First, we are swimming in summer squash from the garden, both green & yellow - YAY :))
It has been exceedingly hot here and I've not wanted to cook anything fancy. The best dinner I've made lately has been spaghetti dressed in butter, fresh squash & onions sauteed in EVOO and watermelon with a side of good ol' Parmesan out of the can. No. Seriously. Best.dinner.ever. According to the kids, that is. Me? I didn't find it too shabby either!
Tonight we had chicken thighs & drumsticks. Parboiled and then dressed with a homemade BBQ sauce. Oh and two varieties of fresh sweet corn - Butter & Sugar and Silver Queen. Since the notorious aunt is on her way I have been craving chocolate like a fiend. Hubby and I have found a new love in German Chocolate ice cream made fresh at The Concrete Factory ice cream parlor here in town, but we couldn't go out tonight because of dance. I instead took a devil's food cake recipe and made it better. Let's just say, the cupcakes are gone. I didn't even make frosting for them.
Without further adieu, here are a couple of recipes.
Tangy BBQ Sauce
1 1/2 c. ketchup (I use organic)
1/4 c. maple syrup
1-2 Tbsp. molasses
1/2 c. pomegranate juice
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
5-6 shakes of Worcestershire sauce
onion powder
granulated garlic
red pepper flakes
pinch of cayenne pepper
freshly ground black pepper
Mix all ingredients together. Baste parboiled chicken while grilling. Any leftovers should be thrown out. (You can also boil the sauce if you'd like extra for dipping - 3-5 minutes should do the trick to kill any bacteria transfer from basting the chicken.)
Cook's Notes:
As usual, these are approximate measures. It's best to taste and alter to your liking while making it.
German Chocolate Cupcakes
2 c. cake flour (or two scant cups all purpose flour)
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
12 Tbsp. Hershey's cocoa (approx. 3/4 c.)
4 Tbsp. canola oil
1 packet instant coffee (Nescafe)
1/4 c. hot water
1/4 c. unsalted butter, softened
1/2 c. canola oil
1 1/4 c. brown sugar
3 eggs
1 Tbsp. vanilla
1 c. plain yogurt (I use low fat organic)
1+ c. chocolate chips
1 c. coconut
Preheat oven to 375.
In a small bowl mix together flour, baking powder & salt. Set aside.
In another small bowl combine cocoa, 4 Tbsp. oil, coffee powder & water. Mix to form a paste.
In mixer bowl add butter, 1/2 c. oil & brown sugar and beat until well mixed. Add in cocoa mixture and blend. While mixer is running, add in eggs one at a time and beat until well blended. Scrape down mixer bowl.
Add in half of flour and then half of yogurt mixing until just blended. Repeat with other half. Quickly mix in coconut & chocolate chips. Spoon into lined cupcake pans. Bake for approximately 20 mins.
Makes about 24 cupcakes or 12 cupcakes and one loaf pan.
Cook's Notes:
The only thing missing was the pecans. I thought I was going to frost these, but it just didn't happen. VERY chocolately & rich, but not overly sweet. Really doesn't need the frosting, but I think a traditional frosting would be fine. You also could substitute sour cream or buttermilk for the yogurt.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Tuna with Rice & Cheese
I found this recipe in my Woman's Home Companion cookbook when trying to make supper with what little was left in my pantry this past winter. It ended up being well liked by everyone at the table. Even me, which is saying something because beyond tuna salad w/diced apples, I'm not a big tuna fan. In fact, given the choice, I would eat chicken almost every day of the week. I'm almost positive that if cheese was not a factor in this dish, I would not like it as much!
As with most recipes, this isn't exactly what the recipe in the book looked like, but it is how I've made it since finding it.
Tuna Fish with Rice and Cheese
2 sm. cans tuna packed in water, rinsed & drained well & flaked
5-6 c. rice, cooked*
2/3 c. shredded cheese, divided (I like a cheddar blend - usually have Mexican blend on hand)
1 c. frozen peas, divided
1 recipe basic Cheese sauce** (Parmesan is a good choice, but use what you like)
1/2 c. bread crumbs
Preheat oven to 400.
