Apple Turnovers

I just made a batch of Apple Turnovers for dessert last night along with blueberry turnovers. I haven't typed that recipe up yet..

Ingredients:
1 puff pastry sheet
2 large Granny Smith Apples
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

Peel, core and slice apples. In medium saucepan over low heat, cook apples with sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and cinnamon, stirring frequently, until apples are tender. Refrigerate until cool.

Thaw pastry sheet at room temperature 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

Unfold pastry on lightly floured surface. Roll each sheet into a 12-inch square and cut into four 6-inch squares. Place 1/4 cup apple mixture in center of each square. Brush edges with water. Fold to form triangles, seal edges firmly with a fork. Place on a baking sheet. Bake 25 minutes or until golden. Cool on wire rack.

Sugar drizzle: In small bowl, mix together 1/4/2 cup confectioners sugar and 1 tablespoon water. With spoon, drizzle on turnover, allow to set before serving

I didn't bother putting the glaze on it.

Emeril's Talk About A Taco Salad

I turned dinner over to Miss V and she chose this from Emeril's There is a chef in my kitchen cookbook.

4 large burrito-size flour tortillas
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 to 1 1/4 pounds lean ground beef
1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onions
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon Baby Bam
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon chicken stock or canned low sodium broth
2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
1 1/3 cups chopped plum tomatoes
1/2 cup grated sharp Cheddar or Monterey Jack
1/4 cup sour cream
Salsa, optional
Guacamole, optional

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

To make the tortilla bowls, cut a 3-inch wedge from each tortilla and discard. Take a baking sheet and place a stainless steel mixing bowl upside down on the baking sheet. Brush 1 tortilla with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil. Drape tortilla over the bowl, pressing to form into a bowl shape. Bake until crisp, about 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack and repeat with the remaining tortillas.

In a large skillet, cook the beef over medium heat, stirring, until browned, about 5 minutes. Strain the beef in a colander set over a bowl and discard the drained fat. Return the beef to the pan and add the onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft, about 3 minutes. Add the tomato paste and garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the chili powder, Baby Bam, and salt, stir, and add the chicken stock. When the broth is reduced by half, remove from the heat, about 1 minute. Let cool.

To assemble the salads, place 1 bowl, cup side up, on each of 4 plates. Spoon 1/2 cup of the ground beef mixture into the center of each bowl. Top with 1/2 cup of the shredded lettuce, 1/3 cup of the tomatoes, 2 tablespoons of the cheese, and the sour cream. Add salsa and guacamole, if desired, and serve.

Baby Bam

This comes from Emeril's cookbook, There is a Chef in my Family. Miss V needs to make this to go into dinner tonight.

3 tbs paprika
2 tbs salt
2 tbs dried parsley
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 celery salt

Place all the ingredients in a small mixing bowl and stir well to combine, using a wooden spoon. Then store in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

Grilled Chicken Salad with Parmesean Breadcrumbs

I made this yummy for dinner on Friday night. It also is in the current issue of the Food Network Magazine.

plum tomato, halved
4 sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, plus 2 tablespoons oil from the jar
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 bunch fresh basil, torn
1/3 cup grated parmesan
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
8 cups Italian-blend salad greens or baby arugula
8 ounces bocconcini (small mozzarella balls), quartered (I used a block of fresh and cubed it)

Preheat a grill to high. Puree the plum tomato, sun-dried tomatoes, vinegar, garlic, oregano, a few basil leaves and 2 tablespoons parmesan in a blender, drizzling in the sun-dried tomato oil until smooth. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons water, if needed; season with salt and pepper.

Halve the chicken breasts horizontally to make four 1/4-inch-thick cutlets. Brush with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the chicken until marked on the bottom, about 4 minutes, then turn and grill until cooked through, about 3 more minutes. Transfer to a cutting board.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the breadcrumbs, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon parmesan and the parsley and cook until toasted, about 1 more minute.

Toss the salad greens and remaining basil in a large bowl. Cut the chicken into pieces and add to the greens along with the mozzarella. Toss with the dressing, then sprinkle with the breadcrumb mixture.

I served it with a piece of foccacia.

Cucumber Melon Martini

A neighbor and fellow foodie had me be a guinea pig recently. We were talking about light and refreshing drinks and the ingredient cucumber came up a couple times. Well after that night I kept thinking about my absolutely favorite scent at Bath and Body works, Cucumber Melon. Just the smell of it brings me mentally back to my second honeymoon in Key West.

Anyway I went searching high and low for a cucumber melon beverage and didn't really find one so I kind of used a couple. So here is what I came up with.

2 oz Smirnoff Melon Vodka
1/2 oz simple syrup
2 or 3 cucumber slices (peeled and seeded)
Club soda

Muddle the cucumber in a cocktail shaker.
Add a cup of ice.
Add the vodka and simple syrup.
Shake vigorously.
Strain into a martini glass and top with a splash of club soda.

You also garnish with a chunk of cantaloupe.

Asian Rice Salad with Shrimp

I saw this in the Food Network magazine and made it with chicken.

