Stromboli Two Ways (Chicken/Cheese or Pepperoni/Ham/Cheese)

     When I don’t really feel like cooking, but I don’t feel like going out either my go to meal is stromboli’s. Sometimes my husband will make pizza dough and freeze it so I’ll use that, but most of the time I don’t feel like making the dough so I go with Pillsbury’s thin crust pizza dough. Each tube of this dough is good for making two stromboli’s. The best thing about making a Stromboli is that anything can go into them so it’s not only an easy meal, but it’s a great one to use with leftovers.


     Any combination of vegetables, meats and cheeses can go into the stromboli. I generally like mine with chicken, veggies, and cheese. My husband always goes for pepperoni, any other meat we have left over, and cheeses. My biggest recommendation is to sauté the vegetables in a little olive oil and garlic before putting them into the stromboli.

     This week we had sweet and sour chicken so I had a small container of breaded cooked chicken which was perfect. We also had macaroni and cheese with ham, so there was leftover ham in the refrigerator as well. As far as vegetables went, we had a selection of onions, mushrooms, and peppers.

Chicken and Cheese Stromboli

1 roll of Pillsbury thin crust pizza dough
½ c. shredded cheese (I like half mozzarella and half fontina)
1/3 c. chicken (cooked and cut into small pieces)
1/3 c. vegetables (I used mushrooms)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 t. Italian seasonings
1 t. oregano
1 T. olive oil, divided
¼ c. marinara sauce for dipping

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. In a small sauté pan heat 2 t. olive oil over medium heat. Cook the garlic clove and vegetables 5-7 minutes or until just soft.

3. Roll out the thin crust pizza dough and cut in half. Put the extra half aside to make your other Stromboli. Working with one half of the dough, spread ¼ c. of the cheese from end to end in the middle of the dough. Top with chicken and vegetables. Sprinkle with oregano. Top with the remaining cheese.

4. Fold the bottom of the dough overtop of the filling. Fold the top over and pinch the ends to seals. Pinch the top of the dough to seal, leaving a one inch hole in the middle to vent.

5. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown and the cheese is bubbly. Serve with a side of marinara sauce.

Pepperoni, Ham, and Cheese Stromboli

½ of the thin crust pizza dough
½ c. shredded cheese (I used half mozzarella and half fontina, though cheddar works well too)
¼ c. pepperoni
¼ c. ham
1/3 c. vegetables (I used peppers and onions)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 t. Italian seasonings
1 t. oregano
1 T. olive oil, divided
¼ c. marinara sauce for dipping

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. In a small sauté pan heat 2 t. olive oil over medium heat. Cook the garlic clove and vegetables 5-7 minutes or until just soft.

3. Roll out the thin crust pizza dough and cut in half. Put the extra half aside to make your other Stromboli. Working with one half of the dough, spread ¼ c. of the cheese from end to end in the middle of the dough. Top with pepperoni, ham, and vegetables. Sprinkle with oregano. Top with the remaining cheese.

4. Fold the bottom of the dough overtop of the filling. Fold the top over and pinch the ends to seals. Pinch the top of the dough to seal, leaving a one inch hole in the middle to vent.

5. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown and the cheese is bubbly. Serve with a side of marinara sauce.

Clam Chowder

  My husband has been dying for me to make my neighbors clam chowder.  My dad has told him how awesome it is so he's been wanting me to make it.  I'm not sure I've ever eaten clam chowder before so I put off making it until the other night when it was cold and all I wanted was some soup.

  After looking at the recipe I made some changes, hoping that it would still taste ok.  The recipe is incredibly simple and cooks up nicely in the crock-pot.  My first bite I was pleasantly surprised.  This is a thick, creamy soup that has a lot of flavor from the potatoes and the clams both.  The recipe calls for topping it with bacon and green onions, but I passed because the soup was heavy enough without the bacon.  Frank thoroughly enjoyed it and I'm glad I ended up making it!

