Still Emptying Out My Freezer!

From Freezer Leftovers to Pizza Extraordinaire!

I didn't feel like cooking a big meal this weekend and knowing how much food I had in the freezer, I decided to create something from freezer stragglers.

What I found:
Homemade pre-baked focaccio
Homemade pesto
Shredded mozzarella
Store bought cooked rotisserie half chicken breast

What does it all add up to? White Pizza with Chicken! What more would I need? I know. Fresh tomato and basil from the garden and olive oil.

White Pizza with Chicken

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Spread pesto on the foccacia and drizzle with olive oil. Cover with shredded mozzarella. Shred chicken and add the pieces on top. Thinly slice the tomato and arrange on top along with a few basil leaves. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning, salt & pepper, a little more olive oil and bake for 10-12 minutes.

This pizza was really tasty and satisfying. I don't normally have chicken on my pizza, but in this case it was a great addition. It gave the pizza more substance and it worked really well with the pesto.

How full is your freezer? Sadly desolate or busting at the seams?

Weeknight Whip-up!

Quick, Easy, Healthy and Cheap Stuffed Peppers

I think we all appreciate recipes that are quick and easy for weeknight dinners. I do. But I also like to make dinners that are healthy, nutritious and inexpensive as well. I made these Stuffed Peppers in about 20 minutes and I used items that are usually in everyone's kitchen.

Stuffed Peppers
Makes 4 Medium Peppers

4 Medium Peppers (I used Green Peppers, but you can use whatever color you like or even tomatoes*)
2 T Olive Oil, plus more for drizzling
1 Shallot (You can substitute 1 small onion if you prefer)
2 Cloves of Garlic (I used 1 tsp. of the pre-chopped)
1/4 lb. Ground Turkey (I used breast which is 99% fat free, but you can the dark meat if you prefer)
1 package of Uncle Ben's Ready Rice (I used brown rice because it is more nutritious than white)
1/4 cup Chopped Fresh Parsley (You can substitute dried, just use alot less)
1 T Chopped Fresh Basil (You can substitute dried, just use alot less)
1 T Garlic Powder
2 T Pesto (If you don't have pesto on hand, you can just add more Basil )
1 8 oz. can of Tomato Sauce, Divided (I used Hunt's Roasted Garlic)
Pinch of Cheyanne Pepper
1/3 cup Parmesan Cheese
Salt & Pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Rinse peppers, cut of tops and remove seeds and ribs. Fill a baking dish with a little water, place peppers inside, cover and microwave on high for about 7 minutes or until peppers are tender but still holding their shape.

Dry out baking dish and peppers. Add a small amount of tomato sauce to the bottom of the baking dish, place peppers ontop and set aside.

Cook the rice package according to directions, but for only 75 seconds. Set aside.

In a medium skillet, add 2 T oil and saute the shallot and garlic until fragrant. Add the ground turkey and break it up into small pieces while it cooks. Add in the parsley, basil, salt, pepper, cheyanne, garlic powder, pesto and mix well.

Mix in the rice. Add in the tomato sauce, reserving a small amount in the can and mix until well blended. Mix in the cheese.


Stuff the peppers with the mixture and top with the remaining sauce. Bake for about 10-12 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling. Drizzle the top of the peppers with olive oil and serve immediately.

*For Stuffed Tomato ...Just cut off the top, core and hollow out most of the pulp and seeds, leaving enough to keep the tomato firm. There is no need to pre-cook the tomato, just add in the turkey mixture and bake!

What is your favorite quick and easy weeknight dinner?

Breakfast for Dinner!

French Toast Always Hits The Spot!

It's just you tonight and you can't think of what to have for dinner. No problem, just make a classic- French Toast. It's easy and cheap to make. All you need is 5 minutes, a few eggs, bread, milk, butter and for me a little bit of Cinnamon, Sugar and Maple Syrup are a must!

This is not really a recipe-just a way to a means:
Serves One

A couple slices of Bread, (I used 2 slices of Italian loaf, but you can use whatever you have in the house)
1 Egg and 1 Egg White (I usually use this ratio for 2 slices of bread, plus eliminating the egg yolk cuts alot of the extra fat out)
About a tablespoon of Milk
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
Pinch of Salt
1 Tablespoon of Butter or Margarine, Plus more for topping
Maple Syrup

Heat the butter in a skillet until foamy. Beat the eggs in a shallow bowl wide enough to fit the bread slice. Add in all remaining ingredients and mix until blended. Place the bread inside the bowl and allow the bread to absorb the egg mixture. Flip the bread to soak the other side.

Place in the skillet and cook until golden brown on both sides, or until middle is set.
Serve with Maple syrup and extra butter or margarine.

What is your favorite breakfast for dinner food?

Tuesday Trivia

Did You KnowI recently read something interesting in the Parade Magazine. There is a column called AskMarilyn. According to Parade Magazine, Marilyn is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records Hall of Fame for "Higest IQ". Pretty impressive!

People write to her with various and sometimes unusual questions. A few weeks ago someone asked why food tastes a little different when eaten with the opposite hand than the one usually used.

This was her answer:
Taste receptors are arrayed symmetrically, with certain areas sensitive to sweet and salty flavors while others are tuned to sour and bitter flavors. When you use your favored hand to place food inside your mouth-especially with a utensil such as a fork or spoon- you do it the same way again and again. But if you use your other hand, the food arrives from an unfamiliar angle and traverses a somewhat different path of taste buds. The change is unimportant but noticeable.

Of course I had to try it myself and Yup it is true. I usually eat with my right hand and when I tried eating cereal with my left hand, the cereal tasted a little saltier. Pretty cool.

Give it a try and let me know if you notice a difference!

Product Review...the good, the bad and the ugly!

They're GOOD!

I had never even heard of Caribou Coffee before, but I was cutting coupons one day and came across one for these. They sounded good to me; "RICH, CHEWY GRANOLA BARS DIPPED IN A CREAMY COATING MADE WITH CARIBOU COFFEE"- I WAS SOLD!

I love granola bars. I often eat them for a snack or dessert. Some of my favorites are: Nature Valley Fruit & Nut, Sweet & Salty Nut(Peanut) and the Peanut Butter and Oats'N Honey Crunchy Bars. Now that I have tried the Caribou Coffee bars they will definately be in the mix.

If you like chewy granola bars and you like coffee, you'll love these babies! Geez, I sound like one of those 'knock off' perfume commercials. But seriously, try them, I give 'em 2 thumbs up!!

