HAWKS WIN!!!!!!

BRING IT ON CANUCKS!

CSN Stores $50 Gift Card Giveaway on Moms Own Words

Kristi over at Moms Own Words is giving away a $50 gift card to Csnstores.com! The giveaway ends on May 7, 2010 at 11:59 PM EST.

Check it out at http://kristimaloneyblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/csn-stores-50-gift-card-giveaway.html

Red velvet cupcakes

I love love love my red velvet cake recipe.  It's truly one of those go-to recipes I will never leave.  Ever.  Case in point, I made these red velvet cupcakes for Valentine's Day and my favorite pseudo-sister Brenna's birthday.  I have to say, I could eat these all day, every day.  Ok, maybe not, but they are good.
My only beef with this recipe is that the crumb is VERY VERY delicate.  The first time I made this recipe I was almost glad I had ran out of cream cheese frosting b/c I think the thick heavy frosting would have demolished it.  It almost did here but I ended up making the cake super cold (think, near frozen) and let the frosting sit out, but not longer than an hour (after 4 hours at room temp, bad things would have grown in it).   The "crumb" coat did exactly that, it crumbed my cake!
For these cupcakes, I actually used the mistake frosting I had made the first time around b/c I knew one of my co-workers really liked it and in all honesty, I did too.  Then again, marshmallow fluff always makes me happy.  :)

I only filled them just above half way.  I wanted to make some minis too for Brenna.  But I have a tendency to never fill them enough!

See, not even reaching the tops!

The little minis

Mmmm....  frosty!!!

 Getting ready to be picked up by Brenna-boo

 Pretty Wilton box :)

 Isn't she gorgeous?  :)

 Look at that dark red yumminess!  It gets darker the more cocoa you add.  And there is added flavor.  Yum!

 

Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies

I couldn't tell you where it was that I first saw these cookies.  Nor can I tell you how many times I've seen people make them and post them, but probably even more than I can remember.
But they are good.  Whoever had the idea of putting vanilla pudding mix in cookie dough was a genius.  PURE genius. :)

Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies

Ingredients (this is a double recipe):

4 sticks of butter, room temp
1 1/2 cups of brown sugar
1/2 cup of white granulated sugar
4 eggs, room temp
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3.4 oz package of vanilla pudding *that was the amount listed in the single batch recipe, but I didn't add more
4 1/2 cups flour
2 cups of milk chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Cream the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. The more air beaten in at this point, the fluffier the cookie!
Add the eggs in one at a time, making sure each egg is full incorporated until adding the next one.  Add vanilla extract w/ the last egg.
In a separate bowl, combine the baking soda, salt, flour and pudding mix.  Slowly add this to the wet mixture and beating only until just combined.
Fold in the chocolate chips.

This is where it got fun for me  :)

I made cookies w/ the batter, but I also make a cookie pan cake for my baby's birthday.  He LOVES chocolate chip cookies so what better idea than to make a chocolate chip cookie pan cake for his 30th birthday.  I'm a genius.  :)

If you;re just baking cookies, drop whatever size cookie dough amount onto a baking sheet about 1-2 inches apart and bake for 10-12 mins, depending on how golden brown you like them.

The cookie will come out just like a normal chocolate chip cookie, soft and wonderful on the inside and crisp and delicious on the edges. 

Or you can make a pan cookie.  Since I was taking these to my baby's work, I made the cookie in a disposable aluminum baking sheet that was about 11x15 (I can't remember offhand, but it was larger than 13x9 and only about 1 inch tall.  (See pictures below).


I baked this for about 15 mins.  You may need to go longer depending on how the outside looks to you.  The top was nice and perfectly browned, but the inside was soft and almost gooey.

Mmm.... the perfect color!

 :)

He has my heart...  It's chocolate and covered in green sugar  :)

And he's my star  :)  Yes, I am one cheesy gal

 So maybe people think this is weird, but we feel awkward calling each other by our names.  So he's my "Babes"  

These cookies are awesome!  The inside stays moist for days.  I'm not joking.  I brought this to him on a Wed and on Sat, they were still moist.  I made it on Tues night and put them in a cardboard cake box, then decorated the box. 