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 2-inch piece ginger, peeled and grated
3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Pinch of sugar
3/4 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined and halved lengthwise
1 large carrot, shredded
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
2 cups snow peas, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cups cooked white or brown rice
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
1/4 head iceberg lettuce, shredded (used Romaine)
1 cup mung bean sprouts (didn't have any)
1/2 cup chow mein noodles and/or chopped peanuts

Directions

Whisk the garlic, ginger, sesame oil, vinegar, soy sauce and sugar in a large bowl. Transfer 2 tablespoons of the dressing to a medium bowl, add the shrimp and toss. Add the carrot, celery and snow peas to the remaining dressing and toss.

Heat a large skillet over high heat and add 2 teaspoons vegetable oil. Add the shrimp and stir-fry until they turn pink, 3 to 4 minutes, then transfer to the bowl with the vegetables. Add 3 to 4 tablespoons water to the skillet and scrape up the browned bits with a wooden spoon, then add the liquid to the bowl with the shrimp. Let the skillet reheat, then add the remaining 1 teaspoon vegetable oil and stir-fry the rice until toasted, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.

Add the rice and scallions to the shrimp-vegetable mixture and toss. Divide among bowls and top with the lettuce, sprouts, chow mein noodles and/or peanuts.

Roasted Pepper Pasta Salad

When I saw this on the cover of Food Network Magazine, I knew I had to try it.

I made it a little while ago and it is chilling in the fridge. I took a quick taste and it is yummy. I cannot wait for dinner. I grilling up a couple chicken breasts to go with it.

Kosher salt
12 ounces mezzi rigatoni or other short tube-shaped pasta
2 bell peppers (red and/or yellow), halved, stemmed and seeded (I used a red and orange)
6 cloves garlic, unpeeled
1/4 cup almonds
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 lemon
8 ounces bocconcini (small mozzarella balls) I couldn't find any so I used a block of fresh mozzarella and cut it into cubes.
1 bunch fresh basil, leaves torn
Freshly ground pepper

Directions

Preheat the broiler. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Shake off the excess water.

Meanwhile, place the bell peppers cut-side down on a foil-lined broiler pan, add the garlic and broil until charred, 7 to 8 minutes. Transfer the peppers to a bowl, cover and set aside about 5 minutes.

Heat a dry skillet over medium-high heat. Add the almonds and toast, shaking the pan, 4 to 5 minutes. Let cool, then coarsely chop.

Squeeze the garlic from its skin onto a cutting board. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt; mince and mash the garlic into a paste with a large knife. Peel the roasted peppers and slice into strips; transfer to a large bowl. Add the garlic paste and drizzle with the olive oil. Finely grate about 1 teaspoon lemon zest into the bowl and squeeze in all of the lemon juice. Add the bocconcini, basil, almonds, pasta, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste; toss.

Per serving: Calories 731; Fat 37 g (Saturated 11 g); Cholesterol 41 mg; Sodium 845 mg; Carbohydrate 73 g; Fiber 6 g; Protein 26 g

Granola Bars

I felt like making some sort of snacky item, but not cookies. I didn't have any wheat germ and finally found this recipe on the Family Fun Site.

1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups crisp rice cereal
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup dried fruit bits (we used cherry flavored Craisins)
1/2 cup sliced almonds

Heat the oven to 350º F. Coat a 9- by 13-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

Melt the butter or margarine in a large pot over low heat. Remove the pot from the heat and whisk in the sugar, honey, flour, vanilla extract, and cinnamon. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.

Transfer the mixture to the baking pan. Using a sheet or waxed paper and the palms of your hands, press the granola firmly into the pan, packing it to a flat and even thickness.

Bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown. Allow the granola to cool 1 hour in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before cutting into bars. Makes 16 to 24 rectangular bars.

They are pretty good! I didn't pack them down enough so they are kind of crumbly and I think would be perfect on yogurt.

Grilled Greek Chicken Salad

I have the chicken marinating right now for dinner tonight.

2 chicken, breast, skinless, boneless halves
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon oregano, fresh, or 1 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon Greek seasoning
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon pepper, black ground
1 to 2 medium cucumbers, seeded and coarsely chopped
2 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup red onion, sliced thinly
lettuce, mixed greens
1/3 cup Kraft Greek Vinaigrette dressing
1/2 cup cheese, feta, crumbled
1/4 cup olives, Kalamata, pitted
5 or 6 pepperoncini
Pita bread

Place chicken in a resealable plastic bag set in a shallow dish. For marinade, in a small bowl, combine lemon juice, oil, oregano, Greek seasoning, garlic, and pepper. Pour over chicken. Seal bag; turn to coat chicken. Marinate in the refrigerator for 4 to 24 hours, turning bag occasionally.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, toss together cucumbers, tomatoes, and red onion.

Drain chicken, discarding marinade. Place chicken on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals. Grill for 12 to 15 minutes or until tender and no longer pink (170°F), turning once.
Transfer chicken to a cutting board; cut into bite-size pieces. Toss with cucumber mixture. If desired, serve on salad greens.

