Da' BOMB

 I came up with these babies for a work pot-luck luncheon for St. Patrick's Day. They did not disappoint. In fact, my co-workers demanded that I keep them in my cubicle so that nobody outside of our department would take any. More for them. I guess they REALLY liked them, lol.

UPDATE: I recently made these and, because I was multi-tasking, I messed up the shortening measurement for the cake and only put in 1/4 cup. The cakes came out much more dense and fudgy. Kind of like a devil dog cake but less dry. I actually liked it better that way. Happy accident (thank you, Bob Ross)!

IRISH CAR BOMB WHOOPIE PIES

Cake

1/2  C Shortening

1/2 C butter

1/2 C white sugar

1/2 C brown sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla

3/4 C stout beer

1/2 C sour cream

1/2 C buttermilk

2 C flour

2/3 C cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 Tbs baking powder

1 tsp espresso powder

1 tsp salt

Ganache

2 C semi-sweet chocolate chips

2/3 C heavy cream

2 Tbs butter

1 oz Irish whiskey (or to taste)

Creme Filling

1/2 C butter

1/2 C shortening

1 C marshmallow creme (a.k.a. Fluff)

3-5 Tbs Irish Creme (like Baileys)

2-3 C powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Pre-heat oven to 325F

Prepare ganache by bringing cream to a boil in a medium sized saucepan. When it starts to boil, remove from heat and add remaining ingredients. Stir to combine and keep stirring until smooth. You may return to heat if needed to keep the melting process going but do not leave on heat or chocolate may seize. Once smooth, place in refrigerator to cool completely.

Sift flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, espresso, and salt together and set aside.

Mix sour cream, egg, beer, vanilla, and buttermilk in a bowl and set aside.

In a stand mixer, cream together sugars, butter, and shortening. Alternating, add dry and wet ingredients until just combined. Do not overmix.

Use an ice cream scoop to measure out batter onto a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake for approximately 15 minutes or until spring back under a light touch. Let cool completely.

In a stand mixer, beat butter, shortening, and fluff together until everything is fully incorporated. Add vanilla and Irish creme. Add powdered sugar until desired stiffness is reached.

To assemble, spread flat surface of fully cooled cake with cooled ganache, add a generous dollop of creme filling and top with a second cake.

Dumplin

 Have you seen it? The Jennifer Aniston movie. Very endearing feel-good movie. Speaking of dumplings, I have been hooked on them for weeks now. I found some frozen pork and leek ones at the asian market and get seriously stressed out when I don't have a bag in my freezer. I don't know what is in them, crack maybe?  They come in a very generic looking bag that says Chinese Brand, Made in U.S.A. Chinese Spaghetti Factory. Boston, MA. Anyway, I make this soup with them and will eat it until I am ready to burst.

Erika's Dumpling Soup

1/2 Tbs sesame Oil
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 Tbs grated fresh ginger

1 1/2 cups chicken stock (can use hot water and bouillon)

1 1/2 cup water

2-3 Tbs soy sauce

1 Tbs dark soy sauce (if you don't have this just add more of the regular stuff)

10-12 frozen pork and leek dumplings ... or more ;^)

1/2 tsp hot chili paste

1 sliced green onion

.

In a medium saucepan heat sesame oil. Add garlic and ginger and het heat to infuse flavors. If you want you can add veggies here as well to get them soft. I often add shredded cabbage. Once fragrant, add stock, water and soy sauces. Adjust seasonings to your tastes adding additional soy sauce of bouillon to get thr salt level where you like it. Bring to a boil and add dumplings. Once broth returns to a boil, reduce heat to a low simmer until dumplings are cooked through - about 5 minutes. Still occasionally to ensure dumplings are not sticking t the bottom of the pan. Stir in chili paste to get your desired level of het. Spoon into bowls and garnish with green onion.

Now, I would like to take a little time to rant. I understand other food bloggers are looking to make money off of their blogs but if you provide a jump to recipe button, then I expect to jump to the recipe, not to more ads and another button that says jump to content. It is annoying and misleading and I hate you for it so just f-ing STOP! It's bad enough that I have to wait for all of your other ads to load before the first jump button will work. Stop being so whorish and just give up the damn recipe. Thank you and have a nice day.

