Why do I need to be reminded that spaghetti squash ROCKS?!!!!

I admit it.  I don't eat spaghetti squash often enough.  I actually hardly ever eat it and I'm not sure why, because every time I eat it I LOVE it!  Tonight we had spaghetti and spicy Italian sausage over spaghetti squash and it was FANTASTIC!  It was beyond fantastic.  I could actually see myself give up the pasta version and only eat it a traditional spaghetti meal with squash.  That's pretty surprising, because I have an addiction to carbs. :)

Squashy Spaghetti...bad name, hu?
Italian Sausage and Marinara Over FREAKING AWESOME Spaghetti Squash..much better!
1 - medium spaghetti squash
salt and pepper
1/2 lb. spicy Italian sausage, cooked
1 1/2 cups marinara sauce, warmed


Preheat oven to 350 F.

Cut spaghetti squash in half, cut the stem off and scoop out the seeds.  Salt and pepper to taste and drizzle with a little olive oil.  Place squash cut side down on the pan and cook for 30-40 minutes until the squash is tender when you put a knife through it.

When squash has been cooked, take a fork and shred the "meat" off the squash.  Serve with spicy Italian sausage and marinara.

I have to add the "technique" I use when cooking sausage because I always used to have trouble cooking sausage in the pan and having the center not cooked all the way through.  I place the sausage in a frying pan with a tablespoon of oil, a half a cup of water, cover and cook until the water is gone, then brown the sausage on all sides.  I learned this "technique" from the Johnsonville Sausage container. It pays to read the meat packaging when you are cooking. LOL!!!

Girl Scout Cookie Butter...Made from Trefoils!

Do you like Speculoos? Do you like Trader Joe's cookie butter?  Do you like Trefoil Girl Scout Cookies?  Then you HAVE to try this recipe!  I made some homemade speculoos not too long ago and gave some to a friend to taste.  She said it was too sweet for her, but she thought cookie butter made from trefoils would be PERFECT!!!!  Now that Girl Scout Cookie time is upon us, I bought up some boxes...well, a BUNCH of boxes.  I need to help those little girls get to scout camp...or someplace, right? :)

This is awesome on toast in the morning...noon...or night and everything in between, on pancakes, waffles, straight off the spoon.  It is truly divine!!!  This cook butter stuff is all new to me and I'm not sure why this idea had never crossed my mind before.   

Trefoil Cookie Butter:

1 box Trefoils - or 255 grams of another shortbread cookie

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 can coconut milk

2 tablespoons shortening

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Throw everything into your blender and flip the switch!  Puree until smooth and enjoy!

Healthy Dessert? Or Chocolate Guacamole?

I saw a friend post a comment on Facebook about chocolate pudding made out of avocados...NO LIE!  I was so appalled by this idea I had to call her out...and then get the recipe because I had to try it out.  Alex gets pretty jazzed about pudding and has me purchase boxes of it when I go to the grocery store, so I thought it would be fun to surprise him with this recipe and not tell him about the main ingredient.  He was stoked when he came home from work and saw the bowl of pudding in the refrigerator...so was my four year old.  I had the HARDEST time not spilling the beans, but I needed to ensure he gave me his opinion before he knew what was in it.  The funniest part was that he started dipping tortilla chips in it after the first bite...that was when I fell into a fit of laughter and told him he was eating chocolate guacamole.  LOL!!!  My daughter LOVED IT...which is pretty funny because she does NOT like avocados.  They were the first food I gave her as an infant and even then she was not keen on them.

I was on the boarder with this recipe.  It was good, but heavy, which is probably a good thing because you don't eat as much as you would if it was a milk based pudding.  Because it was made with the bitter chocolate, it was also very decadent...not to mention the coconut milk and avocados. But seriously, try this recipe out and discover for yourself whether you like it or not.

Chocolate Avocado Pudding:
2 large avocados, peeled, pit removed and cubed
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder - I am partial to Hershey's
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup coconut milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 pinch cinnamon

Blend avocados, cocoa powder, brown sugar, coconut milk, vanilla extract, and cinnamon in blender until smooth.  Refrigerate pudding until chilled, about 30 minutes.

Pressure Cooker Pork

I love pork.  Pork tacos, Cuban sandwiches, pork salad from Cafe Rio, carnitas...you name it, I LOVE it!  Alex LOVES Cuban sandwiches and I wanted to surprised him with a yummy Cuban sandwich panini when he got home for work the other day.  I have always failed miserably when making the pork for Cuban sandwiches so I was more than a little worried.  To make matters worse, I was running behind on getting the meal ready and didn't have time to put the meat in the crock pot.  ENTER Pressure Cooker!  I'm not kidding you, if you don't own a pressure cooker...GET ONE!!!!  My parents had one growing up and they only ever made potatoes in it for potato salad (?), so I had NO IDEA you could cook meat, beans, desserts (!) in it until I bought my own (thinking I needed it to make potato salads...really!) that came with a cook book with tons of recipes in it.  I didn't get this recipe from that book, but from Tyler Florence.

