tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22944229809912364182024-02-20T20:35:21.777-05:00Nancy BakesNancy Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985933448977866066noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2294422980991236418.post-43573136333389799072012-08-28T14:04:00.001-04:002012-08-29T17:21:48.199-04:00Chicken and Rice X2The "silence is golden" announcement always stands out to me when I go to the movies. I cringe at the representation of all of the annoying ways we can distract one another from the film. As technology advances, there is an increasing number of ways people can interrupt the movie. From ringtones to glowing touchscreens, crying babies to squealing preteens, the possibilities are endless.<br />
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It makes me wonder why there are fewer and fewer drive-in theaters in the world. How could people <i>not</i> prefer enjoying films in the privacy of their own cars; where they can control the volume of the film and the people around them? Not only that, but drive-ins almost <i>always</i> offer double features. Double features are <u>always</u> a bonus.<br />
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Today's post is also a double feature. For week 33 of the cooking challenge, challengers were asked to "turn something boring into something great." With two packs of chicken thighs stowed away, I decided to turn chicken and rice into two very different dinners.<br />
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First up: <span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Arroz con Pollo</span><br />
<i>Chicken and Rice in Español </i><br />
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<b>Ingredients</b><br />
3 to 4 lbs chicken parts (boneless/skinless thighs), seasoned with salt and pepper<br />
2 tablespoons olive oil<br />
2 cups chopped onions<br />
1 green bell pepper, diced<br />
4 oz. smoked ham, diced<br />
2 cups long-grain white rice<br />
1 tablespoon minced garlic<br />
1 tablespoon paprika<br />
1 teaspoon salt<br />
1/2 teaspoon black pepper<br />
3 cups chicken stock<br />
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano<br />
1/4 teaspoon loosely packed saffron threads<br />
1 cup frozen peas<br />
3/4 cup pimento-stuffed green (<a href="http://www.delallo.com/files/DLStuffedQueensBrine10485.jpg">queen</a>) olives, cut in half<br />
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<b>Directions</b><br />
Pour the two tablespoons of vegetable oil into a large heavy pan and set the heat to medium-high. When the oil is heated and shimmery, add the chicken pieces in a single layer and brown well on both sides, (about 5 minutes per side). I cooked mine in two batches, set aside pieces when browned.<br />
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Scale down the heat to medium-low and add the chopped onions, diced bell pepper, and diced ham.<br />
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Stir every now and then, and cook until the onions become tender, (about 8 minutes). Add the cups of white rice and combine well. Stir rice around, and cook for about a minute before adding the minced garlic, paprika, salt and pepper. Stir around and cook for another minute. <br />
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When the seasoning is well dispersed, add the 3 cups of chicken stock, dried oregano and saffron threads. Set heat up to high and bring mixture to a boil. Stir mixture, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan to unstick any browned bits. Nestle chicken pieces into the rice and pour in all of the juices. Cover pan with a tight-fitting lid and simmer over medium-low heat for 20 minutes.<br />
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Stir in the peas and olive halves. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the rice is tender. If cooking with a very large pot, make sure to distribute the heat well among the bottom of your pan in order to cook the rice evenly. Let rice sit, with the lid on, for at least 15 <i>uninterrupted</i> minutes before serving. Enjoy alone, or with a side salad.<br />
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Chicken and Rice #2:<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Chicken Cacciatore</span><br />
<i>with <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2012/07/zucchini-rice-gratin/">Zucchini Rice Gratin </a></i><br />
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<b>Ingredients</b><br />
3 to 4 lbs chicken parts, (boneless/skinless thighs), seasoned with salt and pepper<br />
3 tablespoons olive oil<br />
1 cup chopped onions<br />
1 bay leaf<br />
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary<br />
1/2 teaspoon dried sage<br />
1 large clove garlic, minced<br />
1/2 cup dry white wine<br />
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, with juice <br />
3/4 cup chicken stock<br />
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced<br />
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<b>Directions</b><br />
Heat olive oil over medium-high in a large, heavy skillet. When the oil is shimmery and fragrant, add the seasoned chicken pieces, (in small batches), arranged in a single layer. Brown chicken on all sides, (about 5 minutes per side), and set aside on a plate when done.<br />
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Lower to medium heat and add the chopped onions, bay leaf, dried rosemary and sage. Stir frequently and cook until the onions are golden brown, (about 5 minutes). Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute. Place chicken pieces back in skillet and add the white wine.<br />
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Cook mixture over medium-high heat, turning the chicken and scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. When the wine is almost all evaporated, add the diced tomatoes, and chicken stock. Turn heat down to low, simmer gently for 25 minutes. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook, covered, for 10 more minutes. Add additional seasoning to taste.<br />
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Serve with <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2012/07/zucchini-rice-gratin/">Zucchini Rice Gratin by Smitten Kitchen</a>.<br />
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<br />Nancy Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985933448977866066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2294422980991236418.post-43303787770262956692012-08-20T17:30:00.000-04:002012-08-20T17:30:37.716-04:00Raspberry Limoncello Popsicles<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I refuse to admit to myself that summer is ending. <br />
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It's difficult each year, but usually I become too bored to stay home any longer. <br />
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Unfortunately, summer 2012 hasn't bored me, yet. <br />
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As the tan fades, and September approaches, I just have to be honest with myself; it's been a good break. <br />
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There really isn't anything else I can do but sit back, (maybe in a hammock), put my feet up, and have a popsicle.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Raspberry Limoncello Popsicles</span><br />
<i>(makes 4 medium-large popsicles)</i><br />
adapted from <a href="http://everydayfoodblog.marthastewart.com/2012/06/cocktail-oclock-raspberry-limoncello-popsicles.html">Everyday Food</a><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Ingredients</b><br />
1/2 pound fresh raspberries<br />
3 oz. simple syrup<br />
1 oz. plus 1 tablespoon limoncello<br />
2 tablespoons lime juice<br />
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<b>Directions</b><br />
In a medium bowl, mash the raspberries. Add the simple syrup, limoncello, and lime juice to mashed berries. Stir until well combined. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze at least 4 hours, or until completely frozen. Nancy Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985933448977866066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2294422980991236418.post-30714144112567221142012-08-15T15:58:00.000-04:002012-08-15T15:58:46.114-04:00Chicken Empanadas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Empanadas make me think of Pepsi. I don't even drink Pepsi.<br />
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Well, my mom used to be a huge Pepsi fan. So, growing up, I was a Pro-Pepsi, loved the sweetness, hated the way the Coke carbonation felt. It didn't seem to go down as smooth, in my mind. Over time, mom started buying less Pepsi, and then my school's dining hall was serviced by Coke. I was introduced to Coke Zero and I've converted. I've crossed-over. I'm a coke girl, now.<br />
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So, why do empanadas remind me of Pepsi? Not too long ago, Pepsi's ad campaign (perhaps specific to the Spanish channels) featured a commercial where a boy is at a party and tries to bite into a tamal without removing the husk. He then, after meeting a pretty girl and drinking some Pepsi, learns how to properly eat one. Maybe they dance, maybe they fall in love, who knows, it's a really short ad. At the end, he's about to chow down on an empanada, but he's no fool, he's not to be tricked again by foreign foods. He tries to "open" the pastry shell before digging in. Leaving the girl hopelessly shaking her head at him.<br />
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I didn't grow up eating empanadas, even though I'd hear about them constantly. Week 28 of the baking challenge was to make a South American food, and I was in the mood to bake something savory.<br />
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While I may not have chosen the most traditional of recipes, I did pick one that featured ingredients I could easily get a hold of. The prep was relatively easy.<br />
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Once baked, the empanadas seemed to lack sauce, so I would definitely serve them with salsa. I wouldn't adjust the filling recipe, as there was plenty to go around. Maybe even too much, (which wasn't a problem for me, as I just turned the rest of the filling into <a href="http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-make-a-chicken-chimichanga-2">chimichangas</a>). <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Chicken Empanadas</span><br />
slightly adapted from <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/chicken-empanadas-recipe/index.html">FoodNetwork</a><br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients </b><br />
3 cups cooked chicken, cut into small cubes<br />
4 oz. Colby cheese, shredded<br />
4 oz. Pepper Jack cheese, shredded<br />
4 oz. cream cheese, softened <br />
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped<br />
1 jalapeno, seeded, deveined and chopped<br />
1 tablespoon cumin<br />
1 1/2 teaspoons salt<br />
1/2 teaspoon pepper<br />
1 (15 oz) package of refrigerated pie crusts<br />
1 large egg<br />
water<br />
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<b>Directions</b><br />
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.<br />
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In a large bowl, combine the chopped chicken with the cream cheese, shredded cheese, chopped bell pepper, jalapeno, and spices. Mix well.<br />
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On a lightly floured surface, unroll one of the pie crusts. Cut out rounds, using a 3" cookie cutter. (I found I could get 8 circles out of a pie crust before re-rolling). Repeat procedure with 2nd pie crust, and roll scraps together to cut out more 3" circles. Arrange circles on the prepared baking sheet.<br />
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Place a heaping teaspoon of the chicken mixture onto each 3" circle.<br />
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Dip your finger into the water and trace the edges of the dough circle. Fold dough over, and seal shut with the tines of a fork. Repeat with the remaining circles of dough and chicken mixture. (At this point, the empanadas can now be frozen for up to a month.)<br />
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Beat the large egg and brush the tops of the empanadas with the egg wash. Bake on the prepared sheet, (I could fit 8 at a time), for 15 minutes, turning the pan around halfway through.<br />
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Serve with your favorite salsa, and, if you're looking to eat them as a meal, a side of rice and beans.Nancy Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985933448977866066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2294422980991236418.post-70075503742906191572012-08-13T17:12:00.001-04:002012-08-13T20:23:46.633-04:00Raspberry Streusel Tart<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Summertime is berry time. Summertime is also "I can't possibly turn on the oven in this heat" time. As I was living in an apartment without air conditioning, you can see how this could be a problem. I wish I could tell you there was an easy solution, but there isn't. So, what did I do? I moved. Plain and simple. Up and left my apartment, and moved into one that allowed me to bake in the middle of a heat wave.<br />
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Sure, I'm going to end up paying for it in the electric bill, but until I see my first invoice, I'm going to go ahead and say it's been worth it. This tart, topped with a dollop of whipped cream, worth it. Not to mention the smells that take over your home as it bakes. I'm obsessed with <a href="http://nancybakes.blogspot.com/2012/08/chocolate-chip-challah.html">baking</a> <a href="http://nancybakes.blogspot.com/2012/08/butter-sage-chicken.html">smells</a>. This one is top notch.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Raspberry Streusel Tart</span><br />
<i>from The Joy of Cooking</i><br />
<i>makes one 9 1/2" - 10" tart, serves 8</i><br />
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<b>Ingredients</b><br />
<i>(shortbread crust)</i><br />
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour<br />
1/3 cup sugar<br />
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest<br />
1/4 teaspoon salt<br />
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened<br />
2 large egg yolks, divided<br />
<br />
<i>(streusel)</i><br />
2/3 cup all-purpose flour<br />
2/3 cup chopped walnuts<br />
1/3 cup sugar<br />
1/3 cup brown sugar<br />
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted<br />
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon<br />
1/4 teaspoon salt<br />
<br />
<i>(filling)</i><br />
3 cups raspberries<br />
1/2 cup sugar<br />
2 tablespoons cornstarch<br />
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice <br />
<br />
<b>Directions</b><br />
<i>(Shortbread crust)</i><br />
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, lemon zest and salt. Add the softened butter and mash into the flour mixture with the back of a fork, or the bottom of a whisk. Mash until the mixture resembles course crumbs. Add one large egg yolk and mix together with a spatula, pressing dry bits into the dough to incorporate. Mix until dough comes together in a ball. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, (up to 2 days). <br />