Veggies South of the Border Style

So with summer in full swing, I am all about the veggies. I have also been craving tacos. This is the result. Try not to eat all the potatoes right out of the oven. They are seriously delicious.

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos with Avocado Cream

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

2Tbs oil

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp granulated garlic

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 Tbs oil

1 small onion diced (I used red onion-not traditional, I know, but I needed to use it)

1 small jalapeno, diced fine

2 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp chili powder

1/4 C water

Juice from 1/2 lime

Avocado Creme

flesh from 1 avocado

1 cup (or so) Greek yogurt

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 small chipotle pepper, diced fine

Juice of 1 lime

salt to taste

Preheat oven to 425F. Toss sweet potatoes in oil and spices. spread on a baking sheet and roast until soft - about 20 minutes.

While potatoes are roasting, saute onions and jalapenos in oil until soft, add spiced until fragrant. Add beans and water and roughly mash. Finish with lime juice

Place avocado creme ingredients in a food processor, blender, or bowl and process/mash until smooth.

To serve, shmear the beans on a warm tortilla, top with sweet potato and avocado cream, fresh cabbage, pickled onions, cilantro, squirt of lime, whatever floats your boat.

Asian Persuasion

 It is no secret how much I enjoy southeast Asian food. Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Thai. It's all good! Even though I find making it myself intimidating, I have to admit, I am getting better at it. Case in point, this attempt at Mei fun that really came out better than expected. I think it's better than what I get at my local take out joint. Disclaimer - I live in Maine. Not exactly a hot spot for Asian food.

My Mei Fun

1 Package rice vermicelli noodles

1 tsp oil (I use olive)

1/2 tsp soy sauce (If you have dark soy sauce you can use it here otherwise regular will work, too)

Sauce

1Tbs oil

1 1/2 Tbs soy sauce

1 Tbs oyster sauce

1/2 tsp sesame oil

1/4 tsp pepper

1 tsp dry chicken boullion

2 Tbs oil

1 tsp minced fresh ginger

1 cloves garlic, crushed

1 onion diced

1 cup (or so) shredded carrot

2 cups (or so) shredded cabbage (regular green or napa)

1 bunch scallions, sliced, white and green parts- keep the parts separate, you add them at different times)

2 eggs, beaten

Fill a bowl with hot tap water and soak rice noodles until soft. Drain. toss with soy sauce and set aside.

Mix sauce ingredients in a bowl, set aside

add 2 Tbs oil to a large pan and heat over high heat until shimmering

Add onion and saute until soft, then add garlic and ginger.

Add cabbage, carrots and white parts of the green onion and saute until softened. of the

Push veggies to the outside edge of the pan and add eggs, scramble and toss with vegetables.

At this point you can remove from the heat. Add green parts of green onions, noodles and sauce and toss until everything is mixed and coated. Devour.

All About Barb

 Rhubarb, that is. Such a polarizing plant. You either love it or despise it. I happen to love it and will eat it raw. Just peel and munch. Delish. Since relocating to Maine, I have found myself embedded with fellow rhubarb lovers. These recipes are some of the best ways I have found to enjoy it.

Rhubarb Syrup

1 lb rhubarb, washed and sliced

1 quart water

1 Cup sugar

Mix ingredients and simmer, covered on low heat until rhubarb is soft and mushy. Strain liquid into a bowl, pressing out liquid. Let cool. You have essentially made rhubarb simple syrup. Reserve cooked rhubarb and serve on crackers with salty cheese like feta or ricotta salata. Add the syrup to water for a light refreshing juice or mix it into your favorite cocktail. 

Strawberry Apple Rhubarb Oatmeal Bars

Adapted from Bunson Burner Bakery

Fruit Filling

1 quart strawberries, sliced
2 cups (approximately 6 stalks) rhubarb, sliced into half-inch pieces

2 honeycrisp apples. cored, peeled and diced
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Cookie Layer
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cup rolled oats