Tyler is all about the Ultimate this... or the Ultimate that...  I even own his Ultimate cookbook and have been so-so about his clams of being Ultimate.  That is, until NOW!!!  This pork recipe is the BEST I HAVE EVER MADE AT HOME!!!  That is saying a LOT because I have made more recipes than I care to think about and I can never get that just right taste or the fall apart texture that is so yummy.  In fact, I almost missed the mark with the texture on these tacos, but cooked them a little longer in the pressure cooker and VOILA!  KICK ASS pork!  

Tyler Florence Ultimate Cuban Sandwiches:

1 pound boneless pork shoulder
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, peeled and gently smashed with the side of your knife
1/4 teaspoon dried red chili flakes
1 medium onion, sliced
1 cup fresh orange juice
1 lime, juiced
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 bay leaves
1 long Cuban bread roll
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
8 thin slices Swiss cheese
1 cup bread and butter pickles
8 thin slices deli ham
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil

Begin by braising the pork shoulder. Tie the shoulder in 4 places with kitchen twine so it will hold its shape while being cooked or ask your butcher to do this for you. Season the pork with salt, pepper, cumin and oregano. Set the base of a pressure cooker over low-medium heat and add a 2 count of olive oil.

Add garlic and chili flakes and as the oil heats up it will become fragrant and infuse the oil. Add the pork. Add onions around the pork and brown slightly before adding orange juice, lime juice, stock and bay leaves.

Secure the lid of the pressure cooker and cook for 20 to 25 minutes depending on the size of your pressure cooker. The pork should be tender when done. When done allow to cool in juices before removing twine and slicing.

To prepare Cuban sandwiches, split bread in half then layer the sandwich with mustard, cheese, pickles, ham, pork then cheese again (the cheese glues everything together). Season with salt and pepper in between the ham and pork layers. (Optional: drizzle a little of the pork braising liquid over the meat as well).

To cook, heat a large cast iron skillet or grill pan over medium heat and lightly coat with olive oil. Place the sandwiches on the skillet and top with another heavy skillet and a couple of heavy weights (bricks, or cans of tomatoes work well). Press down firmly and cook for 5 to 7 minutes per side until the sandwich has compressed to about a third of its original size and the bread is super-crispy. Serve with beans, rice and plantain chips.

A Happy St. Pat's to You!

On Saint Patrick's Day 2010, I made my first batch of Irish Car Bomb cupcakes.  These cupcakes have become a tradition in our family as I have made them every year on Saint Patrick's Day.  Now that we have kids, I make a kid friendly version in addition to the adult version.  In the four years I have been making these cupcakes I have made them my own by tweaking the recipe.

These cupcakes have ALWAYS been a hit with kids (see instructions for kid’s version) and adults at all of our Saint Patrick’s Day parties.  These cupcakes have been shipped to friends, they are so popular!!!

Guinness Chocolate Cupcakes
Makes 20 to 24 cupcakes

Cupcakes
1 cup stout (such as Guinness)
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup sour cream

1 small package chocolate pudding

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 24 cupcake cups with liners. 

Put the butter with the beer in a sauce pan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Whisk in cocoa powder until smooth. Cool slightly. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and chocolate pudding mix. In a mixer bowl, beat the eggs and the sour cream together. Add the beer/butter/cocoa mixture and beat to combine. Add the flour mixture and beat briefly just to combine. Using a rubber spatula, fold the batter until completely combined, making sure to incorporate little pockets of flour on the bottom so that the batter is of equal consistency everywhere.

Fill the cupcake liners about 2/3 of the way if you want flatter cupcakes and 3/4 if you want domed. Bake for about 17 minutes, or until a toothpick or a slim knife inserted into the middle of a cupcake comes out clean. Cool completely to room temperature. 

Ganache Filling
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 teaspoons Irish whiskey (optional)*

Make the filling: Chop the chocolate and transfer it to a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream until simmering and pour it over the chocolate. Let it sit for one minute and then stir until smooth. Add the butter and whiskey (if you’re using it) and stir until combined.  Do not allow the ganache to cool too long or it will become a solid, making it hard to fill the cupcakes.

*I split the filling into two bowls, one for the kid’s cupcakes and one with the adult cupcakes.  I add the whiskey to the filling for the adult cupcakes.