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<i>(Streusel)</i><br />
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, sugars, walnuts, cinnamon and salt. Add dry mixture to melted butter and blend well. Mixture will also resemble course crumbs. Set aside.<br />
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<i>(Filling)</i><br />
In a medium bowl, stir together the raspberries, sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice until just combined. <br />
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<i><b>Assembling the tart</b></i><br />
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease the bottom of the
pie pan, dusting with flour. Pat the shortbread dough evenly over the
bottom and sides of the prepared pan. Using the tines of a fork, poke
holes throughout the bottom and the sides of the soon-to-be tart crust.<br />
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Bake until deep golden brown, (18 - 22 minutes). <br />
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Whisk together the remaining egg yolk with a pinch of salt. Brush
the inside of the shortbread crust with the yolk. Return crust to oven
until egg glaze sets, (1 - 2 minutes). Let cool completely.<br />
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Distribute raspberry mixture evenly in tart crust. Sprinkle streusel over the berries and bake the tart until the streusel has browned and thick juices bubble up near the center, (45 - 60 minutes). Let cool completely on rack. Best served the day it is made.<br />
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<br />Nancy Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985933448977866066noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2294422980991236418.post-53097624936376403422012-08-10T10:12:00.001-04:002012-08-10T10:12:17.645-04:00Chocolate Chip Challah<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Baking bread can seem daunting to people. There's yeast, kneading (<a href="http://nancybakes.blogspot.com/2012/06/rosemary-boule.html">or not</a>), and multiple risings. These are steps in the baking process that aren't routine to us <a href="http://nancybakes.blogspot.com/search/label/cookies">cookie</a>/<a href="http://nancybakes.blogspot.com/search/label/cupcakes">cupcake</a>/<a href="http://nancybakes.blogspot.com/2012/01/mini-whoopie-pies.html">whoopie</a> pie-makers. <br />
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Yet, what most of us don't realize, is that the rewards of bread-making are so fan-freakin-tastic. The smells, the taste, the texture. All worth it.<br />
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For week 30 of the baking challenge I was to make a sweet bread, and since I had been invited to a friend's house for a Shabbat dinner, the timing couldn't have been better. I had made the recipe before but my braiding turned out pretty wonky. This time, I decided to go for a three-strand braid, under the direction of <a href="http://theshiksa.com/2010/08/26/challah-bread-part-2-how-to-braid-challah/">this site</a>. Braid, brush, rise for an hour.<br />
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Brush the loaves again with a second egg coating, then enjoy the next 30 - 45 minutes as the smell of challah dances through your home.<br />
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Chocolate Chip Challah<br />
Adapted from <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2008/09/best-challah-egg-bread/">Smitten Kitchen</a><br />
makes 2 loaves<br />
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Ingredients<br />
1 1/2 packages active yeast (about 11 grams)<br />
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon of sugar (113 grams)<br />
1/2 cup vegetable oil<br />
4 large eggs<br />
1 tablespoon salt<br />
8 cups all purpose flour<br />
1/2 cup chocolate chips, (per challah), optional<br />
1 large egg (for coating)<br />
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Directions<br />
In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in 1 3/4 cups of warm water. Whisk together with vegetable oil until well combined. <br />
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Beat in each of the 4 eggs, individually. Stir in salt. Add flour, one cup at a time, stirring between each addition. When dough starts to form a ball, (albeit scraggly), turn dough onto floured surface and knead until smooth. (Make sure to incorporate all the flour bits that may have stuck to the edge of the mixing bowl.)<br />
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Spray bowl with cooking spray, and return dough to mixing bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise for at least an hour.<br />
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When dough has just about doubled in size, punch it down. Roll the dough over, so that the top of the ball becomes coated in the cooking spray. Cover again with plastic wrap, and let it rise in the refrigerator overnight. <i>(Can't wait? Replace the chilled overnight rise with a 30 minute warm rise)</i>.<br />
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Remove bowl from fridge, bring the dough back to room
temperature. <i>(About 30 minutes)</i>. Knead the chocolate chips into the challah
dough. Separate dough into two portions, (for the separate loaves).<br />
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Take each dough portion, and divide into 3 equal sized dough balls. (These will become your braid-strands). Roll each small dough ball into a long dough strand, about 12 - 15 inches long, <i>(use the long edge of your baking sheet for comparison)</i>. Place the three strands side-by-side, parallel to one another, and about halfway down from the top, begin a 3-strand braid. Braid the strands together until you've reached the bottom, then flip the entire braid over so that you can braid the unfinished portion.<br />
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Once you have a braided loaf, place it on a greased baking sheet, making sure to leave plenty of room for challah #2. (Leaving a 2-inch gap between loaves). Repeat braid process for the remaining half of dough. Beat the final egg and coat the braided loaves with the egg wash. Cover with greased plastic wrap and let braids rise for an hour.<br />
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Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Brush loaves again with egg wash. Bake in the middle rack for 30 - 40 minutes, or until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 190 degrees Fahrenheit. Cool challah on racks before serving. <br />
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<br />Nancy Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985933448977866066noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2294422980991236418.post-18361939527892396002012-08-08T13:04:00.001-04:002012-08-08T14:41:04.882-04:00Butter Sage Chicken<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I love the smell of melted butter. It has such great associations, too. Melted butter on my mom's fresh flour tortillas, melted butter over <a href="http://nancybakes.blogspot.com/2012/06/pancakes.html">pancakes</a>, or on the side of a steaming plate of <a href="http://nancybakes.blogspot.com/2012/07/back-from-vacationland.html">clams and lobster</a>. The smell of melted butter means something great is about to be had. </div>
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I was having <strike>dinner</strike> <b>a feast</b> at a friend's place the other night, and she made some amazing dishes. Our main course being Butter Sage Chicken. Beautifully cooked, with lots of butter sage sauce; the smell of butter was intoxicating. Biting in to it, though, was almost like an entirely different dish. My taste buds were punched in their hypothetical faces by a very prominent lemon flavor. It was delicious. </div>
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So, less than a week later, I find myself in the kitchen, with a pack of chicken breasts, ready to punch my taste buds again.</div>
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Lining up the ingredients. Each chicken piece gets a sprinkling of salt and pepper, and coated in flour. <br />
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Chicken pieces go into a pre-heated pan. Cooked on each side for about 5 to 6 minutes.<br />
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Cooked chicken is set aside to make way for the butter sage sauce. <br />
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Butter and herbs first, followed by onions, followed by lemon juice. Bring chicken back into the pan and coat the pieces in the sauce. Serve and enjoy!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Butter Sage Chicken</span><br />
adapted from <a href="http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/sauteed-chicken-with-sage-50400000109611/">Cooking Light</a><br />
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<b>Ingredients</b><br />
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, <a href="http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/cm/goodhousekeeping/images/preparing-chicken-breasts-butterfly-pounding-3-ghv-325-86204037.jpg">cut in half width-wise </a><br />
sea salt, freshly cracked black pepper<br />
1/2 cup all purpose flour<br />
3 1/2 tablespoons butter<br />
1/2 teaspoon dried sage<br />
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme<br />
1/4 medium-sized sweet onion, diced <br />
2 tablespoons lemon juice (about 1/2 a medium-large lemon)<br />
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<b>Directions</b><br />
Season each of the chicken breast pieces with salt and pepper. Set aside. Heat a large skillet, set at medium high, and prepare with cooking spray. <br />
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In a shallow dish/bowl, measure out the 1/2 cup of flour. One at a time, coat both sides of the chicken pieces.<br />
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Without overcrowding the pan, add a few pieces of chicken and cook for about 6 minutes per side, or until cooked through. When fully cooked, remove chicken from pan and rest on a plate. You may have to cook the chicken in batches. <br />
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When all the chicken is cooked, add the butter, sage, and thyme to the pan. Cook over medium heat until the herbs are fragrant and just as the butter begins to browns. Add diced onions and cook until edges brown. Combine with lemon juice and reincorporate the chicken pieces to bring them back to desired temperature.<br />
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Remove from heat, and serve with your favorite sides.Nancy Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985933448977866066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2294422980991236418.post-29737733825424864492012-08-06T12:41:00.002-04:002012-08-06T12:41:44.806-04:00Tandoori-Spiced Chicken Thighs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I never tried Indian food until after I started college. When I finally had it, I felt wronged. "Culinarily"-deprived. (I can't find a better phrase for it, so why not make one up?). I could not believe all of the delicious foods I had been missing out on. For years. Years! Naan, alone, was enough to make me feel like I never needed another cuisine.<br />
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A few more years of dining hall meal plans, and then I was out on my own. Off to fend for myself in the kitchen. It took me so long before I approached Indian recipes.<br />
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B's sister gifted him/us a cookbook, and as excited as I was, the ingredient lists felt overwhelming. Then, one fortunately lazy afternoon, I took a peek at B's mom's <a href="http://www.gourmet.com/">Gourmet</a> Cookbook and fell upon a recipe for Tandoori Chicken Thighs. I immediately swooned for the bright red, bone-in, chicken that arrives at your table sizzling on a skillet.<br />
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It had to be done.<br />
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A couple of surprises when making this recipe. As you can see, the chicken isn't bright red! Turns out this recipe lacks the red spices (cayenne, kashmiri red chili powder, etc) that result in the typical red hue. I assume that Gourmet was looking for a more mild-spiced version to appeal to a variety of pallets. (They forgot about folks like me, <a href="http://nancybakes.blogspot.com/2012/01/general-tsos-chicken.html">the spicier the better</a>!) <br />
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The next surprise, the spices were easy to come by. Unlike cardamom, which I can NEVER find. But
that's a different story.<br />
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<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Tandoori Spiced Chicken Thighs</span><br />
adapted from The Gourmet Cookbook<br />
<i>Serves 5-6</i><br />
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<b>Ingredients </b><i><br /></i><br />
1 Tablespoon onion powder<br />
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder<br />
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger<br />
6 oz plain Greek yogurt<br />
1 Tablespoon lemon juice<br />
2 teaspoons salt<br />
1 teaspoon turmeric<br />
2 teaspoons ground cumin<br />
2 teaspoons ground coriander<br />
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper<br />
1/4 teaspoon cayenne <br />
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon<br />
3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs<br />
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<b>Directions</b><br />
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt with the lemon juice and all of the spices.<br />
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Trim the excess fat off the chicken thighs and stir into the yogurt mixture, making sure to coat all sides of the chicken.<br />
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Put chicken and spiced-yogurt mixture into a large heavy-duty sized plastic seal-able bag. Close bag tightly and ensure that chicken is well-coated. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, and up to 12 hours. (Mine marinated overnight.)<br />
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Preheat broiler, set on high. Line the broiler pan with foil and spread out chicken in a single layer. Broil chicken, about 5-6 inches from the flame, until they are cooked through (about 16 - 20 minutes). Make sure to turn once during the cook time. (Depending on the size of your pan, you may have to cook the chicken thighs in multiple batches)<br />
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Serve with basmati rice, and/or your other favorite sides, and enjoy! <br />
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A super special thanks to <a href="http://www.facebook.com/lindyswhiskfulkitchen">Lindy</a> at <a href="http://whiskful.wordpress.com/">Whiskful Thinking </a>for <a href="http://whiskful.wordpress.com/2012/07/25/strawberry-cake/">thinking of me</a>! I love how much you've committed to your baking! I hope we cross paths again, soon!