Drizzle salad dressing over. Sprinkle with feta cheese, olives, and pepperoncini. Serve with wedges of pita bread.

Kid Cuisine Deep Sea Adventures

Product review time! Today's review is Kid Cuisine Deep Sea Adventure.

In the past I would have normally skipped over frozen meals for Miss V. Well about a year ago we were concerned about her weight and the doctor suggested that we add a little extra calories to her diet. So I had Miss V pick out a couple meals. Some were a hit and some were definitely misses.

This summer we were shopping and Miss V asked for more meals. Her absolutely favorite meal is the Deep Sea Adventure.

Now before freaking out that the meal contains no fruit or veggies, she will snack on apples, carrots, celery or a mix of other fruits/veggies.





I totally understand parents that are watching their child's weight because childhood obesity is a big problem. BUT....please remember that there are children on the other side of the scale. For instance, last summer when we first bought some meals. There was another woman in the aisle with her two daughters and the girls were begging and pleading with the mom to for some Kid Cuisine meals. The mom clearly said that if the father found out that she was buying them crap like that then he would be very mad at them. They grabbed a box and started reading the nutritional label and the mom told them to put them back.

Meanwhile Miss V and I were waiting patiently and they walked further down the aisle to buy "adult" frozen meals. Miss V chose what meals she wanted and put them in the cart. I then heard one of the girls say to her mom, "why is that lady buying her kid them?" and the Mom responded "well maybe she doesn't care about what her daughter eats." Oh that made me so mad!

I gave her one of my infamous smirks and went on our way.

So again....don't judge what other people have in their carts, you just don't know their situations.

Surprise gift!

One guest that came to Desserts & Fireworks surprised me with a little gift. It was a Lemon Cheesecake mix and this adorable set of mini measuring spoons. Aren't they the CUTEST!!!!

It includes a Dash spoon, a Pinch spoon and a Smidgen. A little tag that came with it gave the measurements as;

A Dash is equal to 1/8 tsp.
A Pinch is equal to 1/16 tsp.
A Smidgen is equal to 1/32 tsp.

I just love them!! I am going to hang them on the door of my sprinkle cabinet.

Desserts & Fireworks

We had another fun filled Desserts & Fireworks party this July 4th. The rain finally stopped and were able to enjoy time spent with good friends, good food and good fireworks!

Lets see if I can remember everything that I made and will link the recipes below:

Chocolate Trifle
Tiramisu Cheesecake Bars
Victoria's Blueberry Tartlets
Victoria's favorite butter cookies
Cheese filled Shortbread Tarts
Grasshopper Fudge Cake
Raspberry Lemonade Cake
Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies
Double Chocolate Cookies
White Chocolate Chip Cookies
Lemon Bars
Outrageous Brownies
Disney Hollywood Studio/Brown Derby Grapefruit Cake
Red White and Blue Cupcakes

I think that is it?????

Barefoot Contessa's Outrageous Brownies

No dessert table would be complete without a plate of yummy brownies. I first saw these outrageous brownies on an episode of the Barefoot Contessa. Now let me tell you, they are a lot of work but ohhhhh sooooo worth it!!! Just make sure you follow the directions and use the best ingredients.

1 pound unsalted butter
1 pound plus 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
6 extra-large eggs
3 tablespoons instant coffee granules
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter and flour a 12 x 18 x 1-inch baking sheet.

Melt together the butter, 1 pound of chocolate chips, and the unsweetened chocolate in a medium bowl over simmering water. Allow to cool slightly. In a large bowl, stir (do not beat) together the eggs, coffee granules, vanilla, and sugar. Stir the warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and allow to cool to room temperature.

In a medium bowl, sift together 1 cup of flour, the baking powder, and salt. Add to the cooled chocolate mixture. Toss the walnuts and 12 ounces of chocolate chips in a medium bowl with 1/4 cup of flour, then add them to the chocolate batter. Pour into the baking sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes, then rap the baking sheet against the oven shelf to force the air to escape from between the pan and the brownie dough. Bake for about 15 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Do not overbake! Allow to cool thoroughly, refrigerate, and cut into 20 large squares

Double Chocolate Cookies

I also made these yummy cookies for Desserts & Fireworks and again the recipe came from a Taste of Home magazine.

1-1/4 cups butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup baking cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes or until set. Cool for 2 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies

I also made these cookies for Desserts & Fireworks. I found them in one of my Taste of Home magazines.

1 cup dried cherries, chopped
1/3 cup hot water
6 tablespoons shortening
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1-1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
3 teaspoons grated orange peel
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups quick-cooking oats
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

In a small bowl, soak cherries in hot water for at least 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, cream the shortening, butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, orange peel and vanilla. Combine the oats, flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in the chocolate chip and cherries with liquid.

Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake at 350° for 12-14 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool for 1 minute before removing from pans to wire racks. Yield: about 3-1/2 dozen.

