The Sweet Life

Bun in the Oven

2011-03-29T21:39:00.004-04:00

The blog posts around here have been kind of hit or miss lately, and I apologize. Things are getting pretty hectic around here. It's been a busy semester with work, and there's more news, too. We're expecting a baby! Yep, we've got a bun in the oven here at The Sweet Life! The Little Sweetie will be here in early June of this year...in just about 2 months! (If you're interested in reading more pregnancy news, click here.) I had plans to make these cinnamon rolls much earlier in my pregnancy and announce our big news with a picture of the rolls in the oven. Well...I just never got around to it until this weekend (at 31 weeks pregnant!), and then I forgot to take the "bun in the oven" picture! Sheesh. Butanyway, without further ado, I give you Ultimate Cinnamon Rolls, from Cook's Country: I think part of my not getting around to making these rolls had more than a little to do with my fear of yeast bread, but pregnancy cravings trumped my fear this weekend, and I put these delicious rolls together last Friday night after I got home from work. The recipe is pretty daunting when you just look at it, but really, it's very simple. I made the dough, let it rise, and assembled the rolls on Friday night. Then, I woke up Saturday morning, took the pan of rolls out of the fridge, turned on the oven, and went back to bed. About 2 hours later, we got up and I stuck the rolls in the oven. Then, about 40 minutes later, I had beautiful, decadent, homemade cinnamon rolls on the table. Oh, yum.

These rolls are so very good, but they're really an obnoxious size. They are HUGE! These are definitely special occasion treats...like for when you announce to the blog world that you're expecting a little one!

Ultimate Cinnamon Buns

Cook's Country

Dough 3/4 cup whole milk, heated to 110 degrees 2 1/2 tsp. instant or rapid-rise yeast 3 large eggs, room temperature 4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup cornstarch 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 1/2 tsp. salt 12 Tbs. unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces and softened Filling 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar 1 1/2 Tbs. ground cinnamon 1/4 tsp. salt 4 Tbs. unsalted butter, softened Glaze 4 oz. cream cheese, softened 1 Tbs. whole milk 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar

Instructions: 1. For the dough: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. When the oven reaches 200 degrees, shut off. Line 13x9 inch baking pan with foil, allowing excess foil to hang over pan edges. Grease foil and a medium bowl. 2. Whisk milk and yeast in measuring cup until yeast dissolves, then whisk in eggs. In bowl of stand mixer fitted with dough hook, mix flour, cornstarch, sugar, and salt until combined. With mixer on low, add warm milk mixture in steady stream and mix until dough comes together, about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium, and add butter, one piece at a time, until incorporated. Continue to mix until dough is smooth and comes away from the sides of the bowl, about 10 minutes. Turn dough out onto clean surface and knead to form a smooth, round ball. Transfer dough to prepared bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and place in warm oven. Let rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours. 3. For the filling: Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in small bowl. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Roll dough into 18-inch square, spread with butter, and sprinkle evenly with filling. Starting with the edge nearest you, roll dough into tight cylinder, pinch lightly to seal seam, and cut into 8 pieces. Transfer pieces, cut-side up, to prepared pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in warm spot until doubled in size. 4. For the glaze, and to bake: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk cream cheese, milk, vanilla, and confectioner's sugar in medium bowl until smooth. Discard plastic wrap and bake buns until deep golden brown and filling is melted 35 - 40 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and top buns with 1/2 cup glaze. Cool 30 minutes. Using foil overhang, lift buns from pan and top with remaining glaze. Serve. Make ahead: After transferring pieces to prepared pan in step 3, buns can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for 24 hours. When ready to bake, let sit at room temperature for 1 hour. Remove plastic wrap and continue with step 4 as directed.

Menu Plan Monday - March 14th

2011-03-14T07:00:00.001-04:00

I'm back with my menu plan for the week (see LOTS of other menu plans at Org Junkie). I didn't get around to posting last week, but I promise you didn't miss anything. It was a crazy-busy week around our house, and we did well just to get some food in our bellies! I had somewhere to be every night except Friday, so it was pretty much a slap-dash, grab on the go kind of week...not the kind of week I enjoy. This week, I don't really have any evening obligations except for Monday night, but because David and I will both be off work all day due to a funeral, I'll still be able to fix us a nice meal. Here's what we'll be having this week:
Monday: Greek-Style Skillet Supper (recipe found in the Sunday coupons!) with a salad.
Tuesday: Slow Cooker San Francisco Chops with rice and roasted green beans.
Wednesday: Garlic Marinated Chicken Cutlets with Grilled Potatoes and a salad.
Thursday: Mexican Polenta Casserole and roasted green beans.
Friday: Inside Out Eggroll Casserole.
Saturday: Leftovers, or dinner out for my birthday.
Sunday: Leftovers/forage in the fridge.

Red Velvet Cake

2011-03-02T07:00:00.000-05:00

It's birthday season again! Chet & Larry's birthdays are back-to-back (February 24th and 25th), so this year, I made a shared birthday cake for them. Last year, they got individual desserts (Larry's is here and Chet's is here), but neither of them told me waht they wanted this year, so I got to pick. For some reason, I've been looking for a reason to make a red velvet cake, so that was this year's birthday treat! When I took the cake in to my parents' house, Larry said, "What kind is it?" When I told him it was red velvet, he said, "I don't know a single man who doesn't like red velvet cake." And what is that about, anyway? Remember in Steel Magnolias...the armadillo groom's cake? Why do men like red velvet cake? It's delicious, that's why! I think I may have overcooked (or overmixed) my cake layers, but they were still quite tasty. But the icing? Divine. I have found my go-to cream cheese icing!

Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Brown Eyed Baker, via Joy the Baker

For the Cake:

8 T unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 eggs

5 T unsweetened cocoa powder

6 T red food coloring

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup buttermilk

2 cups + 2 T all-purpose flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

3 tsp distilled white vinegar

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 oz. butter, at room temperature

8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature

5 cups powdered sugar

2 T vanilla extract

To Make the Cakes:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2 9" cake pans.

On medium-high speed, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to high and add the egg. Scrape down the bowl and beat until well incorporated.

In a separate small bowl, mix together the cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and red food coloring to make a thick paste. Add to the batter and mix on medium speed until completely combined. You may need to stop the mixer to scrape the bottom of the bowl, making sure that all the batter gets color.

Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add half of the buttermilk. Add half of the flour and mix until combined. Scrape the bowl and repeat the process with teh remianing milk and flour. Beat on high until smooth.

Again, reduce the mixer speed to low and add the salt, baking soda, and vinegar. Turn to high and beat for another couple of minutes until completely combined and smooth.

Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans and bake for about 40 minutes, or until a thin knife or skewer inserted into the center of the cakes come out clean.

Cool for 10 minutes, and then remove cakes from the pan. Place them on a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.

To Make the Frosting:

Using the whisk attachment, whip the butter and cream cheese on high speed for about 5 minutes, scraping the bowl down as necessary. Reduce the speed to low and slowly add the powdered sugar until all is incorporated. Add the vanilla and mix to combine. Increase the speed to medium high and whip for a few minutes until the frosting is light and fluffy, scraping the bowl as necessary.

* Note: This recipe can be halved to make 12 cupcakes.

Menu Plan Monday

2011-02-28T07:00:00.002-05:00

This week, I'm going to try something new...to the blog anyway, not to me. When David and I got married, I did not have any plan when it came to putting together meals during the week. That resulted in multiple grocery trips per week, and our eating an insane amount of pasta. I got really tired of going to the grocery umpteen times per week, and the pasta diet led to some weight gain, so I decided we had to do something about it. So...I joined Weight Watchers about 2 years ago and started planning our meals for the week. It made such a difference to know on Sunday afternoon what we'd be having for the entire week. Now, it's a routine. On Sunday afternoons, I get out the Kroger ad, cut coupons, look through cookbooks and blogs, plan my menu, and go to the grocery. It is a little more work up front, but it makes answering the "What's for dinner?" question so much easier to answer. I write the week's menu on an index card, post it on the fridge, and there are no more nights where I just stare at the fridge and wonder what we're going to eat!
A couple of weeks ago, I was reading Amanda's Cookin' and noticed that she's participating in Menu Plan Mondays, which is hosted by Laura at I'm an Organizing Junkie. I thought I'd join in on the fun! Here's what we'll be having this week:

Monday: Nothing planned. David and I (along with my mom) will be attending an Infant CPR class, so we'll grab something on our way there.
Tuesday: Pork tenderloin with mustard sauce; steamed broccoli as a side.
Wednesday: Leftovers for me; David will be with our church's pastor search committee conducting an interview, so he'll have dinner there.
Thursday: Grilled or baked Ranch chicken with steamed veggie medley.
Friday: Hamburgers for David, a veggie burger for me; oven roasted potatoes as a side.
Saturday: Our church's annual soup supper, so we'll be eating there.
Sunday: Leftovers/forage in the fridge (we eat a BIG meal on Sunday afternoons with my parents, so Sunday nights we don't usually have an organized meal).

The Bread of Life Cafe: A Review

2011-02-25T07:00:00.000-05:00

I've probably only mentioned this a million times on the blog so far, but here I go again. For five wonderful years, I attended Lindsey Wilson College, a small, liberal arts school that's located in Columbia, Kentucky and is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. I also worked there for about 2 years after graduation as a full-time faculty advisor to freshman at risk for dropping out of school. I left LWC for about 3 1/2 years, but was luckily able to go back to work for them when their School of Professional Counseling opened a community campus in Louisville, Kentucky. The vast majority of you probably have no clue where Columbia, Kentucky is, and that's okay. It's in the middle of nowhere. Southcentral Kentucky, to be exact. And it's a geographical oddity...about 2 hours from everywhere. Anyway, it's not a metropolis by any means. There aren't very many restaurants (although Fiesta Mexico is delicous!), and the only chains are fast-food. What I'm trying to say is this: you can exhaust your new dining opportunities fairly quickly in such a small town. That's what initially led a group of coworkers to The Bread of Life Cafe in Liberty, Kentucky one afternoon. Liberty is another very small town (smaller than Columbia!) and is home to a large Mennonite and Amish community.
The Galilean Children's Home was founded in 1986 by Jerry and Sandy Tucker, and they are "a non-profit organization that cares for children all over the world that have been abused, neglected, rejected, are in need of medical treatment, or have been placed here for a Christian education." In one of their newsletters, I read that their monthly operating costs are roughly $200,000, and they get no federa or state funding. Their operations run solely on donations and fundraisers. You can imagine what a daunting task this would be, especially in a very rural area. One of their projects, which helps fund the Home, is the Bread of Life Cafe.
The Bread of Life Cafe is, without question, one of my favorite places to eat. If you visit, I think you'll be reminded of Cracker Barrel, but you'll be much more impressed. As you walk in the front doors, you enter a large gift shop, which carries a wide assortment of nice things. You'll find monogrammed everything (key chains, travel mugs, notebooks, etc.), purses, home decor, and baby items. They also have a fudge shop (!) and they also sell fresh-made breads and noodles.
Once you make your way through the gift shop, you'll find yourself in the restaurant, which has lots of seating. It's a very comfortable, homey atmosphere. There are displays of home goods/decor all over the restaurant, as well as beautiful framed prints. All of the tables are the type that you'd find in your kitchen or dining room at home.
The food is country-style comfort food, and they have a nice menu. It's got plenty of variety, but it's not so exhaustive that you can't make up your mind about what to have. In the past, at lunch, I've gotten the club sandwich, which is both delicious and HUGE. But usually, we go for the buffet. About two weeks ago, David and I took his mom and dad to Liberty for lunch at the Bread of Life and then on to shop at some local Amish stores (furniture, dry goods, grocery, etc.). Of course, we opted for the buffet and weren't disappointed. They have an extensive salad bar, with all of the fixin's you could want. On the day we visited, the buffet had barbeque pork chops (delicious!), baked fish, and roast beef (which was very tender, according to my father-in-law) as entrees. Sides included beets, corn, green beans, scalloped potatoes, and several other things I can't remember right now. They also always have cornbread and rolls on the buffet. The rolls alone are worth visiting for:
See that plate between me and David? That's one roll. My roll, to be exact. I didn't share it. I ate it all, and I could have eaten at least one more, but I didn't want to be a glutton. They are light and fluffy, and golden with melted butter. Heavenly, I tell you. After you've had your fill

of what the buffet has to offer, you can try one of two desserts available buffet-style (on this trip, it was a white cake with icing, or strawberry crumble) and/or an ice cream sundae from the soft-serve ice cream station. It should come as no surprise that they nearly had to roll us out the front door after all we'd eaten. And all of this is only $9.99 per person (salad bar, unlimited rolls, and buffet, including dessert). The food is high-quality, prepared with care, and is absolutely delicious.

If you find yourself in Southcentral Kentucky anytime soon, please stop by the Bread of Life Cafe. You can reach them at 606.787.6110. They're open Monday - Thursday from 10am - 8pm, Friday - Saturday from 10am - 9pm, and closed on Sunday. If you'd like to see more pictures of the Bread of Life Cafe (including construction), visit them here. For more information about the Galilean Children's Home and their other projects, click here.

Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-02-23T07:00:00.003-05:00

One of the best things about loving to bake is this: you get a craving for something sweet, rummage through your pantry, and find the supplies to make wonderfully delicious cookies, which are warm and gooey from the oven in about 30 minutes. One of the worst things about loving to bake: you get a craving for something sweet, rummage through your pantry, and find the supplies to make wonderfully delicious cookies, which are warm and gooey from the oven in about 30 minutes. It works both ways, you see. I love being able to whip up something tasty in just a few minutes, but lots of times it's just too easy to do that whenever I get a craving. Which happens a lot. Like a few weeks ago, I decided I really wanted some cookies, so I found this recipe on the Internet. Did I need these cookies? Absolutely not. But I had all the ingredients...so why not?
If you're a fan of cranberries and white chocolate you will love these cookies. Of course, they're much better when they're still warm, but once they're cool, they're nice and chewy. (I love a chewy cookie...crispy ones, not so much.)

Cranbery White Chocolate Chop Cookies

Brown Eyed Baker

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup light brown suagar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1 cup white chocolate chips

1 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat; set aside.

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, bakind soda, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and both sugards together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and the vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture, mixing until just incorporated. Using a rubber spatula, stir in the oats, the white chocolate chips, and the dried cranberries.

Roll dough into balls - about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie - and place on the prepared baking sheets. Flatten the tops slightly with your fingers. Bake until teh cookies turn slightly golder, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack until completely cool. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Stuffed Peppers

2011-02-21T07:00:00.000-05:00

We never once had stuffed peppers for dinner when I was growing up. Never. Ever. The first time I ever saw a stuffed pepper was in the college dining center, and lots of friends commented on how much they dreaded it when their moms announced that they'd be having stuffed peppers for dinner. So...I'm not exactly sure what posessed me to try stuffed peppers in the first place! We've had them several times (one version is posted here), and this is my favorite recipe. I like that this one doesn't have any tomatoes, and I love the cornmeal topping!

This meal is really quite simple to put together, but there's a lot of preparation involved, most of which is chopping. (And by the way, if you have a good, sharp knife, it makes prep time a lot less tedious! Always remember, a dull knife is a dangerous knife.) There's also rice to prepare. What I'm telling you is this: this is not a quick meal to throw together. Don't even attempt it on a night that you're super-busy or super-tired. Save it for a day when you have plenty of time, and it will be well worth it. The leftovers heat up beautifully, and lots of times I have filling left over. When that happens, I portion it into ramekins, add the cornmeal topping, and bake. That way I have little pre-portioned lunches to just grab out of the fridge. And a bonus: it's healthy, too!

Stuffed Peppers

Adapted slightly from Heather's Website

4 medium green bell peppers

8 oz. lean ground beef

1 1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped celery

2 tsp. minced garlic

1 1/2 cup cooked brown rice

1/2 tsp. salt, plus more for seasoning

1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning

1/2 tsp Greek seasoning (I use Cavender's)

1/4 cup chopped green onions (I use the whole thing)

1 tbs. chopped parsley leaves

2 tbs. plain cornmeal

2 tbs. grated parmesan

4 tsp. canola oil

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cook brown rice.

Cut off the top quarter of each bell pepper and reserve. Scoop the seeds and veins out from the inside of each pepper and discard. Set bell pepper shells aside. Removed and discard the stems from each bell pepper top. Dice enough of the bell pepper tops to make 1/2 cup. Set aside.

In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef until cooked through, about 4 minutes. Add the onions, 1/2 cup diced bell pepper, and celery. Saute for 4 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the rice and mix well. Season with salt, pepper, and Greek seasoning. Cook for about 1 imnute. Remove from the heat and stir in the green onions and parsley. Season the insides of each bell pepper shell with salt and pepper, to taste. Spoon the rice mixutre into the bell peppers.

In a small bowl, combine the cornmeal and cheese. Season with a pinch of Greek seasoning and mix well. Sprinkle the crust over each pepper. Top each crust with 1 tsp. of canola oil and place the peppers into an 8-inch baking dish or pan. Add just enough water to cover the bottom, about 1/3 cup. Bake for 25-30 inutes, or until the tops are crust and brown and the filling is warmed through. Serve hot.

Peach Cobbler

2010-10-29T20:50:00.003-04:00

I've done a pretty horrible job of keeping up with the blog lately. Honestly, I've just lost interest in it. I think I've gotten lazy. I still enjoy cooking, but I've gotten to where I don't want to upload pictures to my computer, then fight with Blogger to get them inserted into the posts. But I'm going to try to keep it up a little better (I know, I know...how many times have I said that lately?). I was looking through my pictures, and I've got a pretty serious backlog of food pictures, which is good, because these days by the time I get dinner ready, all of the natural light is gone. I found this picture of a peach crisp I made this summer, and it reminded me of just how delicious it was:
This summer, my mother-in-law brought me some fresh peaches from the Henry County Harvest Showcase. My father-in-law really wanted some more peach shortcakes, but I was more interested in a peach cobbler. Besides, I had a new cookbook that I wanted to use! This recipe comes from the Cooking for a Cure cookbook that was created by the Dillsburg (PA) Relay for Life, Team Lollipop. David's aunt and two cousins have tons of recipes in the cookbook, but this wasn't one of their recipes. (Sorry Aunt Mary! We'll try more soon!) Anyway, the peaches were perfect, and this crisp was delicious. I'm certainly aware that there are probably very few (if any) people who can get a fresh peach this time of year, but I don't see why frozen peaches wouldn't work.

Peach Crisp

Kim Walden

4 cups sliced peaches

2/3 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup oats

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/3 cup butter, softened

whipped topping or ice ream

Spray an 8x8 square baking pan with cooking spray. Arrange peaches in pan. Mix together brown sugar, flour, oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, and butter; sprinkle over peaches. Bake in 375 degree oven for about 30 minutes. Serve warm with whipped topping or ice cream.

Four Years

2010-10-21T21:18:00.004-04:00

I can distinctly remember sitting in one of my Marriage & Family classes in my graduate program several years ago. One of my favorite (and best) instructors, Dr. Brenda Dew, was telling us about recent research that revealed that couples were more likely to hit serious rough patches and/or file for divorce in odd years of their marriage than in even years. At the time, I thought it was a load of crap. Now that we're celebrating our fourth year of marriage, I have to wonder if maybe there's more than a little truth in that.

