30 Aug
Black Bean "Burgers"
Posted by Michelle as Beans and Grains, Vegetarian Entrees | 5 Comments
I have had these on my “to make” list for quite some time, but had never gotten the opportunity to try them. Today I was looking for something healthy for lunch since I usually just snack on whatever I can find, and I remembered I had wanted to try these.
These patties were very tasty and dredging them in cornmeal gave them a great crisp exterior. I ate my “burger” with brown rice and salsa and sour cream on the side. I will be keeping this recipe as it’s perfect for quick, healthy lunches! The recipe below reflects the changes that I made from the original.
Black Bean Patties
(Adapted from Cooking Light)
2 cups rinsed, drained canned black beans, divided
1 clove garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 large egg white
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup cornmeal
Cooking spray
1/4 cup reduced fat sour cream
Preparation
Place 1 1/2 cups beans, garlic, and salt in a bowl; partially mash with a fork. Place 1/2 cup remaining beans and egg white in a food processor; process 30 seconds or until well combined. Add bean puree to mashed beans in bowl, and stir until combined. Add cheese and onion to bean mixture; stir until combined. Divide bean mixture into four equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch thick patty. Place cornmeal in a shallow dish. Dredge both sides of each patty in cornmeal.
Heat pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add patties; cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Top each patty with 1 tablespoon sour cream and extra cheese if desired.
29 Aug
Ranch Pretzels
Posted by Michelle as Appetizers | 6 Comments
My friend Amber introduced me to this seasoning technique for crackers and pretzels and it’s so easy that I don’t think I’ll eat a plain bag of pretzels ever again! My measurements were to scale for the size bag of pretzels I used – adjust as necessary.
Ranch Pretzels
(Source: Amber’s Delectable Delights)
9-oz. bag pretzels
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1-oz. packet Hidden Valley Ranch Dips
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
2. Place the pretzels in a gallon-size ziploc bag. Add the oil, seal the bag and toss to coat. Add the dry ingredients to the bag, seal and toss again until all of the pretzels are coated.
3. Spread the pretzels out on a large baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the oil has absorbed into the pretzels. Cool and store in an airtight container.
28 Aug
Weekend BBQ
Posted by Michelle as Salads, Vegetables | 5 Comments
This past weekend my family came to visit so we grilled hamburgers and hot dogs and I put together a number of salads to go with the meal. Because of the hustle and bustle of getting everyone fed, I didn’t get pictures of everything, but my menu was as follows:
- Burgers and hot dogs on the grill
- Corn on the cob on the grill
- Fruit salad
- Loaded baked potato salad
- Antipasto salad
- Apple pie for dessert
I did not get a picture of the Loaded Baked Potato Salad, but everyone raved about it – the flavors were phenomenal. Here is the recipe:
Loaded Baked Potato Salad
(Source: The Country Kitchen)
6 medium baking potatoes (about 2 pounds)
3/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup mayonnaise
8 slices bacon, crisply cooked, drained and chopped
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Thinly sliced green onions (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Scrub potatoes thoroughly and pat dry. Prick potatoes. Bake 50-60 minutes or until tender. Remove potatoes from oven; cool completely.
2. Combine sour cream and mayonnaise in a small bowl. Chop bacon and red onion; add to sour cream mixture with the shredded cheddar. Stir in salt and pepper; cover and refrigerate.
3. Coarsely chop potatoes into 1/2-inch pieces. Place in a large bowl; fold in sour cream mixture. Cover and refrigerate 4-6 hours or overnight. Garnish with sliced green onions and shredded cheddar cheese, if desired.
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I put together my antipasto salad on the fly and this is what I ended up using:
Antipasto Salad
1/2 lb. hard salami, cubed
1/2 lb. pepperoni, cubed
1/2 lb. mozzarella cheese, cubed
1/2 lb. provolone cheese, cubed
Small can artichoke hearts, quartered
Jar medium-sized green olives, drained
Can of large black olives, drained
Good Seasons Italian salad dressing (about 1/3 cup)
Combine all ingredients and let sit for at least 1 hour before serving to allow flavors to combine.
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My Grandma was sweet enough to have brought me a present when she came to visit, so I wanted to show it off here! She bought me the cutest pumpkin pie plate, with a cover. The bottom of the plate as an old-fashioned recipe for pumpkin pie. This is perfect for pie, or even as a fall candy dish! So cute 
20 Aug
Miniature Italian Meatloaves
Posted by Michelle as Meat, Vegetables | 8 Comments
Meatloaves!