Red, White and Blue Layered cupcakes

Of course being July 4th, we needed to have a Patriotic cupcakes. These are really simple. It is just a box of white cake mix. Make according to package directions and split the batter into 3 bowls. Color one with red gel food color, color another bowl with royal blue gel and leave one bowl white.

Add about 1 tbs of the blue batter to each muffin cup, followed by a layer of white then red.

It is really best if you use two boxes of cake mix if you want big puffy cupcakes.

These were frosted with Betty Crocker whipped vanilla frosting and then I let Victoria go crazy with the sprinkles.

We also found some cute and fun decorations from Wilton at Michaels.

Cute little red and blue pinwheels for the cupcakes.

And little foil pix.

Not the greatest, but I want to snap a quick picture before everyone came.

Disney Hollywood Studios Brown Derby Grapefruit Cake

One of the cakes that I made for Desserts & Fireworks was from Disney Hollywood Studio's Brown Derby. It is the Grapefruit Cake. A little bit of info from the the Disney Food Blog.

The heyday of the original Brown Derby restaurants was the golden age of Hollywood, when Mary Pickford, Clarke Gable, Spencer Tracy, and the young starlet, Lucille Ball, among others, frequented the lush booths in the hat-shaped buildings. Disney World’s Hollywood Brown Derby is fashioned after the Hollywood Brown Derby on Vine Street (there were three other Brown Derby restaurants as well), and bears an incredible resemblance inside and out. But what I find truly fascinating about the restaurant are the stories it’s keeping alive.

One of my favorites is about Louella Parsons, who worked for William Randolph Hearst and was considered one of the most powerful gossip columnists in Hollywood for many years (to the dismay of her colleague and rival, Hedda Hopper, who often held court on the opposite side of the Derby from Parsons).

One day, Parsons complained to Derby owner Robert Cobb that all of his desserts were too fattening and requested something healthier. Cobb quickly told the chef “to put grapefruit on something, because everyone knows it’s slimming.”

So the chef invented his Grapefruit Cake, a dessert with multiple layers of cream cheese frosting that are anything but slimming, and it’s gone down in the history books along with several other Derby-invented classic recipes.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs (separated)
3 tablespoons grapefruit juice
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Preheat oven to 350º F. Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into mixing bowl. Make a well in center of dry ingredients.

Add water, oil, egg yolks, grapefruit juice, and lemon rind. Beat until smooth.

Beat egg whites and cream of tartar separately, until whites are stiff but not dry.

Gradually fold egg whites into the cake batter, folding gently with a rubber spatula until just blended. Do not stir the mixture.

Pour into an ungreased 10-inch cake pan. Bake at 350º degrees for 25 to 30 minutes, or until cake springs back when lightly touched with a finger. Invert pan on cake rack until cool. Run spatula around edge of cake. Carefully remove from pan. With a serrated knife, gently cut layer in half.

Grapefruit Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

2 six-ounce packages of cream cheese
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
3/4 cup powdered sugar (sifted)
6 to 8 drops yellow food coloring
1 one-pound can grapefruit sections (well-drained), reserving 2 tablespoons of juice OR 3 fresh grapefruits, peeled, sectioned, and drained, reserving 2 tablespoons of juice.

Method:

Let cream cheese soften at room temperature. Beat cheese until fluffy.

Add lemon juice and rind.

Gradually blend in sugar. Beat until well blended. Add food coloring.

Add reserved grapefruit and blend into frosting.

Divide the frosting evenly into two bowls. Roughly chop 2/3 of the grapefruit sections and add them to half the frosting. Spread this mixture on the bottom half of cake. Top with several grapefruit sections. Cover with second layer of cake. Frost top and sides. Garnish with remaining grapefruit sections.

As much as I love this cake, I did have some issues with it. First I had to borrow a 10 inch cake pan which is when I am glad I have friends that bake too. Second I really was second guessing myself when it said ungreased pan.....Next time I will listen to my gut and just spray the bottom of the cake pan. Next issue with the size of the pan. It was a bit of a pain to slice it to make two layers. If I make this again, I will certainly make it in a smaller pan like an 8 or 9 inch round.

Barefoot Contessa's Lemon Bars

One of the other goodies I made for the Desserts & Fireworks party was the Barefoot Contessa's Lemon Bars. I was a bit nervous about this because the only other one I tried was from a box and they were awful! I could NOT get them out of the pan.

Ingredients

For the crust:
1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 cups flour
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

For the filling:
6 extra-large eggs at room temperature
3 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest (4 to 6 lemons)
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup flour
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

For the crust, cream the butter and sugar until light in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed. Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press it into a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking sheet, building up a 1/2-inch edge on all sides. Chill.

Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven on.

For the filling, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is set. Let cool to room temperature.

Cut into triangles and dust with confectioners' sugar.

Anyway, these turned out fantastic!!!! Fresh and lemony and came right out of the pan.

White Chocolate Chip Macadmia Cookies

I also made Marcel's favorite cookies for our Dessets & Fireworks party.

1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup white chocolate chips
6 ounces macadamia nuts, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease two baking sheets

Cream together the butter, sugars, and salt. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth and light.