Please don't get me wrong...David and I have a very happy marriage and we're devoted to one another, but this year has been tough! Over the course of our third year of marriage, we built a house, moved in, lost our first baby to a miscarriage, watched close family members struggle with some tough stuff, and made it through our September "due date" with the baby that we didn't get to have. And through all of that, there have been some really tough, dark times. Thankfully, somehow, during all of that, I recognized that the way we handle those situations together would make us or break us. There were times when for some reason, my first instinct was to snap at him or take out my frustrations, anger, and fears on him (and I probably did, to some degree), but I did my best to choose not do those things. Instead, we leaned on each other, our families, friends, and our God, and we've made it through. Things are looking great for our fouth year of marriage...in fact, we just got back from a week-long cruise vacation (which was much needed!) in order to kind of hit the "reset" button. Through it all, I can truly say that life is good, and I couldn't imagine spending my life with anyone besides David. He is an amazing husband, and I look forward to sharing the rest of life's ups and downs with him. Love you, David!

Craft Project: Decorative Letters

2010-09-28T09:38:00.002-04:00

We moved into our new house in January of this year, and we haven't really done a very good job of getting the place decorated. More than once, David was ready to hang pictures, but I couldn't go through with it...I just couldn't bear to put the holes in the walls! I'm having a hard time committing to the placement of pictures. But strangely enough, I don't have too much of a problem with hanging "stuff" on my walls. Right now, just about the only two decorative things we have hanging in our house are a tobacco basket and an old wooden ladder from my grandfather's farm (which led one of my colleagues to say that I'm going with the "Cracker Barrel" approach to decorating). Anyway, the ladder was the springboard for this whole craft. The ladder is hanging horizontally over the entrance to our kitchen/breakfast room, but it was a little bare. I knew that it needed something extra, and then I thought about the decorative letters I'd seen all over the web. Here's what I did:
I bought some large, chipboard letters from Michael's and painted them all a cream color. (I realize that it might be hard to figure out what the heck I plan on spelling. I had intended to spell HOME. However, Michael's did not have an M that day, so I got the letters to spell LOVE along with the H. Hopefully Michael's will have the M next time I go back.)

Then, I gathered my scrapbook paper and traced my letters. It's very important to actually do the tracing on the side that you don't want showing. Also be sure you trace the letter backward!

Here are cut out scrapbook letters! As you can see, they're all turned the right way. That's because I traced the letters backward! Now I'm ready to apply the scrapbook paper to the chipboard letters. Sorry I don't have any pictures of that step, but it's pretty self-explanatory. I used Mod Podge to glue the paper to the letters, but looking back, I'd use spray adhesive instead. The Mod Podge was a little messy to work with, and the paper wanted to wrinkle.

After the letters dried, I put them in the "frames" of my letters, and here's the finished product! In this picture, you can see the whole ladder.

And here, you can see the letters a bit better. Once I finally get my M, it'll only be a matter of changing two letters to make HOME. And, if you think about it, I can cover the reverse of the HOME letters pretty easily with other papers for Christmas! This was such a quick, easy project, and it makes such a difference!

White Castle Casserole

2010-09-25T20:19:00.002-04:00

Is it health food? Nope. Is it gourmet? Absolutely not. Is it good? You bet.

My friends, I give you White Castle Casserole! I originally printed this recipe from RecipeZaar (which is apparently food.com now) on March 11th, 2010, and I can't figure out why it's taken me so long to give it a try! I have always liked White Castle, but there's not one that close by, so this was a great copycat recipe for those times when you want some White Castles, but a visit to the restaurant just isn't in the cards. (And yes, I know that you can buy frozen White Castles at the grocery, but it's not the same. Sometimes the bun gets hard, and they're just not as good when that happens!)

It's not exactly the same as a real White Castle, but it gets pretty close. I used the reduced fat crescent rolls for this, and they seemed a little "off". Next time, I'll use the full-fat ones. Because, really, if you're the kind of person who is making White Castle Casserole, are you really counting the calories and fat? Probably not. :)

White Castle Casserole

Stacieleah, via Food.com

1 package dry onion soup mix

2 (12 oz) cans crescent rolls

1.25 lb. hamburger

American cheese slices (or shredded cheese of your choice)

Dill pickle slices

Mustard

Cook hamburger with onion mix. Drain extremely well. Lay a whole can of crescent rolls in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish (do not break the rolls apart). Layer hamburger, cheese, pickles, and mustard up and down across the pan. Lay a whole can of crescent rolls on top. Bake at 350 degrees until brown. Cut in squares and enjoy! (Makes 8 servings)

It's Been Awhile...

2010-09-19T21:57:00.003-04:00

It's been quite a while since my last post. A month at least. Things have just been crazy lately, and I haven't taken the time to add to the blog. Rest assured, I've still been cooking (and taking pictures), so I'm getting quite the stockpile ready. But I've decided that there are going to be some changes to The Sweet Life. Instead of being strictly a cooking blog, I've decided to branch out some. I've been bitten by the crafting bug lately, so I'll be adding my craft projects as I get them finished (but some of them are slow going). I'll also be adding some of the adventures that I go on with David, friends, and family. And there'll probably be some general "life" stuff on here too. But there'll still be plenty of food posts. That's what I do best, I think.
So stay tuned. There'll be something new here soon!

And the Winner Is...

2010-08-19T20:24:00.003-04:00

Valerie, commenter number three! (The winner was picked by the Random Number Generator at Random.org.) Congratulations, Valerie! Contact me at erinssweetlife{at}hotmail{dot}com with your mailing address and we'll have your Macaroni Grill prize pack on its way to you! Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you enjoy your frozen entree, serving bowl, and expandable tongs!

A Giveaway of a Different Kind, Courtesy of Kroger

2010-08-18T16:45:00.000-04:00

Several weeks ago, I was contacted by the good folks at MyBlogSpark.com about Kroger's Add Up the Savings Event. Of course, I was on board to join in the fun. The Kroger family of stores, General Mills, and Kimberly Clark (through MyBlogSpark.com) provided me with a $25 gift card to use on items featured in their Add Up the Savings Event, which started on August 8th and runs through August 21st. If you're not familiar with the Add Up the Savings Event, it's a promotion during which time you can purchase participating items and recieve $4 off of your purchase. There were tons of items included (think Yoplait yogurt, a variety of cereals, Pillsbury cookies, etc.). But honestly, when I saw the Kroger ad, I thought, "But we don't buy that much of that stuff..." So I wasn't sure how to approach this opportunity. I knew that I could purchase any of the participating items with the gift card, but I kind of felt bad, knowing that it was stuff that we didn't really need.
Then, today, on my way home from work, I heard Mark Hall (lead singer for Casting Crowns) on the radio, and he said something that really hit home. He has recently decided to sell off his entire collection of Star Wars memorabilia for a charity event, and he said, "God doesn't bless us so we can have more. He blesses us so that we can give to others." His words hit me like a ton of bricks. I know that I am blessed beyond measure. My life has been pretty darn close to perfect. I've never wanted for anything. In fact, right now, David and I have almost everything we want in life. So I decided to find a way to start blessing others out of the abundance I have. Earlier this year, one of my cousins mentioned that our church women's group should consider making a mid-year donation to a food bank. Everyone wants to give to a food bank around Thanksgiving and Christmas, but people are hungry all year round. This seemed like a perfect opportunity to stock up on items that my county's Family Resource Center might need.
So...I went to Kroger this afternoon after work and picked up a few things:
Look at that! I got 4 boxes of Hamburger Helper, 4 boxes of instant mashed potatoes, 8 cans of peaches, 8 cans of soup, and 8 tuna salad/chicken salad kits...for $24.32! It might sound crazy, but I had a great time going through Kroger trying to get as close to $25 as I could. I was pretty impressed with myself, and I'm hoping that these items will help out Henry County's Family Resource Center.
The Kroger Add Up the Savings Event is going on through August 21st, so if you want to help out your local food bank, now would be a great time to get an extra bang for your buck!
Thanks to Kroger, General Mills, and Kimberly Clark (through MyBlogSpark.com) for the $25 gift card. And thanks to Mark Hall for reminding me that what I have isn't mine at all...and that I need to share everything I have!

TWD: Oatmeal Breakfast Bread

2010-08-17T21:10:00.004-04:00

I usually bake my TWD "assignments" over the weekend, but it completely slipped my mind this weekend. In fact, I didn't fully realize that today was Tuesday until about 2pm...and of course remembered that I hadn't made my Oatmeal Breakfast Bread! Luckily, Baking: From My Home to Yours is on Google Books, so I was able to review the recipe to see if I needed to stop by Kroger on the way home for any additional ingredients. Luckily, I was in good shape. And even better, after reading the recipe, I found that I would probably even have time to get the bread baked and photograph it in natural light!
Sadly, this was the only picture I got before it got dark. And oh, is it tasty! Sarah mentioned in her post that it reminds her of fall...and I have to say that it does the same for me! Applesauce, raisins, and spices all combine in this bread to make a perfect fall quickbread. (And as a side note, I am totally ready for it to be fall. I am done with heat and humidity.)
This week's pick was chosen by Natalie, of Oven Love. Thanks, Natalie! You picked a good one!

Macaroni Grill Frozen Entree Review and a Giveaway!

2010-08-12T19:12:00.003-04:00

It's been ages since I last ate at a Romano's Macaroni Grill restaurant, but I always enjoyed meals there. David and I both love Italian food, so when I was invited to try one of the new Romano's Macaroni Grill frozen entrees, I jumped at the chance.

This afternoon, this sample of the Basil Parmesan Chicken arrived on our doorstep, packed in dry ice. As I unpacked the box, I was amazed that the meal was still frozen. It's been incredibly hot and humid here over the last few days, but the dry ice did the trick!
I also received this very nice serving bowl and tong set as part of the sample package. The serving bowl is heavy ceramic, and it's something I'm sure that we'll use often around The Sweet Life. The tongs are coated in silicone and they extend from 10" to 14". Pretty handy!

The meal is simple and super-quick to prepare. The package suggests using a nonstick skillet, but I used my trusty electric skillet instead...I tend to slop less of my food out of it than when I use a regular stovetop skillet! The only additional ingredient needed to prepare the entree was 1/4 of milk. Then, in about 13-18 minutes, we had a delicious meal! Again, I haven't been to Romano's Macaroni Grill in ages, but I have to assume that this recipe (Basil Parmesan Chicken) is based on one of their restaurant entrees. There was quite a bit of tender chicken, loads of broccoli florets, and a nice smattering of sun-dried tomatoes. But of course, the sauce was the best part! It seemed to me like a cross between a pesto sauce and a light alfredo sauce...a pesto cream sauce, if you will. The frozen entree is intended to serve two. Honestly, David and I could have both eaten more, but we were satisfied with the portions.

We added a side salad and enjoyed a nice Italian meal at home! These frozen meals are great to keep on hand for those nights when you don't want to spend lots of time preparing a meal, but you don't want to go out, either. There are several varieties of the Romano's Macaroni Grill frozen entrees: Basil Parmesan Chicken, Grilled Chicken Florentine, Roasted Garlic Shrimp Scampi, and Spicy Italian Sausage Pomodoro. This Romano's Macaroni Grill prize pack was provided to me by Romano's Macaroni Grill through MyBlogSpark.com.

And guess what? They want you to have one, too! Macaroni Grill has generously offered to sponsor a giveaway here on The Sweet Life where you can win a prize pack of your own! To enter, please leave me a comment letting me know which variety you'd most like to try. (If you're the winner, I can't promise that you'll get the flavor you'd prefer, but we can try!) You have to be at least 18 to win. The winner will be chosen at random on Thursday, August 19th. If you win, the frozen meal will be shipped directly to you, packed in dry ice.

***This giveaway is now closed.***

TWD: Gingered Carrot Cookies

2010-08-03T07:00:00.001-04:00

My copy of Baking: From My Home to Yours has a flaw in it. I guess it was a misprint...it's missing about 50 pages from the cookie chapter, but I have a repeat of 50 pages of the brownie chapter. It's been a bit of a pain, but at the same time, kind of exciting because when TWD members choose a recipe from the 50 pages I'm missing, it's a surprise because I've never seen it. When I saw that this week's pick was Gingered Carrot Cookies, I thought it must have been a recipe I was missing. But when I checked, I had this page...somehow, in the 5,000 times I've flipped through this book, I've never noticed these!
When Dorie was developing this recipe, she was trying to make carrot cake in cookie form. She mentions that the carrot flavor doesn't really come through, and I would agree. These cookies are much like a scone...so much in fact that I've thought about trying to make them as scones...maybe this fall. With a cream cheese glaze! Yum. Butanyway, the only downside to these cookies is the fact that they look like the Cheddar Bay Biscuits from Red Lobster, no?
These delightful little cookies were chosen by Natalia of Gatti Fili e Farina, and she'll have the recipe on her blog. Happy Baking!

TWD: Chewy Chunky Blondies

2010-07-27T20:22:00.003-04:00

This week's Tuesdays with Dorie pick was chosen by Nicole of Cookies on Fridays. They were the perfect dessert for a summer pool party! David and I had a group of friends over (and their kiddos!) last Saturday for a swim, and these cookies were gobbled up in no time!
These blondies really are chewy and chunky! They're absolutely full of good stuff...nuts, chocolate chips, and Heath bar pieces. I left out the coconut because...well...I forgot to put it in until I slid the pan in the oven. But I decided that it was probably best that I left it out, because lots of people don't like coconut.

Look at the fudginess! Yum! I had a couple of problems with these, but I'm not exactly sure what caused them. First, they baked up in the same way as my Chipster Topped Brownies...with lots of gaps and holes around the edges, with super-flat middles. The other problem was with baking time. I baked them for the prescribed 40 minutes and let them cool for 15 minutes. I went to turn them out of the pan...and SPLAT! part of them plopped onto the cooling rack and the other part stayed in the pan. I was able to get it all back in the pan and cooked it for another 10 minutes. Not done. Another 10 minutes. Not done. Another 10 minutes...still not done, but I was tired of dealing with them. I let them cool overnight in the pan, then inverted it, and they were still a little moist, but not really underdone. But they were good. And sweeeet! They're pretty rich, but that didn't keep us from eating the whole pan on Saturday! These are definitely a recipe to make time and time again...and maybe next time I'll remember to add the coconut. If you want to give these blondies a try, visit Nicole's blog, Cookies on Friday for the recipe. Happy baking!

TWD: Lots of Ways Banana Cake

2010-07-20T21:19:00.002-04:00

I love bananas, but I'm really picky about eating them. They have to be just right, or they're no good, in my opinion. But even a banana that's past its prime for eating can be turned into a delicious dessert. And that's why I don't feel guilty when I buy 6 bananas a week and only eat 3 before they're "too ripe." Instead of going to waste, they get tossed in the freezer where they'll wait until I decide to make banana bread.
Even though this recipe wasn't banana bread, it was just as delicious (and maybe even moreso). Dorie lists at least half a dozen different variations on this recipe. You can change the liquid ingredients (coconut milk, buttermilk, regular milk, or my pick...sour cream) or the mix-ins (coconut, dried fruits). My mix-in of choice? Mini chocolate chips. Oh, yes I did. I love banana and chocolate together. I knew that these were destined to be muffins/cupcakes, so the mini chips were perfect. Dorie suggests frosting the cake with marshmallow frosting, whipped cream frosting, or chocolate ganache. I had planned on topping my cupcakes with ganache, but as you can see, they ended up being nekkid. David and I both decided that they were perfect as-is (He ate 5. FIVE!) and I was afraid the ganache would overwhelm the banana. And the chocolate chips were just chocolatey enough.
David took some of the muffins to work with him, and I took the rest with me. And I think everyone loved them. These were really moist, which is something I definitely appreciate in a cupcake/muffin/quickbread. If you want to use up some ripe bananas, you can find the recipe over at Kimberly's blog,Only Creative Opportunities. Happy baking!

TWD: Brrrrownies

2010-07-13T20:49:00.002-04:00

This week's recipe is one that I've considered baking several times over the last year or so. And I'm not sure why, because I'm really not that big of a fan of peppermint. So I was glad that Karen, of Welcome to Our Crazy Blessed Life chose these for this week's installment of TWD. It gave me an excuse to take the plunge!
The brownie recipe is great (a little fudgy with a crackly top), with little chunks of peppermint patty mixed in. David and I enjoyed these, but we both decided that we prefer our brownies without peppermint. I think it overwhelmed the chocolate flavor. But then again, we're not really "peppermint people." They were good, though! I made them Saturday evening, then we had them on Sunday evening (at room temperature) with vanilla ice cream. Then, we each had one last night as an appetizer before dinner (again, at room temperature). I much preferred them on their own.
I think that my future baking endeavors will probably include this base brownie recipe studded with Reese Cups, or maybe with a ribbon of caramel running through them. Yum!
Please stop by Welcome to Our Crazy Blessed Life for the recipe. Happy baking!

Luke 1:37

2010-07-12T13:30:00.005-04:00

I'm so very sad to report that little Luke passed away Saturday morning at around 12:10am. I am amazed at the number of people that Luke and his parents ministered to over the last few weeks. I think it's safe to say that Luke did more for God's kingdom in his 12 days than many of us will accomplish in a lifetime! I ask that you please remember Benson and Kristin during this difficult time.
Even though Luke's time here on earth was short, he will continue to be an influence on everyone who hears about him. His parents have established Luke 1:37 Ministries in order to keep on bringing glory to God through Luke's life. Please continue to visit their blog, The Sexton 3...Luke's story is only beginning!

Heavy Stuff

2010-07-07T10:32:00.005-04:00

If you stop by very often, you've probably noticed that there haven't been very many posts around here lately. Well, we've been a little preoccupied over here at The Sweet Life. The last couple of weeks have been psychologically and emotionally stressful for a couple of reasons.
Let me introduce you to someone...his name is Luke Sexton:

Isn't he beautiful? This handsome little guy doesn't belong to me and David, but he is the newborn son of Benson and Kristin Sexton. (I went to Lindsey Wilson College with Benson and worked with him in Freshman Advising for a couple of years.) Luke was born last Tuesday evening, and he's a very sick little boy. He was born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, and he needs your prayers. In the past week, he's had a heart catheterization and at least one surgery. Lately, he's really impressed his doctors with his progress, but this morning, we got a bad report. It seems that Luke isn't responding well to his medications anymore, and his doctors have told Benson and Kristin that Luke's only hope of survival is a miracle. I ask that you please pray for miraculous healing for Luke, for guidance and wisdom for his doctors and nurses, and for strength and peace for Benson and Kristin. They have set up a blog called The Sexton 3, and they update it regularly to share the story of Luke's miracle. Please visit their blog to get Luke's full story, and if you'd like, leave them a comment to let them know that you're thinking of them. This little guy's situation is very serious, and I know that the family covets your prayers.
David and I have not only been thinking a lot about little Luke, but we also learned that someone else that we love has been hurt. It's hard to think about much else when someone you love is hurting. So...David and I are a little preoccupied and I'm not sure I can promise many recipes or exciting posts in the near future. I've been thinking for a couple of weeks that maybe I should switch the focus of the blog from strictly cooking and food and include some other things. I might start working on that soon.
Anyway, just wanted to let you know that The Sweet Life hasn't disappeared, but I'd love for you to spend some time in prayer for Luke and his family today. Take care!

*Edit* One of the links to Luke's blog wasn't working, but I fixed it.

David's Strawberry Birthday Cake

2010-06-25T08:23:00.002-04:00

Yesterday was David's birthday, and I'd been in search of a perfect birthday treat for a little over a week. He loves strawberries, and if given the choice, will almost always choose a strawberry dessert over any other flavor. So when I found this cake on my cousin Lindsey's blog Yummy Things (which she found over at Homesick Texan), I had a feeling I'd found the perfect birthday cake.
When I found the recipe, I copied and pasted into an email and forwarded it to David while he was at work. The subject line said, "A possible birthday treat?" His simple reply was this, "Yes, please!" And it was wonderful! My favorite part of the cake was the frosting, though. The strawberry cream cheese icing is good enough (and not too overly sweet) to just eat with a spoon. I know this because I have eaten several spoonfulls of it! :) The cake recipe calls for two sticks of butter, but I only used one (because I misread the recipe), but it still turned out great! It's a very moist cake with a slight strawberry flavor. The cake isn't pink like boxed strawberry cake mixes...in fact, it comes out a little brown because of a chemical reaction between the strawberries, the other ingredients, and the heat from baking. (I'm not a very scientific person, but that's the best way I can explain it. In other words, don't be concerned when your cake is brown. It will be delicious!)

