The Hunger Games: Book Review

Let me be honest. I had absolutely no interest in reading Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. I had read and heard many favorable reviews about this book but it did not seem like something I would want to read. Several times when I was in the library I picked it up, looked through it, and put it back down again. It did not sound interesting at all.

However, after seeing several more reviews on how great all three books in the series are, I broke down and picked it up from the library. I had it for two weeks before I finally decided to pick it up and begin reading. The first 20 pages didn’t hold my interest but I kept on going. I took it to bed with me on Wednesday and ended up not going to bed until I finished part one…I was hooked. Thursday night I stayed up late reading part two, I couldn’t stand not knowing what was going to happen to Katniss and Peeta. I finally woke up early Friday morning and finished the book. I have to admit, the critics were right. This book was one of the best I’ve read all year. I literally could not put it down and have already picked up the second book to continue reading.

The book takes place in the United States in the distant future. The United States has collapsed due to wars, fires, and famine. Now all that is left is The Capital and 12 Districts spread out along the country. Each year The Capital takes two tributes, one boy and one girl between the ages of 12-18, to fight to the death in the Hunger Games. This is a yearly televised event that takes place as punishment for the collapse of the nation.

This year in District 12 a young girl named Prim’s name is pulled to be the female tribute. Her sister Katniss fears for the life of her weak younger sister and volunteers to take her place. While Katniss may be small, she makes up for it with her intelligence, her skill with a bow and arrow, and her knowledge of survival skills. She enters the arena with nothing but the clothes on her back and 23 fierce competitors, several of which have been training their entire life for this moment.

The scene inside the arena is brutal. The tributes get 60 seconds to look around before they are released into the environment. Several tributes die within the first few minutes of the games. Others are hunted and tortured later on. It was a nail biting, on edge of my seat remainder of the book. The thoughts of the tributes, their gruesome deaths, and the final triumphant scenes were well worded and thought provoking.

Although this book is written for teenagers, I thought it was an amazing, well written book for adults as well. It would be a great book for a book club discussion as so many ethical points are brought into view. I finished the second and third book of the series within a week and they were just as good as the first.

On a side note, Hunger Games the movie will be out in Spring of 2012.

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars.

Easy Baked Ziti

One of my easy favorites in the pasta department is Baked Ziti. It’s quick, it’s easy, and it makes enough to have it again the next day. Initially I wasn’t going to blog this one because I thought everyone knows how to make Baked Ziti. However, upon asking a few people I found that most people just make it with ziti noodles, a jar of sauce, and some cheese. While this is perfectly fine, there are ways to make it so much better, that are just as easy.
I think that when plain pasta sauce is used in the ziti it leaves it dry and quite bland. I like a creamier, cheesier marinara sauce with my ziti. That’s why I add in ricotta cheese and sour cream. I also like to make the top crunchy, golden brown. The only trick to this is to broil the ziti at the end.

There are many different ways to make baked ziti and this is just a way to take a basic ziti recipe and jazz it up a bit. I still use boxed pasta, a jarred sauce, but I put in a few add-ins to make it my own. I’ve seen people add ground beef or sausage and while that’s all good, it takes away from the original ziti and makes it taste more like a lasagna.

Easy Baked Ziti (a Hezzi-D original)

1 lb. ziti pasta
1 t. garlic salt
2 (20 oz) jars marinara sauce (or 4-5 c. homemade sauce)
3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1/3 c. red wine
2 t. Italian seasonings (I use oregano and parsley)
¾ c. part skim ricotta cheese
¼ c. light sour cream
½ c. Parmesan cheese, divided
2 c. part skim mozzarella cheese


1. Bring water salted with 1 t. garlic salt to a boil. Cook ziti according to package directions. Drain and put in a large bowl.

2. Meanwhile, put one and a half jars of the marinara sauce in a pot (reserving the other half of the second jar for reheating the ziti the next day). Add the garlic cloves, red wine, and Italian seasonings. Cook at medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes.

3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 pan with nonstick cooking spray.

4. In the large bowl with the ziti add the ricotta cheese, sour cream, and ¼ c. of the Parmesan cheese. Stir well. Add in ¾ of the marinara sauce mixture. Toss to combine.

5. Spread half of the ziti into the prepared pan. Top with 1 c. of mozzarella cheese. Spread remaining ziti on top of the cheese. Pour remaining sauce over top of ziti. Top with 1 c. mozzarella cheese and ¼ c. Parmesan cheese.

6. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes. Turn the oven to broil and broil the ziti 6 inches from the heat source for 1-2 minutes, keeping a close eye on it so that it gets brown and bubbly but does not burn. Serve with garlic bread.

