Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls

Sophistication- Redefined!

Why yes, that is a scoop of chocolate chip cookie dough on a plastic fork!  J the B style.  Cause that's how we roll at my house.

Allow me to reassure you that this dough contains no.raw.eggs!  Believe me, I'd be the first one screaming poison and disease.  I have a very strict adversion to raw batter.  Absolutely no licking of the spoon, beater, bowl, fingers,etc. of anything containing raw eggs.  Period. But an eggless cookie dough is something I can get on board with.  Want to know what takes the place of the eggs?  It's applesauce.  See, that's not scary at all.

For those of you who know me well, it comes as no surprise that the most random of things stick like glue in my brain.  These dough balls were on Joy the Baker's blog back in the summer.  I distinctly remember the plastic forks sticking out of them.  So, some six months later, I was thinking of a dessert to make for some friends who were coming over when I had a vision of the plastic forks and went searching the archives for this recipe.  They have to be pretty good friends for me to have the confidence to pull off serving frozen dough balls on a fork!  But really, who among us doesn't secretly (or not so secretly as the case may be) love some raw cookie dough? 

Oh wait, I didn't get a chance to tell y'all!  I got a Kitchenaid Stand Mixer for Christmas!  Perfect excuse for whipping up some cookie dough, right?  And it worked beautifully!  I'm a happy girl.

These dough balls are calling your name.  And it'd be rude not to respond.  Joy said so.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls
Recipe from Joy the Baker

1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature

1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoons salt

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup applesauce

1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips, melted for dipping

Directions

In the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment (or with a large bowl and a wooden spoon) cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about three minutes in the machine.  Beat in yogurt or applesauce or peanut butter along with the vanilla extract and stir to combine.  

Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.  Add all at once to the butter and sugar mixture and stir until incorporated.  Fold in chocolate chips and wanuts.  

Scoop large spoonfuls or ice cream scoops onto a  waxed paper lined cookie sheet.  Spear each dough ball with a cute plastic fork or a popsicle stick.  Place in the freezer overnight or until frozen, at least three hours.

When ready to dip the balls, melt chocolate chips in a small saucepan over a low flame or in the microwave.  Remove balls from the freezer and dip into warm chocolate.  Return to the lined cookie sheet and return to the freezer to harden.  Serve cold from the freezer.  

Baked Beans



I honestly don't know what is up with all the food posts!  I normally don't cook this much.  Maybe it's partly to do with it being so cold outside and I can't think of much else to do.  And it actually might be because life has seemed to slow down a bit.  I'm sure that sounds weird as it seems the holidays equal crazy busy for most people.  But my older son isn't playing a winter sport, and children's choir has ended for the semester.  Stuff like that seems to free up a few evenings around my house.

But back to the beans.  I'm not a baked bean person at all.  But the husband asked me to find a really good recipe since he loooves them.  Well, where does one go when looking for a tried-and-true, homerun of a recipe?  Why, the Pioneer Woman of course.  Everyone who's anyone knows that.  And if you didn't, well, you do now.  So we're all good.  And she didn't disappoint.  She calls hers "The Best Baked Beans Ever" , courtesy of Pamanderson.  Yes, one word.  And no, not THAT Pam Anderson; the OTHER one.  Want to know my favorite part of preparing this recipe?  I did absolutely no chopping of the onions and bell peppers because I had done my prep work ahead of time.  See my flash freezing tutorial if you're wondering what I'm talking about :)

Now, having said that I'm not a baked bean fan, these are not bad.  And I've had some baaaad baked beans before.  The husband was pleased with this recipe.  He gave it an A.  This recipe makes a huge batch, so I just froze them into four different containers so he can eat them whenever he pleases.

Baked Beans

Recipe from The Pioneer Woman, original source Pamanderson

8 slices bacon, halved
1 medium onion, cut into small dice
1/2 medium green pepper, cut into small dice
3 large cans (28 ounces each) pork and beans
3/4 cup barbecue sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup distilled or cider vinegar
2 teaspoons dry mustard or 2 tablespoons Dijon

Directions
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Fry bacon in large, deep sauté pan skillet until bacon has partially cooked and released about 1/4 cup drippings. Remove bacon from pan and drain on paper towels. Add onions and peppers to drippings in pan and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add beans and remaining ingredients bring to a simmer. (If skillet is not large enough, add beans and heat to a simmer then transfer to a large bowl and stir in remaining ingredients). Pour flavored beans into a greased 13-by 9-inch (or similar size) ovenproof pan. Top with bacon, then bake until beans are bubbly and sauce is the consistency of pancake syrup, about 2 hours. Let stand to thicken slightly and serve.

Southwestern Casserole

This recipe is in honor of my good friend, Chrissy, who is a die-hard fan of ground turkey.  I promised her I would try the stuff and within days I came across this recipe on a blog I thoroughly enjoy call For the Love of Cooking.  The photograph seriously had my mouth watering and then I discovered the ground turkey in the ingredients list.  Add in the fact that I actually own the identical white pyrex dish used in Pam's photo, and I knew it was a sign.  This was going to be the dish where I would finally give in and try the ground turkey.

I have a habit of skipping ingredients if I don't have something on hand.  Especially spices, because I'm seriously lacking in my spice collection.  Paprika? Skip it.  Coriander? Nope. I honestly don't even know what that one is.