How often do you eat granola bars?

Pot Roast- Italian Style!

My Very First Pot Roast!

Since this was the first time I ever attempted to make pot roast, I was realy nervous about it! I have to be truthful and tell you I did screw up a little, but in the end it was fabulous!

Part of the screw up has to do with my electric stovetop, which I loathe. OK, now that I got that off my chest, let me tell you what happened.

We all know that when searing a piece of meat, the pan must be very hot in order to create that golden brown crust. Well, my pan was hot alright, so hot that it blackened the meat and smoked my whole house out. I tried to turn the heat down, but it took too long for it to cool down, the damage was done.

The second mistake I made was to follow the recipe to closely. It said to sear the meat on all sides for a total cooking time of about 15 minutes. Well, knowing how hot the pan was, I should have turned the meat much quicker on each side to avoid burning it.

The third mistake I made was to scrape up the brown bits (in my case burnt bits) as I added the liquid. I should have realized that the blackened bits would not melt into the liquid, but just make it taste burnt.

Even after all of these blunders, I continued on with the recipe and hoped for the best. I had reservations about the temperature and cooking time in this recipe after reading several others which recommended lower temps and longer cooking times. My good judgement told me to compromise and reduce the temperature to 300 degrees to start and cooked the meat for around 3 hours. Being such a novice, I decided to break off a piece to taste. I wasn't impressed. The meat was stringy and tasted burned. I was so disappointed. I decided I could live with the burned flavor, since it reminded me of a charcoaled steak, but it had to be more tender. So back into the oven it went. I lowered the oven temp to 225 and left it in for another hour.

Once the meat cooled, I refrigerated it and tried to forget about the disaster. The next day I reheated the roast at 225 degrees for another 3 hours. That did the trick! I also strained the liquid through a sive to get rid of all the burnt bits. What a difference. The meat just fell apart as I tried to cut slices. It was delicious!!!!!!

Stracoto with Porcini Mushrooms
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis
Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours 25 minutes (My total cooking time was around 7 hours)
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
User Rating:

1 (4-pound) boneless beef chuck roast (I used bottom round roast)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, sliced (I used 2 shallots)
6 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped (I just crushed mine)
1 cup dry red wine
1 3/4 cups canned beef broth
1/2-ounce dried porcini mushrooms (I rinsed mine and rehydrated them in the beef broth. Bring the broth to a boil and take off the heat, add the mushrooms, cover and let sit for 15 minutes)
1 large sprig fresh rosemary, plus extra for garnish (I used 5 sprigs of tyme, plus extra for garnish)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. (I Started out at 300 degrees and lowered the temp to 225 after 3 hours) Pat the beef dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the beef generously with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy 6-quart roasting pan over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook until brown on all sides, about 15 minutes total cooking time. Transfer the beef to a bowl. Add remaining tablespoon oil to the pan, add the onions and saute until tender, scraping up the brown bits on the bottom of the pot, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute 1 minute. Add the wine and boil 1 minute. Stir in the broth and mushrooms. Return the beef to the pan. Bring the liquids to a boil. Cover and transfer to the oven. Braise until the beef is fork-tender, turning the beef over halfway through cooking, about 3 hours. (The first day I cooked it for a total of about 4 hours. The next day I reheated it for another 3 hours at 225 degrees.)
Transfer the beef to a cutting board. Tent the beef with foil and let stand 15 minutes. Meanwhile, spoon any excess fat off the top of the pan juices. Transfer the pan juices and vegetables to a blender and puree until smooth. (I didn't do this step. I picked out the tyme stems and took out the mushrooms, then strained the liquid.) Combine the sauce and rosemary sprig in heavy medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. (At this point, I added 1 tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon of cold water and cooked for another 2 minutes to thicken the gravy.) Season the sauce, to taste, with salt and pepper. Cut the beef across the grain into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Arrange the sliced beef on a platter and garnish with rosemary. Spoon the sauce over and serve, passing the remaining sauce in a sauce boat.
----------------------
Well, I did it. I survived my first pot roast and ended up loving it! I've been eating it everynight and it heats up nicely in the microwave, in the gravy on low, low heat!!

What was the worst cooking disater you ever survived?

It's Apple Pie time!!

My Inspiration For Making This Pie?

Macintosh Apples for 25 cents/lb.

Sounds too good to be true, right? Well, it was true. The grocery store was celebrating it's 25th Anniversary and was offering things all weeklong for 25 cents. It was a deal I just couldn't pass up. So I bought almost 4 lbs. of apples and set off on a mission to make the best apple pie.

Actually, it is officially my first apple pie. I have made apple crisp and apple cobbler many times, but never a pie with a crust. One of the reasons is due to time and the other is due to fat. Everyone knows that a good crust is made with either butter, crisco or lard. So I have always hestitated to make one, because I figured it would never come out as good if I substitued with low-fat margarine.

I decided to try a crust that was a little different from the norm, by Cook's Illustrated. It is really not meant to be a crust for an Apple Pie. It is supposed to be a pie shell that is pre-baked and ready to fill, but it sounded easy to make so I went for it. I made some changes and ran into some potential disaters along the way, but in the end with a little surgery it turned out great. Actually someone who tried the pie, said it was the BEST CRUST they ever tasted. Not bad for my first try!


Apple Pie

8-10 Macintoch Apples
Lemon juice from 1/2 lemon
2 Tablespoons Tapioca
1/3 cup Sugar or more depending on sweetness of your apples, plus 1 tablespoon for top of crust
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
1 tablespoon Milk, set aside in small bowl
Double recipe of "No Fear Pie Crust"

Squeeze lemon juice into a large bowl. Peel, slice and core apples, dropping them into the bowl with the lemon juice. Add tapioca, 1/3 cup sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg. Mix well and let stand 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Pour apple mixture into prepared pie crust and cover with top crust. Seal and crimp edges. Brush the top of the pie crust with milk and sprinkle with a teaspoon of sugar.

Place pie on a foil lined baking sheet. Bake for about 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until crust is golden brown and the juices are slowly bubbling.


Cook's Illustrated "No-Fear Pie Crust"
Makes one 9-inch Pie Shell
*Double the recipe for pie shell and pie top crust

The pastry can be pressed into the pie plate and refrigerated for up to 2 days or double-wrapped in plastic and frozen for up to 1 month. Once baked and cooled, the shell can be wrapped tightly in plastic and stored at room temperature for up to 1 day.

