Mixing Bliss, Ugly Sweaters, Hot Dog Wreaths & Cake Balls

I haven't blogged all of December ... I was on blog vacation I guess!  I had a busy month and figured everyone else was probably just as busy getting things ready for Christmas and if you're busy you don't have time to be reading a food blog anyways.  I baked a lot of cookies, decorated the house and enjoyed hosting a bunch of friends throughout the month.  I must have made the "nice" list for 2013 because Santa left a KitchenAid Mixer under the tree this year.  LOOK OUT!!!!  And even though I had a ton of Christmas cookies at the house I made a new batch of cookies on Christmas day to try out the new mixer.  Can I tell you a secret?? ... as the mixer spun effortlessly through the dough I walked over to the refrigerator to get an egg and walked back to the mixer while still watching it mixing, and as I cracked the egg and added it to the dough I felt as if I was floating on air ... I was somewhat aroused...by a freaking MIXER!  The only thing better would have been Mark Wahlberg sitting on my kitchen counter, lol.  What a great gift for a baker!!!  Then later that day I used it again for sweet potato mash to go with our steaks for dinner.  This mixer is going to be put to great use in my kitchen.  I'm so excited to have this new appliance!

One of my favorite moments of this past month was hosting an Ugly Sweater Party.  If you haven't been to an ugly sweater party yet you are missing out.  They're a lot of fun!!  I made a cake that looks like an ugly sweater as well as a hot dog wreath which I thought was hysterical.  Although the wreath was a joke it was devoured in minutes.  The cake on the other hand was so ugly people were afraid to eat it and I ended up with a full cake leftover thinking what in the world am I going to do with all of this cake???  Then I remembered reading about CAKE BALLS* online.  I cut the cake up into pieces and put it in the new mixer and mixed until it formed into chocolate dough.  Then I made small balls out of the dough and dipped them into melted chocolate ... voila, cake balls!  They're delicious!! Next time you have leftover birthday cake try making cake balls.

Hope all of you have a happy & healthy new year!!  I look forward to sharing more recipes during 2014.

*Cake Ball Recipe can be found here: Cake Balls (any flavor cake & frosting works)

The hot dog wreath is simply a package of hot dogs & one package of crescent rolls.  Cut the hot dogs into thirds and wrap with strips of the crescent roll dough.  Form into a circle and bake at 350' for about 18 minutes or until golden brown.  The bow is a red bell pepper.  

Apple Orange Cranberry Sauce

Here's a recipe for your Thanksgiving meal this week ... Apple Orange Cranberry Sauce that just might steal the show away from the turkey!  This sauce is soooo good!!!!!  You can make it ahead of time (I just finished making mine).  And for those of you who don't enjoy cooking or don't have time you can buy this in a jar at your local Williams-Sonoma store.  I wish I could post a link in here so you could smell my kitchen right now but you'll just have to take my word for it that it smells delicious.  My daughter asked me if I was making an apple pie and my husband emerged from his mancave to find out what smelled so good.

A few years ago I purchased a jar of this and everyone absolutely loved it so the next Thanksgiving I searched for a recipe to make it myself.  I was surprised WS had it posted right on their website (seems too good to give out to the public).  You can enjoy this as a side dish or on top of your turkey or on top of the stuffing or use it on leftover turkey sandwiches or on toast, etc.  YUM!!!!!   I will definitely have this on my table every Thanksgiving.  

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone who reads my blog!  I hope you all have a wonderful day with your families and friends.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 orange
• 2 cups water
• 1 tart apple, such as Granny Smith, pippin or McIntosh
• 3 cups fresh cranberries
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ground cloves

Directions:
Squeeze the juice from the orange and set the juice aside. Remove and discard the membrane from inside the orange rind and cut the rind into small dice. In a small saucepan over high heat, combine the rind and the water and bring to a boil. Cook for 10 minutes, then drain and set aside. 

Peel, core and quarter the apple. Cut into 1/2-inch dice and place in a saucepan. Sort the cranberries, discarding any soft ones. Add to the apples along with the orange juice, orange rind, sugar, cinnamon and cloves. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to low and cover the pan partially. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, the apple is tender and the cranberries have burst, 10 to 15 minutes. 

This is what it looks like before the cranberries burst.

Transfer the cranberry sauce to a heatproof bowl and let cool for 1 hour before serving. Or cover and refrigerate; bring to room temperature before serving. Transfer the cranberry sauce to a sauceboat and pass at the table.

Makes 3 1/2 to 4 cups.



Source: Williams Sonoma

Mashed Cauliflower

Every now and again I try to lower my carbs for a week or two.  A low carb week always seems to line itself up post-holiday.  The past few weeks we celebrated my husband's birthday, my daughter's birthday, Halloween and my birthday.  All of the cakes and sweets can add up and now I'm feeling like its a good time to do a low carb week in preparation for Thanksgiving where I will again stuff myself with heavenly carbs.  (I'm dreaming of my mom's pumpkin pie already!)  The leftover Halloween candy is stored safely in my OKRA bag and now its time to move on to mashed cauliflower.