Layer the following into a large pan - foil ones work awesome: 1/3 of the rice, 1/2 of tuna, 1/2 of the cheese and 1/2 of the peas. Repeat, adding last 1/3 of rice on top. Cover with cheese sauce and bread crumbs. Bake for approximately 25-30 minutes.
*When I cook rice, I generally use a very bland homemade chicken broth or 2 bouillon cubes per 4 c. of water. I also add in dried minced onion, dried minced garlic, basil, oregano, salt & pepper. If you have just plain rice, you will want to add herbs/flavorings to it before making this casserole.*
**Basic cheese sauce is as follows: 2 Tbsp. butter melted, 2-3 Tbsp. flour whisked in to make a roux. 2 cups of milk added slowly, whisking to prevent lumps. When mixture starts to thicken up, add cheese and stir until melted. I generally do not measure my cheese.**
As with most recipes, this isn't exactly what the recipe in the book looked like, but it is how I've made it since finding it.
Tuna Fish with Rice and Cheese
2 sm. cans tuna packed in water, rinsed & drained well & flaked
5-6 c. rice, cooked*
2/3 c. shredded cheese, divided (I like a cheddar blend - usually have Mexican blend on hand)
1 c. frozen peas, divided
1 recipe basic Cheese sauce** (Parmesan is a good choice, but use what you like)
1/2 c. bread crumbs
Preheat oven to 400.
Layer the following into a large pan - foil ones work awesome: 1/3 of the rice, 1/2 of tuna, 1/2 of the cheese and 1/2 of the peas. Repeat, adding last 1/3 of rice on top. Cover with cheese sauce and bread crumbs. Bake for approximately 25-30 minutes.
*When I cook rice, I generally use a very bland homemade chicken broth or 2 bouillon cubes per 4 c. of water. I also add in dried minced onion, dried minced garlic, basil, oregano, salt & pepper. If you have just plain rice, you will want to add herbs/flavorings to it before making this casserole.*
**Basic cheese sauce is as follows: 2 Tbsp. butter melted, 2-3 Tbsp. flour whisked in to make a roux. 2 cups of milk added slowly, whisking to prevent lumps. When mixture starts to thicken up, add cheese and stir until melted. I generally do not measure my cheese.**
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Blueberry Cheese French Toast Casserole
Now that we have a green light to eat well cooked eggs for number Six (and must continually keep them in her diet), I have begun to try different french toast & egg casseroles.
My MIL brought me a bunch of blueberries and unfortunately, my children are not all that fond of them plain. They don't mind blueberry muffins, but just don't try to feed them blueberries. Don't even put them in a fruit salad because they will be picked out.
I found this recipe some time ago (probably a good 10 years ago) in a local paper and stashed it away. Since I was making french bread for our supper last evening, I doubled the recipe and made two extra loaves. I left them out to stale last evening and made up the casserole late this morning as the recipe called for it to sit in the fridge overnight.
Blueberry Cheese French Toast Casserole
1-2 loaves of day old french bread, cubed
8 eggs
1 1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. real maple syrup
6 Tbsp. butter, melted
Cinnamon
1 1/2 c. blueberries, mixed with a bit of flour
8 oz. cream cheese
Grease a 9x13 pan. Add half of cubed bread on the bottom. Scatter blueberries over the top. Pinch pieces of cream cheese over the top and sprinkle liberally with cinnamon. Add remaining bread cubes on top.
In a small bowl combine eggs, milk, syrup & butter. Pour over the top of the bread mixture. Using a spatula, press down the bread to help soak up the liquid mixture. Cover with foil & place in refrigerator overnight.
Bake covered in 350 oven for about an hour.
Cook's Notes:
Ok, first off, I used foil pans sprayed with Pam.
I made two casseroles adding a bit of frozen raspberries & a few frozen chopped strawberries to the blueberries in one pan(probably closer to two cups) and straight blueberries in the other. The ones with the added raspberries & strawberries was definitely the better of the two.
I also used low fat cream cheese which probably does not "melt" as well as the full fat stuff. Once stirred around, it mixed in fine after cooking, but the casserole wasn't so pretty looking afterward.
