Honeyed Orange Blueberry Muffins

Add A Little Sunshine To Your Day!

While visiting one of my favorite blogs, Food Blogga, I noticed this delicious sounding recipe - Honeyed Orange Ginger Muffins (Quat, Optional). The creative and daring, Susan created this recipe using orangequats. I have never had nor seen an orangequat, but no problem because Susan made the recipe "quat-optional", substituting with naval oranges. One look at her luscious muffins and I knew I had to make some.

I altered the recipe a bit for a few reasons. One, like I said, I have never seen orangequats in my supermarket, so I used naval oranges as Susan suggests. Two, I had my Mom in mind when making this recipe and she loves the flavor of orange and blueberries, but does not like a spicy flavor and usually prefers her muffins with less sugar. So I substituted blueberries for the raisins and changed the minced ginger to half the amount of minced candied ginger. I also reduced amount of sugar and opted for organic unrefined sugar.

I think they came out great; very tasty and light. I don't know how it happened but I ended up with extra batter, so I made 10 mini muffins with the left-over batter. (Very dangerous, because they are very "pop-able", and I popped quite a few in my mouth without hesitation). Although, I didn't really feel that bad because these muffins are fairly low in fat, using canola oil and only one egg. Thanks for the inspiration Susan!

Honeyed Orange Blueberry Muffins
adapted from Food Blogga-Honeyed Orange Ginger Muffins (Quat, Optional)
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus 1 teaspoon reserved
1/2 cup, plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup canola oil
1 egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup freshly squeezed navel orange juice (about 2 oranges)
1/4 cup finely minced navel orange pulp
1 tablespoon navel orange zest (about 1 orange)
1 teaspoon candied ginger, minced
3 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 pint fresh blueberries

Place rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. and set on convection, or 375 F. for conventional oven. Spray a 12 mold regular size muffin pan with cooking spray or use paper muffin liners.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a separate bowl, whisk together oil, egg, and juice. Add the orange pulp, orange zest, ginger, honey, and vanilla, and whisk until just combined. Add to the flour mixture and stir quickly until well combined. Toss blueberries in the reserved teaspoon of flour until evenly coated. Fold the blueberries into the batter. Spoon the batter evenly into the 12 molds. If you have extra batter, spoon into an additional muffin pan. (I made 10 mini muffins).

Bake for 12-15 minutes for regular sized muffins, and 8-10 minutes for mini muffins, or until the tops are golden and a cake tester inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack to cool for 5 minutes before removing each muffin and placing on a wire rack to cool.

Peas and Proscuitto

Foolproof...

This is such a great recipe. And who doesn't have frozen peas? It is quick and easy and delicious. You almost can't screw it up. I can assure of that because I thought I did and it still turned out good.

I knew I wanted to make this recipe, so I went out and bought the prosciutto. I had all the other ingredients needed for the recipe. So I thought.

Little did I know that the bag of peas in my freezer were nearly a year old. Well it was too late to abort; I had everything prepared up to the point of adding the peas. So I rinsed the peas under cold water and hoped for the best.

As I was cooking the peas, I got distracted with income tax stuff that I was trying to figure out. Well I started to hear popping and jumped up to find my peas starting to get dark brown.
I thought for sure the dish was ruined, but NO, it was actually still edible!

I can't wait to make it again with new peas and my undivided attention!

Peas and Proscuitto by Giada De Laurentiis

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 shallots, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (1-pound) bag frozen peas, thawed
4 ounces (1/8-inch-thick slices) prosciutto, diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the shallots, garlic, salt, and pepper, and saute until tender, about 1 minute. Add the peas and saute until heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in the prosciutto and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the parsley and remove from the heat. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper, and serve.

Mom's Chicken Marsala

Always Good!

One thing you can always count on in this uncertain world is Mom's cooking. This is one dish that my Mom always makes and it's always delicious. She has two versions: Chicken Marsala with Mushrooms and Chicken Marsala with Artichokes. The ingredients tend to change depending on what she has in the house. If she doesn't have mushrooms than she will make it with artichokes. Or if she ran out of marsala wine, then white wine or even vermouth will do. Sometimes she will use chicken breast cut into pieces or more commonly tenderloins.
And it amazes me that no matter what the change, it is always equally good!

Mom never really measures anything, so it was a little difficult to get the recipe on paper. But she did her best and now I offer it to all of you!

Mom's Chicken Marsala

1 lb. chicken tenderloins, cut in half
4-5 garlic cloves, sliced thin
1/2 cup mushrooms, preferably portobello or porcini, (but you could use button), sliced thin
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. salt-free all purpose seasoning
1/2 tsp. dried parsley, or 1 tsp. fresh, plus more for garnish
2-3 tbls. olive oil
1/3 cup marsala wine
1 can low-sodium chicken broth (preferably Swanson)
1/2 cup black olives, left whole or cut in half
1/2 cup green olives, left whole or cut in half

Add the flour, salt, pepper, all purpose seasoning, and parsley to a large zip lock plastic bag. Add the chicken and shake until all the chicken is coated.

Add the olive oil to a large pan over medium high heat; add garlic and brown them lightly, remove from pan and set aside. Next, add the mushrooms and cook for 2-3 minutes, remove from pan and set aside.

Remove any excess flour from the chicken; line them up in the pan so they are separated and quickly brown them on both sides.
Add back the garlic and mushrooms to the pan. Add the marsala and cook for a minute or two, until the alcohol burns off. Add the chicken broth, bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for about 25 minutes.

Add black and green olives and cook for an additional 10 minutes.

To thicken the sauce, add some of the leftover flour from the plastic bag to a pyrex measuring cup with 1 tablespoon cold water. Mix and add to the chicken; cook for 2-3 minutes more. Serve with noodles and top with fresh parsley.

Lightened-Up Classic Egg Salad

Totally Under-Rated!