Yep, I am a dork  :)

They were sooooooo good.  I am forever buying vanilla pudding mix to add to my cookies.  I'm pretty sure I might be adding various pudding mixes to all drop cookies made in the future...  No matter what kind they are!

Drop scones, any flavor you want!

I used to work at Panera Bread way back in the day (seriously, like 9 years ago when a bowl of soup was only $2.95, $3.09 w/ tax!!!  I can't believe I remember that...)
Anyways, that was the first time I was introduced to scones.  They had these amazing cinnamon chip scones, which they've changed a bit over the last 9 years and they're even better!
So I love scones.  I used to get the scone mixes from Harry and David every time we went to the outlet.  Yum.  Well, I grew from the mixes (even though those were really good!) and found a recipe of my own I really like.  I was never one to spend $25 on a scone pan which is why I like drop scones.  I like just scooping them up and putting them on the cookie sheet,  I don't need visual perfection w/ scones.  Just deliciousness.  :)

Ready to be baked

Basic Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes and frozen

3/4 cup heavy cream

Additions:

Any fruit, chocolate chunks, fruit juice, heavy cream to brush on top, raw sugar for the top, nuts, lemon and lavender, etc., etc., etc. 

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large bowl, mix all of the dry ingredients.  Cut in the butter, until all of the ingredients are mixed together to look like a crumbly dough.  Kinda of like pie dough or biscuit dough before you add the remaining liquid. 

Pour in the cream and mix, but don't overmix.  You don't want to work the gluten too much.

Add in your favorite mix-ins, but again, don't overwork!

Orange Cranberry

 Raspberry

Raspberry Milk Chocolate Chunk

Milk Chocolate Chunk

If you want, you can brush extra cream and sprinkle w/ raw sugar, but I didn't here.  

Bake on the middle rack for 12-15 mins, depending on how browned you like them.  I didn't leave them in longer than 12 mins b/c I do like mine a bit on the lighter side  :)

Orange Cranberry

Raspberry

Raspberry Milk Chocolate Chunk

Milk Chocolate Chunk

The inside is nice and biscuit-y.  I love that they are like a biscuit, but a bit more firm and they hold up well w/ the addition of fruits, chocolate, or pretty much anything!  I have a different scone recipe I found recently for savory scones.  I can't wait to make those for you guys!

 

 

 

Chicken pita w/ avocado tzatziki and my 100th post!!!

***This is officially my 100th post!!!  I completely skipped over my one year blogoversary b/c I wasn't paying attention but then I was looking on my blogger home page today and omg!  It said 100 posts!***

There are often times I have to make dinner for one and have a hard time making a complete meal w/out having TONS of leftovers. Mac and cheese is something I will make if it's a weeknight and I can take some to work the next day (my mother HATES my mac and cheese, she's a blue box kinda gal).  But there are other nights (the occasional Friday night) when I go to the grocery store, not wanting anything pre-made, not wanting anything that'll make enough for ten people, not wanting anything complicated.  

Well I was browsing my Google reader the other day and saw a blog that led me to another blog.  (I honestly don't remember the post that led me to this post, but it was from the same blog, so I don't feel as bad-Sorry Val!).

Val is one of the people who helped start BloggerAid which is a FANTASTIC organization whose main goal is to stop world hunger.  They even put together this amazing cookbook to help their cause.  This cookbook is awesome.  There are some great recipes in there and I can't wait to buy a new copy (a friend stole mine!!) so I can cook them!  :)

Anyways, check them out!

Back to this dinner.  It was great.  The idea for making a chicken pita from Shannalee from foodloveswriting.com.  She made some chicken pita sandwiches one night at her brother's a couple of months ago and somehow, it popped in my head not too long ago and I just HAD to have a chicken pita. 

Well, of course it needs tzatziki.  But as much as I like 95th Produce's tzatziki, I also remembered Val's post for an avocado tzatziki from Cat Cora's cookbook, and well...  I HAD to have that too.  :)  I didn't have either recipes used with me at the time and when I got home my computer decided to hate me, so I winged it. 

