Cookie Dough

I don't know about you but I have always been a big fan of licking the spoon after making brownies or eating the dough off the beaters when making chocolate chip cookies.  I know what some of you are thinking, "There are raw eggs in there!".  But it's just too hard to resist.  I try not to eat a lot of it, maybe just a few bites. :)  Now every time I bake chocolate chip cookies it brings me back to being a kid again.

One of my fondest memories is making chocolate chip cookies with my mom.  This was before we had our handy KitchenAid Mixer and we just had the old standby Sunbeam hand mixer.  We would follow the recipe off the back of the Nestle Toll House bag and together we would mix together the best batch of chocolate chip cookies ever or at least we thought they were better than the rest.  Now a days I have the luxury of owning my own KitchenAid, which makes the job just a little easier.  I actually asked for one for Christmas in the 10th grade and luckily Santa was listening because that's exactly what I received that year.  After 12 years (wow, it's really been that long?!) it's still running strong but I hope to one day soon upgrade to a bigger version.  Anyway, I seem to have digressed from the focus of this post, Cookie Dough! 

This past week I had another birthday to celebrate, my good friend Emily's 30th birthday.  About a year ago she accompanied me when I entered in a Holiday Cupcake/Cookie Challenge.  Well needless to say I did not win but we were both lucky enough to taste some of the competitors goodies and one treat we came across were Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes.  I'm sure most of you are either disgusted by that or are wondering what the heck is vegan.  I won't get into the details of what makes them vegan but they were absolutely amazing and Emily was a huge fan of them.  So I decided then I would need to find a similar recipe so I could make them one day.  Fast forward a year later and I discovered a great recipe, non-vegan, that looked just like what we had eaten.  I was reading one of the blogs I follow and stumbled upon it on the blog, Annie's Eats.  I didn't do a trial run before I made them for her birthday so I was a little concerned how they may turn out.  Well, they turned out just as good maybe even better.  I think Emily was pretty happy with the results as well.  Now these are not made for the diabetic, they are loaded with so much sugar and chocolaty goodness that you feel like your on a bit of a sugar high after eating one.  I warn you, they are addicting, so I would recommend having enough people around to share.  Serve with a tall glass of cold milk or maybe even a little champagne for the adults and these will bring you back to being a kid again and licking the dough off the beaters.  Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes
Recipe courtesy of Annie’s Eats

Yield: 24 cupcakes (I halved the recipe)

Ingredients:

For the cupcakes:

• 3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1½ cups light brown sugar, packed
• 4 large eggs
• 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 1 cup milk (I used fat free)
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup chocolate chips (semisweet or bittersweet)

For the filling:

• 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 6 tbsp. light brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 7 oz. sweetened condensed milk (I used fat free)
• ½ tsp. vanilla extract
• ¼ cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

For the frosting:

• 3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
• 3½ cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ¾ tsp. salt
• 3 tbsp. milk (I used fat free)
• 2½ tsp. vanilla extract

For decoration:

• Tiny chocolate chip cookies
• Mini chocolate chips

Directions:

1. To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350° F.  Line two cupcake pans with paper liners (24 total).  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and brown sugar.  Beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Mix in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
2. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.  Stir together to blend.  Add the dry ingredients to the mixer bowl on low speed, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, mixing each addition just until incorporated.  Blend in the vanilla.  Fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula.
3. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cupcake liners.   Bake for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Allow to cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
4. To make the cookie dough filling, combine the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and cream on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Beat in the flour, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla until incorporated and smooth.  Stir in the chocolate chips.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the mixture has firmed up a bit, about an hour.
5. To fill the cupcakes, cut a cone-shaped portion out of the center of each cupcake.  Fill each hole with a chunk of the chilled cookie dough mixture.
6. To make the frosting, beat together the butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until creamy.  Mix in the confectioners’ sugar until smooth.  Beat in the flour and salt.  Mix in the milk and vanilla extract until smooth and well blended.
7. Frost the filled cupcakes as desired, sprinkling with mini chocolate chips and topping with mini chocolate chip cookies for decoration.

Guest Blog - Santiago's (aka Dad's) Guacamole

This past week I made the trip home to upstate NY to have Thanksgiving with my family.  I had not been home since last Christmas so it was good to be back.  Thanksgiving is my dad's favorite holiday, looking at how he piles his plate you would think it was the food that he loved best but that's not what makes him happy.  More than anything he loves the fact it's not about the presents you received or did not receive, but instead it's an opportunity to highlight what's most important, the things you cannot buy, Family.  It's a time to give thanks and appreciate the family and friends we are all so lucky to have in our lives.

Along with our traditional Thanksgiving dinner we like relaxing on the couch and watching football.  However, it was Sunday that we were most looking forward, Giants vs. Jaguars.  To snack on during the game my dad decided to prepare a batch of his famous guacamole and I thought since it was his recipe he should guest in my next blog entry.  The Giants may not be the most consistent team right now but I can guarantee you that you can count on this recipe to be a winner every time you make it!

Guacamole served in an avocado dish with Tostito's Scoops

One of the advantages of having traveled much of the North American continent, taking repast in literally hundreds of restaurants large and small, is the opportunity to sample cuisine from A-Z.  It is hard not to find at least one menu item prepared in such a way you simply wish the chef would share the recipe for a nominal fee and go on with his or her day.  Thus, one of my favorites was ‘discovered’ years ago at a small Mexican eatery in California.  I have adapted and adopted it a number of times until at last I can say with some satisfaction the only thing that could make it better would be a bigger bowl.

With fall now planted firmly on the calendar, I enjoy bringing this favorite of our summer fresh tomato recipes to the snack table along with an intense NY Giants football game or two.  I refer to guacamole.  Not the store-bought pureed green gunk that could pass for very old goose pate… No, this is the recipe that gives avocados a good name.  As our blog host Kealy likes to remind us, only the freshest of the fresh vegetables and herbs will do for this variant of an appetizer classic.

Santiago (James) Howard’s Guacamole with a Twist.