Was there a food that you ate often as a kid, that at the time didn't thrill you, but as an adult you have grown to love? Well with me, one of those foods is egg salad.

We had it quite often when I was growing up and I didn't really care too much for it. I recently made it and could not believe how much I liked it. Actually, I can't wait to make it again.

I lightened up the recipe a bit by eliminating some of the yolks. You really don't miss them at all. I used regular mayo because the reduced-fat just does not compare. To compensate I used only 1/2 the amount and replaced the other 1/2 with yogurt.

So not only is this classic dish delicious, now it's healthy too!
You're Welcome... No, really. It's my pleasure!

Put it on a low-carb bagel and you'll think you're in heaven.

Lightened-Up Classic Egg Salad

1/8 cup mayonnaise
1/8 cup fat-free plain yogurt, drained over paper towels in sieve to remove excess liquid (at least 30 minutes)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried minced onion
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
7 hard-cooked eggs*, discarding 4 of the yolks
1/2 cup finely chopped celery

In medium bowl, stir together mayonnaise, lemon juice, onion, salt, if desired, and pepper until well blended. Slice one egg and reserve 4 center egg slices for garnish, if desired. Chop remaining eggs. Stir in chopped eggs and celery until evenly coated with dressing. Cover and chill to blend flavors. Garnish with reserved egg slices.

* For Perfectly Cooked Hard Boiled Eggs...from What's Cooking America

Bring your eggs to room temperature before cooking. If the egg has been stored in the refrigerator it can be warmed gently under a flowing hot tap water. By bringing the eggs to room temperature, they're much less likely to crack in the hot water. Also the temperature of the egg at the start of the cooking process will affect the cooking time. An egg that is at room temperature at the start of the cooking process will require about 1 minute less cooking time than eggs taken directly from the refrigerator.

Gently place the eggs in a single layer in a pan with enough cold water to cover eggs completely (approximately by 1 1/2 inches). If you have two or three layers of eggs stacked up in a small pot, they may cook unevenly. NOTE: Use a tall pan, and limit cooking to 2 dozen
eggs at a time.

Over high heat, bring water JUST to a rapid boil.

As soon as the water reaches a rapid boil, remove pan from heat and cover
egg pan tightly with a lid.

Set timer for 17 minutes for large eggs or 20 minutes for jumbo eggs.

After exactly 17 or 20 minutes (depending on size of your eggs), remove from heat and drain off water from the eggs. Transfer the eggs to the bowl of ice cubes and cold water. Let eggs cool at least 10 minutes in cold water, then drain either store in refrigerator or peel** the eggs. NOTE: Watch the time when cooking the eggs carefully. Overcooking causes a green layer to form around the yolk. This layer is caused by a reaction between the iron in the yolk and the sulfur in the white. Heat speeds up this reaction, so the longer your eggs cook, the greater the chance of discoloration.

** Easy Peel Eggs:

To peel eggs easily...

1. Cool eggs in refrigerator

2. Tap the top and bottom of the eggs on the counter to crack.

3. Roll the egg with the palm of your hand back and forth on the counter so that it looks like little broken pieces all over the shell.

4. Start peeling from the wide end of the shell and remove the skin all around the egg that holds the shell on the egg.

Spicy Low-Fat Pumpkin Muffins

For Quick, Easy and Delicious Muffins...
Doctor up those mixes!

Move over Sandra Lee. Annie has some business
with boxed baking mixes.
I don't normally like to use boxed mixes for muffins, but sometimes you just can't beat 'em. Especially the Pillsbury Quick Bread mixes. I always turn out great loafs and muffins when using them. Of course, by adding my own ingredients to flavor them and reducing the fat, they are even better tasting and healthier. You can't go wrong.
These muffins turned out exceptionally good.
They were very tender and super flavorful!

Spicy Low-Fat Pumpkin Muffins

1 (14 oz.) package Pillsbury® Pumpkin Quick Bread
1/4 cup soy milk
1 (6 oz.) container plain fat-free yogurt
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
4 teaspoons canola oil
2 large egg whites
1 tablespoon molasses
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon grated candied ginger

1. HEAT oven to 375°F* if using a convection oven; 400°F if not.
Spray 12 muffin cups with no-stick spray or line with paper cups.
2. Combine yogurt, soy milk, oil, applesauce, grated ginger,
cinnamon, egg whites and molasses in a large bowl. Add
pumpkin bread mix and stir until just blended, about 50 strokes.
3. FILL each muffin cup, dividing batter evenly with filling; about
3/4 full.
4. BAKE for 15 minutes. Remove muffins from pan. Place on baking rack to finish cooling.

*Reduce temperature by 25°F if using a dark pan.

Happy Valentine's Day!

The Best Thing About Dipping Your Own Strawberries...

Is That, If You're Not Happy With The Results...
You Get To Eat Them.

And Knowing What a Perfectionist I Am,
I Was Lucky To Have Any Left To Give As Gifts!


An Easy, Quick, Inexpensive and Healthy Way to Enjoy Valentines!

All you need is strawberries, good dark chocolate,

white chocolate and will power.

I hope everyone has a great day. Enjoy!

For Valentine's Day...

Will Your Valentine's Day be Sweet or Sour?

Mine will be both!

Who makes Lemon Cupcakes for Valentine's Day? Well, uh, me. I decided to go untraditional this Valentine's Day. It wasn't really a decision as much as a process of elimination. I had lemon cake mix that I've been meaning to use, so I figured why not.

To give the cup cakes a little bit of a Valentine's theme, creamy chocolate frosting seemed the best plan of action. And what's creamier than cream cheese?

This frosting seems so sinful, but it's actually less fattening than frosting made with butter, because I used Neufatchel cream cheese which has less saturated fat than butter. Plus it seemed appropriate to pair lemon cake with a frosting that had a little bit of a tang.

...And of course, kisses add to the love motif.