Stir the flour and baking soda together in another bowl. Add the flour mixture to the butter and sugar mixture and beat until combined.

Add the white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts. Place rounded mounds of dough about the size of walnuts on the prepared pans. Bake for ten minutes or until the edges of the cookies just begin to brown. Remove them to a wire rack to cool. Makes about four dozen cookies.

Cheese filled Shortbread Tarts

I made these Cheese Filled Shortbread Tarts again this year and actually got picture of them!

This year the store had plenty of fresh berries to pick from so I did put strawberries, blueberries and raspberries on them. The original recipe makes a ton of filling but not enough tarts. You could also use the filling in premade phylo cups.

One Alarm Chili

Last night Miss V made her famous One Alarm Chili for dinner. This was one of her YCA Kindercooks recipes. She does like to add a little more heat to it that what is stated in the recipe.

1 pound pre cooked hamburger (Kindercooks aren't allowed to use the stove that is why it says precooked)
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 tbs chili powder
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp oregano
1 tsp salt or to taste
1 can red beans or pinto beans, drained (she prefers kidney beans)
1 can tomatoes, drained and diced
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
Garnish: Tortilla chips, grated cheese or sour cream.

1. Place hamburger, onion, and garlic into a large sauce pan. Add the chili powder, cumin, oregano, and salt. Stir.

2. Add the remaining ingredients and stir again. If it seems too thick at a little water until it reaches a desired consistency. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.

3. Serve over chips. Garnish with sour cream and grated cheese (optional).

Serves 6.

Tiered Serving Platter

A while ago I spotted this little project on Jamie Cooks It Up! and knew I wanted to try it for July 4th.

You can find the full directions on Jamie Cooks It Up!

Mine looks a bit crooked, because I didn't wait long enough to put each on. Next time I will wait a bit longer.

Blueberry Tartlets

Ok so I didn't make these today. These are actually made by Miss V last July 4th. She first made these way back in Spring of 2007 when she attended Kindercooks class at Young Chefs Academy. Since then she makes them every year for July 4th.

In my haste to organize my scrapbook room, I accidentally tossed a box that I thought was trash. What was in the bottom were literally HUNDREDS of her old recipes. I felt sick for days after realizing it.

When I started getting a mental list of dessert for July 4th I went right to her binder and the recipe was gone. I felt awful!

I recently saw the YCA in Brandon on a Tampa News channel and the staff and kids looked like they genuinely were have a great time. So I emailed the Brandon location and a day later the Chef Amy emailed me back a nice reply and included the recipe!!! I am so grateful for her help. I just wish some how I could get all the recipes back. ::sigh::

Anyway....here is Miss V's favorite dessert to make for July 4th.

Equipment
Measuring cups and spoons
Large bowl
Citrus reamer
Wooden spoon
Standard muffin tin
4 in. biscuit cutter
Small microwave bowl

Ingredients
Pie:
½ cup sugar
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
Dash salt
2 ½ cups frozen blueberries*
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
2 pie crusts

Topping:
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
¾ cups flour
1/3 cup butter, melted

1. Thaw blueberries for about 10 minutes in a bowl. Sprinkle with about 1 Tbsp. of flour and toss to coat.

2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

3. Mix together sugar, cornstarch, salt, blueberries, and lemon juice.

4. Cut pie crusts into 12 4 in. circles. Fit each circle into the muffin tin.

5. Spoon blueberries into each crust.

6. Make the topping by combining the sugar, flour, and butter. Spread evenly over blueberry filling.

7. Bake for 35-40 minutes. Makes 12 servings.

*If using fresh blueberries, omit Step #1.

Eat in any diner in New England during the summer and you are likely to find blueberry pie on the menu. The annual state of Maine Wild Blueberry Festival is held during the last week of August in Union, Maine.

Chocolate Thumbprints

I am heading over to a neighbor's home tonight and I don't like showing up empty handed. I flipped through my Martha Stewart's Cookie Cookbook and found this recipe for Chocolate Thumbprints. Miss V and I already sampled one and she gave them two thumbs up.

1 cup plus 6 tbs unsalted butter, room temp
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
6 oz semisweet chocolate chopped
2 tsp corn syrup

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together 2 sticks butter, sugar, salt, and vanilla on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Beat in flour, beginning on low speed and increasing to medium high.

Roll dough by 2 teaspoonfuls into balls, and place 1 inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, remove from oven, and press thumb into tops of cookies to make indentations. Return to oven, and bake until light brown on the edges, 7 to 9 minutes more. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

Combine chocolate, 6 tablespoons butter, and corn syrup in a small heat-proof bowl. Set over a pot of simmering water; stir occasionally until melted and smooth. Allow to cool slightly. When cookies are cool, fill the thumbprints with the chocolate mixture.

Bobby Flay Miami Burger

The other day I blogged about picking up Bobby Flay's new cookbook. I picked out the Miami burger for dinner tonight. It is like a Cuban Sandwich, hence the name Miami Burger.