Mashed Cauliflower is a perfect low carb recipe because it sort of tricks your mind into thinking you are enjoying mashed POTATOES ... mmmm.  There's bunches of recipes you can find online for these.  I tried a few different recipes and wasn't all that impressed so I came up with my own.  I've used this as a side dish for grilled chicken & steak as well as a mock "shrimp & grits" recipe (replaced the grits with the mashed cauliflower).  Enjoy!

1/2 head of cauliflower
1 oz cream cheese
2 tbs butter or margarine
1/2 tsp Johnny's garlic seasoning*
2 tbs Parmesan cheese
dash of salt & pepper

Chop the cauliflower into small pieces and steam with a small amount of water in the microwave for 5-6 minutes or until it is soft. Drain the water and place the steamed cauliflower in a food processor.  Add the cream cheese, butter, parmesan and seasoning.  Process on high speed for about 2 minutes or until it turns into a smooth creamy texture (You can use a hand mixer as well but I think the texture comes out nicer/creamier with the food processor).  Serve immediately.  You can also make this ahead of time, refrigerate in a container and simply reheat in the microwave when ready to serve.  Makes 3-4 servings.  

*This seasoning is awesome!!!  It makes the BEST shrimp scampi ever! I order mine online @ Johnny's Garlic Seasoning.  I believe Costco sells it too. I also found a link to make your own Johnny's seasoning (haven't tried it though).  Make your own

Fun with Fondant

This is way easier than you could ever imagine!  Its like "play doh" for adults!!!  You have to try it!  Even if you don't make your own fondant with the recipe below at least buy a bucket of prepared fondant at your local craft store and try making some shapes with it for your next cake.  It is seriously fun & addicting!!

I made my husband out of fondant for the top of his birthday Caramel Upside Down Apple Pie ...

I made about 200 of these tiny flowers for my daughter's 3rd birthday cake ...

Pumpkin toppers for my pumpkin cupcakes ...

Think of something you'd like to make out of fondant.  Google "fondant + your idea" then click on the "images" link and you'll find lots of photos for inspiration.


Ingredients:

1 package (16 ounces) white mini marshmallows (use a good quality brand)
2-5 tablespoons water
2 pounds (about 8 cups) sifted confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
Makes:

About 2 pounds marshmallow fondant.

Directions:

1.  To make marshmallow fondant, place marshmallows and 2 tablespoons of water in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave 30 seconds on high; stir until mixed well. Continue microwaving 30 seconds more; stir again. Continue until melted (about 2 1/2 minutes).

2.  Place 3/4 of the confectioners' sugar on top of the melted marshmallow mixture. Fold sugar into marshmallow mixture. Flavoring can be added at this point if desired. Place solid vegetable shortening in easily accessed bowl so you can reach into it with fingers as you are working. Grease hands and counter GENEROUSLY; turn marshmallow mixture onto counter. Start kneading like you would dough. Continue kneading, adding additional confectioners' sugar and re-greasing hands and counter so the fondant doesn't stick. If the marshmallow fondant is tearing easily, it is too dry; add water (about 1/2 tablespoon at a time) kneading until fondant forms a firm, smooth elastic ball that will stretch without tearing, about 8 minutes.

3.  It's best to allow Marshmallow Fondant to sit, double-wrapped, overnight. Prepare the fondant for storing by coating with a thin layer of solid vegetable shortening, wrap in plastic wrap and then place in resealable bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible. Marshmallow Fondant will keep well in refrigerator for several weeks.

4.  When not working with fondant, make sure to keep it covered with plastic wrap or in a bag to prevent it from drying out. When ready to use, knead fondant until smooth. Roll out fondant 1/8 in. thick.

5.  To color fondant: If you need to tint the entire batch of fondant, add a little icing color to the melted marshmallow mixture before adding confectioners' sugar. For smaller amounts of tinted fondant, add icing color to portions of fondant as needed.

Source:  Wilton.com

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

I received a phone call from an old friend of mine about a month ago.  She was planning a birthday luncheon for her mother and requested my help with a few things including making cupcakes.  I had my eye on this Pumpkin Cupcake recipe for awhile and was looking for an excuse to make them so you can understand how excited I was when I gave her three cupcake choices and she picked the Pumpkin. Yeah, at last my excuse to try this recipe arrived!  And then panic set in ... why on earth am I trying a NEW recipe for a party???  I know, its not the smartest decision because when you're baking for someone else you should be using an old standby, the one that you've made numerous times and you know for sure you can't mess it up.  So I took a risk with a new recipe...if worse came to worse my back up plan was to buy a box mix and go from there.  I am so glad I tried this recipe!!  I like box cakes and tend to make them and use homemade frosting to keep things on the easy side but I have to tell you when you make cakes from scratch and they come out perfect its a wonderful feeling ... and people can tell it didn't come from a box.

These cupcakes are moist with the right amount of pumpkin spiciness and the frosting, oh my oh my the frosting can be consumed alone with a spoon .... I mean, the frosting is heavenly.  I topped my cupcakes with tiny fondant pumpkins I made ahead of time but you could also use candy corns, chopped nuts or keep it simple with no topping at all.  The cupcake batter makes a lot so make sure to use a big bowl (makes 32 cupcakes).