An added bonus for this dish is that the original recipe is from Cooking Light, which is quite timely considering all the I'm-going-to-eat-healthier-in-the-new-year resloutions, don't you think?  And I didn't find that it was lacking in flavor at all.  The husband and I thought it made a quite satisfying dinner when served with chips and fresh salsa.  The 7 yr old said it was "dang good" and he thanked me for making a good dinner.  The 2 yr old ate chips and yogurt.  He's weird.

Oh, and I nearly forgot to mention my review of the ground turkey.  Yeah, I pretty much couldn't tell the difference from ground beef.  The husband was surprised to learn he was eating turkey.  He paused briefly from his fork shoveling to take a closer look, but then resumed eating, undeterred.

Southwestern Casserole
Recipe adapted from For the Love of Cooking

2 (7 oz) cans of whole green chiles, drained
1 tsp olive oil
1 lb lean ground turkey
1 small onion, diced
1 1/2 tsp chili powder 
1 1/2 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp cumin
salt and pepper, to taste
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 (14 oz) can of diced tomatoes
2 cups frozen corn, thawed
1 (14 oz) can of refried beans
1 1/2 cups of medium cheddar, shredded
1 avocado, diced
Sour cream (optional)
Fresh salsa (optional)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Coat a large baking dish with cooking spray. Arrange the whole green chilies in a single layer on the bottom of the baking dish.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion, ground turkey, and seasonings. Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring often to break up the meat.  Add the minced garlic and diced tomatoes. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.

Pour the meat mixture on top of the green chiles; next add the corn. Carefully spread the refried beans on top of the corn followed by the cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes.

Apple Cinnamon French Toast

I made this for our Christmas morning breakfast.  I first had this french toast, or at least something very similar, at a bed and breakfast.  And while I was eating it, I kept thinking (aside from how good it was) that it was so clever and wondering why I hadn't thought of this before.  Next thing I know, I'm thinking I could  totally make this.  And so can you!  And you totally should.  In fact, it even qualifies as a Lazy Mom Recipe because it doesn't have more than 5 ingredients!  It basically amounts to simply topping some french toast with apple pie filling.  Genius, right? But I recommend serving something savory (think bacon, sausage, or eggs) along side it because it is definitely sweet.  Unless you like super sweet.  In which case, go ahead and have a Coke with it.  Heck, have a Mountain Dew!

Apple Cinnamon French Toast
Recipe courtesy of yours truly, Darn Near Domestic

2 eggs
a splash of milk
4 slices of bread
1 can apple pie filling
maple syrup

Directions
In a shallow dish, whisk the eggs and milk together.  Dip each slice of bread, both sides, in the egg mixture and cook in a skillet over medium heat, flipping once halfway through.  Pour the apple pie filling into a small bowl and heat in the microwave.  Top each piece of french toast with a spoonful of the apple pie filling.  Serve with maple syrup.

Cream Cheese Flan

Newsflash: I'm a self-taught kitchenista.  Some things are above my skill level.  One could argue that flan is on that list.  I swear someone should slap a sticky note in this cookbook of mine that reads: Girl, you're gettin' a little big for your britches with this one.  One clue might be terms like "water bath".  In the words of my 7 yr old, "What the?"  Apparently that's now a popular phrase in and of itself  :)

To be completley fair, this flan tasted excellent.  I tend to get frustrated when my creations turn out  looking nothing like the picture in the recipe.    This is my second Christmas flan.  Would you like to hear the story of how this came to be?  Last year I asked my older son, who was 6 at the time, to help me pick out some desserts for Christmas.  He began looking through my Southern Living cookbook and he quickly became fixated on the Cream Cheese Flan.  And why shouldn't he be?  It's absolutely stunning.  The picture in the cookbook, I mean.  I glanced over the recipe and decided it was a no go, but days, weeks, later he was still asking for Flan Cake--as it came to be known in our house.  This child has the darkest brown eyes you've ever seen.  And the looongest eyelashes you've ever seen.  And that's when I found myself agreeing to make a Flan Cake.

Yes, one look at the ingredient list and you'll wonder why the Surgeon General didn't post a warning such as "Instantaneous Heart Attack May Occur".  That is why I can only condone one Flan Cake a year.  But it's really something you should try.  It's cheesecake-y.  It's custard-y.  And, oh, what the carmalized sugar does to the top!

Cream Cheese Flan
Recipe from Southern Living, All Time Favorites

• 1 1/2  cups  sugar, divided
• 7  egg yolks
• 1  (14-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1  (12-oz.) can evaporated milk
• 3/4  cup  milk
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  vanilla extract
• 1/8  teaspoon  salt
• 4  egg whites
• 1  (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened

Directions
1. Cook 1 cup sugar in a 9-inch round cake pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until sugar melts and turns golden brown (Mine took a lot longer than 5 minutes). Remove pan from heat, and let stand 5 minutes. (Sugar will harden.)
2. Meanwhile, whisk together egg yolks and next 5 ingredients in a large bowl.
3. Process egg whites, cream cheese, and remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a blender until smooth. Add 2 cups egg yolk mixture, and process until smooth. Stir egg white mixture into remaining egg yolk mixture until blended. Pour custard over caramelized sugar in pan.
4. Place cake pan in a large shallow pan. Add hot water to large pan to depth of one-third up sides of cake pan.
5. Bake at 350° for 50 to 60 minutes (More like 70 mintues for my oven) or until a knife inserted into center of flan comes out clean. Remove pan from water bath; cool completely on a wire rack (about 2 hours). Cover and chill 4 hours to 2 days.
6. Run a knife around edge of flan to loosen; invert onto a serving plate. (Once inverted, the flan will take about 30 seconds to slip from the pan. Be sure to use a serving plate with a lip to catch the extra caramel sauce.)