Ingredients:

• 3-4 fresh and ripe avocados [my definition of ripe is when the outer skin is pressed it yields easily to the touch]
• ½ of a large Vidalia onion, diced
• 4 medium fresh tomatoes, diced
• 2-3 large jalapenos, diced
• ¼ cup of fresh Cilantro; diced but not too finely
• 1 teaspoon of lime juice
• ½ - 1 teaspoon of sea salt to taste
• ½ - ¾ teaspoon of cumin to taste

Directions:

1. Halve the avocados and scoop contents into a large bowl.  Using two table knives in a cross-cross slicing fashion cut the scooped halves into small pieces.  Using a table fork, gently mash the pieces into a heavily textured mix.  The key is to not over mash the pieces; chunky is the consistency you are looking for.
2. Fold in the diced onion, jalapeno, and Cilantro. 
3. Next add the tomatoes and any residual juice to the mixture.
4. This is when I add the salt, cumin and lime juice. 
5. Toss the mixture gingerly; TASTE
6. Tweak to taste
7. Allow your guacamole to cool in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes.
8. As the photos display, we like to serve with Scoops, as a generous dollop fits perfectly into the cup and the salty chip only complements the blend.
9. Beverage suggestion:  Anything that will help calm the burgeoning effects of capisain.

Birthday Celebrations

I am a big fan of celebrating birthdays, whether it's mine, a family member, or a good friend.  I especially like celebrating birthdays surrounded by good food and drink, and of course dessert!  There's something special about gathering your closest friends and family to celebrate another year gone by.  Is it just me or does every year seem to go by faster than the year prior?!  Each year is filled with good times as well as a few bad but it's always nice to look back on the good times and be grateful for what we have.

This past Friday we celebrated my friend Sara's birthday at Nolen Kitchen, Sara's favorite restaurant as well as mine.  You can always count on Nolen for great food, service, and a fun atmosphere.  Surrounded by her family and friends we toasted another year gone by for Sara.  Sara is a big fan of fall as well as anything pumpkin so I decided to make Pumpkin Cupcakes for her birthday dessert.  After filling ourselves on appetizers and entrees I wasn't sure if we would have room for dessert but we all made room for just one cupcake, two for some.  It was the perfect way to top off her birthday and the end of fall.

This was the first time I had tried this recipe.  I pulled it from one of the blogs I follow, Smitten Kitchen, whom I can always count on for a good recipe.  What's unique about this recipe is the special ingredient, black pepper.  It doesn't stand out like you would think but instead it blends well with the other spices creating a cupcake bursting with the taste of fall. If you don't know what fall tastes like then I highly recommend you bake a batch of these ASAP.  You are truly missing out!  So without further ado here is the recipe for Pumpkin Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting.  Enjoy!

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

The Guest of Honor with her Birthday Cupcake!

Pumpkin Cupcakes With Maple–Cream Cheese Frosting
Taken from Smitten Kitchen
Yield: 17 to 18 cupcakes

Ingredients:

Cupcakes:

• 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup firmly packed dark-brown sugar
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 cups cake flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup low fat buttermilk mixed with 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/4 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin

Frosting:

• Two (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened (I used low fat cream cheese)
• 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup (I used 1/3 cup)

Directions:

Cupcakes:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°.  Line a cupcake pan with 18 liners.
2. In a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugars on medium speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, salt, and pepper into a medium bowl.
3. Add the eggs 1 at a time to the mixer, scraping down the sides after each addition. Alternate adding the flour and milk mixtures, beginning and ending with the flour. Beat in the pumpkin until smooth.
4. Scoop the batter among the cupcake liners — you’re looking to get them 3/4 full. Rap the filled pans once on the counter to release any air bubbles. Bake the cakes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes. Cool the cupcakes on racks completely.

Frosting:

1. In a stand mixer beat all the ingredients on medium until fluffy.  Add more maple syrup to taste if needed.
2. Frost or decorate cupcakes as you like.

Optional:

1. To make Sara's cupcakes extra special I used dark chocolate candy melts to create S's for the top of the cupcakes.  They are very easy to make and for a quick how-to check out this link.

Mary Katherine, Me, Laura, and of course Nick!

The guys enjoying the cupcakes.

The Chidester's

What Is All When All Is Told

It's only been a month since our trip to Ireland but it seems like an eternity ago that we were there. It was an amazing trip and I cannot wait to go back again one day.  The scenery is beautiful, the Irish are kind and fun-loving, the country is filled with rich history, pubs are overflowing with laughter and good music, and the Guinness there cannot compare to any pint poured here in the US. During our trip one of our stops was at the home of Margaret & Paddy Fenton where we were warmly greeted with fresh scones, Guinness cake, tea, coffee then given a tour of the Molanna View Dairy Farm.  We had just eaten breakfast so I wasn't that hungry but I'm glad I "forced" myself to eat two scones and a piece of Guinness cake along side two cups of hot tea.  They were delicious and I had to stop myself from having thirds.  One of the sweetest things was just seeing the love Margaret & Paddy share, it is one to be admired and I am so glad I was able to meet them.  This was certainly one of my favorite stops along our tour.

Killarney National Park

Growing up we never made homemade scones or even homemade biscuits.  The closet we got to homemade was mixing Bisquick with milk and making dumplings for our Chicken & Dumplings.  Our family favorite was Pillsbury's canned crescents, biscuits, and breadsticks.  I can remember pulling out the can from the fridge and popping it open with a quick pull of the paper (or banging it against the counter if that didn't work) then ever so carefully rolling up the dough into crescents or twisting it into breadsticks.  Baking them until just golden then wrapping them up in our bread basket to keep them warm.  This was a staple in our house with a lot of our meals.  I hate to admit this but there are days I would take a Pillsbury crescent roll over any homemade crescent roll.  Just the familiar smell and buttery distintive taste of Pillsbury brings me right back to being a kid again. 

I don't make scones a lot because I haven't found too many recipes that I just love and that are not tough and dry.  But these scones, these are absolutely amazing.  They have just the right amount of sweetness and the dough is tender but sturdy enough to be covered with whatever topping you choose.  They are sure to be a new staple in my ever growing pile of recipes.  I ate my scones with a dollop of strawberry preserves and a large cup of hot tea.  This time I stopped myself at one but I may just have two tomorrow with breakfast.  I hope you enjoy this little taste of Ireland from the Fenton home to yours.  Enjoy!