So let there be...
Chocolate Kissed Lemon Cupcakes

1 box lemon cake mix
Freshly grated lemon rind
1/2 tsp. almond extract

Prepare cake mix according to directions on box, adding in the grated lemon rind and almond extract. Bake as directed. Let cool completely.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

1 (8 ounce) package neufatchel cream cheese, softened at room temperature
4 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Dash of salt
2 tablespoons soy milk, room temperature
24 Hershey's dark chocolate kisses, unwrapped of course
Colored sprinkles, optional

In a large bowl or electric mixer, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Pour melted chocolate into cream cheese and mix on medium speed until well blended. Add vanilla and salt. Add the confectioners sugar one cup at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl, and alternating with the milk. Mix until the frosting is spreading consistency; adding additional sugar or milk if necessary.
Frost cupcakes with a small spatula or knife and then pipe a star on the top of each. Sprinkle with colored sugar and add a chocolate kiss.

Oriental Garden Pilaf

...Made with Barley

I don't know about you, but I have never eaten barley other than in Campbell's beef and barley soup (which I always liked as a kid). I don't really eat canned soup anymore because it is mostly wretched and the sodium content is enough to choke a horse.

After seeing several recipes and reading about it's nutritional value, I decided to give it a try. I've decided~ like it.

If you would like to know a little more about this ancient grain read on...

BARLEY FACTS and TRIVIA:

Barley is one of the oldest domesticated grain crops. It has been cultivated for over 8000 years. In Athens barley was, according to Pliny, the special food of the gladiators (the hordearii, or 'barley-eaters').

In about 1305, Edward I of England decreed that one inch should be the measure of three barleycorns, and English shoe sizing began; thus a child's shoe that measured 13 barleycorns became a size 13.

Historians report that up until the 16th century, it was the most important grain on the European continent. It was also used as currency and as a measuring standard.

Almost half the United States crop of barley is used for brewing beer and most of the rest is used for feeding livestock. Source: Food Reference Website

If your white rice is getting boring here are a few good reasons to swap it for barley:

1. It is really yummy. It can be served plain as a side dish, as a tasty pilaf or in soup!

2. It's good for you. Packed with nutrition, barley is a very good source of fiber and selenium, and a good source of phosphorus, copper and manganese.

3. Barley's can help keep you regular and provides intestinal protection. (Throw that ex-lax away and say good-buy to expensive acidophilus.)

4. It can lower cholesterol. Ditch the oatmeal tomorrow morning and have barley for dinner!

Here's a recipe that I tried and thought was really good! I found it on the back of the Mother's Natural Quick Cooking Barley...

Oriental Garden Pilaf
Adapted from Mother's

1 1/3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2/3 cup Mother's Quick Cooking Barley
1 tbsp. canola oil
1/2 cup thinly sliced carrots
1/2 cup thinly sliced celery
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup thinly sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup chopped leeks or green onions
1 tbsp. reduced sodium soy sauce

In medium saucepan, bring chicken broth to a boil. Stir in barley; reduce heat. Cover; simmer 10-12 minutes or until tender. In large skillet, heat oil. Cook leeks, carrots, celery and mushrooms over medium high heat 4-5 minutes. Add garlic; continue cooking 1 minute. Add cooked barley and soy sauce; mix well. Continue cooking over medium heat until heated through.
4 servings

Mediterranean Grilled Chicken Kabobs

I Suck At Grilling.

I think it's official, I'm getting old. Why do I think I am old? Well, I think my metabolism has gone on strike. It's February, a whole month has gone by since Christmas and I'm still trying to fit into my favorite pair of pants. These pants fit fine all year long until I pigged out during the Holidays and I can't seem to lose a few lousy pounds. Scratch that, I can lose a few pounds if I exercise everyday for an hour and not eat anything "good" for a week and a half. But as soon as I indulge a bit, the few pounds I'd lost - find there way back, and fast.

So what's a hungry girl to do? I love my sweets and munchies. In fact, after putting the few pounds I'd lost this week, right back on after this weekend, I said frig it. And I just ate a delicious frosted brownie, trail mix and pretzel nuggets. I felt like I was punishing my metabolism for being "bad"! Stupid, huh? Now I just feel worse. I guess it's back to the drawing board.
.. ... .. ... .. ... .. ... .. ... .. ... .. ... .. ... .. ... .. ... ..

I love the way grilled food looks with it's beautiful charred markings. I love the way grilled food tastes with that deep smoky flavor. I love the idea of grilling, it just seems so fun. But I suck at grilling. I always tend to overcook the outside of the meat and under cook the inside. Even giving it extra time than the recipe suggests will result in a pink center. It is very frustrating.

Maybe it's because I am using an indoor grill pan on my electric stove top. I still have trouble with that electric stove top (I've always used gas stoves in the past). It seems like high heat is always too high and medium is not hot enough. It's hard to find that happy middle ground.
The only thing I like about it is that is easy to clean because it's all one piece. And it looks sexier than the gas top stoves. But in this case I'll take function over fashion any day.

Nevertheless, if cooked properly it was a really tasty dish. So give it a try and I'm sure yours will turn out better than mine did.

Mediterranean Grilled Chicken Kabobs

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
8 (10-inch) skewers, soaked in water for at least 20 minutes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced, pressed, or zested on microplane
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 cup grape tomatoes
2 small zucchinis, peeled leaving stripes, cut in 3/4" rounds
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Whisk together the oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, pepper and salt. Add the chicken to the marinade and toss to coat. Marinate the chicken for 20 minutes or up to 2 hours.

Add 4 pieces of the chicken, 4 grape tomatoes, and 8 zucchini rounds onto the skewers, alternating them any way you like. Spray a grill pan with cooking spray and preheat over a medium-high heat. Grill the chicken until cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. Sprinkle with parsley and serve over rice, or barley pilaf.

Peanut Butter Blossom Surprises

I LOVE SURPRISES!