1. To prepare the strawberry/apple/rhubarb layer, combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan and toss with a wooden spoon to coat the fruit.  Cook over medium heat until rhubarb is fork-tender and juices have thickened, about 6-8 minutes.  Set aside to cool.
2. Preheat the oven to 350F.  Cover a 9×13-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving an overhang on both ends of the pan.  Spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Add sugars and beat until well combined, another 2-3 minutes.  Reduce mixer speed to low and add in eggs, one at a time.  Add vanilla and mix until combined.
4. Add flour, baking powder, salt, and spices and mix on low speed until just combined.  Add in oats and mix on low speed, stirring by hand a few times to evenly incorporate the oats.
5. Press 3/4 of the dough mixture evenly into the foil-lined baking pan.  Place the remaining quarter of the dough mixture into the freezer for 10-15 minutes.
6. Spread the fruit compote over the layer of pressed dough, spreading evenly over the surface with a rubber spatula.  Crumble the remaining chilled dough over top of the fruit.
7. Bake for 60-70 minutes, until the crumble layer is golden brown.  Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
8. Remove from the pan using the foil handles.  The bars are heavy, so the center may require support from a spatula – it will start to sag when lifted by the foil.  Slice into 18 large bars or 24 squares.

I have also made this with blueberries and with blueberries with sweetened mascarpone cheese. Both were fantastic.

Life is Sweet (sometimes)

 Wow, 2 years since last post! Dang. Life goes by fast. Eat the sweets. You need a scale for this one. No artificial or boxed anything here so no guilt until you eat the 6th one. lol. 

Makes about 2 dozen cupcakes.

Real Strawberry Cupcakes with strawberry Crunch Topping 

Strawberry Puree

1 lb Fresh strawberries

Cake

330 grams flour (about 2 3/4 Cups)

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 cup butter

385 grams sugar (about 2 cups)

4 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1/2 C greek nonfat yogurt (plain)

5 oz strawberry preserves (about 1/3 Cup)

1/2 cup strawberry puree

Frosting

8 oz cream cheese

1 cup butter

1 tsp vanilla

pinch salt

4-6 Cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup strawberry puree

Topping

16 vanilla sandwich cookies (like golden oreos)

10 oz freeze dries strawberries (get them at Aldi for less)

1 - Make strawberry puree - you can do this ahead of time. Put 1 lb fresh strawberries in a blender and puree them until smooth. Transfer to a saucepan and simmer until reduced to approximately 1 cup. 20-30 minutes. let cool

2-Make cake. Cream butter and sugar together with a mixer. Combine dry and we ingredients in separate bowls. Whisk each bowl so that ingredients in each are combined nicely. Alternating, add wet and dry ingredients to the butter mixture in increments, mixing in between additions, until everything in just combined. Scoop batter into lined/greased muffin tins. Bake at 325F for 20-25 minutes until done (tops will spring back when touched). Let cool completely before frosting.

3-Make frosting - Using a mixture combine all ingredients until desired consistency is reach. Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time. If too loose add more sugar, if too stiff add more strawberry puree. Frost cupcakes when they have cooled completely.

4-Make topping - In a food processor (or in a ziplock bag) crush cookies and dried strawberries until they are in approximately 1/4 inch pieces or smaller. Transfer to a bowl and dip frosted cupcakes into topping to coat. 

Share with friend and receive their praises!

TV Dinner

 No. not the kind where you remove foil to expose chicken, lol (I am dating myself since they no longer use foil - plastic, plastic everywhere!). I got this recipe from watching TV - Americas Test Kitchen to be specific. I LOE that show and its sister show Cooks county. I saw this recipe and seeing as I had all the ingredients on hand, I made it. Actually the one ingredient I did not have was the whiter wine - I drink red. BUT I subbed with white wine vinegar and I think it was outstanding. 

Chicken Scampi

2 eggs beaten with 1/2 tsp salt

3/4 C flour + 1 Tbs 
salt and pepper
2 pounds chicken tenders (I used boneless skinless chicken breast that I cut into strips.)

6 Tbs vegetable oil

1 red bell pepper, sliced

8 cloves garlic, sliced

1 1/4 C chicken broth

3/4 C white wine (I used white wine vinegar)

4 Tbs butter

2 Tbs parsley

season chicken with salt and pepper, dip in egg and dredge in 3/4 C flour.

