Meet Me in the Kitchen

Date Chocolate Nut Balls

2012-01-25T08:43:00.004-05:00

For the past couple months, I haven't been consuming refined sugars. I will admit that I had a slice of this pie (sans the coconut) that I made on Thanksgiving and tasted a cookie or two over the Christmas Holidays, but for the most part, I haven't been eating it. I haven't been baking very much. I still make my kids cookies or muffins occasionally, but I don't always consume what I make. I also have been experimenting with other ways to enjoy sweet treats.

We are big LARABAR fans in this house. If you are familiar with those, you know that they can be a little bit pricey. Especially when a certain 9 year old wants to eat one- every. single. day. *sidenote- his favorite flavors are - Coconut Cream Pie, Cashew Cookie, and Chocolate Coconut Chew :D

I have seen multiple recipes for Homemade LaraBars and so, I bought a huge bag of dates a few weeks ago.

Long story short- These little Date Chocolate Nut Balls were the first thing that I made with my dates. They are kinda like little nuggets of a LaraBar.

These little treats are so good. They are just sweet enough to qualify as a treat and the perfect way to top off a meal. I made them when I was taking dinner to someone and kept quite a few for us. We have been enjoying them as snacks straight from the freezer. I worked out the calorie info and each one has about 40 calories. I will be making these over and over again.

Here is the recipe for Date Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls
* I used a mixture of cashews, pecans, almonds, and hazelnuts instead of peanuts
* I used unsweetened coconut milk instead of water, just because I had it in the fridge

Chicken and Broccolini Stir-Fry

2012-01-23T23:01:00.000-05:00

Stir- Fry is always a great option for weeknight dinners around here. I love how quick they are to prepare and also the versatile number of veggies that you can use in them. I saw this fun take on stir-fry in a recent issue of The Food Network Magazine and thought it looked delicious.

My kids have been snacking on sweet mini peppers lately, so I had no problem slicing up a few of them for this stir-fry. My family really enjoyed this meal and I hope you do too.

Here is the recipe for Chicken and Broccolini Stir-Fry
* I used rice wine vinegar instead of mirin

Brussels Sprout-Sweet Potato Hash

2012-01-17T08:35:00.002-05:00

I saw this recipe on facebook and loved the idea of a savory, veggie-filled breakfast. Since now I like sweet potatoes, I was really excited to try this dish. I also love brussel sprouts, so I knew this had to be good.

This quick breakfast was delightful. It took a few minutes to prep the vegetables, but once they were ready, the whole thing came together really fast. Because the sweet potatoes are finely shredded/grated, they really don't take that long to cook. I added a fried egg on the side and decided to add this to my weekly breakfast menu. It's fast, nutritious and soo good!

Here is the recipe for Brussels Sprout-Sweet Potato Hash

Herbed Salmon Croquettes

2012-01-16T11:30:00.000-05:00

My in-laws gave me a gift certificate for my birthday and so over the Holiday break, I took the kids to Barnes & Noble to look at books. I picked up a giant stack of cookbooks, novels, and magazines and parked it in the kids section. Luckily for me, my kids like to look at books as much as I do. We spent a few hours there, but I waited to use my gift certificate, so I could think about what I wanted to get.

Before we went to the bookstore I was thinking about dinner and what I could make. I really needed to go get groceries, but decided to use what I had on hand to make dinner instead. I was thinking about making some sort of salmon patty because I had 2 pouches of salmon in my pantry. While at the bookstore I saw this recipe for Herbed Salmon Croquettes. My past experiences with Ellie Krieger's recipes gave me confidence and I knew they would be fabulous. I have her 2 other books and love them. I had everything on hand and I felt confident that I would be able to find the recipe online. Thankfully, I was able to look inside this book on Amazon and get the recipe.

These Salmon Croquettes were fabulous. My kids loved them. I just served them over a big salad of mixed greens and we devoured them. I wanted to try one of the sauces that Ellie recommend in her book to go with them, but didn't have the ingredients on hand. To my satisfaction the croquettes were flavorful enough to not need any sauce. I was so happy with this recipe and how it turned out, that I went back to the bookstore and used my gift certificate to get this cookbook (and maybe a Lego StarWars book for my son, since we were on a date :D )

Herbed Salmon Croquettes adapted from Comfort Food Fix by Ellie Krieger
2 slices whole wheat bread
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 5-ounce pouches skinless, boneless salmon, drained of any excess water
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 celery stalk, very finely diced
2 large egg whites
3 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried dill
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
olive oil cooking spray

Put the bread in a food processor and process until fine crumbs are formed. There should be about 1 3/4 cups of crumbs.

Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Remove from heat and let cool for about 5 minutes.

In a large bowl combine 1 cup of the bread crumbs, the onion mixture, salmon, mustard, celery, egg whites, parsley, dill, salt and pepper, mixing well to combine. Form into eight 2 1/2-inch patties and gently press each patty in the remaining 3/4 cup bread crumbs.

Heat the remaining 4 teaspoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the croquettes until browned on one side, about 3 minutes. Spray the tops with oil spray, flip.. and cook 3 minutes more, or until browned and warmed through.

Peach Almond Green Smoothie (with Swiss Chard) & other Green Smoothie recipes

2012-01-06T05:00:00.000-05:00

Back in October my sister came to visit. She was reading a book about Beauty Detox when she came and although we didn't agree with everything in the book, we both decided that we would incorporate green smoothies into our diet. I had had them before, but not consistently, because I always felt that I was getting enough greens in my normal diet. Swiss Chard is my all-time favorite food. We eat tons of kale, spinach, swiss chard, beet greens, turnip greens, collards, etc., and even had a very successful first summer/fall of growing swiss chard in the garden. (I still have some sprouting up out there!)

Taking all of this into account, my sister and I started having a green smoothie almost daily. She went back to Utah and we would email or text our different recipes and ideas. I experimented with some of my own concoctions, some were delicious, some not so good-(which I still got drank, somehow). I also tried a bunch of different recipes that used different greens besides spinach, which I am going to share. I haven't taken a picture of every single one of these recipes, but I have enjoyed each of them 5+ times in the past few months. My go-to, on hand, I-don't-want-to-think green smoothie is banana, frozen mixed berries, spinach and cold water. I don't like using yogurt/milk or juice because it adds unnecessary calories, in my opinion.

Now I have some sort of green smoothie 3-4 days a week. I find they are very refreshing as an after workout snack/meal, but also are great as a breakfast or snack anytime of day. I don't add any honey/agave/sweetener because I think the fruit makes them sweet enough. My kids drink them with me and really like them. I know many people try to eat healthier as the New Year rolls around and green smoothies are a great and easy way to up the number of veggies/fruits you consume.

I have made and enjoyed each of the following Green Smoothie recipes at least 5 or more times. My kids love them too.

Peach Almond Green Smoothie (pictured above)

1 cup frozen peaches

1 sliced banana

2 cups chopped (torn) swiss chard

1 T raw almond butter

2 cups water+ a few ice cubes

Optional: 1 T ground flax seed

Blend all ingredients in blender until smooth

Blueberry Kale Smoothie

1 cup frozen blueberries

1 1/2 sliced bananas

2 handfuls (1 1/2 cups) chopped kale (I like to use red russian kale, it has a better raw taste)

2 cups water

handful of ice

Optional: 1 T ground flax seed

Blend all ingredients in blender until smooth

Grape Fig Cleanser

3 cups grapes (purple or green)

3-4 black mission figs

2 cups chopped spinach

2 cups water

1 cup ice

Optional: 1 T ground flax seed

Oat Berry Green Smoothie

1/4 cup oats (ground up in blender before other ingredients are added)
1 sliced banana
1/2 cup chopped fresh or frozen mango
1 cup frozen blackberries or blueberries (or mixed frozen berries)
2 cups spinach
2 cups ice cold water

Glowing Green Smoothie by Kimberly Snyder

1 1/2 cups water

1 head organic romaine lettuce, chopped

1/2 of large bunch of organic spinach (or 3/4 of small bunch)

3-4 stalks organic celery

1 organic apple, cored and chopped

1 organic pear, cored and chopped

1 organic banana

Juice of 1/2 organic lemon

Optional: 1/3 bunch organic cilantro (stems okay), 1/3 bunch organic parsley (stems okay)

Directions:

Add the water and chopped head of romaine and spinach to the blender.
Starting the blender on a low speed, mix until smooth.
Gradually moving to higher speeds, add the celery, apple, and pear.
Add the cilantro and parsley if you choose. Fresh herbs, like cilantro and parsley, have cleansing properties that help extract heavy metals and other toxins from the body.
Add the banana and lemon juice last.

Here is a link for Green Smoothie Cups that I plan to try really soon since I located coconut water at Trader Joe's last week

Rice Krispy Bundt Cake and looking forward to a great 2012!

2012-01-01T22:05:00.006-05:00

My husband's birthday is on December 23rd and mine is the next day, so our birthdays are usually a busy, fun celebration that involve many Christmas festivities thrown in with the birthday stuff. Neither of us mind this at all.

Last year I spent way too much time in the kitchen on Matt's birthday making these totally decadent, divine Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes. This year I wanted to keep it simple and so when I saw Mary post this fun idea for a Rice Krispy Bundt Cake a couple of months ago, I knew it would be the perfect birthday treat for my hubby. One of his fave treats happen to be rice krispy treats, so he was very excited. The preparation was easy. The celebration was simple and there was absolutely nothing fussy about this fun birthday treat. We decorated the top with Christmas shaped marshmallows and each enjoyed a slice after going to a basketball game.

I am excited about 2012. I think it is going to be a great year. I am looking forward to fun, challenges, growth, excitement, laughter, hard work and much more. I'm not sure what exactly that means for my blog, but I have made some changes to my diet over the past 2 1/2 months and I don't know for sure how that is going to translate to what goes on over here.

On another note, I saw this Food Lover's Cleanse on Bon Appetit last year and really wanted to try it. I am thinking about starting it within the next day or two, but I'm pretty sure the only part I will include my family in is the dinner portion. Maybe I will choose the best 7 days of it and do it for only a week. I hope you all had a great holiday and are as excited about the new year as I am!

Here is the post about the Rice Krispy Bundt Cake from the Food Librarian
* I made a double batch of rice krispy treats so they would fill a normal sized bundt pan and
made sure to use lots of baking spray so the cake would come out easily

Gingerbread Ice Cream

2011-12-21T15:57:00.000-05:00

I saw this cookbook called Gingerbread a couple of months ago and as I was flipping through it, I started to realize that I wanted to make everything in the book. I had no idea how I would ever narrow it down and choose a recipe to actually make. I thumbed through it again and bookmarked a bunch of things and then, last week I had 6 egg yolks hanging out in the fridge and I knew ice cream was the answer.

I saw Tracey's post about this ice cream last week and that just help verify the fact that I was going to make it.

This ice cream tastes and smells exactly like gingerbread! It is loaded with spices and molasses. Fresh ginger is steeped in the milk/cream mixture, so it really has a great ginger flavor. This is the perfect ice cream for the holidays. It tastes like the holidays! It also stays nice and creamy, even after spending time in the freezer. If you have a gingerbread fiend in the house, they will love this!

Here is the recipe for Gingerbread Ice Cream

Cranberry Cinnamon Pinwheel Cookies

2011-12-20T08:07:00.003-05:00

I always want to incorporate fresh cranberries into my holiday baking somehow. I usually find a bar cookie that contains fresh cranberries and this year I was hoping to find something a little bit different. I saw a link for these Cranberry Cinnamon Pinwheels on Pinterest and I knew that they would be made for the holidays.

First you make a fresh cranberry filling that contains a little sugar and some cinnamon. You have to set that aside and let it cool completely. The filling is spread over a basic cookie dough, flavored with cinnamon and then the dough+filling are rolled up cinnamon roll style. The dough has to be frozen and for good reason. I wouldn't want to try slicing these when the filling is gooey. The freezer time makes these cookies easy to slice and bake.

I haven't been eating sweets for a couple of months, but I tried one of these and thought they were really good. I was surprised that my kids really liked them too. They aren't very sweet, but they have just enough sweetness to be a great cookie. The cranberry filling is tart and delicious and the cinnamon in the dough and filling really brings it all together. Plus, they look festive and are fun to share!

Here is the link for Cranberry Cinnamon Pinwheels

Chocolate Peppermint Thumbprints

2011-12-19T10:53:00.002-05:00

I saw these cookies in the latest issue of EveryDay Food Magazine and knew they were the perfect cookie for my holiday treat plates. A quick brownie-like cookie that is filled with a creamy, peppermint-chocolate filling- what could be better? These were received with rave reviews and quite a few requests for the recipe.

Chocolate-Peppermint Thumbprints

Makes 4 dozen

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon fine salt

1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

5 ounces semisweet chocolate chips (3/4 cup)

1/2 teaspoon pure peppermint extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat 1 cup each butter and sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy, 3 minutes. Add egg and vanilla; beat to combine. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture and beat to combine.
Place 1/2 cup sugar in a small bowl. Roll dough into 1-inch balls, then roll in sugar to coat. Place balls, 1 inch apart, on two parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake 5 minutes. Remove sheets from oven; with the small end of a melon baller or the bottom of a small round measuring spoon make an indentation in center of each cookie.
Bake until cookies are just set but still look moist, 4 minutes (do not overbake). Let cool on sheets on wire racks.
In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave chocolate chips and 1/4 cup butter in 10-second increments until melted; stir in peppermint extract. Let cool until thick enough to pipe, 5 minutes. Transfer mixture to a large zip-top bag; snip 1/4-inch hole in one corner. Pipe chocolate into cookie indentations. Store in airtight containers, up to 1 week.

Cranberry Whole Wheat Buttermilk Biscuits & Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Black Beans

2011-12-16T09:06:00.001-05:00

Once again horrible, quick photos. You will have to overlook them please, because these two things are very tasty.

First up, Cranberry Whole Wheat Buttermilk Biscuits. My son chose dinner the other night and he wanted fried eggs, sauteed swiss chard & spinach, and biscuits. I know for a fact that these were not the kind of biscuits he wanted, but I was ready to try them, so I made half of them without the cranberries. This recipe uses whole wheat pastry flour and it makes a very tender, delicious biscuit. My daughters and I thought the ones with cranberries were very good and my son enjoyed those that were cranberry free.

Second, this Sweet Potato & Black Bean Salad. I'm happy to say that I have completely overcome my dislike of sweet potatoes. The key for me is to combine them with savory and/or spicy ingredients. I made this salad for a Christmas party and it was really delicious. Pretty simple too. I didn't follow the directions exactly because I wanted to add the lime juice and olive oil bit by bit, so I could adjust the taste and I also wanted the little bites of jalapeno to be in there, not pureed. I loved this salad. Many people requested the recipe. It is a fun, healthy alternative/salad that can be shared at this time of year.