I think everyone has had a peanut butter blossom cookie at one point in their life. You know, it's the peanut butter cookie with the Hershey's Kiss on the top. As simple as they are, they are always a hit during the holidays or whenever I make them. I could spend all day baking up a batch of the most decadent and time consuming cookie recipes and put them side by side with the peanut butter blossoms and the blossoms always win!

So I don't fight it anymore, I just make them and watch 'em go! I wanted to give the recipe a little twist however by adding a little surprise in the center instead of the kiss on the top.

So I filled each cookie with Nutella! (Chocolate hazelnut spread for those of you who have not had the pleasure.) All I can say is... They rock.

Peanut Butter Blossom Surprises

• Nutella Chocolate Hazelnut Spread
  
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Granulated sugar
  

1. Heat oven to 375°F.

2. Beat shortening and peanut butter in large bowl until well blended. Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture.

3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Once shaped, press your finger in the middle of the cookie to form a small opening. Add a 1/2 teaspoon of Nutella into the opening. Close the opening by pressing the dough back together and reshape into a ball. Roll in granulated sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet.

4. Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. About 4 dozen cookies.

Jaswell Farms Chocolate Chip Cookies

In Honor of Fat Tuesday!

I had made these cookies once before and really liked them. This Christmas I decided to make a double batch so I could give them out as gifts. The recipe is quite large to begin with, so a double batch was a little hard to work with. I managed however.

Actually I made so much of this cookie dough that I wrapped up a log of raw dough and froze it. I took it out tonight and baked up a batch in honor of FAT TUESDAY! I did my share of indulging, so much so that tomorrow for me it's FAT PANTS WEDNESDAY...

The only thing that I would change in this recipe is the addition of vanilla. I forgot to add it to mine and I did notice it missing. That's because I love vanilla and wouldn't normally make a cookie without.

Jaswell Farms Chocolate Chip Cookies1 2/3 cups sugar
3 1/2 cups flour
2/3 cups margarine
1/3 cup oil
2 teaspoons vanilla (my addition)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 tablespoon molasses
2 eggs
2 cups milk chocolate chunks (I used chips)
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional, I didn't use any nuts)

Beat together margarine, sugar, and oil until fluffy. Beat in eggs and molasses, then add flour and baking soda. Mix in milk chocolate chunks and nuts. Scoop cookie dough onto greased cookie sheet (I used parchment paper). Flatten each scoop of dough and bake.

Jaswell Farm makes big cookies, using two ounces of dough per scoop. You might want to use just a tablespoon for each. (That's what I did)

They bake the large cookies at 325 degrees in a convection oven for 20 minutes.
For conventional ovens and a tablespoon of dough, cook at 350 degrees and start to check for doneness after 8 minutes. (I cooked my tablespoons of dough at 325 in a convection oven for 8 minutes). They were chewy in the center and crisp on the outside, just the way I like!

Super Pizza... for the Super Bowl.

It was a touchdown!

Pizza just seemed like a no-brainer for the super bowl. I have to admit, I am not a regular watcher of football, but I, like everyone else in the world, did watch the super bowl. I figured why not celebrate with pizza!

I used store bought pizza dough which saved a lot of time and trouble, although I do like to make my own dough when I have the time.

Since I wanted to have the pizza ready during the game and didn't want to have a mess around the house, I decided to make focaccia out of the dough and pre-bake it and then add my toppings later. That way it only takes half the time to bake and there is no clean up. I got all my toppings chopped, sliced and ready earlier in the day as well.
It was outstanding! A real game pleaser!!!

Focaccia Pizza

1 lb. store bought pizza dough
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon course sea salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Take dough out of bag and place in a large oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until double in size, about 1-2 hours.

Pre-heat pizza stone in a 500 degrees oven.

Remove dough from bowl with floured hands and place on a floured counter or cutting board. Roll out dough into desired shape and press fingers down into the middle of the dough. (I divided the dough in half and made two separate pizzas.) Drizzle with olive oil, top with the rosemary, salt and pepper.

Turn oven temperature down to 400 degrees. Set dough on pizza stone and bake for 10-12 minutes.

The focaccia may be eaten at this point as is or topped as follows:

3/4 cup artichoke and spinach dip, optional (you could use cream cheese with added herbs and spices instead)
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped into small pieces
1/4 cup kalamata olives, sliced
1/4 cup green olives, sliced
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced thin
1/4 cup fontinella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup reduced fat mozzarella, shredded
1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/8 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped, optional

Spread the artichoke and spinach dip over the top of the focaccia and top with shredded fontinella. Add the olives, sun-dried tomatoes and mushrooms. Drizzle with a one tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with Italian seasonings.

Bake in a 400 degree oven for 10-12 minutes, remove from oven and add the mozzarella cheese. Place back in the oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Drizzle with remaining tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with parsley, if desired.

Pistachio Butterballs

A Nutty Spin on Butterballs

Pistachios seem to be almost everyone's favorite nut. Maybe there's just something about that subtle green hue that makes people love them. They have a unique flavor that compliments anything sweet.

I remember when I was a kid, when we went out for ice cream, my parents would always order pistachio. At the time I couldn't understand why anyone would want to eat green ice cream. I thought there were so many other cool and delicious flavors to choose from, like pink bubble gum, rocky road, cookie dough, double chocolate and my personal favorite good ol' chocolate chip with jimmies of course. Sometimes I would get it with cowlick on it. In case you have never heard of it, cowlick is a chocolate and nut dip that would harden on the ice cream. I still love it!

But back to the pistachio, I really thought that only the old fogies liked it, along with maple walnut. Once I tried it, however, it was all too clear. That luscious salty and sweet combination of creamy goodness with little nut crunches really did it for me. Yuuuuummmm.