INGREDIENTS:

For the Cupcakes:
4 cups cake flour (not self-rising), sifted
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 Tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2½ cups packed light-brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1½ cups canned pumpkin (not pie filling)

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 pound (4 cups) confectioners' sugar, sifted
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

To Make the Cupcakes:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices.

2. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and brown sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk, and beating until just combined. Add pumpkin; beat until just combined.

3. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 10 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely. 

4. To finish, use an offset spatula or a pastry bag fitted with a decorated tip to top the cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.

To Make the Frosting:

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low. Add sugar, ½ cup at a time, and then vanilla, and mix until smooth and combined, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.  

Source: Brown Eyed Baker

Black Bean Soup

I love to make soup.  I like the entire process from chopping the ingredients, to mixing in spices, letting it simmer, enjoying the aromas throughout the house and finally sitting down to enjoy it.  There's something about a hot bowl of homemade soup that is downright COMFORTING.  You know what else I love about making soup?  It makes me feel proud that I took an empty pot and filled it with something other people find comforting ... that puts a big smile on my face.

I've made this Black Bean Soup several times over the past two years and it has become one of my favorites.  It has also quickly become one of my daughter's favorites ...she can't get enough of this stuff!  Hope you enjoy it too!      

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup diced white onions
1 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced carrots
1 red or yellow pepper, diced
2 tablespoons garlic, crushed
4 cans (15 oz) black beans
4 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon corn starch

DIRECTIONS

1.  Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large saucepan (I use a 3 quart pot) over medium/low heat.

2.  Add onion, celery, carrot, pepper and garlic to the oil and simmer slowly for about 15 minutes or until the onions are clear.

3. While the veggies are cooking pour the canned beans into a strainer and rinse under cold water.

4.  Measure 3 cups of the drained & strained beans into a food processor and add 1 cup of chicken broth.  Puree on high speed until smooth.

5.  Add pureed beans, remaining beans, remaining chicken broth, vinegar and spices to the pot & stir.  Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 10 minutes.

6.  Mix the corn starch with a little bit of water and stir slowly into the pot.  Simmer for an additional 40 minutes.

7.  Serve alone or top with shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream and/or tortilla chips.

Makes about 11 cups.

Recipe adapted from Food.com

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

When I started this blog my goal was to submit at least one entry per week.  I am sorry I am a little behind this week.  Here's why ... my almost 3 year old daughter who willingly used to take a long afternoon nap, sometimes 3+ hours, decided last week that she no longer needs to nap.  So you see, the time I used to have to cook and blog has diminished. I would have been a little more understandable about this nap issue if the 3 hour nap slowly went to 2 hours than 1 than none but we somehow pushed a fast forward button and jumped right to none = one sad mama missing her self-time in the afternoons.

Okay, I'm done venting.  Here's a yummy mashed sweet potato recipe that you can use as a side dish to compliment an entree this fall/winter season.  Outback Steakhouse used to have this on their menu and without warning, like my daughter's naps, took it off their menu leaving the customers who liked this side dish in pure disappointment. Well guess what Outback??...we can make the mashed sweet potatoes at home.    I mentioned in one of my earlier blogs that sweet potatoes don't need to have anything added to them and that is true but every once in awhile it is fun to add some unhealthy stuff and push them over the edge in the culinary world to make them even tastier and wow your dinner guests.  These are so tasty that I even enjoy the leftovers cold.  The taste sort of reminds me of pumpkin pie and I have to admit I ate a spoonful right before I snapped the photo!!  These would be a great addition to your Thanksgiving menu.  Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS
4 medium sweet potatoes
1/3 cup brown sugar
4 tablespoons butter
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

TOPPING
1 tablespoon butter
6 tablespoons pecans, chopped
1/4 cup oatmeal (not instant)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

DIRECTIONS
1.  Bake sweet potatoes in your microwave or conventional oven until soft.  I like to use the "baked potato" button on the microwave.

2.  Slice the baked potatoes in half and scoop out the filling into a large mixing bowl. Discard skins.

3.  Add butter, brown sugar, cinnamon & nutmeg to the potatoes and mash using an electric mixer until smooth.

4.  To make the topping melt the butter in a small saute pan.  Add pecans & oats and stir over low/medium heat for 5 minutes or until the mixture is hot (do not allow to brown).

5.  Remove from heat and mix in the brown sugar & cinnamon.

6.  When ready to serve reheat the potatoes in a saucepan or microwave until hot.  Top with the oat/pecan topping.

Makes about 6 servings depending on the size of the potatoes and it can be made ahead of time.

