Sunday, January 31, 2010

More Blueberry Muffins


Don't these muffins look delicious? Ok I'm sure with some better photography skills they would really look as good as they taste!
I have made so many different blueberry muffin recipes! These muffins were just as great as all the others I have made. Now I have so many options to choose from when I make these again :)
I did not wait till breakfast tomorrow morning to taste these. I have already scarfed down 2!

Enjoy!!

Blueberry Streusel Muffins
Source: Vintage Victuals

1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 egg
2 1/3 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups blueberries

1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup butter, softened

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees, and grease or line 18 muffin cups.

In an electric mixer bowl, cream sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add egg and beat until well-combined.

In a seperate bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, stirring well after each addition.

Finally, stir in vanilla and blueberries. Spoon batter into greased or lined muffin cups, filling two-thirds of the way full.

For topping, combine the sugar, flour, and teaspoon cinnamon. Cut in the butter with a fork or pastry blender until mixture resembles crumbs. Sprinkle on top of muffin batter.

Bake at 375 degrees for 25 – 30 minutes or until golden brown. Yield ~ 18 muffins

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Baked Lemon Pasta

The Pioneer Woman doesn't usually disappoint and she didn't with this recipe.
I found this recipe on the Realistic Eats blog. This was simple and quick which is what I am always looking for. I loved the creamy taste of this too.
I changed this up a bit and added some chicken to it. I just threw it in the pan with the olive oil and browned it. When I added the lemon juice and garlic I let it sit in there for another minute our so. I removed it and added the sour cream. I then just mixed it in with the spaghetti in the dish!


Baked Lemon Pasta
Source: Realistic Eats from Pioneer Woman

Ingredients
1 pound Thin Spaghetti
4 Tablespoons Salted Butter
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 cloves Garlic, Minced
1 whole Lemon, Juiced And Zested
2 cups Sour Cream
½ teaspoons Kosher Salt, Or More To Taste
Plenty Of Grated Parmesan Cheese
Flat-leaf Parsley, Chopped
Extra Lemon Juice
Preparation Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook spaghetti until al dente.
In a skillet, melt butter with olive oil over LOW HEAT. When butter is melted, add minced garlic. Squeeze lemon juice into the pan. Turn off heat.
Add sour cream and stir mixture together. Add lemon zest and salt. Taste, then add more salt if necessary. Pour mixture over drained spaghetti and stir together, then pour spaghetti into an oven safe dish.
Bake, covered, for 15 minutes. Then remove foil and bake for an additional 7 to 10 minutes. (Don’t bake too long or the pasta will dry out.)
When you remove it from the oven, squeeze a little more lemon juice over the top. Top generously with Parmesan cheese, then chopped parsley. Give it a final squeeze of lemon juice at the end.
Serve with crusty French bread and a simple green salad.

Cookies and Cream Rice Krispy Treats


So I have to admit I don't remember ever making rice krispy treats. I mean how could I not have made them before, they are so easy!
I made these for the Colts game last week. It took about 3 minutes to whip these things up!


Cookies and Cream Rice Crispy Treats
Source: Picky Palate
4 Tablespoons Butter
4 Cups mini marshmallows
8 Cups rice crispy cereal
8 oz bag mini Oreo cookies

1/2 Cup chocolate chips, melted

1. Place butter and marshmallows into a large microwavable bowl. Microwave for a few minutes until marshmallows puff up nice and large. Remove and stir in cereal and Oreos. Pour into a large 9×13 inch baking dish. With the back of a large spoon that’s sprayed with cooking spray press and smooth treats. Drizzle melted chocolate over top and let cool. Cut into squares.

Monday, January 18, 2010

Chocolate Mousse Torte

We celebrated my moms' birthday yesterday. I was in charge of bringing dessert! I have so many dessert ideas I want to try it was hard to choose one. I went with this torte since I know my mom likes anything chocolate. I on the other hand don't care for chocolate all that much so I didn't taste this but it was given a great review! This was super simple to make and I was so excited when I flipped it out of the pan that it stayed together!

Chocolate Mouuse Torte
Source: Lindsey's Kitchen

Ingredients
37 Vanilla Wafers, divided
4 squares Baker's Semi-Sweet Chocolate, divided
2 pkg. (3.9 oz. each)Chocolate Instant Pudding
2 cups plus 2 Tbsp. cold milk, divided
1 tub (8 oz.) Cool Whip, thawed, divided
1 pkg. (8 oz.)Cream Cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
Fresh Strawberries

Directions
Stand 16 wafers around inside edge of 9-inch round pan lined with plastic wrap. Melt 3 chocolate squares as directed on package.

Beat pudding mixes and 2 cups milk in medium bowl with whisk 2 min. Add melted chocolate; mix well. Stir in 1 cup cool whip; pour into prepared pan.

Beat cream cheese, sugar and remaining milk with mixer until well blended. Stir in 1 cup of the remaining cool whip; spread over pudding. Top with remaining wafers. Refrigerate 3 hours.

