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Showing posts with label Make Your Own. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Make Your Own. Show all posts

Ninety Minute Cinnamon Rolls

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Posted on Thursday, August 18, 2016 1:42 PM | By: Lauren

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I know, it doesn't seem as practical or sane to make a cinnamon roll as it is to buy one of those nice tubes in the refrigerated section and bake them.  I'll tell you why.  One day I wanted a cinnamon roll, but being a new mother, I still haven't gotten a good hang on going to the store with my little guy.  He's only slightly more patient than his father when it comes to shopping, and then there's all that baby gear, like the diaper bag, the car seat, and either a carrier or stroller.  By the time you get loaded and unloaded, you've spent almost as much time going to the store as you would making these cinnamon rolls, and you wouldn't have nearly the quality.

                   


These ninety minute cinnamon rolls are easy, tasty, and quick for a cinnamon roll.  If you've made other recipes, you know how long they often take.  The dough comes out soft and pillow-y, with a nice, mild yeast roll flavor.  They are dreamy.  These cinnamon rolls also freeze and reheat well, making them quite convenient for making a batch and not eating them all at once.  

                   

I have tried a few homemade cinnamon roll recipes over the years, and this has been my favorite recipe.  It's my holy grail cinnamon roll recipe.  I hope if you make it you'll agree!



adapted slightly from allrecipes.com

3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) softened butter, divided
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 (.25 ounce) package instant yeast
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
 1/4 cup water
1 egg
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Heat the milk in a small saucepan until it bubbles, then remove from heat. Mix in 1/2 stick butter; stir until melted. Let cool until lukewarm.

In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 1/4 cup flour, yeast, sugar and salt; mix well. Add water, egg and the milk mixture; beat well. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. When the dough has just pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, about 5 minutes.

Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, cinnamon, and remaining stick of butter.

Roll out dough into a 12x9 inch rectangle. Spread dough with butter/sugar mixture. Roll up dough and pinch seam to seal. Cut into 12 equal size rolls and place cut side up in a buttered 9x13 pan. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. In the meantime, heat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until browned. Let cool slightly and then top with icing if desired.*(see notes)

Notes
  • I desired icing.  I used this icing, made with vanilla extract and it was perfect.
  • I'm not sure if it was atmospheric influence or not, but I had to add extra flour (used unbleached AP flour)- maybe about a 1/4 cup extra.  

Fire Roasted Salsa

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Posted on Friday, May 15, 2015 3:08 PM | By: Lauren

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My go-to salsa during winter when fresh tomatoes aren't available is the Pioneer Woman's Restaurant Style Salsa.  It has an impressive flavor and is quick and easy to boot.  I've made it dozens of times, and each time there's just never enough, even though it makes a ton.

I can't remember if this salsa remix was born out of the desire to experiment or just because I didn't have plain tomatoes, but a couple weeks ago I decided to try making the salsa with fire roasted tomatoes instead of plain ones.  This discovery has to rank right up there with sliced bread.  It's more complex- slightly smoky, spicy, and the flavor just feels...deeper.  It's so good!

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Homemade Rainbow Sprinkle Frosting

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Posted on Tuesday, March 31, 2015 1:24 PM | By: Lauren

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This frosting.  Oh, this frosting.  If you're below the age of 40, you know it well.  It adorned at least half the cupcakes you ate as a child, and I have also been known to eat it as a dip with graham crackers.  So creamy, so tasty.  So discontinued.  A generation mourns.  There are imitators out there, but it's just not the same.

Until now, when it gets better.  I found this recipe for a homemade version on Pinterest, and it really does have the taste and close to the texture of the original.  Unfortunately, no homemade frosting will ever perfectly mimic the texture of canned frosting because it's more of a science project than food, and all those hydrogenated oils, syrups, and shelf stabilizers give it the texture we know (and many of us, like me, prefer).  This recipe, though, with its cream cheese icing base, comes pretty close to being that creamy, sort of light, spreadable frosting texture.  The flavor of this frosting is amazing, and since you make it, you of course get to play with how it tastes.

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For Your Weekend: Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken

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Posted on Friday, March 27, 2015 11:05 AM | By: Lauren

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Last weekend I made this dish for dinner and wanted to tell you about it.  This sweet and sour chicken was so good!



Earlier on, I needed some meal inspiration.  I wanted to make something a little different, but still fairly healthy, and since Aldi had pineapples for $1 and I had a ripening one on my counter I wanted to use, I searched my Pinterest board of food to try and this one jumped out at me.  It was so pretty!  It uses pineapple!  It's baked!

