Oreo Balls a.k.a. Panda Balls

From L to R: Plain, Peanut Butter, Mint Chocolate, White Strawberries & Cream and Chocolate Strawberries & Cream.

I make these every Christmas and every year people beg me for either the recipe or for another batch So, I guess it’s time to share. I’ve been doing it for years and I always say I’m gonna make them again soon after the holidays because they go so fast, but I never do. I think it’s because as easy as simple as they are to make, they’re a little time consuming. I promise, though, it is 100% worth it. I’m always surprised because this recipe is no secret, I don’t know where it started though, probably Nabisco – Oreo.

I have seen these done many ways…colored almond bark, big, small, half-dipped, on a stick, on a toothpick, served in little individual wrappers, drizzled, sprinkled…you can use different flavored Oreos too, but I’ve always made the original ones with great reviews…

But, in the interest of experimentation, this year I tried some variations of my own, these being: MINT CHOCOLATE – original cookie, covered in mint chocolate (used mint chocolate chips), STRAWBERRIES & CREAM – strawberries and cream Oreos covered in both white chocolate and also some in milk chocolate, both with red sprinkles to identify them from the originals, PEANUT BUTTER – peanut butter Oreos covered in milk chocolate, and of course, the original Oreos covered in white chocolate I call Panda Balls. All turned out really great!! It’s all the same recipe just different Oreos and chocolate flavors… use your favorites.

Each batch makes about 100 balls, depending on how big you make them. I like them bite sized.

YOU WILL NEED

• 1 pkg. Oreo cookies
• 1 8 oz. package cream cheese (softened)
• 1 tbsp. Crisco, optional, but I find it helps the texture and give them a bit of a shine.
• 1 pkg almond bark or 1 11 oz. package flavored chips
• 1 big baggie, for smashing (gallon size)

DIRECTIONS

1. Twist the Oreos apart, scrape the middle cream frosting into a large bowl and put the cookie parts into a large zip-lock baggie.
2. Add cream cheese to the bowl with the fillings and cream together.
3. Use a meat pounder or the palm of your hand, finely crush up the cookies in the baggy.
4. Add the crushed cookies to the creamy mixture in the bowl and mix well… this takes a little elbow grease but has to be done.
5. It’s a bit easier if you refrigerate for about an hour – they won’t stick to your hands as much if they’re colder but you don’t have to do it that way it’s less messier if you do.
6. Roll into about 1″ balls and place on was paper lined cookie sheet and put them in the freezer. The longer the better. The colder they are when you start dipping them the better they hold up.
7. Melt almond bark (or chips) in double broiler set up or you can use a sauce pan and metal bowl, just find a good fit. I’ve tried the microwave option and it dries up before I finish. I find it hard to work with. The trick is NOT to let the water boil beneath the pan… keep the heat low and go slow. If you get the chocolate too hot, I find it will seize up and its pretty impossible to get it smooth again.
8. Drop the cookie balls into almond bark and using a small spoon, gently roll it around and fish it out and place onto a wax papered cookie sheet. If you want to add sprinkles or jimmies you would need to add them while they’re still wet.

That’s it! (I know… that’s it??) Put them back in the freezer to set. Once they’ve chilled back up you store them all in a container or large baggie.

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“Better Than Sex” Bars

Okay, we all know that is a figure of speech and perhaps a slight exaggeration. Then again, maybe not… I hate to speculate. Either way, these are mind blowingly out of this world and I don’t have a real name for them. I make them every Christmas as gifts along with the Oreo Balls (Panda Balls) and people drool over them both. I’ve heard them called a few different things but the name always seems to refer to sex, so call them what you would like. We just refer to them as “those bars”

I had them at a Christmas party years ago and got the recipe from the person who made them. There’s nothing to it! They’re super simple and only take about 30 minutes to bake. Putting them together takes literally 3 minutes once you’ve melted the butter, so If you need something that will knock their socks off and don’t have much time, these are for you! Gift them or make them to have around the house, they’re really great to snack on if you have a sweet tooth. They are incredibly addicting, so be warned.

YOU WILL NEED

• 1 stick of butter
• 1 sleeve of graham crackers, smashed
• 1 Cup chocolate chips
• 1 Cup white chocolate chips
• 1 Cup butterscotch chips
• 1 Cup Walnuts or Pecans
• 1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk
• Sea salt or Kosher salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
2. Place the butter in a 9″x13″ glass baking dish and melt it in the oven.
3. Carefully take the dish out of the oven when the butter is melted, about 5 minutes.
4. Sprinkle the graham crackers evenly over the butter to form the crust.
5. Do the same with all of the chips over the graham crackers.
6. Top with the nuts.
7. Then pour the sweetened condensed milk over it all, covering as much as you can. But it won’t cover every nook and cranny, but that’s fine.
8. Place the dish back in the oven USING MITTS (it’ll still be hot!!) and bake for 30 minutes.
9. When done, remove from the oven, sprinkle with sea salt and cool almost completely then cut into squares.

I like to keep them sealed in an airtight container in the fridge – I like most sweets cold, but if you prefer not to store them in your fridge at least keep them in a cool place.