Clam Chowder (adapted from my neighbor, Mrs. Fichter's, recipe)

1 can cream of potato soup

1 large potato, skin peeled off and chopped

2 (6 oz) cans of clams with the juice
1 pint (2 cups) half and half
2 c. milk
3 T. flour
1 stick butter, cut into small pieces
2 t. black pepper
1 t. salt
bacon and green onions for topping the soup

1.  In a crock-pot mix together the half and half and milk.  Slowly stir in the flour until it is well incorporated.  Stir in the cream of potato soup. 

2.  Add in the potatoes, butter, pepper, and salt.  Put in the juice only from the clams.  Reserve the clams for later (they get too tough if you put them in the soup now). 

3.  Cook on low for 6 hours.  Add in the clams and continue cooking an additional 2 hours on low.

4.  Serve with bacon, green onions, and oyster crackers.

**Note:  If you like your chowder extra thick, use 1 quart of half and half and eliminate the milk.

Don't forget to enter my Green Giant Giveaway HERE!  Entries must be in by Tuesday at midnight! 

This post linked to:

Seasonal Sundays, Meatless Mondays

Dr. Laura's Tasty Tuesdays, Tuesdays at the Table

Made From Scratch Tuesdays

Bacon and Sundried Tomato Scones

My husband went to an auction tonight and I had Zumba so I was looking for a meal that was quick, easy, and light. I went for chicken and vegetable pasta in a white wine sauce. I usually accompany my pastas with garlic bread, but that seemed awfully heavy and fattening for an aerobics night. I came across a recipe for bacon and tomato scones that were fast and easy to make and I just happen to have all the ingredients.


On a quick note, I had difficulty finding the sundried tomatoes that weren’t packed in olive oil. After asking a few people, I found them in the produce section near the garlic.

These scones are simple and fast. They have that homemade bread taste but don’t have yeast in them so they don’t have to rise. I ended up putting sundried tomatoes in my pasta to tie the scones in with the meal perfectly. They scones only have to cook for 12 minutes and taste great when they are warm. They are a great savory bread that would be a great compliment to many different meals.

Bacon and Sundried Tomato Scones (adapted from Better Homes and Gardens )

1 c. sun dried tomatoes (not oil packed) chopped

2 ¼ c. all purpose flour
¼ c. Parmesan cheese
1 T. baking powder
1 t. dried oregano
1 t. Italian seasonings
1 t. garlic salt
½ c. butter, cut into pieces
8 slices of crispy bacon, crumbled
¼ c. light sour cream
1 egg, beaten
3 T. low fat milk
¼ c. shredded mozzarella

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. In a large bowl combine flour, parmesan cheese, baking powder, oregano, garlic salt, and Italian seasoning. Mix well. Cut in the butter until the mixture is in crumbles. Stir in the bacon and tomatoes.

3. In a small bowl combine sour cream, egg, and milk. Mix well.

4. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the liquid. Stir until just moist.

5. Put the dough on a floured surface and knead for about a minute. Divide the dough in half. Pat each half into a 6-8 inch circle. Cut each circle into 8 wedges (I used a pizza cutter which worked fantastically).

6. Place wedges on an ungreased baking sheet (I used 2 baking sheets). Sprinkle wedges with mozzarella cheese. Bake 12-13 minutes or until the tops are lightly brown. Serve warm.

Don't forget to enter my Green Giant giveaway HERE by Tuesday, February 22 at midnight!

This post linked to:

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

Not Baaad Sundays, Mommy's Kitchen

Green Giant Giveaway!

  With a new year comes a new you, and Green Giant^® is here to cheer you on! Whether you're already following a weight management plan or looking to start a new one, sometimes it's the small changes that can make a huge difference.