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<a class="pin-it-button" count-layout="horizontal" href="http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/"><img border="0" src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/PinExt.png" title="Pin It" /></a>Nancy Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985933448977866066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2294422980991236418.post-43217215270384651512012-08-02T20:13:00.003-04:002012-08-10T10:41:34.912-04:00Rice Pudding with Coconut Milk and Cashews<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A while back, my friend and I were in New York and found ourselves visiting a gelato shop in Chelsea Market. The display case was so tempting, we just couldn't resist. The only problem was that the flavor names were in Italian.<br />
<br />
Normally, I have no problem asking people questions, but when it comes
to gelato, I knew I'd ask a TON of questions. Seeing as how
it was very busy that day, I panicked and picked a flavor at random.<br />
<br />
The gelato was creamy and delicious, the flavor so difficult to
identify. It couldn't have been vanilla, and there were these small
pieces of unidentifiable solid....grains of rice?<br />
<br />
Then it clicked. Rice
pudding gelato. And it was amazing. <br />
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Week 26 of the challenge requires a gluten free recipe, which got my mind back on rice pudding. A few nights prior, I had made basmati rice, and ended up with leftovers. Luckily, after doing a little research, I realized that most rice pudding recipes have you start by cooking the rice. It was like I was already halfway done!<br />
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Since I was using basmati rice, I chose to include coconut milk, and some nice spice combinations. Cashews for texture? Why not.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Rice Pudding with Coconut Milk and Cashews</span><br />
<i>serves 6</i><br />
<i>adapted from <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/indian-rice-pudding-recipe/index.html">Alton Brown </a></i><br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients</b><br />
2 cups cooked basmati rice<br />
2 cups milk<br />
1 cup heavy cream<br />
1 1/2 cups coconut milk<br />
1/2 cup sugar<br />
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon<br />
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg<br />
2/3 cup whole roasted cashews<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: small;">Directions</span></b><br />
In a large nonstick saucepan, combine the cooked rice and milk over medium-high heat. When the mixture begins to boil, bring the saucepan to a simmer and cook until thickened, stirring often. (About 10 minutes).<br />
<br />
Bring the heat back up to medium-high and add the heavy cream, coconut milk, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir frequently and cook until the mixture begins to thicken again, (about 15 - 20 min). Once the mixture starts to thicken, stir in the cashews and remove from heat.<br />
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Serve rice pudding in little dishes, top with a light sprinkle of either of the spices. Tastes great hot or cold. (Can be chilled in refrigerator overnight.)
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<a class="pin-it-button" count-layout="horizontal" href="http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/"><img border="0" src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/PinExt.png" title="Pin It" /></a>Nancy Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985933448977866066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2294422980991236418.post-29094315289578321142012-07-24T22:57:00.000-04:002012-07-24T23:23:17.270-04:00Back from Vacationland!The problem with Vacationland is that it makes Normal-land seem so... normal. My summer break is half over and I've loved every minute. <br />
<br />
I went to the Vacationland where the churches are domed, and the statues are perfect. There was not a shortage of walled cities overlooking rolling hills. These were some of the most beautiful places I've ever set my eyes on, and I am already aching to go back.<br />
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As soon as I returned, I spent a week at a fantastic classroom management workshop. It felt like Vacationland for teachers, and it was fabulous.<br />
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Then, I got the chance to spend a week in the ACTUAL <a href="http://drinkingmadeeasy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/6a0120a94ce60a970b014e89b43778970d-320wi.jpeg">Vacationland</a>, where you spend all day swimming and where boyfriends set the table. (What? Candles?!) <br />
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Obviously, when you're at Vacationland, you have to have lobster. And when we have lobsters, we do it right. Paired with a big bowl of steamers, and a small bowl of melted butter. This is what I look forward to throughout the entire school-year. <br />
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<a href="http://www.mygourmetconnection.com/recipes/appetizers/steamer-clams.php">Steamers</a> and <a href="http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/how_to_boil_and_eat_lobster/">Lobsters</a>. It's how to do summer right.<br />
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<a class="pin-it-button" count-layout="horizontal" href="http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/"><img border="0" src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/PinExt.png" title="Pin It" /></a>Nancy Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985933448977866066noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2294422980991236418.post-87233269410367731552012-06-22T14:29:00.001-04:002012-06-22T14:29:45.408-04:00Cinnamon Ribbon Breakfast Cake<br />
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Making cupcakes started my love for baking. In order to get people to like me, I decided to regularly supply people in the residence halls with home, er, <i>dorm</i>-baked cupcakes. My beginnings were somewhat rudimentary as I fiddled with an old/uncalibrated oven, measured with individual plastic pudding containers and mixed my batter with a fork. The cupcakes were ridiculously moist, (<i>the box states there is pudding in the mix, and I interpreted it as a suggestion to ADD pudding to the mix...</i>), which made up for the numerous lumps of flour that would end up baked into the finish product.<br />
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From there, I started making variations on simple cake mix cupcakes. I'd use the mix batter to create Oreo cupcakes, peanut butter surprise cupcakes, and other recipes from the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cupcakes-From-Cake-Mix-Doctor/dp/0761135480/ref=tmm_pap_title_0">Cake Mix Doctor</a>, but as I started to follow more baking blogs, I realized I needed to say goodbye to my boxed friends.<br />
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Which leads me to this coffee cake. I would always make a breakfast cake by said Dr., but the recipe called for yellow cake mix, and instant pudding mix, blah blah blah. I just knew that there was a better way, and thanks to <a href="http://www.howsweeteats.com/">HowSweetEats</a>, there is!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> <i><span style="font-size: x-small;">*timing is approximate as I let mine bake for an hour and ended up with a slightly over-baked edges and a very dark cinnamon stripe as seen here. When in doubt, start testing with your handy dandy toothpick when the top is golden brown. </span></i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Cinnamon Ribbon Breakfast Cake</span><br />
Adapted from <a href="http://www.howsweeteats.com/2012/06/yellow-birthday-cake-with-mother-lovetts-fudge-frosting/">HowSweetEats</a><br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients</b><br />
<i>for the cake </i><br />
1/4 cup chopped walnuts<br />
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour<br />
3 teaspoons baking powder<br />
1/4 teaspoon salt<br />
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened<br />
1 1/2 cups sugar<br />
3 large eggs<br />
2 teaspoons vanilla extract<br />
1 cup milk<br />
<br />
<i>for the filling</i><br />
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar<br />
2 teaspoons cinnamon<br />
1/4 cup chopped walnuts<br />
<br />
<i>for the glaze </i><br />
1 cup powdered sugar<br />
1 1/2 tablespoons milk<br />
1 teaspoon vanilla<br />
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<b>Directions</b><br />
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.<br />
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In a small mixing bowl combine the 1/3 cup brown sugar, 2 teaspoons of cinnamon and the 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts. Set aside. Prepare a bundt pan with nonstick spray, and drop the remaining 1/4 cup of walnuts into the bottom of the pan, (which will then position them at the top of your cake).<br />
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In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the 2 1/2 cups of AP flour, 3 teaspoons of baking powder and the 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Whisk to combine and set aside.<br />
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In a large mixing bowl, beat the 1/2 cup of softened butter with the 1 1/2 cups of sugar. When the mixture is light and fluffy, add one egg at a time, combining well between each addition. Incorporate the 2 teaspoons of vanilla.<br />
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Next, you will add half of the dry ingredients to the sugar mixture. Stir together before adding the cup of milk. Stir again, and add the rest of the dry mixture, combine well.<br />
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Pour half of the batter into the prepared bundt pan over the walnuts. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar filling into the pan forming a layer over the batter. Add the remaining cake batter making sure to spread it out evenly. Bake for 50-55 minutes, turning once halfway through.<br />
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Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Run a knife along the edges to make sure the cake will not stick to the pan as you flip it. Flip onto your desired surface and cool completely before adding glaze.<br />
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To prepare the glaze, sift the cup of powdered sugar into a small mixing bowl. Add the milk and whisk together, add the teaspoon of vanilla. Reach desired consistency by adding powdered sugar to thicken or more milk to make the glaze runnier.<br />
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Pour glaze over the top of the cooled bundt cake allowing it to drip down the sides.Nancy Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985933448977866066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2294422980991236418.post-89147382217435725282012-06-18T18:54:00.002-04:002012-06-18T18:54:25.506-04:00Cranberry Chicken Salad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When I was younger, I had a passion for mayonnaise. I used to eat mayonnaise sandwiches as a child. I just enjoyed the taste, and especially on warm toasted bread. I think my mom's chicken salad sandwiched had a similar effect, except this time there was actual food between my bread. <br />
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So even though my mom made me shred chicken, and even though she put mixed vegetables in her chicken salad, (gah, Lima beans!!), she made up for it by adding rotini, or other short spiral pasta. Mmm.... pasta sandwiches, I had greatly advanced from my mayo days.<br />
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These days, I'm not putting pasta in my chicken salad. I don't put pasta between bread and call it a sandwich, either. Sometimes, I add fruit to my chicken salad instead of veggies.<br />
<br />
Call me crazy, but sometimes change can be refreshing, delicious, and when walnuts are involved, there's a nice crunch too. Salad or sandwich, this one's a winner.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Cranberry Chicken Salad</span><br />
adapted slightly from <a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/rachels-cranberry-chicken-salad/">AllRecipes</a><br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients</b><br />
2 cooked chicken breast halves, shredded<br />
1/2 cup mayonnaise<br />
1/2 cup dried cranberries<br />
1/2 green apple, diced<br />
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped<br />
1/4 teaspoon dried dill <br />
salt and pepper, to taste<br />
<br />
<b>Directions</b><br />
Shred the 2 chicken breasts into a medium mixing bowl. Add the 1/2 cup of dried cranberries and the 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts. Cut 1/2 of a tart green apple into small square pieces and add to the chicken mixture, stir well.<br />
<br />
Measure out the 1/2 cup of mayonnaise and add to the chicken, stirring together so that the mixture gets coated evenly. Crack fresh pepper and salt onto the chicken. Add the 1/4 teaspoon of dried dill. Stir until well combined.<br />
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Serve over a bed of shredded lettuce, or enjoy in a sandwich.
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<a class="pin-it-button" count-layout="horizontal" href="http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/"><img border="0" src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/PinExt.png" title="Pin It" /></a>Nancy Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985933448977866066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2294422980991236418.post-24129046434062542302012-06-18T18:08:00.001-04:002012-06-18T18:42:12.438-04:00Rosemary Boule<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Before my senior prom, a group of friends and I went to my (then) favorite restaurant, <a href="http://http;//www.macaronigrill.com">Romano's Macaroni Grill</a>. I loved the paper tablecloths, (and writing on them with crayons), I loved the funky ties on the waiters, (and how they all had mastered the skill of writing their name upside-down), I loved the Italian language tape playing in the bathroom, but most of all I loved their bread.<br />
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I went a couple of times as a senior, and a couple more times as I visited home the following year. I dragged friends and coworkers along wanting them to enjoy the experience I had come to love. <br />
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After my sophomore year of college, I didn't go home as often, and thus stopped going to the Macaroni Grill. For some reason, my college friends preferred another <a href="http://www.bucadibeppo.com/">similarly themed restaurant</a>...but to me it just wasn't the same.<br />
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The following year, I convinced my beau to join me for dinner at the Macaroni Grill, and since his mom's family is Italian he was unimpressed. The food just wasn't as good as it could have been, and since we were cooking up our own delicious pastas, Romano's just couldn't compete. It was clear we wouldn't be going back.<br />
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While I don't miss going, I do have moments where memories of the warm delicious bread get in my brain and there's no escaping them. For that, I have created my own version of their Rosemary bread.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Rosemary No Knead Bread</span><br />
makes 1 loaf (about 2 lbs)<br />
adapted from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Artisan-Bread-Five-Minutes-Revolutionizes/dp/0312362919/">Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day</a><br />
<b><br />Ingredients</b><br />
1 1/2 cups of lukewarm water (about 100 degrees F)<br />
3/4 tablespoon granulated yeast (1 packet)<br />
3/4 tablespoon kosher salt<br />
1/2 tablespoon Italian seasoning<br />
1 tablespoon rosemary <br />
3 cups all-purpose flour<br />
1/4 cup bread flour<br />
cornmeal<br />
1 cup of water (for baking)<br />
<br />
<b>Directions</b><br />
Pour 1 1/2 cups of water into a large plastic food container/bowl with a non-airtight lid. Add yeast and salt to water. Add 1/2 tablespoon of Italian seasoning and 1 tablespoon of rosemary to the water mixture. <br />
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Measure the 3 cups of AP flour and add it to the container with the water. Add the 1/4 cup of bread flour. Mix with a wooden spoon, or a heavy duty stand mixer with the dough hook, until the mixture is uniform. If scraggly bits of the flour refuse to mix in with the dough, using wet hands, you can press the mixture together. No need to knead.<br />
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When the dough has come together, and there aren't any dry patches, you may leave the dough in your container and place the lid on top. Allow the dough to rise at room temperature for about 2 hours.<br />
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Once the dough has risen and begun to collapse, prepare a cutting board with a coating of cornmeal. Sprinkle the surface of your dough with flour, and pull up the ball of dough into your hands. While holding the dough ball, add a little more flour to make it easy to handle. Gently form into the shape of a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom, rotating, and applying this step to all four sides.<br />
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Rest the loaf and let it rise on the prepared cutting board for about 40 minutes.<br />
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20 minutes before baking the bread, preheat oven to 450 degrees F, with an upside down baking sheet (or baking stone) on the middle rack. Place an empty broiler tray on the bottom rack.<br />
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Dust the top of the dough with flour and slash 3-4 cuts (1/4-inch deep) across the top of your loaf.<br />
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Slide the loaf off the cutting board and onto the baking sheet. Pour the cup of water carefully onto the broiler tray and close the oven door. Bake for about 30 minutes, until crust is brown and firm.<br />
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Cool completely on a wire rack before cutting and serving.