Enjoy them, but be sure to share! People LOVE them!

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White Chicken Enchiladas

Wow, new plates on the list

I will absolutely admit, this is not my recipe, at least it didn’t used to be, but I have had it so so long that I have no idea where I got it so I’m claiming it! It’s on a plain white printed piece of computer paper that I must have copied out of a magazine and then typed into the computer. It’s wrinkled, smeared and has writing all over it, I probably should re-type it to avoid losing it. I’ve been making them around Christmas for years. I don’t make them a lot and I’m not sure why because they are really, really delicious.

I am not a fan of canned soup and haven’t been for a long time now but in this case I do take advantage of it. Making my own cream of chicken soup from scratch and then making the enchiladas sounds a little bit more of a chore than I usually want to spend on dinner. I love good homemade food, but sometimes a helping hand is nice. This is one of those cases and you certainly can not taste the canned cheat, I promise!

These enchiladas are a nice change from typical red sauce enchiladas. They are creamy and have a good spicy bite to them but don’t leave you feeling weighed down. Well, I take that back – four will leave you feeling a bit weighed down, trust me! I usually serve them with beans and rice, sour cream and salsa.

NOTE: If you don’t like things too spicy you might want to consider reducing the jalapenos to just one, replacing the jalapenos all together for mild green chili’s or even skipping them all together – on the other hand, if you like yours super spicy, add another one!

YOU WILL NEED

• 12 6″ white or yellow corn tortillas
• 1 Can condensed Cream of Chicken Soup
• 4 oz. Onion & Chive cream cheese, softened
• 3 Cups chicken breast, cooked and shredded
• 1  Cup + 1 tbsp. milk, divided
• 1/2 Cup chopped green onion
• 1/2 Cup chopped sweet red pepper
• 1/2 Cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 8 oz. Sour cream
• 2 Jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced
• 1/4 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
• 1 tsp. Ground cumin
• Pam Spray (or equivalent)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl combine the cream cheese, the 1 tablespoon of milk and the ground cumin until smooth. Stir in the shredded chicken. Set aside for a few minutes.
3. Next, in a medium skillet, sprayed with the Pam cook the red pepper and green onion until soft. Add them to the chicken mixture.
4. Wrap tortillas in aluminum foil in two groups of six. Heat them in the preheated oven in the foil for about 10 minutes, one group at a time. (It’s easier to work on six and then then next six to keep them soft)
5. While those are in the oven, in another bowl, combine the soup, sour cream, diced jalapenos, cayenne pepper and the cup of milk. Mix well until creamy and smooth. Add about 1/4 cup of this mixture to the shredded chicken mixture for moisture and mix well. Set aside the remaining soup mixture for now.
6. Spray a 9″x13″ baking dish (or two smaller ones – equal equivalent size) with the Pam. Have it next to your rolling station where you will fill the tortillas and place them into the dish, seam down.
7. Remove the first batch of tortillas from the oven, and put the second batch in.
8. Keeping them together in the foil to stay warm, remove one at a time and fill with about 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture and roll. Place them seam side down in the prepared baking dish. Continue doing this until all of the tortillas are rolled and in the dish.
9. Now pour the rest of the soup mixture over the enchiladas so that all of the tortillas are covered.
10. COVER and bake for about 30-35 minutes.
11. Remove from the oven, UNCOVER and sprinkle with the cheddar cheese. Bake another 10 minutes until the cheese it melted and bubbly.
12. Garnish with a bit of the diced red pepper, green onion or cilantro.

OLE!

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Creamsicle Cookies

These totally remind me of creamsicle ice cream pops - a little orangy and a little vanilla-ee

Is it just me or do oranges remind anyone else of Christmas? If they do, this recipe is just in time for you! Make these and give them as loving treats or enjoy them at home. They are very reminiscent of Creamsicle pops… a little orangy and a little vanilla-ee (yeah, I know that’s not a real word, but it fits, you’ll see!)

To me, these perfectly balanced cookies fall somewhere between a dessert and a breakfast biscuit. They are mildly sweet from the sugars but the acid from the orange peel balances them out nicely. For a tiny bit more sweetness, I make a glaze using powdered sugar and fresh orange juice using one of the oranges I grated for the cookie recipe…. of course, it’s optional, they are just as delicious plain.

YOU WILL NEED

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 to 3 teaspoons grated orange peel, about 3 oranges
• 1 package (11-ounce) white chocolate chips, recommended: Ghirardelli

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda and salt.
3. In a large bowl, cream together butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar.
4. Beat in egg and orange peel.
5. Beat flour mixture in – in thirds.
6. Add white chocolate chips.
7. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto an ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are light golden brown.
8. Allow cookies to cool for 2 minutes on baking sheets, then transfer to wire racks and cool completely.

If you would like to glaze them, use about 1/2 cup powdered sugar and half an orange, squeezed. Also added just a drop of orange gel food color. Put into a small bowl and whisk until it becomes smooth, without any lumps. When the cookies are completely cool, drizzle them to your liking. Let the glaze set before you store them away.

You’ll notice that the orange flavor intensifies a bit as the cookies sit. I hope you enjoy them!!

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