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Sunday, December 23, 2012



DSC_3487
Windy City Crescent Rolls
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
  • 2 tubes Pillsbury (or whatever brand) crescent rolls, 8 ct
  • 4 oz crumbled feta cheese
  • 4 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 3 oz fresh baby spinach (about half of a pre-washed bag), chopped
  • 2 oz black olives, finely diced (*this ingredient is optional)
  • 1 egg white, beaten
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • dash salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 350. Begin by chopping the spinach and olives and putting them in a large mixing bowl. Add the feta, mozzarella, red pepper flakes and salt and pepper. Toss thoroughly and set bowl aside.
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Unroll the crescent dough and divide into triangles. Using a spoon, place tiny heaps of spinach mixture on the wide part of the dough triangle.
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Roll them up! (Thanks to my mother-in-law for this demonstration. Hi Rita!)
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Place on a greased cookie sheet. Before putting them in the oven lightly brush each roll with the egg white. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
http://clairebidwellsmith.com

3 lbs. powdered sugar
1 lb. margarine or butter
4 cups peanut butter
3 packages chocolate chips
⅓ cake paraffin wax

Heat the chocolate chips and paraffin wax in a double boiler until they melt. Combine the powdered sugar, margarine, and peanut butter in a large bowl and mix them with your hands until everything is well blended. Chill for 1/2 hour. Roll the dough into balls and chill them. Then, dip the balls into the melted chocolate, and cool them on wax paper. Store the peanut butter balls in the refrigerator, and try not to eat them all in one sitting!
Cinnamon and Sugar Pull-Apart Bread
Dough
2 3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast (1 packet)
1/2 tsp. salt
4 Tbsp. butter
1/3 cup whole milk
1/4 cup water
2 eggs (at room temperature)
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Filling
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
4 Tbsp. butter, melted


In a large mixing bowl, mix 2 cups of flour.


Sugar.


Yeast and salt.


Set this flour mixture aside.


In a small sauce pan, melt the butter and milk.


Once the butter is completely melted take off the burner and add the water...


and vanilla. Let the mixture cool for 5 minutes.


Pour the milk mixture into the large bowl with the dry ingredients and mix well. Whisk together the eggs and add to the batter.


Keep mixing. Add 3/4 cup of flour and mix well. The mixture will be very sticky which means it's perfect. Place the dough in a medium greased bowl.


Cover with wrap and let it sit in a warm place to rise for about 30-45 minutes. Once the dough has doubled its size, knead in 2 tablespoons of flour. Cover the dough again for 5-10 minutes.


Meanwhile, start on the filling. In a medium bowl, mix together the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small bowl. Set aside.


Once the dough is ready, roll it out on a floured surface. Brush the melted butter on the dough and add the sugar mixture. Make sure everything is covered.


Using a shape knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough into equal sized strips (about 2 to 2 1/2 inches wide). Then cut the strips into equal sized squares.


Stack the squares on top of each other to make 3 to 4 piles. Don't make stacks to high or your will be cussing when you try to place them into the pan. Also, your bread will come out prettier if you don't stack the squares perfectly aligned.


Place squares in the greased bread pan.


Take any sugar that fell off squares and sprinkle over the top and around the sides of dough. Cover the dough for another 10-15 minutes to rise.


While dough is rising, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Place a cookie sheet under bread pan and bake for 30-35 minutes until outside of bread is golden brown.

Recipe from www.iheartfoodandsocanyou.blogspot.com.

CINNAMON AND SUGAR PULL-APART BREAD
Dough
2 3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast (1 packet)
1/2 tsp. salt
4 Tbsp. butter
1/3 cup whole milk
1/4 cup water
2 eggs (at room temperature)
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Filling
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
4 Tbsp. butter, melted
In a large mixing bowl, mix 2 cups of flour, sugar, yeast and salt. Set aside.
In a small sauce pan, melt the butter and milk. Once the butter is completely melted take off the burner and add the water and vanilla. Let the mixture cool for 5 minutes.
Pour the milk mixture into the large bowl with the dry ingredients and mix well. Whisk together the eggs and add to the batter. Keep mixing. Add 3/4 cup of flour and mix well. The mixture will be very sticky which means it's perfect. Place the dough in a medium greased bowl. Cover with wrap and let it sit in a warm place to rise for about 30-45 minutes. Once the dough has doubled its size, knead in 2 tablespoons of flour. Cover the dough again for 5-10 minutes.
Meanwhile, start on the filling. In a medium bowl, mix together the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small bowl. Set aside.
Once the dough is ready, roll it out on a floured surface. Brush the melted butter on the dough and add the sugar mixture. Make sure everything is covered. Using a shape knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough into equal sized strips (about 2 to 2 1/2 inches wide). Then cut the strips into equal sized squares. Stack the squares on top of each other to make 3 to 4 piles and place them in a bread pan. Take any sugar that fell off squares and sprinkle over the top and around the sides of dough. Cover the dough for another 10-15 minutes to rise.
While dough is rising, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Place a cookie sheet under bread pan and bake for 30-35 minutes until outside of bread is golden brown.