1 1/4 Flour
2 tablespoons Sugar
1/4 teaspooon Table Salt
8 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter (1 stick), softened but still cool (I used Smart Balance Buttery Spread which has only 2.5 grams of saturated fat per tablespoon compared to 7 grams for butter)
2 ounces Cream Cheese, softened but still cool ( I used low-fat Neufchatel-which has 1/3 less fat than regular cream cheese)

1. Lightly coat 9-inch Pyrex pie plate with cooking spray. Whisk flour, sugar, and salt together in bowl.

2. With electric mixer at medium-high speed, beat butter and cream cheese in large bowl, stopping once or twice to scrape down beater and sides of bowl, until completely homogenous, about 2 minutes. Add flour mixture and combine on medium-low until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, about 20 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl. Increase mixer speed to medium-high and beat until dough begins to form large clumps, about 30 seconds. Reserve 3 tablespoons of dough. Turn remaining dough onto lightly floured surface, gather into ball, and flatten into 6-inch disk. Transfer disk to greased pie plate.*

3. Press dough evenly over bottom of pie plate toward sides, using heel of your hand. Hold plate up to light to ensure that dough is evenly distributed. With your fingertips, continue to work dough over bottom of plate and up sides until evenly distributed.

4. On floured surface, roll reserved dough into 12-inch rope. Divide into three pieces, roll each piece into 8-inch rope, and form fluted edge** (see website for photos 1 through 4). Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour.


5. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly prick bottom of crust with fork. Bake until golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes*. Cool on wire rack. (If large bubbles form, wait until crust is fully baked, then gently press on bubbles with kitchen towel. Bubbles will settle as crust cools.)

* If making pie shell and top crust, split the dough into 2 equal portions. Continue directions for shell and pre-bake for about 25 minutes, until very light brown. For top crust- refrigerate crust and after at least one hour, roll dough out in between two pieces of waxed paper to at least 12" in diameter. Peel off top piece of waxed paper and cut 5 slits in center of crust. Carefully place on top of apples in prepared pie shell.

** This step is fine if you are using this crust just as a shell for another type of filling, but for this apple pie just flatten sides all the way to the top of the pie plate. I followed the directions and the crust shrank. The fluted edge was way to low down for the pie. I would suggest putting some weights, such as dried beans in foil in the crust as it cooks to keep it from shrinking and bubbling up in the center.

What is Your Favorite Type of Apple Dessert? Apple Crisp, Apple Cobbler, Apple Pie, or Other?

Product Review...the good, the bad and the ugly!

Campbell's® Healthy Request® Quick Chicken & Pasta Primavera
The Verdict: Not bad.

I am a big fan of quick and easy to prepare meals on weeknights. I normally wouldn't buy campbell's condensed soups to make a meal because the high amount of sodium in them. So when I heard about the Healthy Request line, I was curious but a little sceptical. I finally broke down and bought some Campbell's Healthy Request Cream of Mushroom Soup.

My first reaction upon opening the can was ewwwww!
It smelled kind of weird, like chemicals. I thought it was going to be really bad, but in the end it turned out O.K. I would however, suggest topping it off with some fresh chopped parsley to add a little bit of freshness. Plus, a fresh salad on the side to balance everything out.
I used the recipe on the back of the can.

Campbell's® Healthy Request® Chicken & Pasta Primavera
From: Campbell's Kitchen
Prep/Cook Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
1 can Campbell's® Healthy Request® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/2 cup milk (I used Simply Smart Fat-Free
3 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 bag (16 oz.) frozen vegetable combination; broccoli, cauliflower, carrots (I used leftover roasted veggies)
2 cups cubed cooked chicken (I used leftover rotisserie chicken breast)
4 cups hot cooked spaghetti, cooked without salt (I used whole wheat penne)

Directions:
MIX soup, milk, cheese, garlic powder and vegetables in saucepan. Heat to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat 10 min. or until tender-crisp.
ADD chicken and heat through. Serve over spaghetti.

Nutrition Information
Calories 461, Total Fat 7g, Saturated Fat 3g, Cholesterol 68mg, Sodium 474mg, Total Carbohydrate 63g, Dietary Fiber 8g, Protein 35g, Vitamin A 117%DV, Vitamin C 20%DV, Calcium 20%DV, Iron 21%DV

So, yes there is still quite a bit of sodium in each serving, but much less than the original cream of mushroom condensed soup. Once in a while, I think it's fine, but I would'nt eat this too often. I'm going to try to stick to the fresh stuff unless I have no time!

How often do you use condensed soup in your recipes?

More Cup Cakes...If At First You Don't Succeed...

Try, Try Again!

If you read my post on the Lemon Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting and Lemon Glaze, than you know how disappointed I was in the final product-(due to the funky canola oil). Well, in the spirit of determination and still trying to clean out my pantry closet, I made more cup cakes using another boxed cake mix.

I haven't been to the grocery store to purchase more oil yet, so I ended up using applesauce in place of the oil. What a difference! These Cupcakes were absolutely delicious (if I do say so myself).

I used Duncan Hines Marble Cake Mix.
In my recipe, I replaced 1/3 cup of oil with 1/2 cup of unsweetened applesauce. Instead of 3 eggs, I used one egg and two egg whites. I also added a little more than a Tablespoon of fat-free buttermilk and a 1/2 cup of Butterscotch Chips to the mix.

The Cupcakes seemed to be going a low-fat direction, that is until I added the Butterscotch Chips and the frosting.

I don't normally use Butterscotch Chips too often, but I had a bag and figured I would try something a little different. I am so glad I did. What a great combination. I never thought I liked Butterscotch Chips too much, but I guess I was wrong because they made the difference in these Cupcakes. They went from ordinary to extraordinary.

Once the Cupakes were baked and cooled I had to decide on a frosting. So I tasted a plain cup cake and immediately knew I had to make a frosting with the Butterscotch Chips.

This what I came up with:

Butterscotch Frosting

1/2 cup of Butterscotch Chips
1/4 cup of Smart Balance Light Buttery Spread
1 Tablespoon of Milk
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
1 1/2 cups Powered Sugar, plus more if needed

Melt the Butterscotch Chips in the microwave in a medium microwave safe bowl on 70% for about 45 seconds to 1 minute. Stir in the spread, and 1/3 of the sugar. Add 1 teaspoon of milk and more sugar. Mix in the rest of the milk and sugar and stir in the vanilla. Stir until you get the perfect consistency, adding more sugar if necessary.