Recipe adapted from Food.com

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate Chip Cookies ... they're a classic right?  They seem to be the cookie that almost everyone likes. Unfortunately I never really liked the way my chocolate chip cookies turned out.  I always just made the recipe on the back of the Nestle Toll House package and time after time I was disappointed in the results.  I yearned for a perfect chocolate chip cookie that was comparable to one you would purchase at a bakery ... BIG, soft and chewy!!  So I started trying out some different chocolate chip cookie recipes until I found this show stopper, the ultimate chocolate chip cookie recipe that comes out perfect each time and just like the bakery cookies...perhaps even better.  Seriously, you've got to try these!!!  I've made this recipe several times and I will NEVER go back to the Toll House package recipe.  Granted, you can still use the Nestle chocolate chips, no issues with the chocolate just the recipe. I like to mix half semisweet chips with half milk chocolate chips but you can choose to use one or the other.  I have also tried this recipe with half chocolate chips and half peanut butter chips.  

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled until warm
1 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

3/4 cup milk chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl; set aside.

2. Using an electric mixer, mix the butter and sugars until thoroughly blended. Beat in the egg, yolk, and vanilla until combined. Add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed just until combined. Stir in the chips.  Refrigerate 2-3 hours.  

3. Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or spray them with nonstick cooking spray.

4. Using 1/4 cup measure dough and roll into balls.  Place the formed dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 1/2 inches apart, press down slightly with the palm of your hand.  These make really BIG cookies so if you don't want them to be this big you can make them half the size using a cookie scoop (about 2 tablespoons in size).  

5. Bake until the cookies are light golden grown and the outer edges start to harden yet the centers are still soft and puffy, 15 to 18 minutes, rotating the baking sheets front to back and top to bottom halfway through the baking time. Cool the cookies on the sheets. Remove the cooled cookies from the baking sheets with a metal spatula.

Makes 18 BIG cookies or 36 normal sized cookies.  Leftovers?... freeze them in a ziplock baggie, they thaw out in about 20 minutes and you can't tell they were ever frozen.  

Recipe adapted from Brown Eyed Baker Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Asian Chopped Salad

My little food blog has officially reached over 1,000 views!  WOW!  Thank you for reading my blog!! And for all the blog spam creators (yes, there are weirdos who write code to spam blogs so you think you get more hits than you really do) I'm happy to get 1,000 views whether all those clicks are real or not!  ;-)

Now for the Asian Chopped Salad ...

I love to cook but sometimes I get lazy and just don't feel like doing anything too creative (maybe I'm wasting my food creativity time on blogging, oops!).  When a lazy day rolls around I rely on quick & easy recipes (or there's always frozen pizza).  The Asian Chopped Salad from Sam's Club is one of my go-to EASY recipes.  I hope you're not laughing at me right now because I'm thinking/hoping I'm not the only one that has lazy cooking days.  Also, my blog has no rules so I don't have to create a new recipe every time I write an entry or maybe I'm just adding to my laziness by making a loop-hole to blog about a bagged salad, lol.  Anyways, everything you need is in the package and I simply add two grilled chicken breasts to the mix.  The bag contains cabbage, carrots, ginger sesame dressing, celery, almonds and wonton noodles for less than $3 ($2.58 to be exact).  Its super simple, super easy & healthy too.  For those of you who don't belong to Sam's Club, no worries, Dole makes an Asian Salad Kit that can be found at the grocery store.  Oh and one more thing - Ken's Steak House Salad Dressings makes a great Asian dressing if you feel like the little dressing packet in the kit isn't enough for you.

INGREDIENTS
1 bag of Asian Chopped Salad
2 chicken breasts, grilled & chopped

Mix everything in a bowl and serve!  Serves 2 people.

 

Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies

There's a little chill in the air this week as we get ready to begin the fall season.  I put my fall place mats on the kitchen table and exchanged a summer flower arrangement for one with fall colors.  I'm sad that summer has come to an end but also excited to begin a new season because fall brings with it all the birthdays of our family ... my husband, daughter and myself are all fall babies.  Burgundy is one of my favorite fall colors and it makes me think of the color of cranberries in an oatmeal cookie recipe that is perfect for fall.  The brown sugar and honey in these cookies make them chewy while the cranberries and white chocolate chips add great flavor and texture,  finally dust them with salt (if you dare) and you will keep people coming back for more.

INGREDIENTS
2 sticks of butter or margarine, softened
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tbs honey
2 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups oats
5 oz dried cranberries
2/3 cup white chocolate chips
coarse sea salt (optional)

Beat butter & sugar.  Add eggs, vanilla and honey mixing well.  Combine dry ingredients and add to the bowl.  Mix well.  Add cranberries and chocolate chips, stir until combined.  Refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350'F.  Drop cookie dough by 2 tablespoonfuls onto cookie sheet, dust with sea salt (optional) and bake for 10-12 minutes.  Let cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.

Makes 3 dozen cookies.

Recipe adapted from Food.com

Crab Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

This is the entree I prepared last week for our anniversary dinner.  The original recipe came from a Pampered Chef " Celebrate" cookbook*.  I made a few changes including the addition of lump crab meat and they turned out to be DELICIOUS!!  Some recipes are considered "guest worthy"and this is one of them!