Ingredients
  • 1 pound of boneless skinless chicken breast
  • 1 Bottle of Franks Red Hot sauce (12 oz. or 1.5 cups)
  • 8 oz container of cream cheese
  • 1 cup Mexican cheese blend (or your favorite blue cheese or gorgonzola)
  • 1 cup Ranch dressing.
  • 1 bag tortilla chips and/or veggies for dipping
Instructions
  1. Poach about 1 pound of boneless skinless chicken breast in chicken stock and water.
  2. Using 2 forks, gently thread chicken into small chunks. You can also shred your chicken in your (Kitchenaide) stand mixer using the flat, paddle beater.
  3. In a bowl, combine shredded chicken with Franks Red Hot sauce, to taste. My family likes it spicy, so I use lots!
  4. Let the chicken soak in the hot sauce until ready to use.
  5. Spread one 8 oz container of cream cheese into the bottom of an un-greased baking pan or casserole dish.
  6. Top with buffalo chicken...
  7. Sprinkle on some cheese. I like a mexican cheese blend, but you can also use blue cheese or gorgonzola.
  8. Finish it off by drizzling on some Ranch dressing.
  9. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until dip is melted and bubbling.
  10. Serve with chips and veggies for dipping!
buffalo chicken dip poached chicken
Steps 1 – 4
buffalo chicken dip cream cheese
Step 5
buffalo chicken dip
Step 6
Creamy cheesy buffalo chicken dip
Steps 7 – 9
cheesy buffalo chicken dip
Step 10

ENJOY 

Friday, December 21, 2012


Arancini (Rice Balls) with Marinara Sauce


Yield: 8 arancini
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 5 min

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked white rice, cooled (See Kelly's Notes)
½ cup grated Parmesan
3 eggs, separated
8 small cubes fresh mozzarella
1 cup Italian-style breadcrumbs
Oil, for frying
1 cup store-bought or homemade marinara sauce

Directions:

Place a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat and add enough vegetable oil to rise 4 inches in the pot.
Combine the rice, Parmesan and 1 egg in a medium bowl and use your hands to thoroughly combine the mixture.
Form each arancini by taking a small portion of the mixture, squeezing it firmly and stuffing one cube of mozzarella inside each ball. Repeat this process to form 8 arancini.
Whisk together the remaining 2 eggs. Dip each arancini in the eggs and then in the breadcrumbs, shaking off any excess.
Once the oil reaches 375ºF, add 2 or 3 of the breaded arancini to the pot and fry them until golden brown and cooked throughout.
Use a slotted spoon to remove the fried arancini from the pot and transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate. Immediately salt the arancini. Repeat the frying process with the remaining arancini.
Serve the arancini warm with a side of warm marinara sauce.

Arancini (Rice Balls)
Arancini (Rice Balls)
Arancini (Rice Balls)
Arancini (Rice Balls)


Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels (found on Baking Junkie)
1 (16 oz) bag pretzel twists
⅔ cup vegetable oil
½ cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Pour pretzels into a roasting pan. In a medium sized bowl mix together vegetable oil, cinnamon and sugar. Pour over pretzels and stir to coat. Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes, removing twice to stir.

Easy_Halloween_Snacks_Candy_Caramel_Apple_Bites_mummy_dogs
So I planned to cut the apples into bite-size chunks and dip them in melted butterscotch chips.
Easy_Halloween_Snacks_Candy_Caramel_Apple_Bites_mummy_dogs


It was all going well until I got to the melting part.  It is definitely not as easy as the directions on the bag make it seem!  I burned the first 2 batches (melting in my microwave was NOT working & on the stove requires A LOT of attention).  For my third attempt, I constantly stirred while I melted them in a double boiler until it was smooth.  But when I took it off the heat, it immediately started thickening.  I couldn't put it back on the heat & dip, because if I stopped stirring, it burned.