The chicken.

(inspired by Shannalee and the Greekness in me)

Chicken Breast(s)

Lemon Juice

Olive Oil

Black Pepper

Sea Salt

Garlic Powder

Dried Oregano

Dried Basil

Get out a bowl.  Cut the chicken into strips or cubes, depending on how you like it.  Place it in a bowl and squeeze the juice of one lemon over it.  Pour a bit of olive oil, just enough to coat the chicken.  

Crack some black pepper over the top, sprinkle some sea salt, toss in a bit of oregano and basil and coat with garlic powder.  

Cover it with plastic.  Let it sit for a while.  

See all of the delicious spices mixed in with the tangy lemon and mellow olive oil?  That's the beginnings of a beautiful marriage of flavor!

Yes, I am a dork.  Are you just figuring this out???

During that "while" make a side.  You need some veggies right?  Well, here's what you're gonna do.  You're gonna make my FAVORITE veggies.  Roasted Brussels sprouts and cauliflower.  Yum.  

Clean and cut the bottoms off the Brussels sprouts and then cut them in half.  Then, cut the cauliflower into florets. Place them into a small (or large, depending on how many people you're serving) casserole dish, like this (yes, I am a total sell-out, but I actually have this...)

Toss in some coarsely chopped garlic, fresh cracked black pepper, and sea salt.  Coat w/ olive oil.  

 

Bake for about 45 mins (longer if you have more).  Check after 30 mins

"While" you are still waiting, you can make the avocado tzatziki.  Yum

The avocado tzatziki. 
(Inspired by Val and Cat Cora and more Greekness in me)

1 avocado
2 cups of Greek yogurt (what ever fat amount you want!)
1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 grated cucumber (don't use the seeds!!!)
Wee bit of sea salt and white pepper
Splash of lemon juice 

After grating the cucumber, either squeeze the excess water out of it by placing it in a paper towel and squeezing it all out, or let it sit for a long time in a strainer.  I prefer the quick method.  :)
Put the yogurt in a bowl, dump the grated cuke on top, add the garlic (more the merrier!), sprinkle a wee bit of salt and white pepper and mix.
Mash the avocado prior to mixing it into the tzatziki.  Once it's mashed thoroughly, squeeze the "splash" of lemon over it and mash a bit more.  Mix it into the tzatziki until it is well blended.  Season a bit more to taste.  :)

Before we get to the chicken, make sure you have your toppings ready.  If you just like pita, chicken and tzatziki, that's fine, but if you really wanna be Greek, like me :) then you need to get some tomato and red onion.  Just slice a bit of both however you'd like and you're golden.

Now back to the chicken.

Get out a pan (size depends on how much your are making).  Get it hot.  Once it is hot, dump the chicken w/ all of the juice and oil into the pan.  There should be more than enough liquid so you won't need to add more.
Let it cook in the liquids until it's done.  You may need to move the chicken around a bit so all sides can cook, but it really requires minimal work. See, I was snapping pictures while it sat there:

Okay, so not the whole time, but I did snap a few.  This one was the clearest.  Darn night cooking.

So once the chicken is THOROUGHLY done (I don't want anyone dying here! If you can't tell, take the largest piece out and cut it in half.  What does it look like?  If it's still pink, toss it back in and go for a bit longer), take out the chicken pieces of the pan and place them into a separate bowl.  You are going to pour the remaining liquids into the garbage.  Don't pour it down the sink!  There is fat in there that will solidify in your drains!

By now, the veggies in the oven should be done, so grab those and let them cool to hot, but not scalding.

Use the pan to warm the pita.  The pan should still have some liquid on it, but not enough to drench the pita, which will be perfect.  Just warm the pita on both sides, collecting some yummy flavor onto it.

Assemble however you'd like.  I put the chicken down, then the tomato and onion and then the tzatziki.  I HAVE to have it just like that.
It's the OCD in me.  Sorry.