Meanwhile, shave remaining chocolate square into curls. Invert torte onto plate. Remove pan and plastic wrap. Top torte with remaining cool whip ( so I used all my cool whip and was unable to do this step! oops!), berries and chocolate curls

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Garlic Ranch Biscuit Topped Chicken Pot Pie!


Whew thats a long title! :) So I noticed I only tend to post chicken recipes! My husband only cares for beef and chicken. No pork and very few pasta recipes! So I'm stuck with two options. If we are going to choose beef it's going to be hamburgers or tacos mostly! So all I get is to do is experiment with chicken! Good thing chicken is so versatile and there are so many recipes out there!

This recipe came together of course really quickly! Now I'm not too big on using the cream of whatever soups but decided to go for it with this recipe. It was delicious!

I halved this recipe since it was only for me and leftovers for lunch.

Poppin’ Garlic Ranch Biscuit Topped Chicken Pot Pie
Source: Picky Palate

4 large chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (either bake, crockpot or pressure cook chicken for easy shredding)

1 packet dry Ranch Dressing Mix, reserve 1/2 teaspoon for topping

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 fresh cracked black pepper

2 10 oz cans cream of chicken soup

10 oz can cheddar cheese soup

1 Cup chicken broth

1 Cup milk

2 15 oz cans Mixed Veggis, drained

3/4 Cup crumbled bacon pieces, already cooked

1 Cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 6 count can Pillsbury Homestyle Biscuits

1/2 teaspoon Lawry’s Garlic Salt

1/2 teaspoon reserved dry Ranch Dressing Mix

1/2 Cup shredded cheddar cheese

Cholula Hot Sauce to top, if desired

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place shredded chicken into a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle in ranch mix (reserve 1/2 teaspoon for later), salt and pepper. Toss to combine seasonings.

2. In a large rimmed skillet or dutch oven, place soups, broth and milk over medium heat; whisk until combined. Stir in mixed veggis then shredded chicken. Transfer to a large 9×13 inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle bacon and cheese over top.

3. Open biscuits and place onto wax paper. Cut each biscuit into 10 little triangle pieces (cut biscuit in half then cut each half into fifths). Place little pieces of biscuit over top of chicken mixture until it’s all covered. Sprinkle biscuits with remaining ranch dressing mix, garlic salt and 1/2 Cup cheese. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until golden brown and biscuits are cooked through underneath. Cover with foil the last 25 minutes of baking to prevent too much browning. Let cool for 10 minutes then serve. Serve with Cholula hot sauce if you like it spicy! Enjoy.

8 servings

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Garlic Cream Chicken

I know I haven't been too great at posting lately! I am still cooking but haven't had much energy to try new things. I am experiencing extreme tiredness and I haven't had any energy lately. Since I have been feeling this way I have been on the lookout for easy and quick recipes. This recipe definitely fit the bill. Chad wasn't home the night I made it but it just gives me an excuse to make it again soon. I know it is something he will really like!


Garlic Cream Chicken and Rice
Source: Burnt Toast who Adapted it from Elizabeth's Cooking Experiments, which she adapted from www.adamandmonika.com

6 cloves garlic, pressed (I only used 2)
4 chicken cutlets (or 2 full size breasts)
salt & freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 tbsp butter
1 1/2tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tbsp flour
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
flat leaf parsley, rough chopped, for garnish
cayenne pepper, sprinkled over the top



Season chicken liberally with salt & pepper. Heat the butter and oil n a large deep pan over medium heat. Sauté chicken until nicely browned (~5 min per side). Chicken does not have to be fully cooked at this point. Transfer chicken to a plate and get the rice cooking.


Add garlic to the pan, lower heat to medium, and sauté until soft. Be careful not to burn the garlic. Add stock and bring to a boil. Return chicken to the pot. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove chicken to a platter and cover with foil.

Add cream and boil for about 3 minutes. Plate rice, sprinkle parmesan cheese over the rice. Add a little sauce then chicken and more sauce. Top with parsley and sprinkle with cayenne pepper.

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Pizza Pizza

I have not been very daring or successful when it comes to making homemade pizza. I usually use a pre-made crust as I have not been too brave when it comes to working with yeast. I also haven't found a sauce that Chad likes they always seemed to make him sick somehow. Well I think this recipe was finally a winner!

This pizza turned out great. The only downside was that it did take some time to put it all together. I also found out I won't be winning any pizza tossing contests anytime soon. My pizzas barely resembled a circle!!
I hope you enjoy this recipe!