**Reheating instructions-Place remaining baked ziti in a baking dish. Spread remaining half jar of sauce over top and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes or until hot. This dish can also be reheated in a microwave safe dish for 2 minutes in the microwave.**

This post linked to:

Meatless Mondays, Tuesday Night Supper Club

Dr. Laura's Tasty Tuesdays, Frugal Food Thursday

Chicken and Dumpling Soup

  I was planning on making chicken and dumpling soup later on in the week but my husband wasn't feeling well so I moved it up to make him feel better.  I have my chicken soup down pat but the dumplings I've made in the past had either fallen apart or been way too doughy.  I recently saw a recipe that promised big, biscuit like dumplings so I gave them a try.

  I sauteed the vegetables in garlic and oil, then I added the broth and let it simmer for an hour.  I mixed up the dumplings and they were thick.  I popped them into the simmering soup and let them simmer for 10 minutes.  They got huge and fluffy!  These dumplings are a homerun and added a nice bit of seasoning and texture to a delightful chicken soup.  It's a great soup for a cold winter night but it's also light enough to eat if you aren't feeling well.

Chicken and Dumpling Soup (soup recipe is original, dumpling recipe adapted from Delish Blog )

1 T. olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onions, chopped
4 carrots, chopped
4 celery stalks, chopped
1 t. thyme
1 t. black pepper
10 c. chicken broth
2 c. water
2 c. cooked chicken, chopped or shredded

For the dumplings:
2 c. flour
1 T. baking powder
2 t. salt
2 T. butter, melted
3/4 c. milk, warm
1 T. parsley
1 t. black pepper

1.  Begin by heating the oil over medium heat in a stock pot.  Add the garlic and onion and saute for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2.  Add the carrots and celery and saute for 5 minutes.  Sprinkle with thyme and pepper and mix.  Slowly add in the chicken broth and water.  Stir in the chicken then bring to a boil. 

3.  Once the soup reaches a boil reduce heat to simmer and cover.  Simmer for 1 hour.

4.  Meanwhile, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.  In another bowl mix the salt, melted butter, and warm milk.  Slowly mix the milk mixture into the flour until just combined.  Stir in the parsley and pepper.

5.  Roll the dumpling dough into 1 inch balls (makes about 30).  Drop the dumplings into the simmering soup and cook for 10 mintues.  Makes 16 cups of soup.

Note:  The soup can be frozen for up to 4 months in a freezer bag or an air tight container without the dumplings in it.  Thaw soup when ready to use then mix up a new batch of dumplings. 

This post is linked to:

Not Baaad Sundays, Potluck Sunday

Let's Get Social Blog Hop, Seasonal Sundays

Joconde Imprime with Chocolate Mousse & White Chocolate Strawberry Mousse Entremet

   The January 2011 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Astheroshe of the blog accro. She chose to challenge everyone to make a Biscuit Joconde Imprime to wrap around an Entremets dessert.  After reading the description and seeing the finished products I was speechless.  This dessert is absolutely gorgeous but looked incredibly difficult.  I stalled for several weeks before I finally decided to give it a try.

  I made the chocolate mousse and white chocolate strawberry mousses first thing in the morning so they could be refrigerated and ready when the joconde imprime was ready.  The joconde imprime was actually fun to make and pipe and the sponge was easy to put together.  They baked up quickly and beautifully. 

   The only problem I had was that I had to use two pieces to wrap around the mold.  This created a bit of a problem and next time I'd like to make it all one piece.  The chocolate mousse also didn't harden as much as I would have liked but the white chocolate strawberry mousse was perfect.  After I put it together I put it in the freezer for about 20 minutes which really helped the dessert to stay together.

  We invited a few friends over and this dessert was a huge hit!  Not only did it taste amazing, it looked gorgeous!  I was impressed with myself.  The sponge had a bit of an odd texture but it tasted like a sweet cake.  The chocolate mousse was rich and chocolately while the white chocolate mousse was filled with strawberry flavor.  This is most definitely a dessert I would make again when having company because it's a complete show stopper.

Patterned Joconde-Décor Paste (recipe adapted from Chef John O. at The International Culinary School in Atlanta, Georgia USA)

5 T. unsalted butter, softened
½ c. powdered sugar
3 large egg whites
2/3 c. cake flour
Food coloring gel
1 .Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy (use stand mixer).

2. Gradually add egg whites. Beat continuously.

3. Fold in sifted flour.

4. Tint batter with coloring to desired color.
 

5. Put a silpat mat or piece of parchment paper onto a large baking sheet.

 

6. Put the batter into a piping bag. Pipe letters, or polka dots, or a piped design. If you do not have a piping bag fill a ziplock bag and snip off corner for a homemade version of one.

 

7.  Slide the baking sheet into the freezer and freeze hard for 30 minutes.
 
 
Joconde Sponge (recipe adapted from Chef John O. at The International Culinary School in Atlanta, Georgia USA)

1 c. flour
½ cup powdered sugar
3 large eggs
2 large egg whites
2½ teaspoons white granulated sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1.  In a clean mixing bowl whip the egg whites and white granulated sugar to firm, glossy peeks. Reserve in a separate clean bowl to use later.