Here's a picture of David and me at the wedding in St. Louis last weekend. We had a great time on our little trip and were so glad to be there for Daniel and MaryBeth's special day.

Strawberry Sheet Cake

Homesick Texan

Cake:

12 oz. fresh strawberries, stems removed and chopped (about 3 cups)

2 cups sugar, plus 2 teaspoons

2 cups flour

2 sticks of butter (I used one, and it was fine)

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon baking soda

1teaspoon vanilla

Over the chopped strawberries, sprinkle 2 teaspoons of sugar and 1/4 cup of water. Let them sit for an hour at room temperature so they can release some of their juices. The berries should reduce to about 1 1/2 cups. In a blender or food processor, crush the berries on a low speed for a few seconds. You want them juicy, but still with some texture. Take 1/2 cup of the strawberry mixture for the frosting and leave the remaining crushed strawberries for the cake.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.

Sift the sugar and flour together in a bowl.

Melt the butter on low in a saucepan and then whisk it with the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, and baking soda. Add the liquid to the flour and then stir in one cup of the crushed strawberries.

Pour batter into the pan and bake for 20 - 25 minutes. Cake is done when a knife comes out clean from the center. Let it cool and then frost with the strawberry cream cheese frosting (recipe below).

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 stick butter, at room temperature

8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature

3 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup crushed strawberries

2 tsp. lime juice (about half a lime)

1/4 tsp. lime zest

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Whip together the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Slowly add the powdered sugar until blended. Add the strawberries, lime juice, lime zest, and vanilla. Spread over cooled cake.

Note: Depending on how juicy your berries are, your icing may be runnier than usual. If this is the cake, add more cream cheese to thicken it up.

TWD: Dressy Chocolate Loaf Cake

2010-06-22T19:12:00.002-04:00

I sit at my computer typing this with a very full stomach. Too full, actually. It's because of this:
That's the Dressy Chocolate Loaf Cake, which was chosen as this week's TWD recipe by Amy Ruth of Amy Ruth Bakes. Once again, I almost sat this one out...David and I made a whirlwind trip to St. Louis for his cousin's wedding. We left "the 'Ville" on Friday night and got back Sunday night. I usually do my TWD recipes on Sundays, but I was just too tired Sunday night to even think about baking. So I talked myself into throwing this together last night (and finished it at a little after 10!), and I'm so glad I did. It was so good. The cake portion really reminded me a lot of this cake (which, by the way, was made for MaryBeth's shower...and it was her wedding that we attended in St. Louis this weekend), but with a twist. This cake is filled with raspberry jam and an interesting frosting. The frosting is just semi-sweet chocolate and sour cream. I was skeptical about it, but it turned out delicious!

The chocolate sour cream frosting spread like a dream when it was still warm. I put the cake in the fridge overnight, and when we had a slice after dinner tonight, the frosting reminded me of a tangy ganache. Yum! This cake was so simple to make, but it looks impressive. Amy Ruth has the recipe posted at her site. Happy baking!

TWD: Raisin Swirl Bread

2010-06-15T15:24:00.002-04:00

I nearly sat this week's TWD out, because I fear the yeast. And my fears were completely unfounded! I always thought yeast was temperamental stuff, but I learned that maybe that's not the case! I was so afraid I'd either kill it with milk that was too hot, or use milk that was too cold, which might not activate the yeast. I didn't want to use a thermometer, so the best advice I got came from Chet. He once told me that your liquid is the perfect temperature for yeast when it's pretty much the same temperature as your body. When you stick your finger in it, it shouldn't feel too warm or too cool.
I think his advice worked, what about you?! Isn't that a pretty, swirly loaf of bread? I had absolutely no problems making this...none at all! In fact, I really, really, really enjoyed working with the dough. I've been making a list of things for future baking, and yeast bread was on the list. But again, I was in fear of yeast and had been putting it off. But look out! I have conquered yeast, so hopefully much more bread baking is in my future!

I think this was my favorite part...rolling the dough, laying down the "fixin's", and rolling up the loaf. But see the cinnamon/cocoa mixture? I'd double it next time. I really wanted more cinnamon swirl in each bite. Other than that, I'd say this recipe was perfect! My bread the perfect texture (another fear...dense bread!), so I feel pretty confident. I didn't make the brioche that the group made awhile back, so I might have to try that soon.

If you're not afraid of yeast, or if you like cinnamon raisin bread, or if you do fear yeast and want to get over it, visit Susan over at Food.Baby! This was her pick, and she's got the recipe.

Asparagus Frittata

2010-06-10T21:22:00.003-04:00

I think I may have mentioned once or twice that David's grandmother has an asparagus bed that keeps us in delicious asparagus for a good part of the spring. We discovered that we both love roasted asparagus in the oven. It doesn't matter how much asparagus I roast at a time...we eat it all. But this spring, I decided that I should try something a little different.

So, I tried an asparagus frittata. It was so very good! I had a little trouble with it, but it was my first frittata and a learning experience. I absolutely despise runny eggs, so I think I went a little too far and cooked my eggs a little too long before popping the skillet in the oven. I ended up with a too-brown bottom. But overall, it was a success. It made a nice light Sunday night supper several weeks ago. Easy and tasty!

Asparagus Frittata

Simply Recipes

2 tsp. olive oil

1 small onion, thinly sliced

1/2 tsp. salt

1 lb. asparagus, tough ends snapped off, spears cut diagnonally into 1-inch lengths

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup shredded Gruyere or Swiss cheese

Heat olive oil into a 10-inch oven-proof frying pan over medium high heat. Add onions and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened, about 3 minutes. Add asparagus, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, covered, until the asparagus are barely tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Pour in eggs and cook until almost set, but still runny on top, about 2 minutes. While cooking, preheat oven broiler.

Sprinkle cheese over eggs and put in oven to broil until cheese is melted and browned, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from oven with oven mitts and slide frittata onto a serving plate. Cut into wedges. Serves 4.

TWD: Tender Shortcakes

2010-06-08T07:00:00.002-04:00

It's been awhile, hasn't it? Over a week, to be exact. I apologize. As I told David yesterday, I think I've lost my mojo. I just have been in kind of a funk over the last week or so and haven't felt like doing much of anything...even cooking. Things around here have been pretty darn boring lately. But I think I might be getting a little bit of my mojo back. At least I made my shortcakes!
Aren't they pretty? These were just right for getting back into the swing of things. As I was mixing the dough, I thought to myself, "I really enjoy this." However, I was very afraid that I would overwork my dough. It's what I do, remember? I like to knead and knead and knead! But I used some restraint, even though I thought that maybe I had kneaded too much. But it looks like they turned out okay!

David's mom and dad just got back from Florida. They brought us some delicious peaches, and as soon as Shirley gave them to me, I knew they were destined for shortcakes! They were delicious, and they were perfect with the slightly sweet shortcakes and the lightly vanilla-flavored whipped cream. YUM! These shortcakes were so good...better than the ones I used to make with Bisquick (gasp!), but really just as easy!
We've got Cathy, of The Tortefeasor, to thank for this pick. This was a perfect choice for this time of year! If you've got fresh berries or peaches, please click here for the recipe!

Easy, Guiltless Crab Salad

2010-05-27T20:51:00.002-04:00

I can't pass up anything that's got a recipe in it. Cookbooks, magazines, the back of jars, our electric cooperative's magazine, any of it! My husband makes fun of me because whenever I get a new cookbook, I'll sit and read it for several days. A couple of years ago, we were at my Dad and stepmom's (Theresa) house, and she had a new cookbook. It was called The Most Decadent Diet Ever, by Devin Alexander. I looked through it at least a couple of times over the course of that weekend, and she told me to write down the names of the recipes I wanted and she'd make copies for me. Well, I pretty much wrote down all the recipes in the book! So, bless her heart, Theresa bought me my very own copy!
Everything I've tried has been very good, but this crab salad is the thing I've made over and over. It's absolutely delicious, and pretty much guilt-free. It's in a mayonnaise based sauce (I love mayo!), but it's not heavy because it's mixed with nonfat yogurt and nonfat milk. The fresh herbs really stand out, and I wish I'd had more fresh dill. We had this delicious crab salad for dinner last night, because I just couldn't bear to turn on the oven. A word to the wise, though. It tastes better the longer it sits. I made it Tuesday night for our Wednesday supper. But I took it for lunch today, and it was even better! The extra time in the fridge really let the flavors meld.

Herbed Crab Salad

Devin Alexander

1/4 cup plus 1 Tablespoon light mayonnaise (the olive oil mayo)

2 T fat-free milk

2 T fat-free plain yogurt

1 lb imitation crab meat, coarsley shredded

2 T finely chopped green onion (white and green parts)

2 T finely chopped red onion

2 T finely chopped fresh dill

2 T chopped fresh parsley

Whisk the mayonnaise, milk, and yogurt in a large resealable plastic container until well combined and smooth. Add the crabmeat, green onion, red onion, dill, and parsley. Stir until well combined. Seal the container and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or overnight for optimum flavor.

TWD: Banana Coconut Ice Cream Pie

2010-05-25T07:36:00.000-04:00

This week's Tuesdays with Dorie assignment was Banana Coconut Ice Cream Pie, chosen by Spike (of Spike Bakes). And it was perfect timing. This week, we'll experience the first of many hot, humid Kentucky summer days. Ice cream pie was a perfect reward after working in the gardne tonight with David's grandmother.
But I'm not so sure that everyone was quite as excited about this ice cream pie. In fact, I'm sure there was lots of gnashing of teeth among the other TWD participants over this pick. This recipe includes two polarizing ingredients...coconut and banana. Before I joined TWD, I had no idea that people had such strong aversions to those two foods. I love bananas, and I don't mind coconut, so I wasn't too concerned about this week's flavor combo. And I hope that lots of people baked along, because this is one tasty pie!

I think it ranks right up there as one of our most simple (and quick!) recipes. The crust was the most time-consuming part, but it only took about 10 minutes to put together (but there was very little real effort involved: crushing cookies into crumbs, melting butter, and stirring coconut until toasted). From there, you slice bananas, whir some bananas, ice cream, and rum in the food processor, and stick it all in the freezer. Easy peasy!
David, Mama, and I really enjoyed this one. After the first bite, I wasn't sure about it, but then I was hooked. Yum! But the very best part? The crust. I could just eat the crust plain. I have a feeling I'll be using it for other pies in the near future. It's so crunchy and flavorful...not too sweet, and not too coconuty. Just perfect crispy perfection.

If you're looking for the perfect summertime dessert, please visit Spike Bakes for the recipe.

Kale Chips

2010-05-24T07:15:00.000-04:00

I remember that when I first started reading food blogs well over a year ago, kale chips were making quite a splash in the blogosphere. It seemed like they were all over the place! People were buying kale by the bushel and roasting it in the oven, then gushing about how wonderful and healthy it was. (Okay, maybe part of that is an exaggeration, but not by much.)
I am not a picky eater by any means, but there are just some things that I haven't been able to like. Tapioca and kale are two of the foods that come to mind immediately. I have tried to like kale, I really have, but I have yet to eat any that I actually liked. Well, until today. I decided to take a leap of faith (I suppose I was feeling particularly adventurous) and make the much-lauded kale chips. There's no recipe really...it's really just roasting the leaves in a tiny smidgen of olive oil, salt, and paremsan cheese.
The roasting dries out the kale leaves just enough that they're pleasantly crunchy, but not fragile and brittle. The olive oil and the time in the oven certainly mellow the bitter taste that I've always hated about kale. They were actually pretty good! I fixed a bunch on a cookie sheet this afternoon and ate the whole thing! It's not a really substantial snack, but it sure satisfies a craving for something salty, savory, and crunchy. Give these a try...if nothing else, it's certainly an adventure in eating!

Kale Chips

1 bunch kale leaves (stripped from the thick stems)

olive oil (not much...a couple of teaspoons)

salt

shredded parmesan

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Rinse kale leaves and spin them in a salad spinner until dry. Spread on a cookie sheet and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle on salt and shredded parmesan. Slide cookie sheet into the hot oven for about 10 - 15 minutes. The kale leaves will shrink noticeably and get a little brown around the edges. When the kale chips look lightly browned, take them out and check on them. If they seem crisp (moreso around the edges than in the middle of the leaves), they're done.

Serve immediately. They'll be okay for a little while, but should be eaten within an hour or so.

Greek Marinated Pork Chops

2010-05-17T21:05:00.002-04:00

The first time I had Greek food was in Chicago on a trip with a group from Lindsey Wilson College. I didn't like it. I can't remember what I ordered, but I remember not liking it. And if I recall correctly, nobody in the group really liked their food, either. The one exception was some kind of fried cheese that came to the table still flaming. That stuff was delicious. But something has happened as I've gotten older...I've found that I now enjoy Greek food. I love the flavors now and find that I use them a lot in my cooking. I've even found a fabulous Greek restaurant about two blocks from my office. Anyway, yesterday afternoon I was looking over some blogs for some ideas for dinner this week, and I came across a recipe for pork chops in a Greek marinade. I didn't need to buy anything (except for the pork chops, which were already on the list), so these went on the menu.

Oh my goodness! They were wonderful! They were so flavorful and moist. I absolutely loved the lemon flavor with the oregano and garlic. I usually grill four pork chops for the two of us so that there are leftovers, but we ate all four of these tonight! (They were small, though!) David and I both decided that this recipe will make it to our regular rotation, and that's saying a lot! If you're tired of having ho-hum pork chops, try these! They are delicious!

Greek-Seasoned Grilled Pork Chops with Lemon and Oregano

Amanda's Cookin'

4 boneless pork chops

Marinade:

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

2 tsp. red wine vinegar

1 tsp. lemon zest

2 tsp. dried Greek oregano (I don't know that my oregano was Greek, but it was good!)

2 tsp. minced garlic

fresh ground black pepper

In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, Greek oregano, garlic, and black pepper. Trim all visible fat from pork chops and place in large Ziplock bag or flat glass dish. Pour marinade over pork chops and marinate in refrigerator for 4-8 hours (I think I marinated mine for more like 11 hours), turning a few times if you're home.

To cook, remove pork chops from refrigerator and wipe off excess marinade. Dry chops with paper towels and let come to room temperature while grill heats up. Grill pork chops and enjoy!

TWD: Quick Classic Berry Tart

2010-05-11T13:50:00.002-04:00

Dorie's description of this tart is spot-on. However, I'd add one more adjective to the list: forgiving. I did everything wrong when I was making this tart, but it still turned out great! Thank goodness...because it was Mother's Day dessert!
First, I made the crust, but when I dumped the crumbs into the tart pan, I realized I hadn't buttered it. So I dumped them back out, buttered the pan, then dumped them back in. After covering the crust with the buttered foil, I threw it into the oven. Yep...forgot to freeze it beforehand. I decided to go with it and see how it came out. It worked perfectly!
Then, I cooked my pastry cream too long. When I tried to give it a little whisk to loosen it up to pour into the shell the next day (after being refrigerated overnight), it looked like scrambled eggs. It was the consistency of scrambled eggs, too. Chet suggested that I dump it into the KitchenAid for a quick spin with the whisk attachment. We decided I couldn't make it worse than it was, so I turned my mixer on high and let it go for a bit. Still, it seemed like scrambled eggs. So I poured in some more half and half and mixed some more. Then more half and half, then more mixing. Finally, by the grace of God, it came together and looked like perfect pastry cream!
Kroger thinks an awful lot about their berries this time of year, so I just bought a pint of blueberries for the top. My tart doesn't look quite as lush as the one in the book, but it sure was tasty...especially considering all of the disasters I encountered along the way.
If nothing else, I learned this from Dorie's Quick Classic Forgiving Berry Tart: do not bake when in serious emotional distress. Bake a batch of boxed brownies, buy a quart of vanilla ice cream and chocolate syrup, and make hot fudge sundaes instead. But if you're not having one of the worst days of your life, PLEASE make Dorie's tart! It's wonderful! (And forgiving.)

TWD: Burnt Sugar Ice Cream

2010-05-04T16:16:00.003-04:00

This time last week, I had decided that I wouldn't participate in making Burnt Sugar Ice Cream. The last time I made ice cream, I had to borrow Shirley's ice cream maker. It worked really well, but it required ice and rock salt (but at least it was electric!)...and that was more than I wanted to deal with this time. But I decided at the very last minute to put out a request via Facebook for some kind friend to lend me a countertop ice cream maker. Devona, my friend from church, happily obliged and let me borrow her shiny, stainless steel Cuisinart ice cream maker. Fancy! Sooo, I had no excuse not to participate.
Lots of TWDers were swooning over this ice cream. I couldn't imagine any ice cream being that good...especially any with the word "burnt" in the title. Oh, how I wanted to back out. I'm so intimidated of making caramel. I always chicken out and take it off the heat too quickly and it just doesn't have much flavor. So this week, I was bound and determined to let the caramel get a "deep amber color" like Dorie suggests. It took everything I had not to take the pan off the heat, but I didn't. And when I tasted the custard, I thought, "Hmmm...tastes a little...burnt." I figured I'd ruined it. I even considered dumping the custard down the drain. But I didn't! I let it chill in the fridge overnight and then churned it.

Yum! I wouldn't say that I'm in love with this ice cream like many TWDers are, but it was very tasty. It's definitely a grown-up ice cream...I don't think kiddos would appreciate the complexity of flavors. I can't believe that this delicious ice cream just started with sugar, water, eggs, milk, cream, and vanilla. This is a perfect example that illustrates why baking is sort of like "miracle-making" to me. If you plan to make any ice cream this summer, please give this one a try! Becky, of Project Domestication, picked this winner, and she's got the recipe on her site.

Honey Roasted Chicken

2010-05-03T18:27:00.003-04:00

A few years ago, when David and I got married, my grandfather gave us a small chest freezer. It has been one of the best gifts we've ever gotten. I really enjoy stocking my freezer and I feel a little safer knowing it's full of food. But sometimes, I forget about things I put in there. A couple of winters ago, we got a huge ice storm and I was off work for a few days because my workplace had no electricity. I took some of my time off to make an inventory of my freezer and pantry. Keeping it up to date lasted about 3 days. I did do a good job of cleaning it out, and I think I've kept up with it pretty well.
Fast foward quite some time (over a year or so). While in Costco one afternoon, I spotted a really good deal on whole chickens. I don't remember the price, but I know I got two 4 lb. chickens for a steal. We had one for dinner and froze the other one. I forgot about the frozen one and "found" it when we unloaded the chest freezer to move!
Usually, when I have a whole chicken, I do the "beer butt" chicken on the grill. But I recently saw this Honey Roasted Chicken on My Kitchen Cafe and knew that it would be the recipe I'd use for my whole chicken. I think she got the recipe from Cook's Country, so you know it's good! I've recently discovered how much I love to cook with honey, and this seemed simple enough. It certainly isn't a recipe that I could pull off one day after a day at work, but since I'm on staycation this week, I knew the time was right.
This chicken is moist and flavorful, and the crispy sweet skin is just delicious! Please, please be sure that you let your chicken rest before you slice into it...it's well worth the wait. Without the rest, all of the juices will run out, leaving you with dry chicken. Nobody wants that! The recipe also includes a wonderful sauce, which has a lovely flavor thanks to some crushed thyme.