Baileys Frosting (see Recipe Notes)
3 to 4 cups confections sugar
1 stick (1/2 cup or 4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ tsp vanilla extract

2 to 3 tablespoons Baileys (or milk, or heavy cream, or a combination thereof)*

*I make the frosting up to the point of adding the Bailey’s to the mix and split the frosting into two bowls; one bowl for the kid’s cupcakes and another for the adult cupcakes.  I add the Bailey’s to the adult cupcakes.

In a large mixer bowl, whip the butter for several minutes until very light and fluffly. Slowly add the powdered sugar, letting it incorporate, utnil the butter becomes thicker and stiff (you will know when this happens). Slowly drizzle the Bailey's (or milk or cream or a combination thereof) and whip until combined. Ice and decorate the cupcakes. 

Cuban Black Bean and Sweet Potato Soup

Did you know you can check out cook books from the library electronically on your iPad?!  YAY!!!!  The only draw back is I don't have the book in front of me to make a copy of the recipe or put the book on my book shelf to refer back.  Thank goodness for a blog!  This way I can track my favorite recipes...which is also handy when you're at the grocery store and didn't bring the recipe with you. :)

Cuban Black Bean and Sweet Potato Soup
adapted from 50 Simple Soups for the Slow Cooker by Lynn Alley
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 cup celery, diced
1 cup carrots, diced
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 can black beans
4 cups chicken stock
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 medium green (or any color) bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 cloves of garlic, minced
Pinch of chile flakes
Salt, to taste

In a large pan on medium heat, cook the onions in olive oil for about 10 minutes until lightly browned.  Add the celery, carrots, tomatoes, black beans, sweet potato, bell pepper, and spices.  Add water and bring to a boil.  Turn heat down and simmer until the sweet potatoes are super tender.

I thought this soup sounded unique when I came across it, but was truly amazed how sweet it turned out!  It was almost as though I had added some lime at the end.  I even got my four year old to eat this soup and she begrudgingly said she liked it.  SCORE!!!!

Raspberry Oat Muffins

While shopping in Alexandria I found a fun cook book for my sister-in-law's birthday, Pretty Delicious by Candice Kumai. I liked it so much I bought a copy for me too!  The book claims to have 'lean and lovely recipes for a healthy and happy new you.'  Judging by this one recipe, I am pretty impressed.

Raspberry Oat Muffins:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup quick oats - I used regular oats
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of sea salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 tablespoons honey
1 cup frozen raspberries

Preheat oven to 400 degree's F. Line a 12-cup muffin tine with paper liners.

Whisk the flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl.  Whisk the eggs, applesauce, and honey together in a medium bowl.  Stir the applesauce mixture into the flour mixture until completely incorporated.  Gently fold in the frozen raspberries.

Using a 1 1/2 oz. ice cream scoop, portion the batter into the paper cups, filling each about 3/4 full.  Bake, rotating midway though cooking, until golden brown, the center of the muffin resists light pressure, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes.

Let cool for 20 minutes...because the raspberries come out SCREAMING HOT!!!!...then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

I tend to be suspect of 'healthy' recipes because they say they are yummy, but then taste like card board. Not so with this recipe.  I was pleased to see the amount of sweetening agents in this recipe, because even though it eliminates oil, it doesn't scrimp on flavor.  I am totally going to use blueberries the next time I make this recipe!!!

Tikka Masala II

Have I told you how much I LOVE Paratha? Well, now I am cooking meals with the intent of eating paratha.  It has been a long while since I cooked Tikka Masala so I found a recipe on Allrecipes.com that looked promising.

This was a phenomenal recipe!  But this recipe calls for WAAAAAAAY too much salt.  I felt there was too much when I started out so I halved it and it was STILL WAAAY too much salt.  I am feeling concerned for the author of this recipe and think it might be a good idea for them to visit their doctor.  I would use tops, a half teaspoon for the marinade and sauce each.

Tikka Masala
1 cup yogurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons freshly ground ginger
4 teaspoons salt or to taste - SERIOUSLY....CUT BACK!!!
3 chicken breasts cut into cubes.

1 tablespoon butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
3 teaspoons salt - MORE LIKE 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 cup heavy cream - I used half and half it turn out GREAT!
1/4 cup chopped cilantro.

In large bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, black pepper, ginger and salt - REMEMBER TO CUT BACK!!!! Stir in chicken, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat grill for high heat.

Lightly oil the grill grate.  Thread chicken onto skewers and discard marinade.  Grill until juices run clear.  About 5 minutes each side.

Melt butter in large heavy skillet over medium heat.  Saute garlic and jalapeno for 1 minute. Season with 2 teaspoons cumin, paprika and salt - MINIMAL SALT!  I used 1 tsp and it was still WAY too much! Stir in tomato sauce and cream.  Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes.  Add grilled chicken and simmer for 10 minutes.  Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with fresh cilantro.