 

Jam and Cream Scones

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. Self-raising Flour
• 1 tsp. Baking Powder
• 2 oz. Butter, cold and cut into small pieces (I used Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter)
• 2 oz. Castor Sugar (You can buy extra fine sugar or grind granulated sugar in a food processor for several pulses)
• 1 Egg, beaten
• 4 tbsp. milk (I used low fat buttermilk)

Optional Toppings:

• Jam, any flavor (I used one of my favorite brands, Hero Strawberry Preserves)
• Fresh Whipped Cream

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees and line your sheet pan with parchment paper.
2. Sift flour and baking powder together in a medium bowl.
3. Rub in the butter with your hands until mixture resembles coarse meal, with pea size pieces of butter.
4. Stir in the sugar then add the beaten egg and milk and mix with a wooden spoon just until everything comes together.
5. Generously flour your workspace and knead the dough until smooth.
6. Roll out dough to about 1/2 inch thickness and cut into rounds using a small round cutter.
7. Bake for about 10 minutes or until just barely golden.  Depending on how big you cut your scones will determine the cooking time.  Mine were smaller so they only took about 7 minutes.  Cool on wire rack.
8. Split scones in half, spread with jam, and place a little whipped cream on top.

During our tour we were also treated to a poem that Paddy recited to us by heart.  It was such a beautiful poem that I just had to share it with all of you. 

 WHAT IS ALL

WHEN ALL IS TOLD

O' What is it all when all is told,
The ceaseless toiling for fame and gold,
The fleeting joy of bitter tears,
We're only here for a few short years.
Nothing's our own but the silent past,
Loving or hating, nothing can last,
Each pathway leads to the silent fold,
O' what is it all when all is told.

What is it all a grassy mound,
Where day or night there is never sound,
Save the soft low moan of the fanning breeze,
As it lovingly rustles the silent trees.
Or a thoughtful friend with whispered prayer,
May sometimes break the stillness there,
Then hurry away from the gloom and the cold,
O' what is it all when all is told.

What is all just passing true,
A cross for me and a cross for you,

Ours seems heavy while others seem light,
But God in the end makes all things right.
He tempts the mind with loving care,
He knows the burden that each can bear,
Then turns life's grey into heavenly gold,
O' what is all when all is told.

Margaret & Paddy Fenton

Can you tell me how to get, How to get to Sesame Street...

This past weekend I traveled north to my sister, Amanda's home in Connecticut for a special weekend.  I had the extreme privilege of becoming my niece, Addison's, Godmother.   Not only did we celebrate her baptism but her 1st birthday.  I don't travel home a lot so I was very excited to see everyone.  It was a weekend filled with celebration, laughter, games, and CUPCAKES!  I thought what better way to celebrate than with Sesame Street character cupcakes.  I loved Sesame Street as a little girl.  I watched the show, had the stuffed animals, read the books, you could say I was a little obsessed but what child under the age of 5 isn't?!  My favorite character was and still is Elmo.  He is also a favorite of my nephew Ethan, who owns several Elmo paraphernalia.  I was nervous about taking on this challenge but they turned out better than expected.  Below is my take on a few of the Sesame Street Characters.

To start, there were several people coming over so I made 4 dozen cupcakes.  I chose to make two flavors, Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting from one of my favorite blogs, Joy the Baker, and Dorie Greenspan's Perfect Party Cake.  The baking was the easy part, it was the decorating that made me nervous.  These were for my niece's 1st birthday, I couldn't mess them up!

Oscar the Grouch, Elmo, and Cookie Monster

MY FAVORITE RED VELVET CUPCAKES
Recipe from Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook
makes one dozen cupcakes (I doubled the recipe to make two dozen.)


Ingredients:

• 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 1/2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 Tablespoons red food coloring
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar

Directions:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about three minutes.  Turn mixer to high and add the egg.  Scrape down the bowl and beat until well incorporated.
2. In a separate bowl mix together cocoa, vanilla and red food coloring to make a thick paste.  Add to the batter, mixing thoroughly until completely combined.  You may need to stop the mixer to scrape the bottom of the bowl, making sure that all the batter gets color.
3. Turn mixer to low and slowly add half of the buttermilk.  Add half of the flour and mix until combined.  Scrape the bowl and repeat the process with the remaining milk and flour.  Beat on high until smooth.
4. Turn mixer to low and add baking soda and white vinegar.  Turn to high and beat a few more minutes.
5. Scoop batter into paper lined cupcake baking pans and bake at 325 F for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center cupcake comes out clean.
6. Let rest in the pan for 10 minutes, then place them of a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
double recipe to frost 2 dozen cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 2 1/3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 3 Tablespoons butter, room temperature
• 4 ounces cream cheese, cold (I used room temperature)
• scant 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. Beat the powdered sugar, cinnamon, and butter together in the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment.  Mix on medium-slow speed until it comes together and is well mixed.
2. Add the cream cheese all at once and beat on medium to medium-high until incorporated.
3. Turn the mixer to medium-high and beat for 5 minutes, or until the frosting becomes light and fluffy.  Do not over-beat as the frosting can quickly become runny.

PERFECT PARTY CAKE
From Dorie Greenspan’s “Baking: From My Home to Yours”
makes two dozen cupcakes (I altered the recipe slightly and used a different buttercream recipe, which is listed below.)

Ingredients:

For the Cake:

• 2 ½ cups cake flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 ¼ cups whole milk or buttermilk
• 4 large egg whites
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons or 4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ½ teaspoon pure lemon extract

For the Buttercream:

• 2 sticks unsalted butter – room temperature
• 1 cup shortening
• 1 tablespoon Vanilla extract
• 2 pounds confectioner’s sugar (powdered sugar, 10x)
• 4-6 tablespoons very cold milk

For Filling:

• 2/3 cup seedless raspberry preserves warmed gently over low heat on the stove
• About 1 ½ cups sweetened shredded coconut
• Decorating Bag

Directions:

To Make the Cake:

1. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
2. Whisk together the buttermilk and egg whites in a medium bowl.
3. Put the sugar and lemon zest in the mixing bowl and rub them together with your fingers until the sugar is moist and fragrant.
4. Add the butter and working with the paddle or whisk attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat at medium speed for a full 3 minutes, until the butter and sugar are very light.
5. Beat in the extract, then add one third of the flour mixture, still beating on medium speed.
6. Beat in half of the buttermilk-egg mixture, then beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients until incorporated.
7. Add the rest of the buttermilk and eggs beating until the batter is homogeneous, then add the last of the dry ingredients.
8. Finally, give the batter a good 2 minute beating to ensure that it is thoroughly mixed and well aerated.
9. Scoop batter into paper lined cupcake baking pans and bake at 325 F for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center cupcake comes out clean.
10. Let rest in the pan for 10 minutes, then place them of a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.