Here is the recipe for Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Black Beans
* I didn't puree the dressing, I just added the jalapenos, lime juice and other ingredients
the the roasted veggies & beans
* I used less olive oil than called for, both when roasted the sweet potatoes and when dressing the salad

Here is the recipe for Cranberry Whole Wheat Buttermilk Biscuits
* I used low-fat buttermilk
* I only added frozen cranberries to half of my biscuits

Dorie's Sugar Topped Molasses Cookies

2011-12-09T08:01:00.001-05:00

These cookies are a family favorite that make the holiday treat rotation every single year. The dough is easy to mix together, can be made ahead of time, and they are just the perfect spicy/molasses cookie- crunchy on the outside and chewy in the middle. I made them again this year for a Christmas party and they were a hit. If you want an even chewier cookie, you can skip the step that flattens the cookies with a glass dipped in sugar. Merry Baking!

Sugar-Topped Molasses Spice Cookies
by Dorie Greenspan

2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
a pinch cracked or coarsely ground black pepper
3/4 cup (12 Tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses (not blackstrap)
1 large egg
1/2 cup sugar, for rolling

Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, allspice and pepper. Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add the brown sugar and molasses and beat for 2 minutes or so to blend, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the egg and beat for 1 minute more. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing until the flour and spices disappear. If some flour remains in the bottom of the bowl, to avoid over-beating the dough, mix in the last of the dry ingredients by hand with a rubber spatula. You'll have a smooth, very soft dough.

Divide the dough in half and wrap each piece in plastic wrap. Freeze for 30 minutes, or refrigerate for at least 1 hour. (The dough can be kept refrigerated for up to 4 days.)
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats. Put the sugar in a small bowl.

Working with one packet of dough at a time, divide it into 12 pieces, and roll each piece into a smooth ball between your palms. One by one, roll the balls around in the bowl of sugar , then place them on one of the baking sheets. Dip the bottom of a glass into the sugar and use it to press down on the cookies until they are between 1/4 and 1/2 inch thick. Bake the cookies one sheet at a time for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the tops feel set to the touch. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and, if the cookies have spread and are touching, use the edge of a metal spatula to separate them while they are still hot.

Transfer the cookies to a rack to cool to room temperature. Repeat with the second batch of dough.
Yield: about 24 fairly large cookies

Storage: The cookies will keep for at least 1 week in the cookie jar. Wrapped airtight, they can be frozen for up to 2 months.

Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club- Honey Glazed Almonds

2011-12-07T08:28:00.002-05:00

This month's Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club theme was Holiday Hors d'oeuvres, chosen by Sandi.
You can see the full menu by visiting Val's blog here.

I decided to make Honey Glazed Almonds. This recipe is very easy and takes about 10 minutes to throw together. You toast the almonds in a skillet for a few minutes on the stovetop and then mix together the honey & spices. That mixture is warmed in the microwave and then added to the almonds. You just stir and cook for 2 more minutes and then spread the nuts on a piece of parchment to let them set up for 10 minutes. They couldn't be easier!

I didn't have chipotle chili powder, just plain chili powder and I was wishing these nuts had a little bit more spice. Next time I will double the spice. These nuts are slightly sweet and crunchy and they make the perfect finger food. They would make a great addition to any holiday party or table, and would also be great as a gift or snack. Very versatile.

Here is the recipe for Honey Glazed Almonds
* I would add more of the spices to kick up the flavor next time

Hazelnut Blondies

2011-12-05T08:03:00.000-05:00

It's that time of year when everyone starts making cookies, candies, and other treats to share with their families and friends. Fun, fun, fun. The hard part is deciding which treats to make!

When my sister was here visiting about 2 months ago, we made these blondies together. I decided to save them until the holidays because I thought they would be a great addition to any party, plate, or whatever else you all might have going on this month. These are a very basic blondie with hazelnuts adding some extra texture and flavor and they are topped with Nutella.
My sister ending up taking them back with her and sharing them with her co-workers and everyone really enjoyed them.

Here is the recipe for Hazelnut Blondies

Fresh Cranberry Salsa with Cilantro, Lime and Jalapeno

2011-11-29T17:39:00.005-05:00

I wasn't planning on posting about any of the things I made for Thanksgiving, but everytime I eat some of this Cranberry Salsa that was leftover, I think about how good it is and how I should really share it. The picture is from a few days after I made it, so you can't see the intense green of the cilantro and jalapeno, but the flavor is still there. This salsa was so delicious on turkey and I have been eating it on almost anything since then. It is good with pita chips, on crackers with cheese, with fresh cut-up veggies, on salad greens, sandwiches, etc. It is so good. It has a nice spicy bite, thanks to the jalapenos, but it isn't too strong. Just the way I like it. Plus, right now there are still lots of fresh cranberries available and this would be a great dish to share at any holiday dinner, get-together, or for an ordinary day.

Here is the recipe for Fresh Cranberry Salsa with Cilantro, Lime and Jalapeno
* I used about 2 Tbls less sugar than the recipe called for, but used white granulated sugar and not a sugar substitute

Sweet Potato Casserole Cookie Bars

2011-11-21T11:28:00.001-05:00

I still had some sweet potato puree left in my fridge and decided to try out these beautiful cookie bars I saw on Pinterest. Mine are not quite as delicately cut, but here they are none the less. This is a basic cookie batter and then sweet potato puree is folded in at the end. I only made 1/2 of the recipe and it still made quite a bit. My daughter declared that they are delicious and the rest are headed to work with my husband. These would be a great addition to any Thanksgiving dinner or fall outing.

Have a great Thanksgiving! I hope you get to share it with your family and friends!

Here is the recipe for Sweet Potato Casserole Cookie Bars
* I omitted the ancho chili powder
* I substituted 1 tsp of pumpkin pie spice for the canela
* I made 1/2 recipe

Sweet Potato Biscuits

2011-11-17T17:25:00.002-05:00

I've made Sweet Potato Biscuits before and they were good, but I never had much luck getting them to rise very high. I made a version of this soup (with adaptations) last night and had a bunch of sweet potato puree thawing in the fridge, so I decided to try a new recipe. I used reduced fat buttermilk instead of skim milk, because I like the way buttermilk works in baked goods, especially biscuits. I wasn't sure what to expect, but these biscuits were light, fluffy and very delicious. I thought about adding some spices, like cinnamon or nutmeg, but since we were enjoying them with soup, I left them alone.

Sweet Potato Biscuits

adapted from Cooking Light

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup chilled butter
1 cup mashed cooked sweet potato
1/2 cup reduced fat buttermilk
2 tablespoons honey

Preheat oven to 400°.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt in a bowl; cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add sweet potato, milk, and honey; stir just until moist.

Turn dough out onto a heavily floured surface; knead lightly 5 times. Pat dough into a 9-inch square; cut into 16 squares. Place biscuits on a baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until golden.

Baked Pumpkin Spice Donut Holes and Perfect Pumpkin Cookies

2011-11-16T14:48:00.000-05:00

Once again, I present horrible photos! Sorry about that. I kinda forgot about the time change and how it gets dark early and etc., etc. But, I wanted to share these 2 quick, easy and delicious pumpkin treats with you that we made this past Sunday for a family dinner.

I wanted to make a soft pumpkin chocolate chip cookie and decided to give this recipe a try. I thought they turned out really great. My kids loved them too.

I had 3/4 cup pumpkin puree left and didn't really feel like letting it sit in my fridge, so I quickly found another recipe that used exactly that much pumpkin. They aren't technically donuts, but a mini muffin that kind of tastes like a donut. They are dipped in melted butter and then coated in cinnamon-sugar. Similar to the ones I made last year, but the ingredient list is a little different.

Here is the recipe for Baked Pumpkin Spice Donut Holes
*I only dipped the tops into melted butter instead of the whole thing

Here is the recipe for Perfect Pumpkin Cookies
* I made 42 cookies

Self-Frosting Pumpkin Nutella Muffins and Chocolate Pumpkin Peanut Butter

2011-11-11T12:03:00.002-05:00

There is a small problem with opening a huge can of pumpkin puree- You must make more and more yummy pumpkin treats! Of course, I am joking, but I found myself with some leftover pumpkin puree after I made parfaits and donuts and decided to make these muffins. I sent them to work with my husband and didn't even get to try a crumb. I had made this banana version a couple of weeks earlier and thought the pumpkin ones would be perfect for fall.

I had just 1/3 cup of pumpkin puree left, so I made this Chocolate Pumpkin Peanut Butter that I saw on Pinterest. Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture of it because it disappeared too quickly. But, I guess that could be a good thing since it just shows how delicious it was! Very good on whole wheat toast.

Here is the recipe for Self-Frosting Pumpkin Nutella Muffins

Here is the recipe for Chocolate Pumpkin Peanut Butter
* I didn't have dark chocolate peanut butter, so I just followed her other instructions and
added a little bit of honey, to sweeten it, to taste

Curried Lentils and Butternut Squash with Kale

2011-11-10T09:04:00.002-05:00

I recently went through the 3-ring binders I have been collecting for 8 or 9 years, that are full of recipes. I would go through magazines and tear out recipes I wanted to try or recipes that I printed off the internet. I won't mention how many of these binders I have collected over the years, but needless to say, when I saw them all together, I was more than embarrassed!

I decided to take a few recipes that I had forgotten about and try them. I found this in Parents magazine and it was supposed to be a side dish for Thanksgiving. The link below has the original recipe, which I didn't really follow. The butternut squash was supposed to be cooked along with the lentils, but I like it better roasted in the oven. And I had some kale that needed to be used, so I sauteed that and made it a bed for the lentils and butternut squash!

Here is the inspiration for this recipe, but I did my own thing

Pumpkin Pie Quinoa Parfaits and Baked Pumpkin Donuts

2011-11-08T20:21:00.001-05:00

I finally got into my first can of pumpkin for the season and also used my donut pan for the first time. I had some cooked quinoa in the fridge and saw this fun idea for a Pumpkin Pie Quinoa Parfait. I've tried other recipes that use quinoa in a non-savory breakfast way and this was a great one. Very original and a great way to change up the humdrum of your normal breakfast, snack or dessert.

I also saw this recipe for Baked Pumpkin Donuts that uses melted ice cream in the batter. I had just the perfect amount of leftover vanilla ice cream in my freezer from a recent birthday and whipped these up just in time for my husband to take them to work with him in the morning. I didn't get to try one, but my kids really enjoyed the mini donuts!

Here is the recipe for Pumpkin Pie Quinoa Parfaits
* I used plain nonfat greek yogurt and added a little bit of pure maple syrup
* I used less graham crackers crumbs than called for
* I topped it off with some crumbled pecan nut clusters

Here is the recipe for Baked Pumpkin Ice Cream Glazed Donuts

Baked Quinoa Patties

2011-11-04T12:54:00.000-04:00

I saw this recipe for Baked Quinoa Patties on 101 Cookbooks and wrote it into my meal plan as soon as possible. Our family loves quinoa and this was a fun way to eat it. These patties have kale in them and some herbs which give the nice flecks of green. I love that these are baked in the oven and they still get nice and crispy.

I roasted some broccolini, asparagus, and green beans in the oven also and we had a delicious dinner.

Here is the recipe for Baked Quinoa Patties

Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club- Warm White Beans with Roasted Fennel

2011-11-02T07:35:00.001-04:00

For this month's Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club, Roz chose the theme of Late Autumn Harvest. Check out Val's post here to see the rest of the menu.

I decided to make Warm White Beans with Roasted Fennel, a reader recipe that came from the
October issue of Cooking Light. I have really grown to love fennel and it is delicious when roasted in the oven. This recipe mixes roasted fennel with warm beans and wilted spinach. It is a very quick recipe to make and it is absolutely delicious. My kids loved it, especially the beans.
Check out the rest of the menu and enjoy the Autumn Harvest!

Here is the recipe for Warm White Beans with Roasted Fennel
* I added the ground red pepper to the adult portion after I had served my kids

Salmon with Red Pepper Pesto

2011-10-28T13:57:00.000-04:00

If you need a quick dinner idea for this busy weekend or any busy weekend, this is a great one. It has just a few steps and tastes fabulous. My kids absolutely loved it. I found a great deal on some wild caught fresh salmon and had some roasted red peppers in my fridge, so this dinner was a no-brainer. The salmon cooks up in no time and while it cooks, the sauce is blended quickly in the food processor. Fast and easy, but also delicious.

Have a great weekend!

Here is the recipe for Salmon Red Pepper Pesto

Crustless Sweet Potato Pie with Hazelnut Streusel

2011-10-26T10:10:00.000-04:00

When my sister was visiting, we also made this Sweet Potato Pie with Hazelnut Streusel. I haven't ever made sweet potato pie before, but I figured this was a good recipe to start out with. My sister isn't a fan of pie crust and we were looking to save time, so we made it without the crust.
It was easy and delicious. The streusel gave a nice crunch to the whole thing and we didn't miss the crust at all.

Here is the recipe for Sweet Potato Pie with Hazelnut Streusel
* I added some oats to the streusel

Sweet Potato Graham Muffins

2011-10-24T06:50:00.001-04:00

Like I mentioned before, when my sister was here for a quick visit, we had huge sweet potatoes that we needed to use, so it was basically sweet potato weekend. I had seen this muffin recipe from Whole Foods and thought it looked great. My sister was excited about it too, so on Sunday morning before church, we whipped them up. I made a few changes, mostly because I've discovered that with muffins, you can exchange most of the butter/oil for low-fat or nonfat buttermilk and still get a nice, moist, delicious muffin. I like muffins that are healthy tasting and not too sweet and that's exactly what these muffins were. Now, if you care about the taste of your graham crackers, I would use a brand that you think tastes great, as they are crushed up in the batter and also on top. This is no time for a cheap store brand (unless they taste amazing).

Here is the original recipe for Sweet Potato Graham Muffins
* I used 1 1/2 Tbls canola oil instead of the butter
* I used 1 cup nonfat buttermilk instead of the yogurt
* I added 1 tsp ground cinnamon to the dry ingredients
* I added 1 tsp vanilla extract to the wet ingredients

Sweet Potato-Peanut Bisque

2011-10-21T07:55:00.000-04:00

My sister came to visit for a quick weekend trip and I told her to find some recipes that use sweet potatoes, because I had a couple of extra large ones that really needed to be dealt with. She emailed me the recipe for this soup and I thought it sounded pretty interesting. When she was here, we decided to make this for lunch on a rainy day.