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<a class="pin-it-button" count-layout="horizontal" href="http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/"><img border="0" src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/PinExt.png" title="Pin It" /></a>Nancy Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985933448977866066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2294422980991236418.post-63619901738285436602012-06-15T11:42:00.001-04:002012-08-10T10:41:09.626-04:00Pancakes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's finally summer break. <br />
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No more waking up at 6 am. <br />
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No more commute. <br />
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...and more time for things that really matter.<br />
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Sleep.<br />
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Breakfast.<br />
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Pancakes.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Fluffy Pancakes</span><br />
adapted from <a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/fluffy-pancakes-2/">Kris</a><br />
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<b>Ingredients</b><br />
3 oz. heavy cream<br />
3 oz. water<br />
2 tablespoons vinegar<br />
1 cup AP flour<br />
2 tablespoons sugar<br />
1 teaspoon baking powder<br />
1/2 teaspoon baking soda<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
1 egg<br />
2 tablespoons butter, melted<br />
cooking spray<br />
<br />
<b>Directions</b><br />
In a large mixing bowl, combine the 3 ounces of heavy cream with the 3 ounces of water and the 2 tablespoons of vinegar. Let sit for at least 5 minutes to thicken and sour.<br />
<br />
In a medium mixing bowl sift together the cup of flour, 2 tablespoons of sugar, the teaspoon of baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and the 1/2 teaspoon of salt.Whisk ingredients together.<br />
<br />
Beat the egg into the cream mixture. Add the 2 tablespoons of melted butter and stir together. Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and combine well.<br />
<br />
Heat large skillet and coat with cooking spray. Heap large tablespoonfuls of pancake batter onto the hot skillet. Cook until the surface bubbles, flip and cook until both sides are browned.
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<br />
<a class="pin-it-button" count-layout="horizontal" href="http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/"><img border="0" src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/PinExt.png" title="Pin It" /></a>Nancy Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985933448977866066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2294422980991236418.post-76641787737694079272012-06-03T13:40:00.000-04:002012-06-03T13:40:19.300-04:00Chicken and Eggs<br />
Chicken for dinner, eggs for dinner, it's all fair game. <br />
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<br />
<b>Curry Spiced Chicken</b><br />
Was my lazy take on <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Tandoori-Chicken-Ahmed-14032">Gourmet's Tandoori Chicken</a>. I took thai red curry paste and combined it with Greek yogurt to create a marinade for the chicken thighs. After marinating for 2 hours, I broiled the chicken for about 20 min.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV_WV9Nt1AxObnvCSW-0TH0_z2aTEsQQ-Emu-O4acL1YRgUe3u0FC1vtD2c5lNsk_2gMJIBziIGvWD2a7z_ir2zu-mtz9O0HinDeo8pOClPnDuBkEW_L3jVRYyIHRRVSBolLZUTcY183M/s1600/shells.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV_WV9Nt1AxObnvCSW-0TH0_z2aTEsQQ-Emu-O4acL1YRgUe3u0FC1vtD2c5lNsk_2gMJIBziIGvWD2a7z_ir2zu-mtz9O0HinDeo8pOClPnDuBkEW_L3jVRYyIHRRVSBolLZUTcY183M/s320/shells.JPG" width="320" /></a> <br />
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<b>Chicken Tacos</b><br />
I poached the chicken similarly to my <a href="http://nancybakes.blogspot.com/2010/09/chicken-enchiladas.html">enchiladas</a>. Assembled the tacos by layering shredded pepper jack, chicken, lettuce and diced tomato inside the shells.<br />
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Fry your taco shells at home for crispy perfection.<br />
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<b>Eggs Benedict </b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia70QYc23TFBOAJjnO3HBPf5YRNg9D1tOCrsx5z_nBscEBFL3n9dmMZHKCSVNZQ34GvvhfLrVti1JFgp_DYLtx9CmS7MlT_tuJgXkNfnlpHfu04AizYmcTciN_WTWOLjoEf5momHuElzc/s1600/plated.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia70QYc23TFBOAJjnO3HBPf5YRNg9D1tOCrsx5z_nBscEBFL3n9dmMZHKCSVNZQ34GvvhfLrVti1JFgp_DYLtx9CmS7MlT_tuJgXkNfnlpHfu04AizYmcTciN_WTWOLjoEf5momHuElzc/s320/plated.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Made Alton's <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/eggs-benedict-recipe/index.html">Hollandaise</a> Sauce. Definitely worth the work! <br />
Invite friends over, serve brunch as dinner, have a great time.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSFiDEz15H0hyphenhyphenMO8r2wlaR35vwFmW3xA07zeZZwZSmMivdLLFmAnI6vNB51Ejyh4KtGa17f9tIf_BCj9q1E3A_XM5toAKAO0Gma__waakPO5Uel-sQZFt175JI9T7oiILUZxCmil4oFe4/s1600/table.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSFiDEz15H0hyphenhyphenMO8r2wlaR35vwFmW3xA07zeZZwZSmMivdLLFmAnI6vNB51Ejyh4KtGa17f9tIf_BCj9q1E3A_XM5toAKAO0Gma__waakPO5Uel-sQZFt175JI9T7oiILUZxCmil4oFe4/s320/table.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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And, if you need dessert, you can try these <b>Strawberry Brown Butter Bettys</b> from <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2010/05/strawberry-brown-butter-bettys/">Smitten Kitchen</a><br />
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<iframe class="imgur-album" frameborder="0" height="550" src="http://imgur.com/a/bCAKU/embed" width="100%"></iframe>
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<a class="pin-it-button" count-layout="horizontal" href="http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/"><img border="0" src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/PinExt.png" title="Pin It" /></a>Nancy Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985933448977866066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2294422980991236418.post-32822213218803471262012-05-28T16:09:00.001-04:002012-05-29T15:53:43.409-04:00Mr. Crunch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://distilleryimage9.instagram.com/f44184b0a8f911e1b2fe1231380205bf_7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://distilleryimage9.instagram.com/f44184b0a8f911e1b2fe1231380205bf_7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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It seems as though sandwiches are always getting ragged on. Like when you turn down every restaurant in Atlantic City, e<i>ven though your BFF is starving</i>, because you "don't feel like a sandwich". (Sorry, Shu.)</div>
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Or, as I was shopping for <b>this </b>recipe, the boyfriend (who never complains about sandwiches), turns and says to me, ever so disdainfully, "...you mean, we're just having a ham and cheese sandwich for dinner?" </div>
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Just a ham and cheese sandwich? <b> </b></div>
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<b>JUST</b> a ham and cheese sandwich? </div>
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Oh, no. <b> </b></div>
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<b>No, no, no.</b> </div>
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This is <u>much better</u> than a ham and cheese sandwich. This is a roll-your-eyes-into-the-back-of-your-head-amazeballs-sandwich. Otherwise known as a Croque Monsieur, (a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croque-monsieur"><i>crunchy Mister</i></a>).</div>
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<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Croque-Monsieur</span></div>
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<i>serves 4</i></div>
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<i>adapted from <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Croque-Monsieur-105077">Bon Appetit </a></i></div>
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<b>Ingredients</b></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
2 tablespoons unsalted butter</div>
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2 tablespoons all purpose flour</div>
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1 cup heavy cream</div>
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pinch of nutmeg</div>
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1 small bay leaf (or half of a large bay leaf)</div>
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salt and pepper </div>
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8 slices sourdough bread</div>
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8 oz. thin sliced Black Forest ham</div>
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8 oz grated Gouda, divided</div>
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2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted</div>
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<b>Directions</b></div>
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In a small sauce pan, melt the two tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Whisk together with two tablespoons of flour, cook the flour for about a minute. Slowly whisk in the cup of heavy cream. Add the pinch of nutmeg and the bay leaf. Turn up the heat to about medium-high in attempt to reach a boil. Whisk the mixture often, for about 2 minutes, until the sauce thickens. <i>It's going to get <b>really</b> thick, and it will seem like it happens all of a sudden. Don't freak out.</i> Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.</div>
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Preheat broiler. On a foil-covered baking sheet, place 4 slices of bread. Distribute the ham equally among the 4 sandwiches-to-be. Top the ham with 6 oz of grated Gouda, saving the remaining 2 oz for later. Top each sandwich half with the remaining four slices of bread. </div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Top the 4 sandwiches with half of the melted butter. Cook, buttered-side-down, on a skillet until golden brown, (about 2 minutes). Spread the remaining melted butter on the tops of the sandwiches before cooking the remaining side. When both sides are golden brown, return the sandwiches to the baking sheet. Top the sandwiches with the remaining 2 oz. of grated Gouda, and large spoonfuls of the cream sauce. Broil until the cheese/sauce begins to brown, about 3 minutes.</span>
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<a class="pin-it-button" count-layout="horizontal" href="http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/"><img border="0" src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/PinExt.png" title="Pin It" /></a>Nancy Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985933448977866066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2294422980991236418.post-20991263504289883892012-05-25T20:10:00.001-04:002012-08-10T10:43:54.537-04:00Peanut Butter Rice Krispy Treats<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
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I've previously shared my love/fascination/<a href="http://nancybakes.blogspot.com/2012/04/oreo-rice-krispy-treats.html">appreciation for rice kripsy treats</a>. At the rate we're going, they could be their very own food trend. Move over cupcakes, cake pops, and mini pies, rice krispy treats are going to rule this town.<br />
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Think about it! You have either plain, chocolate, or fruity rice cereal; the marshmallows come in all sorts of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_nr_n_4?rh=n%3A16310101%2Cp_4%3AKraft%2Cn%3A%2116310211%2Cn%3A16322431&bbn=16310211&ie=UTF8&qid=1337986924&rnid=16310211">colors/flavors</a>! Then, there's all the other flavors you could mix in: chocolate, peanut butter, mint, dulce de leche...</div>
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The krispy revolution has the potential to be amazing.</div>
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Here's one step closer to taking over the dessert world with crispy rice cereal treats, and all you need is 5 ingredients!<br />