To Make the Buttercream:

1. Cream the butter and shortening in the bowl of an electric or stand mixer. 
2. Add the vanilla extract and combine well. Begin adding in the sugar and mixing thoroughly after each addition. 
3. After all of the sugar has been added and mixed thoroughly, begin adding the very cold milk, one tablespoon at a time, combining very well after each addition (mixer on medium-high to high speed) until you reach the desired consistency.

Filling Cupcakes:

1. Prepare a decorating bag with your jam filling and very small round decorating tip (ex: #230)
2. Insert tip in top center of the uniced cupcake and squeeze out a small amount of filling.

Decorating the Cupcakes:

Tools: 

• Decorating Tip #233
• Decorating Bags
• Wilton's Icing Colors in Red, Green, and Blue
• Ready-to-use Gel Icing in black for the eyeballs and Elmo's eyebrows
• White Candy Melts for the eyes
• Oreo Cookies cut in half with a serrated knife for Elmo and Oscar's mouthes
• Chips Ahoy Cookies cut in half with a serrated knife for Cookie Monster's mouth
• Orange Candy Slices cut in half for Elmo's nose

Directions:

1. I divided the buttercream into 3 bowls and the cream cheese icing into 3 bowls.  Then colored each of the 2 sets of icings green, red, and blue.
2. Fill the decorating bag fitted with the #233 tip and create hair on one cupcake at a time.  I only had one tip so I had to do 6 different bags, washing the tip before filling another bag.   Click here for a helpful tutorial on making hair.
3. Working quickly so the icing doesn't have time to harden, decorate the cupcake accordingly before moving onto the next one.

Addison enjoying her Cookie Monster cupcake

Ethan & Addison

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overall it was a lot of work but I had a great time making them and eating them.  They were delicious!  I'm looking forward to trying something like this again.  Maybe Disney characters?!  We will see!


Notes: I made 16 of each character with 8 of them being red velvet cupcakes and 8 being perfect party cupcakes.  I also had leftover frosting so next time I may not quite double the recipe  but do 1 1/2 times the original recipe for the cream cheese frosting and cut the buttercream recipe by 1/3.  Be sure to not use plastic white bowls when coloring the icing.  I accidentally stained the inside of one of my sister's bowls and a spatula.  After scrubbing vigioursly it lightened to a shade of pink.  My hands were also a light shade of red for a couple of days. :)

Ideas taken from Time for Supper!, Lovely Sprinkles, and Kitchen Dough Dough.

Quinoa Stir-Fry

It's been awhile since my last post.  I just returned on Monday from a 10 day trip to Ireland.  It was an amazing experience and I cannot wait to visit again, hopefully it will be sooner than later.  Stay tuned for my next post with highlights from my Ireland trip and a special recipe from a sweet couple we met while visiting their dairy farm just outside of Killarney.

This week has been busy for me, playing catch up at work and slowly adjusting back to eastern standard time.  For the past week and a half I've had someone else preparing my meals so it's been awhile since I've been in the kitchen.  I finally made it to the grocery store yesterday and decided to pick up ingredients for a stir-fry.  I am a big fan of stir-fry, it's easy and can be adapted to whatever ingredients you may have on hand.  I can remember growing up and my mom preparing stir-fry in her electric wok, circa late 1970s. Our usual recipe included chicken, frozen veggies, canned water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, and stir fry sauce served over white rice.  It doesn't sound like anything special but it's one of my comfort foods that always brings back good memories.

This particular recipe is an updated version of my childhood recipe with a healthy twist.  I don't eat meat anymore so I removed the chicken from the original recipe and added more fresh veggies.  I also forgot to buy ginger so I added extra garlic and a finely chopped jalapeno.  The final result was a slightly spicy mix of crunchy vegetables piled over a healthier version of fried rice.  Feel free to play around with the ingredients and make it your own.  Enjoy!

Quinoa Stir-Fry With Vegetables
Adapted from this recipe on Self.com
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 small carrot, thinly sliced
• 1 medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
• 1 clove garlic, sliced 
• 1 small jalapeno, chopped
• 2 cups sugar snap peas
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 egg, beaten 
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 1/2 cup cilantro
• 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce

Directions:

1. Place quinoa in a small saucepan with 3/4 cup water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook, undisturbed, until quinoa absorbs water, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork and leave uncovered. 
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook carrot, stirring occasionally, until it softens, about 1 minute. 
3. Add bell pepper, garlic and chile, if desired; cook, stirring frequently, about 2 minutes. 
4. Add peas, sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, 1 minute. 
5. Remove vegetables and return skillet to heat; add quinoa, along with egg. Cook, stirring constantly, until egg is evenly distributed, about 2 minutes. 
6. Add vegetables, scallions, cilantro and soy sauce; cook 1 minute more. Divide stir-fry among 4 bowls; serve warm.

Savannah

Have you ever heard of the saying "I just ate my way through <insert city or country here>"?  Well that is exactly what I did this past weekend when two of my friends and I traveled down to the quaint city of Savannah.  Jena served as tour guide and Jess was our photographer.  Our goal was to have a girl's weekend away from Charlotte but it turned into much more than that as soon as we parked the car at her parent's historic home, circa 1850, in downtown Savannah.

Savannah is only a 3 1/2 hour drive from Charlotte so if you have not been there I highly recommend making a trip down, especially while the weather is cooler.  It had been a long week for all of us and even though we arrived late Friday night we were not ready to call it a night yet.  Our first stop, Lulu's Chocolate Bar.  This fine establishment serves an array of homemade desserts along with tasty cocktails that pair nicely with them.  We each decided on champagne as our drink of choice.  We couldn't decide on just one dessert so we decided to split two.  We went with the Chocolate Nut Brownie served a la mode with homemade vanilla bean ice cream and the Creme Brulee sampler, which included White Chocolate Raspberry, Chocolate Espresso, and Vanilla Bean.  Words cannot describe how delicious they truly were.  With my tummy full on sugary goodness I was now ready for bed, excited for the next day ahead.

Saturday we took to the streets for a jog around Forsyth Park hoping to get a little exercise in before we started our culinary tour for the day.  We enjoyed a small breakfast at a laid back cafe called the Sentient Bean.  Jess and I went with coffee and yogurt with homemade granola and Jena chose a savory scone with a berry smoothie.  Now with breakfast finished we were ready to start our shopping.