The Christmas Aftermath

I'm totally soaking in every last bit of Christmas music on the radio.  I never, ever, tire of Christmas music.  In fact, there's scarcely a Christmas song I don't like.  Except I can think of one, but I wouldn't want to offend anyone.  Alright, alright since you asked...it's Christmas Shoes.  Who writes that stuff? 

But let's talk about Christmas morning.  My kids slept until 8:00am.  Should I have shared that?  I feel like I'll have 7 years of bad luck for such an admission.  But the 2 yr old had utterly no understanding of Christmas morning.  He wanted milk.  The 7 yr old explained to him that Santa had come and offered prompts like "Do you want a present?".  No, he wanted milk.  I hurried as fast as I could to assemble a sippy cup of milk.  It's all about timing with 2 yr olds (and I should know this!) but I was clearly too late.  Meltdown ensued.  Nope, he no longer wanted the milk.  And then he began to fall to the floor and wallow about only to pick himself up and repeat the process again.  Until the little tantrum brought him within eyesight of this:

And he dove in head first!  You know, it isn't often you can roll the best AND the worst gift all into one.  It takes skills.  This thing is huge!  Slightly bigger than we had been imagining.  As soon as the husband got it out of the box on Christmas Eve night we both looked at eachother with a slightly nervous what-were-we-thinking?  Then we gave a shrug that said "Well, better get the air pump out".  See we've been married so long we no longer require words to communicate.  Can you belive that?  Yeah, me neither. 

So I guess the 'worst' is obvious: it's huge, it's an eye-sore, it takes up the entire living room, and not to mention that we made the additional purchase of 200 balls.  Yes, you read that right. 200!  Do you have any idea what 2 little boys can do with 200 balls?  I suppose I don't either...and that's what scares me! :)

But the 'best' is obvious too: the kids love it.  Which is totally what we were going for.  We had a moment of 'I'd do anything to make those precious children the happiest they can be'.

It turns out the Jump-o-lene is also a fabulous place to sit and watch tv.  For the kids I mean. 

Now I'm at risk of becoming excessively sentimental.  You've been warned.  After the day winded down and it turned to bedtime once again, the husband was having a tuck-in conversation with the 7 yr old and asking what his most favorite present was.  The 7 yr old thoughtfully answered, "My best gift is Mom.  And you."   The kid totally "gets" it.  He totally understands that he has significance in this family.  And, despite a multitude of parenting shortcomings, he totally understands that we love him unconditionally.  And can any parent ask for any more than that?  I submit that they can not.

Merry Christmas

Wishing a very Merry Christmas to you all! 

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.   Luke 2:10-14

And a peek at the cookies I made with the kids so we'd have a little something to put out for Santa

Cheeseburger Soup

Caveat: Don't let your kids in the kitchen while making this soup!  Do the phrases "I don't like celery" "I don't like carrots" "I don't like onions" sound familiar?  And I won't lie to you, this soup is pretty prep intensive.  But you can do it!  And the husband is seriously in love with this soup.

Several years ago a friend handed out some of her favorite recipes (or so she led us to believe) at a MOPS meeting.  This recipe was on the list.  A short time later I called to let her know that I had made the Cheeseburger Soup and she was like "How was it? I haven't made it yet".  We had a pretty good laugh about it that day.

Cheeseburger Soup
Recipe adapted from my friend's handout; original source unknown

1/2 lb ground beef
3/4 cup onions, chopped
3/4 cup carrots, peeled and shredded
3/4 cup celery, finely diced
4 Tbls margarine, divided
3 cups chicken broth
4 cups potatoes, peeled and diced
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 cups Velveeta cheese, cubed
1 1/2 cups milk
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup sour cream

Directions
In a 3 quart sauce pan, brown beef, drain and set aside. (Or if you have previously flash frozen your ground beef, this would be an excellent time to use it).  In the same sauce pan, saute onions, carrots and celery in 1 Tbls margarine until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.  Add broth, potatoes and beef; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes or until potatoes are tender.  In a small skillet, melt remaining margarine, add flour, cook and stir for 3 to 5 minutes.  Add to soup, bring to a boil, cook and stir for 2 minutes.  Reduce heat to low.  Add cheese, milk, salt and pepper.  Cook and stir until cheese melts.  Remove from heat, blend in sour cream.

A surprise getaway

My husband surprised me with a 2 night getaway without the kids.  I figured it up and the last time that we actually went on a trip alone was exactly 5 1/2 yrs ago. 

Stop numero uno:

I recommend the cinnamon cake donut!

Then we rode this:

I managed to get my husband on his first ever upside-down rollercoaster!