Brown chicken  in 2 Tbs oil in skillet on both sides, remove and set aside. This will take 2 batches so wipe of pan in between and add another 2 Tbs oil before second batch

When chicken is done, wipe out skillet and add the last 2 Tbs oil. When hot saute peppers until soft and browned. add garlic and saute until fragrant. Sprinkle 1 Tbs flour over skillet and saute to cook out raw flour flavor. Add wine (or vinegar) to deglaze pan scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, add chicken broth. Lett simmer to reduce to a nice sauce. Add butter and return chicken to the skillet to coat. Serve with bread, salad or over angel hair pasta.

Catching Up

 So, it has been a while since I made any updates and that is because this summer was CRAZY! New job, new home in a new state certainly upended our lies for a while and we have been balls to the wall since July. But things are finally starting to calm down a bit allowing me to catch up on the recipe thing. First off is an ode to Autumn in Maine, where I now reside. This is a twist on a Cinnamon Roll Whoopie Pie recipe I saw over on evil genius Peabody's website (LINK). In her recipe she piped the cinnamon swirl to make the cakes look like cinnamon rolls - I truly suck with a piping bag and I cold not for the life of me get the cinnamon mixture to flow out nicely so I just ended up putting globs of it on the cakes more like a streusel. Wasn't pretty but they tasted fantastic. My husband and I brought the extras to work and got thumbs up all around.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll/Streusel Whoopie Pies

Cake
2 Cups flour
1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 small can pumpkin

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/2 C granulated white sugar

1/2 C brown sugar (preferably dark but light works too)

1 large egg

1/2 C vegetable oil

1 tsp vanilla

Cinnamon Swirl/Streusel Topping

1/4 C + 1 Tbs brown sugar

2 Tbs melted butter

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Filling

1/2 C butter

1/2 C shortening

1 C marshmallow fluff

1/2 Tbs maple extract

1 Tbs maple whiskey

1 tsp vanilla

2 3/4 C powdered sugar

1 Tbs cream

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Line two baking sheets with foil or parchment paper.

Make the filling first:

Combine brown sugar, 1/4 cup melted butter, and cinnamon in a small bowl.

Place a 1-quart resalable bag into a glass or cup.

Pour cinnamon mixture into the bag; refrigerate until filling is as thick as toothpaste, about 10 minutes.

To make the whoopie pies: Beat together the oil, sugar, egg, and vanilla. Add pumpkin.

Combine the dry ingredients.

Mix into the wet mixture, stirring until well combined.

Drop the batter by heaping tablespoonfuls or pipe batter onto the pans.

Fill a piping bag with the cinnamon swirl filling and cut a very tiny hole at the bottom for the filling to come out.(This Didn't work for me so if you have the same problem just sprinkle on top!)

Swirl the filling on to the tops of the whoopie pies being careful to leave an edge for the cookie.

Bake the cookies for 12 to 15 minutes, until firm to the touch.

For the frosting:

Beat softened butter and shortening and full until well blended. 

Add whiskey vanilla, maple extract, vanilla and cream

Add powdered sugar and mix until combined

Once cakes are completely cooled. Place a heaping spoonful of filling on flat side and topped with another cake. ENJOY!

Say Yes to the Dress(ing)

 This post has nothing to do with weddings, although I do admit that I love that show. This is all about my favorite salad dressing. It is a copycat of the roquefort dressing served tableside at the Student Prince in Springfield, MA. I have not dined there since it changed hands a few years ago but the dressing has never left my thoughts. While the restaurant has sworn to never give out the recipe, they did hint that a base or creamy french dressing is a similar base. I did some searching and I came up with something pretty darn close tot he real thing and I couldn't be happier. 

1/2 C mayo

1/2 cup ketchup

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup cider vinegar

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 medium onion chopped fine

1 tsp hungarian paprika

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 tsp worcestershire sauce

1/4 lb roquefort cheese (or quality blue cheese)

Mix together everything but the cheese, then break the cheese up and stir in. Let rest 1 hour before serving

How Low Can You Go.

  Yep, I am doing the low carb thing again and it seems to be working, albeit slowly. The hardest part is coming up with creative and tasty dishes to keep things from getting too repetitive. I can't live on zoodles and salads. I need variety! This weekend I wanted to try and use up some of the REALLY god ricotta that I got at the Italian deli and some zucchini that had been sitting in my fridge too long. I made a low-carb stuffed zucchini that was really out of this world and very easy to make. It did require 1 sort of specialty ingredient and that was a pre-cooked chicken Italian sausage that I get at Aldi. So not super special and you can certainly sub it with regular old Italian sausage if you prefer. I liked the Aldi sausage because I didn't have to cook it ahead of time cutting down on the prep work.