This soup is pretty easy to make, but as I was throwing it together, I was getting a little worried about the final product. V8, green chiles, sweet potatoes and peanut butter?? I was a tad bit hesitant to try it, but once I did, I realized that it was fabulous. It was spicy, creamy, and had great flavor from the sweet potatoes. As I was eating this, I realized that I no longer despise sweet potatoes. In fact, I can honestly now say that I like them. Thank you Sweet Potato-Peanut Bisque!

Here is the recipe for Sweet Potato-Peanut Bisque
I added chopped peanuts as a garnish

Spinach (Swiss Chard), Pasta, and Pea Soup

2011-10-20T08:16:00.000-04:00

Besides eggplant, I've still got swiss chard growing in my garden out back. It just keeps growing back and I am happy about that. I love being able to go out and cut my swiss chard when I need some for a recipe.

I found this soup in a recent issue of Cooking Light and since it was a "superfast" meal, I knew it would be perfect to make on a night when my son has Cub Scouts. I added some green pepper (also from the garden) and used swiss chard instead of spinach. Quick and Easy!

Here is the recipe for Spinach, Pasta, and Pea Soup

Butternut Squash and Hazelnut Lasagne

2011-10-19T10:35:00.000-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, a friend asked me if I wanted to get together and make this lasagne with her. I thought that cooking together sounded like a blast, so I quickly agreed to come over later that week with all my supplies to put this lasagne together. I usually avoid recipes that have tons of cheese and milk, since we have some lactose intolerance issues with certain members of my family, but not this time. My friend had tried this recipe before and loved it. She said that lots of the comments on epicurious said it took forever to put together, but we didn't think it was so bad. I prepped my squash, herbs, nuts, cheese, etc., before I went to her house, so we just cooked the squash, made the sauce and then assembled the lasagne.

It was so nice to have this made and waiting in the fridge, so that when dinner time rolled around, all I had to do was put it in the oven. This made a ton of lasagne! I know the recipe said that it serves 6, but in order for that to happen, someone would have to eat a ton of this. We did even eat half of it that night. The butternut squash, sage and hazelnuts go perfectly with the cheese and sauce. All we had on the side was a huge salad of mixed baby greens and it was a filling meal. I ended up freezing the leftovers, so we could enjoy them later.

Here is the recipe for Butternut Squash and Hazelnut Lasagne

Red Lentils, Eggplant and Chickpeas

2011-10-18T11:08:00.001-04:00

My eggplant plant is still producing quite a few eggplants. A few weeks ago, I harvested 12 or so in one week and the next week I had about 10. That is a lot of eggplant. Even for someone who really likes it! I had to share some of it with friends, but I used most of it.

This recipe is something similar to what we eat on a regular basis. More often than not, I take a a look at what veggies I have on hand and pick a protein/whole grain to compliment it and then I make up something for dinner. I did kinda use a recipe as a base for this, but, like usual, I didn't really follow it. The result was delicious and very comforting.

Here is the recipe which I use mostly used as an idea to go from, I didn't really follow it
* I didn't use barley- I added bulger when I added the lentils
* I added chopped green peppers with the onion
* I added chopped kale
* I added curry powder
* I added more tomato paste
* I didn't puree it or cook it as long

Root Beer Ice Cream

2011-10-17T08:50:00.001-04:00

For some reason, the last time I had leftover cream and egg yolks, I just couldn't think of an ice cream flavor to make. I have made so many different kinds that my mind just went blank. I decided to ask my family for suggestions and my son immediately said "Root Beer Ice CREAM!". So, the search began for a recipe. I found one pretty quickly and had to go to a couple of stores to find Root Beer Extract/Concentrate, but once I did, we were in business.

I thought the finished product tasted like a Root Beer Float and my family absolutely loved it.

Here is the recipe for Root Beer Ice Cream

Turkey and Pinto Bean Chili (kinda)

2011-10-14T09:15:00.001-04:00

It's that time of year again- Chili season! For some reason, once the weather turns a little bit cooler, it just feels like time to make chili. I'm pretty sure that I'm not the only one who feels that way.
I usually make a vegetable-heavy chili, sometimes with ground turkey and sometimes meatless with a few different kinds of beans. I saw this recipe in Everyday Food Magazine and it looked really delicious. I wasn't planning on adding anything extra, but I had some sweet potatoes in the fridge that needed to be used and well, an extra can of beans never really hurt anybody, right?

This was delicious!

Emeril's Turkey and Pinto Bean Chili
from Everyday Food
makes 6-8 servings

4 slices thick-cut bacon, diced
2 medium onions, diced
1 large red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and diced
1.25-1.5 pounds ground turkey
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 teaspoons dried oregano
coarse salt and ground pepper
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cans (15.5 ounces each) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream (optional)
* I added 1 1/2 cups chopped sweet potato with the ground turkey and 1 can drained & rinsed black beans with the pinto beans + a little extra water :D

In a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot, cook bacon over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until bacon is crisp, about 8 minutes. Add onions and bell pepper and cook until vegetable soften, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Add ground turkey, chili powder, cumin, garlic, oregano, and cook about 6-8 minutes, until lightly browned and cooked through. Continually break meat up with wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper.

Add tomatoes with juice, beans, and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil then reduce to a rapid simmer. Partially cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens. (This could take anywhere from 20-45 minutes, or more.)

Serve topped with cilantro and shredded cheese and/or sour cream, if desired.

Whole Wheat Dinner Muffins

2011-10-13T09:04:00.000-04:00

I don't usually serve bread with dinner, but when I saw these muffins I thought they would be a great way to liven up a week night meal. I decided to make them on a night when we were having soup and they were a great addition to enjoy on the side. My kids decided that they liked these better with some jam spread on them and I thought they were really good with or without anything on them.
I made a 1/2 recipe and got 8 muffins. They are fairly easy to mix together and bake up quickly. You do whip the egg whites and fold them into the rest of the batter, but that gives these muffins a really light, airy texture.

Here is the recipe for Whole Wheat Dinner Muffins
* I used non-fat buttermilk
* I used olive oil instead of butter
* I used non-fat greek yogurt instead of sour cream

Curried Split Pea Soup

2011-10-12T07:45:00.000-04:00

I made this Split Pea Hummus a couple of months ago and it really changed the way I felt about split peas. I had another bag in the pantry and decided to try some sort of soup. I found this recipe by Alton Brown and decided it would be a great way to try split pea soup. It is very simple, with only a few ingredients and very delicious. The split peas turn out tasting like lentils, which is a really good thing in my opinion. I'm always very happy when I find out that a food I thought I didn't like is actually delicious.

Here is the recipe for Curried Split Pea Soup from Alton Brown
* I used olive oil instead of butter

Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Roll Cookies

2011-10-07T07:45:00.000-04:00

I've made Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls in the past and also tried Cinnamon Bun Cookies, so when I saw a recipe that combined those 2 ideas, I had to give it a try. I made a few changes to the recipe that I found and made these very delicious, unique cookies.

The dough is mixed together like a typical cookie dough, but it is rolled out like you would cinnamon rolls. A cinnamon-sugar mixture is sprinkled over the dough and then it is rolled up and chilled. I actually made the dough on a Tuesday afternoon and didn't have time to slice and bake the cookies until Friday morning. I had rolled the dough out on parchment paper, so once I had it filled with the cinnamon sugar and rolled up- I wrapped it in the parchment and kept it in the fridge for a couple of days.

The amazing part about these cookies is that they actually taste like a cinnamon roll and have the texture of both a cookie and a cinnamon roll. I was really quite surprised when I bit into one and it had such an amazing, interesting texture. I was able to share these cookies with quite a few people and many others had the same reaction and look of surprise when they bit into these cookies. These cookies are the perfect fall treat and a wonderful cookie to share with friends!

Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Roll Cookies adapted from this post
who adapted from Dine and Dish

Yield: 3 dozen

Filling:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1Tbls ground cinnamon

Dough:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups all- purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4-1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
dash of ground cloves

For the glaze:
2 Tbls butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1-3 Tbls hot water

Cream together butter and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl, until light and fluffy. Add egg, pumpkin, and vanilla and beat until well incorporated. While this is beating, combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk together. Add dry ingredients to the butter mixture in several additions and mix until everything is combined.

In a small bowl, stir together the filling (sugar and cinnamon) until well mixed. Turn out dough onto parchment paper and spread or roll out into a large rectangle. Sprinkle the filling mixture over the dough, leaving about an inch around the edge. Roll up the dough jelly-roll style, using the parchment paper to help. If the dough starts to break as you're rolling, don't worry, just pinch it back together. Wrap and refrigerate for a few hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove dough from refrigerator, unwrap from plastic and cut into 1/4" thick slices. Place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet or baking stone, 1-2" apart. Bake in preheated oven 9-11 min, until just beginning to brown around the edges or until just set. Cool a few minutes on the cookie sheet and then transfer to a wire rack.

Once cookies have cooled, make the glaze by using an electric mixer to mix the butter, powdered sugar and vanilla. Add hot water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the glaze has reached desired consistency.

Place glaze in a ziploc bag, cut a small hole in the corner, and pipe glaze onto cookies, following the swirl of the cookie. Allow to set.

Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club- Sweet Potato and Black Bean Empanadas

2011-10-05T06:18:00.001-04:00

This month's Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club theme was chosen by Jerry. He wanted us to have a menu full of spooky foods, that were either orange or black.

He started us off with 'Dracula's Revenge' (Baked Penne with Sausage and Garlic),

Sandi added Devilish Eggs,

Jamie picked Devilishly Devine Peanut Butter Caramel Corn,

I went with Sweet Potato and Black Bean Empanadas,

Val chose Roasted Squash (Pumpkin) Soup with Turkey Croquettes (Ghosts),

and Roz finished the meal with Chocolate Spiderweb Cookies.

I first noticed these empanadas last year and eagerly tore the page from my issue of Cooking Light. I haven't ever really been a big fan of sweet potatoes, but this savory take really made me think that it could be the turning point. Somehow, I never made them, but when the orange and black food theme came around this month, I knew they would be perfect. Orange because of the sweet potatoes and the black beans for the black part. I figured my kids would be scared to eat them, so that could count for the spooky part.

The dough for the empanadas is really easy to mix together, but it does need to chill for an hour, so make sure to add that time to your prep. The filling is fairly easy to make, if you already have your sweet potato cooked, mashed and/or pureed. I had pureed a bunch of sweet potatoes that I baked in the oven a few weeks ago and frozen the puree in little ziploc bags, so all I had to do was defrost it and I was ready to go. I made a change to the filling, just because I wanted my kids to be able to handle the heat factor- I reduced the amount of chili powder by about half.

The dough was really easy to roll out and I decided to use a fork to seal my empanadas instead of using an egg white. When I tasted one of these, I was really surprised by how good they were. The combination of spices, cilantro, black beans, etc. really took away the sweetness that usually bothers me with sweet potatoes and added a nice spice/warmth. I really, really liked these. One of my daughters also surprised me by absolutely loving them. She liked them so much that she asked me to pack a couple for her lunch the next day. My other 2 children were not big fans, but they ate them anyway. I thought they were good warm or cold. I had a few leftover and ate one cold the next day for lunch. It was fabulous. So, I am happy to report that this recipe has really changed my outlook on sweet potatoes. I hope you check out the rest of our fabulously spooky menu!

Fudge Brownies- using sweet potato puree

2011-10-03T08:13:00.000-04:00

I can't remember how I found this recipe for brownies, but I was excited because I had lots of sweet potatoes and didn't know exactly what I was going to do with them. My son loooves brownies more than anything and I thought this would be a good way to make a slightly healthier brownie for my kids to enjoy. I cooked a bunch of sweet potatoes in the oven and then pureed them in my food processor. I made these brownies and the Sweet Potato Hummus on the same day, so at least I made my kids eat veggies and hummus before we moved onto the sweets. :D

I had some leftover peanut butter frosting from this Peanut Butter Cake in the fridge and for some reason, I just can't let a little leftover frosting go to waste. Does anyone else have this problem? The frosting I slathered on top probably killed the whole healthy idea, but sometimes, a brownie just needs a little frosting.

My kids didn't know that these had sweet potato puree in them and thought they were great. I am not a brownie fanatic, so I didn't mind that these brownies taste and texture was a little bit different than a normal one. They were still very good and quite fudgy.

Here is the recipe for Fudge Brownies
* I reduced the sugar by about 1/4 cup

Lentil and Sweet Potato Stew

2011-09-30T08:11:00.000-04:00

I mentioned a couple of days ago that sweet potatoes are not my favorite thing to eat. Well, this stew almost changed that for me. This stew was spectacular. It really is a simple recipe, but the lentils and veggies just really taste so good together. My 4 year old was really excited to eat this and gave 2 thumbs up for this one. It fits this time of year and tastes great re-warmed the next day.

Here is the recipe for Lentil and Sweet Potato Stew

S'mores Whoopie Pies

2011-09-29T08:15:00.000-04:00

About a month ago, I was making some desserts for a luncheon and decided it would be the perfect time to make these S'mores Whoopie Pies that I had spotted a few months ago. I always hesitate to make dessert recipes that yield so much unless I am sure that I have a way to share them.
I was excited about this particular recipe because it uses graham flavor in the cookie/cake part of the s'more, which I think adds a really nice flavor. These are a little bit labor intensive, because there are 3 different components- the graham cake/cookie, the marshmallow frosting, and the chocolate ganache filling- but, they were worth every minute. I made these late at night and that is why there is such a horrible light in the picture. I saved one for the kids to try after they got home from school and we cut it into 5 pieces so everyone could taste it. The consensus was that these were very delicious! The tray returned from the luncheon empty, so I am assuming that the people who ate them felt the same way. A really fun take on S'mores!

Here is the recipe for S'mores Whoopie Pies

Creamy Cauliflower Mac

2011-09-28T08:47:00.000-04:00

Macaroni and cheese doesn't ever happen at our house. Mostly because my son doesn't like cheese and it's kind of hard to hide the cheese in mac n' cheese. Plus, I don't think I ever ate it growing up, so it really isn't something that I think about very often.

I came across this recipe and remembered seeing things like this before, where cauliflower puree is used in the sauce and replaces almost all of the milk/cream/cheese, or whatever people usually use in their mac n' cheese. I had 2 heads of cauliflower in my fridge and decided I would try this one out. I used whole wheat shells for the pasta because I couldn't find whole wheat elbows. You cook the cauliflower in boiling water and then the pasta. The cauliflower is pureed with a little bit of cheese and some other ingredients that add flavor, like dijon mustard. I added more cheese than called for because I tasted the sauce and it was a little bland, so I added more cheese and tasted it again.