Spread over the Cupcakes and sprinkle the top with Chocolate Shavings.

Do You Use Butterscotch Chips often in baking cakes, cookies, brownies, etc.?

Lactose-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

Just as yummy as the original!

I made these cookies about a month ago and forgot to post them. They are pretty much a basic cookie recipe just altered a bit to cater to people with a sensitivity to lactose and/or whey.

It was my sister's birthday in August and I made a large batch of Dark Chocolate M & M Cookies for her. I found the recipe at Culinary in the Country. I reserved about a third of the dough, (excluding the Dark Chocolate M & M's) to make these for my brother-in-law who is lactose intolerant.

The reason I forgot to post is that I froze them after baking and forgot all about taking them out on the day of her birthday. So I guess you can say I found a nice treat for myself in the freezer!
I love it when that happens :)

Here is the recipe with the changes I made:

Lactose-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

3/4 cup Fleischmann's unsalted margarine
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups Sam's Club Chocolate Chips (they contain no milk derivitives)

In a small saucepan, melt margarine over medium-low until it smells very nutty and gets a light golden color. Let cool slightly.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together melted margarine and sugars. Beat in vanilla, egg and egg yolk until the color lightens and is thoroughly mixed.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. Pour dry mixture into the wet and use a large wooden spoon to stir together just until combined. Fold in the Chocolate Chips. Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 2-3 hours.

Preheat oven to 325

Scoop out dough using a 1/4 cup measure and place on parchment lined baking sheets. These spread a little so I only placed 6 per baking sheet. Bake for 15-18 minutes, turning the baking sheet halfway through. The edges should be slightly golden with the center being puffy and a little undercooked. Remove and let cool on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes. Carefully place each cookie on a wire rack to cool completely.
Makes 18-20 large cookies


How Often Do You Make Cookies From Scratch?

So Close But Yet So Far...

These Cupcakes Could Have Been Great!

I decided to clean out my pantry closet and use some of the boxed cake and muffin mixes that have been accumulating. This one was Betty Crocker Lemon Cake.

For some reason it triggered a memory of Chocolate Lemonaire Doughnuts. I used to eat them every now and then at Dunkin Donuts and they were one of my favorites. It is a doughnut filled with lemon custard and frosted with chocolate glaze. I immediately knew this would be my inspiration for the Lemon Cake mix.

Since I had buttermilk in the fridge, I wanted to try using it in the cake mix for something a little different. I looked on the Betty Crocker website for a recipe using buttermilk and found one for Lemon Cake With Raspberry Mouse. It sounded great but I wanted to go with the Chocolate Lemon combo, so I adapted it to what I had on hand.

So I know your wondering why the cupcakes "COULD" HAVE BEEN GREAT. Well, I think the canola oil I used was starting to go bad. It had a strong smell when I was measuring it, but I just thought I was imagining it. The final product was perfect other than the funky after taste of oil. The cake came out very moist and rose to perfection. The frosting was awesome. Doesn't it figure?

I will make this recipe again when I get some new oil! So try it, it will be awesome if you use fresh oil.

Lemon Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting and Lemon Glaze
Adapted from Betty Crocker Lemon Cake with Rapsberry Mouse

1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® lemon cake mix
1 1/3 cups buttermilk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
3 eggs

1 . Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottoms only of two 8-inch or 9-inch round cake pans with shortening or cooking spray.
2 . In large bowl, beat cake mix, buttermilk, oil, lemon peel and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour into pans.
3 . Bake Cupcakes 16 to 21 minutes, 8-inch rounds 33 to 38 minutes, 9-inch rounds 28 to 33 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Run knife around side of pans to loosen cakes; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
4. Frost with "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Frosting and drizzle with Lemon Glaze.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft):
Heat oven to 375°F. Use 9-inch pans. Stir 1 tablespoon Gold Medal® all-purpose flour into dry cake mix. Decrease oil to 2 tablespoons. Bake 27 to 32 minutes.

"PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter or margarine (I used Smart Balance Light Buttery Spread)
2/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter (I just let the spread come to room temperature). Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.

Lemon Glaze

Zest from 1 lemon
Juice from 1 lemon
Confectioners Sugar

Mix all ingredients in a bowl, adding small amounts of confectioners sugar until desired consistency.

Have you ever heard of Chocolate Lemonaire Donuts? Do you like Chocolate and Lemon together?

Five Foods You Should Eat Before You Die!

I was recently tagged by Teddy from Fun With Your Food and Sara from i like to cook to participate in the Foodbloggers Guide to the Globe started by Melissa at The Traveler's Lunchbox.

It is to list 5 Things You've Eaten and Think that Everyone Should Eat
at least Once Before They Die. I have actually been thinking about my response for days.

So here it goes:

1. Pizza. I think most of us have already tried pizza at least once in our lives but if there is anyone out there who has'nt, what are you waiting for? Start with the basic tomato sauce base, and top with cheese. Or my favorite: White Pizza with Spinach and Olives. The simplier, the better. And oh yeah, get it well done!

2. Dark chocolate. I can't live without it. I love all chocolate, but dark is my favorite and now that we know about the health benefits, I think everyone should be eating it daily!

3. Italian Antipasto. There is nothing more satisfying than sitting down with family and/or friends picking at an assortment of some of the best appetizers around. I'm talking about CHEESE-Parmigiano Reggiano, Fontina, Asiago, Pecorino Romano, Provolone, Mozzarella...I could go on but I'll stop here. Plus all types of Italian Cold Cuts-Prosciutto, Mortadella, Cappicola, Salami, Pepperoni, Soppresetta and more. Marianted Vegetables Galore-from all kinds of Olives, Peppers, Eggplant, Artichokes, Stuffed Tomatoes, and more.

4. Fresh Crusty Bread. You can't have an Antipasto or any respectable dinner for that matter without it. Whether it's a fresh Italian Loaf cut into thick slices, or even a French Baguette, either one will do. I could eat them just as they are, just tear off a piece and enjoy! The possibilies are endless...Must haves are: Crostini and Bruschetta with an array of different toppings or Garlic Bread(yum).

5. Cookies. This was a tough decision. I could have went with so many other choices: Ice Cream, Eggs, Belgian Waffles, Grilled Cheese, Chicken Parmigiano, just to name a few of my fav's. But I had to go with cookies because I'm a big fan of the crunch and the chew. Cookies always satisfy those two requirements. I go with Biscotti when I'm looking for a crunchy snack, and nothing goes better with Coffee, especially Cappuccino or even Tea better than Biscotti. When I'm craving something with a little bit of chewiness, I go with either Chocolate Chip or Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. But I have to say, I have'nt met a cookie I did'nt like!