We had a nice evening celebrating our anniversary and continued the celebration Friday evening with a visit back to Hotel Hershey (the scene of the crime a.k.a. wedding venue).  They did some major renovations to the Circular Dining Room including the name which is now The Circular.  We were very impressed!  The dress code is more casual...men are no longer required to wear jackets (although most still did and I even saw one guy in a tuxedo). They built a bar in the middle of the room and have some very talented mixologists on staff.  If you're looking for a romantic night out or if you're a foodie, this is the place to go...the food and service is outstanding and the view is just as beautiful as it was 8 years ago.

Okay, back to cooking at home...these portobellos are as impressive as anything you'd find in a fine restaurant, they're simple to prepare and take less than 30 minutes to bake.  I served them with sauteed spinach and pinot grigio.  One piece of advice is to make sure you buy lump crab meat ... its okay to substitute less expensive crab for dips and other recipes but this is the star of the show and you don't want to mess with the taste, texture and look.  Hope you enjoy them!

INGREDIENTS
2 Portobello mushroom caps (about 4 inches in diameter), remove stems
2 teaspoons Italian salad dressing
1/2 cup chopped cherry tomatoes
1/3 pound lump crab meat (you can use the other 2/3 pound to make crab cakes another night)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves
1 garlic clove, pressed
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon panko bread crumbs

1.  Preheat oven to 425'F.  Brush mushroom caps with salad dressing and place them gill side up in a baking dish.

2.  Chop mushroom stems, cherry tomatoes and basil.  Place in a bowl and add the pressed garlic, cheese and bread crumbs.  Mix gently.  Fold in the crab meat ... do NOT over stir!

3.  Scoop the mixture evenly into the mushroom caps until its piled high on top.  Bake for 18-20 minutes.



*Recipe adapted from Pampered Chef

The Motivating Menu

A few months ago I purchased a white board for in the kitchen.  It immediately turned into a "Menu board" and it has been motivating me to cook ever since. This little board begs to be written on in the morning and is a cooking cheerleader as you pass by it throughout the day so I highly recommend this kitchen addition if you are looking for some culinary motivation.

Today my husband and I are celebrating our 8 year anniversary which is a BIG DEAL considering he almost filed for divorce when he read my OKRA Secret blog entry!!!  Just kidding!  Marriage can be hard work sometimes and so can menu planning ...not knowing what to make from day to day, pairing side dishes with entrees, pairing courses and wines, etc.   I don't always have a super creative menu with multiple courses, sometimes its just an entree and side dish and on lazy days it might even say "Hawk's Club" (ha, that's an inexpensive alternative when we don't feel like cooking...its a restaurant down the road from our house) but no matter what it says, it feels good to have a dinner "game plan" and on the days it does have multiple courses it makes me feel focused.

Tonight's menu starts with a champagne toast to celebrate our anniversary. Then we will have Caesar salads followed by crab stuffed portobellos paired with sauteed fresh spinach and for dessert warm chocolate pudding cake (if successful will be like the hot lava cakes at restaurants).  I'm excited to be cooking a special meal for my husband tonight and happy to be celebrating not just these past 8 years but our future together.  I can't thank him enough for allowing me to be a stay-at-home-mom which at the same time has allowed me to spend more time getting creative in the kitchen and sharing a food blog with you!  Slainte (cheers)!!

What's on YOUR menu tonight??

Mojito Cupcakes

The mojito is very easily one of the most popular summer cocktails.  It is said to be the national drink of Cuba and is made with white rum, sugar, lime juice, mint and club soda.  These ingredients paired together make it a very refreshing summer drink.  What's even better than a refreshing summer cocktail???  A CUPCAKE version of a summer cocktail!  No need to sell me on this idea, I was ready to bake these babies the moment I saw them online!!  I only wish I found this recipe at the beginning of the summer versus the end of August ... my apologies!

Talk about a great cupcake!  These are light, moist & airy with a hint of mint and lime, not too sweet and just right for summer.  There's a bunch of steps but its well worth your time and effort. Just think, you can bring these to a Labor Day picnic this coming weekend and be the hit of the party!  

Cupcakes

1 box of white cake mix

1 cup lemon-lime seltzer water

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup white rum

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint leaves

2 teaspoons finely grated lime peel

1 tablespoon lime juice

3 egg whites

To Brush the Cupcakes

3 mint leaves

2 tablespoons white rum

Frosting

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature

4 1/4 cups powdered sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice

3 tablespoons white rum

1 teaspoon finely grated lime peel  

1) Make the cupcakes:  Heat oven to 350'F.  Fill 24 muffin cups with paper liners.  In a large bowl beat the cupcake ingredients with an electric mixer on low for 30 seconds then on medium for 2 minutes.  Divide batter evenly among muffin cups and bake for 18 minutes.  Cool on cooling rack.  

2) Brush the cupcakes:  muddle mint in the rum.  Drain with a sieve and brush over the top of the cupcakes.  

3) Make the frosting: Whip the butter with an electric mixer on medium speed for 5 minutes.  Reduce to low speed and gradually add the sugar. Add lime juice and rum and mix until fluffy.  This makes enough frosting to pile it high on the cupcakes.  Pipe onto the cupcakes and garnish with a lime wedge and mint leaf.