My family liked this recipe. My daughter whose favorite food is cheese, absolutely loved it. I thought it was really good and a nice way to use cauliflower.

Here is the recipe for Creamy Cauliflower Mac from Mark Bittman
* I used whole wheat pasta
* I added about 1/3 cup more cheese than called for because I pureed the sauce and tasted it and decided I wanted it to have a little bit more cheese flavor
* I would add less Dijon mustard next time

Sweet Potato Hummus

2011-09-27T10:41:00.000-04:00

I have been looking for new ways to enjoy sweet potatoes since we have received so many in our produce co-op. Sweet potatoes aren't something that I really love, so I was looking for creative ways to eat them, that didn't included making them sweeter (like some dishes do around the holidays with marshmallows and brown sugar). I found a couple of really great recipes and this was one of the first ones I wanted to try out.

I love hummus and have made many variations
of it over the years. I wasn't sure how adding sweet potatoes to chickpeas and tahini would taste, but it turned out that this Sweet Potato Hummus was really delicious. It did have a sweeter aftertaste than usual hummus, but it was a really nice variation that we enjoyed. I made some whole wheat pita chips in the oven and we also used fresh veggies as dippers.

Here is the recipe for Sweet Potato Hummus
* I roasted and pureed 3 large sweet potatoes on the day I made this hummus, before I read the instructions, so I just used an estimated amount of that puree when mixing up the hummus

Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookie Bread

2011-09-26T08:52:00.001-04:00

When I saw this Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookie Bread recently, I thought it would make a great after school snack. I decided to make mini loaves because they bake up a little bit faster and also because then everyone can have their own little loaf- no fighting over the end pieces or the one with the most chocolate.

My kids absolutely loved these. I would say that it tastes more like a muffin than a cookie, but it really didn't matter. I liked this bread because it wasn't overly sweet and it felt like a healthier option than a cookie.

My son declared that this was the best snack ever. That means it will reappear sometime in the near future.

Here is the recipe for Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookie Bread
* I used low-fat buttermilk because that is what I keep in my fridge
* I forgot the sugar sprinkle on top

I also made these from the same blog, on a Sunday afternoon when we all wanted a treat and have no photo as proof because we gobbled them up quickly.

Hearty Vegetable Stew

2011-09-23T08:30:00.000-04:00

It has cooled down a little bit around here the past week or so, and that means it is okay for me to make soup and/or stew more often. My husband doesn't really enjoy either of these, but he really doesn't like them in the heat of summer. Now that it is September, it is officially soup/stew season. Even though it will probably warm back up soon. (Fine with me!) The calendar says September and Fall, so soup and stews are on the menu.

As soon as I saw this stew in Everyday Food Magazine, I knew I would make it. It is easy. It is quick. And it is full of veggies. I loved this even though it was so simple. It had great flavor and my family really liked it too.

Hearty Vegetable Stew
Everyday Food Magazine September 2011

2 Tablespoons olive oil
3 carrots, thinly sliced
3 celery stalks, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, diced medium
salt and pepper
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
2 14 oz cans diced tomatoes
1 bunch kale, stems removed, leaves chopped
1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 sprigs thyme

In a large, heavy pot, heat oil over medium. Add carrots, celery and onion; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until carrots soften, about 5 minutes.

Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, kale, beans, thyme and 2 cups water; bring to a boil. Reduce to a rapid simmer and cook until slightly reduced, 15 minutes.

Summer Squash and Corn Chowder

2011-09-22T08:34:00.001-04:00

I wanted to do something different with the last batch of summer corn that we had a couple of weeks ago and I remembered this chowder recipe from Cooking Light Magazine. I decided to give it a try, even thought I don't really like creamy based soups or chowders- I prefer broth based soups/stews. But, I'm always up for giving things, especially foods, another chance.

I really felt like potatoes might have been a better building block for this chowder, rather than summer squash, because there really wasn't anything to give this chowder a hearty bite. Chowder seems like it should have a hearty component. (Maybe I am wrong?)
We ate this, but it definitely wasn't a favorite. I share it simply because I know that not everyone has the same taste buds as we do, so maybe somebody out there will give it a try and love it. It has lots of really good reviews, so there are lots of people out there who liked it more than we did.

Here is the recipe for Summer Squash and Corn Chowder
* I used cubed pancetta instead of bacon, but I think this was a mistake- I think it changed the way the flavors would have melded together

BLT (Bacon, Lemon & Tomato) Quinoa Salad and Lemon-Cornmeal Cookies

2011-09-21T08:05:00.001-04:00

This recipe popped up on facebook the other day and I figured it would be a good meal for dinner on a Monday night. I happened to have everything on hand that I needed for the recipe and that made it a lot less stressful to get dinner on the table.

My dad loves a good BLT sandwich and he grows tomatoes in his garden, so BLT's were always a lunch staple of his in the summer. I personally didn't really like bacon or mayo (I still don't) back then, so I always just watched my dad put these sandwiches together and remember hearing about how good they were.

This salad is really good and the interesting thing is that it really tastes like a BLT. Somehow, the combination of the ingredients, makes you feel like you are eating a sandwich. I know that is crazy, but it's true. In this salad, the lettuce has been switched out to lemon, which adds a brightness to the salad, in color and flavor. I added black beans for fun and roasted some broccoli in the oven to round out our dinner.

That same night we still had lots of lemons and the kids wanted me to make a quick cookie. I found this one on myrecipes and decided it would be easy to throw them together at the last minute. My kids really liked these. They reminded us of these Cornmeal Lime Cookies in taste and texture.

Here is the recipe for BLT Quinoa Salad
* I cooked my quinoa in chicken broth to add more flavor
* I added drained, rinsed black beans
* I tossed my salad with a little bit of olive oil, along with the lemon juice and vinegar

Here is the recipe for Lemon-Cornmeal Cookies
* I added the juice of 1 lemon to the cookie dough, after mixing in the flour mixture

Lemon Chicken Soup & Pea Pesto Crostini

2011-09-20T08:46:00.001-04:00

Every once in a while I will watch a cooking show and one of my children with beg me to make the dishes that are being showcased. Or, one of them will say, "I bet you can't make that!"

I don't remember if this meal fell into either of those categories, but I do remember seeing this meal being made and really wanting to try the cake that went along with it. I didn't end up making the cake (mostly because we don't eat dessert every day, so I don't let myself bake everyday), but the rest of the meal came together quickly. I used some chicken that I had poached myself a few days earlier and also used celery and peas, since I was out of carrots. I used whole wheat thin spaghetti for the noodles and my kids really liked this dinner. Nothing too spectacular, but an easy, quick meal that was simple enough to prepare using things that I had on hand.

Here is the recipe for Lemon Chicken Soup with Spaghetti
* I kinda did my own thing with this recipe just because it was so basic I didn't really feel like I needed directions
* I used celery and peas instead of carrots (simply because I ran out of carrots)
* I used poached chicken that I had cooked myself

Here is the recipe for Pea Pesto Crostini
* I used a little less olive oil than called for

Colorful Lentil Salad with Rainbow Chard

2011-09-19T08:36:00.000-04:00

The swiss chard in my garden is still doing really well and I wanted to make something really delicious with the bunch I picked recently. I wanted to use lentils and found a beautiful picture of a dish that combined the 2 ingredients I had been thinking about. I served this on the same night that we had the Panko Crusted Salmon. I think that salmon and lentils really compliment each other and these 2 dishes definitely made for a great dinner. We also had a fennel/celery salad.

If you can't find Pomegranate Molasses anywhere or it is too expensive, don't forget that you can make it yourself- Here is the post when I first made it a couple of years ago.

Here is the recipe for Colorful Lentil Salad
* I didn't use the sundried tomatoes
* I sauteed my swiss chard (stems included) with the onions and bell peppers, adding it after the onions and bell peppers had softened a bit
* I used less olive oil for the dressing and the sauteing
* I used a little bit of red wine vinegar instead of steeping liquid in the dressing

Panko Crusted Salmon

2011-09-16T07:21:00.002-04:00

My husband came home from work the other night with wild caught salmon from Alaska. He explained that one of his patients had gone on a fishing trip and decided to share the catch. He handed me a bag that contained vacuum packed servings of the beautiful salmon and I tried to keep from jumping up and down with excitement.
Salmon can get a little bit pricey sometimes, so I was more than grateful for this lovely gift.

I have been wanting to try this particular recipe for quite a while, but salmon has been too expensive. This recipe is so easy, but so delicious. A few ingredients really gave this salmon great flavor. You mix panko crumbs, lemon zest, fresh parsley, and a little salt and pepper and then brush the salmon with dijon mustard. The panko mixture is pressed onto the salmon and it is cooked for a few minutes in a little bit of hot oil. The salmon is than transferred to the oven where finishes cooking to perfection. My entire family loved this dish. It was soo good.

Panko Crusted Salmon from The Barefoot Contessa's How East Is That?
2/3 cup panko
2 tbsp. finely minced fresh parsley
1 tsp. lemon zest
½ tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. ground black pepper
3-4 tbsp. olive oil, divided
4 (6-8 oz.) salmon fillets, skin on
2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
Lemon wedges, for serving

Preheat the oven to 425˚ F. In a small bowl, combine the panko, parsley, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and toss with a fork until the crumbs are evenly coated; set aside.

Place the salmon fillets skin side down on a work surface. Generously brush the top of each fillet with the mustard and then season with salt and pepper. Press the panko mixture thickly on top of the mustard on each fillet to help the panko adhere.

Heat the remaining olive oil over medium-high heat in a 12-inch oven-safe skillet. When the oil is hot, add the salmon fillets, skin side down, and sear for 3-4 minutes without turning to brown the skin.

Transfer the pan to the preheated oven for 5-7 minutes, until the salmon is almost cooked through and the panko is browned. Remove from the oven, cover with foil and let rest 5-10 minutes. Serve warm with fresh lemon wedges.

Recipes from The Help Book Club Meeting

2011-09-14T06:50:00.001-04:00

I'm guessing that a large number of people out there have read The Help. And maybe you have also seen the movie. My sister bought me a copy of the book over a year ago and I read it from front to back in a little less than 6 hours. It was a great read and a very enjoyable book.

Our local Book Club recently discussed this book and I was hosting, so I was in charge of the refreshments. I am not a Southerner and I don't claim to know how to cook like one, but I chose recipes that were "traditional" Southern recipes and used them to help with our evening. I tried to choose food that had at least been mentioned in the book and most of these were also shown in the movie.

Chocolate Pie was an absolute must. I found a recipe from the author online and used that. It was one that her maid, Demetrie used to make for her. The recipe stated that you could use a graham cracker crust or a pie crust, so I made both. I used Dorie's recipe for the pie crust because it is the easiest and best one I have ever made. This filling reminded me of a mild chocolate pudding. I topped both of them with sweetened whipped cream.

These cheese crackers are originally from the Lee Brothers and I have made them before, but in a different shape.
A basic chicken salad that I served in little phyllo cups and also with crackers.
I made a caramel cake, but as you can see from the plate it is on, it was a messy experience, and I wasn't really sure if I was going to share these recipes or not, so I didn't get a great picture of it. Fun frosting. Very fun. (I have an alternate caramel frosting recipe linked up below if the original one scares you).

And of course, deviled eggs.

It was a great night!

Here is the recipe for Demetrie's Chocolate Pie

Here is the recipe for Chicken Salad with Grapes and Pecans
* I used nonfat Greek yogurt instead of sour cream
* I used fat free mayo

Here is the recipe f or Traditional Southern Deviled Eggs
*I used fat free mayo

Here is the recipe for Caramel Cake
and here is an optional quick Caramel Frosting

Here is the recipe for Cheese Crackers
* I used all white whole wheat flour

Dorie Greenspan's Good for Almost Anything pie crust

for a 9-inch single crust:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 T sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 sticks (10 T) very cold (frozen is fine) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-size pieces
2 1/2 T very cold (frozen is even better) vegetable shortening, cut into 2 pieces
About 1/4 cup ice water

Put the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor fitted with a metal blade; pulse just to combine the ingredients. Drop in the butter and shortening and pulse only until the butter and shortening care cut into the flour. Don’t overdo the mixing — what you’re aiming for is to have some pieces the size of fat green peas and others the size of barley. Pulsing the machine on and off, gradually add about 3 tablespoons of the water — add a little water and pulse once, add some more water, pulse again and keep going that way. then use a few long pulses to get the water into the flour. If, after a dozen or so pulses, the dough doesn’t look evenly moistened or form soft curds, pulse in as much of the remaining water as necessary, or even a few drops more, to get a dough that will stick together when pinched. Big pieces of butter are fine. Scrape the dough out of the work bowl and onto a work surface.

Shape the dough into a disk and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour before rolling. (If your ingredients were very cold and you worked quickly, though, you might be able to roll the dough immediately: the dough should be as cold as if it had just come out of the fridge.)

To roll out the dough: Have a buttered 9-inch pie plate at hand.
You can roll the dough out on a floured surface or between sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap or in a rolling slipcover. (I usually roll this dough out on the floured counter.) If you’re working on a counter, turn the dough over frequently and keep the counter floured. If you are rolling between paper, plastic or in a slipcover, make sure to turn the dough over often and to life the paper, plastic or cover frequently so that it doesn’t roll into the dough and form creases.

If you’ve got time, slide the rolled-out dough into the fridge for about 20 mins to rest and firm up.

Fit the dough into the pie plate and, using a pair of scissors, cut the excess dough to a 1/4- to 1/2-inch overhang. Fold the dough under itself, so that it hangs over the edge just a tad, and flute or pinch the crust to make a decorative edge. Alternatively, you can finish the crust by pressing it with the tines of a fork.

To partially or fully bake: Refrigerate the crust while you preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Better the shiny side of a piece of aluminum foil, fit the foil, buttered side down, tightly against the crust and fill with dried beans or rice or pie weights. Put the pie plate on a baking sheet and bake for 25 mins. Carefully remove the foil and weights and, if the crust has puffed, press it down gently with the back of a spoon. For a partially baked crust, return the pie plate to the oven and bake for about 8 minutes more, or until the crust is very lightly colored. To fully bake the crust, bake until golden brown, about another 10 minutes. Transfer the pie plate to a rack and cool to room temperature before filling.

S'mores Popcorn

2011-09-13T08:28:00.002-04:00

The other day, I thought that S'mores Popcorn sounded like a fun treat and of course, if I thought of it, that definitely means someone else out there has thought of it too. I googled the idea and found a recipe/idea that I wanted to try. I decided to pop my own popcorn on the stove (because that is what I do these days) and buy a box of Golden Grahams, so that we could try this yummy treat.