We walked around downtown wandering in and out of the stores, ranging from charming antique shops and a honey shop called the Savannah Bee to the usual mainstream stores like Banana Republic and Gap.  It did not take us long before our stomachs began to rumble or at least we were just telling ourselves that so we could partake in another one of Jena's restaurant picks.  Well the minute I walked into Papillote, I no longer had to convince myself I was hungry.  It's a simple concept; great, no scratch that, amazing French food without the high prices or any of the frills.  I have never been to France but I think what we had for lunch came very close to what you would find in a cafe in Paris.  I was so impressed with the food I will be attempting to recreate my sandwich in a future blog post.  Jess chose the Le Parisien (Ham, Swiss cheese, brie and paper-thin slices of apple with a touch of honey-mustard on a slice of crunchy ciabatta bread) while Jena and I chose the Crab and Mango Tartine (A French open-faced sandwich topped with crab meat, fresh mango, avocado and a spicy sauce on toasted brioche).  As the French would say "Mangez bien, riez souvent, aimez beaucoup" and that is exactly what we did all weekend.  On a side note, I have to give the restaurant bonus points for being environmentally conscious, a majority of their packaging is 100% recycled or recyclable/compostable.

Crab and Mango Tartine

So if you're wondering if I'm near the end, I'm not, so I'll understand if you need to step away from the computer to find something to snack on because I know all of this reminiscing is making me very hungry!

That afternoon we rested up and got dressed up for what was to be a night filled with good food and drinks.  Around 7:00 we headed to the Bohemian Hotel, a boutique hotel with an amazing view of Savannah from it's rooftop bar, for cocktails.  From there we moved on to Jazz'd Tapas Bar for dinner.   

Jazz'd is a chic restaurant with modern decor.  It's known for hosting many a bachelorette party, in fact we saw 3 groups while we were there.  We split a bottle of Cavit Pinot Grigio and started off with the Roasted Garlic Hummus.  From there we each ordered two tapas for ourselves.  The menu is extensive so it was hard to just pick two but I narrowed it down to the Traditional Bruschetta, which was by far the best bruschetta I've had in a long time and the Roasted Tomato Escargot, which I also highly recommend.  It was a nice change from the usual recipe of escargot engulfed with butter and garlic.  To top it all off we each ordered a dessert martini.  After dinner we wandered over to Circa 1875 for one last drink before our walk home.  However, on our way home our equal love for sweets got the best of us and we just had to stop at La'Berry, Savannah's version of a Pinkberry or Yoforia.  Somehow Jena's willpower was holding strong and she chose not to indulge.  Nonetheless it was a sweet ending to our night.

Suprisingly I actually woke up hungry on Sunday morning.  Honestly, I am always hungry for breakfast.  The three of us joked about people that actually say they forget to eat because they just get so busy.  We on the other hand eat every few hours but I think you've already figured that out.  Before we departed on our drive back to the Queen City, Jena's parents took us on a boat ride to another one of her favorites, especially during the summer, Bonna Bella.  It's a casual restaurant with fresh, local ingredients.  I had one look at the menu and knew exactly what I wanted, fish tacos.  They offer 3 flavors and I chose the South American spice with tomatillo salsa verde served with a side of spicy black beans and rice.  A cool tidbit I found when looking at their website, they were featured on Food Network's Chef's vs City this past May.  I have to say it was a great way to end our Savannah weekend!

So there you have it, Savannah seen through the eyes or should I say stomachs of Jena, Jess, and Kealy.  I could go on and on about the many other things Savannah has to offer like the beautiful  architecture, museums galore, the historic Squares of Savannah, etc etc but I think I've written enough for now.  I am looking forward to returning to Savannah sometime soon and another girl's weekend filled with a lot of good food and laughter.

Dinner Party

Last night I had a few of my good friends over for a small dinner party.  I usually host a party about 3-4 times a year.  As you know I love to cook but I especially enjoy cooking for family and friends.  It was a great night filled with good food and good friends and I’m looking forward to the next party….hmmm, what to make next time?!  Maybe one of my grandmother’s famous soups or chicken enchiladas with tomatillo sauce…let me stop day dreaming and move on to last night’s menu:

Wines
Blue Flame Pinot Noir
Redwood Creek Sauvignon Blanc
Barefoot Sauvignon Blanc

Appetizers
Warm Brie with Pesto & Sun Dried Tomatoes
Served with toasted and buttered mini baguette slices
 Prepared by Jena

 

Salad
Spring Mix with Freshly Chopped Organic Vegetables
Arugula, spring mix, carrots, red peppers, cucumbers, and tomatoes, lightly dressed with homemade Dijon vinaigrette

Dijon Vinaigrette
Approximately 6 Servings

Ingredients:

• 2-3 Cloves Garlic, smashed
• ½ Tsp Kosher Salt
• ¼ Tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
• 6 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• ½ Tsp Dijon Mustard
• 2 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
• Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Combine garlic, salt, red pepper flakes, and olive oil in glass measuring cup.  Cover with saran wrap and microwave on high until garlic is golden, no more than 2 minutes.  Let cool.
2. Once the olive oil mixture has cooled, whisk together the mustard, vinegar, and pepper in a small bowl.  Slowly whisk in the olive oil mixture to form a smooth dressing.

Entrée

Spinach Ricotta Gnocchi with Tomato Sauce

Light balls of spinach and ricotta dough nestled in a homemade sauce seasoned with garlic, red pepper flakes, and fresh basil.

I have eaten gnocchi countless times but this was my first attempt at making it from scratch.  Yes, the process was tedious but the final result was worth every minute.   They turned out light and airy and full of flavor.  Next time I may throw fresh chopped basil into the dough.  I don’t think you can ever have enough basil!  As for the sauce, it has now moved to the top of my homemade sauces list.  If I can help it I will never buy another jar of sauce again!