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<a href="http://distilleryimage7.instagram.com/d8b669e0a6c411e18bb812313804a181_7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://distilleryimage7.instagram.com/d8b669e0a6c411e18bb812313804a181_7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Yes, crispy...with a C. When this revolution starts picking up speed, we want to avoid lawsuits.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Peanut Butter Rice Krispy Treats</span></div>
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<b>Ingredients</b></div>
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3 tablespoons unsalted butter</div>
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10 oz. package of mini marshmallows</div>
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1/2 cup creamy peanut butter</div>
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6 cups crispy rice cereal </div>
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1 cup butterscotch chips</div>
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<b>Directions</b></div>
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Prepare a 9x13 glass pan with nonstick spray.</div>
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In a large pot, melt the 3 tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat. When the butter is almost completely melted, add the 10 oz of marshmallows. Using a spatula, coat marshmallows with hot melted butter to help speed the melting process. Occasionally remove pot from heat to avoid burning the bottom.</div>
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When the marshmallows begin to lose their shape, add the 1/2 cup of smooth peanut butter. Continue to heat, stir, and remove from heat as necessary. Marshmallow mixture will begin to look sticky and stringy. Continue stirring together until just combined.</div>
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Remove pot from heat completely, stir in the 6 cups of cereal. Add the cup of butterscotch chips, and combine well. Scrape contents of the pot into the prepared pan. Use your spatula to flatten cereal mixture into desired shape.</div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Cool completely before cutting. </span>
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<a class="pin-it-button" count-layout="horizontal" href="http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/"><img border="0" src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/PinExt.png" title="Pin It" /></a>Nancy Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985933448977866066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2294422980991236418.post-9053208533656193272012-05-23T21:40:00.000-04:002012-05-25T18:19:26.459-04:00Dirty Rice<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">A go-to meal has to be tasty and easy. For some people it's Spaghetti, for others it's casseroles, for us...it's Dirty Rice. Dirty Rice has become such a regular at our house that it's a miracle we aren't sick of it, yet.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbNY7QdUBv4lj_V80XiZGVgxNeXeMiHh8y8J0ntdZ0LugZlDG9PJaAgRKbzTEDxv5KJ5YLHk3ykz_u7snKcmXSlhZoMPA3RqQaDx3KTHNQBvzMYEWT3sNu3TA0ghiZtAuzj8tVUVbqKS4/s1600/DSC_0004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbNY7QdUBv4lj_V80XiZGVgxNeXeMiHh8y8J0ntdZ0LugZlDG9PJaAgRKbzTEDxv5KJ5YLHk3ykz_u7snKcmXSlhZoMPA3RqQaDx3KTHNQBvzMYEWT3sNu3TA0ghiZtAuzj8tVUVbqKS4/s320/DSC_0004.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">As if rice weren't good enough on its own, it becomes a phenomenal main course when you add sausage, bell peppers, celery, onions, and spices.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVab8JQOPX_21uuvggf3GEcNxqLrc22ym_a28NdX2PSI11reh0oYQnzud_-0d-Pw9IpFZtKCRd9kzqW3CzsHgxFUi9LqbNWSq9ZvqclLPccUOmF0CbqBJwLrdynHVNjrcIA953qSduJiw/s1600/DSC_0011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVab8JQOPX_21uuvggf3GEcNxqLrc22ym_a28NdX2PSI11reh0oYQnzud_-0d-Pw9IpFZtKCRd9kzqW3CzsHgxFUi9LqbNWSq9ZvqclLPccUOmF0CbqBJwLrdynHVNjrcIA953qSduJiw/s320/DSC_0011.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Dirty Rice</span></div>
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adapted from <a href="http://www.mylifeasamrs.com/2011/08/cajun-dirty-rice.html">My Life as a Mrs.</a></div>
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<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<b>Ingredients</b></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
2 tablespoons vegetable oil</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
1 medium onion, diced</div>
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1 green bell pepper, seeded, diced</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
4 stalks of celery, diced </div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
1 lb hot Italian sausage links</div>
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2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning (<a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/cajun-spice-mix-2/">this recipe</a> provides more than enough)</div>
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2 cups Basmati rice</div>
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2 (14.5oz) cans of low sodium chicken broth</div>
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3 oz water</div>
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2-3 green onions (optional) </div>
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<b><span style="font-size: small;">Directions</span></b></div>
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Heat the 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large pot with a tight fitting lid. Over medium-high heat, saute the diced onion, bell pepper and celery until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the hot sausage links, and continue to cook alongside vegetables. Brown sausages on each side. Mix in the Cajun seasoning.</div>
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Add the 2 cups of Basmati rice to the pot, and stir ingredients together. Pour the 2 cans of chicken broth into the pan. Add the 3 oz of water and stir to combine. Bring the contents of the pot to a boil. Put lid on and reduce heat to a low simmer. Cook the rice untouched for 20 - 24 minutes. Fluff rice with kitchen tool, and place lid back on the pot. Allow rice to finish cooking in its steam/residual heat for about 15 minutes.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Slice sausage links before serving, top with chopped green onions, if desired.</span>
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<a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/" class="pin-it-button" count-layout="horizontal"><img border="0" src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/PinExt.png" title="Pin It" /></a>Nancy Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985933448977866066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2294422980991236418.post-716248186627292222012-05-17T21:59:00.002-04:002012-05-17T22:00:43.259-04:00Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicuViZ8EnFlUBRVqwamThfjbY2PImH1we5QffVcNERwKK0gLlcwWTsX4hdRtc6ZSS35Xw-WRluH9acP7O8LlLEHBeQ5PnLzo2eOXDhH7X4-bIbklnZ2bppO5DjVGCgtnxT1BcrYWGDZYs/s1600/DSC_0031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicuViZ8EnFlUBRVqwamThfjbY2PImH1we5QffVcNERwKK0gLlcwWTsX4hdRtc6ZSS35Xw-WRluH9acP7O8LlLEHBeQ5PnLzo2eOXDhH7X4-bIbklnZ2bppO5DjVGCgtnxT1BcrYWGDZYs/s320/DSC_0031.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I used to sell <b>a lot</b> of Costco muffins in high school. Each muffin earned us 50 cents in profit. Logically, this was how we decided we were going to fund our prom. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN-X9M5OJRHPdo2CsJHBG0D-Pt2zOkPq58aP2MO7ocjfr9z8F8UtQTpVnUNHGoOgHkxFvIq3pLmtFpllWhUFSRYROEm6U_HhfPGRlL1u4Cle5GNqwyhgFsIxNo41gpLIFZTL-e_hrC2zQ/s1600/DSC_0015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN-X9M5OJRHPdo2CsJHBG0D-Pt2zOkPq58aP2MO7ocjfr9z8F8UtQTpVnUNHGoOgHkxFvIq3pLmtFpllWhUFSRYROEm6U_HhfPGRlL1u4Cle5GNqwyhgFsIxNo41gpLIFZTL-e_hrC2zQ/s320/DSC_0015.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The sales were generally successful, but on one unfortunate occasion, I ended up with a box of non-costco muffins. The problem? They were a box of off brand <b>bran </b>muffins. Nobody wanted bran muffins!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKrwIIuF38lll5tgCGWjqjmFxD5GzuuLLBZZoupPR8yamRmfYfTsEOIcU2NfJ0EJXhy_A_w9gfWYrmaeryRFhLPjfqVOcwReABeP39i_UrgDCWtkmCe29DoOrJXPbqxLArEG7vgWH8tVk/s1600/DSC_0013.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKrwIIuF38lll5tgCGWjqjmFxD5GzuuLLBZZoupPR8yamRmfYfTsEOIcU2NfJ0EJXhy_A_w9gfWYrmaeryRFhLPjfqVOcwReABeP39i_UrgDCWtkmCe29DoOrJXPbqxLArEG7vgWH8tVk/s320/DSC_0013.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Later in the day, my high school crush was starving. Being the great
salesperson that I was, I encouraged him to buy a muffin. He was so stoked to "see" chocolate, and I was so excited about finally landing a sale that I didn't correct him. Sorry, P. <br />
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Well, no confusion here. These lemon poppy seed muffins are sweet, and straightforward. They are exactly what you expect them to be. Delicious with a hint of sunshine. (Or lemon zest, whatevs)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJPgBGplYy0EcpOJLx-EgZTsJRgVn_asI9Ax9P5Qlimn2-e1ZVODINuxe2BZq9zDoOcTspni5JPfP1J9-8gbhtqMHUeElMSYuAFQ1z7lRYvmfo9SBI72FPzYzmy_wKU2mhSehbhUYfGbI/s1600/DSC_0001.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJPgBGplYy0EcpOJLx-EgZTsJRgVn_asI9Ax9P5Qlimn2-e1ZVODINuxe2BZq9zDoOcTspni5JPfP1J9-8gbhtqMHUeElMSYuAFQ1z7lRYvmfo9SBI72FPzYzmy_wKU2mhSehbhUYfGbI/s320/DSC_0001.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins</span><br />
slightly adapted from <a href="http://annies-eats.com/2011/04/11/lemon-poppy-seed-muffins/">Annie's Eats</a><br />
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<b>Ingredients</b><br />
2 cups AP flour<br />
2 tablespoons poppy seeds<br />
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder<br />
1/4 teaspoon baking soda<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened<br />
1 cup sugar, divided<br />
2 large eggs<br />
zest of 1/2 lemon<br />
1 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />
1 cup plain yogurt<br />
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<b>Directions</b><br />
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tin with paper liners. <br />
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Into a medium bowl, sift the 2 cups of flour, 2 tablespoons of poppy seeds, 1 1/4 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp baking soda, and the 1/2 tsp of salt. Whisk together to combine.<br />
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After reserving two tablespoons for later, pour the remaining sugar into a mixing bowl. Zest half a lemon into the sugar. Use the back of a spoon to press the zest into the sugar. Beat sugar mixture together with softened butter until light and fluffy. Mix in the eggs, one at a time. Add the teaspoon of vanilla and mix well. <br />
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Alternating twice with the plain yogurt, add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Combine ingredients between each addition. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-IsUDQnsD2giK1mD0xfuONFtqHZ5hu5YtQl1Kh3AQIDGWCUhjJgmsevZE8xAXeQa6IzWoQ5DguS-6NtA0v3ggHt4eL7KK6Pnw20phOqVrvahXw-TVfzpKSgV9Gac7rKptsJU2fhzmNOU/s1600/DSC_0004.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-IsUDQnsD2giK1mD0xfuONFtqHZ5hu5YtQl1Kh3AQIDGWCUhjJgmsevZE8xAXeQa6IzWoQ5DguS-6NtA0v3ggHt4eL7KK6Pnw20phOqVrvahXw-TVfzpKSgV9Gac7rKptsJU2fhzmNOU/s320/DSC_0004.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Divide the batter among the 12 muffin liners, and top the muffins-to-be with the reserved sugar from before. Bake muffins for 18 - 20 minutes, turning the pan once while baking. Let muffins cool in pan for 5 - 10 minutes, before cooling completely on wire rack.Nancy Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985933448977866066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2294422980991236418.post-49076764427109754202012-05-10T19:40:00.000-04:002012-05-10T19:40:42.556-04:00Smoked Salmon Salad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Eggs are my best food friend. I'll make them for breakfast on the weekends, I'll cook them in a <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/09/eggs-in-tomato-sauce-contest-winners/">spicy tomato sauce</a> for dinner, and sometimes I can scramble them into leftovers and have fried rice for lunch! Leftover pasta? Spanish rice? I've put eggs on them before, too. Usually, when a meal is lacking in protein, my go-to solution is to plop an egg on it.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZIUjcRpRmWgcLaHftX07OtuoRzpSDJdoRDZiEX8utoSePOvqGUZFUH2Qg1iEEq1NvU0-XHZIipKv0rEUmmmPN3OKbwhBGjyBlQcwWMGOCf0uVIVzT5jTgXi_MyNN2gTaT7UigdUvt7wI/s1600/DSC_0110.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZIUjcRpRmWgcLaHftX07OtuoRzpSDJdoRDZiEX8utoSePOvqGUZFUH2Qg1iEEq1NvU0-XHZIipKv0rEUmmmPN3OKbwhBGjyBlQcwWMGOCf0uVIVzT5jTgXi_MyNN2gTaT7UigdUvt7wI/s320/DSC_0110.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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It's easy to see why as soon as I saw this salad, I had to make my own. There was only one problem...</div>