I decided to make ours kinda like Rice Krispy Treats, but with popcorn instead of rice krispies. I melted the marshmallows with a tiny bit of butter and then mixed in the popcorn and Golden Grahams. I spread that mixture out on a cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray and then spread melted chocolate on top. The result was a very interesting, chewy, chocolate-y, popcorn treat. Fun for kids and adults!

Here is the recipe for S'mores Popcorn
* I popped my own popcorn on the stove
*I melted my marshmallows with 2 Tbls of butter and then mixed in the golden grahams and popcorn

Grilled Baby Bok Choy

2011-09-12T08:32:00.001-04:00

I saw these cute little Baby Bok Choy's at Trader Joes a couple of weeks ago and remembered a fun recipe I had seen recently, so I bought these little guys immediately. I have an indoor grill that I can use anytime of year and that is what I used to grill these. They only take a few minutes on each side to become nice and tender and then you drizzle a delicious vinaigrette over top. My kids decided this was a dish that did not require silverware and happily ate these with their fingers. If you spot Baby Bok Choy at a local farmers market or grocery store, buy them and give this recipe a try!

Here is the recipe for Grilled Baby Bok Choy with Asian Sesame Vinaigrette from Aggie's Kitchen

Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club- Fig Swirl Coffee Cake

2011-09-08T11:33:00.001-04:00

I'm late! I'm late! Better late than never though, so I present to you the Fig Swirl Coffee Cake that I made for this month's Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club.
Jamie was our host this month and she chose the theme Breakfast for Dinner. We were able to choose any breakfast food from Cooking Light and here is what everyone came up with.

Jerry started us off with Fig and Nut Breakfast Cookies,
Roz added a wonderful Hash Brown Casserole with Bacon, Onions, and Cheese,
Sandi brought Grits Souffle,

Jamie made Ham and Swiss Egg Sandwiches, and

Val decided on Blueberry and Maple-Pecan Granola Parfaits.

I have had my eye on this Fig-Swirl Coffeecake for quite some time and decided that this was the perfect opportunity to make this beautiful creation. A yeast dough is filled with a fig/orange juice combination and then it is rolled up and cut and carefully placed in a beautiful shape. It is a delightful combination. Because it is a yeast dough, it does have to rest and rise a couple of times, so be sure to plan that time in if you want to serve this for breakfast.

Make sure you check out all the delicious recipes that were made for this Breakfast for Dinner!

Here is the recipe for Fig Swirl Coffee Cake

Giada's Pizza Pot Pie

2011-09-06T07:30:00.000-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, my kids helped me make a variation of these Mini Chicken Pot Pies.
I don't think they have ever really had chicken pot pie or any kind of pot pie that they could remember, so it got them interested in the whole idea of a pot pie.

When I was asking my family members for suggestions for the weekly menu, someone of course wanted pizza, so I found this recipe and thought it would be a fun twist. The sauce starts out with some pancetta and fresh rosemary and the filling contains cubes of mozzarella cheese, chicken, and broccoli. It was fun for us to eat these for dinner because everyone had their own individual little ramekin to enjoy. The one pictured above was the one that we made for Dad, so it was bigger than the others.

Here is the recipe for Pizza Pot Pies

Mini Cheeseburger Salad with Yellow Mustard Vinaigrette

2011-09-02T08:32:00.001-04:00

I first made this salad a few years ago and it was an absolute hit. I made it for my family, made it for potluck dinners, made it for company, and shared the recipe with friends. It takes everything that is delicious about a cheeseburger and makes it even more delicious.

You make little burgers, along with a delicious mustard vinaigrette and they are layered on a bed of romaine, cherry tomatoes (I still have some growing in my garden!), and sliced dill pickles. My whole family loves this one, even me.

Here is the recipe for Mini Cheeseburger Salad with Yellow Mustard Vinaigrette
* I used mild cheddar to top my mini cheeseburgers
* I used ground sirloin for the burgers

Carrot Soup with Animal Croutons

2011-08-31T07:43:00.000-04:00

My husband doesn't really enjoy soup, especially in the summer. I think soup is delicious anytime of year, but I try to stay away from it in the hot summer months. When school starts, for some reason I feel like it should start to cool down outside. But, here in Georgia, it doesn't really work out that way. It is still in the 90's during the day. It's wierd. For me, summer and school don't go together.

Besides all that- I saw this cute soup in a magazine I have had for years and decided it would be a fun one to try on a night when my husband wasn't home for dinner. Nothing too complicated at all going on here. My kids helped me make the croutons and were nibbling on them before we sat down to eat. They tasted really good in the soup. This was a yummy tasting soup with lots of flavor. My kids and I loved it. My husband didn't realize that he ate the leftovers because I turned them into pasta sauce. Nothing compares to making 2 dinners out of 1!

Carrot Soup with Animal Croutons adapted from Good Things for Kids from the editors of Martha Stewart Living Magazine

1 Tbls unsalted butter
1 medium leek (white and pale green parts), rinsed well and finely chopped
12 medium carrots (about 2 pounds) peeled and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
6 cups homemade or reduced-sodium chicken broth
ground nutmeg
1/2 loaf rustic bread, cut into 1/2-inch slices (about 5)
2 Tbls olive oil
salt and pepper
1/4 cup greek yogurt

1. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add leek; cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add carrots, broth, and a pinch of nutmeg; bring to a boil over medium high. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover, and simmer until carrots are tender, about 30 minutes. Let cool slightly.

2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cut out bread using small animal shaped cookie cutters; transfer to a baking sheet. Brush both sides of bread with oil. Bake, turning croutons, halfway through, until golden brown, about 9 minutes.

3. Working in batches, transfer carrot-broth mixture to a blender or food processor; puree until very smooth. Return to saucepan; season soup with salt and pepper. Serve in shallow bowls. Spoon greek yogurt over top; swirl into soup. Top with animal croutons.

Cinnamon Roll Muffins

2011-08-29T09:45:00.001-04:00

My daughter requested cinnamon rolls for breakfast on the first day of school. For some reason, when it comes to cinnamon rolls, I am always looking for some sort of shortcut. A few years ago, I found these cinnamon biscuits and they were fabulous. I still make them, but decided to find something new for this year.

I did some sort of search and found these cinnamon roll muffins. They were perfect! The process is easy. Mix up the dough, roll it out, spread the filling, roll it up, slice, bake and serve! I love that the dough uses buttermilk because I always have low-fat buttermilk in my fridge. These were such a fun way to start the first day of school and everyone loved them!

Here is the recipe for Cinnamon Roll Muffins
* I used low-fat buttermilk

Cap'n Crunch Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Marshmallow Frosting

2011-08-26T14:54:00.002-04:00

I saw these cupcakes and thought they would be so much fun to make for a gathering where there were going to be lots of little kids. What could be better than combining Cap'n Crunch cereal and PB? Not to mention some fluffy marshmallow stuff and then turning it all into a cute cupcakes.

I don't ever use cake mix nor do I have it on hand (mostly because I enjoy make cake from scratch), but for this one, I went ahead and used a mix because that is what the recipe called for. This was a winning combination and everyone really thought they tasted great. Definite crowd pleaser!

Here is the recipe for Cap'n Crunch Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Marshmallow Frosting

Ina Gartens Fresh Peach Cake

2011-08-24T00:10:00.001-04:00

Once again, I present a bad photo, but this cake was delish!
My friend and her 5 children spent the night with us and she had purchased some peaches from a fruit stand. We decided to make this cake for breakfast and it was really good. It is a basic coffeecake batter and I used buttermilk instead of sour cream. You layer the cake batter, sliced peaches and a cinnamon-sugar mixture and then bake the cake. The house smelled absolutely wonderful and we all enjoyed this summer-y breakfast!

Here is the recipe for Fresh Peach Cake
* I used low-fat buttermilk instead of sour cream

Cooking School- Steamed Eggplant and Mushrooms with Peanut Sauce

2011-08-23T09:07:00.001-04:00

Two months ago, I had zucchini and summer squash coming out of my ears and now it is happening with the eggplant! This photo is not very pretty- I apologize, but if you look at the picture with the recipe, it looks quite a bit more appetizing. I had to share this one, even if the photo wasn't the greatest, because I had some helpers putting it together and because this is the first time that my son has actually LIKED eating eggplant. I will repeat that, just in case you didn't have the chance to process it. My son ENJOYED eating eggplant the night we made this. He consumed it with no complaints, no fake fainting, no tears, no endless questions of why must we eat this- he just ate it. And then he even said that he liked it. I couldn't believe it. It must have been the peanut sauce or the mushrooms- I don't know exactly, but I was so happy.

So, if you have an eggplant hater in the house, this recipe might be the ticket to a happy night around the table. Oh, and I got so sidetracked about my son, that I forgot to mention that this dinner is also a good one for kids to help prepare because it is really simple and shows the technique of steaming veggies (I used my steamer basket) the the dressing is quick to measure and mix together.

Here is the recipe for Steamed Eggplant and Mushrooms with Peanut Sauce
* I served this with quinoa instead of brown rice, but I wish I would have used brown rice, so that there would have been something a little bit more chewy to contrast the veggies

Raspberry Cornmeal Crumble Bars

2011-08-22T08:17:00.002-04:00

I saw these and couldn't resist making them. Unfortunately for me, it was during my month of not eating sugar, so I didn't get to try one. But, I took them to share at a large get-together and there were no leftovers, so I figure they must have been delicious!

I am debating making them again, so I can actually try one, because they combine cornmeal and ground almonds in the crust, which sounds so yummy to me. I love these types of bar cookies that have real fruit baked into them. The perfect way to use summer fruit, in my opinion.

Here is the recipe for Raspberry Cornmeal Crumble Bars from EveryDay Food

Thai Summer Slaw

2011-08-19T09:05:00.002-04:00

This Thai Summer Slaw from Cooking Light is summer perfection. It combines napa cabbage, zucchini, yellow squash, cucumber, bell peppers, carrots, radishes, jalapeno, and green onions in a light, slightly spicy dressing. It is crunchy, flavorful and completely delicious.

I was planning on making this for a potluck dinner that we were going to attend, but I forgot to buy a lime. I debated going ahead and making it with lemon juice instead, but I decided to wait, buy the lime and follow the recipe. I'm glad I waited! I don't think lemon would have given the dressing the right flavor.

The day I was planning on making this for dinner, I prepped all the veggies (the photo above) and the dressing and kept them in the fridge until I was ready to serve it. Cutting all the veggies took a little bit of time, but getting that out of the way earlier in the day really made this a fast and easy dish to serve. I grilled some tuna steaks to serve along with it and it was a really great dinner.

Here is the recipe for Thai Summer Slaw
* I only added a 3/4 tsp of sugar to the dressing

Peanut Butter Waffles

2011-08-17T08:46:00.001-04:00

I made these waffles almost 2 months ago when my brother and sister were here visiting. I had spotted them before that, but wanted to wait until we had visitors to make them. My sister and brother both love peanut butter, so I knew they would be a welcome breakfast treat.

These waffles were very tasty. The peanut butter flavor was noticeable, but not completely overwhelming. They were really good with bananas and strawberries on top. Now that school is back in session, I can't wait to make a big batch to have for breakfast on a school morning.

Peanut Butter Waffles
from Everyday Food, May 2011

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
6 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
2 cups buttermilk (I used low-fat)
2 large eggs
bananas, maple syrup for serving (optional)

Preheat waffle iron. If you want to make all of the waffles before serving, preheat oven to 275 F, set a wire rack inside of a rimmed baking sheet and pop in the oven.

Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. In your blender combine the melted butter and peanut butter, and blend until smooth. Add the buttermilk and eggs and blend to combine. Pour the wet ingredients from the blender over the dry ingredients and stir just until incorporated.

Fill the wells of the waffle iron and cook according to the manufacturer's instructions. You want the waffles golden brown when they're finished. Serve with bananas and maple syrup, if desired. (Transfer the waffles to the wire rack in the oven to keep warm if not serving immediately.)

Strata with Swiss Chard

2011-08-15T10:23:00.000-04:00

I love growing swiss chard in my garden. It is so pretty and it has really done a great job producing lots of chard. I hadn't picked it for a couple of weeks, so when I went to harvest it, I ended up with more swiss chard than I have ever seen. I also had two whole wheat baguettes in the freezer that I wanted to thaw and use, so I somehow found this recipe and threw it together.

I love these types of recipes because you don't have to follow them to a tee. You can sub different veggies, according to what you have on hand and the results are still fabulous.
This was a really tasty strata that we all enjoyed.

Here is the recipe for Strata with Swiss Chard
* I used green bell peppers instead of mushrooms because I had them
* I used mozzarella and parmesan
* I added about a cup of cooked, shredded chicken to the bread, veggie, milk/egg mixture before cooking

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bottomed Vanilla Cupcakes

2011-08-12T07:37:00.001-04:00

Why not finish out a snack/sweet week here on the blog with something totally decadent and crazy? These cookie/cupcakes should do the trick.

I made these for a dessert gathering and did not try them myself. My husband took the few remaining that were leftover to work the next day and his boss declared this the best dessert ever.

What could be better than combining chocolate chip cookies with vanilla cupcakes? I don't know, but if you like those two things than I guess some fluffy frosting and a cookie on top just sweetens the whole deal.

These were fun and enjoyed by everyone who tried them. Have a great weekend everybody!

Here is the recipe for Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bottomed Vanilla Cupcakes

Double Cookie Dough Ice Cream

2011-08-11T08:08:00.001-04:00

I have been meaning to make this ice cream for my husband for a long time. He loves chocolate chip cookies and I knew it would be something that he would love. I don't know why I put it off for so long, but finally, a couple of weeks ago, when we had some friends over for dinner, this ice cream was on the menu for dessert, along with this ice cream.

The reason this is double Cookie Dough Ice Cream is because the ice cream base tastes like cookie dough and there are chunks of chocolate chip cookie dough churned into the ice cream.

This was very popular. It practically disappeared a few minutes after being served. Everyone raved and raved about it and I know that I will be making it again.

Here is the recipe for Double Cookie Dough Ice Cream as seen on Annie' Eats, who used the cookie dough from The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz, ice cream adapted from Joy the Baker

Homemade Whole Wheat Strawberry Pop Tarts

2011-08-10T06:11:00.002-04:00

Pop Tarts. I remember using some of my own money when I was a kid to buy a pack of Frosted Strawberry Pop Tarts. My mom never, ever bought them and it was a treat to eat those things right out of the package.
I have seen a ton of recipes floating around for Homemade Pop Tarts. I decided to make some when I realized I had some leftover whole wheat dough in the freezer from this crostada. I had just enough dough to make 3 or 4 pop tarts. I decided to make a strawberry filling because for some reason, frosted strawberry poptarts are the most iconic to me.