Spinach and Ricotta Gnocchi with Quick Tomato Sauce

Recipe courtesy of Anne Burrell
 

Prep Time: 20 min       
Cook Time: 40 min       
Serves: 6 to 8
 

Ingredients:
 

Gnocchi:

• 2 pounds fresh ricotta cheese, wrapped in cheesecloth and hung overnight in refrigerator (I used part skim ricotta)
• 1 (9-ounce box) frozen spinach, defrosted and water squeezed out
• 4 eggs
• 2 C grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for sprinkling
• 2 to 3 grates fresh nutmeg (I did not have fresh on hand so I used already grated nutmeg from my spice rack) 
• Kosher salt (I did not add any extra salt since I thought it was salty enough from the ricotta and the Parmigiano-Reggiano.) 
• 1/4 to 1/2 C all-purpose flour, plus more for the outside of the gnocchi
• Semolina, for holding the gnocchi

Sauce: 

• 2 – 15 oz cans whole plum tomatoes (Use your kitchen scissors to chop up the tomatoes in the can) Anne’s recipe calls for blanching fresh tomatoes but buying good quality canned tomatoes is a great substitute.
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• Kosher salt
• Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed and finely chopped
• 6 to 7 basil leaves, cut into a chiffonade
• Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, for garnish
• Special equipment: disposable pastry bag

Directions:

Gnocchi:

1. Unwrap the ricotta cheese from the cheesecloth; the texture should be pretty dry and crumbly.  Put the cheese into a large bowl.
2. Finely chop the squeezed spinach and add it to the ricotta. Add the eggs, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and nutmeg. Mix until well combined. Taste and season with salt, if needed. Add in 1/4 cup of flour. If the mixture is still very wet, add in the remaining 1/4 cup of flour. (I used the entire ½ cup)
3. Dust a sheet tray generously with flour. Coat another sheet tray generously with semolina flour. Fill a pastry bag with the ricotta/spinach mixture. Pipe 1 1/2-inch balls of the cheese mixture onto the all-purpose flour lined tray. Shake the tray around to coat the balls in flour. Roll each flour coated cheese piece around in your hand to form a ball. Do this gently so as to not squish the cheese balls. Arrange them on the semolina lined tray.

Sauce:

1. Coat a large sauté pan, over medium-high heat, with olive oil. Add the onions, season with salt.  Toss in the crushed red pepper and cook the onions until they are soft and aromatic, about 8 minutes. 
2. Add in the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. 
3. Stir in the tomatoes and season with salt, to taste. Bring the tomato mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if needed.  (The sauce can always sit longer if need be, it will only intensify the flavor.)
4. Toss in the basil just before serving.

To assemble:

1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over medium heat then reduce the heat until the water is at a simmer. Carefully add the gnocchi to the simmering water. Cook until the gnocchi float and have begun to swell, 3 to 5 minutes.
2. On individual serving plates, spoon some sauce on each plate and spread it out until it becomes a 4 to 5-inch circle.
3. Using a spider or long handled mesh strainer, carefully remove the gnocchi from the cooking water, blot on a tea towel and arrange 5 gnocchi on each circle of sauce. Sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano and serve.

Dessert

Chocolate Pecan Tartlets

Light & buttery crust filled with a sweet filling of pecans and chocolate chips

 

Chocolate Pecan Tartlets 

Recipe courtesy of Self.com

Serves: Makes 24 tartlets
 

Ingredients:

• 5 tablespoons butter, softened, plus 1 tablespoon melted butter
• 4 ounces light cream cheese 
• 1 C all-purpose flour 
• 1 Tbsp confectioners' sugar 
• 1/4 Tsp salt 
• 3/4 C light-brown sugar
• 1/3 C mini semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 large egg 
• 1 Tsp vanilla extract (I prefer to use pure vanilla extract over artificial.  It is more expensive but the more intense flavor is worth every penny.)
• 2/3 C chopped pecans

Directions:

1. Mix softened butter and cream cheese in a bowl until smooth. Blend in flour, a bit at a time, confectioners' sugar and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Form dough into a disk. Cover in plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 3 hours.
2. Heat oven to 325°F. Divide dough into 24 balls; press into two 12-cup mini muffin tins, pushing dough up over edges. Refrigerate.
3. Meanwhile, mix brown sugar, chocolate, egg, melted butter, vanilla and remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt in a bowl until combined.  Divide half the pecans among muffin cups; top with brown sugar mixture; sprinkle remaining pecans on top.
4. Bake 20 minutes or until dough is lightly golden around edges. Let sit 5 minutes. Run tip of knife around cup edges to loosen. Remove when cool enough to handle; transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Pecan pie has not always been one of my favorite pies.  I usually prefer an apple pie or pumpkin pie or even a Lemon Meringue Pie* over a pecan pie but there is something about these tarts that put them over the top.  Maybe it’s the buttery shell or the abundance of chocolate chips but these little bites are absolutely delicious!   Bonus…they filled my apartment with the sweet smell of butter and chocolate…better than my expensive Bath & Body Works sugar cookie candle.
 

*(I have to be honest and reveal a little secret.  I don’t really like Lemon Meringue Pie, at least not all of the components together.  I prefer to sneak into the fridge, particularly after Thanksgiving at my Dad’s, and steal bites of meringue off the top.  I never really get away with it but I still do it, regardless of the disappointed looks I receive from my father. ;))

A special thanks to Emily who helped wash the majority of  my dishes at the end of the night.  :)

More Chocolate Please

I absolutely love chocolate, especially dark chocolate.  I love salty foods but if I had to choose I would always pick something sweet over something salty.  As you can see from these pictures my mom started making me a chocolate cake for my birthday as early as age 1.  Nowadays I’m more of a vanilla cake with vanilla butter cream or red velvet with cream cheese frosting type but I still love my chocolate.

This past Tuesday I was in the baking mood (When am I not in the baking mood?!) and looking for something extra chocolaty to make.  Going through my collection of cookbooks I settled on a recipe from “Baking From My Home to Yours” by Dorie Greenspan.  The thing I liked about this recipe was the use of cocoa powder and bittersweet chocolate so it was double the chocolate, plus it only called for brown sugar, no granulated sugar necessary, which resulted in a moister and slightly sweeter cookie.  One bit of advice for these cookies is I would recommend letting the batter cool down slightly for about 15 minutes so it has a chance to firm up.  This way when you’re scooping out the cookies you have uniform balls of dough.