Honey Roasted Chicken

My Kitchen Cafe/Cook's Country

1 tablespoon salt

2 teaspoons pepper

1 teaspoon paprika (I used smoked)

2 whole chickens (3.5 - 4 lb. each), giblets discarded (I only made one)

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1/2 cup honey

5 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

2 teaspoons dried thyme

2 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces and chilled

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and make sure the oven rack is in teh middle of the oven. In a small bowl, combine the salt, pepper, and paprika. Pat the chickens dry with paper towels and rub the spice mixture under the skin and over the outside of each chicken. Tuck the wings behind the back and tie the legs together with kitchen twine.

Stir the cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water together in a small bowl until no lumps remain; set aside. In a small saucepan, bring the honey and 4 tablespoons of vinegar to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook until the mixture is reduced to about 1/2 cup, 8 - 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Slowly whisk the cornstarch mixture into the glaze. Return to a simmer and cook for one minute.

Arrange the chickens, breast side down, on a V-rack set inside a roasting pan. Roast until the chicken are golden, about 35 minutes. Remove the roasting pan from the oven and carefully, with a wad of paper towels, flip the chickens so they are breast side up. Raise the oven temperature to 450 degrees. Pour 1 cup water and the broth into the roasting pan. Return the roasting pan to the oven and roast until the thigh meat registers 165 - 170 degrees, about 35 - 45 minutes. Brush the chickens evenly with a thick layer of the glaze (you'll have some remaining to brush on later) and continue to roast until the glaze is golden brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and brush with the remaining glaze and let it rest for 15 minutes.

While the chicken is resting, pour pan juices and any accumulated chicken juices into a saucepan and skim any fat. Stir in the thyme. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce is slightly thickened and reduced to 1 cup, about 15 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in the butter and remaining vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Carve the chickens and serve, passing the sauce at the table.

TWD: Chockablock Cookies

2010-04-27T18:37:00.002-04:00

This is another one of those recipes that I've looked at over and over again since I got my copy of Baking: From My Home to Yours. I loved the fact that there are so many mix-ins (and so many suggestions for variations of mix-ins) in the recipe. It was so nice to know that I could make these cookies with pretty much whatever I had on hand!
I used walnuts and dried cherries, and I included the coconut (which I really didn't even notice in the finished product) and the chocolate. I've checked out a few of the other TWDers who've made these cookies this week, and it seems like everyone used different nuts and or/dried fruit, but all of the cookies look amazing. I just LOVE that we're all making the same "recipe," but we're all getting custom cookies!
A few TWDers were afraid of the molasses in the batter. I went for it (because I had the molasses on hand from these), and I thought I might regret it when I tasted the batter. You see, I'm a batter licker. I can't resist it. If there's batter (or dough, for that matter) of any kind, I have a compulsion to eat it. And most of the time, I'd really prefer to eat the batter than the finished product. So I was a little worried when I tasted this batter (okay, maybe taste isn't the word...I ate at least 2 cookies' worth of batter) and it was really molassesy. But I perservered and baked the cookies...and I was pleasantly surprised. The molasses flavor was just right.
These cookies are great for so many reasons. Again, they are fully customizeable. They don't spread. They stay soft and chewy. And they kind of remind me of trail mix! If you're in the mood to make some of these delicious cookies, visit Mary at Popsicles and Sandy Feet. She's responsible for this wonderful pick, and she's got the recipe. Happy Baking!

Johnny Mazetti for a Living Treasure

2010-04-21T19:17:00.002-04:00

My father-in-law, Earl, is a living treasure. Don't believe me? Click here to read all about it! He grew up in the Panama Canal Zone, and one of the local newspapers interviewed him about his childhood there, and his life after leaving the Canal Zone. It's really interesting...especially the part that explains why mosquitoes don't really bother him much anymore!
A couple of months ago, he emailed me a recipe for something called Johnny Mazetti, which is a dish he grew up eating in the Canal Zone. From what I understand, everyone in the Canal Zone loved this Johnny Mazetti stuff, and they're astounded to learn that it didn't originate there! In fact, the recipe is a variation of a different dish called Johnny Marzetti (notice the r here), which originated in a restaurant in Ohio! And after some research, it seems that Johnny Marzetti is a well-loved recipe in the Northeast (Ohio, Wisconsin, etc.). I'm just a little ol' Kentucky girl, and I'd never heard of the stuff before.

There are some differences between Johnny Mazetti and Johnny Marzetti. The Zonian version uses egg noodles, where the Ohio verison calls for elbow macaroni. The Zonian recipe requires something called Arturo sauce, whereas the Ohio version uses a spaghetti sauce. I found my recipe here (because I lost the one Earl emailed to me), and was pleased to find that it even included a recipe for the elusive Arturo sauce (because I certainly wasn't buying a case of the stuff). It seems that Arturo sauce is a key ingredient to Zonian Johnny Mazetti, because when Earl told his sister Mary that I was making Johnny Mazetti, she said, "How is she going to make Johnny Mazetti? She doesn't have Arturo sauce!" And let me tell you, this Arturo sauce is interesting stuff. Some of the ingredients: mushrooms, cider vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar. When I mixed mine up, I couldn't decide if it smelled wonderful or horrible. I decided it would be best not to decide.
The recipe is really simple to prepare...there's just a lot of chopping and shredding involved. Green peppers, onions, celery, capers, olives, three kinds of cheese, etc. As I was reviewing the recipe, I thought to myself, "This is glorified homemade Hamburger Helper!" And I guess maybe it is. But I'd call it gourmet Hamburger Helper, at the very least. There are LOTS of strong flavors going on, and I was very skeptical about how it would come together. To my surprise, it was delicious! David and I both commented on how it smelled...it reminded us both of Bacon Cheeseburger Pizza from Hometown Pizza (a local pizza place). The creamy cheese, tangy olives, and wonderfully weird Arturo sauce combined for one delicious casserole. If you're stuck in a dinner rut and need something new and delicious, you should definitely give this one a try!

Johnny Mazetti

Recipe adapted from Best Room in the House

1 lb. ground beef

1-2 tsp. olive oil

1 green pepper, chopped fine

1 medium onion, chopped fine

1 stalk celery, chopped fine

1 medium can mushrooms, drained

3 cloves garlic

salt & pepper to taste

1 can tomato soup

1 can tomato sauce

1 tsp. chopped capers

1 can Arturo sauce (see recipe below)

1/2 bottle stuffed olives, drained and chopped

3/4 of 1 pkg. of egg noodles (maybe less), boiled

1/2 lb. shredded American cheese (shred your own!)

1/4 lb. shredded Swiss cheese (shred your own!)

1/4 lb. shredded mozzarella (shred your own!)

5 strips bacon, fried and crumbled

1/4 cup red or white wine (use white wine on odd days and red on even)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a large casserole dish (at least 9x13) with cooking spray. Put a large pot of water on to boil. Brown ground beef in a very large skillet. Remove from skillet and drain well. Heat olive oil and saute green pepper, garlic, onion, and celery until softened. Add ground beef back to skillet and add mushrooms, tomato soup, tomato sauce, capers, Arturo sauce, and olives. Simmer on low until thoroughly heated. While the mixture is simmering, boil egg noodles, but not until they're al dente. They should still be a little undercooked. Pour contents of skillet into a very large bowl. Add in the half of each of the three shredded cheeses and al of the egg noodles. Mix until thoroughly combined. Place into greased casserole dish and top with remaining cheese and bacon. Bake for 1 hour. Yields 6-8 servings.

Arturo Sauce

Yields approximately 1 cup

1/4 cup finely chopped mushrooms

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup tomato sauce

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1 Tbs. brown sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

2 large cloves garlic, minced

1/4 tsp. black pepper

pinch of ginger

pinch of nutmeg

Combine all ingredients and mix well.

TWD: Sweet Cream Biscuits

2010-04-20T19:43:00.002-04:00

I think that I can count on one hand the number of times I've made biscuits. We just don't eat biscuits that much around here. We love 'em though...that's for sure. Maybe that's why I don't make them! In the past, on the few occasions we've had biscuits with dinner, I've just bought the frozen ones and heated them up. (I know, I know...but they're good!) I think biscuits have a reputation as being difficult to make, so I kind of bought into it, I guess. And, being from a Southern state, a girl kind of feels obligated to make delicious, light, flaky biscuits. Well...I can't say that I've got biscuit making down to an art, but I've got a start!
Dorie (and everyone else who is good at making biscuits) will tell you that one of the keys to light, flaky biscuits is to NOT OVERWORK THE DOUGH. This is the thing I have the most trouble with in baking. I guess I just like to be stern with dough. If I get dough in my hands, I have to work it! It's a compulsion! With these biscuits, I tried not to work the dough too much. I was afraid that I had erred too far on the side of caution, but they rose pretty well. I also didn't twist my biscuit cutter when I cut my rounds. I think that helps some, too. I don't understand the chemistry of it all, but I'm pretty sure it helps the dough rise a little higher. Overall, these biscuits were very well-received at my house! David ate 5 of them. But they're teeny-tiny biscuits...cut with a 2-inch cutter. I'm not used to petite biscuits...around here, we want a biscuit the size of your fist! But I do think that these would be precious at a shower with country ham sandwiched between the two halves. YUM! If you'd like to make your own batch of super-easy and delicious biscuits, check out Melissa's blog, Love at First Bite.

Florida Pie

2010-04-19T21:20:00.003-04:00

Last weekend, I made dinner for my father-in-law's birthday. Last year, I gave him a choice about his birthday dessert, and he chose banana cream pie. This year, I didn't really give him a choice. But Earl loves Florida, so I thought I'd make Dorie's "Florida Pie."
It was delicious, as are most things I bake from Baking: From My Home to Yours. The pie starts out with a simple graham cracker crust (which is delicious on its own!), and then it gets a little fancy. It's a double-decker pie. The bottom layer is a coconut cream, and the middle layer is lime filling. Dorie's recipe calls for Key limes, but I had no intention of juicing a bazillion little limes to get 1/2 cup of juice. I used regular limes, and they were delicious. I took the recommendation of several TWDers who made this in the past and I included the zest of one lemon in the lime filling. It was tart and limey and incredible! Of course, the top of the pie is covered in meringue.

I got a little over zealous and let my meringue whip a little too long. It was awfully stiff and not so pretty. Not anywhere near as pretty as the meringue on David's grandmother's (Mama) pies, but I guess I don't have quite as much practice as she does, either! All in all, this was a wonderful pie. It was perfect for a springtime birthday, but it would also be a welcome treat during the hot and humid Kentucky summers we'll be experiencing before too long. If you'd like to try the Florida Pie sometime soon, just click the link above, or you can find it on page 340 of Baking: From My Home to Yours.

TWD: Swedish Visiting Cake

2010-04-13T19:27:00.002-04:00

I've been a member of the Tuesdays With Dorie baking group for just a little over a year now. I flip through the cookbook pretty regularly, because I love the pictures (which are so delicious!), and because I like to fantasize about what I might choose when (and if) we get to my turn in the rotation. I waffle between choosing something dramatic and rich, or something simple and rustic (because honestly, I'm a little lazy in the kitchen). This cake is something that I've looked at almost every single time I've opened my copy of Dorie's book.
Every time I look at the picture and the recipe, I think it's just a sweet cake, but it's certainly simple. Look at it...it's made in a cast-iron pan, there's no frosting, and it's pretty squatty. I've wanted to make it so many times, but for some reason I never had. Usually, when I bake something from this book it's for one of two reasons: 1) it's what I'm supposed to make for TWD that week or 2) I'm taking the dessert somewhere and I want something a little impressive. I guess that's why I've never made this cake before...it doesn't fit either of those criteria. So when I saw April's selection of recipes, I was glad that Nancy, of The Dogs Eat the Crumbs, chose this one. It was so good.

When I made this cake on Saturday, I'd already had a marathon cooking session. I'd been in my kitchen cooking and washing dishes for about six hours. At about 9:45pm, I jumped up from the couch and decided to make this cake. Thank goodness it's so simple! Here are the dishes that were dirtied in the making of this cake: 1 bowl, 1 whisk, 1 spatula, 1 cast iron pan. The whole thing took about 10 minutes to throw together, and my house smelled delicious while the cake baked. David wanted to eat the cake when it came out of the oven at about 10:30, but I told him he'd have to wait until the next day. I planned to take it to my parents' house for our dessert after our Sunday dinner.

When Mom cut slices of the cake, David said, "Oooh! It looks like those Danish butter cookies in the blue tin!" (By the way, lots of things look like Danish butter cookies to David.) But I don't think it tasted (or looked) like those cookies. In fact, I think Nancy hit the nail on the head in her post. It tastes a lot like a thick, chewy, almondy sugar cookie! I loved how dense the cake was. There's lemon zest in the cake batter, but I could only taste a hint of it in the cake. It was a perfect complement to the almondy-vanilla flavor. I'm usually not a fan of almond flavored desserts, but I'm certainly a convert now. This will certainly be a cake that's in my regular repertoire. In fact, my church women's group will be going to a nursing home on Thursday night to take desserts to the residents and spend time with them...and I'm pretty sure this will be my contribution. I have a feeling that it will be well-received. If you like almond, or if you like simple, delicious desserts, please visit Nancy's blog to get the recipe.

Tuna Croquettes: YUM!

2010-04-08T20:20:00.002-04:00

Do you remember my discovery that ground turkey is disgusting? The texture was just gross. But I have found something even more disgusting than ground turkey. CANNED SALMON. Yikes. That is some nasty stuff. I had planned on making salmon patties for dinner. I got out my can of salmon, opened it, and was revolted. I realized that it had LOTS of little bones in it. And some kind of black slimy stuff. When I dumped it out to pick out the bones, I discovered that the black slimy stuff was skin. It was too much. I couldn't do it. I threw it away. And I got out some tuna and got to work.

And I'm so glad that I did! These were so very good. I know that it probably sounds crazy to gush about how wonderful tuna croquettes are, but these are definitely something you should try. The ingredients are all things that you probably have on hand: tuna, onion, bread, eggs, lemon juice, some herbs. It's all combined and shaped into patties that are lightly fried in olive oil. So good!
By the way, my mom used to make salmon patties for us growing up. I HATED salmon patty night. I called her and asked how she could stand to make the patties with the nasty canned salmon. She said, "I use the salmon that comes in a pouch. It's boneless." Oh. I had no idea the stuff existed! I knew that tuna came in a pouch, but then again, I'm not a salmon connoisseur, either. Anyway, who needs canned salmon? Use tuna and make these instead!

Tuna Croquettes

Adapted from Three Fat Chicks

15 oz. canned tuna, drained well

1/3 c. minced onions

2 c. soft bread crumbs (whirr about 4 pieces of bread in your food processor)
1 T. lemon juice

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. dill

2 T. fresh parsley

2 eggs

olive oil for frying

Mix all ingredients together well. Shape into croquettes (patties) and fry in olive oil until golden brown. (To get my patties all the same size, I used a small ice cream scoop to portion them out, then flattened them. It worked pretty well.)

TWD: Coconut Tea Cake

2010-04-06T18:47:00.002-04:00

Here I am again...doing my Tuesdays With Dorie "assignments" out of sequence. This beautiful cake was supposed to be last week's post, but I wanted to make it for the Klingenfus Easter dinner.

Lots of people have an aversion to coconut, and I guess I do too...in some ways. I wouldn't touch an Almond Joy or Mounds candy bar with a 10-foot pole. I'd rather have a Butterfinger Crisp or Snickers. But I like lots of other coconut-flavored things (pina coladas? yes.), and I don't mind sweetened dried coconut, either. I can add this to a yummy coconut dessert that's very well received by groups, too! I had never used coconut milk before, and when I opened the can, it reminded me a lot of wallpaper paste. I'm glad Dorie's recipe said to stir up the coconut milk, because I wouldn't have thought of that. I wish I had kept the tiny bit that was left...it would have made a much better glaze than the one I threw together at the last minute. Even with the coconut milk and the sweetened dried coconut, the coconut flavor wasn't overwhelming. I also added some lemon juice (although most TWDers used lime, I think), and it was a nice addition. There was rum in there too, but I couldn't taste it at all.

When I made last week's Mocha Walnut Marbled Bundt Cake, my pan stuck and ripped away chunks of the cake. As I turned this cake out of the pan, I prayed over and over, "Please don't stick. Please don't stick. Please don't stick." And look at it. Honestly, it's the most beautiful bundt I've ever made. I love how it's lightly browned at the top and gets darker toward the bottom. I couldn't get over how pretty it was!

This week's pretty Coconut Tea Cake was chosen by Carmen, of Carmen Cooks. If you're in the mood for a tasty coconut cake, visit her blog for the recipe.

Greek Chicken Pitas and The Winner!

2010-04-05T07:35:00.000-04:00

The Blogiverary Giveaway winner is all the way at the bottom of the post. I know you can't wait to see if you won...but stick around here first to see what we've had for dinner recently!
When I was younger and still living at home, I can remember Mom asking, "What do you want for dinner?" And pretty regularly, my response was, "Something fun to eat." And Mom would get exasperated and say, "What's fun to eat?!" And you know what, I didn't know. I didn't have any idea. Now, I think that by "fun," I meant "different." These Greek chicken pitas are very different from what David and I have on a normal evening, and by different, I mean fun! When David pulled the pitas out of the grocery bag Sunday afternoon, he said, "Oh! We've never had these before!" I think he was excited to try them.
I really enjoyed these sandwiches, but I wish I had stuffed my pita with more chicken and less lettuce. The lemon/garlic marinade on the chicken was really good, and it's something that I'll definitely use again...maybe just on chicken breasts to grill. The lemon flavor was pronounced, but not overwhelming.

I also served Greek rice with the pitas, and it was delicious! This stuff was so good...I liked it better than the chicken. For lunch the next day, I mixed some of the chicken and rice together, and that was a great lunch! The Greek rice also has lemon juice in it, which is a perfect complement to the herbs and onions. This one is a keeper, for sure!

Greek Chicken Pita Pockets

Heather's Website

1/2 cup lemon juice

4 Tbs. olive oil (you can probably get away with a little less)

1 1/2 Tbs. garlic, minced and divided

1 tsp. ground mustard

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch strips

shredded lettuce

1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

black olives

pita pockets

Combine lemon juice, oil, 1 tsp. of the garlic, the mustard, and the oregano in a gallon zip top bag. Add chicken and seal bag. Turn bag and gently move chicken around to distribute marinade evenly. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Greek Yogurt Sauce

Heather's Website

1/2 cup cucumber, chopped

1/3 cup nonfat yogurt, plain

1/4 tsp. dillweed

In a small bowl, combine cucumber, yogurt, dill, and remaining garlic (from the pita recipe above). Cover and refrigerate until serving. (NOTE: Cucumbers have a lot of moisture in them, so if you want your sauce to be less runny, squeeze as much water from your cucumbers as possible.)

To Assemble the Pita Pockets:

Saute the chicken for 7-8 minutes or until the juices run clear. Fill pocket with lettuce, black olives, onion, and chicken. Top with cucumber sauce.

Greek Rice

Taste of Home Message Board (Redraspberrygirl)

2 cups water

2 Tbs. lemon juice

1 cup brown rice

1/2 tsp each: thyme, oregano, and rosemary, crumbled

2 tsp. olive oil

1/2 tsp. salt

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion

1 Tbs. chopped kalamata olives

Combine water, rice, oil, salt, and garlic in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Serves 6.

Now, for the winner of The Sweet Life's Blogiversary Giveaway! Suburban Prep was the reader chosen by the random number generator. Please send me an email (no later than Wednesday, April 7th) with your name and mailing address. You can email me at erinssweetlife[at]hotmail[dot]com.