The filling was great and so was the dough, but the icing was way too sweet. All of my kids thought it was just too much, although the texture of the icing was perfect.

These breakfast/dessert treats won't make an appearance very often in the kitchen, but it was a fun thing to try. Oh and if you live nearby- Happy first day of school!!

Here is the recipe for Perfect Whole Wheat Pie Crust from the Cheeky Kitchen

Here is the recipe for the Fresh Strawberry Filling and Glaze
* We all thought the glaze was too sweet. The consistency was perfect but it was just too much

White Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Muffins & Chocolate Ricotta Muffins

2011-08-09T08:14:00.000-04:00

Do you know what tomorrow is? Anybody???

It is the first day of school. I can't believe our summer is over already. It flew by and I'm not sure that I am ready for it to be over! I want more beach time, more sleeping in, more lazy days, and more fun in the sun!

Well, the good news is that we can still go swimming if we want too and of course, school can be fun too. I just love summer and wish it could last all year round.
One thing that will certainly make school fun is having a scrumptious muffin for breakfast every once in awhile. Most of the time I like to keep the muffins I make on the really healthy side. I want them to taste healthy and to not be mistaken for a cupcake. But, every once in awhile, you have to have a little chocolate or some sprinkles in there, to keep it exciting.

Both of these muffins are recipes that we made over the summer when we had a few friends joining us for breakfast. They are both tender, delicious and definitely kid-friendly. My kids will be more than happy when either one of these muffins shows up on a school day morning to make it just a little bit special.

Here is the recipe for White Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Muffins

Here is the recipe for Chocolate Ricotta Muffins
* I used white wheat flour and subbed canola oil for the butter

Cooking School- Whole Wheat Goldfish Crackers

2011-08-08T08:19:00.001-04:00

I've mentioned before that I don't really buy any sort of premade snacks. Since I like to spend time in the kitchen, I figure it must be possible to make anything that is out there for snacking, at home.
My daughter asked me if we could make goldfish crackers and I knew that they had been made successfully by smitten kitchen, so I said of course!

These crackers really couldn't be easier. All you have to do is shred some cheese (which my kids love to do and I remember it being one of my favorite jobs when I was their age), put it in the food processor with a couple other ingredients, pulse until a dough forms, roll it out, cut out shapes or make it into squares and bake them up. I was really quite surprised at how easy this turned out to be. So easy in fact, that we made extra dough and have it in the freezer for the next time a craving hits.

And, you don't have to actually make these cheese crackers into goldfish shape. We ended up slicing some of the dough with a pizza cutter and just making them into squares as well. (although the goldfish are pretty cute!)
Here's my helper giving our goldfish their "eye" and smile

Here is the recipe for Whole Wheat Goldfish Crackers from smitten kitchen
* I used all white wheat flour in my goldfish
* if you are interested in buying a goldfish cookie cutter, the link is included with the recipe

Mini Key Lime Pies and a Great Summer Lunch Menu

2011-08-05T08:12:00.000-04:00

A couple of months ago I was asked to cater a luncheon for the Department Head of one of the schools at UGA. When I started planning my menu, I decided what dessert I wanted to make first and then planned the rest of the menu around that. I saw these adorable Mini Key Lime Pies and I knew they would be the perfect summer treat and a great way to end any summer lunch.
The main dish was this delicious salad which I have made many times before and since this event. It is one of the best tasting salads and I love the cute presentation of each individual serving in mason jars.

I can't ever go wrong with the simple roasted shrimp that my family loves, so I added that to the menu as well.
The last thing I made was this wonderful Red Lentil dip that is served with pita chips. I remember when I first made it a couple years ago and it is seriously one of the best dips ever invented.
The luncheon was an overwhelming success and I got wonderful, positive feedback. It was so much fun to organize, put together and present this meal. I love making delicious food and sharing it with other people.

Here is the recipe for Greek Salad with Orzo and Black-eyed Peas from epicurious (I made it exactly as the recipes states this time) and here is my adaptation when I made it last time

Here is the basic recipe for the Roasted Shrimp, this time I added a little Greek Seasoning to the shrimp and roasted them at 450 degrees for 7 minutes

Here is the recipe for Garlicky Red Lentil Dal with my changes, originally from Cooking Light

Here is the recipe for Mini Key Lime Pies as seen on Plum Pie
* I doubled the recipe for the crust and made 8 mini pies
*I made a sweetened whipped cream topping, but not with rum- just vanilla and powdered sugar

Blueberries and Cream Cupcakes

2011-08-04T08:30:00.001-04:00

Last week my mother-in-law celebrated her birthday and of course we had to make her some sort of sweet treat to show our appreciation for all the love, care and help she gives our family.
We had fresh blueberries and I found a light cupcake that seemed like the perfect thing for a summer day. My girls helped me whip these up and also taste tested them, just to be sure they were good enough to share! They were enjoyed by all who tasted them- perfect for a birthday or just any day that deserves a sweet treat.

Blueberries and Cream Cupcakes
adapted from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising), sifted
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 3/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups milk, room temperature
2 cups fresh blueberries, plus more for garnish
*whipped cream

For the *whipped cream
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line standard or mini muffin tins with paper liners.

2. Whisk together both flours, baking powder, and salt. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla.

3. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of milk, and beating until combined after each. Fold in blueberries by hand.

4. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until pale golden, about 25 minutes for standard and 15 for mini.

5. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes. Cupcakes can be stored up to 3 days at room temperature in airtight containers.

Make the *whipped cream

1. Whisk heavy cream until soft peaks form. Add confectioners’ sugar, and whisk until combined. If not using immediately, whipped cream can be refrigerated, covered tightly, up to 3 hours in an airtight container.

2. To finish, dollop cupcakes with whipped cream, and garnish with berries. Serve immediately.

Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club- Lemonade Layer Cake

2011-08-03T06:26:00.002-04:00

It's time for the Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club's Beachcomber Picnic! Val chose this month's theme and I would give anything to actually sit on the beach and eat this delicious menu today. It sure beats thinking about back to school shopping and the start of the school year that is right around the corner for us.

Here is how the menu looks for today-

Val is starting us off with some Oven Fried Chicken,

Roz is adding a delicious salad -Panzannella Salad with Tomato, Bacon, and Basil,

Sandi is bringing along a great side - Orange Flavored Couscous,

Jamie is also added a wonderful side/salad - Spinach-Pasta Salad,

Jerry has got the appetizer covered with his- Grilled Pepper Poppers ,

and that leaves the dessert up to me, so I picked this Lemonade Layer Cake.

I first made this cake quite a few years ago, for a baby shower. I remember it being such a hit with the crowd that my younger sister asked me to please make it for her next birthday. It was put in my memory bank, but I love to cook and bake so much, that I haven't revisited it since then.

The cake and frosting both contain frozen lemonade concentrate (that is thawed before it is added in) and that really adds a great lemonade flavor that is very delicious and definitely noticeable. The cream cheese frosting is a perfect choice to top this cake. I decided to decorate it with fresh flowers since it is August and so many beautiful flowers are in bloom.

It's really great when you can enjoy a slice of cake and you don't have to sacrifice any of the deliciousness just because it is a light recipe. This one is wonderful and the perfect way to end any picnic, whether you get to enjoy the beach or not.

Here is the recipe for Lemonade Layer Cake

French Lentil and Swiss Chard Risotto

2011-08-02T07:25:00.001-04:00

I love growing my own swiss chard. Nothing makes me happier than seeing those beautiful rainbow stalks in my garden. I have been really lucky this spring and summer- all of my chard has been doing great. No bugs, no problems. Usually I just quickly saute it or add it to whatever we happen to be eating. But, when I harvested it about a week ago, there was a ton of it and I wanted to do something bigger and better.

I found this recipe and knew it was perfect because it combines 3 of my most favorite things in the world- swiss chard, risotto, and lentils. I had just made chicken broth the weekend before I made this, so I had some of that on hand to use too. I know lots of people don't like cooking in the summer, but I find it really relaxing after a day of activities and swimming to be able to spend some time in the kitchen, making a delicious dinner. And this was delicious!

Here is the recipe for French Lentil and Swiss Chard Risotto
* I used chicken broth in place of the wine
* I didn't have any radicchio on hand to use as a garnish

Turkey Burgers and Hummus

2011-08-01T07:56:00.000-04:00

Isn't it funny how photos turn out when you let your kids help you out? This turkey burger looks like a creature with two eyes- please don't let that distract you from trying it out!

I made both of these recipes for our dinner with friends a few weeks ago and wasn't planning on sharing either of them at the time. But then, we tasted them and everyone raved and I figured it wasn't fair not to share the goodness. The turkey burgers were so good. It must have been the fresh herbs and the little bit of olive oil mixed in. They were so flavorful and not dry at all.
The hummus had a great consistency and was just really good. Both of these were perfect to serve at a family friendly gathering. I look forward to making them both again!

Here is the recipe for Turkey Burgers as seen on Annie's Eats
* I used fresh rosemary, thyme and oregano
* I used 94% lean ground turkey

Here is the recipe for Homemade Hummus

and the recipe for Herbed Hummus
* I used chives

Cherry Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

2011-07-29T09:01:00.005-04:00

Last week we had some dear friends over for dinner. We split up the dinner responsibilities and decided that ice cream would be the perfect choice for dessert. I decided to make two different kinds of ice cream and this was one of them.

I have been holding onto this recipe since last fall because you can't make cherry ice cream without fresh cherries. Summer was the only logical time for me to make this ice cream. This is a no-custard needed ice cream, so it is fairly easy to mix up.

I didn't get to taste it because I am not eating sugar at all this month, but my daughters each had a small spoonful right after it was done churning and they declared it delicious. It might have something to do with the beautiful pinkish color of the ice cream, but I'm pretty sure it is mostly the flavor. :)

Have a good weekend!

Here is the recipe for Cherry Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
* I used semisweet chocolate
* I didn't add the Amaretto, but added 1 1/2 tsps of pure vanilla extract

Summer Pea, Watermelon and Farro Salad

2011-07-28T07:39:00.001-04:00

This summer, I've had the opportunity to reconnect with a dear friend from my freshman year of college. She and her husband + 5 kids are living nearby for the summer and we have been getting our kids together weekly for swimming, sleepovers and tons of fun. Our kids have never met before this summer, but they have become fast friends. It has been an absolute blast.

Last week, we were throwing together dinner for the kids- we ended up making sprinkle pancakes, steamed broccoli, corn on the cob, turkey sausage, and watermelon- and I had torn out this recipe from the most recent issue of Cooking Light. I had all the ingredients, so I decided to make a little something special for the adults. This recipe was under the 5 ingredient section of the magazine and took about 30 minutes to throw together.

For the amount of time it took and the small number of ingredients it contains, I would have to say it is pretty good. I added some olive oil just because I felt it needed a little something and next time I will add some fresh lemon juice. It was almost too sweet for me, with the peas and the watermelon, I would have liked some feta or something to cut the sweetness. I prefer my salads to be on the savory side, but it was enjoyed by all of us and a nice change for a quick summer meal.

Here is the recipe for Summer Pea, Watermelon, and Farro Salad from
Cooking Light August 2011

* I added a little bit of olive oil to the salad and I think lemon juice would be a great addition too
*I used shaved Parmesan cheese

Cooking School- Blueberry Oatmeal Bars

2011-07-27T00:29:00.000-04:00

When my sister and brother were here visiting in June we had a bunch of blueberries and decided to make these Blueberry Oatmeal Bars. They were so good. Delicious right out of the oven and later, once they had cooled. I sent the leftovers with my husband to work and he kept commenting about how good they were. I didn't take a picture of them because I didn't get a chance.

Then, a few weeks later, we had lots of blueberries from picking at Grandma's, so we made them again. My girls helped measure, mix and stir. They had a blast scraping the batter into the pan and smoothing out the top. Then, they anxiously waited for the timer to go off.

This time, I took a picture and shared them at a dinner. They received rave reviews from everyone who tried one, even a few people who don't like "real" blueberries cooked into desserts.

This recipe is definitely a keeper and it is a fun one to have little ones help you make.

Bert’s Best Blueberry Oatmeal Bars
Adapted from C Is for Cooking
Makes 24 bars

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups old-fashioned oats

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 13 x 9 baking pan witth aluminum foil. Lightly spray the foil with cooking spray.
In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt, and set aside.
In a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and butter until fluffy. Beat in the oil, eggs, and vanilla. With a wooden spoon, mix in the flour mixture until blended. Stir in the oats and blueberries.
Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.
Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 to 35 minutes (or longer). Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Lift by the parchment or foil from the pan and cut into 24 bar cookies.

Brown Rice with Black Beans

2011-07-26T08:40:00.001-04:00

This is a bad picture of a really surprising, delicious dish. (But look at that sweet little finger. There is always someone trying to help me around here!)
I wasn't really expecting too much out of this dish, but it ended up really surprising me. The ingredients are fairly simple. There aren't a ton of seasonings, but I think the cooking method helps this dish have a risotto-like texture.

The brown rice is really good and takes on a different texture than it normally does. The fresh corn kernels and black beans make it so hearty. It was good the first day right out of the oven, the next day cold out of the fridge, and the third day we used it as a filling for burritos. I love dishes that can be used in multiple ways and that stretch over many days.
I will be making this again and again.

Here is the recipe for Brown Rice with Black Beans

Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes

2011-07-25T07:05:00.002-04:00

My husband's grandmother has bunches of blueberry bushes in her yard and those berries were ready for picking a few weeks ago. Luckily we had a morning that wasn't too hot or humid- it was actually a little bit overcast, and we set out to pick a large amount of blueberries.

The kids were great helpers and we ended up bringing home over a gallon of fresh blueberries. Frozen blueberries are a favorite treat of my husband's and my kids, so I made sure to freeze a bunch of them, but I also wanted to make a breakfast treat with some of the berries.

I decided on this recipe because it doesn't contain whole grain flour. That may sound funny, but I wanted to make sure that my husband would eat these pancakes and he usually turns his nose up to the usual whole wheat pancakes or waffles I make. So these were definitely a treat for him. The batter is nice and thick and it holds the blueberry perfectly. These pancakes were light, fluffy and chock full of beautiful blueberries.