Recipe adapted from  Betty Crocker & Brown Eyed Baker

Blueberry Crumb Bars

I just got back from a relaxing week at the beach.  It was also a week away from my kitchen, a week away from baking, house cleaning & laundry.  We stayed in a beach house in Delaware right on the beach with two other families.  Breakfast went from early risers to late sleepers and only about 3-4 of us eating at the same time.  Dinner, on the other hand, was a sight to behold of 11 people all wanting to be fed at once.  It was interesting for me to see my daughter (an only child) in the mix of 5 other children...she fit right in and for a week it was as if she had a bunch of siblings.  Anyway, we got home yesterday and I spent hours doing laundry and today was a much needed trip to the grocery store.  ALDI had blueberries on sale for $1.29...awesome deal considering they cost $3.99 at Giant. Well, needless to say, the blueberries jumped right into my cart.  I was thinking of maybe using them in pancakes but I remembered seeing a blog a few weeks ago about blueberry crumb bars so I searched for the recipe.  This recipe is on a bunch of different sites actually but the one I remembered seeing was on Brown Eyed Baker.com.  I didn't change a thing except that I cut the recipe in half (the recipe below is the full version).

It was so enjoyable to be back in my own kitchen after being away and although I did some cooking on vacation I was anxious to do some baking.  My daughter helped to stir the ingredients and even stole a few blueberries.  The bars turned out perfect and I served them with vanilla ice cream.  We used forks but they are sturdy enough to pick up with your fingers like a brownie.  I was thinking of doing low-carb this week but I'm guessing I won't be able to resist having one of these with my coffee tomorrow morning.  Happy baking!

INGREDIENTS:For the Crumb:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1 egg

For the Blueberry Filling:
4 cups fresh blueberries
½ cup granulated sugar
4 teaspoons cornstarch
Juice of one lemon

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking pan.

2. Make the Crumb: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Use a fork or pastry cutter to blend in the butter, and then the egg (the dough will be crumbly). Press half of dough into the prepared pan.

3. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice. Gently fold in the blueberries to coat evenly with the sugar mixture. Spread the blueberry mixture evenly over the crust, drizzling any excess juice in the bowl over the filling. Crumble the remaining dough evenly over the blueberry layer.

4. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the top is light golden brown. Cool completely before cutting into squares. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature or in the refrigerator.

Original Recipe

Kath's OKRA Secret

This is not a recipe for Okra.  This is not even a recipe for anything really... its simply a food secret I wanted to share. You're welcome!

Did you ever have a piece of chocolate candy or peanut butter cup you just wanted to keep for yourself?  ...a little hidden treasure just for YOU that you can enjoy ALONE??

Maybe I'm the only one but I never liked sharing. Perhaps its because I don't have any siblings close to my age or maybe I'm really selfish like the birds from "Nemo."  Getting married was a real eye-opener in the sharing department especially since I have always been the person responsible for grocery shopping.  I guess I always viewed the items I bought as mine (is that wrong?).  Eight years later, I tolerate sharing but there's still a big part of me that doesn't like it especially when I have, for example, a diet coke chilling in the refrigerator and I go to get it only to find out its already been consumed by someone else (husband - guilty as charged).

We shouldn't have to share everything in our life, right??  Every once in awhile its okay to be selfish and have a treat that's just for YOU!  But where could you possibly hide something from the rest of the people in your house before they get their hands on it and eat it before you have the chance?  The answer my friends is OKRA!  This is my "Outstandingly-Kreative-Really-Awesome Secret."  It doesn't have to be Okra ... any vegetable that your family dislikes will work.

Step 1:  Purchase a bag of your family's least favorite vegetable from the frozen section of your grocery store.
Step 2:  Open the bag and discard the contents.
Step 3:  Wipe out the inside of the bag with a paper towel.
Step 4:  Refill with your favorite chocolate candies and close with a chip clip.
Step 5:  Place bag in the freezer.

Husbands and children will NEVER look in the frozen Okra bag. Never, ever!  Your candy will be safely hidden until you're ready to treat yourself to something that's just for you.  Believe me on this one ... my chocolates in this picture survived MONTHS from my husband and teenage stepkids. Time will tell if my husband reads my blog!

Shrimp Ceviche Cups

Two recipes in a row that aren't baked goods!!!  Aren't you proud of me??  ;-)

I can only take partial credit for this wonderful recipe.  I found it in a Pampered Chef book and made some changes to it to make it a little easier but just as tasty.  I will post a link to the original at the bottom of this entry.

This recipe makes a delightful summertime appetizer when entertaining guests.  I have made this at least 4 times this summer and it comes out perfect each time and is a huge hit with guests. This can be made a day ahead of time but don't assemble until you're ready to serve.

"Ceviche" typically means raw seafood that is "cooked" by marinating in citrus juice from a lemon or lime.  This recipe uses shrimp which have already been cooked just to be on the safe side when serving guests.  I get my cucumbers and red onions off the salad bar at the grocery store to save time.