 Yummmmm look at that chicken.  Yummmmmmmmmm.  This chicken was so tender and juicy, it was PHENOMENAL.  Mmmm.....

 And then the veggies

Oh Lord yum.

I was so proud at how all of this just came together w/ perfect timing.  I've never been so perfect on my timing.  Go me.

Anyways, this was some major deliciousness.  Seriously.  I'm not kidding.

Oh, btw, the avocado tzatziki held up well for a couple of days. I obviously had more than what when on the sandwich, but I used it for a chicken salad I made the next day (to be posted later).  And then I still had more, which I put on a Subway sandwich at work the following Monday.  So versatile.  :)

My version of chili and cornbread

I have been using this chili and cornbread recipe for years.  I personally like a cornbread that is sweeter and crumbly, but moist and cake-like too.  The chili recipe was adapted from what I thought would be in Wendy's chili.  If you are a Wendy's Chili fan, you are definitely a friend of mine.

But I still love ya, even if you don't like it  :)

I had yet to make this for my babes, but when we were stuck inside sick the other weekend, this was a perfect way to end the night. 

Chili


Ingredients:

1 pound lean ground beef or turkey (Honestly, there is no taste difference in this dish!)

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 red pepper, diced 

1 green pepper, diced

1 onion, diced

2-3 cloves of garlic, minced

One 15-ounce can petite-diced tomatoes

One 15-ounce can tomato sauce

1 1/2 cups water

One 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained

One 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained 

One 12-ounce can of low-sodium corn, drained (use can use frozen corn too!)

Chili powder, black pepper, cayenne pepper, salt and garlic powder, to your own liking. I use a lot.  :)

Directions:

In a stockpot (I used my beautiful blue cast iron love of my life), over medium heat, brown the meat with a little salt, pepper and garlic powder.  Add water, just to cover by 1/2 an inch, and bring to a boil.  Boil for 2 minutes.  Drain and rinse.  Put aside in a small bowl.

Add the olive oil (the pot should still be hot), diced red & green peppers and onion.  Cook for one minute, then add the minced garlic and spices.  Go easy on the chili powder and cayenne at first.  You can always add more later.  Cook for another minute and add the meat, diced tomatoes, tomatoe sauce, water and beans (make sure you drain and rinse those thoroughly.  Check the seasoning and add more if you wish.  Remember, the longer it simmers, the more the heat and spice will develop.  So if it already spicy, it's gonna be a 10 alarm fire in your mouth after simmering...  Make sure there is just a little less spice than you normally like when you check it.  And make sure it is well mixed before you try it.  

I always check after 30 minutes and add more if needed.  

Let it simmer for one hour, at least. Stir occasionally. 

I realize that Wendy's chili doesn't have corn in it.  But I love corn, despite it not being the easiest thing to digest.  So I add it.  :)
My babes loved this chili.  It was the first time I've made it for him and he was HAPPY.  Neither of us like too thick chili; we both like a little bit of the liquid consistency to make it soupy. 
It was delicious, albeit a bit too spicy for him, so next time, I will cut back.  Oops  :)

Now the cornbread!

I don't remember where I found this recipe, but it's pretty good, so it's stuck around. 

Cornbread

Ingredients:

1 stick butter
1 cup granulated sugar 4 eggs
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt1 can of creamed corn (I use low sodium these days)16 oz plain yogurt (I use low-fat)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Spray an 8x8 baking pan w/ cooking spray.

Melt butter in a double broiler. Remove from heat and stir in sugar. Quickly add eggs and beat until well blended. Add in the yogurt and creamed corn. In a separate bowl, mix together the yellow cornmeal, flour, baking soda and salt until well blended. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out w/ little crumbles. 
Check it about 20-25 minutes in.  You can usually tell by the outside how quickly it's baking.

I cut some pretty big squares.  Yum...

I put butter on my cornbread.  I usually cut the piece open like a bun and use slightly melted, super soft butter.  This is super fall apart in your hands crumbly, so it will be hard to butter it w/ anything more firm than that. 