2. Sift the flour and powdered sugar in the mixing bowl.

3. On medium speed, add the eggs a little at a time. Mix well after each addition. Mix until smooth and light.

4. Fold in one third reserved whipped egg whites to almond mixture to lighten the batter. Fold in remaining whipped egg whites. Do not over mix.

5. Fold in melted butter.

Baking the Janconde Sponge:

1. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees.

2. Remove the piped paste from the freezer.  Quickly pour the Joconde batter over the design. Spread evenly to completely cover the pattern of the Décor paste.

3.  Bake for 7-8 minutes or until the edges are brown and the sponge bounces back when pushed on. 

4.  Cool. Do not leave too long, or you will have difficulty removing it from mat.

5. Flip cooled cake on to a powdered sugared parchment paper. Remove silpat. Cake should be right side up, and pattern showing! (The powdered sugar helps the cake from sticking when cutting.)

Molding the Janconde:

1. Trim the cake of any dark crispy edges. You should have a nice rectangle shape.

2 .Decide how thick you want your “Joconde wrapper”. Traditionally, it is ½ the height of your mold. This is done so more layers of the plated dessert can be shown. However, you can make it the full height.

3. Wrap parchment paper around the inside of the mold and place plastic wrap on the bottom of the mold before beginning.  I used a springform pan without the bottom.

4 .Once your height is measured, then you can cut the cake into equal strips, of height and length. (Use a very sharp paring knife and ruler.)

5. Make sure your strips are cut cleanly and ends are cut perfectly straight. Press the cake strips inside of the mold, decorative side facing out. Once wrapped inside the mold, overlap your ends slightly. You want your Joconde to fit very tightly pressed up to the sides of the mold. Then gently push and press the ends to meet together to make a seamless cake. The cake is very flexible so you can push it into place. You can use more than one piece to “wrap “your mold, if one cut piece is not long enough.

6. The mold is done, and ready to fill.  I filled it first with the chocolate mousse (find recipe HERE), then with the white chocolate strawberry mousse (recipe HERE).  Then I topped it with a white chocolate design and fresh strawberries.

This post linked to:

Frugal Food Thursdays, Cooking Thursday

Recipe Swap Thursday, What's Cookin' in the Kitchen

Friday Potluck, Sweets for a Saturday

Chocolate Mousse & White Chocolate Strawberry Mousse

   I've never made a real mousse before.  I've made the old dump some cool whip into a container of pudding and call it mousse, but never a real mousse.  I went looking for a chocolate mousse and a strawberry mousse and I think I hit the jackpot.

   I made Alton Brown's chocolate mousse.  It is light, fluffy, and full of rich chocolate.  I found a recipe for white chocolate cranberry mousse on Beantown Baker's blog and switched it up to make it strawberry.  It is out of this world.  I liked it much better then the chocolate and would have eaten the entire bowl myself.  It was rich and creamy with hints of white chocolate and pieces of fresh strawberries.  Heavenly to say the least.

Chocolate Mousse (adapted from Alton Brown)


1 c. whipping cream
8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
1 oz. strong coffee
1 T. dark rum
1 T. butter
1 t. unflavored gelatine

1. In a double broiler melt the chocolate, coffee, rum, and butter. Remove from heat when just melted and cool to room temperature.

2. Meanwhile, put 1/4 c. whipping cream in a bowl and sprinkle with gelatine. Let sit for 10 minutes then stir into the cooled chocolate mixture.

3. In a stand mixer beat the remaining whipping cream to medium peaks. Add in 1/4 of the chocolate mixture. Remover from mixer and fold in the remaining chocolate mixture. Chill for at least one hour. (Cover in refrigerator if not eating within 1 hour.)

 
White Chocolate Strawberry Mousse (adapted from Beantown Baker)
 
1 c. fresh strawberries, chopped
3 T. sugar
1/4 c. water
1 T. triple sec
4 oz. white chocolate
1 c. whipping cream
1 t. unflavored gelatin
 
1.  In a small saucepan heat the strawberries, sugar, and water.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 8 minutes.  Remove from heat and cool.
 
2.  In a small bowl place 1/4 c. whipping cream and sprinkle with gelatin.  Let sit for 5 minutes.
 
3.  Melt the white chocolate.  Stir in the triple sec.  Add the whipping cream and gelatine and stir.  Set aside. 
 

4.  Put the remaining whipping cream in a stand mixer and beat until soft peaks form.  Slowly add in the cranberry mixture.  Fold in the chocolate mixture.

 

5.  Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.  Cover with plastic wrap if refrigerating  longer then 2 hours.

This post linked to:

Real Food Wednesdays,

What's Cooking Wednesdays

Hash Brown Casserole

  This is a great potato side dish that can be used with any main course.  My family has been eating this at holiday gatherings and for everyday dinners for years.  It's quick and easy to make and leaves plenty of leftovers for the next day.  It is easily halved for use with smaller gathering.