Here is the recipe for Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes
* I used skim milk, low-fat buttermilk and subbed canola oil for the melted butter
* I added the blueberries to the pancakes after the batter was on the griddle, so the berries wouldn't run and turn the pancakes blue

Eggplant Chips with Cilantro Pesto

2011-07-22T09:18:00.001-04:00

I saw this recipe floating around on the internet somehow and quickly bookmarked it, so that I would be able to use some of my eggplant to make these chips. I always love it when I see unique ideas that use vegetables I love.

I made these for lunch one day last week and they were really tasty. I had a few problems getting the chips to crisp up, so I adjusted the oven temperature to 400 degrees F, and had to cook them for a little longer than called for. I also got a few slices that were really loaded with paprika, so next time I make them I think I will sprinkle the seasoning on after the olive oil is lightly coated onto the eggplant slices.

This recipe does take a little bit of time, so make sure you read the entire recipe before you begin. The eggplant slices need to be salted and then sit for an hour, but that is when I decided to make the pesto sauce.

There was enough pesto leftover to use on some pasta later in the week and it was delish!

Here is the recipe for Eggplant Chips with Cilantro Pesto
* I upped the oven temperature to 400 degrees, so my chips would crisp up

Cooking School- 7 Layer Dip

2011-07-21T07:59:00.003-04:00

This is the perfect thing to make with children in the kitchen. It is fun for the kids to help open cans, chop things, spread the layers and sprinkle everything on top.

My girls and I decided to make this dip for a family dinner with a Mexican theme. Mostly because I can remember making it as a child with my family when we would get together with my cousins. I remember everyone taking part in preparing the different layers and then putting it together.

I haven't made this dip since I've been married, although I have tried other versions, like this Meditteranean one and a lighter one for a cooking group I was in. My advice is to taste test the different layers as you go along to make sure they have the right flavor and let someone help you put it together. We had a lot of fun.

If you are lucky enough to have any leftovers, try them with scrambled eggs, in some sort of burrito or as part of a salad.
There are so many version of 7 Layer Dip out there, but this our adapted version of the one I remember making with my family as a child

7 Layer Dip
1 can bean dip or refried beans (seasoned with garlic powder to taste)
8 oz container sour cream (I used greek yogurt since I had it on hand)
1 pkg taco seasoning
3 ripe avocados
1 lemon
shredded lettuce
shredded cheese (We used a monterey jack/cheddar blend & the girls shredded it)
chopped tomato
sliced black olives (I accidentally bought chopped black olives this time)

1. On a large platter or in a deep dish, spread the bean dip/refried beans in a even layer.
2. Combine the taco seasoning and sour cream in a bowl; spread on top of bean layer.
3. Mash the avocados with a few Tbls of freshly squeezed lemon juice; season with salt and pepper. Spread the avocados over the taco sour cream mixture.
4. Sprinkle shredded lettuce on top of avocado, followed by the shredded cheese, chopped tomatoes, and sliced black olives.
5. Chill until ready to serve.
6. Serve with tortilla chips.

Eggplant Burgers with Homemade Tzatziki Sauce

2011-07-20T06:58:00.008-04:00

Aggie shared this recipe on her Facebook page a few weeks ago and as soon as I saw the recipe, I knew I would be making these for dinner asap. I had picked a couple of eggplant from my garden the day before and couldn't wait to serve these up for dinner.

The burgers contain eggplant in 2 ways- steamed cubes and shredded. A few other ingredients are mixed in and then they are ready to cook.
They are topped with a delicious homemade tzatziki sauce and Aggie suggested serving them on toasted english muffins. I was happy to add a slice of homegrown tomato. Nothing beats a tomato from the garden!

These were a huge hit with my daughters. My 4-year old gobbled hers down and was the first one finished. My son was not a huge fan, but he doesn't really care for eggplant in any way. He still finished his though. I was glad that there was one burger leftover for me to have for lunch the next day!

Here is the recipe for Eggplant Burgers

Here is the recipe for Tzatziki Sauce

Chocolate Cake Cookies with Peanut Butter Filling

2011-07-19T08:08:00.002-04:00

It seems I always have a little bit of something leftover in my fridge. This time, it was sour cream. I had exactly one cup and needed to make a dessert to accompany the dinner I was taking to a family who had an unexpected event occur.
We also had a teenager staying at our house, so I knew these would be fun treat for us as well.

I didn't try one, due to my not consuming sugar goal for the month, but they were very popular with the kids. The teenager who was at our house was so confused by the fact that a cookie could be like cake. It was fun to show him that it is possible to make cake cookies. These are a really great sandwich cookie and nothing goes better with chocolate than peanut butter!

Sour Cream Chocolate Cake Cookies
Makes about 48 cookies from Baking: from my home to yours by Dorie Greenspan

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temp
1 1/4 cups (packed) light brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled to tepid
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup plump, moist dried currants or raisins (I left these out)

Getting Ready: Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat oven to 375f. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until it is creamy and smooth. Add the sugars and beat for two minutes or so, then add the eggs one by one. Beat for another minute-the mixture should be smooth and satiny. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the vanilla and melted chocolate. With the mixer still on low speed, add the dry ingredients and the sour cream alternatively, adding the dry ingredients in 3 batches and the sour cream in 2 (begin and end with the dry ingredients). Mix only until the ingredients are incorporated and the batter is smooth, then mix in currants.

Drop the batter by heaping teaspoonfuls onto the baking sheets, making certain to leave 2 inches between the spoonfuls.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point. The cookies will puff, spread and round themselves out in baking. They’re done when they are set on top but still springy to the touch. Pull the sheets from the oven and let the cookies rest for 1 minute, then, using a wide metal spatula, carefully transfer them to a rack. Cool to room temperature.

Repeat with the remaining batter, making sure to cool the baking sheets between batches.

PB Filling- from spikes.does.stuff

1 1/2 cups of confectioner’s sugar
5 tablespoons of unsalted butter, at room temp
3/4 creamy peanut butter (don’t use natural peanut butter)
3 tbs milk or cream

In a stand mixer, beat the sugar, butter, peanut butter on low until combined and then on medium until smooth. Add the liquid, and beat until combined- this should lighten the mixture a bit and make it easy to spread.

To Assemble:

Once the cookies are cool, try to match up similar cookies into pairs. Spread about a tablespoon of filling onto the flat side of one cookie and gently press the flat side of the second cookie to make a sandwich.

Cherry-Lime Cups

2011-07-18T08:38:00.000-04:00

I made these little dessert cups almost 2 months ago and somehow they just haven't had their time to shine yet. I made them for no reason really, just because I saw them in an issue of EveryDay Food Magazine and they looked interesting and I had extra egg yolks I was trying to use up.
They consist of a tart-like crust, a simple lime filling and fresh cherries. I made my husband take them to work and they received rave reviews.

Cherry-Lime Cups
from June 2011 issue of Everyday Food Magazine

for the crust:
7 Tbls cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces + more for the muffin pan
1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp coarse salt
2 large egg yolks
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

for the filling:
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 Tbls all-purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup + 1 Tbls fresh lime juice (from 3 limes)
1/4 tsp coarse salt
9 cherries, halved and pitted

1. Make crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter six standard muffins cups. In a food processor, process butter, flour, sugar, and salt until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add yolks and vanilla and process until dough comes together when pressed (dough will be crumbly).

2. Divide dough into 6 pieces. Roll each into a ball and place in a muffin cup, pressing evenly into bottom and up sides. Place a paper cupcake liner into each muffin cup over dough and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until edges are dry, 15 minutes. Carefully remove liners and weights; bake until crusts are dry and barely golden, 5 to 7 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, make filling: In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, flour, sugar, lime juice, and salt. Place 3 cherry halves into each crust and divide filling among each. Bake until filling is set, about 25 minutes. With the tip of a knife or a small offset spatula, remove cups from pan. Let cool completely on a wire rack. (To store, refrigerate in an airtight container, up to 1 day.)

Homemade Funfetti Cupcakes

2011-07-15T11:02:00.000-04:00

I recently made a three layer cake for a birthday and had leftover blue and white frosting.

What's the only logical thing to do when you have leftover frosting? Make cupcakes, of course!
Somehow I found this recipe for Funfetti Cupcakes and thought it would be a fun one to take to a family dinner that was happening later that evening. There were going to be a bunch of kids, so I knew these would have no problem being consumed.

I heard from a few people who tasted these cupcakes that they were really good. I didn't try one, because I am not eating sugar this month, but I trust the sources that said they were tasty. Plus, they look kind of cool too.

Here is the recipe for Homemade Funfetti Cupcakes
* I didn't use the frosting recipe that accompanies this cupcake, but the one I used was pretty similar

Italian Farro Salad with Roasted Vegetables

2011-07-14T10:09:00.000-04:00

I found it!! I finally found it- Farro that is. I have been looking for it for quite a few months and couldn't find it anywhere. I have seen quite a few recipes that use it and even made one that was supposed to contain it. But, then a couple of weeks ago, I saw it in the bulk bins at EarthFare and bought a bag full.

I would say that the texture is similar to wheat berries or barley, but the flavor is a little bit different. I had tons of veggies from my garden and found this great recipe that combined farro and roasted veggies. It is a recipe from Jamie Oliver and it was wonderful. I was able to use zucchini, summer squash, and bell peppers from my garden and there was also fennel thrown into the mix. Roasted fennel is so delicious.

I made this when my sibling were visiting me and we continued to eat it throughout the week. The leftovers are great.

Here is the recipe for Italian Farro Salad with Roasted Vegetables

S'mores Ice Cream

2011-07-13T08:39:00.000-04:00

My siblings begged me to make this sweet treat while they were visiting. I had mentioned a couple of things that I had been wanting to make and when they heard S'mores Ice Cream- that was it. I like s'mores anything since graham crackers are a serious problem food for me, so I decided it would be better to make this ice cream when I had extra mouths around to eat it.

I had a couple of issues getting my ice cream to the right consistency because my countertop Ice Cream Maker couldn't handle the hot ice cream mixture. I wrote more about it below the recipe.

Once we got a couple of problems worked out and we added more toasted marshmallows, we were in business. This ice cream was delish. A friend who tasted it a couple days after it had churned said it was the best ice cream he had ever tasted. If you like s'mores or any or all of the flavors involved in s'mores, I'm positive you will love this ice cream.

Here is the recipe for S'mores Ice Cream
* I used Jet Puff marshmallows
* I tried to make this recipe the way it said to, but my ice cream maker couldn't handle the hot mixture, so I put it in the freezer to thicken up a little bit and then rechurned it. The marshmallow flavor wasn't very pronounced so I toasted a bunch more jet puffed marshmallows under the broiler and just stirred them into the ice cream. This was fabulous- it left some larger chunks of marshmallow in the ice cream that were soo yummy.

* I added more graham crackers than called for

Shaved Fennel Salad

2011-07-12T10:58:00.001-04:00

Fennel is something that I am really beginning to love. I avoided it for many years because I knew that it had anise/black licorice flavor, but when I first tried it raw in a salad last year, I discovered that it is really delicious, and that the anise flavor is not very pronounced.

When my brother and sister were here we needed a quick salad to enjoy after church. This one fit the bill. Lots of yummy veggies and flavors and the only prep work is slicing a few things.
I added more arugula than the recipe called for, to make sure that this salad would last a couple of days.

It is delicious that day it is made, but it is so good a few days later. I topped it with some canned tuna a few days after my siblings went home and my kids loved it that way. I have made this salad 3 times in the past few weeks because it is so great in the summer time.

Here is the recipe for Shaved Fennel Salad from 101 Cookbooks
* I added some thinly sliced celery
* I used almonds instead of pine nuts
* I didn't measure my lemon juice or olive oil- I just adjusted it by taste
* I added more arugula than called for

Zucchini and Lime Olive Oil Scones

2011-07-11T10:32:00.002-04:00

Here are the results of the Eggland's Best Eggs giveaway. I used a random number generator, copied the widget results below, and the winner is commenter #21- Whitney who said "I LOVE deviled eggs and omelets!! I want to make those avocado deviled eggs for a BBQ I am going to next week!Thanks for the idea!"

True Random Number Generator Min: 1 Max: 22 Result: 21 Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Today I am sharing a breakfast treat that I made when my sister and brother were here visiting. I wanted something fun that contained zucchini and saw this recipe for scones.
They turned out good, but weren't really scone-like in texture. They were more like muffins. My youngest daughter absolutely loved them.

I did make a few changes which I listed below.
Have a great day everyone!

Here is the recipe for Zucchini and Lime Olive Oil Scones
*I used low-fat buttermilk in place of the heavy cream
* I omitted the sour cream in the glaze

Eggland's Best Brinner & Giveaway!

2011-07-08T07:52:00.004-04:00

A few weeks ago I received an email from Eggland's Best Eggs, asking me if I was interested in hosting a Brinner. What is Brinner? Well, it's something that we have all done before- it's Breakfast for Dinner or simply some combination of Breakfast and Dinner.

Of course, I said yes. I had some family members coming to town for a visit and I knew that would be the perfect time to have the Brinner. The hardest part was narrowing down the menu, but we finally picked out a really great one.

Since eggs were the star of the show, I decided that eggs should be an ingredient in each part of our menu. We had Avocado Deviled Eggs (pictured above), Garden Turkey Meatballs, Summer Squash Bacon & Mozzarella Quiche, Sweet Potato & Chile Hash w/ a Fried Egg, and a flourless Chocolate Cake for dessert (which has a surprising secret ingredient).

I had lots of help prepping the food, thanks to the family members I had visiting, so we were able to put it together quickly. A couple of friends came over and we enjoyed all of the dishes.

The Avocado Deviled Eggs were a nice twist on a familiar favorite. Just imagine guacamole as the filling for your Deviled Eggs. I used Eggland's Hard-Cooked Peeled Eggs to make them. My kids also really love these eggs as a snack.

The Garden Turkey Meatballs were really delicious. I finished them off in a really tasty pizza sauce.

The quiche recipe was one that my sister spotted in Cooking Light and she prepared it. You would never know that is was a light recipe because it was so delicious-definitely a crowd favorite!

The hash was really great too. I threw in a couple of extra veggies that I had on hand just for fun. It was spicy and yummy.

The Flourless Chocolate Cake contains a surprise ingredient that really just can't even be guessed. It was delicious. Dense and fudgy.

I used Eggland's Best eggs in all of these recipes.

Now, as part of the Brinner experience, Eggland’s Best provided me with a fun giveaway for you, my readers.

The giveaway includes:

2 free EB dozen coupons (any variety- classic, cage-free, organic)
1 free EB Hard-Cooked and Peeled Eggs coupon
4 EB ramekins
1 EB apron
1 EB whisk
1 EB spatula
1 EB egg timer
1 EB Eco bag
1 EB plush egg

All you have to do to enter the giveaway, is leave a comment on this post.