1 pound ground chuck (80 percent lean) or ground turkey (90 percent lean)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 cup mayonnaise
4 cloves roasted garlic, mashed
4 hamburger buns, split
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
8 thin slices Swiss cheese
4 thin slices smoked ham
2 dill pickles, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick slices

Directions

Divide the meat into 4 equal portions. Form each portion loosely into a 3/4-inch-thick burger and make a deep depression in the center with your thumb. Season both sides of each burger with salt and pepper. Cook the burgers, using the oil. Remove the burgers to a plate.  (I cooked them on the grill)

Combine the mayonnaise and roasted garlic in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread both sides of each bun with the mayonnaise and the mustard. Place a slice of cheese on each bun bottom, place a burger on top, and then top the burger with a slice of ham, another slice of cheese, and some pickle slices. Cover with the bun tops.

Cook the burgers on a sandwich press or wrap the burgers in aluminum foil and cook in a hot skillet over high heat (put a heavy skillet on top of the burgers to press them) until golden brown and the cheese has melted, about 1 1/2 minutes per side. Serve immediately.  (I cooked them on the grill and weighed them down with a cast iron skillet.)








Sharing here:
Melt In Your Mouth Monday #9

Duke's Mayonnaise

Right after we moved from Massachusetts to South West Florida, I would see ads for Duke's Mayonnaise. I kept thinking, I have never heard of that up North and it really can't be as good as Hellman's. There are just some things I prefer brand name. Well Publix had it on sale and I picked up a small jar and used it in Potato Salad and I have been hooked ever since.

There is no funky after taste or chemical smell to it.

Have you heard of Duke's? And have you tried it? What brand do you prefer?

Ina Garten's Palmiers

2 cups granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
2 sheets puff pastry, defrosted (recommended: Pepperidge Farm)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Combine the sugar and kosher salt. Pour 1 cup of the sugar/salt mixture on a flat surface such as wooden board or marble. Unfold each sheet of puff pastry onto the sugar and pour 1/2 cup of the sugar mixture on top, spreading it evenly on the puff pastry. This is not about sprinkling, it's about an even covering of sugar. With a rolling pin, roll the dough until it's 13 by 13-inches square and the sugar is pressed into the puff pastry on top and bottom.

Fold the sides of the square towards the center so they go halfway to the middle. Fold them again so the two folds meet exactly at the middle of the dough. Then fold 1 half over the other half as though closing a book.

You will have 6 layers. Slice the dough into 3/8-inch slices and place the slices, cut side up, on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.

Place the second sheet of pastry on the sugared board, sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar mixture, and continue as above. (There will be quite a bit of sugar left over on the board.) Slice and arrange on baking sheets lined with parchment.

Bake the cookies for 6 minutes until caramelized and brown on the bottom, then turn with a spatula and bake another 3 to 5 minutes, until caramelized on the other side. Transfer to a baking rack to cool.

Pretty cute looking.


This is where I listened to the comments on the Food Network site. The comments recommended baking them at 425 to so they wouldn't burn. Well they didn't burn and didn't get caramelized like I thought.

Second batch I used a bit of cinnamon in with the sugar and put the oven temp up to 450. I baked them for 6 minutes on each side and I think they could have been baked just a bit more. The second batch is much better!!!

Yep, it didn't get to caramelized, maybe another minute or two next time.

Bobby Flay's Burgers, Fries, and Shakes

Yesterday at Books A Million, I picked up Bobby Flay's Burgers, Fries, and Shakes. It looks wonderful and I can't wait to try some new recipes and I am so tempted to get a small fryer.

Food Network and Cooking Channel

For years I have been a devoted Food Network fan that is until recently. Some of you may have seen my vents on my Facebook status about it should be renamed Food Challenge Network. I used to also be a fan on Facebook but recently "unliked" them. They would post some some nice things and the "fans" would put all sorts of off topic and disgusting crap in the comments.

Well feeling very dissatisfied with them I haven't watched them in weeks.

Along comes the Cooking Channel and it is from the same people as Food Network and I am thinking "Oh great" in a very sarcastic tone.

I must say that I have been pleasantly surprised with the shows. Some are new and some are old Food Network shows that I loved. Just the other day I was watching an old episode of Melting Pot with Rocco DiSpirto and Cat Cora, you could tell they were so new to TV. One other time I flipped the channel and there was a very old episode of the Galloping Gourmet.

You should check the Cooking Channel out some time and let me know what you think.

New England Coffee Company

I LOVE MY CUP!!! It is perfect for the cup holder in my car.

New England Coffee Company cup updated

Back on May 17th, I blogged about a free give away from New England Coffee Company. Well when I got the mail, there was a mystery box in the mail I had no idea what it could be, I hadn't ordered anything...

To my surprise it was my new cup!!!



I can't wait to try it out tomorrow!!!

Tie Dye Cheesecake - Pop Century

We stayed at Pop Century back in June 2007 and of course "had" to try the infamous Tie Dye Cheesecake that everyone talks about on the Dis. I think it threw me that the "crust" was actually Red Velvet cake and not a graham cracker crumb, but other than that it was pretty good.