I really liked this Tikka Masala.  It was so flavorful...minus the over use of the salt.  I still can't believe the author of this recipe called for this much salt.  I served this up with a side of the yummy Pakistani chickpeas I made a couple of weeks ago.  SO YUMMY!!!

Loving the Pakistani Food!

Oh dear.  I think my neighbors have created a monster by introducing me to the local Pakistani store.  I've already been back to get more Paratha and boxes of seasoning.  The guys at the Pakistani store were teasing me because I bought so many packets of the frozen Paratha bread.  That stuff ROCKS!!!!  I even tried to find a recipe to make it online and it is time consuming.  Check out this YouTube video I found that shows how to make it.  I'm able to purchase a pack of 5-6 paratha for $1.50.

On my second visit to the Pakistani store I picked up a new package of seasoning for Kafta Curry. WOOOEEEEE!!!  This stuff is SPICY!!!  Alex and I have a rating system on spicy.  I like things that are spicy and Alex likes things that burn your mouth leaving your taste buds on the verge of blisters!!!  This stuff was on the brink of being Alex spicy.  So reader beware!

Kofta  Curry with Beef Meatballs:

1.5 lbs ground beef - you really could use any kind of ground meat...next time I want to try chicken!

2 onions, purree'd

1 1/2 cups plain yogurt

1 tablespoon garlic paste

2 tablespoons cilantro

1 packet Shan Kofta Curry Mix

2 tablespoons oil

2-3 cups water

Combine meat, half the ground onions (I use my immersion blender), half the yogurt and 2 tablespoons Kofta Curry mix.  Roll into small meatballs and cook.  I browned mine on the outside and then put them in a preheated oven at 350F for 15 mins. 

 

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in pan and fry remaining onion purree until golden brown. Add garlic, the remaining yogurt and the Kofta Curry Mix. Stir fry for a few minutes then add 2-3 cups water.  Boil for about 15 minutes on medium heat.  

Add meatballs and reduce the heat.  Cook until sauce reduces down.

I have fallen in LOVE with this yummy Pakistani cooking, so I suspect you will be seeing a LOT more of it on my blog!  YAY!!!  The best part about cooking this food at home is that I can reduce the amount of oil the recipes on the box call for to make it much healthier.  For instance, the recipe on the box of Shan Kofta Curry calls for a cup to a cup and a half of oil!!!!!  I use a couple of teaspoons and call it good.

I really do hope you venture into your local Indian or Pakistani store to find some of these spices.  If you don't want to do that, contact me and I will mail you some from my local store!!!!

Adventure in Making Pakistani Food!!!

I love all kinds of ethnic food so I was elated when I found out our neighbors here in the D.C. metro area are from Pakistan. I am a little ashamed to say one of the first comments out of my mouth when I met them was, "will you teach me to make yummy Pakistani food?!"  Yes, that's me, always thinking with my taste buds.

Well, the neighbors delivered! They have invited us over for dinner several times and took me to the local Pakistani grocery store to purchase seasoning packets for several authentic dishes.  Check out all the loot I scored for $18!      

That is enough to make at least 15-20 different dishes...save the paratha bread in the front (which is sort of similar to pita bread, naan or tortillas, but SOOOO much better)...I'm going to need to go back soon to get some more!

Tonight I made Kebabs and Chickpeas.  I know, when an American thinks kebabs, they think kabobs (at least I did before I met my Pakistani neighbors).  Pakistani kebabs are ground meat mixed with lots of seasoning and then molded onto skewers and BBQ'd.  There are several ways of cooking the meat, I made mine into patties because I was using my indoor grill pan and my skewers don't fit in the pan.

Pakistani Kebabs:
1 1/2 pounds ground beef (you could totally do ground chicken, or turkey too)
1 medium onion
2 jalapeno's - I used a red and a green one for extra flavor
1 long green chili
3 tablespoons fresh ginger
3 tablespoons fresh garlic
2 eggs
1 packet Shan Chappli Kebab Mix - if you don't have a local Pakistani or Indian store nearby, you can check out the selection on Amazon. I have to note that I got my spice packet for $0.90 at my Pakistani store in the D.C. metro area and Amazon sells the SAME packets for $4-$5 each!  Support your local Pakistani store!!!

Cut up onion, peppers, ginger and garlic and toss into a food processor.  Process until somewhere between a chunky and smooth texture.

Add to ground beef with eggs and packet of Shan Chappli Kebab mix.  Refrigerate for 2 hours or more.

Form meat into patties or around skewers and grill.

If you don't want super spicy kebabs you can use less of the season packet.  I seeded half of my peppers and use the whole seasoning packet and it turned out to medium heat.  They were VERY flavorful!!!