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Weekend Baking: Chocolate Chip Coconut Scones

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Posted on Friday, February 27, 2015 9:30 AM | By: Lauren

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If you like coconut, I hope you won't be disappointed with these scones.  Over the last couple years, I have come to love coconut and nearly any recipe that has any significant amount of coconut is one I bookmark, pin, save, whatever.  Do you ever do that, become fixated on some type of food?  A few years ago, Everyday Food had a feature with a basic scone recipe and different variations, one of which was chocolate and coconut.  I was so excited to try it, and then was a little disappointed after I tasted it.  Sorry, Martha.  The texture was good, and the taste wasn't bad, but they barely had any coconut taste at all, and I wanted tropical chocolate.



I then found another recipe on Pinterest that seemed to have all the coconutty goodness I wanted and decided to do a mashup.  Instead of the cream called for in the Everyday Food recipe, I followed the Heather's Dish suggestion of using coconut milk.  Instead of straight butter (called for in both recipes), I used a combination of butter and chilled coconut oil.  It was the right decision.   Oh, and I toasted the coconut for a more intense flavor.  



What I came up with satisfies my coconut AND chocolate cravings.  I think I have a little work to do on the texture, but overall I am pleased.  They freeze and reheat well, so you can make up a batch and save some for later.

Chocolate Chip-Coconut Scones
A Lauren original, inspired by Heather's Dish and Martha Stewart

 2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup sugar
3 Tb butter, cut into small cubes and chilled
3 Tb coconut oil, chilled, broken or cut into small pieces and put back in fridge to chill
3/4 cup canned coconut milk, with the chunks
3/4 cup shredded coconut, toasted
1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment.  In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.  Cut the butter and coconut oil into the flour mixture (usig a pastry blender, two forks, or even your fingers) until you have a mixure that looks like coarse meal or sand, with a few larger (pea sized) pieces of fat still visible.  With a fork, stir in the coconut milk.  If it looks too dry, add more milk 1 Tb at a time.   Gently stir in the toasted coconut and chocolate chips.

Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface and pat into a 6-inch circle. Cut into 6 wedges and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush tops with some of the remaining coconut milk if desired. Bake until golden, 16 to 18 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through.


Throwback Thursday: My Mom's Chicken Nuggets

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Posted on Thursday, February 12, 2015 2:01 PM | By: Lauren

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Few things are as appealing to a child as the chicken nugget, am I right?  Usually even the pickiest eater will go for the chicken nugget.  Even though I don't remember being a very picky eater as a child, these still ranked at the top of my food list, and they still hold a special place in my food-heart.  All partiality aside, these are really good chicken nuggets.  I give them my highest "MAKE THESE" recommendation, whether you're feeding a family or need a party finger food.  I'll give my tips for dressing these up in the recipe.

My Mom's Chicken Nuggets
feeds 4 a meal sized portion or more for appetizer portions

4 chicken breasts, cut into 1" cubes
1 cup dry breadcrumbs
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. dried thyme
2 tsp. dried basil
1 stick butter, melted

Preheat your oven to 400.  Mix together the breadcrumbs, cheese, salt, and herbs.  Dip chicken into the butter and roll in the crumb mixture.  Place on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, rotating the chicken about halfway through.

If you want to jazz it up a little, sub in some freshly grated Parmesan or Parmigiano Reggiano (or any other hard Italian cheese) or replace some of the breadcrumbs with panko breadcrumbs that have been crushed up a little.

Notes

  • Italian Seasoning also works very well in place of the two herbs and adds a little more variety.  It's all about using what you have in your pantry.





Chicken-Orzo Soup With Spinach

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Posted on Wednesday, January 7, 2015 9:02 AM | By: Lauren

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As the TV weather man works us up into yet another frenzy about the cold temperatures, I offer you this soup to warm you to the core and to fill you up without any guilt.  It's a variation on the classic chicken noodle that is just amazing.  While we both enjoyed the soup, I ate on it all week and loved it. 


The soup is made with orzo, a short pasta that looks like rice.  If you don't have orzo, sub in another noodle or even rice (rice would have a longer cooking time).  The resulting soup is just so good.  I want some now.  

Chicken-Orzo Soup With Spinach
inspired by this soup

serves 6-8

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and diced
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced celery
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 quarts chicken stock
1 (14-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
3/4 cup orzo pasta
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 cup (or more, depending on your preference) cubed or shredded cooked chicken
4 cups (1- 5 oz clamshell) loosely-packed spinach, rough chopped
salt and black pepper

Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute for 4 minutes, until soft. Add carrots, celery and garlic and saute for an additional 3 minutes. Add chicken stock, tomatoes, thyme, oregano, rosemary and stir to combine. Bring soup to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Season soup with salt and pepper.  Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add in the chicken and pasta* and cook for an additional 10 minutes or until pasta is al dente.  