(photo from here)

And then this:

(photo from here)

Funny story, this ride starts with a blast out of the station, reaching 53 mph in 3 seconds.  Unbeknownst to us at the time, there is a camera strategically placed to capture this moment and then, of course, try to sell you a photo after the ride.  Well, when we went to view the photos we saw hilarious pictures of people with terrified looks and/or screaming as though their lives were flashing before them.  So, feeling slightly embarrassed at what expression they might have captured on my face, I waited with anticipation, and I have to say I was just down right disappointed when ours finally rolled around and both the husband and I are just sitting there...expressionless!  Yes, expressionless.  I suppose it takes a bit more than that to get us riled up :)

And then I fell in love with this quilt:

Isn't it beautiful?  Alas, it is still in the store.  But if I told you the price you'd understand why it is still hanging on that rack...even though it would have looked simply wonderful on my bed.

Then our favorite adventure of the trip: a 1/2 mile zipline ride from atop a 230 ft tower!

photo from (here)

I would totally do it again in a heartbeat!



And here's the tower lit up at night:

I hate that I have to claim this photo as my own.  In my defense, it's the camera!  But I think you can get the idea that it's something quite spectaticular to see in person.



Sausage Balls

Are these a holiday tradition for anyone else?  I don't know what it is, but it just isn't a Christmas party without sausage balls.  So this year's story is that I ended up cranking these out at nearly 10pm on a Wednesday night.  They had a purpose.  But they ended up serving a different purpose.  And that's ok, too!  I ate 4 as soon as they came out of the oven.  Yum! And I saved a few for my kids.  But the rest were packed into my pyrex to be reheated the next morning.  Somewhere between 10:30 and 11:00 (yes PM!) my husband says to me "I need to take an appetizer to work tomorrow.  We're doing our Christmas party at noon".  After a moment of stunned silence, followed by a quick thought of you've-got-to-be-kidding-me, I offered my sausage balls to him.  He only hesitated slightly, I gave him a reassuring nod, and it was a done deal.  The next morning I woke up and popped them into the oven and then packed them up all pyrex portable style (love those!) and sent them off to the husband's work.  He called before 9:00am to tell me they were a big hit.  Of course they're a big hit; they're sausage balls!

There are seriously a bazillion recipes out there.  I'm not sure I followed any one of them...

Sausage Balls
Recipe adapted from Jimmy Dean

2 packages Jimmy Dean Sausage (I used one mild and one sage)
9.6 oz block of Medium Cheddar cheese, shredded
2 cups Bisquick

Directions
Shred the cheese and then mix all ingredients (by hand is the best way) in a large bowl.  Shape into one inch balls and place on 2 lightly greased baking pans.  Bake at 375 degrees F, about 15 minutes, or until done.

The mantle. Revisited

Remember the inspiration wreath that I had fallen absolutely, completely, head-over-heels in love with?  Well, a friend of my mother's calls after reading that blog post and says "Oh yeah, I can totally make that!  This weekend, in fact!"  Can you even imagine such good fortune?  And boy, lemme tell ya, did she ever deliver!  Right?

To tell you that I'm exceedingly pleased with the outcome would be an understatement.  It's exactly what was needed. 

And with that, Teeny Tiny Kitchen, I promise to stop the blog stalking.  Except, please understand, that I don't exactly mean promise in the truest sense of the word  :)  Because not only does she decorate a mean mantle, but she cooks.  And there's a slight possibility that I'm still eyeing a few recipes.  Ok? Thanks

York Peppermint Chocolate Pretzels

Have you tried these?  If your answer is no, then it is a requirement that you pick some up.  And sooner rather than later!  These are, hands down, the most wonderful little dessert to ever come out of a package. A package of all things! 

Guess what.  I found a recipe to make the York peppermint filling (insert choir of angels singing)!  Do you see where I'm going with this?  I'm totally going to make these bad boys!  Do you dare me?  Huh, do ya?  This could be like those peanut butter-sandwiched-between-Ritz and then dunked in chocolate things.  Only better :)

Fettuccine Alfredo

This is a tale of two sauces.  Both alfredo.  One more traditional, the other more calorie-conscience.  Alfredo sauce is something that has always intimated me so I never bothered to try making it before now.  And I won't eat it often because I still remember my 9th grade History teacher saying fettuccine alfredo is as fattening as a dozen glazed donuts.  I honestly have no idea why my brain stores such vast amounts of useless information.  But I do love some alfredo sauce (except not that stuff in a jar. Blech!)  In fact, I thought everyone loved alfredo until a friend told me this week that she didn't like it.  I know, right!?  Don't worry, girl, I won't out you here.  Your secret's safe with me!

There are tons of alfredo recipes out there.  Then I got the idea to do a little taste test!  I'd pick one on the more traditional side, and then one from the healthy side and then we'd eat them side-by-side on the same plate!  I was actually impressed with both recipes.  And it really wasn't difficult to make, so go ahead and give it a try if you've been reluctant in the past like me.  Since I was making two sauces, I decided to cut each recipe in half.

If you're gonna do it, do it right :)

Traditional Fettucine Alfredo
Recipe from Cooks .com

1 lb fettucine
1/2 cup butter
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 1/2 cups light cream or half and half
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon pepper
pinch of salt



Directions

Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Add 1 teaspoon salt when water is boiling.

Add fettucine. Cook uncovered 10-12 minutes (or according to package directions). Drain; cover and set aside.
IN a large skillet, melt butter. Saute chopped garlic over medium heat for 1 minute.
Stir in 1 1/2 cups cream or half and half .
Cook over medium heat 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly. When hot, stir in fettucine. Add remaining cream or half and half, Parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper. Stir to mix well.