Low-Carb Stuffed Zucchini

1 medium zucchini, split lengthwise with centers removed (I use a melon baller to scoop out the insides)

1 Aldi pre-cooked Italian style chicken sausage

2 handfuls fresh spinach

3 cloves garlic

1 Cup GOOD Ricotta (The stuff that comes in a metal can, not plastic containers), drained

1/2 C shredded mozzarella cheese

1 Tbs balsamic glaze

1 Roughly cut up sausage and place in a food processor with spinach and garlic. Pulse until everything is chopped fine but not pasty. Transfer to a mixing bowl.

2 Add ricotta and mozzarella cheeses and stir to combine thoroughly. S & P to taste.

3 Scoop cheese and sausage mixture into zucchini shells

4 Bake at 400F for 45 minutes or until zucchini is soft.

5 Drizzle with glaze and enjoy!

Tenderloin TIP

I came up with this marinade for tenderloin tips and it was fantastic. It even works great as a glaze for sautéed vegetables so reserve some after you've finished marinating the meat!

 Beef Tenderloin Tip Marinade (and vegetable glaze)

1 C Italian dressing

1/2 C brown sugar

1/4 C ketchup

1 Tbs yellow mustard

Up for the Challenge

 Over the Christmas holidays I generally bake anywhere from 8-12 varieties of cookies to give to family and friends. Well, I have one friend that is allergic to gluten, nuts, and dairy and could never eat them. I felt bad giving her cookies she could not eat but I also didn't want to leave her out and not give her anything while everyone else got cookies. So, this year I decided to try and make a cookie that she could eat that didn't suck. I am happy to say that they came out WAY better than expected and she claimed them to be "dangerously good". BIG win! Now I came up with the recipe on the fly and hope I remember everything that I did. I had been baking cookies all day and was in the cookie groove so I went by eye and when the dough looked right I baked them up and hoped for the best. I thought I had written down what I did, but if I did so, I can't find the notes anymore. But, seeing as will likely make these again next year I don't want to forget and so I am documenting it here for eternity.

Allergy Free Blueberry Lemon Cookies

3/4 C vegetable shortening
1/2 C granulated sugar
1/4 c brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 C brown rice flour
1/2 C coconut flour
1 tsp ground chia seeds
1 tsp ground psyllium husk
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1/2 cup dried blueberries

In a stand mixer, beat together shortening and sugars until smooth

Add eggs and vanilla

Add remaining ingredients EXCEPT blueberries

Once the dry ingredients and lemon juice/zest are incorporated, test the texture of the dough. If too dry and crumbly add more shortening, if sticky add more rice flour. The dough should be easy to handle without being too stiff. If you are not intimidated by raw egg, give the dough a taste to make sure the lemon flavor shines through and the dough is sweet enough.  If the texture and taste are OK, add blueberries.

 Scoop into a cookie sheet and flatten with the back of a fork (like we do for peanut butter cookies). I made big cookies and used my meatball scoop. Bake at 325F for 10-12 minutes or until set. Let cool before handling. The finished cookies will be delicate as there is no gluten to hold them together but will firm up a bit upon cooling.

Comfort Food from Leftovers

 I had this big prime rib roast sitting in my deep freeze for a while now and I was getting concerned that it had been in there too long. Since my husband's birthday was around the corner, I decided it would be the perfect occasion to make it since I have no idea when I would have a crowd at my house large enough to justify making it. (Thanks China and your fucking diseases!) I knew I was going to have a ton left over but I figured that too many leftovers was a better alternative than letting it get freezer burned and wasted. For dinner, I made us a nice classic steak house style dinner with creamed spinach and baked potatoes. Hubs was a happy birthday boy. Then came the leftovers. I came up with this riff on shepherds pie/French onion soup and I have to say it was a hit. It incorporated the leftover meat and the leftover creamed spinach. I was concerned that Hubs would turn his nose up at the spinach but surprisingly he tried it and also really liked it. While I don't have a traditional recipe per se, here is what I did.