  I really like this dish because it can be made ahead of time and refrigerated up to 8 hours before baking.  It comes out of the oven as a golden brown potato casserole filled with cheese and a crunchy breadcrumb topping.  I've found that kids love it because of the cheese and adults love it because of the simplicity.  The cream of chicken can be substituted with cream of mushrooms and fresh mushrooms added as well.

Hash Brown Casserole (adapted from my mom's recipe)

2 pounds frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
2 cups of shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup
8 oz. low fat sour cream
4 T. melted butter
3 T. chopped onion
1 t. pepper

Topping:
1 c. crushed breadcrumbs
2 T. melted butter
1/4 c. shredded cheddar cheese

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Spray cooking spray in a 9 x 13 pan.

2.  Combine all the ingredients, except potatoes, in a large bowl.  Mix well.

3.  Slowly fold in the potatoes and mix until well combined.  Spread into prepared pan.

4.  Mix the topping ingredients together and sprinkle over top of potatoes.

5.  Bake for 1 hour or until golden brown.

This post linked to:

My Meatless Mondays, Your Recipe, My Kitchen

Tuesdays at the Table

Linguine and Clams

I love Cooking Light magazine. I get so many incredible ideas from them. Whether it’s an actual recipe or an idea on how to cut the fat in something I already make, it’s definitely my go to cooking magazine. Last year they had a recipe for linguini and clams. I love pasta and clams are one of the few seafood items that I eat so I immediately knew I had to try this recipe.

As I’ve mentioned before I despise peas, so I took them out and added in a few extra ingredients. The end result has been one of our favorite pasta dishes for the past year. The sauce is a combination of chicken broth, white wine, and tomatoes so it is fairly light and a nice contrast to the heavier linguini. The addition of fresh vegetables gives it added flavor. We’ve served it for company several times because it makes a ton and we’ve never had a guest who didn’t like it!

Linguine and Clams (adapted from Cooking Light)

1 pound linguine
1 T. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 c. chicken broth
½ c. white wine
2 cans (6 ½ oz) chopped clams, in juice
½ t. red pepper
1 c. thinly sliced mushrooms
1 c. chopped tomatoes
½ c. parmesan cheese
1 T. butter
2 T. chopped basil

1. Bring a pot of water to boiling over high heat. Add the linguine and cook according to package directions.

2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Drain the juice of one can of clams into the pan. Add broth, wine, and red pepper to the pan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.

3. Slowly stir in the tomatoes, clams, remaining clam juice, and mushrooms. Cook for 4 minutes. Add the butter and a splash of wine. Cook for 3 additional minutes.

4. Add pasta and toss. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and basil.

5. Serve warm.

This post linked to:

Not Baaad Sundays, Let's Get Social

Sunday Potluck, Tuesday Night Supper Club

Dr. Laura's Tasty Tuesday

Plum Pudding Murder: A book Review and a complete meal!

   I recently read the book Plum Pudding Murder by Joanne Fluke for the winter book challenge for The Nest book club. The challenge was to read a book about food and then make a meal from the story. The book is about Hannah Swensen who owns a cookie shop called the Cookie Jar. It is part of the Hannah Swensen mystery novels. They are cozy mysteries that are fun to read and include tons of recipes. Hannah, owner of The Cookie Jar, tends to get herself into trouble by snooping around in murders. She’s the girlfriend of both Norman the dentist and Mike the cop which makes life interesting as well.

   In this book the murder victim is Larry, a crooked businessman who’s taken money from investors, lovers, and his wife. The more Hannah, Norman, and Mike dig, the more suspects they add to their list. In the end Hannah gets shot at, the killer is caught, and Hannah makes a huge Christmas Eve dinner for a house full of people.

   I took three recipes from the book and one idea from the book and made a complete meal based off the book. In the mystery Hannah makes a jeweled pork roast which I substituted for a salt and vinegar pork chop I’ve been dying to make. I turned her easy, cheesy biscuits into easy, cheesy spinach muffins. Her Scandinavian Spuds were delicious as they were. The last recipe was for cranberry scones. I jazzed those up with some orange juice and zest and we had ourselves a Plum Pudding meal!

Easy, Cheesy, Spinach Muffins (adapted from Plum Pudding Murder and Williams-Sonoma cookbook)

3 c. flour
1 T. baking powder
1 t. salt
3 eggs, beaten
½ c. olive oil
1 ¼ c. milk (I use low fat)
1 (10 oz) package of frozen spinach, thawed and drained
½ c. cheddar cheese, shredded
½ c. mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 T. butter, melted


1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 12 standard cup muffin tin with non-stick spray.

2. In a medium bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

3. In another medium bowl mix the eggs, oil, and milk. Stir in the spinach until well mixed. Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture and stir until just moist. The batter will be lumpy. Slowly fold in the cheese. Do not over mix.

4. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, filling to the rim of the cup. Put in the oven for 20 minutes.

5. After 20 minutes remove from oven and brush tops with melted butter. Return the muffins to the oven for 6-8 more minutes, or until tops are just browning. Remove from oven to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Remove from muffin tin and serve warm.

Salt and Vinegar Pork Chops  (original post and recipe HERE)

Scandinavian Spuds (adapted from Plum Pudding Murder)

4 baking potatoes
8 T butter, divided
1 t. salt
1 T. parsley
1 t. paprika
2 T. seasoned breadcrumbs
2 T. Parmesan cheese
1 t. pepper
1. Prepare a large bowl with water, 1 t. salt, 1 t. lemon juice that is big enough to hold all 6 potatoes.

2. Peel one potato, rinse it off, and put it on the cutting board. Slicing down, cut at ¼ inch intervals going until you are about ½ inch from the bottom of the potato so that the potato stays together but has about 8-10 cuts in it. Drop the sliced potato into the cold water. Continue with the remaining potatoes.

3. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

4. In a baking pan large enough to place all 6 potatoes, rub 2 T. of the butter at the bottom of the pan.

5. Remove the potatoes from the water, pat dry, and place in the baking dish. Drizzle with 4 T. of the melted butter. Sprinkle with salt, parsley, and paprika. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

6. After 30 minutes remove the potatoes from the oven and sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Drizzle with remaining 2 T. butter. Bake for 30 more minutes.

7. Remove potatoes from oven and sprinkle with cheese and pepper. Serve warm.

Cranberry Orange Scones  (see original post HERE)

This post linked to:

Cooking Thursday, Frugal Food Thursday

Recipe Swap Thursday, Pot Luck Friday

What's Cookin' in the Kitchen, Fat Camp Friday

Seasonal Sundays

Cranberry Orange Scones-What's Baking?

   This month the What’s Baking? Challenge was to make something new for the new year. I was super excited about this challenge because I had already decided to make scones for a winter book challenge and scones are something I’ve never made before. I’ve often wanted to make scones just because I hear they go wonderfully with tea or coffee.

   I really like these cranberry orange scones. They are a little lighter and fluffier then your typical scone, though they still get crunchy on the outside. The cranberries really stand out in the recipe with hints of the orange as well. The scones are great for breakfast or as a snack with tea and coffee.

Cranberry Orange Scones (adapted from Plum Pudding Murder and Sweet as Sugar Cookies  )

2 c. flour
1 T. baking powder
1 t. salt
½ c. sugar
4 T. butter
3 T. applesauce
2/3 c. low fat milk
1 egg, beaten
1 c. dried cranberries
Zest of 1 orange

3 T. fresh squeezed orange juice (from zested orange)

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a bowl. Mix well. In a smaller bowl combine milk, butter, applesauce, and beaten egg. Slowly stir into the dry ingredients, mixing just until the dough comes together.

3. Top the dough with the orange zest and orange juice. Fold in the cranberries.

4. Form the dough into a ball and place on a floured cutting board. Pat it into a circle about ½ inch thick. Cut into 12 or 16 wedges using a sharp knife coated in flour.

5. Place wedges on a baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for 17-19 minutes, or until the tops just begin to brown. Cool on a wire rack.

This post linked to:

Tuesday Night Supper Club, Dr. Laura's Tasty Tuesdays

Tuesdays at the Table, Real Food Wednesday

What's Cooking Wednesday, Sweets for Saturday

Salt and Vinegar Pork Chops

   My brother got me I’m Just Here for the Food 2.0 by Alton Brown for Christmas. Not only is this book full of interesting cooking facts, it also has some tasty recipes. I was very intrigued by the salt and vinegar crusted pork that was in the book. It calls for 1 bone-in rib pork chop, but I went with the boneless pork chops I had in the refrigerator.

   The pork chops are coated in flour, egg, and then the potato chips. They are fried up for color then put into the oven. When they came out they were golden brown looked crispy. The flavor was bold and I didn’t need any additional sauce paired with this tasty chop. It was crunchy, salty, with a hint of the vinegar. A unique twist on breaded pork chops, we’ll definitely be making this one again!

Salt and Vinegar Pork Chops (adapted from Alton Brown’s I’m Just Here for the Food 2.0)

6 oz. salt and vinegar potato chips
1 egg
4 pork chops (boneless, about ¾” thick)
1 t. salt
1 t. black pepper
½ c. flour
2 T. olive oil

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Take out 3 shallow dishes and set them on the counter.

2. In one dish mix the flour, salt, and pepper. In the second dish put the beaten egg. In the last dish place the crushed up potato chips.

3. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Dredge the pork chops into the flour shaking off the excess. Dip into the egg mixture then put in the chips. Gently pat the chips onto the pork chops and shake off excess. Put in the pan.