(sorry for the dark pics tonight)
A classic American dish with more varieties than Heinz 57 (yes, a shameless plug for my hometown!). These individual-sized meatloaves cooked up significantly faster than a large traditional meatloaf and the seasoning mix made them taste like huge meatballs! An additional benefit is having leftovers ready to go and not needing to be sliced up.
I served these with garlic mashed potatoes – the recipe is also posted below.
Teeny Tiny Italian Meatloaves
(adapted from Amber’s Delectable Delights)
1 lb. ground beef
1 egg, beaten
1 cup spaghetti sauce, divided
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup Italian style breadcrumbs
1/4 onion, grated
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt & pepper to taste
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2) Gently mix 3/4 cup spaghetti sauce with the remaining ingredients.
3) Divide into four equal portions and form into desired shape. Place onto greased baking pan.
4) Smother each loaf with remaining spaghetti sauce and top with extra mozzarella cheese.
5) Bake for 40-50 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.
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Garlic Mashed Potatoes
4 medium sized red potatoes (about 3.5 cups cubed), scrubbed
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
Salt & pepper to taste
1) Cube potatoes and place in pot with peeled garlic cloves. Cover with water. Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 20 minutes; drain.
2) Place in a bowl with remaining ingredients and mash or beat with electric mixer.
19 Aug
American Apple Pie – Food in Film
Posted by Michelle as Fruit Pies | 6 Comments
Today I made my first homemade pie and I have chosen to enter it into a blogging event, Food in Film, which is hosted by Susan at The Well-Seasoned Cook. The round-up has been posted on Susan’s blog ~ please check out the other creative entries here!
As someone who graduated high school in 1998, the release of 1999’s American Pie movie definitely still struck a resounding chord with my friends and I – it was a hilarious adaptation of the quest of high school seniors to finally “become men and women”. The first movie, which would come to have two equally side-splitting sequels, features the scene for which the movie is titled. In an effort to see if his friends have described “things” appropriately, Jim ravages an apple pie. After being walked in on by his dad, this is what’s left of the pie:
While American Pie is certainly not known as a cinematic masterpiece, it is definitely a movie for which a generation identifies as growing up and coming-of-age with, as The Breakfast Club and Pretty in Pink were for teens of the ’80s. American Pie is my Breakfast Club. And below is my Apple Pie
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And now, on to the pie!!
As I said, this was my first attempt at a homemade pie and I must say that this pie was pretty much everything I hoped it would be!! Next time I would slice the apples a little thicker and figure out how to get my dough not to crack when rolling it out (any tips??).
For the crust I used an adaptation of a Pate Brisee, substituting shortening for half of the butter. The crust was absolutely fabulous – buttery, flaky and completely melt-in-your-mouth. For the filling I used a method that was detailed in Joy of Baking. The desired effect was achieved – juicy apples in a perfectly crisp and browned bottom crust.
Pie Crust
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup (1/2 stick) butter-flavored shortening, chilled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water
Apple Filling
2 1/2 pounds (about 6 large) apples, peeled, cored and sliced 1/4-inch thick (about 8 cups sliced)
1/4 cup granulated white sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Directions:
1) In a large bowl combine the sliced apples, sugars, lemon juice, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Let the apples macerate at room temperature for about two hours.
2) In a food processor, place the flour, salt, and sugar (for the pie crust) and process until combined. Add the butter and shortening and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal (about 15 seconds). Pour 1/4 cup water in a slow, steady stream through the feed tub until the dough just holds together when pinched. If necessary, add more water. Do not process more than 30 seconds.
3) Turn the dough onto your work surface and gather into a ball. Divide the dough in half, flattening each half into a disk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about one hour before using. This will chill the butter and relax the gluten in the flour.
4) After the dough has chilled sufficiently, remove one portion of the dough from the fridge and place it on a lightly floured surface. Roll the pastry into a 12-inch circle. Fold the dough in half and gently transfer to a 9-inch pie pan. Brush off any excess flour and trim the edges of the pastry to fit the pie pan. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator.
5) Then remove the second round of pastry and roll it onto a 12-inch circle. Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator.
6) Place the apples and their juices in a strainer that is placed over a large bowl (to capture the juices). Let the apples drain for about 15-30 minutes or until you have at least 1/2 cup of juice. Pour collected juices and the 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter into a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 6-7 minutes or until the liquid has reduced to about 1/3 cup and is syrupy and lightly caramelized.
7) Meanwhile, remove the top pastry crust from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes so it has time to soften and become pliable.