I openly admit I am NOT that person who puts chickpeas on my salads.  I don't dislike chickpeas, but unless they are in falafel, I am generally not a fan...that is until my neighbor made this dish for us! Now I can't get enough chickpeas!!!!

Pakistani Chickpeas:
2 cans chickpeas - I suggest using the salt free kind
1 medium onion
1/2 cup lentils
3 tablespoons olive oil
3-4 cups water
3 tablespoons Shan Chana Masala Mix

Drain and rinse chickpeas and add to skillet along with water.  Add Shan Chana Masala and cook on medium heat for 45 minutes or until the chickpeas turn to a darker shade.

Heat oil and cook onions for about 5 minutes then add to chickpea mixture.  Cook until the gravy thickens.

Serve with warm paratha bread!

Seriously don't be afraid to walk into your local Indian or Pakistani store and purchase these spices.  I found the people to be VERY nice and accommodating. The clerk even gave me a free sample of a box of spices to make a sweet rice dessert!

Empadas

This fall I visited the National Museum of the American Indian in New York City. They had a fun exhibit of American Indian musicians from 1900 to current.  It was fascinating to see how many artists are of American Indian decent.  It also encouraged me to add some music to my iPod that I normally wouldn't have on my playlist.  The BEST part of the visit was the American Indian Museum was the cookbook I found. :)  Yes, I added another cook book to my growing collection.  It is called Foods of the Americas, Native Recipes and Traditions by Fernando and Marlene Divina. I am blown away by how many of the recipes I want to make in this book!  The influences from this book are far reaching from South America to Canada.  The first recipe I tried out of this book is for Empadas.  They are best described as meat pies.  They remind me of Samosa's from Asian restaurants.  The flavor was UNIQUE!  I was half expecting a Mexican flare...which it had, but there was a major twist.  You CERTAINLY need to check this recipe out!

Empada's modified recipe:
Dough:
Pre-made Pie Filling

Filling:
1/4 cup tomato salsa
1 tablespoon corn oil
1 small white onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 lb ground beef
3/4 cup diced russet potato
1/3 teaspoon ground allspice
1 small chile, seeded and minced
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon sea or kosher salt
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chicken stock

Flour for dusting
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
Pinch of sea or kosher salt

Heat a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat.  Add the oil, onion, and garlic and cook without browning for about 5 minutes.  Add the salsa, beef, potato, allspice, chile, bay leaf, salt, pepper and chicken stock.  Cook, stirring often for 15 to 20 minutes, until the meat is browned and cooked through and the liquid has nearly evaporated.  Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely.  Remove and discard the bay leaf.

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Lightly oil and flour a baking sheet or line with parchment paper.

To assemble the empadas, lightly flour a work surface.  Cut the dough in half horizontally and cover one half with a clean kitchen towel to keep moist.  Roll the other half of the dough out to about 1/8 inch think.  Cut into 12 squares or rounds about 3 1/2 inches wide.  Place a generous tablespoon of the meat mixture in the center of each piece of dough.  Roll Out and cut the other portion of the dough in the same manner.  Whisk the egg with the water and salt to make an egg wash.  Brush the edges of the bottom dough pieces with the egg wash.  top each with another dough piece and drip the edges with the tines of a fork or your fingertips.  Place the empadas on the prepared baking sheet.  Brush the tops with the remaining egg wash.  Bake for about 30 minutes, until golden brown.  Serve warm.

Blueberry Oatmeal Pancakes

My daughter is pretty crazy about pancakes and it is our weekend ritual to have them once a week so we are constantly trying out new recipes to keep them exciting.  This recipe for Blueberry Oatmeal Pancakes was a pretty decent find, but the next time I make them I'm going to do some serious tweeking.  I was vaguely aware when I was making them that there were no spices added to the mix.  There were so many positive reviews online that I assumed the pancakes stood firm all on their own...but they didn't.  Don't get me wrong, these pancakes were good, but could use some vanilla and/or almond extract, cinnamon and nutmeg.  I would also cut back on the milk as the batter was a touch runny causing the pancakes to be flat.

Blueberry Oatmeal Pancakes:
1/2 cup wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
2 cups milk
3 eggs beaten
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup frozen blueberries

Preheat lightly oiled griddle over medium heat.  In a large bowl mix whole wheat and white flours with brown sugar, baking powder and salt.  In a small bowl, mix milk and oats.  Whisk in eggs and oil.  Pour into dry mix all at once.  Continue mixing until smooth.  Gently fold in blueberries.

Pour batter about 1/4 cup at a time onto the prepared griddle.  Cook 1 to 2 minutes, until bubbly.  flip and continue cooking until lightly browned on both sides.