Ingredients
24 mini tortilla chip bowls (the "scoops" type of tortilla chips that look like little bowls)
1/2 cup sour cream

2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro
Zest of 1 lime 
1 garlic clove, pressed
1/4 tsp salt, divided
8 oz cooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed
1/2 medium red bell pepper, finely chopped
3 tablespoons jalapenos, finely chopped
1/3 cup finely chopped cucumber
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
2 Tbsp lime juice

For filling, combine sour cream, cilantro, lime zest, garlic, and half of the salt in small bowl; mix well and set aside.

For ceviche, coarsely chop shrimp and pat dry with paper towels. In medium bowl, combine shrimp, peppers, cucumber, onion, lime juice, and remaining salt; mix well.

Store the ceviche and filling in separate plastic containers with lids in the refrigerator until you are ready to assemble.  

To assemble the cups: spoon sour cream filling into resealable plastic bag; trim corner. Pipe filling into the tortilla cups; spoon ceviche over filling, draining any excess liquid from the ceviche mixture against the side of the container. Makes 24 servings

Shrimp Ceviche Cup - Pampered Chef Recipe

Salsa

I'm going back a few years here but I totally think about the salsa conversation on Seinfeld when I hear the word "salsa."

Tis' the season for fresh garden salsa!  Do you have a garden?  I usually have a small garden with tomatoes and herbs...I won't bore you with my many excuses of not having a garden this summer. Next year for sure; no excuses!

Even without having a garden I have been able to find some great, local produce at neighborhood fruit/veggie stands and the farmer's market.  I also have a really awesome neighbor who has an abundance of tomatoes and hand delivers his extras to my doorstep (part of my list of excuses for not planting a garden was counting on these tomatoes).

Home grown summer tomatoes are the BEST!  The impostors at the grocery store don't even come close to comparison.  I've always loved tomatoes... even as a little girl my mom & grandma would serve home-grown tomatoes on crackers with cottage cheese and I couldn't get enough.  I can eat tomatoes on a toasted English muffin, in caprese salad, topped on a burger or egg sandwich, etc the list goes on and on.  My daughter likes them as well and picks them out of my salads when we go out to eat.  She is not shy when it comes to salsa either...some children dip their chip and don't get much but my daughter wants her chip loaded and the spicier the better!

Good tasting salsa starts with good tasting tomatoes.   So even if you don't have a garden you can still find some of these tasty red tomatoes at your local farmers market or maybe, like me, you are lucky enough to have a generous neighbor.  This salsa recipe is perfect with tortilla chips or you could use it to top off grilled fish or chicken. I used this recipe last week to top off some beer battered fish tacos*.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes
1/3 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 red or yellow pepper, chopped
juice from 1/4 of a lime
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/2 cup black beans (or chopped pineapple or chopped mango)
3 tablespoons jalapenos, chopped (more or less depending on how spicy you like your salsa)
dash of salt & pepper

Mix all of the ingredients and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. If you prefer a more finely blended salsa versus chopped you can put all the ingredients in a food processor. I like a more rustic chopped look but there are no rules here!  Enjoy!

*here's a pic of the fish tacos topped with the black bean salsa, pickled onions and a cilantro slaw ... they were delicious!

Strawberry Whoopie Pies with Cream Cheese Frosting

I have been trying to find a good whoopie pie recipe for a long time.  I tried several using cake mixes, one from scratch and every time they came out either too flat or too crunchy and just NOT right.  Its been frustrating because I like to think of myself as a good baker and some of these recipes I was embarrassed to say I was the one who made them.  The last time I tried to make whoopie pies I swore I wouldn't even give it another try because I was so tired of failing.

Today, as the sun went in and out of clouds and every-other minute it looked like it might rain I decided it would not be a Saturday spent at the pool.  The house was cleaned yesterday, I grocery shopped in the morning, we played games, ate lunch and then came the point where I was looking for something to do.  Oh, why not give those darn whoopie pies one last shot!  I just happened to have a strawberry cake mix in my pantry ...weird!!, I know, but my 2 year old daughter loves anything pink so it went into the grocery cart at some point months ago.


This is it!  Voila!  Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo!  I FINALLY found a great whoopie pie recipe that uses a cake mix - woohoo!!!!   They came out PERFECTLY FLUFFY!  I used the frosting recipe I use for my Easter carrot cake.  The sweet strawberry flavor pairs well with the cream cheese frosting.  These would make a perfect dessert at a baby shower for someone who is expecting a girl.

You can use any flavor cake and any flavor frosting.  I think I will try devil food chocolate next time with peanut butter frosting.  mmmm, my mouth is watering just thinking about it.  Now that I've mastered whoopie pies, what should I try next???  :-)  Happy baking!