Thanks so much to all who entered! I love reading your comments and getting to know you all! I appreciate all your encouragement!

Blogiversary Giveaway

2010-03-31T18:38:00.003-04:00

It's my blogiversary! One year ago today, I started my little food blog with two Tuesdays with Dorie posts. I read my very first post last night, and it seemed so long ago! My food photography skills have come a long way, but they still leave quite a bit to be desired. I've made lots of foods I normally would have never tried, and I've had some failures. But overall, it's been a lot of fun. There were some days when I wanted to just chuck the whole thing, but there were always a few people who have encouraged me to keep it up. So, to thank you all, my dear readers, I decided that I'd have my very first giveaway!
Here's the "Sweet Life Prize Pack": two cookbooks (Brittles, Barks, & Bonbons: Delicious Recipes for Quick and Easy Candy and Cookies: 200 Inspirational Cookie Recipes), a Harry & David Moose Munch chocolate bar, and a package of Late July Vanilla Bean and Green Tea cookies. I found the cookbooks the other day while I was browsing the cookbook section, and I wanted them for myself. But the last thing I need is another cookbook, so I decided that I wanted to give them away! There are so many yummy recipes in these books.

Like Mocha-Hazelnut Truffles, from the Brittles, Barks, & Bonbons book. Oooh...I want a couple of these right now!

Or how about some "Melt-in-the-Middles" or "Really Large Coconut Macaroons"? I don't even like to bake cookies, but some of these look like they'd be worth the trouble!

So there you have it. A nice little prize pack to celebrate my blogiversary. And really, you don't have to do much to get it. Just leave me a comment! I'd love to know if you have a favorite recipe that you've tried after seeing it on my site. Or how about some suggestions of things I can make in the coming year? I'm making a list, and I plan to share it with you in the next few days, but I'd love to hear what you've got in mind. The giveaway will close at 10pm Eastern time on Saturday (March 3rd), so leave your comment, and the winner will be drawn randomly! I'll post the winner's name on Monday, March 5th. Thanks for stopping by, and come back soon!

TWD: Mocha-Walnut Marbled Bundt Cake

2010-03-30T20:57:00.002-04:00

I'm a little out of order this evening...the real TWD pick was the Coconut Tea Cake, but I thought it was a little more "Eastery" than the Mocha-Walnut Marbled Bundt Cake, so I switched weeks. You'll see the Coconut Tea Cake next Tuesday. Sorry for any confusion!
Anyway, this was delicious! I loved the flavors...walnut, chocolate, and mocha. It was a breeze to put together, and this is the most luck I've ever had with marbling. I didn't quite get the gingko leaf design that Dorie talks about, but at least there are two distinct colors!

This is one of those cakes that doesn't really look all that impressive sitting on the counter, but you can't help but take a slice every time you walk by. That's why it went to the bank with David. I'd rather the bank employees cut slivers all day long than me! This cake will definitely be made again. This is a perfect example of why I love bundt cakes!

This tasty little cake was picked by a fellow Erin...the one over at When In Doubt, Leave It at 350. She doesn't have the recipe up, since it was originally picked for next week, but she'll have it up on April 6th. Thanks, Erin, for a wonderful choice!

Now, an announcement. Please stop back by late tomorrow afternoon/evening. There's something exciting going on at The Sweet Life! See you then!

Turkey Pasta Arrabiata

2010-03-29T19:30:00.002-04:00

It's official. I don't like ground turkey. I have tried several times, several ways, and I just don't like it. First, the texture is gross. When I was crumbling this stuff into the pan, I nearly gagged. It was good-quality turkey, so I can't say I got a bad product...I just think turkey wasn't meant to be ground up. I didn't care for the taste, either. I liked the overall flavor of this dish, but whenever I got a bite of the turkey, I thought it wasn't great.
I would definitely try this dish again, but not with ground turkey (or ground chicken, as the recipe suggests). I'll just stick with my lean ground beef. And I think my red-meat loving husband would appreciate it, too. He's a real sport and will eat pretty much anything I put in front of him, but I know he appreciates red meat any way he can get it. If you like ground turkey or chicken (and lots of people do), by all means give this a try. It's a good, quick recipe. And if you're like me and think that turkeys weren't meant to be ground, try it with ground beef. Be warned, the recipe below makes enough to serve about 8. I halved it and had plenty for my husband and I for dinner and for lunch the next day.

Turkey (or Chicken) Pasta Arrabiata

Heather's Site

2 Tbs. olive oil

2 medium onions, chopped

12 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
3/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 lbs. lean ground turkey (or chicken), no skin
28 oz. diced tomatoes with juice (I used Italian)
4 Tbs. tomato paste
1/2 c. fresh parsley
1 lb uncooked whole wheat spaghetti
1 cup pasta cooking water

Start heating pasta water. Heat the oil in a large nonstick pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute 2-3 minutes, until it begins to soften. Add the garlic, salt, and red pepper flakes and saute just until the garlic begins to turn golden, about 2-3 minutes. Do not let the garlic brown.
Add the ground turkey breast to the pan and stir, breaking into small pieces, until the chicken is no longer pink. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, and any additional salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
While the sauce simmers, cook the pasta. Drain well, but reserve a cup of the pasta cooking water.
Add parsley and hot, cooked pasta to the pass and toss with the sauce to combine. Add a bit of the pasta water if the sauce seems too dry.

TWD: Dulce de Leche Duos

2010-03-23T20:40:00.002-04:00

I was so excited when I saw these on the March TWD list. Dulce de Leche? Yum! Dulce de Leche in the cookie batter, then sandwiched between two cookies? Be still my caramel-loving heart!
Have you had dulce de leche? I hadn't heard of it or tried it until I got started food blogging. I found a recipe online to make my own (back about a year ago) from sweetened condensed milk. I thought it was pretty good stuff...we had it drizzled over cheesecake. I had planned on making my own again for this recipe, but time got away from me. So I bought a bottle of the premade stuff at Wal-Mart, and it was so much better! It was much darker than mine and had a lot more flavor. I guess my homemade version would have been better if I had cooked it longer, but I was a dulce de leche newbie and didn't know any better. I'll have to experiement and tweak my recipe to see how close I can get to the brand I bought at Wal-Mart.

Anyway, these cookies were really good, but honestly, it was a little too much dulce de leche at once. I think I would prefer either the cookie (which was so moist and delicious) or the dulce de leche, but not together. It was over the top, even for me. But if you like caramel, you should definitely try these. Dulce de leche isn't the same thing as caramel (which is made from sugar)...dulce de leche is made from sweetened milk, but there's a similar flavor. If you're interested in trying these very unique cookies, please go visit Beansy Loves Cake! Jodi has the recipe posted, and you should check out her impressive cake creations! Happy baking!

Happy Birthday to Me!

2010-03-22T20:28:00.003-04:00

Yep, it was my birthday last week. And, as Chet so gently put it, the last time I'll ever see a "2" as the first number in my birthday ever again. Yikes. Where does the time go? Anyway, aside from lots of love and good wishes from family and friends, I got some pretty sweet baking birthday gifts. Wanna see?
A BeaterBlade! Yay! More on this guy later, but it caused quite a stir as I was opening gifts. Chet and my uncle both said, "Tell me how it works! I want one!" Neither of them knew that such a thing existed, and I wouldn't have either, if it weren't for the wonderful world of food blogging! I did try it out (the same day I got it), and it works great!

A mandolin! A while back, I told David I wanted a mandolin, and I had to explain that it's not the musical instrument kind of mandolin I was after. I haven't used it, but it looks extremely sharp. I wish I had some potatoes in the bin...I might have to make a stop to Kroger after work one night this week. It came in a black carrying case that made Larry comment that I'd look like a ninja carrying it. Now I'll be hunting for recipes that require thinly sliced veggies.
And this little cutie...

is from my sister! It's my Kitchen Fraggle! Several months ago, I stopped by Allison and Larry's house to admire her craft room, and I saw a "Fraggle" that she had made. It wasn't really a Fraggle, but it looked so much like it. I was mesmerized by the cuteness. And ever since I've gone to their house, I go admire the Fraggle. So I was so excited when I opened my gift to find this adorable little baker! Can you believe she made this?! She's so talented. If you want to see more of her work, visit her blog, Sew Delightful. She hasn't updated her blog in awhile, so maybe this'll light a little fire under her! She makes precious dolls, purses, aprons, and even clothes! I keep telling her she needs an Etsy store.

And I don't have a picture, but Earl and Shirley gave me subscriptions to Southern Living and Cooking Light. I can't wait till they start showing up in my mailbox!

So there you have it...all of my new kitchen gadgets. I'm sure you'll see more of them soon! Come back tomorrow to see the Dulce de Leche Duos that I mixed with the BeaterBlade.

Minestrone Soup

2010-03-19T20:52:00.002-04:00

On Sunday afternoon, when I planned my dinner menu for the week, I knew that I had a wild week ahead of me. I knew that I'd be working late a couple of evenings during the week, andI had an evening meeting at church. I needed simple meals, and I wanted at least one thing I could make ahead of time and reheat as needed. I remembered a recipe for minestrone soup that Chet made recently, and thought it would work well. I knew it would make a lot of soup, so I'd have plenty for lunches as well.
This was perfect for a hectic week. The soup came together effortlessly one evening while I was making another dinner. It's pretty hearty, but light at the same time, if that makes sense. It would be the perfect soup to take to someone who's had surgery or isn't able to get out of the house. And it's cheap, too! I don't know exactly how to give credit for this recipe; I got it from Chet, who got it from someone else. If you think it's your recipe, let me know and I'll be sure to give you credit. If you're looking for a simple, easy dinner that's healthy and inexpensive, this is it! Enjoy!

Minestrone Soup

Chet Lawrence

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

28 oz. diced tomatoes, undrained (I used Italian-style)

15 oz. can Great Northern beans, drained

3/4 cup small pasta (I used whole-grain elbows)

1 box frozen, chopped spinach (thawed and drained)

15 oz. can green beans, drained

15 oz. can dark red kidney beans

2 chicken bouillion cubes

Saute onion and garlic in olive oil. Add tomatoes (with all juices). Fill empty tomato can three times with water and add to pot. Drain and rinse all beans and add to pot. Add spinach. Add bouillion and black pepper to taste. Cook until beans are tender. Add pasta and spinach. Cook until pasta is tender. Serve with grated parmesan cheese and crusty bread.

Birthday and Shower Cakes

2010-03-15T20:49:00.002-04:00

A couple of posts ago, I mentioned that Chet and Larry both had birthdays during February. Chet wanted a jam cake for his birthday, so I made my first jam cake ever. Larry, however, chose the Cocoa-Buttermilk Birthday Cake (from Baking: From My Home to Yours) for his birthday treat. It was gooood...
For Larry's birthday, I made this cake as Dorie specifies in her recipe...using two 9-inch round pans. I love layer cakes. The recipe is so very simple, but I think my cakes got a little bit too dry. I did leave them in the oven a little longer than the recipe said, but that's because my toothpick kept coming out gooey, and the middles weren't "springy," they were soupy!

The chocolate malt buttercream is what made the cake though. In my opinion, the cake is really just a vehicle for the frosting. This was the one frosting recipe which made a little too much frosting. I wasn't stretching to be able to fill and frost the cake. Which was wonderful because I got to eat the remainder of the icing with a spoon. Oh, yes I did.

See how dense the cake was? A tad dry, but yummy nonetheless. We decided that the frosting tastes a lot like brownie batter. Yum! I couldn't really detect the malt flavor, but it was the best chocolate frosting I've ever made!

I also made this cake for a wedding shower for David's cousin's fiancee, Mary Beth. For the shower, I made the cake in a 9x13-inch pan, and again...the cake was dry! I thought it was too dry, but I got several compliments on the cake. The icing was still delicious, though! The cake is good too, but I just need to be confident enough to take the cake out sooner, without being concerned that it's still gooey in the middle. We all remember the brownie fiasco, right?

If you need a good chocolate cake recipe, give this one a try. You can find the recipe here. You can find the delicious chocolate malt buttercream recipe there, too. It's a little labor intensive, but totally worth it!

TWD: Thumbprints for Us Big Guys

2010-03-09T20:41:00.003-05:00

I'm sorry that I haven't been posting with any regularity lately. First, we packed up everything we owned. Then, we moved. Then, we didn't have Internet. We finally got the Internet and got settled in, and then my life fell apart. It's been a rough couple of weeks, but things are looking up. I can't promise that I'll be posting every day anytime soon, but I'll try to do better.
I've at least been trying to keep up with Tuesdays with Dorie. While I didn't make the Toasted Coconut Tart last week, I was able to get the Thumbprints for Us Big Guys made just in the nick of time. They were tasty, and I was so thankful that they were a relatively simple fix. The dough came together really easily, and for cookies, they didn't require too much of my attention. For the record...do you know what you get when to put your macadamia nuts in the food processor? You don't get finely ground macadamia nuts. You get macadamia butter. That was my first error. Then, I didn't have enough of the macadamia butter for the recipe. So I got out the nut chopper and chopped up some almonds. Still not enough. So I threw in some walnuts, too. So this dough is "triple nutty", and it was some of the best dough I've ever eaten.

I made the cookies last night and filled them tonight. Of course, David and I ate several of the plain ones last night, and when we compared them to the ones that were filled with blackberry jam tonight, we decided that we really preferred the powdered sugar dusted plain ones better! The jam was just too sweet. But that didn't stop us from eating way too many of them!

Mike, the Ugly Food Dude, picked this week's recipe. Until tonight, I'd never visited his blog, but I'm pretty sure I'll visit regularly now. He's hilarious! It seems that he has some kind of a mini-disaster whenever he bakes. I usually do too, but I just don't talk about it! :) If you'd like to make a batch of Thumbprints for Us Big Guys, visit Mike's blog for the recipe.

Happy baking!

Old-Fashioned Jam Cake

2010-03-02T16:51:00.004-05:00

Sorry for not having Dorie's Toasted Coconut Tart, which was chosen by Cinemon Girl. I had too many birthdays this week. Chet and my brother-in-law Larry have back to back birthdays on February 24th adn 25th. It's become a part of my gift to a loved one to let them choose a "birthday treat" from my favorite baking bible, Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan. So far, almost everyone has chosen a cake. My mom chose Devil's Food White-Out Cake, Earl (my father-in-law) chose Banana Cream Pie, Allison (my sister) chose a Double-Apple Bundt Cake, and my wonderful husband chose the Perfect Party Cake. (And now I realize that maybe Shirley didn't get a birthday treat. Oops! Shirley, you can pick a treat anytime, just because!) Since Chet's birthday came first, he got first choice. But he didn't want to look at my book. He said, "Jam Cake. I have the recipe." I didn't say it at the time, but I'll admit it now. I was disappointed. "Jam cake? Really? Only old ladies like jam cake." But I promised the birthday boy any treat he wanted, so I planned to deliver.

I'm glad that I obliged. It was ugly, but it was good. It had been a rough day, so I ran into some problems with the icing (I'd never made a cooked icing, so I kept whipping it, waiting for it to get fluffy. Before I figured out that it wasn't going to get fluffy, it almost got too cool to frost with, but it tasted like caramel fudge. Yum.) The flavor of the cake was wonderful. The flavor of the spices reminded me of fall, and the blackberry jam made the cake so moist. I think it had been a logn time since Chet had eaten a jam cake, because he said, "This is just the way I remember it!" I was so glad that I was able to give him a practically perfect (tasting) cake for his birthday.

As you can see, I didn't do a fantastic job on the icing, and the layers aren't exactly the same size, but it was delicious! It's rich though...the icing is like fudge, so you can't eat a lot of it...although we tried!

Want to see the recipe Chet gave me? This is exactly what he gave me:

Jam Cake

Charlene McPherson

1 cup butter

5 eggs

2 cups sugar

3 cups flour

1 cup buttermilk

1 tsp. soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp. cloves

1/2 tsp. allspice

1 cup raisins

1 cup pecans

1 cup jam

Mix Flour Grease and Wax paper Line Cake Pans

And for the icing:

1 box brown sugar

1 cup cream

Cook to soft ball stage add 1/2 stick butter and 1 tsp. vanilla. Beat until creamy and spread.

TWD: Honey-Wheat Cookies

2010-02-23T20:56:00.002-05:00

These cookies are a perfect illustration of one of the reasons that I love being a part of the Tuesdays With Dorie group. If they hadn't been "assigned" to me for this week, I would have never made them, and that would have been a shame. I may have a new "almost-favorite" cookie!
I never would have thought that I'd make a cookie that contained wheat germ. Heck, I didn't know what one would do with a jar of wheat germ! But I bought a jar, and I'm glad I did! (And I did buy the "honey crunch" flavor, because I thought it just sounded tasty!) These cookies are so simple...some of the ingredients include wheat germ, lemon zest, and honey. I loved the flavor of these cookies. They were sweet from the honey, but I loved the slight lemon flavor. They taste like something I've had before, but I can't put my finger on it.

As I was rolling these cookies out, dredging them in the wheat germ, and pressing them into rounds, I found myself thinking about my grandfather, Grandydaddy. He owned and worked a cattle farm that I grew up on. He was on the farm every single day, and I loved to go "help" him, especially when I was little. He had a barn full of cats, and I loved to try to catch them! The farm was the one he grew up on, and "The Ol' Homeplace" is still there. It was his parents' house (my great-grandparents), but now it's in a state of disrepair. Anyway, he had a refrigerator in the house that held two things: Pepsis and Zagnut candy bars. I remember loving to stop by that house for a can of Pepsi and a Zagnut with Grandydaddy. And the whole time I was rolling, dredging, and pressing, I remembered eating those Zagnuts with Grandydaddy. He passed away about 10 years ago, and guess it's been even longer than that since I've had a Zagnut. These cookies didn't taste anything like a Zagnut, but I was so glad to have those memories while I baked!

If you're interested in these tasty little cookies, visit Flourchild's blog. It looks like she had a ton of fun baking these cookies with her daughters, so I guess Honey-Wheat Cookies will hold lots of memories for her, too! Please, don't let the wheat-germ freak you out or turn you away from these cookies. If it hadn't been for TWD, I'd have never made them, but I'm so glad I did! Yum!

TWD: My Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

2010-02-16T07:00:00.000-05:00

I have a confession to make. (It seems like I do that a lot around here...) Anyway, I don't like to bake cookies. I like to bake cakes, pies, tarts, but not cookies. You know why? Because you constantly have to tend to them and watch them. I like to mix up one big batch of stuff, stick it in the oven, then come back about 45 minutes later to some kind of delicious confection. But cookies? There's scooping, baking, removing to a cooling rack, letting the cookie sheets cool, etc. On and on until you finish the batch. And there's another thing about cookies. One cookie isn't a satisfying snack. I need to eat three or four to feel like I've had something. But one piece of cake or pie is satisfying! Anyone agree with me?
Another problem I have with cookies is that I haven't perfected a cooking method. I like chewy cookies, but I always let mine cook until they're crispy. And I'd rather have no cookie than a crispy cookie. And my cookies always spread out and get really flat. What's with that?
Anyway, Dorie's cookies solved at least one of my problems!

Even though I let the first batch cook a little long, they were still chewy after they'd cooled! And the next day, they were still chewy too! Thank you, Dorie, for a chewy chocolate chip cookie! These did still spread an awful lot, but I can take a thin, chewy cookie. These cookies had a great chocolate chip flavor...they were better than the Tollhouse recipe, which is the only chocolate chip cookie I've tried. They were very well received at the Super Bowl Party (everyone loves chocolate chip cookies!), and David and I snacked on them for a couple of days afterward. These will definitely be my chocolate chip cookie recipe from now on! Kait, of Kait's Plate, picked these cookies. If you'd like the recipe, head on over to her website.