This is NOT a sweet dish despite the addition of maple syrup. We all used a bit more syrup over the top.
It was NOT a big hit with the kids. Hubby loved it. I thought it was so-so. I may make it again for a brunch/breakfast, but I won't make it for dinner again. It was way too rich for an evening meal especially since we eat later as a rule.
My MIL brought me a bunch of blueberries and unfortunately, my children are not all that fond of them plain. They don't mind blueberry muffins, but just don't try to feed them blueberries. Don't even put them in a fruit salad because they will be picked out.
I found this recipe some time ago (probably a good 10 years ago) in a local paper and stashed it away. Since I was making french bread for our supper last evening, I doubled the recipe and made two extra loaves. I left them out to stale last evening and made up the casserole late this morning as the recipe called for it to sit in the fridge overnight.
Blueberry Cheese French Toast Casserole
1-2 loaves of day old french bread, cubed
8 eggs
1 1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. real maple syrup
6 Tbsp. butter, melted
Cinnamon
1 1/2 c. blueberries, mixed with a bit of flour
8 oz. cream cheese
Grease a 9x13 pan. Add half of cubed bread on the bottom. Scatter blueberries over the top. Pinch pieces of cream cheese over the top and sprinkle liberally with cinnamon. Add remaining bread cubes on top.
In a small bowl combine eggs, milk, syrup & butter. Pour over the top of the bread mixture. Using a spatula, press down the bread to help soak up the liquid mixture. Cover with foil & place in refrigerator overnight.
Bake covered in 350 oven for about an hour.
Cook's Notes:
Ok, first off, I used foil pans sprayed with Pam.
I made two casseroles adding a bit of frozen raspberries & a few frozen chopped strawberries to the blueberries in one pan(probably closer to two cups) and straight blueberries in the other. The ones with the added raspberries & strawberries was definitely the better of the two.
I also used low fat cream cheese which probably does not "melt" as well as the full fat stuff. Once stirred around, it mixed in fine after cooking, but the casserole wasn't so pretty looking afterward.
This is NOT a sweet dish despite the addition of maple syrup. We all used a bit more syrup over the top.
It was NOT a big hit with the kids. Hubby loved it. I thought it was so-so. I may make it again for a brunch/breakfast, but I won't make it for dinner again. It was way too rich for an evening meal especially since we eat later as a rule.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Turkey Taco Heaven
I always forget about tacos. I don't know why because when I remember that we all love them and make them, everyone is happy! They are especially good on a hot summer's night when the thought of making a meal is the last thing on your mind. I serve them with some cut up watermelon.
I have to admit that despite my tendency to make everything from scratch, I still buy my hard and soft taco shells. Most everyone in the family prefers soft shells except for me. I LOVE the crispness of the hard shells. The last two times around, I've used Walmart's GV (great value) brand shells with very good results. The ingredients are simple and I know what they all are. While I wonder about whether the corn used in the shells is genetically modified, I try not to think too hard. I have a feeling that whatever I buy pre-made is some how poison. I just try to limit our exposure. For Ha-Ha's, I did look up a recipe for corn tortillas. I think I need to acquire a tortilla press first. The thought of rolling out all those shells in extreme heat does NOT sound fun.
So besides the usual lettuce, tomatoes, turkey taco meat and Mexican style grated cheese, I also provide medium salsa (we always have it and I prefer it over taco sauce) and a small bit of organic plain low fat yogurt instead of sour cream. I do not use the taco seasoning packets. I found a recipe that I adore and the ingredients are listed with the recipe.
So to feed 8-10, here is what you'd need:
Standard Turkey Tacos
2lbs+ lean ground turkey (I buy a two pack at Sam's....it is roughly about 2.5lbs per package)
2 Tbsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. granulated garlic
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tsp. paprika
2 tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. black pepper
approx. 1/4 c. water
lettuce, shredded (about 1/2 med. head of iceberg)
6 tomatoes, diced fine (I use Roma - they hold up the best)
Mexican blend cheese (or whatever you prefer)
20+ taco shells
There are numerous other taco fixings that I can think of. Some are: olives, refried beans, salsa/picante/taco sauce, sour cream, guacamole, avocado.