Ingredients:
1 box strawberry cake mix (or any flavor)
3 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup water

Preheat oven to 400'F.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Mix ingredients in a large bowl for 2-3 minutes using a mixer.  Drop by spoonful (I used the Pampered Chef medium scoop - approximately 2 tablespoons) onto the parchment paper leaving 2 inches between each drop.  Bake for exactly 8 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes and then transfer the cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 package cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tub cool whip (8 oz size)

Mix ingredients until smooth.  Drop by spoonful onto the bottom of one cookie and top with a second cookie, press together to assemble your whoopie pies.  Wrap individually with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Wilton has a great vanilla filling recipe that works well with the strawberry whoopie pies as well as the classic chocolate whoopie pies.  It can be found here:  Wilton.com  I love the cream cheese frosting recipe, however, if you want something that doesn't need to be refrigerated the vanilla filling is the way to go.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

This spicy, creamy, addicting dip is a staple during football season!  It is also good anytime of the year as a quick go-to appetizer when entertaining friends.  If you have ever been to my house to watch football then you have definitely tried this dip.

Everyone seems to have their own version of this recipe with different levels of spiciness.  My version is a little different from the standard Frank's Red Hot recipe.  Its extra spicy but that extra kick keeps you coming back for more.  Hope you enjoy it!

2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or chopped (I use leftover rotisserie chicken from Sam's Club)
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup blue cheese salad dressing
1/4 cup ranch salad dressing
1/4 cup Frank's Hot Sauce
1/4 cup siracha sauce (found with Asian foods at the grocery store)

Mix the cheeses, salad dressings and hot sauces.  Stir in the chicken.  Microwave or bake until hot & bubbly.  Enjoy with tortilla chips or celery.

Jello Shooters!

First of all, this recipe is intended for adults over the age of 21.  Do not drink and drive!

We are headed to the Dave Matthews Band concert on Saturday and I thought I would make Jello shooters for something fun to have at our tailgate.  The first time I made Jello shooters years ago I made a huge mess in my kitchen trying to pour the liquid into the small containers.  I think my entire kitchen counter was a big sticky mess by the time I was finished and it also seemed to be very time consuming. Now I'm older and wiser I have a great system for making Jello shooters that is quick and easy... and for the most part mess-free.

Things you'll need
Funnel
Empty liquor bottle
Removable pour spout
Plastic condiment containers with lids

Ingredients
1 box Jello  3oz size (generic brands work good too)
1 cup boiling water
1 cup alcohol (any kind, any flavor ... see below for suggestions)

Each small box of jello will make about 25 shooters.  I made 150 shooters last night in about 30 minutes. Using an empty liquor bottle to mix and pour makes things really simple.  Another helpful hint is to boil all the water at once in a large pot and just keep it on a low boil while you make each batch of Jello (so if you have 6 boxes of Jello bring 6 cups of water to a boil).

Place the funnel in the empty liquor bottle and pour in one box of Jello.  Add one cup of the boiling water to the bottle, remove funnel, top with the cap and shake the bottle to dissolve the Jello.  Remove cap, place funnel back in the bottle and add one cup of alcohol.  Remove funnel, top with cap and give another shake to mix.  Remove cap and top with pour spout.  Fill 25 plastic containers about half way full, put the lids on, stack and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.  If you're working on more than one flavor you can simply rinse out your bottle and funnel and move on to the next flavor.

The flavor combinations I made last night were ...
Island Pineapple with Coconut Rum (Pina Colada)
Berry Blue with Blue Maui
Peach with Peach Schnapps
Strawberry with Melon Schnapps
Orange with 1/2 Washington Apple, 1/2 Peach Schnapps

If you want stronger shooters you can use vodka or rum for the cup of alcohol or you can use half a cup of vodka/rum with half a cup of a flavored schnapps.  I'm not trying to get anyone sick mid-concert so I just went with the light weight shooters this time.  We'll save the full strength vodka ones for a party.

Here are a few other flavor combos I found online. The possibilities are endless ...

• Dreamsicle Jello Shots
• Orange Jello, Whipped cream or vanilla flavored vodka, Triplesec

• Strawberry Lemonaid Jello Shots
• Strawberry Jello, Lemon flavored vodka, Triplesec 

• Jolly Rancher
• Melon Jello, Vodka, Apple Pucker

• Purple People Eater
• Grape Jello, Vodka, Watermelon Pucker

• Bomb Pop
• Cherry Jello, Lemon vodka, Blue Curacao 

• Margarita
• Lime Jello, Tequila, Triple sec

• Tequila Sunrise
• Orange Jello, Tequila, Triple sec and Grenadine 

• Tropic Thunder
• Berry Blue Jello, Lemon vodka, Blue curacao 

• Blue Hawaiian
• Berry Blue Jello, Malibu rum, Blue curacao, 1/2 cup pineapple juice can be substituted for some of the boiling water

• Rum Runner
• Strawberry Banana Jello, light or dark Rum, Triple sec

• Bahama Mama
• Watermelon Jello, Malibu rum, Peach schnapps

• Cosmopolitan
• Cranberry Jello, Vodka, Triple sec, Splash of lime juice with the boiling water 

• Sex on the Beach
• Orange Jello, Vodka, Peach schnapps, 1/2 cup cranberry juice substituted for some of the boiling water 

• Lemon Drop
• Lemon Jello, Lemon vodka, Triple sec 

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