Transfer the drained apples slices to a large bowl and mix them with the cornstarch. Then pour the reduced syrup over the apples and toss to combine. Pour the apples and their syrup into the chilled pie crust. Moisten the edges of the pie shell with a little water and then place the top crust over the apples. Tuck any excess pastry under the bottom crust and then crimp the edges using your fingers or a fork. Using a sharp knife, make five 2-inch slits from the center of the pie out towards the edge of the pie to allow the steam to escape. Cover the pie with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill the pastry while you preheat the oven.
9) Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the oven rack at the lowest level and place a baking stone or baking sheet on the rack before preheating the oven. Place a piece of aluminum foil on the stone (or pan) to catch any apple juices.
10) Set the pie on the stone or pan and bake for about 45 to 55 minutes or until the juices start to bubble through the slits and apples feel tender (not mushy) when a toothpick or sharp knife is inserted through one of the slits. Make sure to cover the edges of the pie with a foil ring to prevent over browning after about 30 minutes.
11) Remove the pie from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool for about 3-4 hours before cutting. Store at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.
14 Aug
Samoas® Brownie – Browniebabe of the Month
Posted by Michelle as Brownies and Bar Cookies | 10 Comments
Until today I had never made brownies from scratch; I always used the box mix and as a result, I always felt a twinge of guilt. Making homemade brownies has been on my kitchen to-do list for a long time and when I saw the Browniebabe event I had the perfect excuse to finally whip up a batch!
Samoas® Girl Scout cookies are a favorite in our house and I couldn’t remember ever seeing these cookies morphed into a brownie. I had my brownie idea! Since Samoas® are based on a shortbread cookie, I used a blondie as my base for this so-decadent-need-to-eat-with-a-fork-and-wash-down-with-milk brownie.
Caramel Blondies
(adapted from Kraft Foods)
1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
2 eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 lb. caramels
1/4 cup milk
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 13×9-inch baking pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan. Lightly grease foil. Mix brown sugar, butter, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl until well blended (I mixed by hand with a wood spoon); set aside. Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add to brown sugar mixture; mix well. Reserve 1 cup of the batter for later use; spread remaining batter into prepared pan.
2. Baking 15 minutes or until firm. Microwave caramels and milk in microwaveable bowl 2-3 minutes or until caramels are completely melted, stirring every minute. Pour over baked layer in pan; spread to within 1/2 inch of edges.
3. Spoon reserved 1 cup batter over caramel layer; with an icing spatula, spread batter together with caramel until a smooth layer appears. Bake an additional 18 minutes or until center is set. Cool completely.
Toasted Coconut Topping
(adapted from Cupcake Bakeshop)
2 (5-oz) cans evaporated milk
1 1/3 cups sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
3 cups shredded, sweet coconut
1. Spread the coconut onto a sheet pan. Toast in a 350 degree oven, stirring frequently to prevent burning, until the coconut is an even brown color, approximately 12 minutes.
2. Combine milk, sugar and butter in a medium saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until thick, bubbly, and golden, about 15 minutes.
3. Add 2 cups of the coconut, reserving the remainder for assembly of the brownie; stir to combine. Cool completely.
Chocolate Ganache
(source: Cupcake Bakeshop)
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate
1 cup (8 oz) heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1. Chop chocolate and transfer into a heat proof bowl.
2. Heat cream until bubbles form around the edge of the pan and then pour cream over the chocolate.
3. Let sit for 1 minute then stir until combined.
4. Add vanilla and stir until combined.
5. Let cool to room temperature.
ASSEMBLING THE BROWNIE:
1. Bake blondies and cool completely.
2. Prepare chocolate ganache and once cool, spread a thin layer over the cooled blondies. Put pan in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
3. Prepare toasted coconut topping and let cool to room temperature. Spread over hardened chocolate ganache layer and top with extra toasted coconut.
4. Drizzle with remaining chocolate ganache.
And I took the suggestion of my friend Amber and cut mine out in the shape of a real Samoas® cookie
**Store these in the refrigerator or they might get gooey on you!
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As mentioned above, I will be submitting this recipe in the Browniebabe of the Month event hosted by Myriam at Once Upon a Tart.
Check the event link on August 19th for a round-up of all the entries!
13 Aug
Pasta Carbonara Florentine
Posted by Michelle as Pasta, Noodles and Dumplings | 0 Comments
Hold the florentine.
I grew up eating pasta carbonara, as both my mom and grandma make it often, but I had never attempted the dish myself. I saw this recipe in a recent Cooking Light issue and saved it for a night when I just wanted to throw something together. This was one of those nights.