Stir in the spinach and cook for 1-2 minutes until it is bright green and wilted. Adjust seasonings as needed. Serve warm.

*see notes

Notes
  • I used 1 quart homemade turkey stock from a smoked turkey we ate at Thanksgiving dinner and 1 quart store bought chicken stock.  You can use chicken, turkey, or vegetable stock here.  
  • I halved the orzo amount from the original recipe, and still felt like there was a lot in the pot.  Feel free to adjust based on how thick you like your soup.
  • On the orzo (or any other soup with pasta)- pasta has the tendency to swell and become mushy in soups, especially when it comes to leftovers.  You can follow the directions above and your pasta will likely have a similar result.  It doesn't usually bother me in these thinner, shorter pastas.  If, however, you don't like how pastas turn out in soups, cook the pasta separately to desired doneness and then add it to individual bowls of soup.  
  • I used a rotisserie chicken for this recipe.  My local store's rotisserie chickens are smaller but less fatty, and it takes about half the chicken to get the amount I want.
  • I didn't use a slow cooker, but I imagine you could warm everything together, maybe not adding the chicken and spinach until the last 30 minutes to hour of cooking.


Taco Pizza

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Posted on Wednesday, November 12, 2014 11:32 AM | By: Lauren

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I just love a good homemade pizza.  It's a fun thing to make, and the whole family can get involved.  It's also a really good time to get creative with toppings.  This particular one is inspired by the taco pizzas I used to get in elementary school and the ones occasionally seen at pizza buffet restaurants.


The base for the pizza is chili, instead of tomato sauce, and let me tell you, it was such a good idea.  I used this chili recipe, which is one of my favorites, but you could probably use any chili or chili- like soup.  It's a creative way to use up leftovers.  I put down some of the chili, and then topped it with cheese and sliced green bell pepper.  I baked it in the oven until the crust was browned and the cheese was bubbly.  



I then topped it with sliced Romaine lettuce, avocado, and more cheese, because more cheese is always a good thing.  It was so good!  Make this soon for a fun way to use up some of your big batch chili leftovers.

Taco Pizza
all ingredients may be adjusted to feed your crowd.

1 pizza dough ball or prepared pizza crust
1-2 cups chili
1 cup cheddar or other cheese of your choice
1 cup shredded lettuce
1/2 avocado, diced
Salsa or taco sauce

Preheat your oven to its highest setting and place a pizza stone in the oven on the center rack.  Allow it to preheat for about 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Meanwhile, prep your crust according to recipe or package directions.  Top with a thin layer of chili and cheese and bake for about 10 minutes, or until crust is browned and toppings are melted and bubbly.

Remove from oven  and allow the pizza to rest on a cooling rack about 2-3 minutes.  Top with lettuce, some remaining cheese, and the diced avocado.  You can also top with salsa or taco sauce for additional taco flavor.  Slice and serve.

Homemade Baked Tortilla Chips

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Posted on Monday, October 27, 2014 9:49 AM | By: Lauren

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This post was borne out of necessity.  One day we were having fajitas, and we realized I forgot to buy tortilla chips, which as you know is a travesty, being that there's all that salsa just begging to be dipped.  We did, however, have a bunch of 6- inch corn tortillas, and so I decided to try to bake some up, and you know what?  They turned out awesome.  They're sturdy, have good flavor, and they almost have layers.  We loved them.


I used a Misto sprayer to get the oils nice and evenly distributed, and sprinkled them with Kosher salt.  I then baked them up and we ate them like our lives depended on it.  The corn tortillas, as opposed to the flour tortillas, stay nice and crispy, even a day or two after you bake them, which is nice if you want to make a batch to have for later snacking.


If you make these for a party, then you will want to start early.  I could only fit about 4 whole tortillas on a baking sheet, and that's only like 1 serving.  So yes, I ate a whole pan.  I'll go be filled with self loathing now.

Baked Corn Tortilla Chips
to make 1-2 servings

4- 6 inch corn tortillas
Canola or other flavorless oil OR cooking spray/spray oil
Salt (I use Kosher but regular would be fine)

 Preheat an oven to 350 and center your oven rack.  Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment (optional, but makes for much easier cleanup).

Cut your tortillas into quarters (or whatever size you desire- sixths would be fine too).  Lay them flat in a single layer on your baking sheet, and spray with oil.  You can use a Misto sprayer, a pump sprayer, or even a spray bottle with a nozzle, or even cooking spray- you just want an even, light layer of oil on the chips.  Sprinkle with salt.  Turn over and repeat on the other side.