Next...

Calorie Conscience Fettuccine Alfredo
Recipe adapted from Cook This, Not That

2 Tbsp unsalted butter
3 Tbsp flour
3 cups 2% milk
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan
Salt and black pepper to taste
12 oz fettuccine

Directions
To make the bechamel, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour. Cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the milk to prevent any lumps from forming. (Lumps are going to form, but just keep whisking away and they shall all disappear) Add the garlic and simmer, whisking often, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until nicely thickened. Stir in the Parmesan and season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.  (I learned about bechamel sauce!  I mean, I've heard it on Food Network before, but now I've MADE one!!)
Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water. Return the pasta to the pot, add the sauce and the chicken mixture, and toss to coat. If the sauce is too thick, add some of the pasta water to thin it. Serve immediately.



Tell Me About It

I read this article here and I just loved it.  It can also be accessed here.  Enjoy!



Click picture to enlarge

Flash Freezing

A girl and her freezer.  It's a beautiful thing.  Alright, there's a slight possibility that I'm going to be showing my dorky side here.  Who am I kidding?  Truth be told, the other side is dorky too.  But, hey, if you can't be a dork with, well with the entire world in this case, then who can you be a dork with?

Flash freezing is something I learned from some seasoned stay-at-home-moms when I first became one myself.  It took a couple of years before I had the courage to even try it.  Now I'm hooked.  Obviously.
Google tells me there are multitudinous definitions for flash freezing, but I'm simply talking about the technique of laying things out, in a single layer on a cookie sheet, and once frozen simply removing it and storing it in somthing freezer-space-friendly like a Ziploc.  When things are frozen individually, they won't stick together and then you are free to use exactly the amount you want without having to thaw the whole thing.  This works for lots of things: cooked meat, onions, peppers, carrots, celery, squash, etc.  Just so we're all on the same page, once this process is used your only option is to cook with these items.  Don't be thinking you can still put those onions on top of your hamburger! 

I always, always, always do my hamburger meat this way.  It saves tons of time (both cooking and cleaning up) in the long run.  I usually buy 6 lbs of lean ground beef and split it between two large skillets to brown.

Once it's drained, spread it out into a thin layer on two cookie sheets and then place them in the freezer for several hours.

This is what it will look like once completely frozen:

Now just use a spatula to break it up and store it in a ziploc freezer bag.

And it's ready to be used in some spaghetti sauce, soup, tacos....whatever you would normally use ground beef for. 

I also like to flash freeze onions and bell peppers.  When cooking, it's so easy to just toss in the amount your recipe calls for without having to do the chopping.

Again, chop them and spread into a single layer on a cookie sheet and freeze for several hours.

This is what it looks like completely frozen:

And now ready for the ziplock freezer bags



There you have it...Kristy's take on flash freezing.  Easy, right!!?

Cheesecake Brownies



I was channeling my inner Sandra Lee yesterday.  You know "Keep it Simple, Keep it Smart, Keep it Sweet, Keep it Semi-Homemade"  Too bad she didn't say "Keep it semi-overcooked".  We'll get to that in a minute :)

First of all, buy one of these:

Why? Because it has 6 box tops, that's why!

Semi-Homemade Cheesecake Brownies

Recipe adapted from Allrecipes

1  package brownie mix

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese

1 egg

1/3 cup white sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

Prepare brownie mix as directed on the package and spread evenly into prepared pan.  Using an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese, egg, sugar and vanilla.  Spoon the cheesecake mixture over the top of the brownies and use a knife to swirl together.  Bake according to the package directions.

I was using a Perfect Brownie pan, which is smaller than a 13x9 so my cooking times were a little skewed.  It suggested 30-35 minutes, but they were looking gooey so I decided to let it cook just a liiiitle bit longer.  That's where the semi-overcooked comes in!  When it comes to brownies, always remember that people prefer "gooey" over "brick". 

And you know, I've always liked Sandra Lee.  But ever since Cake Wrecks featured (okay, humiliated) her here with this video, I haven't quite had the same warm fuzzy feelings about her

Homemade Lunches-To Go. Part 2

Round 2: Burritos.  Success!

Make room in your freezers, gals! Because we're going to be talking about my favorite kitchen appliance!  Or, in my case, I suppose it's technically a garage appliance.  Anywho.  So it isn't any secret that bringing your lunch from home saves mega money....and untold calories, fat, and who knows what else.  My husband has been asking for some new lunch ideas.  Fortunately for him, I'm lucky enough to stay home and have the time to whip up stuff like this.
This is one of those things where you get to decide what goes into your burritos.  Then wrap 'em up, freeze 'em and they're perfect for taking to the office.  The original directions say to bake them in the oven, but I don't see why the microwave wouldn't do...with the foil removed, of course.

The burrito filling.

All ready to be wrapped up.

Hearty Burritos
Recipe adapted from Taste of Home

1/2 pound ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped

1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (14-1/2 ounces) Mexican diced tomatoes, undrained

1 cup frozen corn, thawed  (I used a lot less)

1/2 cup salsa

1/2 cup cooked rice (I used brown Minute rice)

2 teaspoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

8 flour tortillas (10 inches), warmed

Directions
In a large skillet, cook the beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add the beans, tomatoes, corn, salsa, rice, chili powder and salt. Sprinkle 1/4 cup cheese off-center on each tortilla; top with about 1 cup beef mixture. Fold sides and ends over filling.
Wrap burritos individually in foil and freeze for up to 3 months

Voila! Ready for the freezer.  Isn't that husband of mine a lucky man??