Fast forward to this week and Miss V and I are having Disney withdrawals and I happened to find the recipe on AllEars.

Red Velvet Cake
1/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cups sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoons cocoa
1 ounce red food coloring
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cups flour
1/2 tablespoon vinegar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 deg F. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9" spring form pan.

Cream together butter, sugar and eggs. Make a paste of cocoa and food coloring. Add the paste to the creamed mixture. Mix salt and vanilla in buttermilk and add alternately with the flour. Mix soda and vinegar separately, add last, folding in. Do not beat after adding soda mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until tester comes out clean. Cool cake in pan.

Lower oven temperature to 325 deg F.


Cheesecake Filling

1 1/2 lb. Cream Cheese
1 1/3 C. Sugar
5 Large Eggs
16 oz. Sour Cream
1/4 C. Flour
2 tsp. Vanilla
2 tsp. Lemon Juice

* All above ingredients should be at room temperature before you begin.


Preparation:

Start by beating the cream cheese until light and fluffy. Keep the mixer on a low setting throughout the beating and mixing process. Add the sugar a little at a time and continue beating until creamy. Add one egg at a time and beat after each egg. When eggs have been mixed into the cream cheese add flour, vanilla and lemon juice, mix well. Add the sour cream last and beat well.

Divide the batter into 6 bowls and color each one:


purple (my purple was dried out so I subbed Royal Blue)

red

yellow (I used Wilton Lemon Yellow)

light blue (I used Wilton Sky Blue)

green (I used Wilton Kelly Green)

orange


Drop large spoonfuls of the colored batters randomly atop the red velvet cake in the spring form pan. Swirl each layer slightly. Place on the top rack in the middle of a 325 degree preheated oven for one hour and 15 minutes. When time is up, prop open oven door and leave in oven for one hour. After one hour, remove from oven. Let cool enough before the cheesecake is put into the refrigerator for 24 hours.


Look at those C-O-L-O-R-S!

Pretty colorful

Miss V swirling it gently!

Swirl-a-licious!

All finished and cooled!

Groovy baby!

Watermelon Cake

I finally got around to quickly frosting up the watermelon cakes that I made this weekend.

I made them in 9 inch rounds and if I do them again, I will used smaller pans. The edges are much to small to frost with the green. I also didn't tint it as dark as I should have. I skipped the Kool Aide and just used red food color.

1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® white cake mix
Water, vegetable oil and egg whites called for on cake mix box
1 package (0.13 oz) cherry-flavored or other red-colored unsweetened soft drink mix
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1 container (12 oz) Betty Crocker® Whipped fluffy white frosting
Green and red food colors
2/3 cup green jelly beans

Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Grease bottoms only of two 8- or 9-inch round cake pans with shortening or cooking spray. In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil, egg whites and drink mix with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds; beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. (Batter will be lumpy.) Stir in 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips. Pour into pans.

Bake as directed on box for 8- or 9-inch round pans. Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pans. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

In small bowl, stir 1 cup of the frosting with 10 to 12 drops green food color. Stir 10 to 12 drops red food color into remaining frosting. Frost sides of cakes with green frosting; press green jelly beans into frosting. Frost tops of cakes with red frosting; press remaining 2 tablespoons chocolate chips into frosting for seeds. If desired, cut cakes crosswise in half and arrange "slices" randomly on tray. To serve, cut into wedges. Store loosely covered at room temperature.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Follow High Altitude cake mix directions on box for two 8- or 9-inch pans, adding the soft drink mix to the dry cake mix. Toss 1/2 cup chocolate chips with 2 teaspoons Gold Medal® all-purpose flour before stirring into batter.

Buttermilk Pancakes

I needed buttermilk yesterday for a red velvet cake and wasn't sure what to do with the rest. This morning I made a BIG batch of buttermilk pancakes, Yum!

3 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons white sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup milk
3 eggs
1/3 cup butter, melted

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, beat together buttermilk, milk, eggs and melted butter. Keep the two mixtures separate until you are ready to cook.

Heat a griddle to medium high heat, lightly spray with cooking spray.

Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture, using a whisk to blend. Stir until it's just blended together. Do not over mix! Scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Flip when nice and brown.

Crystal Palace Breakfast Potato Casserole

This is one of my favorite things at Crystal Palace, I found the recipe on AllEars.

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:

1/4 teaspoon Garlic Salt
1/4 teaspoon White Pepper
1/2 teaspoon Salt
3 cups Milk
1 cup Cheddar Cheese - mild, shredded
4 cups Potatoes - diced and cooked (I used the hashbrowns in a bag)
1/2 cup Flour
1/2 cup Onions - diced
1/4 cup Butter - melted

Method:

Dice and cook the potatoes, dice the onions and gather the remaining ingredients. Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Add onions and sauté about 2 minutes. Cook an additional 2 minutes. Add flour, stir to make a paste, called a roux. Cook the roux for about 5 minutes stirring constantly. Add 3 cups milk stirring until all lumps are gone. Cook mixture for 10 minutes while stirring. Add potatoes, cheese and seasonings. Mix until cheese is melted.