This recipe is based on one important ingredient: pistachio paste. It is very similar to almond paste. I had never used it before this recipe, but I saw it in the store one day and it sounded so delicious, I just had to try it. When I began making these cookies, in particular, creaming the pistachio paste, butter and sugar together, I was already drooling. I made the mistake of tasting the creamy mixture and I almost couldn't stop myself from eating the entire bowl. I would definately use this mixture as a frosting for a cake or brownies or cookies or cupcakes or toast or cardboard. Seriously, it is that good.

So for all you pistachio lovers out there, this recipe is for you...


Pistachio Butterballs
by Love'nBake - 4 dozen small cookies

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
½ cup Love'n Bake™ Pistachio Nut Paste
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon milk
3 cups all purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ cup chopped, toasted, and salted pistachios
confectioner's sugar for rolling

Preheat oven to 325° and prepare parchment or foil lined cookie sheets. Cream the butter, pistachio paste, and sugar. Blend in the vanilla and milk. Mix in the flour and baking powder until the dough is smooth and stiff. Blend in the nuts. Pinch off small pieces of dough and roll into 1" balls. Place on cookie sheets and bake for 18-25 minutes, until a light golden brown. When cool, roll in confectioner's sugar. Store in an air-tight container for up to three weeks. To freshen, roll again in confectioner's sugar. Makes approximately 4 dozen cookies.

Pork Roast...Really Good Pork Roast!

A GREAT RECIPE: TWO THUMBS UP !

I had my family over for an after Christmas party and I needed a really good dinner that would feed a crowd, but not break the bank or me. In other words it had to be cheap, tasty and easy!

This recipe fits the bill. I got my inspiration from Giada DE Laurentiis. I was looking through her cookbook and came across Pork Loin with Fig and Port Sauce.
It sounded so good and with some of my own ideas and my mom's we came up with a winner.

Well ok, I guess it wasn't cheap, but it was reasonable considering the amount of people it fed.

As far as tasty goes, YES,YES and YES! It was absolutely delicous! The oil and herb rub really flavored the roast, plus I stuffed little pieces of garlic into the roast to give it even more flavor (my mom's trick). The fig sauce was so good that I could have drank it straight from a goblet...seriously!

And yes it was easy. The hardest part was peeling the garlic and it took a little time to stuff it in the roast, but it was totally worth it!

After reviewing the recipe with my mom who has cooked a pork roast or two in her day, I decided to change the oven temperature to 375 degrees. She believes in a lower temp (usually 350 degrees) for a more tender meat. I settled on 375 because it was a large roast and I wanted to make sure it was done on time. It came out very tender and juicy. I was so proud, since it was my first pork roast!

I also adjusted the fig sauce recipe to suit the ingredients I had in the house. And as I mentioned it came out fabulous!

Pork Roast with Gravy and Fig Sauce

Fig Sauce:
2 cups dessert wine, (one bottle was just under 2 cups)
1 - 15 oz. can reduced-sodium chicken broth
8 dried black Mission figs, coarsely chopped
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 cinnamon sticks
1 tablespoon honey
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Pork:
4-6 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced thin
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon sea salt, plus additional for seasoning
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, plus additional for seasoning
1 cup low-salt chicken broth
1 tablespoon wondra flour
1 (4 to 4 1/2-pound) boneless pork loin

For the sauce: In a heavy medium saucepan, combine the first 6 ingredients. Boil over medium-high heat until reduced by half, about 30 minutes. Discard the herb sprigs and cinnamon sticks (it's fine if some rosemary leaves remain in the fig/wine mixture). Transfer the fig mixture to a blender or use an emersion blender and puree until smooth. Blend in the butter. Season the sauce, to taste, with salt and pepper. (The sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium heat before using.)

For the pork: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Stir the oil, rosemary, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper in a small bowl to blend. With a small sharp knife, make small, deep slits all over the roast. Push a slice of garlic in each slit until it is all used. Place the pork roast in a heavy roasting pan. Spread the oil mixture over the pork to coat completely. Roast until an instant read meat thermometer inserted into the center of the pork registers 160 degrees F. (About 20 minutes per pound).

Transfer the pork to a cutting board and tent with foil to keep warm. Let the pork rest at least 15 minutes. Next, add the chicken broth into the roasting pan. Mix in the wondra flour, place the pan over medium heat, and scrape the bottom of the pan to remove any browned bits. Bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper, if needed. (Make sure to taste it first since the salt on the outside of the pork has already seasoned the pan juices.)

Using a large sharp knife, cut the pork crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange the pork slices on a platter. Spoon some of the gravy over and serve the rest on the side. Drizzle the warm fig sauce around or serve in a separate gravy boat and pass at the table. (Some guests may not want it on their piece). Serve immediately.

Almond Slices

But Officer, Can I Offer You a Cookie?

I wish I had a case of these in my car today on my way home from work. Maybe it would have saved me from getting that rotten no good speeding ticket. I'm pretty ticked off right now, because it wasn't like I was alone on the road speeding like a maniac. I was driving in traffic, going with the flow. The cop said he had me on laser radar going 47 in a 30 mile per hour area.

I don't believe it. There is no way I was going 47, especially since there was a red light just a bit up the road. It's not fear. Everyone else was driving the same speed. I asked him why he was just picking on me and he said, "I'm not picking on you MA'AM, I am on traffic speed control and I had you on my radar." Yeah right, so I told him that I was just keeping up with the traffic and he said well everyone else was speeding too. Yes! So why stop just me???? I told him that his gizmo must be broken because there was no way that I was going 47. He said, "Well MA'AM, that's something you can take up in court if you wish, I can't do anything about that". I asked him to give me a break and as he went back to his patrol car I knew it was futile. He came back with my "gift" and told me he gave me a break since he only charged me with going 35mph. What a nice guy. By the way, I hate being called MA'AM!

Ok now that I got that off my chest, lets talk about something nice and sweet. In case I never mentioned it, I love Almonds. And I love these cookies. They are a new recipe that I got from my boss's wife. He brought a plate of them in for the Holiday and after one bite, I was hooked.