Pizza:
Source:Jaime Cooks

Dough:
•2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for rising
•½ teaspoon dried herbs, i.e. oregano
•22 ounces (4 cups) bread flour
•1¾ teaspoons salt
•1 teaspoon sugar
•2 teaspoons instant yeast
•¼ cups white wine (I used chicken stock)
•1½ cups water
•cornmeal for dusting

Sauce:
•1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
•salt and pepper
•5 cloves garlic, roasted*
•2 Tbsp to ¼ cup fresh basil, torn

Assembly:
•10 ounces (2½ cups) part-skim mozzarella, shredded or sliced
•2 ounces (1 cup) parmesan, grated
•toppings of your choice, such as:
◦Sausage – hot, mild, pork, turkey, chicken, etc.
◦Pepperoni
◦Bacon
◦Ham
◦Chicken
◦Bell Peppers
◦Onions
◦Mushrooms
◦Black Olives
◦Diced Tomatoes
◦Jalapeño
◦Pineapple
◦Basil
◦Fresh Mozzarella

Garlic Bread:
•6 cloves garlic, roasted*
•6 Tbsp butter, room temperature
•1 tsp Kosher salt, added to taste
•¾ cup pizza sauce
•¼ tsp red pepper flakes

Directions:


For the dough:
1.Heat the oil and herbs in a small saucepan over low heat until fragrant. Mix in the water and wine.

2.In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, mix the flour, salt, sugar, and yeast. With the mixer on low speed, pour in the liquid mixture. Continue mixing on medium-low speed until the dough comes together, and then knead on medium-low speed for 8 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Add more flour or water as necessary to form a dough that is sticky but does not cling to the sides of the bowl. When the mixer is running on medium-low speed, the dough should not stick to the bottom of the bowl.

3.Drizzle about 2 Tbsp of olive oil into the bowl. Rub your hands on the sprayed bowl to coat them with oil, then quickly form the dough into a ball. Place the ball of dough in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap.

4.Either set the dough aside to rise at room temperature, which will take 1½ to 2 hours, or refrigerate it until the next day. If it’s chilled overnight, it will take about 5 hours at room temperature to warm and finish rising. You can also reduce the yeast to ½ teaspoon and let the dough rise on the counter for about 8 hours after it has been chilled overnight.

For the sauce:
1.Pulse the tomatoes in a food processor 10-12 times, until they’re pureed.

2.Transfer them to a fine-mesh strainer set over a large bowl and let them drain, stirring occasionally for at least 10 minutes. You can get away with less time if you actively stir and press the tomatoes through the strainer; if you wait longer, you can stir less.

3.Transfer the tomatoes from the strainer back to the bowl of the food processor or previous bowl, and roasted garlic, basil, and salt and pepper to taste. Start adding to the sauce slowly, tasting along the way. You can always add in more seasoning, but once it’s in there, . . . well, you know the rest.

Assembly:
1.Place a pizza stone on the bottom rack of the oven and preheat the oven to 500ºC. Place the garlic on the hot pizza stone for 3-4 minutes or until fragrant.

2.Divide the dough and shape each portion into a ball. You have a few options of how to divide it. It makes enough dough for three 12-inch pizzas. However, I always cut it in half and freeze half. Then I divide the remaining dough into two more parts, one twice the size of the other. I make the larger one into pizza and the smaller into cheese bread (no sauce or toppings). Let the balls of dough relax for 10-30 minutes.

3.Using tongs remove the garlic from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes. Mince.

4.Work with one ball of dough at a time on a lightly floured surface. Flatten the dough, then pick it up and gently stretch it out, trying to keep it as circular as possible. Curl your fingers and let the dough hang on your knuckles, moving and rotating the dough so it stretches evenly. If it tears, just piece it together. If the dough stretches too much, put it down and gently tug on the thick spots.

5.Dust a pizza peel lightly with cornmeal and transfer the round of dough to the peel. Rearrange the dough to something reasonably circular; stab it several times with a fork. Add 1/3 of each of the garlic, sauce, and cheese, followed by toppings of your preference, and then transfer to a hot pizza stone.

6.Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and the crust is spotty brown. Let the pizza cool on the peel for about 5 minutes before slicing and serving. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.

Garlic Bread Sticks:
1.If using hand blender, place garlic, salt, and butter into blender cup and blend until smooth. Otherwise, mince garlic as finely as possible and blend into butter and salt. You’ll have to taste the mixture when you first make it, as you want the salt to bring out the garlic flavor rather than overpower it.

2.Shape the reserved dough into a rectangle of your desired thickness. I usually aim for a 11×14″ sized sheet.

3.Spread butter mixture over dough, leaving a slight edge. If you wanted a cheesy bread, you could sprinkle with mozzarella and/or parmesan at this point.

4.Bake for 10 minutes at 500º. Allow to cool slightly before cutting.

5.If you want a dipping sauce, simply use some extra pizza sauce. I give ours a kick by blending in some crushed red pepper flakes.

Notes:
•You can substitute up to 7 ounces (about 1½ cups) of whole wheat flour for the white bread flour, but expect longer rising times and a more stubborn dough. But if you’re patient during shaping, your crust will be just as light and crisp as dough made completely with white flour.

•Another important aspect of pizza crust is how you work with it. Be gentle with your dough. I need to stress that you really don’t want to use a rolling pin. Pull and stretch the dough. Pick it up, hanging the edges on your knuckles, and let gravity do the work. If it’s tearing or thinning unevenly, put it back down and just pull at the thicker parts. If it’s fighting you, walk away for five minutes to let it relax.