Bacon Wraps- Appetizer

I made Crack Sticks.  What? I didn't name them.  Page did.  I think she was referring to their addictive nature, but I figure it's also a fair name given the fact that there is nothing nutritionally redeeming about them what-so-ever.  But they're good!  And a crowd pleaser.  I made these for a Sunday School party, and I promise I wasn't in the door 5 minutes before hearing "Who made the bacon things!?" coming from the kitchen.  Bring this appetizer to your next holiday get together and be prepared to wear your highly self-satisfied smile as you take in all your well deserved compliments and recipe requests.

I like this recipe because it was so easy.  It's a bit of an inside-out take on The Pioneer Woman's Holiday Bacon Appetizers

 

Bacon Wraps

Check out the lovechild recipe at My Teeny Tiny Kitchen (Girl can cook!!)

 

Club Crackers
Thin sliced bacon
Grated Parmesan Cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut bacon in half. Wrap crackers in bacon. Place on cookie sheet that has a cooling rack on top and bake for 30 minutes. Dredge through Parmesan while hot. Allow to cool and crisp, then serve.

 

Black and White Cookies



The first time I had ever seen or heard of Black and White Cookies was from Joy the Baker.  I L.O.V.E her!  She and I, we'd totally be friends in real life.  Well, then a few days ago a friend on facebook posted that she was going to make the B&W cookies.  As soon as I saw that, my curiosity got the best of me and I knew I just HAD to make them.  It's a buttermilk cookie, which is a new concept to me.  And, oh my, they're good.  So light and fluffy and far from overly sweet.  But the cookie gets it's name from the icing.  Half vanilla, half chocolate.  Oh, and you ice the bottom of the cookie.  Intriguing, right?  Joy insists that she eats straight down the middle because it's simply impossible for her to choose a favorite between the chocolate and vanilla.  But I had nooo trouble choosing because I am a chocolate kind of girl.  Which isn't to say that the vanilla isn't good.  Or that the combination of both on one cookie isn't a wonderfully fantastic idea.  And it's a biiiig cookie.  Nothing wrong with that! 

The cookies turned out perfectly. The chocolate glaze was a thing of beauty.  But I'm convinced something is amiss with the vanilla glaze directions.  For me, this one just turned out waaay too thick and I was scrambling trying to figure out how I could save it.  Which is always fun with an audience...because lately I've been prone to baking while friends are over.  I call it "after dinner entertainment"  :)  But back to the task at hand, I used a little buttermilk for thinning, since that was an ingredient in the cookie batter.  It all kinda worked out in the end though.  We all shoved a yummy cookie into our mouths.  Isn't that what it's all about?

And, yes, I'm painfully aware that my icing job is a lot sloppier than Joy's

 

Black and White Cookies

Recipe from Joy the Baker  Inspiration from Kelly :)

 

For the Cookies

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup well-shaken buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large egg

For Vanilla Glaze

2 cups powdered sugar

1 Teaspoon light corn syrup

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For Chocolate Glaze

4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate

3 Tablespoons butter

1 Tablespoon light corn syrup

Directions

To make the cookies-

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Stir together buttermilk and vanilla in a cup.
Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes, then add eggs, beating until combined well. Mix in flour mixture and buttermilk mixture alternately in batches at low speed (scraping down side of bowl occasionally), beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix until smooth.
Spoon 1/4 cups of batter about 2 inches apart onto a buttered large baking sheet. Bake in middle of oven until tops are puffed and pale golden, and cookies spring back when touched, 15 to 17 minutes. Transfer with a metal spatula to a rack and chill (to cool quickly), about 5 minutes.

To make the glazes-

In a bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon of corn syrup and 2 tablespoons hot water, until smooth. That’s your vanilla glaze.

In a separate bowl, melt the butter and the chocolate in a microwave for about 1 minute. Add the corn syrup and stir until smooth. That’s your chocolate glaze!

Once the cookies are cooled, face them all bottom side up on a clean surface. Spread half of the cookie with vanilla glaze and the other half with chocolate glaze. Refrigerate for 20 minutes to set. (Ooops! We just dug in!!)

Bacon-Cheese Topped Chicken

Am I in a rut already? The reoccuring theme seems to be chicken and cookies. I can live with that :)

Three words: Make.This.Chicken. I've been told that this recipe is a knockoff of the Alice Springs Chicken at Outback Steakhouse.  Personally, I've never had the Alice Springs Chicken so I can't attest to that.  But I can tell you that I really like this recipe!  Except my version doesn't have mushrooms.  I avoid mushrooms at all costs. Any visible chunks of mushroom will most definitely be left in a pile on my plate. Cream of Mushroom soup is something I can get on board with. But that's another topic because it doesn't have anything to do with this recipe.    I'll post the recipe as is, mushrooms and all, because I wouldn't want to ruin anyone else's fun.

I love the marinade on this chicken...it smells really good while it's cooking too.  And anything topped with cheese and bacon can't go wrong.