4. Fry the pork chops for 1 minute on each side, just until they begin to brown. Transfer to a baking pan.

5. Bake for 20 minutes.

This post linked to:

Not Baaad Sundays, Mommy's Kitchen,

 Let's Get Social Hop!, Your Recipe, My Kitchen

Steelers vrs. Ravens-Smiley Cookie Pack!

   My awesome mother sent my husband and I a treat for the weekend.  It's Eat N Park's rival pack of smiley cookies!  We don't have an Eat N Park near us and I absolutely love Smiley Cookies.  Included in the rival pack are 1 dozen Ravens cookies (for Frank) and 1 dozen Steelers cookies (for me!)  Smiley cookies, BBQ chicken dip, and Steelers football-it's going to be a fun weekend!  Let's go STEELERS!

BBQ Chicken Dip

  This weekend is the big game.  My Pittsburgh Steelers vrs. my husband's Baltimore Ravens.  It's always an exciting match up during the year but when we play in the play-offs it's chaos at our house.  That means food, friends, and fun!  I've got my standard appetizers and game day treats but this time I wanted to try something a little different.

   The North Park Clubhouse in Pittsburgh has this awesome BBQ chicken dip that they serve with multi-colored tortilla chips.  I've looked around for a recipe that is similar but came up with nothing.  I experimented and came up with a dip that tastes just like the one I had at NPC.  It is an awesome alternative to buffalo chicken dip.

  The dip is a creamy cheese dip with hints of bar-b-que sauce topped with bar-b-que chicken then topped with melted cheddar cheese.  It is sweet, spicy, and cheesy-perfect for a party appetizer or a game day snack.  It can be made the morning of and refrigerated for up to 12 hours before baking.

BBQ Chicken Dip (a Hezzi-D original)

1 1/2 c. shredded chicken (or 1 (12.5 oz) can of chunk chicken)
1 c. sweet BBQ sauce (like Sonny's or Sweet Baby Rays)
1 (8oz) package of 1/3 less fat cream cheese
1/4 c. low fat ranch dressing
1/4 c. light sour cream
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. black pepper
2 c. cheddar cheese


1.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2.  In an 8 x 8 baking dish mix the cream cheese, ranch dressing, sour cream, garlic powder, black pepper, 1 cup of the cheddar cheese, and 3 tablespoons of the BBQ sauce.  Mix well and spread evenly into the pan.

3.  In a small skillet heat the chicken and the remaining bar-b-que sauce.  Cook for 5 minutes or until the sauce cooks into the chicken.  Spread evenly on top of the cream cheese mixture.

4.  Sprinkle the top with cheddar cheese.  Bake for 15 minutes and serve with tortilla chips and crackers.

Note:  This dish can be refrigerated for up to 12 hours after assembling.  Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator.  Cook directly from refrigerator for 20 minutes.

**This dish can also be doubled and put into a crock-pot on low for up to 4 hours**

Spinach and Bacon Quiche

  This yummy quiche recipe is great to make for a brunch or as a side dish for dinner.  I actually made this one as a side for Christmas dinner and people seemed to like it.  The bacon adds flavor and a touch of salt to an otherwise vegetables quiche.  Spinach and mushrooms are my favorite vegetables to use in this quiche, but any combination of vegetables can be used.


Spinach and Bacon Quiche (adapted from allrecipes.com http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/spinach-quiche/Detail.aspx )

1/2 c. (1 stick) butter
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 pound fresh spinach, stems pulled off and chopped
8 oz. mushrooms, chopped
6 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
8 oz (2 cups) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
4 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 t. salt
1 t. black pepper
1 t. oregano
1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust
3 eggs + 1 egg white, beaten
1 c. low fat milk

1.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2.  In a medium skillet melt the butter.  Add the garlic and onion and saute for 5 minutes.  Add in the spinach and mushrooms and continue cooking for 4 additional minutes.

3.  Remove the skillet from heat and stir in the feta, half the cheddar cheese, bacon, salt, pepper, and oregano.  Mix until just combined.  Pour into pie crust.

4.  In a medium bowl whisk the eggs, egg white, and milk.  Pour over top of the vegetable mixture in the pie crust. 

5.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Remove from oven, top with other half of cheddar cheese, and return to oven for additional 30-35 minutes.  Let cool 5 minutes before cutting.

This post linked to:

Tuesday's at the Table

Dr. Laura's Tasty Tuesday

Tuesday Night Supper Club

Real Food Wednesday

What's Cooking Wednesday

Baked Pineapple

   This is one of my all time favorite side dishes that my mom makes.  She only makes it at Christmas and Easter which may be one of the reasons why I love it so much.  This year I helped her make it for Christmas.  I'm sure this dish is great anytime, but it goes especially well with ham.

  It consists of pineapple, fresh bread, milk, eggs, and spices.  It bakes up into a bread casserole that has sweet bursts of pineapple with hints of cinnamon and nutmeg.  This dish quickly became a favorite of my entire family and we look forward to eating it at the holidays.