Now it's your turn...

Jen at Casual Slack
Paula from The Cookbook Junkie
Doodles from Peanut Butter Etouffee
Cate from Sweetnicks
Kim from Artfully Yours

Layered Peach & Ricotta Squares

A Peachy Spin on Tiramisu!

What inspired me to create this dessert? I had peaches and ricotta in the fridge and wanted to use them up before they went bad. What can I say, my frugal side often prompts me to come up with great ideas.

I searched the internet for desserts using these two ingredients and did'nt find many. I found some great recipes for one or the other that I saved, but nothing great using both together.
Layered Peach Sqares from the Magazine of La Cucina Italiana was the recipe that finally inspired me. It did'nt use any cheese, just layers of peaches, chocolate and lady fingers brushed with Maraschino Liqueur. Since I love Amaretto, I used that, instead.

The original recipe also had an interesting sauce that I did'nt make, but I would have, if I had the ingredients on hand. I will include it in case you would like to try it.

Layered Peach & Ricotta Squares
Adapted from the Magazine of La Cucina Italiana, July/Aug. 2004

2 T butter, plus extra
4 Peaches, ripe but still firm, pitted and thinly sliced
2 T sugar
2 ounces of bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
28 Lady Fingers
3 T Amaretto, divided
16 ounces Part-skim Ricotta
1/4 cup Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla
Zest of one Lemon

In a skillet over medium heat, add the butter and peaches, and saute for 2 minutes. Stir in the sugar and 1 tablespoon of Amaretto, saute for another 2 minutes, and set aside to cool.

In a small bowl mix the ricotta, sugar, vanilla and lemon zest. Set aside.

Line an 8 inch square baking dish with a piece of buttered parchment paper. Layer the bottom with half of the peaches and sprinkle with a third of the chocolate. Spread half of the ricotta mixture over the peaches. Arrange 14 Lady Fingers on top, trimming the ends of the cookies if necessary to fill up any space.

In a bowl, dilute 2 tablespoons of Amaretto with 1 tablespoon of water and brush onto the cookie layer.

Add another layer of peaches, sprinkle with half of the remaining chocolate and the rest of the ricotta mixture. Finish with a layer of remaining Lady Fingers and moisten with the Amaretto. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Tip the cake onto a serving plate, peel off parchment paper, sprinkle with remaining chocolate or and slice the cake into equal parts using a serated knife. Serves 12.

Amaretto Caramel Sauce
Original Topping in recipe

3 Amaretto cookies
2 T rum
4 T pre-made caramel, divided

In a food processor combine the cookies, rum and caramel. Process to the consistency of a smooth sauce. Spoon on the side of each slice of cake.

My peaches were still a little crunchy after sauting them. I think I would cook them a little longer if I made it again. Of course it depends on the ripeness of the fruit too. Lately the peaches and nectarines that I've bought have'nt been all that ripe. I hate it when that happens.

How has the fruit in your area been this summer?
What is the best way to ripen a peach?

PRETTY (sharp) IN PINK!

I got a new knife!

I know what you're thinking. PINK? I know, but I did'nt buy it for the color. And don't let the color fool you. It's very sharp.

I can finally cut raw meat (in my case, mostly chicken) with ease. I don't know what took me so long to buy a sharp knife. I have been struggling for years, trying to trim fat, cut thin slices of meat, filet and butterfly. I guess I just thought it was supposed to be difficult. But now it's so easy. Actually almost too easy. The first time I used it, I nearly cut my finger off. The knife just cut so easily through my skin, I did'nt even feel it.

It is a Pure-Komachi... It's high carbon stainless steel and made in Japan. I paid $24.99
at a specialty cutlery shop. You can also order online from their website. So why did I choose this one? I just asked the shop owner for the cheapest, but sharpest knife available.

All I can say is I'm happy with it. So what if it's pink. Actually, it's kind of growing on me.

Peanut Butter Bars (Fingers)

Always a Crowd Pleaser!

My mom has been making these bars for years. No matter where she brings them or who trys them, they are always a hit. And why not, they're made with chocolate and peanut butter, two great tastes that taste great together! The only people who can't enjoy them are those with peanut allergies and if your one of those people, I feel for you!

Mom's Famous Peanut Butter Fingers

1 stick butter or margerine, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
Around 4 T peanut butter
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup of flour
1 cup of quick oatmeal

Mix the sugars and butter until light and fluffy. Mix in the egg, add peanut butter (I usually don’t measure. I use heaping tablespoons, around four, it could be close to 1/3 cup or more than a quarter I'm not sure. I should measure it someday).

Mix well, add baking soda, salt and vanilla. Add flour and oatmeal and mix until combined.

Preheat oven 350 degrees.
Grease a cookie sheet. (Mine is about 11 x 7). Push dough into cookie sheet with fingers (that's why they're called peanut butter fingers and also because of the way they are cut - into long thin strips). Bake around 18 to 20 minutes depending on your oven, until they are golden brown.

Cool completely and top with Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Frosting or try...

Mom's Version:
3 T Hershey's Cocoa
Confectioners sugar
a little milk (or for people with milk intolerance put water)
3 T butter (or for people with milk intolerance use Fleishman's unsalted margarine)
pinch of salt
1 tsp. vanilla

Put the cocoa and butter or margerine in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 20 seconds or more, just until butter is melted. Add the salt, vanilla. And milk or water (between 2 and 5 tsps.) alternately with the confectioners sugar (just eyeball it) until you get the right consistency. Mix well until it's smooth and creamy looking.

Spread evenly over the bars. For more fancy bars take a little pastry bag with the small point for writing and drip designs on the peanut butter fingers. Ciao.

Do You Have A Recipe Never Fails To Please A Crowd?

Tuesday Trivia

Did You Know

In the course of an average lifetime,
people eat 70 assorted insects and 10 spiders,
while sleeping!

Sorry if I ruined your lunch, but I just thought you should know.

For more fun facts visit: Bloop

Lady Finger Cake with Chocolate-Espresso Frosting

Lady Finger Cake For a True Lady

For my Mom's birthday I kept it pretty simple. Since everyone decided to do their own thing with Mom, there was no need for a big cake. I thought about making a flourless chocolate cake, because my Mom loves her chocolate. With so many things going on lately, it just did'nt happen.
It is however, definately on my to-bake list.