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I had never poached eggs before. </div>
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What's even sadder is that I had never EATEN poached eggs before. <i>(Not counting</i> <a href="http://nancybakes.blogspot.com/2012/01/shakshuka.html">shakshuka</a><i>, of course.)</i></div>
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Luckily, a simple Google search lead me to <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/">Deb's</a> fabulous post on how to poach an egg. (<i>Seriously, where would I be without her?)</i> I was off! Cracking eggs into a little bowl and pouring them into a whirlpool of almost-boiling water. It was scary, fascinating, and energizing all at the same time. When I scooped the eggs up and place them to dry on a paper towel, I couldn't help but notice the charming resemblance to a <a href="http://www.macosxtips.co.uk/geeklets/modules/upload/attachments/EVE_from_WALL_E_by_Maximun2k10.jpg">certain pixar character</a> ...</div>
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Once you get passed the egg poaching, this salad comes together with ease.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Smoked Salmon Salad with Poached Eggs</b></span></div>
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inspired by <a href="http://junglefrog-cooking.com/smoked-salmon-poached-egg-salad/">JungleFrog</a></div>
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<i>makes 2 large dinner servings</i></div>
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<b>Ingredients</b></div>
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<i>for salad</i></div>
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1 package of pre-washed Spring Mix Salad (feel free to use your favorite greens)</div>
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8 oz. smoked salmon</div>
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4 <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/08/how-to-poach-an-egg-smitten-kitchen-style/">poached eggs</a></div>
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<i>for dressing</i></div>
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3 oz. canola oil</div>
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1 oz. extra virgin olive oil</div>
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1 oz. red wine vinegar</div>
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1 tablespoon lemon juice</div>
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1 teaspoon Dijon mustard</div>
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1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire</div>
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1/4 teaspoon garlic powder</div>
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Fresh cracked pepper and sea salt</div>
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<b>Directions</b></div>
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Combine greens in a medium bowl.</div>
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In a smaller bowl, whisk together oils with vinegar. Add the lemon juice, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire, and garlic powder. Whisk until well combined. Add salt and pepper to taste.</div>
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Add your desired amount of dressing to greens, making sure to toss the vegetables and coat well. Plate your dressed greens, topping each serving with smoked salmon and two poached eggs. Sprinkle pepper and salt over the eggs and enjoy!</div>Nancy Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985933448977866066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2294422980991236418.post-83446362328417682662012-05-08T15:24:00.000-04:002012-05-10T19:39:53.719-04:00The Un-postables!<div style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;">
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As I've mentioned before, the recipes I am posting have been part of 2 challenges I am taking part of. Reddit's 52 Weeks of Cooking and 52Weeks of Baking challenge have both encouraged me to post on here somewhat regularly. <br />
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Sometimes life keeps me from writing about my kitchen adventures, so I'm going to fill you in on a few recipes that never made it to the blog.<br />
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Back in Week 7, when both the cooking and baking challenge were "love-inspired", I introduced you to my love's favorite <a href="http://nancybakes.blogspot.com/2012/02/chocolate-and-peanut-butter.html">giant dessert</a>. What I didn't share with you, was the meal he cooked. A dish that is dear to both our hearts, Mussels with Chorizo, Tomato, and Wine.<br />
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Week 9 was both simple, and tricky. The baking challenge asked for a <a href="http://nancybakes.blogspot.com/2012/02/pantry-cookies.html">cookie</a> recipe, while the cooking challenge asked that I prepare something with coffee as one of the ingredients. That was the week I took a stab at Joy's <a href="http://joythebaker.com/2012/03/coffee-bacon-sandwiches/">Coffee Bacon Sandwich</a>.<br />
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The blog missed out on a post again on Week 10, which were recipes inspired by a book, movie, or television. As a passionate Harry Potter fan, I was excited to finally make those <a href="http://nancybakes.blogspot.com/2012/03/butterbeer-cupcakes.html">Butterbeer Cupcakes</a>. That week, I also made a <a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/giant-chocolate-chip-cookie/">Giant Chocolate Chip Cookie</a> in honor of <a href="http://thechive.com/2010/06/19/youll-never-know-happiness-like-this-gif/">this guy</a></div>
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I made something <a href="http://nancybakes.blogspot.com/2012/03/baking-savory-cape-chocolate-chip.html">savory</a> for the baking challenge on Week 11. That week, the cooking challenge simply asked for "breakfast", which I made with my BFFFFF out in Northern California. Come to find out, Sausage Breakfast Scrambles aren't the most photogenic dishes....</div>
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Week 12 asked that the challengers cook something featuring cheese. After seeing this recipe from How Sweet It Is, I had to make <a href="http://www.howsweeteats.com/2011/05/baked-buffalo-chicken-pasta/">Baked Buffalo Chicken Pasta</a>. On Week 13, I made a <a href="http://www.bakersroyale.com/cheesecake/oreo-cookies-and-cream-no-bake-cheesecake/">no-bake oreo cheesecake</a>, unfortunately, it was all gone before I could take the picture.</div>
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Week 16 was a decorating week of the baking challenge: flowers. I never end up fulfilling these, (much like weeks 12 and 4 of the challenge). To be fair, I do try to eventually <a href="http://nancybakes.blogspot.com/2012/02/dozen-roses.html">use the technique</a>. As far as cooking, Week 16 asked for something with asparagus, so I opted for <a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/bacon-asparagus-pizza/">Bacon Asparagus Pizza</a><br />
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Week 17 was a treat for our house. Not only did we cook <a href="http://imgur.com/LVjYc">lemon-peppered salmon</a> for the challenge, (which asked for a recipe from childhood), but I also made a <a href="http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-a-Giant-Twix/">giant twix bar</a> for the baking challenge which required that I make something with layers.<br />
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For Week 18, I'll be making a special salad, (which should be up on the blog, soon!). The baking challenge asked that I transform a drink into a dessert. My gut reaction was to make raspberry lemonade cupcakes, (YUM!), but instead I went for my interpretation of a cup of herbal tea. <a href="http://kitchen-chronicles.com/2012/03/21/lavender-cupcakes-with-honey-frosting/">Vanilla Lavender Cupcakes with Honey Cream Cheese Frosting</a>. <br />
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There are still plenty of weeks left, even though it certainly feels like things at work are winding to an end. Luckily, the end of the school year should lead to fewer iphone pics, and more posts to read! Enjoy!</div>Nancy Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985933448977866066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2294422980991236418.post-16592274126846690952012-04-14T21:01:00.011-04:002012-04-14T21:30:31.225-04:00Make Curry (it's a one pot meal!)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimZxb_n0yREcD1E-MJNj8JH0rf4CM2WCVz47xTECPGWsSyGbEodMlg5hTBcJ27GB2fglhc2widyzBdAeeY2ovXS1L5VWQLZHP-hVNqto6GC52_vl2YhUFLH4FyokJd3MkUdEXikXpdvRw/s1600/Food+014.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimZxb_n0yREcD1E-MJNj8JH0rf4CM2WCVz47xTECPGWsSyGbEodMlg5hTBcJ27GB2fglhc2widyzBdAeeY2ovXS1L5VWQLZHP-hVNqto6GC52_vl2YhUFLH4FyokJd3MkUdEXikXpdvRw/s400/Food+014.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5731431737927510242" border="0" /></a><br />I just discovered making curries at home. Man oh man, it's like the best thing since fried tacos. And tacos are reeeeeeaaaalllyyy good.<br /><br />So, you know, I'm living in Massachusetts, hanging out with the boyfriend's cool new Massachusetts friends, and what do you know? They love to get together and cook dinner. I crash their study parties, and luckily, they let me hang around to eat.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihusZCVEpnEeF7-Md1ypVL6BhPsPXNS-qqri6JyxEeda17y3nK2wSCxZJbvtOPo6JKHtk2jFniJ9AIW_Jdh-xxTEye1v8hcWHvrCC_HWgbocP4UbHKXXYrDDtk5lcXKzBqbS792BWiyEU/s1600/Food+005.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihusZCVEpnEeF7-Md1ypVL6BhPsPXNS-qqri6JyxEeda17y3nK2wSCxZJbvtOPo6JKHtk2jFniJ9AIW_Jdh-xxTEye1v8hcWHvrCC_HWgbocP4UbHKXXYrDDtk5lcXKzBqbS792BWiyEU/s400/Food+005.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5731431628058757298" border="0" /></a><br />Well, on more than one occasion, the dinners become chicken curry, and it is always spot on! When those spices, veggies, and coconut milk come together, you can't go wrong. Also rice, who doesn't love rice?<br /><br />So here I am, trying not to make curry on the daily, but it's cool because, you know... tacos.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi04lD5mhbabxCLUQwrxOwC0PKm1CAj-MrehnbFnAK7pIiw32kYS52XIyvLiiOYELdWaGX44fkwyuZgQ3RYhG93ROHkWTR9wE0FtIsB_kTVMgwUawTXoOVRr-Mji6vKY2I_wTL0pDvNhX8/s1600/Food+019.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi04lD5mhbabxCLUQwrxOwC0PKm1CAj-MrehnbFnAK7pIiw32kYS52XIyvLiiOYELdWaGX44fkwyuZgQ3RYhG93ROHkWTR9wE0FtIsB_kTVMgwUawTXoOVRr-Mji6vKY2I_wTL0pDvNhX8/s400/Food+019.