Baked Pineapple (recipe adapted from my mom's recipe)

12 slices of fresh white bread, broken into 1 inch pieces
1 can (20 oz) crushed pineapple with juice
1/2 c. (1 stick) melted butter
1/2 c. low fat milk
3/4 c. sugar
3 eggs, beaten
2 t. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg

1.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray.

2.  In a large bowl beat the eggs, sugar, butter, and milk.  Stir in the pineapple and juice.  Add in the cinnamon and nutmeg.

3.  Put the bread pieces in the bowl and stir until just combined.  Spread into the prepared pan and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. 

4.  Bake for 45 minutes.  Serve warm or cold.

This post is linked to:

Potluck Sundays

Not Baaad Sundays
Frugal Antics
Meatless Mondays
What's on Your Plate?!

The Best Baked Corn

  This recipe was released to the public in December.  For years Dean Koontz talked about his wifes' famous baked corn dish.  I'm not really a huge fan of corn but since I am an avid reader of his books I decided to make this as a side dish.  I wasn't sure what I expected but this wasn't it.

  The sauce looks like an Alfredo but is much sweeter.  It baked into a sweet corn quiche-type side dish.  It was just ok.  A little to sweet of a side dish for me.  The reviews from my family were mixed.  Some people really liked it and others thought it was just ok.  It's different and would be good for families that like sweeter vegetable dishes. 

Best Baked Corn  (recipe adapted from Dean Koontz http://www.food.com/recipe/best-baked-corn-dean-koontz-444556 )

1 c. low fat milk, divided
2 T. butter
2 T. sugar
3 T. flour
1 15-oz. can of corn (whole and drained)
2 eggs (well beaten)
1 t. pepper

1.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Spray an 8 inch square baking dish with cooking spray.

2.  Bring 3/4 c. milk, butter, and sugar to a boil over medium high heat.

3.  In a small bowl, whisk the flour into the remaining 1/4 c. milk until dissolved.  Whisk the flour mixture into the boiling milk until smooth.  This will make a white sauce.

4.  Pour the corn into the prepared dish and sprinkle with pepper.  Pour the milk mixture over top of it and mix well. 

5.  Stir the beaten eggs into the corn mixture and mix well.

6.  Bake for 1 hour.  Serve hot.

This post linked to:

Friday Potluck

What's Cookin in the Kitchen

Frugal Food Thursday

Pumpkin Ravioli with Garlic Butter

I’ve had a recipe for pumpkin ravioli sitting on my couch for the past week just begging to be made. I bought all the ingredients for it at the market this past week but I just haven’t gotten motivated to make it, because I knew it was going to be time consuming. After an especially busy week my Thursday night after work looked clear so I decided to try it out then.


After looking over the recipe I only had to make very minor changes as it looked great! The filling was incredibly easy to make and tasted pretty good. The part that took forever was stuffing the ravioli, sealing it, and then crimping the edges so the filling didn’t fall out. It took me well over an hour to make about 40 ravioli.

The bad news was that I didn’t have a biscuit cutter or a cookie cutter that I could use to cut around the ravioli, so I had to use a knife and cut each one into a circle. The good news is that after I finished all of them I was able to freeze 20 of them for another day.

I decided to make a garlic butter sauce to pour over top of the ravioli’s. While I heated the butter I put garlic bread in the oven and made a tossed salad to go with the ravioli. The last step involved cooking the fresh ravioli. On my first attempt I put 6 ravioli’s in the boiling water. Two of them stuck together and one of the two ended up tearing.

On my second try I put 4 ravioli in the pot and they floated to the top and were perfect. I was easily able to cook a portion for both my husband and I putting 4 raviolis into the pot at a time. They only need to cook for 2-3 minutes, so it’s a very fast process. They looked and smelled good when I put them onto the plates. I topped each pile of ravioli with a spoonful of bubbly garlic butter and served it with a piece of garlic bread.

After my husband’s first bite he told me that this was definitely a meal worth waiting for. The raviolis were delicious! They had a great balance of creamy ricotta cheese and smooth pumpkin. The garlic butter added a little more depth to this savory dish. The flavors in this dish all come together so that neither the cheese, the pumpkin, nor the garlic is too overwhelming. It makes for a lovely fall pasta dish that can be made in advance, frozen, and later showcased at a dinner party.
Pumpkin Ravioli with Garlic Butter (recipe adapted from Jacob’s Kitchen )


1 package wonton wrappers
1 c. part skim ricotta cheese
1 c. canned pumpkin puree
1/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ c. pine nuts
½ t. salt

1 t. black pepper

½ t. nutmeg

Garlic Butter:

6 T. butter

3 garlic cloves, minced
2 T. fresh parsley, chopped
2 t. oregano
1 t. Italian seasoning

1. Heat the pine nuts in a small skillet over medium heat to toast. Stir every few minutes. No need to add oil. When the pine nuts begin to brown add the minced garlic cloves plus 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil and sauté for two minutes. Remove from heat and chop pine nuts.