Mike and I love our cheese and diced onions on top.  Yum! I like avocado too, but he doesn't.  Sad :(

 

 Nom nom nom

 

Giveaway on She's becoming DoughMessTic!

http://www.doughmesstic.net/2010/03/05/its-good-to-have-friendsSo there is this AWESOME giveaway on her website.  Go check out the details, but make sure that when you do, you say that you saw this on Niki Theo's blog! 

You can win a KitchenAid mixer for yourself and one for me!!!  I think this is a win-win situation, don't you?

Check it out here:

http://www.doughmesstic.net/2010/03/05/its-good-to-have-friends

Galopita, one of my favorite Greek desserts (or breakfast!)

One of the desserts I love a lot of Galopita, or another version called Galaktobouriko that use fillo dough (which I will cover as well).

This dessert is made every Christmas and every Easter, no matter what.  It's a standard that I plan on keeping when I'm in charge of both holidays.

Basically, galopita is a baked custard of sorts.  Not like creme brulee or creme caramel, but baked and delicious.  From what I have learned, the way my mother was taught and the way I was taught is not a standard recipe. Probably b/c of the Farina used.  Not too many people have heard of Farina, but it is sold right next to the Cream of Wheat in the cereal section.  We love Farina in our house.  On cold winter Saturdays, we'll make a little pot full of the stuff, plain.  Mom puts black raspberry jelly in hers.  I usually pour honey in mine.  Dad can take it any way he wants, but usually honey and raisins.Apparently, they carry is in a brown rice version, but I haven't tried it.  I prefer the old time stuff.  Plus, this version is expensive as hell!!!

Anyways, let's get back on track here.  This recipe can seem complicated, which was why I never learned it before this past Christmas.  But I sucked it up and helped my mom make it.  I'm glad I did b/c it's not as scary as it seemed...
This recipe makes 2- 9x13 pans of the stuff.  Typically, my mom will make one galopita and one galaktobouriko, but the pictures below will only show the galopita.  I will tell you how to convert it to galaktobouriko; don't worry, it's easy!!!

Ingredients:
-1 gallon of milk.  (you can use any milk, but if you use whole milk, cut the Farina by 1/4 cup.  we use skim milk)
-1 stick of butter (we use salted, but it doesn't matter which you use)
-2 cups of sugar
-2 1/2 cups of Farina (or 2 1/4 cups for whole milk)
-2 tsp real vanilla extract
-4 large eggs
-1/2 cup of honey
-2 Tbsp of water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease 2- 9x13 pans.  If you are using glass pans, preheat the oven to 325 degrees only.

We suggest microwaving (I know, it's so bad!) the milk for about 10-15 minutes first to get it warmed up.  Since there is a tons of milk being warmed, it'll take forever on the stove top from being cold and you will have a greater chance scalding the milk if it's not warmed through first. 
After you warm it in the mircowave, put it on a medium setting on the stove top.  Put the stick of butter (cold, whole, cut up, however you want, just not melted) into the milk while it's heating up.  Also pour in the sugar.  Let the milk heat up until it is slightly bubbling, but not boiling.  Make sure you are stirring frequently w/ a wooden spoon to keep the bottom of the pan from burning the milk.  You can taste the milk to make sure it is sweet enough at this point.  If not, add a bit more sugar, 2 Tbsp as a time. 
While the milk is heating up, beat the eggs w/ an electric mixer, using the whisk attachment.  Beat until they are extremely fluffy and bubbly. 
Once the milk is thoroughly heated and slightly bubbly, turn off the heat and pour in the Farina, slowly and constantly stirring.   You do not want to stop stirring b/c you do not want it to clump up or burn on the bottom!  Add the vanilla.  Keep stirring.
Once it is COMPLETELY mixed and smooth, add a little bit of the Farina mixture to the eggs while they are still beating, to temper them.  Just add a little bit, slowly.  You want to heat the eggs up enough to temper them so that they don't cook when you add them to the Farina b/c then you've just wasted a whole gallon of milk.
When the eggs are tempered, add the egg mix to the Farina and stir hard and fast, you can use the wooden spoon still, or do as I did and grab a whisk.  It makes it easier. 
Once it is completely mixed together, pour the Farina evenly into each greased pan**

Bake for about 1 hour, until the top is nice and golden brown. 