I feel in love with the chewy texture of these cookies. I did however change the recipe a bit. Because I like a strong almond flavor, I added extra almond extract and orange rind for a fresh kick. The final product was perfection! (If I do say so myself)

Almond Slices

2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon pure almond extract (not imitation)
1 tsp. grated fresh orange peel
3 eggs
Eggwash: 1 egg, beaten plus one teaspoon water, optional
1 1/2 cups almonds, toasted and chopped, optional
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat eggs in bowl. In separate bowl, add all dry ingredients and mix well. Add oil and beaten eggs to dry mixture. Mix well with wooden spoon.* Add almonds, if using, and mix to combine.

Form 4 loafs, placing two side by side on two parchment lined or greased baking sheets. If using egg wash, brush each loaf at this point.

Bake for 12-15 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool and slice. Decorate with drizzled chocolate and sprinkles if desired.

*Do you ever wonder why certain recipes specify what kind of spoon to use when mixing?
I wonder if it really makes a difference in the recipe if you were to use a wooden spoon, a stainless steel spoon or an electric mixture.
What do you think?

In Search of The Best Light Coconut Macaroon...

These Coconut Macaroons Were Good, But I'm Still Searching For Better!

This was a new recipe for me this Christmas. I had a coconut macaroon recipe in my files that I really liked but I lost it. It was before the days of my blog. I really like using unsweetened minimally processed coconut, which poses some problems.

First, there are not a lot of good recipes for coconut macaroons using unsweetened coconut. Secondly, if you don't have the correct measurements or just the right ingredients, they always come out dry and tasteless. Just plain bad!

So you ask, why bother with unsweetened coconut? And I say because it's my thing. You know, "healthier cooking". Minimal "processed" ingredients. Lower fat alternatives that still taste great.

So if you have that perfect recipe let me know. Thanks for listening (hehe)! In the meanwhile you can try this one. It's pretty good, just not perfect!

Light Coconut Macaroons
by Mixed Salad Annie
2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
14 ounces fat-free sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 large egg whites at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

In a large bowl combine the coconut, condensed milk, and vanilla. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites and salt on high speed until they form medium-firm peaks. To the coconut mixture, carefully fold in the egg whites.

Drop cookies onto parchment lined cookie sheets, using either a 1 3/4-inch diameter ice cream scoop, or 2 teaspoons. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool, serve or store in an airtight container.

Salad. Assembly Required.

Don't Cook...Just Assemble.

So you can't cook. Don't worry, there's always salad. Salad is the perfect answer to any cooking dilemma. It can be a first course, the perfect lunch or a light dinner. I love it for all three.

I make all kinds of salads. Some are simple chef salads, others might include leftover cooked chicken or meats with cheese, some have beans, tomatoes and crutons, others highlight fruit and nuts and some have a little bit of everything.

The photo above was my dinner the other night. I call it Kitchen Sink Salad. It basically has everything but the kitchen sink. It is rarely made with the same ingredients because I just use whatever I have in the fridge. So play around with what ever you have in your fridge and you will find that building the perfect salad is really easy.

Kitchen Sink Salad
by Mixed Salad Annie -Serves two

Use your favorite ingredients or whatever is in your refrigerator.

6 large Lettuce Leaves, torn into bite size pieces (I used Romaine)
1 Fruit, cut in cubes (I used a Brabern Apple)
2 tablespoons Dried Fruit (I used Cranberries)
1/4 cup Raw Vegetable, chopped or julienned (I used Julienned Carrots)
2 tablespoons Cheese, diced or shredded (I used shredded reduced fat Sharp Cheddar)
2 tablespoons Nuts, chopped (I used Walnuts)
1/4 cup cooked Steak, Chicken or whatever protein, chopped (I used Sliced Turkey)
Fresh herbs, optional (I used flat leaf parsley and basil)
Dressing (I made my own, see below)

Add all ingredients to a bowl. Add dressing and toss coat all ingredients. Enjoy your creation!

My Favorite Salad Dressing
by Mixed Salad Annie - Four Servings

1/8 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 cup Bragg organic raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar (See health benefits)
20 dashes or about 1/2 teaspoon McCormick's Salt Free It's A Dilly Seasoning

Whisk all ingredients in a small bowl and add to your favorite salad.

Raspberry Strippers - Fruit Filled Cookie Tray-

If you like fruit filled cookies, this tray is for you!

This is just one of many cookie trays that I made for Christmas! It consists of bars, cookie slices and cookies filled with different kinds of fruit. It is one of my favorites.

Starting from the bottom middle going clockwise are Coconut Macaroons, Italian Prune Slices, Raspberry Strippers, Fig Slices, more Raspberry Strippers and in the middle, my mom's Apricot Squares.

The Raspberry Strippers were a new addition to my cookie repetaur. It got the recipe from Cooking Light magazine. They were super scrumptious. Unfortunately, I forgot to take a close up photo of this particular cookie, but you can see it has a lot of raspberry filling on the top. Even though it is supposed to be a lighter cookie, it was really delicious. It is made with butter, just a bit less than its cousin recipe (Raspberry Thumbprint cookies).

Raspberry Strippers
by Cooking Light, December 2000

1/3 cup granulated sugar
5 tablespoons butter or stick margarine, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg white
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray
1/3 cup raspberry or apricot preserves
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon almond or vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375°.

Beat granulated sugar and butter with a mixer at medium speed until well-blended (about 5 minutes). Add 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla and egg white; beat well. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt, stirring well with a whisk. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture, stirring until well-blended. (Dough will be stiff.)

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half. Roll each portion into a 12-inch log. Place logs 3 inches apart on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Form a 1/2-inch-deep indentation down the length of each log using an index finger or end of a wooden spoon. Spoon preserves into the center. Bake at 375° for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove logs to a cutting board.