   I was recently contacted about receiving a Green Giant Frozen Boxed Vegetables gift pack for myself and one for my readers as well.  I was immediately interested as I use Green Giant Frozen Vegetables in our dinners just about every week.  What I didn't know is that most of the twenty-nine varieties are endorsed by Weight Watchers and have only 1 or 2 PointsPlus per serving!  Click HERE to see all twenty-nine varieties.

  I received the broccoli and cheese package which is already one of my favorites.  I like how the vegetables don't get soggy in the microwave or even after been in the sauce.  They only take a few minutes in the microwave and I have quick and healthy side dish for dinner.  One of my favorite ways to eat the broccoli and cheese is on top of a baked potato.  It's delicious and is much healthier then butter and sour cream.

  Now you can try Green Giant Frozen Boxed Vegetables as well.  Green Giant and MyBlogSparks have provided me with an awesome prize package and have given me one to share with my readers as well!  Included in the prize pack is a coupon for a free box of Green Giant Frozen Vegetables, a large Zak! designs serving bowl (white on the outside, green on the inside), an Orka all silicone serving spoon (in green), a pedometer, and an insulated tote bag to help carry all those frozen products home from the market without them melting. 

  To enter this giveaway, do any (or all!) of the following three things.  Each one will give you one entry into winning this Green Giant Frozen Boxed Vegetable giveaway.  Don't forget to leave your e-mail so I can contact you if you are the winner!

1.  Become a follower of my blog.  If you already follow my blog leave me a comment telling me that you already follow me.
2.  Visit the Green Giant website HERE and tell me which variety of frozen boxed vegetables you want to try.
3.  Tell me your favorite way of preparing and serving Green Giant Frozen Boxed vegetables.

This contest closes at midnight on Tuesday, February 22, 2011.  The winner will be announced on my blog on Wednesday, February 23, 2011.  Good luck!
Disclaimer:  This prize pack was given to me by Green Giant and information provided by MyBlogSpark.  No other compensation was received and all opinions of Green Giant Frozen Boxed Vegetables are my own.

Fettucini Alfredo with Bacon (Lighter Version!)

     I’m always on the lookout for new pasta recipes. My husband and I both enjoy pasta, but I normally make it with a red sauce. When I came across a recipe for Fettuccine Alfredo with Bacon I knew it would be a winner. We both enjoy alfredo and my husband loves bacon.

     The recipe itself was fairly easy to make. My only problem was juggling making the sauce, pasta, garlic bread, and salad at the same time. If you are making a similar meal, I’d recommend making the salad ahead of time and refrigerating. In addition I would put the garlic bread on the pan ready to go into the oven and have the pasta water boiling before I began the alfredo sauce.

     Otherwise, this recipe was a success. The sauce was cheesy and creamy with a great bacon flavor that went well over fettuccine. It’s definitely a rich, heavy sauce, so use sparingly.

Fettuccine Alfredo with Bacon (adapted from Cooking Light  )

1 pound fettuccine

3 slices of bacon, cooked and chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 T. flour

1 ¼ c. low fat milk (we used 2%)

¾ c. Parmesan cheese

2 oz. fontina cheese (cut into small pieces)

1 t. salt
2 T. fresh parsley, chopped (or 1 T. dried parsley)
1 t. ground black pepper
½ t. nutmeg

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain (reserving 1/3 c. pasta water) and set aside.

2. While pasta cooks, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium high heat. Cook until crisp. Remove and drain on a paper towel. Leave the drippings in the pan.

3. Add the garlic to the drippings in the skillet and cook for 1 minute, stirring. Add in the flour and stir constantly for 1 minute. Slowly stir in the milk. Cook until it starts to thicken and bubble.

4. Reduce heat to low. Add in half the Parmesan cheese and half the fontina cheese. Stir until cheese is melted. Add in the remaining cheese and stir until it is all incorporated into the sauce.

5. Stir in salt, pepper, and reserved 1/3 c. pasta water. Cook 5 more minutes. Remove from heat and stir in bacon and nutmeg. Serve over top of cooked fettuccine.