The spinach would be a great addition to this dish, but it was fabulous without it as well! The texture was perfectly creamy and the combination of onion and black pepper gave it a nice bite. Thumbs up
Pasta Carbonara Florentine
(from Cooking Light)
Ingredients:
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1 (6-oz) package bagged prewashed baby spinach
6 slices center-cut bacon, chopped
1 cup finely chopped onion
2 T. dry white wine (I omitted this)
8 oz. uncooked spaghetti (I used fettuccine)
1/2 cup (2 oz) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 large egg
1 large egg white
3 T. chopped fresh parsley
Directions:
1) Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add 1/4 tsp salt and spinach; cook 1 minute or until spinach wilts, stirring constantly. Remove spinach from pan; place in a bowl.
2) Add bacon to pan; cook 3 minutes or until crisp, stirring frequently. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 2 tsp drippings in pan; set bacon aside. Add onion to drippings in pan; cook 2 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Add wine; cook 1 minute or until liquid is reduced by half. (I omitted this step.) Remove from heat; keep warm.
3) Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain well, reserving 1 T. cooking liquid. Immediately add pasta and the reserved cooking liquid to onion mixture in skillet. Add spinach and bacon; stir well to combine. Place skillet over low heat.
4) Combine remaining 1/4 tsp salt, cheese, pepper, egg, and egg white, stirring with a whisk. Add to pasta mixture, tossing well to coat. Cook 1 minute. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately.
10 Aug
Chicken Spread
Posted by Michelle as Appetizers | 9 Comments
I am hosting this month’s neighborhood girls’ night and have turned it into a spa margarita party! My sister is a consultant for an at-home spa company and I took the opportunity to invite the neighborhood girls over for a night of margaritas and pampering.
I made a chicken spread tonight and popped it in the fridge for tomorrow.
This chicken spread literally takes 5 minutes to throw together (now that I’m thinking about it, I didn’t really need to make it ahead… oh well, it’s the planner in me!). It’s a recipe that I received from my mom and one that is always popular at parties. I have received many requests for the recipe!
Chicken Spread (from my mom)
8-oz. cream cheese
Small onion, finely chopped
Small can (4.25-oz) canned chicken
1 T. mayonnaise
1 T. soy sauce
Blend all ingredients together with a hand mixer until creamy and combined.
Serve with your favorite crackers (I am partial to Ritz).
09 Aug
Parmesan Chicken & Rice
Posted by Michelle as Beans and Grains, Poultry | 0 Comments
This is a nice light version of the typical Italian dish, risotto. I came across this lighter adaptation on Cooking Light and only made a couple of slight modifications on the original recipe.
There are no leftovers to speak of, so you know it was a hit! This was also a great clean-up meal since you only need to use one pot! I served this with a side salad – it was a very filling meal!
Parmesan Chicken and Rice (adapted from Cooking Light)
1 T. olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
3/4 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup uncooked instant rice (in my pantry was Uncle Ben’s Fast & Healthy Brown Rice)
1.5 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup (2 oz.) grated fresh parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, thyme and mushrooms; saute 5 minutes or until onion is tender.
2. Add chicken; saute 4 minutes or until the chicken is lightly browned.
3. Add wine, salt, and pepper; cook 3 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates.
4. Stir in rice and broth. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer until liquid is absorbed. Stir in cheese and parsley.
**Note: The original recipe only called for 1 cup of chicken broth but I had to add an additional 1/2 cup because the rice was not yet cooked after cooking through the first cup of broth.
06 Aug
Italian Stuffed Peppers
Posted by Michelle as Meat, Vegetables | 0 Comments
Tonight was a stop in Italy. Although stuffed peppers are not an inherently Italian dish (sshhh, don’t tell my Grandma!), this version certainly tasted like it was straight from the old country! The addition of the parmesan cheese and using spaghetti sauce versus plain tomato sauce made all the difference. This is my new official stuffed pepper recipe!
Italian Stuffed Peppers (adapted from Lunch with Lynn)
4 large bell peppers
1 cup cooked rice
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 large vidalia onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt
Pepper
Italian seasoning
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups spaghetti sauce (I used homemade that I had in the freezer)
Shredded mozzarella cheese
1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Cut the tops off of peppers and clean out seeds and membranes. Place in baking dish that has a small amount of water on the bottom (it will keep the peppers from sticking and keep them moist).
3. Brown the ground beef with the onion and garlic, crumbling the meat. Season with salt, pepper and a couple of dashes of Italian seasoning. Drain beef mixture.
4. Mix beef mixture, rice, parmesan cheese and almost all of spaghetti sauce in a bowl. Stuff an equal amount of filling into each pepper. Top with a spoonful of sauce and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese on each pepper.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese and continue to bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
**What I Would Do Differently**
The peppers were still pretty raw when they came out of the oven, so next time I would boil them quickly to get them started before stuffing them and baking them.