Pumpkin Pie with a Major Twist!

Did you know they sell pumpkin pudding now?!  Alex knows I LOVE pumpkin so he got me two boxes around Thanksgiving.  

We were invited to the neighbors house for dinner and were asked to bring dessert.  I was feeling super lazy and didn't want to run to the store so I was trying to come up with a fun idea from what I had in my house.  I found the pumpkin pudding and was racking my brain for things I could make with it. At Thanksgiving, my brother-in-law made a pumpkin chiffon pie that was light and delicious!!!  He told me they added whipping cream to a pumpkin pie like recipe to make it super light and fluffy.  So I decided I could add whipping cream to pre-made pumpkin pie pudding get get something similar...I hoped!!!  It was a bit of a gamble since I was taking to our neighbors party...they could have been pretty disgusted and egged our house as a result.  Fortunately for us and our house, it was a HIT!!!!  

 

Lazy Girl's Pumpkin Chiffon Pie:

2 small packages pumpkin pudding - make according to instructions on box

1 cup heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

Crust:

Gingerbread Cookie Mix 

1 stick butter, melted

Make the pumpkin pudding following the directions on the box.  Put in refrigerator for at least one hour to thicken.  Whip up heavy whipping cream until there are super stiff peaks, add powdered sugar.  Once the pudding has set completely, fold in the whipping cream until combined.

Preheat oven to 350 F.

To make the crust, combine gingerbread cookie mix and melted butter.  Push into the bottom of a pie pan to form the pie crust.  Cook in a preheated oven for 15 minutes.  Let cool, then add the pudding mixture to the pie crust and refrigerate for at least one hour.  

This pie is SLOPPY!  But it doesn't matter because it tastes so damn good!!!

Pumpkin Pie Tragedy!....AVERTED!!!!!

My daughter got an extra pumpkin for Halloween from her preschool Fall Festival and wanted to use it to make pumpkin pie.  I figured it was a good opportunity to teach her how we make food from foods we harvest, since we usually used canned pumpkin.

Unfortunately, I am a busy Mama.  I stopped by the grocery store and took a look at the recipe on the pumpkin puree can which listed EVAPORATED MILK in a recipe that also called for 1 1/2 cups of sugar.  When I got home, I searched on Allrecipes.com and found a recipe that called for SWEETEN CONDENSED MILK.  I didn't stop to even consider that I was using evaporated milk AND that the recipe didn't have ANY sugar in it....until the pie was 3/4 of the way cooked.  (#$&(#@#$&  REALLY?!  I was SUPER bummed because my daughter was so excited about the prospect of eating pumpkin pie that was made from her preschool pumpkin.  

To make matters worse, I overfilled the pie crust and spilled pie filling on the bottom of our stove top which caused the whole house to fill up with smoke.  At this point I'm pretty sure you're asking yourself why you read this crazy's cooking blog. :)

WELL.....I managed to save the day by dousing the pumpkin pie in homemade caramel sauce!  WHOOHOO!!!!!  

Salted Caramel Sauce:

1 cup white sugar

5 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 pinch of salt to taste

Place sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan set over medium-high heat.  Stir continuously until sugar begins to melt.  Continue stirring until the sugar melts completely, begins to darken and all the chunks are dissolved, about 10 minutes.  Stop stirring and continue to cook until the sugar begins to smoke and turns a dark shade of amber, 3 to 8 minutes.  Remove from heat and wait 30 seconds.

Whisk butter until melted and combine.  Slowly pour in cream, taking care because it can bubble over.  Sprinkle in salt and stir to combine.  Transfer to a jar and cool completely before refrigerating.

I was SO worried about making this caramel.  I've always had bad luck in making candy type products, but this caramel was AMAZING!!!!  It TOTALLY saved the day!  My daughter even said I make the "best pumpkin pie, EVER!"  To be fair, she is only three and hasn't had a lot to compare. :)  I am a bit older and have a lot to compare it to and can confidently tell you this sugar-less pumpkin pie ROCKED with this caramel sauce!  Lots of it!!!!

Pumpkin Waffles with Apple Cider Syrup

'Tis the season for yummy pumpkin!  I honestly can't get enough pumpkin from October to December, so I stock up on canned pumpkin during the holiday season to make sure I have enough to get me through January to September. :)  This recipe for Pumpkin Waffles and Apple Cider Syrup is a BIG reason why!

Of course the pumpkin waffles are great, but the Apple Cider Syrup is what takes this breakfast to delectable levels of pure yummy goodness!  PLEASE, I beg of you, DO NOT SUBSTITUTE  the apple cider for regular apple juice...you will be so sad if you do!