TWD: Brownies for Julia

2010-02-10T13:03:00.002-05:00

I've got conflicting opinions on these brownies. The flavor is absolutely wonderful. They are sinfully chocolatey. But they're...too gooey. I love a fudgy, gooey brownie, but these go beyond the beyonds. Maybe I underbaked them, but I'm not so sure. After reading Dorie's description and checking out the other TWDers, I think they pretty much turned out like they were supposed to.
See? They've got the dry, crackly tops. When I inserted a thin knife in the middle, they were still "pretty gooey."

But then, I started cutting them, and this happened...

Yikes! I salvaged the brownies around the edges for the Super Bowl party, but I think only one or two were eaten. I put the gooey brownie mud back in the fridge, and I've been eating it bit by bit with a spoon. Oh, it's good. If you're a batter-licker (like me), you will love these. I just had a hard time serving them to other folks because I was terrified that someone would get sick. Or think I can't cook. Yes, I could have cooked them longer, but I was hosting a Super Bowl party and was on a deadline! I had cookies, dips, and pizzas to cook, too!

If you want to try your hand at these delicious (but gooey) brownies, visit Chocolatechic's blog. That lady loves her chocolate!

TWD: Cocoa-Nana Bread

2010-01-26T22:04:00.003-05:00

Hi everyone! The Sweet Life is back after a little hiatus. We've been in the new house for a little over a week now, and it's beginning to feel like home. For several days, I was very uneasy whenever I was in the house, because it just didn't feel like "home." But now that it's a little lived-in, I'm feeling better. It's still not quite "home" yet, but we're closer. At least I don't feel like jumping up and driving back to the old house or my parent's house anymore!
Anyway, I'm LOVING my new kitchen. I have so much more space now than I did at the old house, and I've got crazy amounts of countertops. If you're interested in seeing the new kitchen, take a look at this post.
I decided to make my "comeback" with the Tuesdays with Dorie assignment for the week: Cocoa-Nana Bread, chosen by Steph at Obsessed with Baking. It was a great assignment for my first TWD in my new kitchen: simple ingredients that I could find easily, as I'm still finding my way around the new house. I even had a couple of past-their-prime bananas begging to be used. I felt a little bad for Steph as I looked at the P & Q for this week's pick...it seems lots of people are uneasy about the combo of bananas and chocolate. And that's something I just don't get (kind of like how I don't understand how so many people have an aversion to raisins in baked goods), because they seem to be perfect companions to me. In fact, one of my favorite snacks is a banana drizzled with Hershey's syrup (or covered in Nutella). Anyway, this recipe is a keeper. It's a quick bread, so it's not rocket science. Dorie's description was right on: the first bite is chocolate-chocolate, then you get the banana taste. It was a perfect dessert after dinner tonight...still warm from the oven! Yum!
Thanks, Steph, for choosing this delicious bread! I love the chocolate and banana combo! If you want to try the recipe, visit Obsessed with Baking.

Moving Day!

2010-01-16T08:21:00.002-05:00

Well, we're finally moving into our new house! We don't have the TV or Internet hooked up yet, so it might be a little while before I can post something delicious on The Sweet Life. But stay tuned, I'll be back soon! Take care, and happy baking!

Whole Wheat Oatmeal Pancake Mix

2010-01-15T08:48:00.000-05:00

When I asked my Dad what he wanted for Christmas this year, he said, "Nothing. You and David are building a house, and I'd rather you use your money on that. [Pause] Wait, how about something homemade and delicious?" It was music to my ears! Another excuse to get in the kitchen and create! My dad is a breakfast guy. He likes cereal, of course, but he loves pancakes. I thought it would be nice to make some kind of a pancake mix that he could use to whip up a batch of delicious pancakes whenever he wanted. It just so happened that earlier that week, Melanie at My Kitchen Cafe posted a recipe for a pancake mix that she uses regularly and that her kids love. While I've never had these pancakes, just reading her description was enough to make me feel good about mixing up a batch for Dad.
The recipe makes about 10 cups of mix, which can keep for awhile (2 weeks or so) at room temperature. Or you can keep it on the fridge indefinitely, although I'm pretty sure Dad will need a refill before long. The remaining ingredients for the pancakes (besides the dry mix) are pretty typical things you'd have in your kitchen. I'm sure they'll be perfect for you if you're "breakfast people".

Whole Wheat Oatmeal Pancake Mix

My Kitchen Cafe

3 1/2 cups rolled (quick) oats

3 cups whole wheat flour

2 cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons baking powder

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon baking soda

1 cup vegetable oil

Mix all dry ingredients together in a mixer with a paddle attachment, or by hand. With the mixer on low speed, gradually drizzle the vegetable oil in while the mixer runs. When all of the oil has been added, stop the mixer and grab a handful of the mixture. If it clumps together when you squeeze it and stays there, it's just right. If it is too crumbly to stay together, drizzle in a tablespoon of oil at a time until the mixture will stay clumped together. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks, or in the refrigerator or freezer indefinitely.

To make the pancakes:

Whisk together 1 cup of mix, 1 cup of buttermilk (or 1/2 cup yogurt and 1/2 cup milk will also work), and 1 egg. The mixture may seem thin, but the oats will soak up some of the moisture while your griddle heats. Heat a griddle and drop the batter onto the griddle. When the edges look dry and bubbles come to the surface but don't break, the pancakes are ready to flip.

A cup of mix will make 6 or 7 four-inch pancakes.

Sweet and Salty Cracker Candy

2010-01-13T09:35:00.000-05:00

First, a warning. If you have trouble saying no to sweet and salty treats, don't make this. It's diet disaster waiting to happen. I only make this at Christmas, and that's why David and I lovingly refer to this delightful candy as "Christmas Crack." When it's in my house, I can't help but eat it. It's a compulsion. As long as it's in the house, I have to have it. Be warned.
The first time I had cracker candy was when I worked at the prison. One of my coworkers brought us homemade candy for Christmas, and when I had my first bite, I said, "Jessie, what is this?! It's delicious!" She grinned from ear to ear and said, "It's cracker candy!" I had to have the recipe, so she sat down at her desk and wrote it out for me. Can you believe that the sweet, crunchy toffee layer is made from regular ol' unsalted saltines? Me neither. It just gets better from there.

There are a million variations of this candy on the Internet, and I've made several of them. This is probably the most simple version, and it's wonderful. It's a great starting point for new recipes, as well. One year, I used graham crackers and semisweet chocolate and topped it with chopped pistachios. AMAZING. But this year, I got ahold of some super-salty mixed nuts (score!) and decided that they would be the perfect flavor to go in my Christmas Crack. What could be better than Sweet and Salty Cracker Candy?

The recipe I use varies from year to year (mostly because a lot of times I can't find the same recipe!). This time, I used a recipe I found over at A Southern Grace. Feel free to use the recipe as a jumping off point for your own creative combo!

Sweet and Salty Cracker Candy

A Southern Grace

1 cup butter (salted or unsalted, your preference)

1 cup brown sugar

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

40 saltines (I used salted ones)

extra-salty mixed nuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a jelly roll pan with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick spray. Lay down one layer of saltines. Melt butter and brown sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 5-6 minutes. Pour this mixture over the crackers and spread so the cracker layer is covered evenly. Place pan in oven and bake for 5-8 minutes. Remove pan from oven and let cool for 3-5 minutes. Scatter chocolate chips over cracker/toffee layer. Let them soften for a minute or so (or you can put them back in the oven for a few seconds) and spread evenly over cracker layer. If you plan to add a topping to your cracker candy, now is the time to do so. Let cool completely. Using aluminum foil, lift cracker candy from pan. Peel off aluminum foil and break into snack-sized pieces.

Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix

2010-01-11T09:18:00.002-05:00

It seems like the whole darn country's been in one heck of a cold snap lately! We had our first good snow last week, and when it snows I want two things: soup for supper and hot chocolate before I go to bed. Since I've started being "domestic," I've kind of become a hot chocolate snob. Swiss Miss just don't cut it. Neither does Nestle Quick. I've got something so much better! It's super-easy to whip up a batch, and it makes a ton!
My brother-in-law, sister-in-law, and stepmom Theresa were recipients of some of this yummy mix for Christmas. To make it, you simply dump 1/3 of a cup of the mix in a cup, then fill with boiling water. No need to heat milk, because it's made with dry milk powder. And it's oh so creamy because of the addition of some chocolate fudge pudding mix. A cup of this, two giant marshmallows on top, and a good book are the perfect things to settle in with on a nice wintery night!

Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix

6 1/2 cups powdered milk

5 oz. Cook & Serve chocolate fudge pudding mix

1 cup powdered chocolate drink mix (such as Nestle Quik)

1/2 cup non-dairy creamer (French vanilla is good)

1/2 cup confectioner's sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Put all ingredients into food processor. Process until well blended and powdered milk is a fine consistency.

For one cup of hot chocolate, use 1/3 cup mix. Dissolve mix with boiling water.

Cranberry Banana Bread and a Confession

2010-01-09T18:14:00.003-05:00

I'm back with more of my holiday baking recipes! And I have a confession to make. I have made this Cranberry Banana Bread several times for food gifts, yet I have never tasted it. There's something wrong with that, isn't there? This quick bread always gets good reviews, so I've never been concerned about giving it away (well, except for the first time I made it).
I was so close to having a bite this year, but it just didn't happen. As I was counting my mini-loaves of all kinds of bread, I realized that I would have just enough, so I didn't get to snack on any of this one. I know I would love it, though. I am a sucker for all things cranberry, and that's a recent development. For the longest time I was scared of cranberries, for some reasons. To get over my fear, I started putting dried cranberries on my salad (which I now cannot live without) and I've gradually worked up to using whole cranberries in recipes. I don't know why I was ever scared of the tartness of cranberries. I was the kid who ate unripe gooseberries off of my grandmother's gooseberry bush, for crying out loud!

Anyway, I just know this recipe is good. How can a quick bread with cranberries and bananas be anything but? Maybe when we get moved in to the new house, I'll try a batch of this bread just for me. It'll be a nice christening for my new oven!

Cranberry Banana Bread

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup mashed bananas

1/4 cup milk

2 large eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries, coarsley chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a loaf pan. Cream together butter and sugar until completely blended. Add banana, milk, and eggs, mixing well. Add dry ingredients, mixing well, until just moist. Stir in the nuts and cranberries. Spread batter evenly in loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely.

Dream Kitchen 2010

2010-01-07T20:39:00.003-05:00

Tonight was one of the most exciting nights I've experienced in quite some time. You see, David and I are building a house, and tonight, my dream kitchen is pretty much complete. I am so very happy with how it turned out. I am blessed beyond measure, and I can't wait to get in that kitchen and BAKE! Let's take a tour!

Here's one side of the kitchen. To the left of the sink is the double oven, but it kind of got cut out.
Here's the other side of the kitchen. I'm really pleased with how the cabinets, wall color, and countertops look together. I was intimidated by picking everything out, but it works great!

There's the double wall oven. I've been wanting a double wall oven for so long! I can't begin to tell you how many times I've wished I could have two things in the oven at different temperature. The dream is about to come true!

Here's what the inside of the ovens look like. I don't know why they're blue, but they're pretty! And get this...that gray thing on top of the instructions in the oven? That's a built-in probe thermometer. I can't wait!

Here's the ginormous refrigerator! It looks especially big right now, because it's not pushed all the way back to the wall. I love the French doors. You wouldn't believe how much stuff you can fit in there. Seriously...a full sheet cake would fit in there. And the freezer is in the bottom, which will eliminate the avalanche I currently deal with every time I open the freezer door.

And here's me...lovin' on my new dishwasher. Oh, how I have missed having a dishwasher. Since David and I got married (a little over three years ago), we've been dishwasherless. And believe me, I'm sick of handwashing every.single.thing I use in the kitchen. TWD assignments will be so much more fun now!

Here's the microwave and the cooktop.

And a closer look. It's got 5 burners. The front left one is expandable and can fit three different sizes of pans. The two middle ones can be joined together long-ways to accomodate a griddle (look out, pancakes!) or one of those long skinny sauce pans like Rachael Ray uses.

There you go. You've had a tour of Erin's Dream Kitchen 2010! We still need to get the door handles and pulls on there, but it's pretty much complete. I'm so excited about baking and cooking in there. What should I make first?

Peanut Butter Pumpkin Bread

2010-01-04T20:18:00.003-05:00

Thank goodness I sort of had my wits about me during my holiday baking frenzy! I took as many pictures as I could, but I haven't posted too many of my recipes thus far. I guess I've been saving them for a rainy day. Now, it looks like I'll be posting those for the next little bit, because my camera seems to have disappeared in the packing chaos! I hope it resurfaces before too long, or I'll be in a tight spot!
Anyway, I made lots of mini loaves of bread this Christmas to give away as gifts. I like the idea of giving mini loaves for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, I assume most people I'm giving food to are in the same predicament as me. I figure they probably love food, but that they've got way too much of it at Christmastime. The mini loaf is just a perfect little snack. It can be consumed in one sitting either alone (Hogatha!) or with a friend. There are no leftovers to feel obligated to eat. I also like mini loaves because I can give a kind of "variety pack" to people with several different flavors. That seems to be much appreciated, at least by my family and friends!
So here's one of my favorite quick bread recipes. Peanut Butter Pumpkin Bread. When I first read the name of the recipe, I was a little uneasy about it. I'd never eaten peanut butter and pumpkin together. But I thought about it, and decided that peanut butter makes anything better, so I took the plunge. And it is delicious! It's a very moist bread, and the peanut butter stands out, but not too much. The pumkin is a perfect accent flavor. This recipe makes two loaves, and they freeze really well. If the pumpkin shortage hasn't hit your area, give this recipe a try!

Peanut Butter Pumpkin Bread

Anita Chicke

3 cups sugar

1 can (15 oz) solid-pack pumpkin

4 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup water

2/3 cup peanut buter

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine the sugar, pumpkin, eggs, oil, water, and peanut butter; beat well. In another bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg; whisk well. Gradually add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture. Mix until just combined. Pour into two greased 9x5x3-inch loaf pans. Bake for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

*Makes 6 mini loaves.

Happy New Year: A Recap

2010-01-01T17:19:00.005-05:00

Well, 2009 has come and gone, and what a year it's been! There've been lots of changes in my life this year...I started a wonderful new job, built a beautiful new house, and started a little cooking blog! Over the last two days, as I've been making my blog rounds, I've noticed that lots of other food bloggers have compiled a list of their most popular posts/recipes of the year. Most of them (if not all) have used Google Analytics to do so, but I'm not Internet-savvy enough to figure that out. I'm doing it a decidedly unscientific way. I've been kind of keeping a tally of the times people search for recipes on my website (via Feedjit), and it's really been quite simple to identify the top six recipes searched for on my blog. (Why six? Because after those six recipes, there's not really anything else that stands out as a number 7, 8, 9, or 10.) Here we go!

The Sweet Life's Top Six Recipes of 2009

1. Homemade Boursin Cheese

There was absolutely no contest with this one. It's far and away the recipe that brings folks to my blog. Seriously, it brings about 4 people to The Sweet Life per week. Apparently, I'm not the only one who wants to pay out the nose for a cheese spread I can easily recreate at home! This is certainly one to keep in your recipe arsenal. And, on another note, the Boursin Cheese pictured above is my favorite food photo I've ever taken in the 8 months I've been photographing my food!

2. Upside Down German Chocolate Cake
While it's not necessarily a close second to the Homemade Boursin Cheese, it's the closest of the bunch. Searches for this recipe come up on my Feedjit Traffic Tracker about once a week. It's no wonder! This cake is delicious! This cake comes from Sue, one of my mom's very good friends. It's her signature dessert, and she's pretty much expected to bring it to her work potlucks, where everyone asks for the recipe. Everyone loves this cake...even folks who say they don't like coconut. Make it for your next social event, but be sure that you have copies of the recipe to hand out!

3. Chocolate Reese Pieces Cookies

These were the cookies that almost weren't made...which is a shame, because it seems that lots of people are looking for them! I made these on a whim on Halloween, just in case our "niece" Hannah stopped by for trick or treating. As it turns out, she didn't come, so David and I had to eat 4 dozen of these delicious chocolatey, peanut buttery cookies ourselves! We didn't quite make it through all four dozen, so we gave them away at work and church. They were so easy to put together, and they were a success for me, because these were pretty much the first cookies I made that stayed chewy. Yum! The original recipe came from The Sisters' Cafe, and they always have tons of delicious recipes...everything I've made from their site has been wonderful! 4. Pumpkin Pie Dip

I was really kind of surprised to find that this recipe is often searched for, and as a result, often brings people to The Sweet Life. It's so simple to put together, and it's a definite crowd pleaser at fall parties. It's pretty much Pumpkin Pie in dip form. I love it with gingersnaps, but it's also very good with apple slices. I'd love to make some pumpkin whoopie pies sometime and use this as the filling, but I didn't quite get around to it this fall. We'll see if it happens in Fall 2010!

5. Potato, Ham, and Spinach Soup

This delightful soup is probably the biggest shocker of traffic-generating recipes to The Sweet Life. It was very good, but I never would have thought that there were people looking for a recipe like this. I sure wasn't looking for it when I found it! Actually, I just stumbled across it while reading the food section of The Louisville Courier-Journal over a year ago! The recipe originally called for the use of kale and sausage, but I just made it with what I had on hand, and it was a winner! Make it this winter! 6. Pioneer Woman's Flank Steak Marinade

David and I have discovered that we love flank steak, and I've tried several flank steak marinades over the course of my (very short) blogging career. This one is hands down our favorite, and it comes as no surprise that it's courtesy of Ree Drummond, aka The Pioneer Woman. It's incredibly flavorful, and makes for a very tender flank steak. It's food for real people. If you're cooking flank steak, please use this recipe.

So there you have it. Those are the recipes that have brought new readers to The Sweet Life over the course of the past eight months I've been blogging. This blogging thing started on a whim, but I've come to enjoy it. Of course, there are days that I wonder why I spend time doing this, but I keep coming back to it. I'm thinking that in 2010, I might expand the scope of my blog some, instead of focusing strictly on cooking. I think cooking will be the bulk of the posts, but after moving into the new house, I know David and I will have lots of home projects to work on, so I might include those. You'll just have to keep reading to find out! I wish you all a very happy 2010! Thanks for reading, and please keep on coming back!

Quick Broccoli Slaw Stir-Fry with Turkey

2009-12-29T20:39:00.002-05:00

After about a week and a half of the "Buddy the Elf" diet (cookies, candy, sugar, and syrup), it's high time David and I had green vegetables again! Sunday evening, I fixed a light and healthy dinner that was chock full of green vegetables. And there wasn't a stick of butter, glop of cheese, or can of cream of something soup in sight! Quite a change from the last several meals we'd eaten during the Christmas season! I don't know if it was really as good as we thought it was, or if it was just the fact that we hadn't eaten something healthy in so long, but this was gone in no time! It went together quickly, which is a huge plus, since we're in the middle of packing up everythingwe own in anticipation of moving. If you're tired of eating "junk", this is the perfect meal to get you back on the healthy eating train!

Quick Broccoli Slaw Stir-Fry with Turkey

adapted from a recipe by Weight Watchers International

1 Tbs. canola oil

4 green onions, sliced

1 (1-inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

12 oz. broccoli slaw

5 oz. baby spinach

2 Tbs. teriyaki sauce

1 cup cooked turkey (leftover from Christmas!)

Brown rice

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet or wok; add the scallions, ginger and garlic and stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the broccoli slaw and cook until just softened, about 2 minutes.