Bake in preheated oven about 10-15 minutes, flipping about halfway through.  They are done when they've crisped up and are golden with some light browning.

Notes

  • Depending on your love of salt, you may want to go easy at first.  Remember you are salting both sides (or just salt one side if you were heavy handed on the first side).  These can tend to be a little salty if you aren't careful.
  • Despite their sturdiness, they get soggy more easily than the store bought chips.  Be warned.


Almond Snack Mix

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Posted on Thursday, October 23, 2014 11:34 AM | By: Lauren

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Hi!  I'm coming to you today with a good snack idea.  Eating between meals can be such a pitfall for those of us who want to eat healthy, but get really hungry about 3:30 pm or crave something sweet in the afternoons.  This snack mix is a really good answer to that.  I got the idea from one of my former Zumba participants and have since made it a lot, and likely adjusted the ratios of ingredients.

It's simple and customizeable, so let it fit your tastes.  I love the combination of almonds, dried cranberries, and dark or bittersweet chocolate chips.  I'm not a nutritionist, but this has protein from the almonds, and the chocolate and dried fruit answer that sweet craving in a less guilty way.

Almond Snack Mix

1 cup raw almonds
1/2 cup dried fruit (cranberries, mixed fruit, raisins)
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Mix all ingredients together and store in an airtight or resealable container.  Try to enjoy no more than 1/4 to 1/2 cup at a time!  Note: the ratio I am using here is 2 parts almonds to 1 part each dried fruit and chocolate chips.  Feel free to play with your own combination.  

Chocolate Chip Pie; A Story of Success, Shame, and Woe

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Posted on Monday, October 13, 2014 10:29 AM | By: Lauren

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If you've never known such drama associated with a pie, you probably have more of a life than I do.  Yesterday was the Harvest Celebration at my church, which is a potluck dinner in which we celebrate God's blessings through the year and we also kick off our revival.  I always think potlucks are a good time to try out new recipes, because you automatically have taste-testers, and if a dish turns out to be a flop, it doesn't ruin your meal because there's a whole slew of other dishes to be had.



After looking through different cookbooks, magazines, and my Pinterest dessert board, I decided to make this pie, because I had almost everything on hand that I needed to make it and it looked really easy.  Plus, the name sounds like it would be a pretty safe bet.



Let me tell you, it was a solid success.  It tastes like a slightly under baked chocolate chip cookie, thick, gooey, and just wonderful.  I was so glad to have a new and proven success on my hands.  

I ended up having just a little over half the pie left over, and this is where the tale of woe and shame starts.  I baked my pie in my glass pie dish, and the dish slipped off the stack of dishes I was carrying and fell on the sidewalk, shattering the dish and landing the pie right side up.  Woe.  Woe.  

Now for the shameful part: I tried to salvage the pie.  I actually thought for a minute, "surely I can just pick the pie up and put it on a plate, right?"  WRONG.  Glass had shattered all through that pie, so I had to throw the whole thing away.  I didn't cry, but I'm still shaking my head.  I'm just keeping it real.

Either way, this pie is a great little dessert- think skillet cookie with a pie crust.  YUM!

Chocolate Chip Pie
From Just Desserts by Paula Deen

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted and cooled
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 unbaked 9 inch pie shell

Preheat  your oven to 325.  In a medium bowl, mix together flour and sugar.  Add all other ingredients, stirring until moistened.  Pour into an unbaked pie shell and bake 45-60 minutes, until set.  The top will also be lightly browned.

Serve with ice cream or sweetened whipped cream.

Notes

  • I used mini chocolate chips, because I liked the idea of smaller chips of chocolate scattered throughout.
  • If you use a glass dish like I did, it's best to reduce the heat of the oven by 25 degrees Fahrenheit and extend the time a little, which allows for a better browning of the crust while not burning everything else.

How to Toast Coconut

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Posted on Friday, September 12, 2014 12:50 PM | By: Lauren

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A month or so ago, I was able to catch some older episodes of the Food Network show Worst Cooks in America.  In a later episode, Anne Burrell said something that is really good to remember, that "brown food tastes good."

By the way, as I type this, my husband has a turkey in our bath tub, but more on that later.  That's me, always keeping you in suspense.

Back to Anne Burrell and brown food- as I thought about what she said, I realized how right she was.  We sear our meats, roast vegetables, brown butter, toast marshmallows, and pretty much, if it's brown from caramelization, it's tasty.