Chocolate Oatmeal Drops
Recipe by Dorie Greenspan

Makes about 50 cookies (My cookies were larger so I only ended up with 3 dozen)

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 C. flour
• 1/2 C. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 Tsp baking soda
• 1/2 Tsp salt
• 1/2 Tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 sticks unsalted butter
• 1 Tbsp water
• 1 1/2 C. packed brown sugar
• 9 ounces bittersweet chocolate (I used bittersweet chocolate chips)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 C. old-fashioned oats

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Line cookie sheets with parchment.
2. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.  Set aside.
3. In a heat proof bowl over simmering water, melt the butter, water, brown sugar and chocolate chips, stirring occasionally until all is melted.  Be sure the heat is not too high or the mixture will start to separate.
4. Remove from heat, and add eggs one at a time, whisking quickly to prevent the eggs from becoming scrambled.  Stir in the flour then the oats until just incorporated.
5. Using a cookie scoop, scoop the dough onto the cookie sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie.  (I was able to fit 12 on a sheet.)  Bake 12 minutes, turning the cookie sheet around after 6 minutes, until the cookies are dark around the edges and just slightly soft in the middle.  Transfer to baking rack and cool to room temperature.  Let cookie sheets cool between batches before scooping more dough onto them.  Enjoy with a cup of coffee like me or a tall glass of cold milk.

Simplicity

I love trying out new recipes, whether it’s a new cupcake flavor or a savory dish like eggplant lasagna.  It doesn’t matter how simple or complex it is because I enjoy just being in the kitchen.  Please note, I have failed plenty a recipe but that doesn’t deter me from trying something new again.

There are days I’m just in the mood for something quick and simple.  No fuss, no muss!   A few days ago I was in just that mood so I decided to pull out a recipe from my collection of Lynne Rossetto Kasper’s favorite dishes.  Lynne is the host of my favorite NPR show (yes, I listen to NPR…thank you dad for getting me hooked) “The Splendid Table”.  Her hour long show takes you through new recipes, listeners calling in with their questions on the hottest foods and trends, useful tips in the kitchen, all the while making you want to drop everything and head into the kitchen if you’re not already in there.

The recipe I chose, Spaghettini with Garlic, Parsley & Olive Oil, is by another favorite of mine, Lidia Bastianich.  This is Lynne’s favorite go to dish when she just wants something simple but full of flavor.  This took no more than 20 minutes to prep and cook so dinner was on the table before I knew it.  Feel free to add any extra ingredients you may have on hand such as leftover roasted vegetables, beans, or even pancetta.  It will only add to the amazing flavor of this dish.

Spaghettini with Garlic, Parsley & Olive Oil
Adapted from Lidia Bastianich’s recipe

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• Salt
• 1/3 pound spaghettini
• 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
• 8 to 10 branches Italian parsley, stems removed, leaves chopped (I like parsley so I added a lot and kept the pieces bigger than maybe some people would like.)
• I added a 1/2 C garbanzo beans and a few shakes of red pepper flakes

Directions:

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat, and stir in the spaghettini. Stir frequently and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, until tender but still firm.
2. Meanwhile, put the olive oil and garlic in a saucepan and heat gently until the garlic begins to sizzle and release its fragrance; take care that it does not brown or burn. Add the parsley to the pan along with 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
3. When the pasta is cooked, use a skimmer to lift it out of the water and directly into the pan.  Toss the pasta and let it simmer briefly in the sauce to finish cooking and absorb the flavors; add more pasta water if needed to keep the pasta loose and saucy. Taste the pasta for salt, and add more if needed.

Sunday Morning Pancakes

Breakfast has always been and always will be my favorite meal of the day.  My weekday mornings are usually filled with simple meals, a bowl of cereal, oatmeal topped with apples and walnuts, or even a couple of eggs with toast.  But it’s the weekend where I like to spend a little extra time preparing breakfast.  This Sunday morning I decided to try out a new pancake recipe by one of my favorite cookbook authors, Dorie Greenspan, called Banana, Raisin, and Oatmeal Pancakes.

Growing up, we never really made batter from scratch.  It either came from a box of Bisquick or Maple Grove Farms but they were still delicious!  At my mom’s we typically had waffles but at my dad’s it was mostly pancakes, especially on Sunday mornings before heading off to church.  Being part of a big family I saw that everyone has their own way of topping and eating their pancakes.   My dad loves to douse his in butter and maple syrup (100% Pure Vermont Maple Syrup) devouring them so quickly the pancakes don’t even have a chance to become soggy with all of that syrup.  My stepmom, Tracey, goes another route by spreading hers with jelly, preferably strawberry.  I like pure maple syrup as well but I like to put a little bit on as I go.  This way the pancakes never have a chance to get soggy.  Finally, if you’re like my nephew and you’re only 2 ½ years old and are still working on your silverware skills then dipping is the way to go.  His pancakes or waffles or French toast, whatever is available that morning, is cut into tiny pieces and served alongside a bowl of maple syrup (his can be the fake stuff, he’s not too picky) and he goes along dipping his breakfast into the sugary goodness.

I really like any kind of pancake but these were especially yummy.  It was like eating an oatmeal raisin cookie for breakfast!  Of course I wanted to make these a little healthier so I tweaked the recipe just slightly.  You could also play around with the ingredients; maybe toss in some nuts or chocolate chips…oatmeal chocolate chip cookies for breakfast, yum!  I also decided to change up my usual maple syrup topping with a warm blueberry sauce I made from scratch.  Paired with my morning Hazelnut coffee, this breakfast is one I know I will be making again in the near future.

Banana, Raisin, and Oatmeal Pancakes
Makes about 12
Adapted from this recipe.

Ingredients:
•    1 cup old-fashioned oats
•    1 cup all purpose flour (I used whole wheat flour)
•    1/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
•    1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
•    1/2 teaspoon baking soda
•    1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
•    3/4 cup plain yogurt (I used fat free Greek yogurt)
•    3/4 cup whole milk (I used vanilla almond milk)
•    2 large eggs
•    1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
•    2 ripe bananas, mashed
•    1 cup raisins
•    1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted (I only used an 1/8 cup (1/4 stick))

Directions:

1. Whisk first 6 ingredients in medium bowl. Whisk yogurt, milk, eggs, and vanilla in another medium bowl to blend. Whisk dry ingredients into yogurt mixture just until blended. Fold in mashed bananas, raisins, and 1/4 cup melted butter.
2. Spray nonstick griddle or skillet with Pam; heat over medium heat. Working in batches, pour batter by 1/3 cupfuls onto griddle. Cook pancakes until bubbles form on top and bottoms are golden brown, about 2 minutes. Turn pancakes over and cook until bottoms are golden brown, about 2 minutes.
3. Keep pancakes warm in a 200 degree oven while you finish cooking all of the pancakes.