Stir in the spinach, a handful at a time, and the teriyaki sauce; cook, stirring, until the spinach is nearly wilted, about 2 minutes more. Sprinkle with the turkey and heat through; serve at once over hot brown rice.

Swedish Nuts

2009-12-26T20:40:00.007-05:00

I gave lots of food gifts for Christmas this year, and the most popular were the tins of Swedish Nuts. I have no idea what makes them "Swedish", but they remind me a little of a praline. They're absolutely delicious, keep really well, and make a really nice presentation. They're by far the most "gourmet" gift that I give. Several people have asked me how to make them, so I thought I'd share a little tutorial with you.The first thing you need to do is make your coating, which is just a mixture of whipped egg whites, sugar, salt, vanilla, and cinnamon. It's really simple, and you can find the recipe at the bottom of the post. Next, you'll pour your coating over your nuts. Use any kind you'd like, but I used a mixture of pecans and walnuts. You've got to get the nuts coated really well. You want that yummy, sugary goodness over every surface!

While making your coating, you'll melt a stick of butter in a 325-degree oven in a 9x13-inch pan. Once it's melted and the nuts are well-coated, spread the nuts in an even layer over the butter. The nuts will bake in the oven for about 30 minutes, but every 8 minutes or so, you'll need to turn them and coat them in the butter.

This is what the nuts will look like after the first turn:

I think I turned my nuts about 4 times, but I have a feeling that the number of turns will be dependent on how hot your oven runs. Just make sure that you turn all of the nuts each time so that they get evenly coated with the butter. They'll get a little drier, browner, and crunchier with each turn. Once they're finished, they'll look like this:

You're in the home stretch now! All that's left to do is let the nuts cool off. I spread mine out on a piece of aluminum foil until they cool off. Then, you can package them in a festive tin, or just put them in a fancy dish. I haven't met anyone who doesn't love these nuts! You can keep them in an airtight container for a couple of weeks. But they won't last more than a couple of days!

Swedish Nuts

2 egg whites

1 cup sugar

1 pinch salt

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

3/4 tsp. cinnamon

1 lb. nuts (pecans, walnuts, or a mixture of both)

1/2 cup butter

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Beat egg whites until soft peaks begin to form. Add sugar, salt, and vanilla. Beat until stiff peaks form and turn glossy. Fold in nuts and coat well with the egg white mixture.

Melt butter in a 9x13-inch baking pan by placing it in the oven. Evenly spread coated nuts over melted butter in pan.

Bake for about 30 minutes (or until no butter remains in the pan), stirring and turning nuts every 8 minutes. Place hot nuts on foil and allow to cool.

White Chocolate Covered Peppermint Rice Krispie Treats

2009-12-23T23:01:00.003-05:00

Late last week, I was in Cracker Barrell looking for an exchange gift, when I saw a box of white chocolate covered peppermint Rice Krispie treats. They looked absolutely adorable, and so festive. I didn't buy a box, because I knew I could recreate them very easily at home, and probably much cheaper! So...on my way home, I stopped and bought marshmallows, vanilla almond bark, and candy canes. I had the Rice Krispies and butter at home.
I whipped up a batch of Rice Krispie treats using the recipe on the box, which only took a matter of minutes. Instead of pressing them into a 9x13-inch pan, I used a rimmed cookie sheet. I wanted them thinner than a traditional Rice Krispie treat. After they cooled and set up, I cut them pretty small..about 2x2 inches. Then, I melted the almond bark and added a couple of teaspoons of shortening, just to make the almond bark a little thinner. Instead of dipping them, which took ages when I made the Chocolate Billionaires, I put the treats on a cooling rack, then poured the melted almond bark over them. It worked much better! Not all of the treats were completely covered, but I think they looked nice! I sprinkle of chopped candy cane finished the treats off. I packaged them in a festive Christmas tin and gave them to my Secret Pal for Christmas. I'm pretty sure she doesn't read my blog, so I feel pretty safe in showing them here!

Speaking of Chocolate Billionaires, I had a little of the dark chocolate left over from that recipe, so I used those on a few of the Rice Krispie treats that wouldn't fit in the gift tin. I topped these with mini chocolate chips and chopped peanuts. Honestly, I liked the chocolate covered treats better than the peppermint version, but that's mostly because I'm not really a huge fan of peppermint. These were an easy and quick food gift to make, and they're a nice change of pace from a plate of cookies. Yum!

A Whirlwind

2009-12-21T20:48:00.010-05:00

Whew! Between this...
And this...

my little food blog has been woefully neglected lately! Our house is so close to being finished! We won't make it in by Christmas, but we won't miss it by much. We'll take a little photo tour here in a few minutes. But what about that good looking group of grads? Those are the very first graduates from the Lindsey Wilson College School of Professional Counseling extended campus in Louisville! They're the group of students I've been working with since I started my new job in April. Last Tuesday evening, we held their pinning ceremony at The Bunbury Theatre at The Henry Clay. It took a lot of work to put together, but it was worth it! If you'd like to see more pictures, visit LWC's Flickr page.

Now, this house! It's kicking my butt, and I'm not really doing anything but picking things out...how can it possibly consume so much time?! We went over tonight and got a wonderful surprise, which you'll see at the very end. I just can't believe how much I love it. Standing in that house makes me realize how fortunate I am. Let's take a tour!

These are the steps leading up the stairs to the upstairs bedrooms. Please pardon the dusty floors...we're still under construction!

This is the view of the living room and the fireplace from the catwalk upstairs. The mantle isn't finished, but you get the idea...

Here's a view of the living room and fireplace from the breakfast room. Again, pardon the dust and garbage!

This was my surprise tonight! I'm so daggum excited about getting into this kitchen that I can't stand it! When I saw these cabinets tonight, I just fell in love with the kitchen. I've had my doubts about it, but tonight, I could tell that it would all come together beautifully!

There are still more cabinets to install, but you get the idea. The fridge goes right there in the center. The cooktop and microwave go in the space on the right. The sink will be on the left, and my double wall oven will be where those two ladders are. I can't wait!

Another view of the kitchen. I just can't wait! Now, even with all this excitement going on, I assure you, I've been in my tiny little kitchen baking up a storm. I've got loads of Christmas goodies to show you, and I'll do my best to get those up in the next few days. I've got several days off work coming up soon, but I'll be sure to post in between packing up all of our stuff!

Chocolate Billionaires

2009-12-14T21:39:00.003-05:00

I can't remember where I first heard about "Chocolate Billionaires," but when I found out that they were made from caramel, Rice Krispies, pecans, and chocolate, I knew that they had to be something worth trying! These delightful little sweets were quite a hit at the Christmas party David and I went to on Saturday. These were well-loved by everyone, and I was lucky to get home with a couple to photograph! They were very easy to make, but a little time-consuming because of the fact that they're dipped in chocolate. I've got to find an easier, quicker way to enrobe my chocolate goodies!
If you Google "Chocolate Billionaires," you'll get hundreds of recipes. I chose one from the Taste of Home website, because I knew I couldn't go wrong with one of their selections. With just a few ingredients, you'll have a ton of these crunchy, caramel delights to give as holiday gifts (or to keep for yourself!).

Chocolate Billionaires

Taste of Home Magazine

14 oz caramels

3 Tbs. water

1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

1 cup crisp rice cereal

3 cups milk chocolate chips (I used semi-sweet)

1 1/2 tsp. shortening

Line two baking sheets with waxed paper; grease the paper and set aside. In a large heavy saucepan, combine the caramels and water; cook and stir over low heat until smooth. Stir in pecans and cereal until coated. Drop by teaspoonsful onto prepared pans. Refrigerate for 10 minutes or until firms.

Meanwhile, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Dip candy into chocolate, coating all sides. Place on prepared pans. Refrigerate until set. Store in an airtight container. Yields about 2 pounds.

Chili-Rubbed Tilapia

2009-12-10T21:36:00.003-05:00

David and I are pretty wimpy when it comes to spicy foods. Neither of us can tolerate heat very well, so when I found this recipe for Chili-Rubbed Tilapia, I was a little wary of trying it. It sounded so good though, that I went ahead and tried it. It turned out to be one of the best things we had last week for dinner!
The original recipe included a side dish of asparagus, but I decided to go with broccoli. It's not that we don't like asparagus (in fact, we love it), but it's just kind of expensive. We wait around for spring to harvest Mama's asparagus, and we have it at least three times a week. Oh, we get spoiled in the spring. The broccoli was a pretty good substitute, but I'll have to try it again this spring and use some fresh asparagus.

Chili-Rubbed Tilapia with Broccoli and Lemon

Adapted from a recipe from Heather's Website

1 lb. fresh broccoli, cut into florets

2 Tbs. chili powder

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. salt, divided

4 tilapia fillets (about 5 oz. each)

1 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

1.5 tsp. fresh lemon juice

Bring 1 inch of water to boil in a large pan. Place broccoli in a steamer basket; place basket in pan. Cover and steam for 3 minutes or until crisp-tender. Transfer to a large plate; spread out to cool.

Combine chili powder, garlic powder and 1/4 tsp. salt on a separate plate. Dredge fillets in mixture to coat. Heat 1 Tbs. oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add tilapia and cook 5-7 minutes, gently turning halfway. Fish will be done when it is opaque in the center and flakes easily. Remove fish from skillet and cover to keep warm. Immediately add lemon juice, remaining salt, and 1 tsp. oil to pan. Add broccoli and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly until broccoli is coated and heated through. Serve broccoli with tilapia.

TWD: Sables

2009-12-08T21:26:00.004-05:00

Every Christmas, David and I look forward to those blue tins of Royal Dansk butter cookies. It seems like someone always has one of those tins, and he and I love them! I always go for the pretzel-shaped ones with the sugar crystals on them, but they all taste the same. When I pulled these cookies out of the oven, David said, "They look like those Christmas cookies in the blue tin!" And they do. Only they taste even better!
Bungalow Barbara chose this week's TWD recipe...Sables! They're sandy, buttery shortbread cookies, and they're delicious! This week's recipe can be found on Barbara's blog, or in Baking: From My Home to Yours on pages 131-133. Dorie offers several variations on the basic sable recipe, and I chose to make the spice sables, since we're so close to the holidays. They're full of cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg...some of my favorite flavors!

It's important to have a light hand when mixing the dough, so that you can keep the sandy, tender texture that's characteristic of sables. I tend to have a heavy hand when mixing, so I purposely tried to work the dough less. And this time, I think maybe I didn't work the dough enough, because some of my cookies fell apart. But they still tasted great! Isn't the sugar on the outside pretty? Some of the TWDers rolled their cookies in pretty sanding sugar, but I just used regular ol' turbinado sugar. Still a very pretty effect!

These cookies would be perfect if you're going to a cookie exchange, or if you plan to give some food gifts to friends and family. Visit Bungalow Barbara for the recipe, variations, and a couple of tips on how to get perfectly round logs of dough. Happy baking!

Skillet Chicken Stroganoff

2009-12-07T21:24:00.002-05:00

This week and next week are going to be pretty busy, between work, Christmas prep, and getting ready to move. I knew I'd have to work a little late this evening, so that meant that I'd have to find something quick and easy (but stil tasty!) for dinner.
I found this Skillet Chicken Stroganoff online about a week ago, but never got around to making it. It went together really quickly, which was my main requirement for this evening's meal. It used lots of mushrooms, so I enlisted David with his help in cleaning them so that we could eat supper sooner. Tonight, I used Hunt's fire-roasted diced tomatoes with garlic, instead of my regular diced tomatoes, and they really added a ton of flavor! Overall, this meal gets an "okay" rating. I probably won't make it again, but it was good in a pinch, and it was something new (which I need pretty frequently, if I'm going to keep up with this food-blogging thing)!

Skillet Chicken Stroganoff

Heather's Website

14.5 oz stewed tomatoes (I used diced)

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

1/2 lb. mushrooms, quartered (I used about twice this much...we love mushrooms)

1 onion, chopped

1 tsp. dried thyme

4-6 oz. whole wheat pasta, uncooked

1/2 cup sour cream

Drain tomatoes, reserving liquid. Add water to liquid, if necessary, to measure 3/4 cup. In a large skillet coated with nonstick spray, cook chicken, mushrooms, onion, and thyme. Add salt and pepper to taste, if desired.

Stir in pasta, reserved liquid, and tomatoes. Cover and cook over medium heat, ten minutes or until pasta is done, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in sour cream.

The Best Flank Steak Marinade and a Shortcut

2009-12-01T20:50:00.004-05:00

David and I have discovered that we both love flank steak, so I've been experimenting with different marinades in order to find the best one. We tried one marinade with honey, which was really quite good. Then, we tried a couple that really weren't anything special, which is why they never made it to this blog. But the other night, I found The Pioneer Woman's flank steak marinade. I knew I'd probably found my answer to the best flank steak marinade. For the one or two of you left in the country who aren't familiar with The Pioneer Woman, let me fill you in. She's one hilarious lady (whose real name is Ree) living her dream life on a cattle ranch in Oklahoma. She's got one handsome husband (Marlboro Man), four super-cute kiddos, and the laziest basset hound in the universe. Her website is updated daily with her regular musings on country life, what she's been cooking, helpful hints around the house, and updates on her adventures home-schooling her kids. She recently published a cookbook and has been on a whirlwind book tour, which sadly, isn't stopping anywhere in Kentucky. Anyway, I've tried several of her recipes, and they've all been really good. This one was really good.
You know what I love most about Ree's style of cooking? She does everything you're not "supposed" to do. She rinses her mushrooms! And her chicken! She uses "cooking sherry" instead of table wine! But her food is delicious. She likes to make "fancy" recipes now and again, but the bulk of her cooking is done for her husband and kids, who like simple, good food! And who doesn't? Anyway, here's the recipe for the most delicious flank steak I've ever put in my mouth.

The Pioneer Woman's Flank Steak

Ree Drummond

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup cooking sherry

3 Tbs. honey

2 Tbs. sesame oil

2 heaping Tbs. minced ginger

3-5 cloves minced garlic

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flake

1 whole flank steak

Combine all ingredients in a glass or ceramic dish. Remove flank steak from package and give it a quick rinse. Coat both sides of the meat with the marinade. Refrigerate for at least 3-6 hours.

Now, for the shortcut I promised you. The night we had the flank steak, I had to work late. But I really wanted a baked sweet potato with my meal. Instead of putting my sweet potato (and David's regular potato) in the oven to bake for an hour when I got home (which would have resulted in a very late supper), I stuck it in my crock pot on low before I left for work! It was perfect! The sweet potato and regular potato were absolutely wonderful with our flank steak and green beans. I can't take credit for this stroke of genius, though. I overheard my friend Leslie telling someone that she cooked baked potatoes in the crockpot sometimes. So I stole her idea, and I'm so thankful for her wonderful suggestion! It makes for a quick, easy side dish that's ready whenever you are!

Pumpkin Caramel Pound Cake

2009-11-29T22:04:00.002-05:00

Baking is my thing. If you're having an event, and you invite me over, put me down to bring dessert. I'll bake a pie, a cake, cookies...whatever you want. Just let me do dessert.
Thanksgiving was no exception. I told Mom that I would bring sweet potato casserole and a dessert. I cut this recipe for Pumpkin Caramel Pound Cake out of the Louisville Courier-Journal over a year ago and hadn't made it yet. The recipe comes from Chris Weppler, who's Pumpkin Caramel Pound Cake won a ribbon at the state fair. I had high hopes for this one. I was honestly kind of disappointed.
The cake was simple enough to make, but the flavor just didn't have as much "oomph" as I thought that it would. And parts of my cake never baked completely through, even though I rotated the cake halfway during the baking time. (But maybe that problem was due to operator error...who knows?) The cake was fine, but it wasn't as special or tasty as I hoped it would be for the Thanksgiving holiday. But I guess that's what you get when you make an untested recipe for a family gathering!

Pumpkin Caramel Pound Cake

Chris Weppler

Cake:

2/3 cup shortening

1/2 cup butter

3 cups sugar

3/4 cups caramel ice cream topping

1 cup canned pumkin pie mix (not pure pumpkin puree)

3 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ginger

1/4 tsp. cloves

1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

5 eggs

Glaze:

2 cups powdered sugar

3 tbs. caramel ice cream topping

4 tsp. water

Pecan halves for garnish, if desired

Finely chopped (or crushed) pecans for garnish, if desired

For the Cake:

Grease a 10-inch tube pan. Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine shortening, butter, and sugar, and beat to blend evenly. Beat in caramel icecream topping and pumpkin.

Combine and sift flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and other spices. Add eggs and dry ingredients to creamed mixture, alternating eggs with dry ingredients, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.

Bake 70 to 80 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool in pan for 15 minutes, then remove and cool completely.

For Glaze:

Combine sugar, caramel topping, and water, and beat until no lumps remain. Drizzle over completely cooled cake. Garnish with nuts if desired.

Thanksgiving Recap

2009-11-28T20:12:00.014-05:00

Thursday afternoon, David and I headed to Mom and Chet's for Thanksgiving. I love Thanksgiving. Aside from setting aside time to really consider the many blessings we have in our lives, it's about the food. And I love the food! This year, the celebration involved David and I (of course), Mom and Chet, Allison and Larry (my sister and brother-in-law), and Paul and Marty (Mom and Chet's neighbors). We had quite the spread for the eight of us...by the end of the afternoon, we were stuffed. Here's a recap of the Thanksgiving deliciousness! Chet carved the bird. He brined it overnight, and it was moist and delicious! I focused on the dark meat this year...something new for me. And oh, it was good!
The stove was a busy, busy place! Gravy, broccoli, and noodles up top, and rolls in the oven.

Here's the platter piled high with turkey. This was maybe half of the bird. Again, most and delicious!

One of my favorites...cranberry sauce! This year, Chet made his own, and it was wonderful! It was full of fresh cranberries, apples, pecans, and orange zest. He has promised me the recipe. Oh, it was good!

And the dressing/stuffing...whatever you want to call it. Chet's stuffing is a mixture of cornbread and regular bread (I think). Anyway, it's good. It's not dry and crunchy like some dressing is. This stuff is moist and full of yum!

This is fall broccoli that just came out of Chet's garden last week. I didn't even know you could grow fall broccoli, but now I know. Oh, it was good. I love fresh broccoli.

And noodles! I know...you guys are probably thinking that we're some kind of freaks at Thanksgiving. No mashed potatoes in sight, but we do have broccoli and egg noodles! I never really thought of egg noodles as Thanksgiving food, but when Mom and Chet got married, Chet fixed them for Thanksgiving because his family alway had them with Thanksgiving dinner. Yeah, I thought it was weird at first, but now, they just seem like a part of Thanksgiving. It wouldn't be the same without them. I like to pour dressing over my noodles and dressing, then eat a little noodle and a little dressing at the same time. Carb overload! Yum!

This sweet potato casserole was one of my contributions. I love this stuff. There aren't words to describe how much I adore this stuff. It's really sweet, but I love to have it with holiday (Thankgiving and Christmas) meals. The sweet potatoes are mashed, and then there's the crunchy, sweet topping. Oh, mercy. It's the perfect foil to all the savory stuff. You'll find the recipe at the end of this post.

These yeast rolls are absolutely wonderful. They're Chet's mom's recipe. And they're made with lard. Don't even think about trying to make them without the lard. Chet's pretty much got the recipe down pat, and they are the hit of Thanksgiving and Christmas. I've got to learn to make these...it'll force me to get over my fear of yeast.

Here's the holiday table, ready for us to devour everything in sight. See the pretty fruit salad? Paul and Marty brought that, and it was wonderful!