The 7 yr old first balked at the appearance, but then ate it and said it was really good chicken.  I don't think the 2 yr old ate a bite of anything.  Apparently it is entirely possible to sustain life with milk, cereal, and french fries.

 

Bacon-Cheese Topped Chicken

Recipe from Taste of Home

 

1/2 cup Dijon mustard

1/2 cup honey

4-1/2 teaspoons canola oil, divided

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Dash paprika

2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

8 bacon strips, partially cooked

2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley

Directions
In a small bowl, combine the mustard, honey, 1-1/2 teaspoons oil and lemon juice. Pour 1/2 cup into a large resealable plastic bag; add the chicken. Seal the bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for 2 hours. Cover and refrigerate the remaining marinade.
Drain and discard marinade from chicken. In a large skillet over medium heat, brown chicken in remaining oil on all sides. (I love the use of the word "all" here :) How many sides does a chicken breast have?) Sprinkle with salt, pepper and paprika. Transfer to a greased 11-in. x 7-in. baking dish.
In the same skillet, saute mushrooms in butter until tender. Spoon reserved marinade over chicken. Top with cheeses and mushrooms. Place bacon strips in a crisscross pattern over chicken.
Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 170°. Sprinkle with parsley.

Favorite Movies Friday

I fed my family re-runs for dinner last night, so nothing new to report on that front.  But company is coming for dinner tonight (insert a giddy squeal)!  I've got a couple of ideas and, if they go according to plan, they'll show up here!
So how about a Favorite Movies Friday?  I'm really not a big movie person.  But there are a handful that I could watch over and over again.  I mean, come on, what's more fun than being able to recite darn near every line from your favorite movies!?  :)  Dirty Dancing makes the list too, but I couldn't get a video to cooperate

Tower, this is Ghost Rider requesting a flyby.



Don't dilly-dally there, pretty lady. We're all gonna be down here talking about you.



I only eat jello and yogurt!

Pasta a la Vodka

 

I need to get something off my chest.  I'm afraid I am *that* girl.  Much like the Princess and the Pea, I'm the girl who can taste the faintest amount of alcohol in any beverage or recipe and...and...I don't like it.  There, I said it.  But not true with this here recipe!!  That goes in the win column for sure, right?  This dish was actually good.  Although I have to admit I didn't quite think it lived up to all the hype it received from PW.  The husband called it bland.  The 7 yr old said it was good.  Really good!  Even better than tomato soup and noodles (his favorite food I'll have you know!).  Until he bit into an onion.  Ooops.  But I have to agree with him there.  I don't necessarily enjoy biting into a chunk of onion either.  And the 2 yr old, you guessed it, went screaming from the table.

I'll let you in on a little secret.  Despite strict instructions to the contrary, I used half and half instead of heavy cream.  (My sincerest apologies, Ree!)  And if you want to do the same, I'll never tell.  But now I'm wondering if that made the difference between this being a good dish versus a Wow dish.  I think the next time I make this I'll definitely kick up the red pepper flakes from "a pinch".  Be ye a little more generous than that with your red pepper flakes when you make yours.

Recipe time?  Nope, not yet.  There's a little more to this story.  This was my first visit to a liquor store.  My mother was ever so kind as to accompany me.  And I got carded!  So take that!! :)  Ok, NOW it's recipe time.

 

Pasta a la Vodka

Recipe from The Pioneer Woman

 

1 pound Pasta
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 whole Medium Onion, Chopped Finely
2 cloves (to 3 Cloves) Garlic, Chopped
¾ cups (to 1 Cup) Vodka
1 can (About 14 Oz.) Tomato Puree
1 cup Heavy Cream
1 pinch Red Pepper Flakes
¼ teaspoons (to 1/2 Teaspoon) Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
1 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

Directions
Cook pasta according to package directions, being careful not to overcook.
In a large skillet over medium heat, add olive oil and butter. When butter is melted, add in chopped onion and garlic. Stir and allow to cook for two minutes. Pour in vodka. Stir and cook for three minutes. Add in tomato puree and stir.
Reduce heat to low and stir in cream. Allow to simmer, being careful not to overheat. Stir in red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.
Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of pasta water in case sauce is too thick. Add cooked pasta to the sauce, tossing to combine. Splash in a little water if it needs it. Stir in Parmesan cheese.
Pour mixture into large serving bowl. Garnish with more Parmesan cheese.

Chocolate Raspberry Thumbprints

Yum!  I probably don't have to tell you that chocolate and raspberry make a pretty spectacular combination.  For aesthetic purposes, be sure and stick with the smaller one-inch dough balls.  If it sounds as if I speak from experience, I do!  The texture of these cookies is similar to a brownie.  They tend to appear undercooked when removed from the oven, but they set up nicely once cooled.

Chocolate Raspberry Thumbprints
Recipe from Kraft foods

2 cups flour

1 tsp.  baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

4 squares  BAKER'S Unsweetened Chocolate

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1 pkg.  (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, cubed, softened

1-1/4 cups sugar, divided

1   egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1/3 cup  red raspberry jam

 

Directions

HEAT oven to 375°F.
MIX flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. Microwave chocolate and butter in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min.; stir until chocolate is completely melted. Whisk in cream cheese. Add 1 cup sugar, egg and vanilla; mix well. Stir in flour mixture. Refrigerate 15 min.
ROLL dough into 1-inch balls; coat with remaining sugar. Place, 2 inches apart, on baking sheets. Press your thumb into center of each ball; fill each indentation with about 1/4 tsp. jam.
BAKE 8 to 10 min. or until lightly browned. Cool 1 min. on baking sheets; transfer to wire racks. Cool completely.