Brown turkey in large skillet or even a stock pot if that is all you have. Add in the herbs & spices along with the water (I generally put water into whatever I've mixed the spices in to make sure I get all the goodness). Simmer for about 10 minutes on medium, stirring well to coat all the meat.
I have to admit that despite my tendency to make everything from scratch, I still buy my hard and soft taco shells. Most everyone in the family prefers soft shells except for me. I LOVE the crispness of the hard shells. The last two times around, I've used Walmart's GV (great value) brand shells with very good results. The ingredients are simple and I know what they all are. While I wonder about whether the corn used in the shells is genetically modified, I try not to think too hard. I have a feeling that whatever I buy pre-made is some how poison. I just try to limit our exposure. For Ha-Ha's, I did look up a recipe for corn tortillas. I think I need to acquire a tortilla press first. The thought of rolling out all those shells in extreme heat does NOT sound fun.
So besides the usual lettuce, tomatoes, turkey taco meat and Mexican style grated cheese, I also provide medium salsa (we always have it and I prefer it over taco sauce) and a small bit of organic plain low fat yogurt instead of sour cream. I do not use the taco seasoning packets. I found a recipe that I adore and the ingredients are listed with the recipe.
So to feed 8-10, here is what you'd need:
Standard Turkey Tacos
2lbs+ lean ground turkey (I buy a two pack at Sam's....it is roughly about 2.5lbs per package)
2 Tbsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. granulated garlic
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tsp. paprika
2 tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. black pepper
approx. 1/4 c. water
lettuce, shredded (about 1/2 med. head of iceberg)
6 tomatoes, diced fine (I use Roma - they hold up the best)
Mexican blend cheese (or whatever you prefer)
20+ taco shells
There are numerous other taco fixings that I can think of. Some are: olives, refried beans, salsa/picante/taco sauce, sour cream, guacamole, avocado.
Brown turkey in large skillet or even a stock pot if that is all you have. Add in the herbs & spices along with the water (I generally put water into whatever I've mixed the spices in to make sure I get all the goodness). Simmer for about 10 minutes on medium, stirring well to coat all the meat.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
One of the BEST chocolate cakes ever
Em requested a chocolate cake w/peanut butter frosting for her 4th birthday. I aim to please.
I swiped this chocolate cake recipe from Ina Garten on the FoodNetwork site. The only thing I changed was using low fat plain yogurt instead of buttermilk. Oh and I also used leftover coffee from our morning pot, added two packets of Nescafe instant coffee powder and enough hot water to make a full cup. Instead of using two 8" layer cake pans, I used my 9x13 pyrex. I was looking for simplicity after this weekend's Barbie cake.
Beatty's Chocolate Cake
I tried to make a Peanut Butter Whipped Cream frosting, but unfortunately, I didn't have time to sturdy it up with gelatin (and cream cheese doesn't work with the PB although it does work with heavy cream on its own) so it came out more like a peanut butter cream. VERY yummy, but more soupy than a frosting should be. The two put together were absolutely amazing and the whole family loved it - especially the birthday girl!
If you are hunkering for a rich, dark chocolate cake, try this recipe. You won't be disappointed.
I swiped this chocolate cake recipe from Ina Garten on the FoodNetwork site. The only thing I changed was using low fat plain yogurt instead of buttermilk. Oh and I also used leftover coffee from our morning pot, added two packets of Nescafe instant coffee powder and enough hot water to make a full cup. Instead of using two 8" layer cake pans, I used my 9x13 pyrex. I was looking for simplicity after this weekend's Barbie cake.
Beatty's Chocolate Cake
I tried to make a Peanut Butter Whipped Cream frosting, but unfortunately, I didn't have time to sturdy it up with gelatin (and cream cheese doesn't work with the PB although it does work with heavy cream on its own) so it came out more like a peanut butter cream. VERY yummy, but more soupy than a frosting should be. The two put together were absolutely amazing and the whole family loved it - especially the birthday girl!
If you are hunkering for a rich, dark chocolate cake, try this recipe. You won't be disappointed.
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