The same goes for coconut.  Fresh coconut is wonderful, but more often than not, I'm working with the white, thin ribbons of dried and sugared coconut.  While I've come to accept it, I can really get excited about toasted coconut.  When you toast the bagged coconut, it transforms from an overly sweetened, leathery textured, shell of its fresh former glory into a flavor powerhouse in its own right.  The sugars mellow, and the ribbons become crunchy and brittle.  A roasted flavor develops, making the coconut complex and something I eat by the handfuls.  You can substitute toasted coconut for fresh in almost any recipe.

Toasted Coconut

 1-2 cups shredded or flaked coconut

 Preheat your oven to 325 and place and oven rack in the center.  Spread your flaked/shredded coconut out on a baking sheet in an even layer.  Bake for about 5-10 minutes, until most of the coconut is lightly browned.  You may want to adjust time for your own oven or preferences.

Tip Thursday: How to Quickly Grate Parmesan Cheese

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Posted on Thursday, September 4, 2014 11:05 AM | By: Lauren

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You might be thinking I'm a real dork for posting this idea, and that, like brushing your hair, this isn't something I need to post about.  I, however, am just discovering this little trick, and in the case that you're not the ultimate life hacker source for ideas and inspiration, I give you this little tip- grate your block Parmesan cheese in the food processor.  This also works with Parmesan's refined older sibling, Parmigiano Reggiano, or other hard cheeses, such as asiago and romano.  

Prior to this method, I had tried a knock off of the Bullet and hand grating with a Microplane to grate Parmesan cheese.  I still love the Microplane's thin ribbons for Parmesan cheese, but for bulk grating (such as for pesto, lasagna, etc), I plan to use this method.  Here is what I did:


Take your wedge of Parmesan cheese and cut off the rind, or if you're not going to use the whole wedge, cut off a good sized chunk- maybe 2-3 oz.  Other tip- save the rind, wrapped in plastic, and stick it in the freezer.  Take it out to use in soups or broths.  So, cut off the rind, and cut the cheese into cubes, around 1/2"- 1" thick.  Place the cheese into the bowl of the food processor fitted with the blade, and pulse about 15 times or hit start and let it go for about 5-10 seconds.  Remove the lid to the processor and check it for uniformity.  You're looking for little granules, like you'd find in the green topped shakers.  If there are still several big chunks, continue processing or pulsing until it's the desired size.  Store in a resealable container in the fridge.


Cooks Illustrated's Foolproof Pie Dough

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Posted on Tuesday, August 26, 2014 10:04 AM | By: Lauren

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How was your weekend?  Mine flew by.  I understand now why when I was younger, older people (you know, old like 40) used to talk about how quickly time passed.  Now I am that old person, and I know exactly what they're talking about.  I digress.  

Want to know something kind of funny?  This is my first homemade pie crust.  I've been cooking and baking since my childhood, and regularly doing it since I graduated college.  I'm pretty daring and don't mind failing, but I never tried pie crust.  The main reason?  Once, when I called my mom for a tried-and-true recipe, she consulted her coworker and resident baking queen, who told me, "honey, just buy one!  They're so much trouble to make."  And that was that.  I bought the refrigerated, roll it out dough and would unabashedly admit that the crust was not homemade.  It's just so much quicker and easier to buy a pre-made dough.  There is no shame in that.  


But the homemade pie crust concept sat there in the back of my mind, reminding me it was still there, and it wanted its time in my kitchen.  So, one day I decided to make it, and I decided to make it right after I got my first issue of Cooks Illustrated, which was its best recipes special edition.  Titled Foolproof Pie Dough, this recipe is truly a good pie crust, easy to make, with decent room for error.  If you, like me, might want to try a pie crust from scratch, this is a good one to try.

The instructions are clear, and even though I think I took the dough a little too far in the food processor, the crust still turned out well. The dough was easy to roll out, and baked nicely.  I used part of the recipe to make a quiche, and it worked well in this application.



Foolproof Pie Dough
makes enough for a double-crusted, 9" diameter pie

2 1/2 cups (12 1/2 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon table salt
2 tablespoons sugar
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 cup cold vegetable shortening, cut into 4 pieces
1/4 cup cold vodka
1/4 cup cold water

Process 1 1/2 cups flour, salt, and sugar in food processor until combined, about 2 one-second pulses. Add butter and shortening and process until homogeneous dough just starts to collect in uneven clumps, about 15 seconds (dough will resemble cottage cheese curds and there should be no uncoated flour). Scrape bowl with rubber spatula and redistribute dough evenly around processor blade. Add remaining cup flour and pulse until mixture is evenly distributed around bowl and mass of dough has been broken up, 4 to 6 quick pulses. Empty mixture into medium bowl.