2. In a medium bowl combine the ricotta cheese, pumpkin, parmesan cheese, garlic cloves & pine nuts, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Mix well then taste. Make any adjustment needed to the filling.

3. On a cutting board line up as many wonton wrappers as possible. Place 1 teaspoon of the filling in the middle of the wrappers. Working on 2-3 ravioli at a time, brush the edges with water and top with another wrapper. Work from the middle, pressing on the filling, to ensure a tight seal. Then cut each ravioli with a knife or a biscuit cutter into a circular shape. Use a fork and crimp the outer edge of the ravioli.

4. If you are freezing any of the ravioli, put them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze overnight. In the morning you can remove the raviolis and place in a freezer bag to store in the freezer. These can be frozen for up to one month.

5. Heat a large pot of water over high heat. Once it is boiling slip 4-6 raviolis into the water (making sure they don’t touch). When the raviolis begin to float gently lift them from the water with a slotted spoon to drain. Continue on with this process until the desired amount of raviolis is cooked.

6. Meanwhile, heat the butter in a small sauté pan over medium heat. When butter begins to brown add the garlic and herbs. Heat for an additional two minutes, then pour over cooked ravioli and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

This post linked to:

What's Cooking Wednesdays

Real Food Wednesdays

What's on Your Plate Wednesdays?

Cooking Thursday

Recipe Swap Thursday

Fat Camp Friday

Homemade Marshmallows

After making a ton of homemade hot cocoa mix, I was anxious to get started on homemade marshmallows. I am totally in love with marshmallows but have never made them myself. The actual making of the marshmallows wasn’t too bad. I was very excited when during my mixing the clear liquid began to transform into fluffy white clouds.


My first complication came when I tried transferring the mixture from the mixing bowl to the cookie sheet. It was sticky and didn’t want to go anywhere. After several attempts I covered my hands with oil, grabbed the mixture, and spread it out. It took about 3 coatings of oil on my hands but I got it in the pan. The mixture looked wonderful.

The second complication came after I began to cut the marshmallows. Cutting them proved to be easy; dipping each individual marshmallow was the hard part. I was so happy my husband was busy with other things because our entire kitchen was covered in powdered sugar. The sink, the counter, the kitchen table, the floor, and me…EVERYTHING was covered.

In the end, it was a long process but one that was more then worth it. I packaged the marshmallows with cute tags and wrapped them along with the homemade hot cocoa mix. My husband and I tried some of each and it’s true what people say-once you eat a homemade marshmallow you’ll never eat store bought again. The homemade ones melt very slowly in hot cocoa so they are there almost to the end. They also have a better taste-not chalky or syrupy sweet like the store bought ones. I will definitely be making these again, even after the powdered sugar fiasco!

Homemade Marshmallows (recipe from Alton Brown  )

3 packages unflavored gelatin
1 c. cold water, divided
1 ½ c. sugar
1 c. light corn syrup
½ t. salt
1 t. vanilla
½ c. powdered sugar
¼ c. cornstarch
Vegetable oil



1. Combine the powdered sugar and cornstarch. Lightly spray a 13 x 9 cookie sheet with cooking spray. Sprinkle with the powdered sugar mixture to coat the bottom and sides. Save the rest of the sugar mixture for later.

2. Put the gelatin in the stand mixer mixing bowl with ½ cup cold water. Stir gently.

3. In a small saucepan combine the remaining ½ cup water, sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Cook over medium heat. Clip a candy thermometer on the side of the saucepan and boil until the temperature reaches 240 degrees, about 10 minutes. Immediately remove from heat.

4. Using the paddle attachment, turn the mixer on low. Slowly pour in the sugar mixture. Once all the sugar mixture is in the bowl, turn the mixer on high. Continue to mix until your mixture because very thick and is white, about 15 minutes. Add in the vanilla the last minute of mixing.

5. Pour the mixture into the prepared pans, using an oiled spatula to spread evenly into the pan. At this point I needed to oil my hands in order to transfer all the mixture to the pans. Dust the top of the marshmallow mixture with the sugar and cornstarch mixture. Let the marshmallows rest uncovered for 4 hours and up to overnight.

6. Turn the marshmallows out onto a cutting board and cut into 1 inch squares using a pizza cutter. Once cut, dip each marshmallow in the remaining sugar and cornstarch mix, covering each cut side. Store in an air tight container for 3 weeks.

Also, my 7-Layer Bars have been nominated for Best in Show at Lamb Around.  Make sure you stop by and vote for them!  http://lambaround.blogspot.com/

This post linked to:

Potluck Sundays

Meatless Mondays

Dr. Laura's Tasty Tuesdays

Tuesdays at the Table