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5731431866270517794" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >C<span style="font-family:georgia;">hicken Massaman Curry</span></span><br style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">adapted 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mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:shapedefaults ext="edit" spidmax="1026"> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:shapelayout ext="edit"> <o:idmap ext="edit" data="1"> </o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--> <ul type="disc" style="font-family:georgia;"><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;">2 pounds boneless, skinless, chicken breast (cut into bite-sized pieces) </span><span style="font-size:100%;"></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;">2 Tbsp. vegetable oil<br /></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;">1/2 large onion, sliced thin</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;">3 heaping tablespoons curry paste, (or see spice mixture below)</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;">2 1/2 cups good-tasting chicken stock</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5in"><span style="font-size:100%;">juice from 1 lime</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5in"><span style="font-size:100%;">2 Tbsp. fish sauce</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;">1 Tbsp. brown sugar</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;">3 bay leaves</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5in"><span style="font-size:100%;">2 medium sweet potatoes, cut into small cubes<br /></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;">2 14 ounce cans coconut milk</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5in"><span style="font-size:100%;">1 medium crown of broccoli, cut into florets<br /></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;">1 large red pepper, sliced<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Spice Mix</span> (use in place of curry paste)</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;">3 thumb pieces of ginger, grated<br /></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;">5 cloves of garlic<br /></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;">3 stalks lemongrass</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;">1 1/2 teaspoons chili pepper flakes</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;">3 tsp. turmeric<br /></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5in"><span style="font-size:100%;">3 tsp. ground coriander</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5in"><span style="font-size:100%;">3 tsp. whole cumin seed</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;">1 1/2 tsp. white pepper</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5in"><span style="font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;">1/2 teaspoon cardamon</span><br /></span></li></ul> <span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >Directions</span><br style="font-family:georgia;"><br style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">Heat large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the oil, and swirl around the pot. </span><br style="font-family:georgia;"><br style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">Add onions and stir fry for 2 minutes. Add curry paste, (or spice mixture), and cook until fragrant, about a minute. Add the chicken stock, fish sauce and brown sugar, lime juice, and bay leaves, bring to a light boil.</span><br style="font-family:georgia;"><br style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">Add the chicken pieces and coat with the stock mixture before adding the sweet potatoes. Add the 2 cans of coconut milk and stir in the broccoli florets. Cover and return to a simmer. Let pot simmer for 15 minutes before adding the red bell pepper. </span><br style="font-family:georgia;"><br style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">Once the bell peppers are in, you let the pot simmer for 15 more minutes. If you need a thicker curry the last 15 minutes can be uncovered, if you like your curry with more liquid, feel free to cover through the end.</span><br style="font-family:georgia;"><br face="georgia"><span style="font-family:georgia;">Season to taste, (chili flakes, fish sauce for saltiness, coconut milk for more mild flavor, etc). Serve over rice and enjoy!</span>Nancy Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985933448977866066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2294422980991236418.post-89188330369344139252012-04-11T18:59:00.010-04:002012-04-12T20:31:58.472-04:00Oreo Rice Krispy Treats<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAFG2ye2pCOW4Nay0WZqOIMAilXOaNajyWBDFCiC1TTz5wrDqYeg1FhNpXDRpUYJQWY3VgupSJrgyaT5ZvlfDhdp3tpBWgDLUjiihe_Uve7-W7vdYot-UA1ybAmdu5TUeRDjL_xivymos/s1600/DSC_0018.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAFG2ye2pCOW4Nay0WZqOIMAilXOaNajyWBDFCiC1TTz5wrDqYeg1FhNpXDRpUYJQWY3VgupSJrgyaT5ZvlfDhdp3tpBWgDLUjiihe_Uve7-W7vdYot-UA1ybAmdu5TUeRDjL_xivymos/s400/DSC_0018.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5730675966729402322" border="0" /></a><br />I am a sucker for a good rice krispy treat.<br /><br />My college dining hall had rice krispy treats at the dessert table at practically every lunch and dinner. For years I had daily access to rice krispy treats, sometimes with a chocolate layer on top. What?! Rice krispy treats need more deliciousness to convince people to eat them? I was shocked, too.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVpa6_0ZqIjkeTzJ3rmjyw5XTbcKcL9YjZ2fhKdjWUli4JHOkPFe_6jnM8pap0Hv08TNOm6SF-zgchyphenhyphenv1YY676v5_SLhPgxKAwhVoQzTaTrFLpNROtR3Vv2DAtZ4PwLYlquLD1sLyOhwQ/s1600/DSC_0021.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVpa6_0ZqIjkeTzJ3rmjyw5XTbcKcL9YjZ2fhKdjWUli4JHOkPFe_6jnM8pap0Hv08TNOm6SF-zgchyphenhyphenv1YY676v5_SLhPgxKAwhVoQzTaTrFLpNROtR3Vv2DAtZ4PwLYlquLD1sLyOhwQ/s400/DSC_0021.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5730675533010960434" border="0" /></a><br />I got over the shock pretty quickly because, well, there was a layer of chocolate on my marshmallow crispy rice square and it was awesome. Since then, I've topped my rice krispy treats with colorful sprinkles and have brought them to birthday gatherings, work, and other social events. They are super easy to throw together, and pretty easy to travel with. Definitely a low-hassle dessert.<br /><br />If done right, rice krispy treats do not go ignored. Mix crushed Oreos into your treats and top them with a layer of chocolate and sprinkled Oreo bits? People may just start to consider you a God among humans.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj3iSStlgpEBe1tbl7r-5s_xmHaoSZabai3aGPCxL5vdLBOwHEFvbeRlx0-JXJ7JrSFiRAyKdIqegoO2MjgfxazXD_gAIxZi1lfDrWIS3_JHLXo_VwVOBZEA60GzgvF2BTglmASv76u14/s1600/DSC_0022.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj3iSStlgpEBe1tbl7r-5s_xmHaoSZabai3aGPCxL5vdLBOwHEFvbeRlx0-JXJ7JrSFiRAyKdIqegoO2MjgfxazXD_gAIxZi1lfDrWIS3_JHLXo_VwVOBZEA60GzgvF2BTglmASv76u14/s400/DSC_0022.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5730675764360218818" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >Oreo Rice Krispy Treats</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ingredients</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">*For the treats</span><br />1/4 cup unsalted butter<br />1 (10 oz) bag of marshmallows<br />6 cups of crispy rice cereal<br />10 crushed Oreo cookies<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">*For the topping</span><br />1 1/3 cup of chocolate chips<br />2 tablespoons unsalted butter<br />1 splash (about 1/8 cup) heavy cream<br />6 crushed Oreo cookies<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Directions</span><br />Prepare a 13 by 9 pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.<br /><br />In a large sauce pan over medium heat, melt the 1/4 cup of unsalted butter. Just before all of the butter melts, add the 10 ounces of marshmallows. Stir the marshmallows with the butter in order to melt them. Lower the heat and be cautious of not burning the bottom of the pan, remove from heat if necessary. (You can always return the marshmallows to the flame if the melting process slows down).<br /><br />Once the marshmallows have lost most of their form, stir in the 6 cups of krispy rice cereal. When adequately mixed, fold in the 10 crushed Oreos. Transfer marshmallow mixture to 13x9 pan. Use greased spatula to press cereal treat down to mold to the shape of the pan.<br /><br />In a small sauce pan melt the chocolate chips together with the 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat. Just as the butter has combined with the chocolate add about an ounce of heavy cream so that chocolate reaches desired consistency. Whisk together until well combined.<br /><br />Pour chocolate mixture over the rice krispy treats and spread with a spatula. Top with the 6 crushed oreos before the chocolate hardens. Cool completely before cutting and serving.Nancy Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985933448977866066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2294422980991236418.post-20738906886059623322012-04-07T20:26:00.015-04:002012-12-01T15:18:18.712-05:00Rainbow Cookies<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5GwOVEkWx_T2P5zMShvqtbC0RmK8b6Rct3nPPmvm-mC34O5XdfKfa8exwwUcujS4sigMlWAW_r7vIoTDb8wcCpDKnzAecURpIcJnOd_o1ssop7ONpoaKKp_pGWGV5R9q8wdEK5apHn30/s1600/DSC_0002.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5729555331592932258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5GwOVEkWx_T2P5zMShvqtbC0RmK8b6Rct3nPPmvm-mC34O5XdfKfa8exwwUcujS4sigMlWAW_r7vIoTDb8wcCpDKnzAecURpIcJnOd_o1ssop7ONpoaKKp_pGWGV5R9q8wdEK5apHn30/s400/DSC_0002.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 268px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Fact</span>: I tell my students that my favorite color is Rainbow.<br />
<br />
I realize that it isn't a color, this much I know. What I don't understand is how putting red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple together, (in that order), makes me so freaking happy. Love seeing my pal <a href="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_loyc9xs2IH1qa4w2fo1_500.jpg">ROY</a> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ny5VFjO5oNc/TwHIbMNMBMI/AAAAAAAABHE/MGEm6WUJNH8/s1600/gummy+bear.jpg">G.</a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjll3-Rin5VI7Xv-5dmgIi_3afjgRGTPeGVGuWI_1GoWcAWnf0mEhc9yo4_bSEm09gi4OVvve_71irJ8Hhxk34bryD-WaF0ewrMSBST-m2AFI99_Cr4np-0Lmpdl5NWhkJAV5DloanrxrY/s1600/4262067538_a520280e90.jpg">BIV</a>.<span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><span id="formatbar_Buttons" style="display: block;"></span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKDWt-sGySiG3QkdzWB_Q7552mnnOJ4ALMOR-e9SFVFJnI0tQv1UAM8vTgXoakgA2hZmwKH8Szv1IffcceZ0-9SNMZgKvYcKsp4jOfukKNqi5o5t7Ad4glmkO-tSM-s1bzFRw4s2PJGbI/s1600/DSC_0001.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5729555267210796610" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKDWt-sGySiG3QkdzWB_Q7552mnnOJ4ALMOR-e9SFVFJnI0tQv1UAM8vTgXoakgA2hZmwKH8Szv1IffcceZ0-9SNMZgKvYcKsp4jOfukKNqi5o5t7Ad4glmkO-tSM-s1bzFRw4s2PJGbI/s400/DSC_0001.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 268px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a>The baking challenge this week asked for a baked good that represents the rainbow. I couldn't bring myself to make the <a href="http://www.omnomicon.com/rainbowcake">rainbow cake</a>, even though it is pretty amazing. I've been craving cookies for a bit, since I shipped most of <a href="http://nancybakes.blogspot.com/2012/02/pantry-cookies.html">these</a> to California and hardly kept any for myself.<br />
<br />
This recipe recreates the soft dreaminess of the Lofthouse sugar cookie. I went through quite a few sugar cookie recipes before I found one that even came the teeniest bit close to the mass produced goodness. My next challenge will be figuring out how to make them completely from scratch. Luckily, this recipe helped me fulfill the rainbow requirement by giving me an opportunity to use Funfetti cake mix.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO-o6au4tB-p8ZldokxcQw_HkdQCKEhAzEUS4fh8jP8kuH_jah8Fujqr2aRghzKvyvUL7pdcUIPLRaasmBU9iQQ_2RZs5iBvGaFxzfJK-5SA2Fibylq1SlIRs2WA9URodM2ltw5ZdiLtE/s1600/DSC_0012.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5729556212772927474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO-o6au4tB-p8ZldokxcQw_HkdQCKEhAzEUS4fh8jP8kuH_jah8Fujqr2aRghzKvyvUL7pdcUIPLRaasmBU9iQQ_2RZs5iBvGaFxzfJK-5SA2Fibylq1SlIRs2WA9URodM2ltw5ZdiLtE/s400/DSC_0012.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 268px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: 180%; font-weight: bold;">Rainbow Cookies</span><br />
adapted from <a href="http://noshings.blogspot.com/2008/04/do-you-love-mei-mean-really-love-me.html">Noshings</a><br />
<span style="font-style: italic;">makes about 2 dozen</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ingredients</span></span><br />
<ul>
<li>1 18oz box of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pillsbury-Cake-Funfetti-18-9-Ounce-Boxes/dp/B0029JVOQO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1333846376&sr=8-2">Funfetti</a> cake mix</li>
<li>2/3 cup AP flour</li>
<li>2 large eggs</li>
<li>1/3 cup vegetable oil</li>
<li>2 tablespoons light sour cream</li>
<li>1/3 cup of sugar, for rolling the cookie balls in</li>
</ul>
<div style="font-weight: bold;">
<span style="font-size: 130%;">Directions</span></div>
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prep baking sheet with parchment paper.<br />