Combine powdered sugar, lemon juice, and almond extract; stir well with a whisk. Drizzle sugar mixture over warm logs. Immediately cut each log diagonally into 12 slices. (Do not separate slices.) Cool 10 minutes; separate slices. Transfer slices to wire racks. Cool completely.

Yield: 2 dozen (serving size: 1 cookie) Nutritional Information: CALORIES 75(30% from fat); FAT 2.5g (sat 1.5g,mono 0.7g,poly 0.2g); PROTEIN 0.7g; CHOLESTEROL 6mg; CALCIUM 4mg; SODIUM 56mg; FIBER 0.2g; IRON 0.3mg; CARBOHYDRATE 12.4g

Hot Artichoke and Spinach "SKINNY" Dip

There's nothing like a HOT SKINNY DIP!

I had always wanted to try making this dip. It just sounded so good to me since I love artichokes and spinach. And I wanted to make a dip that wasn't loaded with tons of fat. Mission impossible? Not really. It was actually pretty easy. I got some inspiration from Ellie Krieger from Healthy Appetite and just winged it.

It turned out really good, although it was a little thick. It was probably too thick to successfully dip thin chips but was great for pretzel sticks, celery pieces and baby carrots.

I thinned it out the next day with more sour cream and it was even better, so I adjusted my recipe with those changes. Hope you like it!

Hot Artichoke and Spinach Dip

1 tablespoon e.v. olive oil
1 bunch scallions (green onions), finely chopped (about 1 cup)
3 cloves garlic
1 can artichoke hearts, rinsed and dried
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted, excess liquid squeezed out
1 cup low-fat sour cream
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/2 cup (about 4 ounces) Neufchatel cheese (1/3 less-fat cream cheese)
2 ounces (about 1/2 cup) shredded fontinella cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat the oil in a saute pan over medium/low heat. Add scallions and cook, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook an additional 3 to 4 minutes. Add in the spinach, mix well and cook for a few more minutes. Remove from heat and cool.

Combine the artichoke hearts, sour cream, mayonnaise, Neufchatel, fontinella and salt and pepper in a food processor. Add in the spinach mixture and process until smooth. Spray an 8-inch glass square baking dish or 9-inch glass pie plate with cooking spray and spread in mixture. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until heated through. Serve with pretzel sticks or crudites.

It Snowed Today!

Snow is so pretty...

It just makes everything look clean and new. It was a wet, heavy snow which made it even more picturesque. The trees were drooping down low because it was so dense. And as you can see the streets were cleared fairly quickly which made me even happier!

How was your weather??

Lightened Up Spaghetti with Italian Sausage and Meatballs

Attempting to slim down a classic!

I'm always trying to figure out how to cut the fat and calories from some of my favorite foods, without compromising the flavor. Sometimes it's easy and sometimes it's not. This seems like an easy one, but there are a lot of extra steps to take and therefore it takes a little more time. If I were to just fry everything, like in the classic way of cooking sausage and meatballs, it would have taken a lot less time. But I was determined and did it anyway.

You will need an oven safe saucepan. I used the same saucepan to bake the meatballs and sausage, as to make the sauce. The reason: to get all of the caramelized drippings from the meat incorporated into the tomato sauce just as you would if you were to fry them. (note: be very careful when making the tomato sauce because the pan will be very hot. Keep an oven mit on the handle to remind yourself that it was in the oven. Take it from me. I did burn myself because I forgot.)

Like I said before this recipe is a little more time consuming, but the result was very good. I guess good things DO come to those who wait!

Tomato Sauce (Gravy)

9 meatballs
4 sausage links and/or spare ribs
3 tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
4 to 5 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 28-ounce can pureed plum tomatoes (I used Pastene kitchen ready)
1 28-ounce can whole plum tomatoes, tomatoes squeezed and hard pieces and skin removed
28 ounces water (use the tomato can & clean out any remaining tomatoes)
2 small bay leaves
2 sprigs of fresh basil leaves, one intact and one minced
Salt and pepper to taste

First prepare meatballs and sausage links...

Turkey Meatballs (My own recipe)
1/2 lb. Ground Turkey (I used 93%)
1 slice stale Italian bread or sliced white bread, crusted removed
2 tbls. milk or water
1 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 cup fresh parsley, minced
4-5 fresh basil leaves, minced
1/3 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese

In a small bowl, soak the bread in the milk. Combine all ingredients except ground turkey in a large bowl and mix well. Add in turkey and gently work the mixture with your hands until evenly combined. Do not over mix.

Roll the turkey into 9 same size balls. Place in an oven safe large pot, sprayed with cooking spray.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes, turning several times. Remove from pot and set aside. (At this point, the meatballs may also be cooled and refrigerated or frozen until ready to use.)

Poke the sausage links with a skewer on all sides several times. Using the same oven safe pot used to cook the meatballs, add in the sausage links and cook for about 15 minutes at 350 degrees, turning several times. Remove the sausage and wipe out the pot with paper towels.

Start the Tomato Sauce...

Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil to the same saucepan. Add the garlic and cook over low heat for about 2-3 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for about 3-4 minutes, or until slightly caramelized. Add all the meat and stir to combine. Add all of the tomatoes and water. Add the bay leaves and the intact basil sprig. Bring the sauce to a simmer and lower the heat. Cover the pot loosely and simmer for 1 hour. Sprinkle with remaining chopped basil and correct seasoning with salt and pepper, if necessary. I also like to drizzle some extra virgin olive oil over the top to finish it off.

Use the sauce to dress the spaghetti or any pasta and serve the meat, with some of the sauce, as an entrée.

Chicken Parmigiana

Quick, Easy and Light...What More Do You Want?

This is a lighter version of chicken parm. It is baked instead of fried and does not use breadcrumbs. I like it because it's quick, easy, contains less fat and has more of a "herby" flavor, which I love. Give it a try!