1 -  I took a couple pieces of left over rib and cubed it up and simmered low and slow in beef broth to which I had added and envelope of onion soup mix and a dash or worcestershire sauce. Once the beef was shreddable, I shredded it into bite sized bits and thickened the liquid with a slurry of cornstarch and water to make a nice rich gravy.

2 - Next I cooked up a bag of extra wide egg noodles until al dente. 

3 - Next I took two 4-inch ramekins and placed a layer of leftover creamed spinach on the bottom of each one. If you don't already have leftover creamed spinach on had, green giant makes a frozen version that is pretty decent. On top of the spinach I placed a layer of egg noodles. Then, I ladled the beef and gravy mixture over the noodles being sure that all the noodles got hit with some of the gravy. This required some gentle shifting around with a fork to distribute everything evenly.

4 - Finally I topped it all of with a bit of shredded mozzarella cheese and baked it all in a 350F oven until the cheese was melted and bubbly and the casserole was nice and hot throughout. Delicious!

Mediterranean Vibes

 I turned hubs on to real souvlaki this weekend. Let's just say he is a BIG fan. This was the recipe I used and now it is here for posterity! Thank you to the https://www.themediterraneandish.com/ for the recipe.

• 10 garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp each Kosher salt and black pepper
• 1/4 cup Private Reserve Greek extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 bay leaves
• In the bowl of a small food processor, add garlic, oregano, rosemary, paprika, salt, pepper, olive oil, white wine, and lemon juice (do NOT add the dried bay leaves yet). Pulse until well combined.
• Place chicken in a large bowl and add bay leaves. Top with marinade. Toss to combine, making sure chicken is well-coated with marinade. cover tightly and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight 
• We cut 2 very large chicken breasts into cubes and then marinaded them for a few hours before threading the pieces on skewers and grilling them. We served it with flour wraps (couldn't find greek pitas), tzatziki, and an array of fresh vegetables and greens (It was a build your own sandwich type set up). Although, most people just ate the meat right off the skewers, lol.

Its All Greek To Me

It is no secret that I am an Aldi girl. It took me a very long time to try the place out and now I am totally hooked. The only downside is that so many great things I find there are seasonal and I can only get them for a limited time. BOOOO! Most recently I tried their Mediterranean style chicken burgers. We are SO hooked. I made them and put them in wraps  reminiscent of Greek Souvlaki with lettuce/spinach mix, tomatoes, roasted red peppers and red onion. Topped with a creamy Tzatziki, we had them for three days in a row. I make my tzatziki with sour cream instead of yogurt because I really don't like yogurt all that much. With the sour cream it is reminiscent of my mothers German cucumber salad (but better - don't tell her I said that). Now I am hoping they have more in stock so I can buy up a stock pile for the rest of the summer.

Tzatziki Sauce

1 cucumber, grated and squeezed to remove liquid
1-2 cloves garlic, grated (use a microplane if you have one)
1 pint sour cream
Juice of half a lemon
salt and pepper to taste

Mix it all together and let sit a bit before serving.

The Apple of my Eye

So, I have been buying lots of fruit to try and keep my snacking limited to more healthy choices (BIG fail this weekend on that). The big bag of apples that I bought had been sitting on the kitchen counter, untouched, for nearly a week. Time to do something with them. Now, I have said it again and again, I am not a big pie fan but I already had premade pie crust in the fridge so that something became apple pie. Normally, I make a fussy pie recipe that calls for making caramel. I didn't have that kind of ambition because I had been choring all morning so I just made the easiest version I could find. I have to tell you, this pie was AWESOME! I ate two pieces and could have eaten a third! So much for healthy choices, lol. I have to say that honeycrisp apples make a fantastic pie! Full of apple flavor and with a nice texture that isn't mushy or grainy. It is now my favorite pie apple. Sorry, McIntosh and golden delicious!

Apple Crumb Pie

1 premade pie crust

FILLING
5-6 honey crisp apples, cored, peeled and sliced
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

TOPPING

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 stick unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, at room temperature

Place a foil-lined baking sheet on the lowest oven rack; Have a second rack set in the middle tier of the oven., preheat to 425˚.

Roll out premade pie crust on plastic wrap. Store flat in refrigerator until time to use.