For dessert, I brought this. It's a pumpkin caramel pound cake. I was less than impressed, but I'll post the recipe tomorrow. Paul also brought one of his famous cheesecakes...pumpkin! How in the world I got out of the house without a picture of it is beyond me. I was snapping pictures like a fool. Allison said I was the food paparazzi. Anyway, as you can tell, we were gluttons on Thanksgiving. We ate too much, but it was so nice to spend a lazy Thursday afternoon with family and friends.

Sweet Potato Casserole

Cathy Lawrence (my mom)

For the Casserole:

40 oz. sweet potatoes in syrup

1 1/2 cups white sugar (you could probably back off to 1 cup)

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1 tsp. nutmeg

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

For the Topping:

1 stick butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup Rice Crispies

1/2 cup crushed nuts (optional, but I always use them)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drain sweet potatoes well. Mash potatoes, and add sugar, eggs, milk, nutmeg and cinnamon. Mix until all ingredients are well incorporated. Pour mixture into a greased casserole dish (9x13 is a good size, but I used a 12-inch round tart pan) and bake for 30 minutes. To make the topping, melt the butter and mix in brown sugar, Rice Crispies, and nuts. Spread over sweet potato mixture and return to oven to bake for another 15 minutes.

TWD: Cran-Apple Crisps

2009-11-25T22:15:00.002-05:00

I had planned on making these little Cran-Apple Crisps last week for TWD, but life just got in the way, as it is wont to do these days. I finally got around to making them late tonight, just in time for David to have a little snack during the UK game. These were the perfect warm-up for tomorrow's Thanksgiving feast.
These little crisps are the perfect fall dessert. The apples, cranberries, and raisins are perfect complements to one another. The crisps aren't too sweet; in fact, it's the tart cranberries that make it work, I think. The crumble on top is wonderful...David said it was his favorite part. With brown sugar, oats, and sweetened shredded coconut, what's not to like?!
Dorie's recipe makes 8 individual crisps, but tonight, I just made two...one for me and one for David. But I made the whole recipe of the crumble topping. I thought it would freeze well and be very handy to have for future impromptu crisps this winter!
Em, of The Repressed Pastry Chef, chose these tasty little desserts as her TWD selection. And her blog is actually right above mine in the TWD blogroll, so we're neighbors! You can check out her blog for the recipe. These came together very quickly and easily, which is always a plus, especially this time of year. Great choice, Em!

Tuscan Chickpea Soup

2009-11-23T20:19:00.002-05:00

I'm not a picky eater, but I do have a little problem with texture. If the texture of a food gives me the creepin' willies, I just can't eat it, no matter how good it tastes. Tapioca is a fine example of this. The flavor of tapioca pudding is delicious, but the texture of those tapioca pearls is too much. I feel like I've got a mouth full of fish eyeballs...I just can't do it.
David, on the other hand, will pretty much eat anything that won't eat him first. There are some things he doesn't like much, but he still eats them. But this soup? Nope...not on the list. He hated it. He admitted that the flavor was fine, but he couldn't get past the texture. He said he felt like I was serving him baby food!
You see, I had used the immersion blender (thanks, Earl and Shirley!) on this Tuscan Chickpea Soup. I had in mind that it would have a delightful, velvety mouthfeel. It was pretty good (not quite velvety), but David just didn't care for the texture at all! So we won't have Tuscan Chickpea Soup here at the Orr house ever again, but it's worth trying, if you don't have any "texture issues" in your household! I took it for my lunch for several days, and it reheats nicely. It's a hearty soup, what with all the chickpeas and all, and it great on crisp, cool fall days. It's easy to throw together, and of course, you get to use the immersion blender!

Tuscan Chickpea Soup

adapted from a recipe from Core and More Recipes

2 Tbs. canola oil

1 large onion, chopped

8 garlic cloves, minced

1 jalapeno, chopped (I omitted this)

1 large bell pepper

4 cups chicken stock

1/4 tsp. dried rosemary (could've used more)

salt and cayenne, to taste

3 (15.5 oz) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed

14.5 oz diced tomatoes, drained

2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar

Heat oil in large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, jalapeno, and bell pepper and cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in stock and next 5 ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

Use an immersion blender to process/puree the soup until smooth. You can also puree the soup in batches using a regular blender. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and serve with a splash of additional balsamic vinegar on top.

Pumpkin Pie Dip

2009-11-18T21:25:00.002-05:00

Last Saturday, I took this Pumpkin Pie Dip to a get-together at a friend's house. My friend Leslie said, "Is that that pumpkin dip?!" She'd had it at a party at my house last year, and I took it as an ultimate compliment that she remembered it that well over a year later! But this Pumpkin Pie Dip is absolutely delicious, so I shouldn't be surprised. It's a breeze to make, and everyone loves it. It's the perfect dessert to take to any holiday party! And the leftovers also made a delicious swirl in my Double Pumpkin Cake! It's got all of the flavors of pumpkin pie, but it serves a crowd. Plus, you don't have to make a pie crust. It's a winner!
There are actually two ways to make this yummy dip, and I've used both of them. Which one I make mostly depends on whether I happen to have a can of pumpkin pie filling in my pantry or not. I think I actually prefer the recipe made with the pumpkin pie filling, but both are delicious. You choose! But if you're not sharing this dip with lots of friends or family, either be prepared for leftovers, or cut the recipe in half.

Pumpkin Pie Dip I

recipe by ratherbeswimmin'

8 oz cream cheese, softened

2 cups powdered sugar

15 oz pumpkin pie filling (not pure pumpkin puree)

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground ginger

apple slices, for dipping

gingersnaps, for dipping

cinnamon graham crackers, for dipping

Beat cream cheese and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth.

Add pie filling, cinnamon, and ginger, beating well.

Cover and chill 8 hours.

Serve with gingersnaps, apple slices, and graham crackers

Pumpkin Pie Dip II
recipe by Yvette Swearingen

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

15 oz. canned pumpkin

2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

2 cups powdered sugar

4 oz. Cool-Whip

Gingersnaps, for dipping

Cinnamon graham crackers, for dipping

Apple slices, for dipping

Using an electric mixer on low speed. Blend the pumpkin and cream cheese until smooth.

Add pumpkin pie spice and powdered sugar and blend with mixer until smooth and creamy.

Fold in the Cool-Whip and refrigerate for at least one hour.

Serve with gingersnaps, cinnamon graham crackers, and apple slices.

Double Pumpkin Cake

2009-11-16T20:50:00.004-05:00

Happy National Bundt Cake Day...a day late! I've been mesmerised by Mary the Food Librarian's Thirty Days of Bundts leading up to yesterday's big day. Seriously, the lady baked a different bundt cake every day for thirty straight days! I really enjoyed checking her blog every day for the latest bundt, and I've got quite a few new recipes I'll have to try now! Anyway, I'm a day late posting my bundt, but I figure now is better than never!
Since it's fall, I decided that I wanted to make some kind of a pumpkin bundt, but it needed to be pretty quick because I had lots of stuff to get done this evening. I pulled out my Citizen's Union Bank cookbook (it's my husband's workplace, and they made cookbooks as fundraisers for their Relay for Life team last year) and found a recipe to use as a starting point. I knew I was going to "doctor" whatever recipe I chose. You see, Saturday, David and I went to the 10th Annual Waford Bowl at our friend Brett's house. For the past 10 years, a bunch of our friends have been getting together to play football each fall. When we were young and carefree, all the girls played, and we played full tackle footbal with the guys. Now, the guys are getting older, and most of the girls have babies, so the game is now all guys, and it's flag football. Anyway, we always have more food than we can eat. My contribution was my Pumpkin Pie Dip with gingersnap cookies and graham crackers. We had lots of dip left over, but no gingersnaps or graham crackers. I didn't want to throw my dip away, so I decided to use it as a filling in my cake. It was just an experiment, but it worked out pretty well!

See that line that looks like it's not quite set? That's the pumpkin dip filling. I knew it wouldn't really show up, seeing as how it was pumpkin-colored, but you can taste it. It makes a nice addition to the cake. I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out. A quick drizzle of Dorie's maple glaze finished it off and made a nice little snack for David while he watched the UK game.

Here's the recipe for the Double Pumpkin Cake...I'll post the Pumpkin Pie Dip tomorrow (TWD will have to be WWD this week). Enjoy!

Double Pumpkin Cake

adapted from Lisa Mullins' Pumpkin Bread recipe

1 box spice cake mix

1 can pumpkin

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup oil

2 eggs

3/4 cup (more or less) Pumpkin Pie Dip

Maple glaze:

6 tbs. powdered sugar

2 tbs. maple syrup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Do not use mixer. Stir cake mix, pumpkin, sugar, water, oil, and eggs together. Pour 1/2 of the batter in a well-greased bundt pan. Top batter with Pumpkin Pie Dip, then cover with remaining cake batter. Swirl with a knife. Bake for 1 hour, or until cake tests done with a toothpick. Glaze cake with maple glaze.

Chicken Barley Bake

2009-11-13T20:29:00.003-05:00

It was another quick and easy dinner night, and another brand new recipe. I've mentioned before that I went on a whole grain kick awhile back, which left me with Mason jars full of "exotic" grains (at least they're exotic to me): pearled barley, whole wheat couscous, bulgur wheat, steel cut oats, etc. I'm slowly but surely working my way through my supply, and it's been exciting to find new recipes and try new things. Tonight's recipe features pearled barley, which is very tender and mild. I think it's kind of like puffy, chewy oatmeal, but in a good way.

For this recipe, I combined my pearled barley with onions, carrots, garlic, chicken broth, and poultry seasoning. I sweated the onions, garlic, and carrots, then added my barley to the skillet, just to toast it a tiny bit. I added the chicken broth and poultry seasoning, then brought the whole thing to a boil. The barley mixture is dumped into a 9x9-inch pan, some skinless chicken thighs are plopped on top, and then the whole mess goes into the oven for about an hour. Then, you get this:
It looks kind of boring, and it doesn't have over-the-top flavor, but it was good. It could use some doctoring up, which is what I plan to try in the future. I'd like to add some broccoli and spinach to the barley mixture. It also needed some salt, and next time I'll certainly add some Greek seasoning. That should help.

Why have I not been using chicken thighs for the past three years? I've always thought that I didn't like dark meat, but I've discovered that it's really my favorite! There'll definitely be more chicken thigh purchases in my future...and they're cheaper than chicken breasts. More flavor for less money...it's a winner!

If you're interested in introducing whole grains into your diet, this would be a great place to start. I actually found pearled barley in my regular grocery store (Kroger), instead of having to go to Whole Foods! Kroger keeps the pearled barley with the dried beans, just in case you need a little help finding it.

Chicken Barley Bake

Adapted from a recipe from Heather's Site

1 cup chopped onion

3/4 cup chopped carrots

3/4 cup chicken broth

3/4 cup pearled barley

1/4 tsp. chicken bouillon

1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 chicken thighs, skinned (1.5 lbs)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium saucepan, sweat onions, carrots, and garlic, just until the onions are translucent. Add barley and toast for about a minute (don't let it burn!). Add broth, barley, bouillon, and poultry seasoning. Bring mixture to a boil, then pour into a 9x9-inch baking dish. Arrange chicken thighs on top of mixture. Season chicken thighs with salt/pepper and any other seasonings you'd like. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for about 45 minutes. Uncover chicken and continue to bake for an additional 15 minutes.

TWD: Sugar-Topped Molasses Spice Cookies

2009-11-10T22:13:00.006-05:00

All this month, the TWDers are baking out of sequence. This week, I chose the Sugar-Topped Molasses Spice Cookies...mostly because I thought they'd be easy to throw together. And it didn't hurt that over the past couple of weeks, I've seen other bakers who've made these, and they look delicious! As you can imagine, molasses is a main ingredient in these cookies. Molasses isn't something I particularly enjoy, but I remember my grandfather eating molasses on biscuits pretty regularly. And I think my little sister likes molasses, too. But around here, we call it sorghum. As in, sorghum molasses. I don't know if I had sorghum molasses, but I know it was store-bought, so probably not. If you know what sorghum molassses is, and if it's any different from the molasses you buy at the store, please let me know!
Anyway, let's get to baking. This is the picture of all my dry ingredients. I love pictures of flour topped with spices. Here, we've got ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and...black pepper.
After mixing together the dough, you leave it in the fridge for about 30 minutes, because it's so darn sticky. After a quick chill, you pinch of little dabs of dough, roll into balls, then roll in sugar. After they've been placed on the silicone-mat lined baking sheet, you press them with the bottom of a drinking glass so that they're sugar-coated discs of goodness. Aren't they pretty?

When they come out of the oven after baking for 12-14 minutes, they're supposed to pretty much look the same...only darker and crinkly/cracked on the top. Except I didn't pay attention to the baking directions and put 12 on the cookie sheet instead of 9. So they spread like crazy and I got a few fairly good looking square cookies:

But most of them got mangled as I tried to wrestle them apart, so they looked like this:

No, they're not pretty, but they are delicious! These are simple little cookies to make, but I think they've got a sophisticated taste. They're "grown up" cookies, but I think little ones would like them, too. These are cookies that you could be proud to serve to company...which is a good thing, because I've got a disc of dough frozen in the fridge. If you stop by sometime soon, let's have some of Dorie's Sugar-Topped Molasses Spice Cookies!

Next week, you should be able to find the recipe on Pamela's blog, Cookies with Boys. She's the baker responsible for these delightful little morsels! Thanks, Pamela!

Balsamic Chicken and Mushrooms

2009-11-09T22:00:00.003-05:00

It's awfully late for me to be posting, but I've neglected my little blog for far too long. It's almost been a week since I left a post, and I can't stand it. This won't be much of a post, but at least it'll be something!
David and I went to Homecoming at LWC this past weekend, and we went a little overboard on eating. We did okay for breakfast Saturday morning, since we had a 5K race to run, but at lunch, we went hog wild. We went to Tray's Garden, a delightful little Chinese buffet, and we put the hurt on it. But we were so hungry! We didn't do so well on the car ride home, either. We split some nachos while watching the ballgames (we sat on the bleachers for 5 1/2 stinkin' hours...and suffered through a double-overtime!), then just ate junk in the car on the way home...pretzels, popcorn, and pepperoni pizza flavored Combos. Tonight, we needed something flavorful, but light.
So we had chicken! I think we've had this recipe before, but tonight it tasted so much better! I love balsamic vinegar and mushrooms, so I didn't figure I could go wrong with this flavor combo. I found the recipe from Heather's Website, which is one of my favorites when I'm looking for a recipe that's light, healthy, full of flavor, and sure to push me out of my comfort zone. This one didn't really require any strange ingredients or unusual flavor profiles, but it was easy to throw together with things I had in my pantry/fridge. The only thing I needed to purchase were the mushrooms.

I served the Balsamic Chicken and Mushrooms with green beans and roasted new potatoes. (We LOVE new potatoes and could eat them roasted every night...but we try not to!) Be sure you try this yummy recipe soon...I think this might go into our regular rotation.

Balsamic Chicken and Mushrooms

Heather's Site

2 tsp. canola oil

3 Tbs. balsamic vinegar

2 tsp. Dijon mustard (I used coarse grain...it was all I had)

1 clove garlic (I used 2 big ones)

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 cups mushrooms, quartered (I used baby portobellos)

1/4 tsp. thyme, crushed

1/3 cup chicken broth

Heat 1 tsp. oil in a nonstick skillet. Mix 2 tbs. balsamic vinegar, mustard, and the garlic. Add chicken and turn to coat.

Transfer chicken and marinade to skillet. Saute chicken until cooked through, about 3 minutes on each side. Transfer chicken to skillet and keep warm.

Heat remaining tsp oil in skillet. Add mushrooms and saute 1 minute. Add broth, thyme, and remaining Tbs. of vinegar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are deep brown, about 2 minutes longer.

Serve chicken topped with mushrooms.

TWD: All In One Holiday Bundt Cake

2009-11-03T20:22:00.005-05:00

I love bundt cakes. Maybe not quite as much as Mary, The Food Librarian, but they do have a special place in my heart. They're a homey dessert. Simple, not fussy at all. You can frost them, or just dust them with powdered sugar. They're perfect. And I've had my eye on this one ever since I got my copy of Baking: From My Home to Yours...the Dorie Greenspan cookbook that inspired the Tuesdays With Dorie baking group. I love fall flavors, and I love bundts, so this was perfect.
It's full of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger...fall spices that I adore. And diced apples, fresh cranberries, pumpkin puree, and pecans. All of the flavors of our favorite holidays (Thanksgiving and Christmas!) are in there. What's not to love?! As is the case with all bundts, this one is very simple to put together. Britin, of The Nitty Britty, made a great choice...it's probably what I woudl have chosen, if I didn't happen to be the 251st person in the recipe rotation!

Anyway, I'm very thankful that Laurie has given us permission to bake the recipes out of sequence this month. I wouldn't have had time to make (or acquire the ingredients for) the Chocolate Caramel Chestnut Cake this week, but I could throw this together in my spare time Sunday night. If you visit the other TWD bakers this month, you'll see that we're all probably baking out of sequence, which I think will be pretty fun and interesting. You'll notice in my pictures that I didn't make the maple icing... and that's because this beautiful bundt is going in the freezer for a future date.

There it is, all wrapped up. I loved the scent of this bundt baking, but it's killing me to not know what it tastes like! I'm keeping it for any number of upcoming holiday events. It might end up at CUB's Thanksgiving potluck, or I might keep it myself for our Thanksgiving dinner. I can't decide. But I do have plans on making another batch of the batter and baking it in my mini loaf pans for Christmas gift. Yum!

Chocolate Reese's Pieces Cookies

2009-10-31T20:43:00.004-04:00

Happy Halloween! We really don't get any trick-or-treater's where we live (unfortunately), but every once in awhile, a couple of our friends will stop by with their little girl, if they happen to be in the area on Halloween. I like to have a little something ready for her, just in case. I can't imagine what would be worse than stopping by a house for trick-or-treating, only to find that there was nothing there! Last Sunday, I bought a big ol' gummy spider for her, in case she stopped by. But the more I looked at it, the more I thought it might terrify a 3-year old. It gave me the perfect excuse to make cookies. Four dozen of them, in fact. I wanted something that was a bit "Halloween-y", but not too labor intensive. I visited The Sisters' Cafe to see what they'd been up to, and I found this recipe, which I changed up a teensy bit.
The original recipe from The Sisters' Cafe called for Reese's peanut butter chips, but I had mini-Reese's Pieces. Earl and Shirley were cleaning out their pantry and brought me a bag of mini-M&Ms and this bag of mini-Reese's pieces. David and I ate the bag of mini-M&Ms, but I decided to save these for something special. And today I decided they would make the perfect "Halloween-y" cookies! These cookies are wonderful! I have a horrible habit of overbaking cookies. I like a chewy cookie, but when I take cookies out of the oven at the point where they'll be chewy when cool, I convince myself that they're not fully baked. Then I end up with hard, crunchy cookies. Today, I resisted temptation and pulled the cookies from the oven at 9 minutes. They seemed raw, but once they cooled, they were perfectly chewy!
It's almost 9pm, and I'm pretty sure that official trick-or-treating hours are over. We didn't have a single spook, ghost, or goblin show up, so now I've got about 3 1/2 dozen yummy cookies in my kitchen begging to be eaten. Help!

Chocolate Reese's Pieces Cookies

The Sisters' Cafe

2 cups flour

3/4 cups cocoa powder

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/4 cup butter, softened (I used 1 cup)

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups (10oz. bag) of Reese's peanut butter chips (or mini-Reese's Pieces)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together dry ingredients and set aside. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Gradually add flour mixture, beating well. Stir in peanut butter chips or Reese's Pieces. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased baking sheet. Bake 8 to 9 minutes. Cookies will puff up during baking, but will flatten when cooled. Do not overbake! Cool slightly and remove to wire rack.