Easy_Halloween_Snacks_Candy_Caramel_Apple_Bites_mummy_dogs
So it ended up pretty lumpy, but very yummy.


Since that wasn't the look I was going for, I picked up these mixes at the store hoping to simplify things.


Easy_Halloween_Snacks_Candy_Caramel_Apple_Bites_mummy_dogs_tryitmom
Take 2!
Easy_Halloween_Snacks_Candy_Caramel_Apple_Bites_mummy_dogs_tryitmom
I read a tip to dry the apple pieces to help the caramel stick, but caramel did still pool at the bottom a bit more than I would like.  I'm going to try using less next time to make it lighter. 


Easy_Halloween_Snacks_Candy_Caramel_Apple_Bites_mummy_dogs_tryitmom
Original Idea: http://www.tryitmom.com/2011/10/easy-halloween-snacks-candy-caramel.html

Thursday, December 20, 2012


White Chocolate Chip Cranberry Cookies
makes approximately 2.5 dozen
  • 3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup white chocolate chips
  • 3/4 cup dried cranberries
Directions:
Line an ungreased cookie sheet with parchment paper or silpat. Set aside.
In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars together on medium speed until fluffy and light in color. Mix in egg and vanilla.  Scrape down the sides as needed.  On low speed, mix in flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt.  Stir in white chocolate chips & dried cranberries.  Dough will be thick and sticky, but still mold-able with your hands or a cookie scoop. Chill dough for about 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350F.  Drop balls of dough (1.5 tablespoons each) onto cookie sheet OR used a standard-sized cookie scoop. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until barely golden brown around the edges.  Do NOT cook them longer than 10 minutes.   Remove and let cool for 3 minutes on the cookie sheet.  Transfer to cooling rack.
*Do not drop dough onto warm cookie sheets.  Allow cookie sheets to cool completely between batches.

SOUTHWESTERN EGG ROLLS WITH AVOCADO RANCHRecipe from: Cake and Allie
2 cups frozen corn, thawed
1-15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1-9 oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry with paper towel
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese
1 (7 oz) can diced green chiles, drained
4 green onions, finely chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 package of egg roll or wonton wrappers

Preheat oven to 425F. Line 2 baking sheets with aluminum foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.
In a large bowl mix together corn, beans, spinach, cheese, chiles, onions, cumin, chili powder, salt and cayenne pepper.
Using a small spoon, scoop a small amount of filling onto the wrapper. Starting at a corner, carefully start to roll the wrapper. When it’s slightly rolled, tuck in the two side and continue rolling to the last point. Wet your finger with water and dab a bit on the corner to seal the egg roll. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling, placing them slightly apart on the baking sheet.
Lightly spray the tops of the egg rolls with cooking spray and bake for 15-20 minutes, flipping them at least once during baking.

AVOCADO RANCH
3/8 cup mayonnaise
3/8 cup sour cream
3 Tbs buttermilk
1/2 Tbs olive oil
1/2 Tbs lemon juice
1/2 green onion, chopped
1/4 tsp salt
1 avocado, peeled and pitted
Place all ingredients in a blender and pulse until smooth. Use immediately.

MOZZARELLA STICKS WITH BUTTERMILK DIP

The secret to getting restaurant quality mozzarella sticks at home is using panko-style breadcrumbs and making sure that each piece of cheese is double dipped for an extra crispy crust that is free of any holes for the cheese to escape from during frying.  Freezing the mozzarella sticks prior to frying ensures that the crust has time to adhere to the cheese in the dry environment of the freezer.  As with all frying, make sure to carefully monitor your oil temperature and allow it to rebound in between batches.  Because the mozzarella sticks are frozen, it might be a good idea to make a double batch to keep on hand for any last minute game day parties.