You are not going to believe this, but my Mom actually made part of her own cake. About a month ago she brought over a tightly wrapped single layer of cake and told me to put it in the freezer. I honestly did'nt pay much attention to this because she does stuff like that all the time. So I did as she said and forgot about it.

She is always baking something and has lots of extras. So many times, she'll give it to me and tell me to save it for an "Emergency". And believe me, in my family we take our desserts seriously and when there is no time for baking, the "Emergency" extras come out.
Since I have been too busy to bake lately, my Mom's birthday qualified as a real "Emergency".

The cake is made up of a single layer of German Chocolate cake cut horizontally to make two thin layers and filled with an adapted version of Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Frosting. A simple addition of 2 tablespoons of instant Espresso made it even more chocolately and decadent. The Espresso flavor really came through and perfectly complemented the chocolate.

I wanted to be creative with the decorating of the cake, but was stumped as to how. Until I remembered that I had Lady Fingers in my pantry closet. A thin layer of the Espresso-Chocolate frosting topped each cookie and was a fitting cake topper for a perfect lady on her birthday!

Do You Keep Foods or Desserts in the Freezer for Emergencies?

Dark Chocolate M&M Cookies

Have a Cookie and a Smile!

I found this recipe over at Culinary in the Country. It is an adaptation of a chocolate chip cookie recipe from allrecipes. I made them for my sister because it was her birthday last week.

It was so much fun using the M&M's, since you can be as creative as you want with them. These cookies were especially good because they were made with the DARK CHOCOLATE M&M'S. And I love Dark Chocolate! So does my sis.

What is your favorite kind of Chocolate? Dark, Milk or White?

White Sauce with Chicken, Mushrooms and Peas

Leftover chicken-TRANSFORMED! (again)

I've been on a leftover chicken frenzy lately. I don't really enjoy eating roasted leftover chicken as it is. I like to make new concoctions with it. Recently, a recipe caught my eye in Cook's Country Magazine, that had a white sauce with sausage and peas.

It sounded really yummy but I always hesitate when an everyday recipe calls for heavy cream. I reserve eating things like fettucini alfredo for special, once in a blue moon occasions. Not only that, but I don't usually buy heavy cream anyway. And I did'nt have any sausage, either. I did, however, have some Simply Smart Fat-Free Half and Half in the fridge, along with a cooked chicken breast and 3/4 of a box of sliced mushrooms. LIGHTBULB MOMENT. Why not try making it with the leftover chicken, mushrooms and half and half? So I did...

White Sauce with Chicken, Mushrooms and Peas
Adapted from Cindy Szerlip's Cream Sauce with Sausage and Peas in Cook's Country Magazine
Makes enough sauce for 1 lb. of pasta

2 T olive oil
1 T Smart Balace Spread, or butter
1 shallot
1 garlic clove, minced (I was in a hurry, so I used 1 tsp. of the pre-chopped jarred garlic)
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (Use more if you like it hot)
Cooked chicken from 1 large or 2 small chicken breasts, pulled into bite size pieces
3/4 box of sliced mushrooms
3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
1 cup Simply Smart Fat-Free Half and Half
1 cup frozen peas
1 tsp. white wine vinegar, or more to taste
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper
Chopped fresh parsely for garnish

Add 1T oil and SB Spread to large skillet and place over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook until golden brown on both sides, around 3-4 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add remaining oil to skillet and lower heat to medium-low. Add shallot, garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant. (I like to heat my garlic slowly over low heat because I think it really flavors the oil and gives the overall dish a much deeper more intense flavor.)

Add the chicken and mix with the garlic and oil until incorportated. Add in the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Add the broth and 1 cup of Half and Half, simmer until sauce reaches consistency of light cream, 6-9 minutes. (If the sauce seems too thin you can mix a tablespoon of flour or cornstarch with a tiny bit of cold water and stir in.)

Stir in the peas and heat until all the flavors meld, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in vinegar, taste and season again if neccessary. Stir in cheese.

Toss sauce with cooked pasta, garnish with parsley and serve. (I used Tubini pasta, it cooks quick!)

Final word. It was good! I really enjoyed this dish. The browned mushrooms really added a nice flavor to the cream sauce and just a tiny bit of red pepper flakes added a great kick to an otherwise bland leftover chicken night.

Have you ever had a lightbulb moment when it comes to creating a new dish?

Mom's Old-World Raspberry/Apricot Bars

Apricot Bars From Mom with Love

My mom makes these bars at least once a month and they are one of my favorites. Sometimes they are Apricot filled and other times Raspberry filled. I like them both, but the Apricot bars seem to have a slight edge.

She has been baking them for years and I have never asked for the recipe or made them myself. There's no need, since she always makes them for me! Somehow, I don't think I could even do them justice because there's one secret ingredient only Mom can add. LOVE!

I did, however, want to post the recipe for all of you to try. So I asked her to send me an email with the recipe. Here it is...

Mom's Old-World Raspberry/Apricot Bars

(Adapted from Land-O-Lakes)

2 cups flour
1/2 cup Quick-cook Oatmeal
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts)
2 sticks (1 cup) butter or margerine, softened
1 egg
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. either almond or vanilla extract
10 oz jar of your favorite preserves (I used Apricot, but often use Raspberry as well)

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl combine all the ingredients, except the preserves. Beat at low speed until well mixed, 2 or 3 minutes. Reserve 1 1/2 cups and set aside.

Press the mixture on bottom of 8 inch baking pan. Spread preserves within 1/2 inch from edge. Crumble reserve mixture over preserves. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes.

Note: I usually make 1 and 1/2 recipe, which means I put an extra 1/2 recipe with it and use a larger baking pan (usually a cookie sheet). I don’t crumble the mixture on the top, instead, roll the reserved mixture the length of the cookie sheet between 2 sheets of wax paper. I remove the wax paper from one side and carefully place it on top of the preserves and then remove the other piece. Viola, it's covered.
Good luck, if you need more information let me know. Ciao, buona notte esogni d'oro. Ciao Bella. Love, Mom.

Does your Mom or anyone else make a recipe that's special to you?

Fettucini with Pulled Chicken, Pesto, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Olives, and Red Peppers

For my sister's birthday, I had the family over for dinner. Since I've been cleaning out my freezer, I decided to make good use of a large cooked chicken breast that's been hanging out in there. The recipe is an adaptation of Fresh Fettuccine with Pulled Rotissiere Chicken, Pesto and Roasted Peppers by Sara Moulton of Sara's Secrets on the Food Network.