Pumpkin Waffles with Apple Cider Syrup
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
2 cups milk
4 eggs, separated....if you want to go to the effort of whipping up the egg white separately.
1/4 cup canola oil

Apple Cider Syrup
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon corn starch
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup apple cider
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons butter

Preheat a waffle iron according to manufacturer's instructions.

Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, salt and brown sugar in a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, stir together the pumpkin, milk and egg yolks.  Whip the egg whites in a clean dry bowl until soft peaks form (I always omit this part because I'm lazy...I think they taste just as good).

Stir the flour mixture and 1/4 cup melted butter to the pumpkin mixture, stirring just to combine.  Use a whisk or rubber spatula to fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the batter, stirring gently until incorporated (See, so much effort to have fluffy batter...I really have tried it both ways and don't think it makes much difference). Fold in the remaining egg whites.  Cook waffles according to manufacturer's instructions.

To make the syrup, stir together the sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon in a sauce pan.  Stir in the apple cider and lemon juice.  Cook ever medium heat until mixture begins to boil; boil until the syrup thickens.  Remove from heat and stir in the 2 tablespoons of butter until melted.  Serve warm.

McCormick Knows Pumpkin Goodness!!!!

I'm letting you know up front I am not being paid for this gushing review of McCormick's Pumpkin Fruit Spread.  :)

This weekend Alex and I went up to Baltimore's Inner Harbor and discovered a McCormick's cooking store.  It was PURE HEAVEN!!!  I hate going to the grocery store looking for a specific spice only to find the store doesn't carry it...well, I didn't have to worry about that with the McCormick shop!  They have EVERY spice you could conceivably dream up!  But the BEST find was their Pumpkin Fruit Spread.

Oh. My. Goodness.

I think pumpkin has been getting overrated in the last couple of years and is becoming overdone.  Even the pumpkin spice latte's are getting too sweet and over the top... BLASPHEMY!!...but it is true.  This Pumpkin Fruit Spread is INSANE!!!  On the top of the lid is a recipe for making pumpkin pie.  Using the  2 pints Pumpkin Fruit Spread, combine 2 eggs, 1 can evaporated milk, pour into a 9" pie shell.  Bake 60-70 minutes at 350 degrees.

I tried to find a link so you can purchase this fruit spread, but couldn't find it even on McCormick's web site.  :(  The next trip I plan up to Baltimore, I'm going to LOAD UP on their Pumpkin Fruit Spread!

Two-Potato Curried Home Fries

I have always wanted to make yummy, restaurant-style, home fries, but could never get them just right.  Alex and I always go back and forth about what the trouble is with my home fries...too much oil?  too little oil? High heat versus low heat? Skin on?  Skin off? But you know what the key is to perfect textured home fries?  BOILING them!!!!  Because I am lazy, I have always microwaved my potatoes and never considered that might be the problem.  Don't get me wrong, microwaving will totally help you out in a pinch and I'm sure you'll find me microwaving them again the future, but the way to go is boiling them until they are soft.

Check out this KILLER curried home fries recipe I found in the October edition of the Food Network Magazine.  It has the PERFECT combination of curry seasoning that makes a GREAT side dish for dinner or AWESOME home fries to serve with breakfast!

Two Potato Home Fries:
2 Yukon Gold Potatoes
2 Sweet Potatoes
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon grated garlic
1 teaspoon curry powder
salt
pepper
cilantro, chopped - I added a sprinkle of coriander because I didn't have cilantro.

Boil potatoes in a pot of salted water and cook until tender, 5-8 minutes.  Drain and pat dry.  Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  add the potatoes and cook turning until browned, about  8 minutes.  Stir in ginger, garlic, curry powder, salt and pepper.  Cook for an additional minute.  sprinkle with chopped cilantro.

A Little Skirt Steak!

I am always looking for new and yummy things to do with skirt steak and was happy to find a yummy recipe in the October 2012 edition of Food Network Magazine.  The Almost-Famous Steak Taco Salad is a slimmed down remake of a taco salad from Moe's Southwest Grill which is a franchise primarily found on the East Coast with a few locations West of the Mississippi.  I just realized as I was researching that there is a Moe's location not far from my house! I'll have to check it out!

Almost-Famous Steak Taco Salad:
For the Tortilla Bowls:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4 10-12 inch flour tortillas
kosher salt

For the Steak:
1 teaspoon dried minced garlic or garlic flakes - I used fresh garlic
1 teaspoon dried minced onion or onion flakes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons chipotle chile powder
3 scallions, finely chopped
4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
3/4 pound sirloin steak (about 1 inch think)
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced

For the Salad:
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2/3 cup buttermilk - I would HIGHLY suggest using 1/3 cup unless you like runny dressing.
1 English cucumber, quartered lengthwise and sliced
2 romaine lettuce hearts, roughly chopped
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 2/25-ounce cans sliced black olives, drained
2 ounces cheddar or monterey jack cheese, shredded
Fresh salsa, for topping

To make the tortilla bowls, position a rack in the lower third of the oven; preheat to 450F.  Put 4 empty cans (labels removed) or 4 small oveproof bowls upside down on the baking sheet.  Drape a square of foil over each can and coat with cooking spray.