Note: Once my bananas start to go bad I'm not always ready to use them in a recipe so I throw them in a large Ziploc bag, with the peel, and store them in the freezer.  When I'm ready to use them I let them defrost on the counter for a few hours or if I need them immediately like I did this morning I defrosted them in the microwave for about 3-5 minutes.  They come out pretty mushy so you don't have to mash them like you typically would.

Blueberry Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 cup frozen blueberries
• 1/4 cup water

 Directions:

1.  Combine blueberries and water in saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer until some of the water has evaporated and left you with a slightly thick blueberry sauce, approximately 5-10 minutes.
3. Feel free to add sugar or spices but I felt the blueberries were sweet enough on their own.

End of Summer Recipe

Now that Summer is coming to a close it's a good time to start using up the last of the season's tomatoes.  One way I like to do that is using them to make a quick and easy salsa.  This recipe comes from my Dad and we've been making it together since I was about 10 years old.  I know most salsas are pretty similar but I have to say I think this is one of my favorites.  My dad and I like this recipe so much that often times we could be found eating it with a spoon, no chips necessary.

Another reason this recipe is so special to me is it was my first ever published recipe!  Granted, it was only in my school's community cookbook but at 12 years old I thought it was pretty cool.

I halved the original recipe and changed the measurements slightly.  Whenever possible I like to use local, organic produce and if that's not possible then I try to buy organic.  The tomatoes and peppers I used are from my local Farmer's Market.  I served this salsa along side Zucchini, Corn, Black-Bean, and Jack-Cheese Quesadillas, a recipe I found in one of my favorite magazines, Food & Wine.  I left the salsa recipe alone but I added a few things to the quesadillas to make them my own.  I found this was a great meal to watch during Sunday football.  Go Giants!

Kealy's Favorite Salsa
From the Howard Kitchen

Ingredients

• 5 fresh ripe tomatoes (I used large vine ripened tomatoes)
• 1 green pepper
• 1 can concentrated tomatoes
• 3 jalapeno peppers
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 2 anaheim peppers
• 1/4 C. fresh chopped cilantro
• 3 red chili peppers
• 2 serrano peppers
• Juice of 1/2 a lime along with the zest
• Add fresh chopped garlic and juice of 1/2 a lemon (Optional)

Directions:

1. Dice tomatoes, onion, and green pepper.  Mix together with the canned tomatoes in a large bowl.
2. Place all of the hot peppers in a food processor, finely chop, and add to bowl.
3. Blend in cilantro and lime.  Season with salt and pepper.

Note: This batch of salsa was very spicy so be careful with adding the peppers.  If you don't like spicy food I would recommend cutting back on the peppers by half. 

Zucchini, Corn, and Black-Bean Quesadillas
Adapted from this recipe

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 small zucchini, grated and drained on paper towels (about 1 cup)
• 1 C. defrosted frozen corn, drained on paper towels
• 1/2 C.  mushrooms, chopped
• 1 small red onion, chopped
• 1 - 15oz can drained and rinsed canned black beans (I already had a can of chickpeas open and it was a great substitute)
• 1/4 tsp fresh-ground black pepper 
• 2 tsp chili powder 
• 1 C. light Mexican blend cheese
• 8 corn tortillas
• 1 avocado, sliced into strips

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine the zucchini, corn, onion, jalapenos, beans, salt, pepper, and chili powder. Toss gently to distribute the seasonings and then stir in the cheese. 
2. Heat the oven to 200°. Set the tortillas on a work surface. Distribute the filling on 4 of the tortillas then top each with another tortilla.
3. In a large nonstick frying pan over moderate heat spray with Pam. Cook each quesadilla 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and the cheese is melted.  Remove from the pan and keep warm on a baking sheet in the oven. Repeat in batches with the remaining quesadillas. Cut the quesadillas in wedges and serve with avocado and salsa.

Fall Is In The Air

Welcome to my first blog entry.  Why do you ask have I all of a sudden chosen now to start “blogging”?  Well first of all summer is coming to a close and we’re entering what I see as the best time of year, Fall.  There is nothing like the feeling of the weather getting a little cooler, the leaves turning, and pulling out all of my sweaters and boots to bundle up in. So what better time to start writing then the time of year that makes me the happiest.

When I think of fall I think of apples.  Coming from upstate New York I grew up surrounded by apple orchards, predominately Macintosh.  I remember taking many field trips there for school, which involved tours of the orchard and factory, learning the steps of picking and packing their apples to sell as well as the process of making apple cider.  Since my birthday is in October I always loved bringing in freshly made donuts and cider to share with my class to celebrate.  There is nothing like warm cinnamon sugar donuts and a cool glass of apple cider.

I have many favorite apple recipes but one that stands out the most is my mom’s Apple Cake recipe.   I love it so much my mom shipped me one during the first few months of my freshman year of college.  It certainly made me feel like I was back at home.  Now I don’t usually like to play around with this recipe but I wanted to make it a little healthier so I cut back on the oil and substituted some of the AP flour for whole wheat flour.  If this doesn’t get you excited for fall I don’t know what will!  I had this for breakfast (Yes, cake for breakfast!) with a large cup of coffee but I can bet it would be great with a glass of apple cider and maybe even some fresh whipped cream.  Enjoy!

Apple Cake
From the kitchen of Carole Millea

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2  C. Canola Oil (I substituted 1/2 C. of the oil with applesauce)
• 2 C. Granulated Sugar
• 3 Eggs
• 2 Tsp Vanilla
• 3 C. AP Flour (I replaced 1 C. with whole wheat flour)
• 1 Tsp Baking Soda
• 3 Tsp Cinnamon
• Dash of Salt
• 3 C. Peeled Chopped Apples (I used NC Stayman Winesap apples I purchased from my local Farmer's Market)
• 1 C. Chopped Walnuts

Directions:

1. Prepare your bundt pan or 2 loaf pans with butter or Pam spray.
2. Whisk together the oil, sugar, vanilla, and eggs until smooth.
3. Using a spoon, Stir in the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt until just combined.  Add the apples and walnuts.  Be sure not to over mix.
4. Pour into pan and bake at 350 degrees for 60-70 minutes.  Let cool in pan for 30 minutes before removing.  Serve warm.