INGREDIENTS:

For the Mozzarella Sticks:
  • 12 stick s of string cheese or 12 pieces of mozzarella cut into 4 x 1/2 inch sticks
  • 1 1/2 cups panko-style breadcrumbs (or Progresso Italian-style Panko breadcrumbs)
  • 4 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon table salt
  • Freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup of all-purpose flour
  • Canola oil for frying
For the Buttermilk Dip:
  • 1/3 cup buttermilk
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons honey
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
  • 2 tablespoons minced green onions
  • 2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
  • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of table salt to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste

METHOD:

  1. Dredge the mozzarella sticks: Spread the flour and breadcrumbs on separate plates (pie plates work well for this).  Add the Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to the breadcrumbs and mix well.  Place the eggs in a small bowl and beat them lightly.
  2. Drop a piece of cheese into the flour and roll it around until it is well covered.  Shake off the excess flour and dip the cheese into the egg mixture before rolling it in the breadcrumbs until well coated.  One last time, dip the breadcrumb coated cheese back into the beaten egg and roll again in breadcrumbs to create an extra crispy coating.  Set aside on a clean plate and repeat with the remaining cheese sticks.  Once all of the mozzarella has been breaded, place the plate into the freezer uncovered and freeze until the breadcrumb coating is firm, at least 2 hours.
  3. Meanwhile, make the buttermilk dip: In a small bowl, whisk all of the ingredients together until well combined.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.
  4. Fry the mozzarella sticks: Pour enough oil into a large heavy-bottomed pot to come to a depth of at least 2 inches.  Using an candy thermometer, heat oil until it reaches a temperature of 350°.  Fry the mozzarella sticks in batches, being careful not to overwhelm the oil, until crispy and browned on the exterior, about 5 minutes.  Drain on paper towels.
  5. Repeat with remaining mozzarella, allowing the oil temperature to rise back to 350° between batches.  You can place the finished mozzarella sticks in a 200° oven to keep them warm while the others fry.
  6. Serve immediately with buttermilk dip.


Ingredients




  • 8 slice(s) bacon
  • 1 pound(s) asparagus spears, trimmed
  • 1/2 teaspoon(s) fresh thyme leaves, chopped
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • 8 large eggs
  • 3 tablespoon(s) packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon(s) fresh dill, chopped

Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees F. In 18 inch by 12 inch jelly-roll pan, arrange bacon slices in single layer, spacing 1/4 inch apart. Roast 8 to 9 minutes or until browned and crisp. Transfer to paper-towel-lined plate; set aside. Drain and discard excess bacon fat in pan, leaving thin film of fat.
  2. Add asparagus to pan in single layer. Roll in fat until evenly coated. Arrange in tight single layer, with bottoms of spears touching one long side of pan. Sprinkle thyme and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper on asparagus. Roast 8 to 10 minutes or until asparagus spears are tender and browned.
  3. Carefully crack eggs, without breaking yolks, directly onto asparagus spears, staggering if necessary and spacing 1/4 inch apart. Carefully return pan to oven. Roast 5 to 6 minutes or until whites are just set and yolks are still runny. Sprinkle 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper on eggs. Return bacon to pan; sprinkle eggs and asparagus with parsley and dill. To serve, use wide spatula to transfer to serving plates.

Braided Cinnamon Wreath

Author: Ana Maria Ciolacu from Just Love Cookin’
Yield: 1 Wreath 
Dough
  •  2 cups flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup lukewarm milk
  • 1 envelope active dry yeast or 0.6 Oz
  • 1/8 cup melted butter
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 tbsp sugar
Filling:
  •  1/4 cup softened butter
  • 4-5 tbsp sugar
  • 3 tsp cinnamon
Method:
  1. Mix the yeast and sugar with the lukewarm milk and let it sit a few minutes while the yeast bubbles and foams up.
  2. Add the egg yolk, the melted butter, the flour and the salt, then knead the dough and shape into a ball.
  3. Place the dough in a large, greased bowl, then cover and place in a warm space and let rise until doubled in size (about 1 hour).
  4. Preheat oven to about 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Dust your work surface with flour, and roll the dough out to a thickness of 1cm.
  5. Spread the melted butter across all of the dough, then sprinkle the cinnamon and sugar mixture.
  6. Roll up the dough, and using a knife, cut the log in half length-wise.
  7. Twist the two halves together, keeping the open layers exposed as described in the photo tutorial. Give a round shape, then transfer to a baking tray (buttered or covered with cookie sheet).
  8. Top the remaining butter and sprinkle some sugar and cinnamon mixture. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is golden brown.
  9. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit after 5-10 minutes to stop it burning. Top with icing sugar mixed with water if you want, just sprinkle some sugar, or eat it like this.