Fettucini with Pulled Chicken, Pesto, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Olives, and Red Roasted Peppers

Basil pesto (recipe below)
1 lb. package fettuccine rigati
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small shallot
4 cups pulled cooked chicken meat
2 cups sliced roasted red bell peppers
1/4 cup thinly sliced sun-dried tomatoes
1/4 cup pitted black olives, halved lengthwise
1/4 cup mansolillo olives, halved lengthwise
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for the table*

Put the pesto in a large bowl. Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Drain the pasta and reserve 1/3 cup of the pasta water. Whisk the pasta water into the pesto. While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and shallot and cook, stirring until soft and fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chicken, peppers, sun-dried tomatoes and olives and cook, stirring until hot, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken broth. Season with salt and pepper. Add the pasta and cheese to the pesto and toss to combine. Add the chicken mixture and combine. Serve immediately. Pass Parmesan at the table.

Basil Pesto:
Recipe is from Giada DE Laurentiis

2 cups fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup (about) extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan* In a blender, pulse the basil, pine nuts, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper until finely chopped. With the blender still running, gradually add enough oil to form a smooth and thick consistency. Transfer the pesto to a medium bowl and stir in 1/2 cup of cheese*. Season the pesto with more salt and pepper, to taste. (The pesto can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Yield: 1 cup
Prep Time: 10 minutes
*Note: I left out the Parmigiano cheese from the basil pesto and the entire dish, since my brother-in-law is lactose intolerant. Freshly grated Parmigiano was at the table for everyone else to enjoy.

I actually made the pesto and prepared the chicken mixture the day before. The next day, I added the chicken broth to the chicken mixture while warming it up to prevent it from drying out. This made the day of the party very stress-free, just the way I like it.

This was a really tasty pasta dish. Even without the cheese, it was a hit. Everyone loved it. It was easy to make and enough to feed a group of six. Not to mention it makes great use of leftover chicken and pantry staples

Do you have a favorite easy-to-make recipe that makes good use leftover chicken and/or pantry staples?

Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake

Sounds Strange, But Boy Is It Good!

It was my sister's birthday this weekend, so I decided to make her a cake. Chocolate is her favorite, as well as the rest of the family.

So I had a plan. Chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. Only one problem. I could'nt use a cake mix because my brother-in-law is lactose intolerant and most of the cake mixes contain milk or milk derivatives.

I did find one store brand that did'nt have milk in it, but when I read the ingredients, I was horrified! There were the usual suspects, tons of preservatives and artificial ingredients. That was'nt what disturbed me. There was lard, which I know is used a lot in baking, but it grosses me out. I actually could have lived with this, but there's more. Animal byproducts and tarro. YUUUUUUUCKKKK! POOOOOOO! ICCCCCCCCK! So I immediently put down the $1.59 cake mix (if that's what you want to call it) and set out to make a cake from scratch!

I had heard about using mayonnaise as an ingredient for a moist cake, but had never tried it. Anyone who knows me would never imagine that I used mayonnaise in a cake. Healthy and low-fat are key words usually associated with recipes that I make. But if I was going to go through the trouble of making a cake from scratch, I wanted it to be moist. And considering my brother-in-law's plight (there is no milk in mayo), I figured why not? I found a bunch of recipes online and settled on one from Hellmann's® Mayonnaise. I love their mayo, so I thought the cake would probably be delicious too! I was right!!! It was moist, chocolately and surprisingly light!

Hellmann's® Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup
unsweetened
cocoa powder
1-1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
3 eggs
1-2/3 cups sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup Hellmann's ® or Best Foods ® Real Mayonnaise
1-1/3 cups water

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and lightly flour two 9-inch round cake pans*; set aside.

2. In medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and baking powder; set aside.

3. In large bowl, with electric mixer at high speed, beat eggs, sugar and vanilla for 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Beat in Hellmann's ® or Best Foods ® Real Mayonnaise at low speed until blended. Alternately beat in flour mixture with water, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Pour into prepared pans.

4. Bake 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. On wire racks, cool 10 minutes; remove from pans and cool completely. Frost, if desired, or sprinkle with confectioners sugar.

For the filling in the center, I used a yummy moist coconut mixture.

Coconut Filling

3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup margarine
1/4 cup coconut milk, or more if dry
1 1/3 cups flaked coconut (I used fine textured unsweetened)
1/2 cup toasted chopped walnuts

In a saucepan, bring brown sugar and margarine to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil 2 minutes. Add coconut milk, coconut and walnuts. Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Let cool and spread evenly on bottom layer of cake. Cover with the top layer of cake and frost!

To top it off, I made Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Frosting.

"PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter or margarine (I used Fleishmann's unsalted margarine which is contains no milk derivatives)
2/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk (I used coconut milk and a little water)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.

I kept the decorating simple. The top of the frosted cake was sprinkled with the same unsweetened coconut and shaved dark chocolate adorned the perimeter.

What is the strangest ingredient you have ever used in a common recipe?

Freezer Clog!

My freezer... at full capacity!

Wow, I don't know how this happened. It seems like all of a sudden, almost overnight, I created freezer overload. I'm trying to figure out what is in there. It's not like I have 20 lbs. of chicken, 15 lbs. steak, and 10 lbs of pork chops hanging out in there. Actually, I think the only piece of meat in there is a single center cut pork chop. The rest is stuff, either I made or my mom made and gave me. (Sometimes she makes too much for herself and gives me some of the leftovers, in case I don't have time to cook one night after work. She's sweet like that!)

In any case, I decided it was time to start eating some of the food in the freezer. Tonight I defrosted some leftover Caponata, that I made about a couple of months ago.

Caponata is a sicilian vegetable dish made with eggplant and is often eaten as a relish, accompaning pork roast or fish. It has a sweet and sour flavor and can be eaten hot, cold or even at room temperature as an anitpasto over crostini. There is a tangyness from vinegar and a sweetness from sugar that awakens your tastebuds.

I had frozen just enough for one meal. Once heated through, I tossed it with mini penne and garnished with fresh basil. It was a pleasant change from the usual weekday dinner. I enjoyed it thoroughly.

The recipe is from Giada DE Laurentiis. In her cookbook, Everyday Italian, it is listed as Everyday Caponata and makes 6 side dish servings. On the Food Network website, she lists the same recipe (basically) with a few minor changes. It is shown as...