Make filling.  Mix the apples, melted butter, both sugars, flour, lemon juice, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl. Spoon the filling into the chilled pie crust. Pat the crumb mixture on top.

Make topping. Mix the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl. Rub the butter into the mixture with your fingers until no longer floury and crumbs form. Freeze until ready to use.

Line pie plate with pie crust. Spoon the filling into the chilled pie crust. Pat the crumb mixture on top.

Bake the pie on the hot baking sheet  on the bottom rack until lightly browned, about 20-25 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350˚. Remove baking sheet, turn it and return to center over rack. Bake another 50-60 minutes.

Remove pie and let cool before slicing.

The Endless Ham

Yup, still trying to use up all that left over Easter Ham. One of my husbands favorite dishes is chicken cordon bleu so I used that flavor profile to come up with this lasagna. Best part was I already had all the ingredients on hand and got rid of a decent amount of ham. What's left will go into a pea soup and then it will finally be gone with nothing wasted.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Lasagna

1 large chicken breast half, cooked and shredded
1 cups ham, cooked and minced
1 small container ricotta cheese
2-4 Cups swiss cheese
3 Tbs butter
2 Tbs flour
3-4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 quart 1/2 and 1/2
S & P to taste
2 boxes  lasagna noodles (I used Barilla No bake)

To mince the ham and shred the chicken, I used a food processor and pulsed the chopping blade to get the desired consistency. You want the pieces to be small but be careful not to make paste. Mix the minced meats with the ricotta cheese in a bowl and set aside

In a medium sauce pan, melt butter. Add crushed garlic and saute on medium-low heat to infuse flavors. Add flour and stir to make a roux. Add half and half, wisking constantly. Let simmer to thicken. S & P to taste.

In a baking dish, coat the bottom of the dish with the sauce. Add a layer of lasagna noodles.
Spread 1/2 of the meat and cheese layer over the noodles and add another layer of noodles.
Cover the noodles with sauce and add a layer of swiss cheese
Repeat layers one ore time.
Cover dish with foil and bake at 350 F for 30 minutes Remove cover and hit the broiler for a few seconds if you want to brown the top. enjoy!

Vegetating

So Easter has come and gone and thanks to Chinese wet markets and this lovely virus they have released, we got to see nobody for the holiday. Not a huge deal since I am no social butterfly but I would like to see my Mom and Dad sometime soon and get back to gym before my ass becomes the size of Rhode Island. For Easter the Hubs wanted a spiral ham. I know I have said repeatedly on here how much I don't really dig ham but I know he loves it and he hasn't had it in quite a while so I made it. It was ok but, for me, what I love most about holiday meals is the vegetables that go with it. This holiday was no exception. I did have an obligatory slice of ham but the rest of the meal was all about the veggies. Ironic coming from the girl who as a child would only eat corn, potatoes, and salad. My favorite on the table was a mix of brussel sprouts and asparagus. With brussel sprouts being the new kale, I am expecting these to be everywhere in the near future. Not complaining. I like them WAY better than kale. And this recipe is certainly a delicious way to prepare them!

Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Asparagus

1 package fresh brussel Sprouts, trimmed and halved (I like the  big ones)
1 bunch fresh asparagus, trimmed
2-4 Tbs olive oil
Salt and pepper
1/4 C Parmesan cheese
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
 about 1/4 Cup balsamic vinegar

Preheat over to 400F

Rinse brussel sprouts, trim woody ends and cut in half. Place in roasting dish.
Drizzle olive oil over the sprouts, season with salt and pepper and toss to coat.
Roast for 10-15 minutes until starting to soften
Remove from the oven and add asparagus to the dish and toss to coat.
Return to the oven for another 10 minutes
While the asparagus and sprouts are finishing in the oven, mix the parmesan cheese and crushed garlic in a small bowl until garlic is no longer in one large clump.
Remove vegetable from the oven, sprinkle with the garlic-cheese mixture.
Pour a glug or two of balsamic vinegar over the vegetables and toss everything to coat and distribute the garlic cheese mixture. The residual heat from the pan and vegetables will cook off the crushed garlic and thicken the vinegar. Let stand for a minute or two and chow down.