Sprinkle vodka and water over mixture. With rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix, pressing down on dough until dough is slightly tacky and sticks together. Divide dough into two even balls and flatten each into 4-inch disk. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 45 minutes or up to 2 days.

Notes

  • Not being a vodka drinker, I bought two mini bottles of Absolut vodka.  One bottle didn't quite have enough liquid.  It worked well here.  I do not know how the quality of vodka affects the crust, but I chose to go with slightly higher quality stuff.  

Snickers Ice Cream Cake....AKA Enemy of Swimsuit Season, A PinterestFind

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Posted on Wednesday, August 6, 2014 1:09 PM | By: Lauren

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Have you ever heard that rule about clothes, that when you buy something new, something old has to go?  The idea behind is two-fold; you won't end up with so many clothes that your closet takes over your life, causing you to forget what you own, and you become more purposeful in your shopping if you know you're going to have to give up something to buy that something new.  

I try to be like that with Pinterest.  Sort of.  My rule is that I won't pin it unless I have some sort of plan or desire to make it, and I have a real, legitimate plan to make everything I pin.


Stop laughing!  I'll get there, eventually.  I saw this Snickers Ice Cream cake pin one day, and pinned it.  The original photos were so striking, and, well, Snickers and Ice Cream?!  No need to say more.  


I had the occasion to make it last week for my father-in-law's birthday dinner.  Birthdays are a big deal to me.  Everyone needs a birthday cake.  This ice cream cake is delicious, pretty, and over the top rich.  Did I mention it was also easy and can be made in just minutes, ahead of time?  Remind yourself to cut little slices.

Snickers Ice Cream Cake
adapted from Delish Dish/Better Homes and Gardens

2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs (I ground up non-name brand cream filled, chocolate sandwich cookies in the food processor)
1 stick butter, melted
1 quart vanilla ice cream
1 quart chocolate ice cream
1 bag mini Snickers (or maybe 5-6 full size bars), unwrapped and coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a bowl, mix together the cookie crumbs and the butter.  Spoon into a springform pan (9 inch diameter and 3 inch height) and press onto bottom and up the sides of the pan to form the crust.  Bake for 8-10 minutes or until crust is set.  Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes, and freeze at least 30 minutes.

About 15 minutes prior to taking crust out of freezer, take out vanilla ice cream and allow it to soften on counter.  Remove crust from freezer, and spread softened ice cream in an even layer over crust. Sprinkle with an even layer of the Snickers, reserving a couple handfuls (1/3- 1/2 cup) for the topping.  Return to freezer and freeze at least 1 hour.

About 15 minutes prior to adding the chocolate layer, take the chocolate ice cream out of the freezer to allow it to soften.  Then remove the cake from the freezer and spread the chocolate ice cream in an even layer over the vanilla ice cream and Snickers layers, smoothing the top.  Cover and freeze at least 4 hours.

Remove the ice cream cake about 20 minutes before you want to serve it.  Just prior to serving, top with the remaining Snickers and more cookie crumbs, if you desire.  Cut with a larger knife and serve.

Notes

  • I don't have a springform pan.  I used a cheesecake pan, which also has a removable bottom.  The springform pan would likely produce neater sides, but any pan with a removable bottom and at least 3 inch sides works.
  • I don't know if the original recipe intended me to use fake Oreo crumbs, but I would not add sugar to the crust if you go with the sandwich cookie option.  Also, if you process the whole bag into crumbs, you will have more than enough for the crust, a nice little topping layer, and some left over.
  • The crust was a little greasy.  I would probably cut back on the butter next time, starting with 1 Tb. at a time.  I have not tested this, though.
  • The crust is rock hard when frozen.  You want a good knife and some elbow grease.
  • I wait until the end to top the ice cream cake with the other Snickers so that they aren't too hard.

Meatless Mondays: Chickpea Salad and Wrap

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Posted on Monday, July 28, 2014 9:12 AM | By: Lauren

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Without saying too much about myself, one thing you may notice about me (or most food bloggers in general) is that I (we) crave variety, in what we make, what we eat.  I especially like to add variety in my lunches.  I work over 20 minutes from home, so most meals are spent in my office.  While I eat my share of PB&J sandwiches or leftovers from a previous meal, variety is a big part of keeping me interested in bringing lunch.


I saw this idea for a chickpea salad sandwich and the recipe for chickpea salad on a blog that had been referenced on a Brit+Co post, and determined to make it this last week.  


The concept is a vegetarian/vegan version of a chicken salad or egg salad.  It's really good, light, and refreshing.  It also only takes minutes to make, which is perfect for my busy schedule.

Chopping celery is easy:  Start by slicing the stalks lengthwise in half, thirds or quarters (depending on the size of the stalk).  Then chop into smaller bits.  