Red Velvet Cupcakes (Happy Valentine's Day!)

    First of all, Happy Valentine's Day!  This is my first Valentine's Day as a married lady and this year we went to a great little Mediterranean place called Ali Baba for dinner on Saturday.  Loved it!  My husband had gyro with hummus, tabbouleh, and warm pitas.  I had the grilled marinated chicken with hummus, baba ghannouj, and warms pitas.  The food was filling and delicious.  Now, onto our dessert!

  This month the What's Baking challenge was hosted by Dunne from With a Cherry On Top.  The challenge for this month was Baked with Love.  I immediately began thinking of Valentine's Day dessert that were read in color.  I've been meaning to make red velvet cupcakes for a while now and decided this would be the perfect time to do so.

    I saw Paula Deen a few months ago and have been dying to try her red velvet cupcake recipe.  I went with a cream cheese frosting and red chocolate hearts on top.  I thought this went well with this months theme.  I took them to work this past week and they were gone within the hour!  I'd say these guys were a HUGE hit!

   One thing of note-I had no idea how many cupcakes this recipe would make, but it makes 48 mini cupcakes or 24 regular sized cupcakes.  I had plenty of icing left over.  I love putting applesauce into these because it makes them so moist and delicious.  There is no hint of the applesauce in the taste, but these cupcakes are to die for!

Red Velvet Cupcakes (adapted from The Deen Family Cookbook)

3 c. flour

1 t. baking soda
1 T. unsweetened cocoa powder

1 c. canola oil

1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce

1 t. white vinegar

1 t. vanilla extract

1 1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 c. low fat milk
Red food coloring

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Put cupcake liners in 48 mini muffin cups or 24 regular muffin cups.

2.  In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking soda, and cocoa.  Stir.  In another medium bowl combine the oil, applesauce, vinegar, and vanilla.

3.  In a large bowl, beat the eggs.  Add in the sugar and continue beating until fluffy.  Add in the oil mixture and mix to combine.  Slowly take turns adding in the flour mixture and milk stirring well in between each addition. 

4.  Mix in enough food coloring to turn the batter red.  Fill the muffin cups 3/4 of the way full.  Bake the mini cupcakes for 13-15 minutes or the large cupcakes for 24 minutes.  Take the cupcakes out and put a toothpick in the center of one.  If it comes out clean transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool.

Cream Cheese Icing (adapted from Paula Deen)

8 oz. cream cheese (I use 1/3 less fat)

1 stick butter

1 t. vanilla
2 1/4 c. powdered sugar

1.  In a bowl beat the softened cream cheese and butter with a mixer until well combined.  Add in the vanilla and powdered sugar and beat until smooth.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

Chocolate Hearts

4 oz. red chocolate

1.  Place the chocolate in a ziplock baggie and put in the microwave.  Heat at intervals of 30 seconds until it's melted.  Seal the top of the baggie, snip of the end, and pipe hearts onto a sheet of waxed paper.  Make designs if desired.

To decorate cupcakes:

1.  Top each cupcake with cream cheese frosting.  Sprinkle with sprinkles if desired.  Top with a red chocolate heart.  Frosted cupcakes need to be kept refrigerated (because of the frosting).

                                           

This post linked to:

Meatless mondays, Tuesday Night Supper Club

Tuesdays at the Table

The Winner Is......

The Winner of My Favorite Things Giveaway was chosen from random.org.  The winning post was # 16 jkjkjkb (Kim B!)


jkjkjkb said...

I'm a happy follower! Kim B.
February 9, 2011 10:06 PM
I will contact you in order to get your information so you can receive your prize!.  Thanks to all who entered.  Stayed tuned later in the week for a new giveaway!

Chicken Ragu

I was looking through my Cooking Club of America magazine when I came across a recipe to make turkey ragu in the crock-pot. I figured this would be a simple, easy Sunday night meal. However, when I went to the market turkey thighs were twice the price of chicken thighs, so I decided to change it to a chicken ragu.