Chicken Parmigiano

2 large chicken breast halves cut into 11-12 pieces, or chicken tenders
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh sage leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups marinara sauce
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
18 teaspoons grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.

Stir the oil, lemon juice and herbs in a small bowl to blend. Season with salt and pepper. Place the chicken and herb marinade in a large zip lock bag and refrigerate for at least 3o minutes.

Heat a heavy large oven-proof skillet over high heat. Add the chicken, place in the oven and cook about 8 minutes, turning halfway. Remove the skillet from the oven.

Spoon the marinara sauce over and around the chicken pieces. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of mozzarella over each piece, then sprinkle 1 1/2 teaspoons of Parmesan over each. Sprinkle the butter pieces atop the chicken pieces. Bake until the cheese melts and the chicken is cooked through, about 4 minutes.

Pear and Gorgonzola Salad

I love this salad.

This salad is not only delicious but is loaded with nutrients. And I love that. It is also elegant and perfect to serve on a holiday to company, which is what I did. Everyone loved it. It's unique, but not so different that guests will be turned off by it. Most people love pears and cheese and walnuts as well.

Pear and Gorgonzola Salad

20oz Romaine Lettuce, washed, dried and torn into small pieces
2 Ripe Bartlett Pears cored and sliced (Anjou pears would work as well)
3/4 cup Chopped walnuts, toasted
1/4 cup Crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
Ground black pepper to taste
Pear Vinaigrette, recipe follows

Toss lettuce with half of vinaigrette. Place lettuce on six salad plates, top with 5-6 slices of pears fanned over lettuce and sprinkle with equal amounts of walnuts and cheese. Drizzle each salad with remaining vinaigrette.

Serve immediately. Since fresh pears are used here the salad must be served immediately or the pears with start to brown.

Pear Vinaigrette: Combine 1 (15 oz.) can juice-packed, drained Bartlett pears, 1/3 extra virgin olive oil, 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar and 1/2 tsp. salt in a blender; mix well. Chill until ready to use.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars

A New Version Of An Old Favorite

I love to experiment with recipes to come up with new twists. This one is just that. I have an Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Biscotti recipe that I make every holiday that everyone loves. So why change it, you ask? Because I can!

I love biscotti, but sometimes I enjoy a nice soft and chewy cookie as well. This is what I was trying to accomplish with this cookie. I think I succeeded. Everyone loved them. Another thing I was trying to achieve was to reduce the amount of butter and sugar in the original recipe. I did this by substituting half the butter with 1/4 cup of canola oil and cutting back just a little on the white sugar. You would never know I messed with them. They came out as tasty as ever. I also came up with a few different versions of this recipe using cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger cranberries, white chocolate and apricots. But that's a whole other post!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars

1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup canola oil
1 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 large eggs
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups quick oatmeal (or old fashioned)
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cups chopped toasted walnuts - optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together butter, oil, sugars, vanilla, cinnamon and eggs. Combine flour, salt and baking powder and mix into butter mixture. Mix in oats, chips and nuts.

Onto a parchment lined baking sheet, spoon out mixture to form 4 logs the length of the sheet, 2 logs per baking sheet*. Leave enough space in between each log, since they will spread while cooking.

Bake for about 2o-22 minutes, so that when you touch the tops they are firm and lightly brown. Remove from the oven and cool.

Slice logs diagonally and decorate. Once the decorations are dry, store in an airtight container.

To decorate: Just melt some semi-sweet chocolate chips and some white chocolate chips in the microwave, separately. Dip a spoon in the melted chocolate and drizzle over the cookie tops. I actually use squeeze containers because it makes it so easy to drizzle. While the chocolate is still wet, shake on some candy sprinkles.

* If you want to make smaller cookies, shape into 6 logs, placing 3 logs per sheet and bake for around 12-15 minutes.

Sauteed Broccoli Rabe

I resolve to eat food I love!

I thought I would go with a "healthy recipe" since we are all trying to get rid of a few extra pounds we put on over the holidays. At least I know I did. However, I refuse to eat food that I don't like just because it is supposed to be healthy. Luckily, I happen to like broccoli rabe and most vegetables. I think that is the key. EAT WHAT YOU LOVE and in moderation. I know it's not easy sometimes (especially because I LOVE COOKIES), but it does work if you try.
Speaking of COOKIES, I have plenty of catching up to do with posting all of my cookie recipes. And they were awesome! So keep checking in.

The inspiration for this recipe came from my friend Giada, of course. I changed some of the proportions and cooking times. Remember broccoli rabe is a little bitter, so make sure to boil it before sauting to remove some of the bitter flavor. The raisins offer a little sweetness to offset the bitter broccoli rabe. And of course, the pine nuts give a little crunch, which I love.

Sauteed Broccoli Rabe

1 bunch broccoli rabe, washed, stems trimmed and roughly chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, chopped
dash dried crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup raisins
Salt
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted

Cook the broccoli rabe in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 6 minutes. Drain the broccoli rabe reserving about 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid. Set aside.

Heat the oil in the same large pot over low heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, and heat until the garlic is softened and the oil is flavored, about 5 minutes. Adjust heat to medium-low. Add the broccoli rabe and toss to coat. Add the reserved cooking water, the raisins, and cook about 2-3 minutes. Season with salt, to taste. Just before serving, toss the mixture with the pine nuts.

Yes I'm Still Alive!

In case you all thought I got lost this holiday, I've been around but my computer died the day after Christmas. Oh joy. I had just been commenting on how I should start thinking about looking for a new computer and BAM it kicked the bucket. Everything is gone. And, no of course I didn't back anything up. I know, I know, not smart, but does anyone really back everything up?
Well, it gave me reason to buy the computer I really wanted to begin with. A MacBook. No more viruses. No more worries. I love Macs. I use one at work and have never had any trouble with it.

So let the blogging continue....

Just Curious...Do you use a mac or pc?