If you want to tell me your favorite way to prepare eggs, go for it. Please also feel free to share a link to your favorite egg recipe if you would like.

You have until 12:00 am EST on Monday, July 11th to enter this giveaway.

Hopefully you will try some of these recipes soon too and have your own Breakfast for Dinner party. Brinner can't be beat!

Here is the recipe for Avocado Deviled Eggs

Here is the recipe for Garden Turkey Meatballs

Here is the recipe for Summer Squash, Bacon, and Mozzarella Quiche from Cooking Light

Here is the recipe for Sweet Potato & Chile Hash with a Fried Egg from Fine Cooking
* I used nonfat Greek Yogurt to make the chile mayo
* I used less oil- only 2 or 3 Tablespoons
* I added diced zucchini to the hash
* I cooked the yolk in my eggs all the way through

Here is the recipe for Flourless Chocolate Cake

*This giveaway is open to US residents/addresses only, age 18 and older-No PO Boxes.
The winner will be chosen randomly.
All the opinions stated above are my own. I was provided with VIP coupons and a giftcard to help purchase the items necessary to make these dishes. I was also provided with a package similar to the one available in the giveaway.

Fresh Corn Tomato Salad

2011-07-07T08:41:00.002-04:00

I made this because I had 10 ears of fresh corn on the cob in the fridge and I also had cups and cups of grape tomatoes from the garden. I had seen a corn and tomato salad somewhere, but couldn't find it again, so I just searched until I found one that sounded as good.

The best thing about this salad is that you don't have to cook anything. The corn is just cut off the cob and combined with the other ingredients.
My husband loved this salad. He had three servings. Of course, he didn't have any tomatoes in his servings, but he really loved the rest of the salad. It was fresh and delicious.

Here is the recipe for Fresh Corn Tomato Salad
* I didn't add as much salt as called for, only 1 teaspoon
* I used red wine vinegar
* I tossed in some arugula
* I didn't have enough basil to use as much as called for, I used about 1/2 of the amount

Sounds like Summer- Summer Lemon-Vegetable Risotto

2011-07-06T06:36:00.001-04:00

This time around for the Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club, it was my turn to choose the theme. Since we are smack dab in the middle of summer here in Georgia, I decided on Sounds like Summer. The first thing that I really wanted to make was the Shrimp Cobb Salad that was featured on the cover of the June issue of CL. That was the plan until I saw this recipe in the July issue of Cooking Light. I have a love of risotto that is on-going. There just isn't any possible chance that I could pass up one that is chock full of vegetables. Summer veggies? Even better.

This risotto recipe turned out fabulously. I was going to fix the asparagus and sugar snap peas in a different way, but decided to stick to the recipe. I put my asparagus/sugar snap peas in a ice bath after they were done blanching, so they wouldn't lose their bright green color or crispness.

I just wanted to mention also that you really don't have to continuously stir risotto. Here are some of the things I did inbetween stirs- made a fresh corn & tomato salad, thawed shrimp in the sink, made peanut butter frosting, blanched some of the veggies, sauteed the zucchini & summer squash, put together whoopie pies, roasted shrimp, photographed all of the above mentioned food. And, my risotto turned out perfectly creamy and delicious. I also don't warm my broth and it still works perfectly. This risotto had nice hints of lemon and all the veggies made it fabulous.

Let's take a look a how the menu turned out this month. I brought the

Summer Lemon-Vegetable Risotto,

Val -Poached Salmon with Creamy Herb Sauce,

Roz - Chocolate-Amaretti Peaches,

Sandi - Peach Ice Cream,

Jamie - Summer Peach and Tomato Salad,

Jerry - grilled pizza with prosciutto, arugula, and lemon

Once again, I wish that this was not just a virtual supper club- I would really enjoying trying everything on the menu!

Here is the recipe for Summer Lemon-Vegetable Risotto from Cooking Light
* I used low sodium chicken broth instead of the wine & vegetable broth
* I didn't warm my broth- it was added at room temperature

Cooking School- Ice Cream Sandwiches, 2 ways

2011-07-01T07:03:00.000-04:00

Summer is in full swing. It is hot.
When I saw these ice cream sandwiches in an recent issue of Cooking Light, I knew we had to make them. I knew they would be the perfect after-swimming treat. I tore out the page and put in my recipe-holding-clip-magnet on the fridge for a later date. Then my daughter told me that she wanted to make Ice Cream Sandwiches for our next Cooking School subject. She saw the recipe and decided these would be perfect. In the back of my mind I remembered another ice cream sandwich I had been wanting to try and so, we had to do a double whammy, making two types of ice cream sandwiches. Luckily, my sister and brother were here, so they were able to help make and consume both of these treats.

We made the cookies part of both of these recipes first. Then we mixed up the different ice cream mixtures and proceeded to put the sandwiches together. We used Edy's Slow Churned Vanilla Bean ice cream in both sandwiches.

Now, let me say that I have never had a margarita, so I don't know exactly if these replicate the same flavors, but the combination of a soft, chewy sugar cookie, that is loaded with lime flavor and a splash of salt, and the lime sherbet/vanilla ice cream filling, was really good. The cookies were also delicious on their own. This was made known by the fact that my brother polished off quite a few of them.

The Classic Ice Cream Sandwiches pictured above were just like a ice cream sandwich that you would get from a box at the grocery store, except better. The chocolate cookie was soft and perfectly chocolate-y. They were amazing.

Either one of these would be a great ending to a 4th of July picnic or meal.

Here is the recipe for Margarita Ice Cream Sandwiches from Cooking Light

Here is the recipe for Classic Ice Cream Sandwiches from Martha Stewart

Lemony Zucchini, Chickpea, and Lima Bean Salad

2011-06-30T08:19:00.001-04:00

We made this delicious salad as a side on Father's Day. I recently discovered that I do like lima beans and so I have been anxious to try them in more recipes.

On a side note- I also discovered that I can grill a steak. We went shopping at Publix the day before Father's Day and the woman was grilling steak in the front of the store. She made it look so easy that I bought my husband a steak and grilled it to perfection. This goes to prove that there really is a first for everything!

Anyway, back to the recipe at hand. This salad is delicious. It combines some great ingredients, like raw zucchini and chickpeas and it very easy to mix together. It was a big hit and almost a show stopper.
If you have zucchini that you need to use, try this!

Here is the recipe for Lemony Zucchini, Chickpea, and Lima Bean Salad

* I used more romaine lettuce than the recipe called for because I had an entire head of it that needed to be used

Zucchini Ricotta Cheesecake

2011-06-29T07:30:00.001-04:00

My husband said that this should not have "cheesecake" in the recipe title, simply because it is not a typical dessert cheesecake. He also thinks that bread pudding needs to be renamed. I can't really change the name since I didn't create this recipe, but please note that this is indeed, a savory dish.

My sister and brother came to visit almost 2 weeks ago and so, I realized that their visit was a good chance to make a few things that might be better appreciated by adults. I still had tons of zucchini coming out of the garden and I thought this looked like a great way to use some of it (I used yellow squash too).

This is an interesting dish. It is hard to explain. The texture is not exactly smooth, but it isn't weird. The flavor is mostly ricotta, but the lemon zest really shines through. The dill is also really present and noticeable. A couple of us really liked this one and I am finding more and more recipes that I really want to try from this blog.

Here is the recipe for Zucchini Ricotta Cheesecake from 101 Cookbooks
* I used skim ricotta
* I didn't drizzle mine with olive oil
* I used feta cheese to top mine

Lemon-Zucchini Cornmeal Cookies

2011-06-24T11:18:00.000-04:00

I was so excited when I found this cookie recipe that included zucchini. I was excited because it wasn't a cake-y cookie and there wasn't any chocolate involved. Not that I don't like the chocolate/zucchini combination- I do, but I wanted to try something different.

These cookies have a very nice texture. The cornmeal makes them a little bit sandy and the aren't overly sweet, but the lemon and zucchini really pair together nicely. They taste good straight from the freezer and you can mix them up with very simply- all it takes is a good spoon and some arm power.

I took these to a family gathering and they were a pleasant surprise. Many people were slightly alarmed by the combination of flavors and how well they all worked together.

Here is the recipe for Lemon-Zucchini Cornmeal Cookies
* I flattened my cookies slightly when I switched the trays, with the back of a spatula

Chicken and Zucchini Salad

2011-06-23T08:45:00.001-04:00

I have decided that zucchini is quite delicious raw. I don't know why I never realized this before, but having so much zucchini to use has really made me appreciate the many ways it can be delicious.

This salad was something I threw together quickly on a weekday afternoon for lunch before we went for our daily swimming adventure. My son thought that the zucchini was cucumbers and when he tasted them, he didn't revolt! I guess that they passed for cucumbers even though he knew they weren't. The raw factor added that crunch that he was looking for.

We all really liked this one. I was surprised by how much we liked it. I loved the freshness the little bits of fresh mint added and the pecans were a fun little crunchy item as well.

Here is the recipe for Chicken and Zucchini Salad
* I used less oil than the recipe called for
* I used a spinach & arugula mix for the greens
* I used less pecans than called for

Blueberry Coffee Cake

2011-06-22T09:14:00.000-04:00

I made this Blueberry Coffee Cake for breakfast the other day and everyone thought it tasted like a giant blueberry muffin. There are no other flavors going on here, so it has a pretty basic taste. I had a slight problem getting mine out of the pan, some of the blueberries were abandoned on the bottom of the pan and it made me think that this could be served as a Blueberry Upside Down Cake because the blueberries sink to the bottom quite a bit.

All in all, it was a good little breakfast treat. Very simple and basic.

Here is the recipe for Blueberry Coffee Cake from Cooking Light

Roasted Eggplant, Zucchini, and Chickpea Wraps

2011-06-21T07:56:00.001-04:00

This was an exciting dinner because I was able to use the first 2 eggplants that I harvested from my garden. My dad planted a Ichiban eggplant plant for me and I was a little worried about it producing any eggplant because the bugs were really enjoying eating the leaves. I was so excited when I saw a few eggplants growing and I was able to pick them after a few days.

The roasted veggies in this wrap are something that I could eat at every meal. Simply roasted, with fresh herbs- nothing compares to roasted vegetables in my opinion. The fresh mozzarella was really delicious (although you can't really see it on my wraps- it is there, beneath all the yummy veggies).

I made double the amount of the roasted veggies because I really enjoy having them with eggs for breakfast or to top a salad for lunch.

Here is the recipe for Roasted Eggplant, Zucchini, and Chickpea Wraps
* I used zucchini, summer squash, eggplant, and green peppers
* I used less oil than called for

Oatmeal Summer Squash Muffins

2011-06-20T07:43:00.001-04:00

I was wondering the other day why you never really hear about or see recipes for summer squash muffins or summer squash cake. There are a million recipes for zucchini cake, with chocolate and all sorts of spices, but not so many with summer squash. Summer squash and zucchini are sort of the same thing, so I am thinking that either one would work in most any recipe. But, I don't know, maybe there is something special about zucchini.

I finally found a summer squash muffin recipe and tried it out. It is a really interesting one because these muffins aren't really that sweet. I really liked that about them, but they still have a interesting hint of spices/vanilla. I enjoy breakfast muffins that don't taste like they should be dessert and these definitely fall into that category. They were almost savory, but not quite. Really intriguing. I froze some of them because my sister and brother and coming to town for a visit and my brother is a muffin lover. So- we will soon see how they do from the freezer!

Oatmeal Summer Squash Muffins as seen on Modern Beet
adapted from Simply in Season
makes 12 muffins

1 1/2 cups white wheat flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 Tbls baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice
1 egg
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup honey
2 cups grated summer squash
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine flour, oats, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and allspice in a medium-large bowl.

In a medium bowl, combine egg,buttermilk, oil, and honey. Mix well. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until just moistened. Gently fold in squash.

Fill lined or well-greased muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

Pasta with Zucchini, Tomatoes, and Creamy Lemon-Yogurt Sauce

2011-06-17T08:38:00.001-04:00

I have to apologize for the fact that my blog has been taken over by zucchini and summer squash, but when you pick at least 5-6 a day out of your garden, you kind of have to eat them fast and in everything. I have been using a small zucchini in my breakfast everyday, sauteed/ on the side of my eggs, but I still have to incorporate them into our dinners.

When I saw this recipe over at Ezra Pound Cake, I knew it would be a great one for a summer night. Light and quick. Lots of veggies. bright flavors. This dish has it all. I wasn't sure if my kids would enjoy the yogurt/lemon sauce since it was tart and well, quite lemon-y, but they gobbled this one down. And, I used grapes tomatoes from the garden. Nothing tastes as good as a home grown tomato. Nothing at all.

Here is the recipe for Pasta with Zucchini, Tomatoes, and Creamy Lemon-Yogurt Sauce
* I didn't cook my tomatoes, I just tossed them in when everything was mixed together

Whole Wheat Chocolate Zucchini Bundt Cake

2011-06-16T08:53:00.003-04:00

This cake has made an appearance here before, but not in it's full-sized glory. And last time, I didn't include the ganache glaze. Those two things meant that it had to be re-made.
Not to mention the fact that it is delicious and I remembered how good it was even though I made it a year and a half ago.

Not to worry. We didn't eat this entire cake. It was part of the dessert table at a recent church gathering. It didn't last long and that didn't surprise me. This cake is a really good way to use some of your zucchini. Do you need any??- because I have some I could share!!!!

Whole Wheat Chocolate Zucchini Cake from King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking
use 9*13-inch pan or a 10-cup Bundt

Cake:
2 1/2 cups traditional whole wheat flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened, or vegetable oil
1/2 cup buttermilk
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups shredded zucchini
1 cup chocolate chips
Glaze: (optional)
1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup chocolate chips
2 tsp corn syrup

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease the pan of your choice. (I used baking spray w/ flour)
Whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, powder and salt in a medium bowl
Stir together the sugars and butter (or oil) in a large mixing bowl until smooth. Add the buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla; mix well.
Add half the dry ingredients. stirring until evenly moistened. Stir in the zucchini, then the remaining flour mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake until the top springs back when lightly touched, 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack for 15 minutes.
If using a bundt pan, remove the cake from the pan and cool completely.
If using 9*13-inch pan, you can serve from the pan of invert cake onto a platter and drizzle with the glaze.

To make the glaze: Heat the heavy cream to a simmer, and pour over the chocolate chips in a bowl. Stir in the corn syrup, and keep stirring until there are no more lumps and the mixture is smooth. Drizzle over the cooled cake, if desired.