Fill a shallow bowl with 1/2 inch warm water; whisk in the olive oil.  Soak each tortilla in the water until soft, about 5 seconds, then drape over the prepared cans, pleating as needed.  Bake until golden, about 5 minutes.  Remove from the oven and invert the tortilla bowls onto the baking sheet; remove the cans and foil.  Spray the inside of the tortilla bowls with cooking spray, season with salt and continue baking until crisp, 4 to 5 more minutes; let cool.

Meanwhile, make the steak by whisking the dried garlic, onion and oregano, cumin, chile powder, scallions, Worcestershire sauce, olive oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper in a bowl.  Put the steak in a shallow dish and run with 2 tablespoons of the spice mixture (reserve the rest for the dressing). Add the bell pepper and sliced onion and toss.  Add the bell pepper and sliced onion and toss.  cover and refrigerate 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.

Heat a large cast-iron skilled over high heat.  Add the steak and scatter the bell pepper and onion around it.  Sear the steak about 5 minutes on each side, then transfer to a cutting board.  Continue cooking the pepper and onion until just tender, about 3 more minutes.  Thinly slice the steak against the grain, then cut into 1-inch pieces.

Wish the mayonnaise, buttermilk and the reserved spice mixture in a large bowl until smooth.  Add cucumber, lettuce, beans and olives and toss.  Divide the salad among the tortilla bowls.  Top with the steak, bell pepper, onion, cheese and salsa.

I didn't make the tortilla shells...even though they sound SUPER yummy!  I have to admit, I was surprised by the lack of taste in the salad dressing since it got the lion's share of the seasoning mix.  I wanted to LOVE this meal, but it was O.K.  Now that I know there are Moe's Southwestern Grill's near my home, I am going to try it out there and see what is missing from this recipe!

Indian Curry...YUM!

I LOVE curry!  I especially LOVE creamy curry with potatoes and onion and carrots and chicken...hmmmm...I'm having a moment remembering one of my favorite Thai restaurants in Layton, Utah called Pad Thai.  They had some of the BEST creamy Masaman Curry I have ever had.  When I found this recipe I was hoping it would be a similar creamy curry, because that was what I was craving.  While it was SUPER flavorful, it missed the creamy boat a little.  It also stunk up my kitchen to high heaven!!!  I cooked this recipe a week ago and my house STILL smells like curry!

• Indian Curry
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons curry powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root
• 1/2 teaspoon white sugar
• salt to taste
• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 3/4 cup coconut milk
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Saute onion until lightly browned.  Stir in garlic, curry powder, cinnamon, paprika, bay leaf, ginger, sugar and salt.  Continue stirring for 2 minutes.  

Add chicken pieces, tomato paste, yogurt and coconut milk. (I also added carrots to offer some hidden veggies to my family).  Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes.  Remove bay leaf and stir in lemon juice and cayenne pepper.  Simmer 5 more minutes.  Serve over rice.

The left overs of this dish were even better than the original meal.  I would highly consider making this meal and eating it the next day to get some serious flavor!  

Thai Stir Fry...Hey, That Rhymes!

I LOVE cook books.  In fact, I collect cookbooks.  Whenever I visit a new city, museum or even a cool book store, I like to leave with a cookbook to remind me of my visit.  That's how I connect with people and place...FOOD!  I pulled out a SUPER old Thai cook book I bought in my early early twenties that I purchased at Barnes and Noble when I was starting to grow my cook book collection and found a GREAT recipe for stir fry.  I changed it up a bit because I didn't grab all the necessary ingredients at the grocery store to make the recipe in the book.

Thai Stir Fry:
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp ginger puree
3/4 cup carrots cut into 'batons'
1 cup zucchini cut into 'batons'
1 chicken breast, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 cups fresh spinach
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsbp rice vinegar

Heat olive oil in frying pan on medium-high heat.  Add garlic, ginger, carrot and zucchini.  Cook until slightly brown.

Add Chicken and cook through.

Add cilantro, spinach, soy sauce, sugar and vinegar.  Cook until the spinach is wilted.  Serve immediately over white rice.

This didn't last long enough for me to get pictures of the final product.  It was AWESOME!!!  The sauce was FANTASTIC!...even if it was a tiny bit sweet.  I will TOTALLY make this recipe again.  I was even able to get my 3 year old to eat her veggies with this meal!