The ragu itself is very flavorful and is great in place of jarred marinara sauce. It’s also a sneaky way to hide several servings of vegetables because they just sink into the sauce and give it some added flavor without really standing it.

This dish is so simple to make and it makes a ton of ragu. It’s great to make and then freeze in batches to use during the week. We ended up eating it over top of ziti one night, over rice the next night, and then still had enough left over to freeze a batch.

Slow Cooker Chicken Ragu (adapted from the Cooking Club of America  )

1 ½-2 pounds chicken thighs or breasts
1 t. salt
1 t. black pepper
3 T. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 t. rosemary
1 t. oregano
1 t. Italian seasoning
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
6 oz mushrooms, chopped
¾ c. water
1 pound pasta

1. Heat 2 T. olive oil in a large pan. Sprinkle chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Cook in skillet for 4-5 minutes per side. Chicken should be browned. Place the chicken in the bottom of a slow cooker.

2. In the same pan heat the other 1 T. olive oil. Cook the carrots, onion, green pepper, and garlic for 5 minutes. Add to slow cooker on top of chicken.

3. Add tomatoes and mushrooms to the slow cooker and stir in the other vegetables. Pour in the water and sprinkle with rosemary, oregano, and Italian seasoning. Stir until everything is combined but chicken is still on the bottom.

4. Cook on low for 8 hours. Pull out the chicken thighs and chop into small pieces. Discard bones and skin. Return the chopped chicken to the slow cooker and cook for 15 more minutes.

5. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and serve with ragu on top.

** Freeze the leftover chicken ragu in freezer bags. Freeze up to 3 months.

Don't forget to enter My Favorite Things Giveaway!  You have until Sunday, February 13 at midnight to enter!  Enter HERE!

This post linked to:

Not Baaad Sundays, Let's Get Social Blog Hop!

Seasonal Sundays

Mexican Sour Cream Rice

  We love rice.  We eat it with many of our meals but usually it's either plain or I make the traditional Mexican (tomato based) rice.  When I saw this cheesy sour cream rice I was excited to try it.  It didn't disappoint!  It was creamy, cheesy, and flavorful.  It went perfect with the chicken tortilla soup we had.  My husband added some hot sauce to his and said it was awesome. 

Mexican Sour Cream Rice (adapted from Lemons and Love)

1 c. uncooked long grain brown rice
2 c. chicken broth
1 c. low fat sour cream
4 oz. 1/3 less fat cream cheese
1 (4 oz) can green chilies
1 c. Mexican blend cheese
1/2 c. whole kernel corn
1 c. cooked, chopped chicken breast
1/4 c. chopped cilantro
1/2 t. ground cumin
1/2 t. black pepper

1.  In a large pot cook the rice with the chicken broth according to package directions. 

2.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 9 x 9 baking dish with cooking spray.

3.  Remove the rice from heat and stir in the sour cream, cream cheese, green chilies, half the cheese, corn, chicken, and cilantro.  Mix well.  Sprinkle in cumin and black pepper.

4.  Spread into prepared pan and top with remaining cheese.  Bake for 30 minutes uncovered.  Remove from oven and serve.

Quick and Easy Crock-Pot Pork Dinner & a Giveaway!

  I am so happy that I finally have 50 followers on my blog!  To thank all of my wonderful readers, I've decided to do a giveaway of a few of my favorite cooking things.  Included in the giveaway are:

-An adorable set of cupcake hand towels (2 towels)-These are currently my favorite towels to have in the kitchen when company comes over.
-One Bamboo handle Kitchen-Aid rubber scraper (in mustard yellow)-I have a million of these and use them constantly. 
-One jar of Wilton's Chocolate Crunch Sprinkles (perfect for decorating cupcakes)
-A small box of Godiva Gems in milk chocolate (my favorite chocolate)
-A Subaru oven mitt (because I love my brand new Subaru!)
-A Coupon for free Pilsbury Crescent Rolls (one of my favorite things to use for appetizers!)
-A set of 4 cocktail notecards (from my personal stash!  These are great for hostess thank yous as well as for impromptu get together invites!)
See below my Easy Crock-Pot Pork recipe on how to enter My Favorite Things Giveaway!