Meatless Monday

I am not one to jump on bandwagons when it comes to anything so please don't think that I eat meatless every Monday and tacos every Tuesday. I eat what I feel like having on any given day, usually in way too large of a serving. However, I had a vegetarian friend visiting this weekend and I wanted to be sure to have something yummy for her to eat while she was here. I didn't want to do pasta as that would have been too heavy for lunch and salads would be too light. It's way too cold here for light eating. We wanted something hearty and warm but not heavy so I decided on a vegetarian chili. It was fantastic and so easy to make. This is a very versatile recipe so add/omit to accommodate your tastes. Here is how it went down.

Erika's Vegetarian Chili

2 Tbs oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 red pepper, roasted, peeled, and chopped (can use jarred roasted red peppers, I did)
2 ears corn, kernels cut off (can sub with 1 cup frozen corn)
1 medium zucchini, diced
1 can diced green chilies
2 cans diced tomatoes with chilies (Rotel or equivalent, I used a Kuners brand variety - Diced tomatoes with Peppers with chili spices)
1 can black beans (I used Kuners brand again - Black beans with jalapenos and lime)
1 Cup red lentils
1 box vegetable broth
2 Tbs cumin
2 Tbs chili powder
1 Tbs oregano
1 tsp black pepper
Salt to taste

In a large sauce pan saute onion, garlic, celery, carrots, until softened. Add remaining ingredients and let simmer until cooked through and lentils have broken down (red lentils will do this fairly quickly). Adjust seasonings to taste. If the chili is too thin you can add tomato paste by the tablespoon until you reach desired consistency. To add heat add cayenne pepper and/or diced fresh jalapeno/serrano peppers to taste. You can eat this the day you make it but I personally think it tastes better the next day. I like to serve it with shredded cheddar, sour cream, diced avocado, and crushed tortilla chips. Omit the dairy if you want to keep it vegan.

On a side note - I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, Kuner's products for southwest style recipes. Their seasoned canned goods are fantastic and if you don't cook a lot or don't want to have to buy seasonings that you may not use much you don't have to - they take care of most of that for you right out of the can.

Fighting the Chill

Late winter/early spring in New England is the total PITS! It is by far my least favorite time of year. Cold and damp and depressing. I even missed the syrup window this year so I don't even have that to perk me up. Just a bunch of mud, dead worms and stir crazy, cooped up dogs to contend with. My husband has also seemed to have developed the uncanny ability to catch every germ in town. So, to keep myself busy, repel the dreary cold and help sooth upset tummy's, I have brought forth more soup for you! This particular recipe is a 2 day process for me but you can certainly shorten it up if you want. You don't need an instant pot either. On a conventional stove top, you would just need to cook part 1 low and slow for about 6-8 hours and your results would be similar. You can make this soup in a single day as part 2 comes together quickly. I break it up into a 2-day process to make it easier on myself and give the flavors time to meld.

Erika's Instant Pot Beef and Barley Soup

Ingredients

Part 1

4 T butter

2 onions, sliced

1, 3-4 pound beef roast (chuck, pot, rump, bottom – you’re going to be cooking the shit out of it so any cut will do but leaner cuts will have stringier results)

1 can coca-cola (does wonders to tenderize)

¼ C soy sauce

2-3 gloves garlic

1 envelope onion soup mix (can omit or just add a bouillion cube and some onion powder to substitute. Sometimes, I will add an envelope of good seasons Italian dressing as a substitute, too)

Few shakes Worcestershire sauce

(Sometimes I also add marrow bones to up the flavor and give my dogs a treat to chew on for later)

Saute onions and butter in instant pot until slightly browned

Add meat and remaining ingredients

Add lid a pressure cook for 1 hour. Let decompress naturally and cool, skim fat. For tougher cuts of meat you can extend the pressure cooking time, as needed.

Part 2

2 T oil

2-3 stalks celery chopped fine

2-3 carrots chopped fine

1 box beef broth

Aprox. 1 cup barley

2 Tbs molasses (optional)

In a large sauce pot saute carrots and celery in oil until softened

Remove meat from instant pot and, if using a roast, break up the meat up into soup-sized pieces

Add liquid from instant pot (you can pour it through a sieve if there are lots of gross fatty bits in it)

Add beef broth and bring to a boil

Reduce to a simmer and add barley

Simmer until barley is cooked. Add molasses if desired (I like the flavor it gives)