The mantle

My mantle is finally sporting some Christmas cheer.  Thanks to all the fellow blogosphere-ians (is that a word? doubtful.) for allowing me to steal some ideas, er, I mean, providing the inspiration for me to finally  tackle this mantle project.  And I gotta tell ya, I was really torn between the blue/silver & the red/gold color schemes.  I guess you'll see that my more traditional side won out :)

Before:

After:



I still think a wreath is needed.  Like this one.  I love it.  I wish it were in my house.  But, hey, I've got 11 months to make it happen for next year :)

Homemade lunches. To go.

I had a cooking FAIL.  Sort of.  Can I just share my fail with you?  I had the best of intentions.  The idea was fairly simple.  Some steamed rice, grilled chicken, and a homemade sweet-and-sour sauce.

Everything was going as planned until the sauce.  First it's like this, I had bought a ginormous package of chicken breasts.  I portioned out the chicken breasts into 3 different gallon-sized Ziplock bags for marinating in the fridge for a couple of hours.  I used 3 different marinades for a little variety; 1) Italian dressing, 2) olive oil & lemon juice and 3) orange juice & worcestershire sauce.  The olive oil & lemon juice is just equal parts (1/3 cup olive oil, 1/3 cup lemon juice..more or less depending on your needs).  The orange juice & worcestershire sauce marinade is less scientific.  It's some orange juice and some worcestershire sauce .  But I can tell you it's waaay less worcestershire than oj :) 

 

Ok, so all this chicken eventually made it's way to the grill.  Once cooled, place each chicken breast into a sandwich-sized ziploc bag and then place them all into a gallon-sized ziploc FREEZER bag and pop them into the freezer.  You know what this does?  That's right, it allows you to take out only one (or two) at a time.  Which makes it perfect for taking to the office!

 

My husband wanted me to find a recipe for a sweet-and-sour sauce.  I don't eat the S&S sauce, so I headed over to Allrecipes to read some reviews.  The first one I decided on was this.  It received 4 1/2 stars based on 59 reviews.  Oh.my.gosh.  What, exactly, were these people eating??  Let me assure you that I followed the recipe to a T.  I simply cannot describe to you what this sauce tasted like without using a 4-letter word.  So I'll just let it be.

 

Then I tried this sauce.  Again, 4 1/2 stars based on 348 reviews!  This one was at least edible (sort of). 

 

So I'm out of the S&S sauce making business.  Anyone have a tried and true recipe for the stuff? 



The End.

 

I've got nothin

But I'm following The Pioneer Woman's advice here, considering my blog "a precious bloom that requires daily nurturing".  So nuture away, I will :)

Does anyone remember the Lime Coke?  Where did it go?  I made my own!

I like Coke. Duh.  But, really, it's my only vice.  Well, that, and facebook...but I don't really want to talk about that one :)

And I have some cute new cookie platters.  These should be motivation to do some holiday baking, right?  I may not be psychic, but I think I see some cheesecake brownies in my near future.



Hearty Chicken Enchiladas



I'm a firm believer that enchiladas should always be rolled in a corn tortilla, so normally I would have skipped right over this recipe.  But in the interest of trying something new, I just went for it.  And the results were excellent!  As an added bonus, the crockpot did most of the work!  This chicken turned out so incredibly tender.  You know, like when you have trouble removing it from the crockpot because it just falls apart?  That's this chicken!  Awesome, right?

 

This recipe also freezes well.  (See, I told you we were gonna be talking about some freezer cooking)  So if you're not feeding a crowd, half of the enchiladas can go into a tin pan and then to the freezer for when you need a no-hassle dinner.  That's why I'm such a fan of freezer cooking.  Can you tell I get a little excited talking about my freezer?  Perhaps now would be a good time to just move on to the recipe.

 

Hearty Chicken Enchiladas

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home

 

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts

3 cans (10 oz each) enchilada sauce (I used Old El Paso, 2 medium and 1 mild. Not too spicy)

1 can (4 oz) chopped green chilies

1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained

8 flour tortillas

1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend (I used good ole cheddar)

sour cream, optional

 

In a 3 qt slow cooker, combine the chicken, enchilada sauce and chilies.  Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.  (I didn't have 8 hours, so I cooked on low for about 4 hrs and then high for 2 hrs).

 

Remove chicken and shred with two forks.  Reserve 1 & 2/3 cups cooking juices.  Pour remaining cooking juices into a large bowl; add the beans and shredded chicken.  Coat a 9x13 dish (along with a freezer safe dish) with cooking spray; add 1/2 cup reserved juices to each.

 

Place about 1/3 cup chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla.  Roll up and place seam side down in prepared dishes.  Pour remaining reserved juices over top; sprinkle with cheese.

 

Cover and freeze one dish for up to 3 months.  Cover and bake the second dish at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  Uncover; bake 5 minutes longer.  Serve with sour cream.

 

To use frozen enchiladas:  Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.  Remove from fridge 30 minutes before cooking.  Bake as directed.