So you make this chickpea salad, which can be enjoyed on a bed of greens, with pita chips or Pretzel Thins, and probably even stuffed into a celery stalk.  This particular blogger made it into a sandwich, and I decided to make mine into a wrap.  There are several possibilities which allow for just a little variety stretched out into several meals.

Chickpea Salad
adapted from the Simple Veganista

1 2/3 cups (1 can) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup celery, diced
1/2 cup carrots, shredded
1/4 cup onion, diced small
1/4 cup or so hummus
1 - 2 tablespoons mustard (stone ground or dijon)
Sea salt & cracked pepper, to taste
Dash of garlic powder
Juice of 1 lemon, optional

Drain and rinse your chickpeas, place in medium size bowl and roughly mash with a fork, potato masher or pastry blender. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Add more hummus if you like it creamier and taste for seasoning.

Store leftovers in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to a week.

Chickpea Salad Wrap
1 tortilla shell, your choice of flavor and size (I used 12 inch sun dried tomato)
1/2 avocado, mashed
A couple big spoonfuls chickpea salad
Spinach leaves or other lettuce
Diced tomatoes

On a tortilla shell, layer the spinach or other greens, avocado, the chickpea salad, and the tomatoes.  Wrap like you would a burrito- fold up one or two opposite "ends" of the circle and then fold the other ends/flaps over it the folded parts/sides and the filling.


Grilled Pizza Take 2

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Posted on Friday, July 25, 2014 12:24 PM | By: Lauren

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So the first time we made grilled pizza, it went pretty terribly wrong.  We had pre-assembled the entire pizza.  Our crust was cooked way before the ingredients were melted, and began to burn badly on the bottom and there were huge bubbles in the crust.  The brightest spot of that whole thing was the homemade sauce. 


It would be another couple years before we would try the whole grilled pizza thing again.  Recently I watched an episode of one of Bobby Flay's shows and he was grilling pizza.  Then I saw a lot of Pinterest pins about grilled pizza.  I read a few blog posts, and determined to try again.  I found this recipe for pizza dough good for grilling and decided to try it.    


The key to this one is organization.  Get your sauce, ingredients, and dough into place.  Note the mise-en-place above.  


We decided to use a pizza stone on the grill, and preheat it so the dough wouldn't burn as quickly (direct contact with the flame made it burn quickly), and also to give additional time for the toppings to melt well on the crust.  We cooked the pizza in two stages- first, the stone was removed from the grate (oven mitts needed here) and we cooked the crust, flipping it after about 30 seconds to 1 minute in to cook both sides.  The crust was removed and placed on a cooling rack to keep it crisp.  We then replaced the pizza stone back to the grill and assembled the pizza- sauce, toppings.  


Then we grilled the whole thing until the cheese was melted, which only takes a few minutes. 


This time we enjoyed success.  Delicious, wonderful success.

Grilled Pizza

 Pizza Dough
Shredded or Sliced Cheese
Sauce (we used both pesto and tomato sauce)
Toppings- veggies, meat, etc.  We used zucchini, mushrooms, roasted bell pepper, and onion

Prepare your grill for direct heat.  Preheat the stone on the grill.

Prepare your dough by shaping into a flat disc- keep it small-ish, around 10 inches in diameter.  I prefer extra thin crust so make it as thin as possible, but that's up to you.  If you use the recipe I mentioned above, you will probably get 3-4 small pizzas.  We made 3 pizzas and cheesy bread.  Delish!  Also, get your sauce and toppings together on a tray so that you can quickly assemble the pizzas.

Remove the preheated stone to a heat-proof surface and grill the dough, about 3 minutes total, flipping halfway through.  Remove to a cooling rack.  Replace the stone onto the grill.  Assemble the pizza and place it on the pizza stone.  Grill, covered, 2-3 minutes or until the cheese is melted and it looks perfect.

Let cool for a minute before cutting.  Enjoy!

A Couple Pizza Ideas
Slather the crust with pesto.  Top with mushrooms, mozzarella, and parmesan cheeses.  Grill, and after removing or toward the end, add halved grape tomatoes.

Top the crust with regular pizza sauce.  Top with onion, bell pepper, zucchini, and cheese.

Brush a crust with olive oil and top with cheeses.  Grill until cheese melts and slice into strips for cheese sticks.

Crunchy Roasted Chickpeas

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Posted on Tuesday, June 17, 2014 12:44 PM | By: Lauren

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I am always the last person to know about something.  Juicy gossip?  All dried up by the time I hear about it.  Not that gossip is good, but you get my point.  I am not the person to ask about what's going on.  I'm also not a trendy person.  I'm that person wearing some of the same pieces she wore in high school.  