Caponata (Picnic Sandwiches)

1/4 cup olive oil
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 medium eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Salt
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
1(14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
3 tablespoons raisins
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon drained capers
1 loaf ciabatta bread, cut crosswise into 6 equal pieces
2 garlic cloves, peeled
6 slices (1/3-inch-thick) drained fresh water-packed mozzarella

Heat 1/4 cup of the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the celery and saute until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Add the eggplant and saute until beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Season with salt. Add the red pepper and cook until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and saute until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes with their juices, raisins, and oregano. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer over medium-low heat until the flavors blend and the mixture thickens, stirring often, about 20 minutes. Add the vinegar, sugar, and capers. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Cut the bread pieces horizontally in half. Grill the bread cut-side down on a grill pan over medium-high heat until golden, about 2 minutes. Rub the whole garlic cloves over the toasted side of the bread. Add a slice of mozzarella to bread bottom, spoon the caponata on top, cover with the other bread half, and serve.

To take for a picnic: Wrap the sandwiches separately in plastic wrap or parchment paper. Chill until ready to serve, or keep at room temperature up to 1 hour.

What's in your freezer?

Blueberry Morning Cereal Bars

More Leftover Cereal...More Bars!

I made another version of the cereal bars I posted a while back. This time I used Post Blueberry Morning Cereal. All the other ingredients, (including Smart Balance Spread), remained the same as in the original recipe.

Another difference is that I doubled the recipe because I wanted to use all of the cereal that I had left (about 3 cups). Since I used the same baking sheet as the last bars I made, where I did'nt double the recipe, these bars turned out a bit thicker. The thickness of the shortbread crust made a difference in texture and flavor. In this case, Smart Balance Spread did not do the recipe justice.

The shortbread crust was a little on the dry side and lacked that true buttery flavor shortbread is known for. I think in shortbread recipes, where butter is a key ingredient, you probably should'nt substitute with margarine. Even though I love Smart Balance Spread, and use it in most recipes, this is one time it failed me.

Don't get me wrong, the bars were still delicious, but they would have been even better with butter!

Do you have a favorite butter substitute that works in all recipes?

Banana Pudding Pie with Bananas Foster Topping

I know this looks strange, but looks can be deceiving!

Another Pudding Pie...and it's instant (shhhhh!) I know what you're thinking; instant pudding? Right? I thought the same thing, but I was in a rush one Sunday morning preparing for company coming over and I realized there was no dessert. I frantically looked through the cabinets and found vanilla instant pudding. I had a pre-made graham cracker crust and some ripe bananas, so I figured why not?

I was suprised to read on Sweetnicks blog that Bananas are one of the Top 10 Brain Foods. According to the Cate, Bananas contain trytophan, a protein that, once converted, helps put you in a good mood. And they also help ward off depression and dark moods. What better reason to eat more Banana Pie!!

I followed the pudding box instructions for pie and added in a 1/2 teaspoon of banana extract to the mixture. The bananas are placed on the bottom of the crust and the pudding is poured on top. This was just too simple for me, so I decided to make a quick Bananas Foster for the top.

Bananas Foster Topping

In a saute pan over medium-low heat, melt 3 tablespoons butter with 4 tablespoons brown sugar and bring to a boil. Add 2 ripe, sliced bananas and toss to coat in the sugar mixture. Continue to cook for a minute and remove from heat. Pour in a shot of rum (I used Amaretto), and return to heat for another minute. Serves 2. (I had enough for 4 servings) Source www.texascooking.com
Pour over each pie slice just before serving.

Obviously, the Bananas Foster topping made the pie a hit. It was so delicious, I could have eaten it alone. Actually, the recipe was listed in the food section of my newspaper as a sundae topping. Next time I make it, I'll try it over a nice bowl of vanilla, or better yet, maple walnut ice cream. I can't wait!

What is the quickest dessert you ever threw together?

Creamy Tarragon Chicken Salad

So many recipes...so little time!

I finally had a chance to make this Easy and Delicious Chicken Salad. I found the recipe at Culinary in the Country. Joe is a wiz in the kitchen and I could'nt keep up with him no matter how hard I tried.

There are so many recipes I see everyday on other blogs that I want to make and never seem to get to them. The timing of this recipe worked out great though, because I seemed to have most of the ingredients needed. The recipe calls for boneless, skinless chicken breasts (which are cooked in chicken broth in the oven), red grapes, walnuts, celery, mayonnaise, sour cream and tarragon.

There was no need for me to cook the chicken because I had leftover rotisserie chicken from Boston Market that I wanted to use. I usually have grapes on hand for snacking and celery and mayonnaise are always in my fridge. However, I did'nt have sour cream, so I substituted plain fat-free yogurt. I did have to buy the tarragon, but I've wanted to get some anyway. The walnuts would have been delicious, but I did'nt realize I was out of them, so they were omitted.

Fruit with savory dishes is usually not my thing, but in this case, the tangy grapes were a great accent to the chicken. I opted for mini whole wheat pitas which were stuffed full with the creamy chicken salad. Steamed fresh mixed veggies on the side, dressed with a simple vinegarette of extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper and parsley rounded out the meal nicely.

This recipe is a keeper in my book. Give it a try.


Do you like fruit as an ingredient in meals?

Silly Saturday!!! Volume 1

FOAMY THE SQUIRREL CARTOON

My last post was on Chai and I received a comment from wheresmymind saying...I hate to say that I've only had Starshmucks Chai . It reminded me of a cartoon I saw, so I thought I'd share.

I'm posting the link, but be forewarned it has some offensive language.

In fact, the website actually posts this PARENTAL ADVISORY! "FOAMY LOVES FOUL LANGUAGE AND, SOMETIMES, CARTOON VIOLENCE. HE'S NOT RECOMMENDED FOR SMALL CHILDREN OR BIG BABIES. SO PARENTS OF YOUNGER KIDS MIGHT WANT TO SCREEN THE MOVIES BEFORE EXPOSING YOUR IMPRESSIONABLE TYKES TO HIS WIT AND WISDOM. THE REST OF YOU DEVIANTS HAVE AT IT..."

So if you are easily offended by foul mouthed squirrels DO NOT WATCH IT!

CLICK BELOW FOR FOAMY'S RABID RANT ON...
STARSHMUCKS COFFEE

I never really got into the whole hip coffee thing anyway. I just like good coffee. Who cares what the brand name is??

Do you frequent hip coffee shops? What is your beverage of choice?