You may refrigerate at this point until ready to use.

Place in pre-heated oven at 350 for approximately 10 minutes.

This was pretty good, but I think it could have used another cup of potatoes.

White Peach Sangria

This comes from my Bobby Flay, Boy gets Grill cookbook.

1 bottle white wine (Spanish table wine)
3 ounces brandy
2 ounces triple sec
1 cup orange juice
1 cup pineapple juice
2 ounces simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water brought to a boil for 2 minutes in a small saucepan) and cooled (leftover syrup can be stored in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for 1 month)
3 ounces white peach puree (peel peaches, remove pit and puree in a blender with a small amount of water)

Fresh peaches, oranges, lemons, limes and apples sliced

Place all ingredients in a pitcher and stir to mix. Refrigerate at least 8 hours or up to 48 hours.

Serve over ice.

Lemon Velvet Cake

Jimmy requested a chocolate trifle for his graduation party and then realized that I would need another dessert, I found this one on the Betty Crocker Website. It was very good!!

1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® lemon cake mix )Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box)
1 package (3 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon milk
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
2 cups whipping cream
2/3 cup powdered sugar
Lemon twist, if desired

Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Grease bottoms only of two 8- or 9-inch round cake pans with shortening (do not use cooking spray). Make cake mix as directed on box, using water, oil and eggs. Pour into pans.

Bake and cool as directed on box for 8- or 9-inch round cake pans.

Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat cream cheese, milk and 1 tablespoon lemon peel with electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Beat in whipping cream and powdered sugar. Beat on high speed, scraping bowl occasionally, until stiff peaks form.

Cut each cake layer horizontally to make 2 layers. (To cut, mark side of cake with toothpicks and cut with long, thin knife.) Fill each layer with 1/2 cup whipped cream mixture. Frost side and top of cake with remaining whipped cream mixture. Garnish with additional lemon twist. Store in refrigerator.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Follow High Altitude directions on box for 8- or 9-inch pans.

Time Saver
For a quick frosting, stir 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel into each of 2 containers (12 oz each) Betty Crocker® Whipped whipped cream frosting. (I just used two cans of whipped Vanilla frosting with the zest added in.)

Since I used 9 inch rounds, I didn't bother splitting them in half.

Antipasto Pasta Salad

1 pound tricolor Rotini
1/4 pound Genoa salami slices, cut into small pieces
1/4 pound pepperoni slices, cut into quarters
1/2 pound fresh Mozzarella cheese, diced
1 (6 ounce) can black olives, drained and chopped
1 or 2 Roasted Red bell peppers, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 can quartered Artichoke hearts
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 to 3/4 bottle of Kraft's Tuscan House Italian Dressing
Salt and Pepper to taste

Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions, do not over cook or the salad will get mushy. Drain, and cool under cold water. Drain well!!

In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients and mix well.

Chill at least 1 hour before serving. Right before serving check to see if the salad needs a bit more dressing.

Mexican Rice Salad

I found this recipe called Mexican Rice Salad on another foodie blog called, Jamie Cooks It Up! I bookmarked it for Jimmy's Graduation Party. It was super easy and so good!!!

Salad:
5 C cooked rice (I used white long grain rice)
2-3 tsp salt
2 cans black beans
1 can corn
1 bunch green onions chopped
2 C shredded chicken
1/2 C chopped tomatoes (I like to seed my tomatoes)

Dressing:
1/4 C lime juice
2 tbs vinegar
2 tbs packed brown sugar
2/3 C oil (I used vegetable oil)
4 pickled jalapenos (I used about 5 slices from a big jar)
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin

Cook the rice according to package directions and let cool. I made it on Saturday and just put it in the fridge.

Cook and shred your chicken. (This time I just poached it, when I have more time I like to roast it in the oven. I actually just chopped it up. Again I did this on Saturday and put it in the fridge.)

Make the dressing in a blender.

In a large bowl, mix all the salad ingredients and pour dressing over top. Mix gently to combine.

Chill for at least 1 hour before serving. (I made it very early on Sunday morning)

Everyone that tried it yesterday, raved about it!!

Thanks to Jamie Cooks It Up! for posting this recipe!!! Stop on by her blog for more yummy recipes!!!

Hasselback Potatoes

I got this yummy recipe from one of my iVillage Moms.

Several Idaho baking potatoes or Yukon Gold potatoes
Several cloves of garlic, sliced
Coarse (Kosher) Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Olive Oil

Preheat over to 400F.

Wash each potato. Cut slits into potatoes about 1/8 inch thick, but do not cut all the way through the potatoes (I put a wooden spoon on each side of the potato).

Place a slice of garlic in between each slice of potato. Cut more garlic as needed.

Drizzle potatoes with olive oil, and then sprinkle with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Bake at 400F for about an hour. Check--bake up to another 30-45 minutes if necessary.


Before, notice the wooden spoons.

Ready for the oven.

All done! Smells great!