 

Depending on your oven, I would check it after 45 minutes, just to be safe.  If it isn't ready, this would be the perfect time to take the honey and heat it on the stove top.  Add 2 Tbsp of water to thin the honey out, but you do not want watery honey!  You just want it a bit thinner than normal syrupy honey is.  

 

Once you pull the galopita out of the oven, poke a fork throughout the top of the dessert.  Take the warmed thinned honey mixture and spoon over the top. 

You have to poke holes to get the honey to sink into the galopita.  This is good served warm or cold.

 

As you can see, it's not drenched in honey.  Add as much as you like, but once it all settles, it won't be drenched and soggy.  It'll be delicious  :)

**Okay, for galaktobouriko.  The only difference as I said before was the addition of fillo dough.  When making galaktobouriko, instead of pouring the Farina mix directly into the greased pan, first you are going to layer fillo dough onto the greased pan.  Lay one layer down, letting the edges hang over the sides and ends, lightly brush on melted butter, add another layer, more melted butter, etc.  You are going to want 7 layers, but the key is to make sure you brush a light layer of melted butter on top of each layer before adding the next one.  Pour the Farina mix on top and then add more fillo layers, one at a time w/ melted butter on top of each layer.  Once it is covered, trim the excess fillo dough.  You can then press or tuck the edges in together like you would a double crusted pie.  I admit that I do prefer galaktobouriko over galopita, but I will eat both any day that it's offered to me!

Btw, some people use citrus extracts or liquor in their versions of these desserts. I'm not saying they are wrong and I'm not saying I'm right, but I am just saying that I prefer the simply taste of the vanilla and honey.  I'm not into adding citrus, but it is completely my tastes!  If you want to add a bit of citrus extract or liquor, do it where I added the vanilla. 

Paula Deen's Chocolate Cream Cheese Pound Cake

So I thought I lost this recipe!!!  But nope, I found it again!  I don't remember the original site I found it on, mostly b/c I made this forever and a day ago, but I do remember everything about it and of course, I still have the recipe handwritten down, so I get to post it for you all! 

My blogger is acting funny right now, so this post is gonna be all over the place!  I just know it!  Sorry...

Ingredients:

 1 cup butter, softened

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

3 cups sugar

6 eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups cake flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 cup cocoa

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease/spray a 10-inch Bundt pan.

Cream butter, cream cheese, and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Add vanilla. 

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and cocoa. Add about half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat well. Add remaining flour mixture and beat well for about 2 minutes.  

Pour batter into Bundt pan. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until done.

Let cool, remove from the pan onto your serving dish.

(read below the pictures, there's more!)

 
Okay, so I told you blogger is messing with me.  Silly pictures won't move out of my way!!!

Anyways, I have a couple of things about this cake. One, it is HARDCORE dense.  It isn't fudgy chocolatey.  It's just chocolatey.  You can definitely "taste" the cream cheese and in all honesty, I wasn't all that keen on that part of it, but it wasn't bad.  I write "taste" b/c it wasn't so much that it tasted like cream cheese, it was more so that I can taste the texture of cream cheese mixed in with the cake.  If that makes any sense at all. 

If you're looking for a really chocolatey cake, this def isn't it.  If you're looking for a hint of chocolate, this is def it.  
The night I made it both my mother and I had a piece.  The bottom of the cake, which is actually the top while it's baking was really crusty.  My mom loved that; I hated it.  I would recommend if you don't like crusty bottoms/tops, cover the top with foil while it bakes.  Then it won't get hard and crusty. 
Also, the cake was lighter the first night while it was still warm.  But it was still thick.  No solid dense like the next day, but thick.  You could def tell this was a pound cake, not a devil's food cake. 

Overall, I liked the cake, but it's not going to be one I ever make again.  I will, however, be putting foil over bundt pans anytime I make a pound cake in one again.  Just in case.  I'd rather have a guaranteed soft cake than a possibly crusty one.