Pour cake mix into a medium bowl, combine with 2/3 cup of all purpose flour. Add 2 eggs, 1/3 cup of vegetable oil and the 2 tablespoons of sour cream. Mix until well combined making sure to break up any clumps of flour, dough will be thick.<br />
Place the 1/3 cup of sugar in a small bowl.<br />
Roll cookie dough into one inch balls. One at a time, drop cookie dough balls into bowl of sugar. Place cookie dough on the parchment papered baking sheet, sugar side up. Using the heel of your hand, or the bottom of a drinking glass, flatten the cookie dough until about 1/2 inch thick. <br />
Bake cookies for about 10 minutes, cookies will still be soft to the touch, but aim to not brown the bottoms. Let cool on baking sheet for 1 minute before transferring to wire rack.<br />
Let cool completely. Frost, if desired. (Trust me, you desire!)<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0g4UMDPLOqpOqI25A9_sVkO-G2bI3FewVk9aLJCp8uFQ8ZMl6l18pYTYz_xrlSsfIK74nAIayFy3zwzLYK2Rpqp9p-oxugYXXQ2DKXdAMga56-RjknqldXM6cCWmDoHJ0I-2Iw0ruX-s/s1600/DSC_0013.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5729555784214161026" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0g4UMDPLOqpOqI25A9_sVkO-G2bI3FewVk9aLJCp8uFQ8ZMl6l18pYTYz_xrlSsfIK74nAIayFy3zwzLYK2Rpqp9p-oxugYXXQ2DKXdAMga56-RjknqldXM6cCWmDoHJ0I-2Iw0ruX-s/s400/DSC_0013.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 268px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: 130%;">Quick Buttercream Frosting<br />adapted from <a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/quick-and-almost-professional-buttercream-icing">AllRecipes</a></span><br />
<div style="font-weight: bold;">
Ingredients:</div>
1/2 cup of unsalted butter<br />2 cups of powdered sugar<br />1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla<br />3 teaspoons heavy cream<br />Food coloring<br />
<div style="font-weight: bold;">
Directions:</div>
Cut stick (1/2) cup of butter to small cubes in order to soften. Using a wooden spoon, or similar cooking utensil, cream the room temperature butter until smooth and fluffy. Carefully combine with the powdered sugar, one cup at a time. Beat in vanilla extract, between cups of sugar, and mix in the teaspoons of heavy cream until frosting reaches desired consistency.Nancy Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985933448977866066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2294422980991236418.post-37233392283105431702012-04-07T14:36:00.011-04:002012-04-07T20:20:07.350-04:00Cheesesteak Sandwiches<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO9VS5oes59pc99aQFj77qb2mZ7g5fXO0r5s6F2QcM5hpdcwcC52mnUS_PeJAFMx6KoupiIpOnuRVhSxHYBWeutJSvkcju6AqGkD_BVTdiGXPKvy3rbLh1EqOdXXNKnA0ZdYWEw_cgmwE/s1600/DSC_0003.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO9VS5oes59pc99aQFj77qb2mZ7g5fXO0r5s6F2QcM5hpdcwcC52mnUS_PeJAFMx6KoupiIpOnuRVhSxHYBWeutJSvkcju6AqGkD_BVTdiGXPKvy3rbLh1EqOdXXNKnA0ZdYWEw_cgmwE/s400/DSC_0003.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5728745791514777186" border="0" /></a><br />I once loved knowing that the sandwich came to be because of some card-playing English aristocrat. The story says that he wanted to eat something without getting his hands dirty. I always felt certain I knew the history of the word, but considering the information came from a <a href="http://kastatic.com/i2/tv/243.jpg">children's television show</a>, it wasn't <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandwich">entirely accurate</a>. No matter who the inventor, sandwiches are pretty freaking awesome.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcUq8S8f3yaD1NqwWpVRuVG0wJvJ2yzF5-AuOhK_TmcqoHItT1tUi13wFl6e_amHcz72v_uUPiyeHzaf_s3OAYoYpoFNDrUk0pdRceOH7gznDU6ifP-YHgfMnv2X3JLzakvr-_ayzMbuY/s1600/DSC_0006.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcUq8S8f3yaD1NqwWpVRuVG0wJvJ2yzF5-AuOhK_TmcqoHItT1tUi13wFl6e_amHcz72v_uUPiyeHzaf_s3OAYoYpoFNDrUk0pdRceOH7gznDU6ifP-YHgfMnv2X3JLzakvr-_ayzMbuY/s400/DSC_0006.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5728746188052731602" border="0" /></a><br />Personally, this sandwich is an ideal laid-back dinner. The peppers and onions add nice complexities that sandwiches normally don't have. Obviously, it's best eaten hot and right away, but we also packed it as a cold lunch.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVo-OJ3KPr1AUJZmqKPu6uInv6_GwhKSbwNhU1PpZ_2Qhob8ccinEDixWumGYcS3DUFmDKK9zLZe7vhXbEstYhov5k7UqTjBvr2d07TPhtBgIOPQHqX4jxAk5U4aT6uffi7AorUHGfMuQ/s1600/DSC_0012.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVo-OJ3KPr1AUJZmqKPu6uInv6_GwhKSbwNhU1PpZ_2Qhob8ccinEDixWumGYcS3DUFmDKK9zLZe7vhXbEstYhov5k7UqTjBvr2d07TPhtBgIOPQHqX4jxAk5U4aT6uffi7AorUHGfMuQ/s400/DSC_0012.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5728746256885855746" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:180%;" >Cheesesteak Sandwiches</span><br />adapted from <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/philly-cheesesteak-recipe/index.html">Seth Koslow</a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Serves 6</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" ><br />Ingredients</span><br /><h3><span style="font-size:100%;">Marinade/Dressing: </span></h3><ul><li> 1/4 cup Dijon mustard</li><li>1/2 cup balsamic vinegar</li><li>2 cloves garlic, chopped</li><li>1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil</li><li>salt and freshly ground pepper</li></ul><p><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >Sandwich</span><br /></p><ul><li>2 lbs flank steak</li><li>2 tablespoons butter, divided</li><li>3 tablespoons olive oil, divided</li><li>1/2 lb mushrooms, sliced</li><li>1 green bell pepper, seeded, sliced</li><li>1 small sweet onion, quartered and thinly sliced</li><li>6 soft sandwich rolls, split open</li><li>12 slices of provolone cheese<br /></li></ul><p><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >Directions<br /></span></p>Combine the mustard, balsamic vinegar, and chopped garlic in a large mixing bowl. Whisk in the olive oil, season with salt and pepper.<br /><br />Slice meat very thinly and put the flank steak in the mixing bowl with the marinade. Let the steak marinade at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.<br /><br style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Meanwhile...</span><br />*Heat 1 tbs of olive oil and 1 tbs of butter in a large saute pan over high heat. Saute sliced mushrooms until tender. Season with salt and pepper. Place in bowl and set aside.<br /><br />*Heat 1 tbs of butter and 1 tbs of olive oil in same saute pan over medium heat. Cook thinly sliced onions for about 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add remaining tablespoon of olive oil, and the sliced green bell pepper. Cook peppers with onions about another 10 - 15 minutes, or until onions are golden brown and caramelized. Place in bowl and set aside.<br /><br />Place pan back over high heat. Using a slotted spoon, place all of the sliced meat into the pan. Stir often, making sure to cook meat on both sides. Cook for about 5 minutes. Drain, and discard, any excess juices. Return meat to the flame and mix in the onions, peppers, and mushrooms. Stir together, and continue cooking until meat is cooked through.<br /><br />To make sandwich, take roll and place two slices of provolone cheese on the bottom half. Top the cheese with steak and vegetables.Nancy Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985933448977866066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2294422980991236418.post-83736030724446140642012-04-02T14:12:00.015-04:002012-04-02T21:04:44.010-04:00Creamy Beef Stroganoff<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMeYbL5qCqzwKcb1_Yvw9AAH6ssLB84v1RhfKfvao7JAmGn6FxJ53V7Ixkjyn4Tfhk3sMD-1pHUjYxqRCd5wnkVHeOAYAYZKqHUp-40qYuo8rWAL5MEp8moeFhac51wbthHqI3iL5prUU/s1600/DSC_0008.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMeYbL5qCqzwKcb1_Yvw9AAH6ssLB84v1RhfKfvao7JAmGn6FxJ53V7Ixkjyn4Tfhk3sMD-1pHUjYxqRCd5wnkVHeOAYAYZKqHUp-40qYuo8rWAL5MEp8moeFhac51wbthHqI3iL5prUU/s400/DSC_0008.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5726972522313036674" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Week 13, and we’re cooking Russian.<br /><br />A little bit of internet research informed me that Strogonaff, or “Stroganov”, would fall into this category. I knew that it was the right choice. The boyfriend is a fan, and it was something we had only once or twice growing up, never from scratch.<br /><br />This recipe has you put things in the pan, take them out, put something else in the pan, take it out; it’s a bit of a process, but with a very yummy result.<br /><br />I made some changes to the original recipe, and ended up with a spicier than normal Strogonaff. As mentioned <a href="http://nancybakes.blogspot.com/2012/01/general-tsos-chicken.html">before</a>, I have no problem with spice. If you don't like feeling like your mouth is on fire, you can scale back the two teaspoons of crushed red peppers.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7pyrW3fdDN2Cwq4sXuimeOD0T25akKkoCdKfDl3Jn6J4VbfKiPwUsYe-FPPNhONVmOrSJFXHv3gy8oLS20x9Fvg2GFWy0iXf2GJHXEdaqw4Ze88h-zG_ieX5hTcPoaiBzVJ1snThcsvg/s1600/DSC_0007.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7pyrW3fdDN2Cwq4sXuimeOD0T25akKkoCdKfDl3Jn6J4VbfKiPwUsYe-FPPNhONVmOrSJFXHv3gy8oLS20x9Fvg2GFWy0iXf2GJHXEdaqw4Ze88h-zG_ieX5hTcPoaiBzVJ1snThcsvg/s400/DSC_0007.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5726972734039599538" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/rich-and-creamy-beef-stroganoff/">Rich and Creamy Beef Stroganoff</a><br />adapted from SanFranCook<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ingredients</span><br />2 lbs. beef chuck roast, cut into 1/2-inch thick strips<br />1/2 cup white wine<br />1 teaspoon salt<br />1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper<br />1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil<br />1 stick of butter, (1/2 cup), divided into tablespoons<br />1 large onion, diced<br />3 cloves garlic, minced<br />8 oz. sliced mushrooms<br />1/4 cup all-purpose flour, sifted<br />1 1/3 cups beef stock<br />1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce<br />1 teaspoon Dijon mustard<br />2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes (feel free to use less)<br />1/3 cup light sour cream<br />3 ounce light cream cheese (or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neufch%C3%A2tel_%28cheese%29">Neufchâtel</a>), softened<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Directions</span><br />*Place beef in large bowl. Stir in the 1/2 cup of wine, teaspoon of salt, and half teaspoon of ground black pepper. Let the beef marinate for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Using a slotted spoon, place meat on paper towels to pat dry. Reserve remaining marinade.<br /><br />*Heat the tablespoon of olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Cook beef until browned, (about 5 - 7 minutes), then place on a plate. Drain any fluid from skillet and discard.<br /><br />*Melt 2 tablespoons of butter into the same skillet, and cook the onion and garlic. Stir often, cooking the onions until they are translucent. Set the onion/garlic mixture over the beef.<br /><br />*Melt another 2 tablespoons of butter into the skillet. Cook the mushrooms for about 10 minutes, until tender. Place cooked mushrooms in a bowl. Set aside.<br /><br />*Melt the remaining four tablespoons of butter in the skillet. Whisk in the 1/4 cup of flour. Cook the flour for about 5 minutes, or until it no longer tastes raw. Slowly whisk in the beef stock. Stir mixture constantly, bringing it to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low. Add the reserved wine marinade, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard and crushed red pepper flakes. Stir in the beef and onions.<br /><br />*Cover and simmer until beef is tender, about 1 hour.<br /><br />*Stir in mushrooms, 1/3 cup of sour cream, and 3 oz of cream cheese 5 minutes before serving. Combine well.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNuXGv_MsCtQKrRBv7SI78A1zYtC7jtNvJRno9QaEtakTQGnPNm6oshOHaNsgZ6y3oo1MhPI1B118FeA4u86kETzH_MNHqeHZ-9JhMKuvxxWR8317y3Wl5C3HrtjgQ7CHfKGiZyDqZdbs/s1600/DSC_0011.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNuXGv_MsCtQKrRBv7SI78A1zYtC7jtNvJRno9QaEtakTQGnPNm6oshOHaNsgZ6y3oo1MhPI1B118FeA4u86kETzH_MNHqeHZ-9JhMKuvxxWR8317y3Wl5C3HrtjgQ7CHfKGiZyDqZdbs/s400/DSC_0011.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5726972842213913090" border="0" /></a><br />Serve over rice or egg noodles, enjoy!</div>Nancy Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985933448977866066noreply@blogger.com0