The same goes with food, which brings me to today's recipe.  I first saw the idea/recipe a couple years ago, but it wasn't until a few weeks ago that I made these little gems.   They're one of my new food fixations.  I brought them to the beach when I went with my side of the family, thinking I was about to rock their snacking world, and the dialogue went something like this:

Me:  I made crunchy roasted chickpeas for us to snack on.  You have to try them; they are so good!
Mom:  Oh, yeah.  They are good!  
Me:  You know about them?
Mom:  Yeah, we've made them a few times.  We like them.

Again, the last to know about/try something new(er).  I hope that you will not be the last to try these crunchy roasted chickpeas.  They make a great snack- they're affordable, healthy, and tasty, and very transportable.  The only problem is that you'll look down and wonder, "who ate all my chickpeas?!"

Crunchy Roasted Chickpeas
from Everyday Food magazine

2 cans or 3 cups prepared chickpeas
3 tablespoons olive oil
Coarse Salt
1 1/2 tsp. flavoring spice of your choice

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drain and rinse chickpeas and scatter on a paper-towel-lined rimmed baking sheet. Let stand 15 minutes. Remove towels and toss chickpeas with olive oil. Roast until crisp and golden, about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Toss with salt and ground seasonings if desired, and serve.

Notes
  • I used chickpeas that I prepared from dried ones.  I soaked them overnight and then cooked them on the stove top, bringing them to a boil and then cutting the heat back to simmer them until softened, around 1- 1.5 hours.  I used those in place of the canned chickpeas, and I used about 1/2 lb.
  • I have tossed the chickpeas with various combinations, but my favorite is chili powder and ranch dressing mix.  Paprika/smoked paprika and plain, salted are good too.


Weekend Breakfast: Waffles

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Posted on Friday, June 13, 2014 9:40 AM | By: Lauren

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Do you have a favorite weekend breakfast treat?  I don't know that I could pick a favorite, but I do love a good waffle.  I'm not too picky; for weekdays I've been known to eat and enjoy the frozen waffles, but there nothing like having a waffle maker and eating a freshly made waffle, hot off the iron.  


The "egg quarantine."  Crack and separate the eggs in a separate bowl, then pour the whites into their own bowl and the yolks into a different container, too.

The only complaint at all that I could lodge about the homemade waffles I've made in the past is that they tend to have the same texture running throughout, dense and soft.  Then I found this recipe.  It's more work than just mixing all ingredients together; you separate eggs and beat the whites until they're stiff and meringue-like.  You carefully fold those into the batter.  You might be thinking that ain't nobody got time for that, but once you taste them, you might just make time.  What results is a dense-yet-light waffle with a crispy exterior and a good taste.  

Stiff peaks- they can stand up (or in this case, straight out) 

I topped mine with freshly sliced strawberries and maple syrup, and they were so good.  I froze the leftovers, individually wrapped and stored in a resealable freezer bag, so I can enjoy waffles any day.  Yay!

Buttermilk Waffles
from Cooking Classy Blog

1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs, whites and yolks divided
1 pinch cream of tartar
3 Tbsp granulated sugar
2 cups buttermilk
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
3 Tbsp melted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 200 degrees and preheat an electric waffle iron. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt, set aside.

In a separate mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer set on moderately high speed, whip together 2 egg whites (make sure they don't have even a drop of yolks in them) along with cream of tartar until soft peaks form, then add in sugar and whip until firm and glossy peaks form, set aside.

In another large mixing bowl, whisk together buttermilk, vegetable oil, melted butter, vanilla extract and 2 egg yolks until well combined. Add in dry ingredients and whisk just until combined (batter should still be quite lumpy) then using a rubber or silicone spatula, add half of egg white mixture to waffle batter and fold. Then add remaining egg white mixture and fold just until combined. 

Cook according to waffle iron manufacturers directions. Once each waffle has been cooked, immediately transfer to a wire cooling rack and transfer cooling rack to preheated oven to rest while remaining waffles are being prepared. Serve immediately with maple syrup or other topping of choice.


Notes
  • As you can see from the pictures, it's important to have an "egg quarantine."  The egg whites won't foam up like that if there's yolk in there.  It has to do with the fat of the yolk coating the protein in the white.  I think.  In order to avoid getting egg yolk in your egg whites, have three bowls- a larger one to put the whites in, and two smaller ones for cracking/separating and holding the yolks.  Crack and separate the egg into its own container and then pour the whites and the yolks into their own bowls.  I actually had a yolk "break" on me, so the quarantine saved me from starting all over with the eggs.

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