   One of my easy go-to meals is a crock-pot creation I came up with years ago.  It's so easy to make and is a great dinner for a cold night.  It combines a pork loin, potatoes, carrots, onions, and celery in a yummy wine sauce.  I usually serve it over top of rice or noodles.

Quick and Easy Crock-Pot Pork Dinner (a Hezzi-D original)

2 pound pork loin
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
3 celery stalks, chopped
1 onion, sliced
1/2 c. dry white wine
2 c. low sodium chicken broth
2 t. black pepper, divided
1 t. salt
1 garlic clove, minced
1 t. thyme

1 t. paprika

1.  Turn the crock-pot on low.  Pour white wine and chicken broth into the pot.

2.  Rub the pork loin with 1 t. black pepper, salt, and minced garlic.  Place in the bottom of the crock-pot.

3.  Put the potatoes, carrots, celery, and onions into the broth around the pork.  If it won't all fit, place some of the vegetables on top of the pork loin.  Sprinkle with thyme, paprika, and remaining black pepper.

4.  Cook on low for 8-10 hours, stirring once after a few hours to get all the vegetables into the broth.  Serve over top of rice or noodles.

Valentine Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing

  I love making baked goods for holidays.  Cakes, cookies, breads; anything with sugar in it that I can decorate.  I keep seeing cute sugar cookies decorated with royal icing on blogs that I enjoy reading.  I've made royal icing one time and decorating was fun, but I didn't try any fun techniques.

  I started out by making sugar cookies early in the morning so that they would have plenty of time to cool before I iced them.  I then took out my newly aquired food gel colors (thanks to Bake at 350 recommendation) and made my royal icing.  I tinted it with pink, really red, bright white, and purple-perfect colors for Valentine's Day.

   The outlining of the cookies was the easy part.  Flooding and then decorating was tougher.  I made cookies with names on them, cookies with dots, cookies with stripes, and cookies with designs.  I loved the outcome; they looked almost professional!  I sent some to my little cousins, and served the others at a small gathering we had at our house.

White Sugar Cookies (adapted from Annie's Eats)

12 T. butter
4 T. unsweetened applesauce
1 c. powdered sugar
1 egg, beaten
2 t. vanilla
1 t. salt
2 1/2 c. flour

1.  Cream the butter and applesauce.  Stir in the powdered sugar and mix until smooth.  Beat in the egg, vanilla, and salt.  Slowly stir in the flour.

2.  Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour or until chilled.

3.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

4.  Remove dough from refrigerator.  Sprinkle surface with flour and roll the dough to 1/4" thick.  Cut out shapes with cookie cutters.  Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes or until the bottoms begin to brown.

5.  Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

Royal Icing (adapted from Annie's Eats)

4 c. powdered sugar

2 T. meringue powder

1 t. vanilla extract

6 T. water

1.  Mix all ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer.  Mix on low for 3-4 minutes or until everything is well incorporated. 

2.  Add water a few drops at a time until icing is still thick, but is able to be piped.  Divide into several bowls, tint with coloring, put into piping bag, and pipe the outline of sugar cookies.  Keep unused icing covered so it doesn't dry out.



Flooding the cookies



Outlining cookies





3.  To make icing the correct consistency for flooding, add water until the icing runs off the back of a spoon.  Flood cookies using a toothpick to spread the icing.  Let dry for 30 minutes then pipe on decorations.

4.  Allow decorated cookies to dry overnight so that the icing gets hard.

Makes about 40 decorate sugar cookies.

This post linked to:

Meatless Mondays, Tuesdays at the Table

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

Macaroni and Cheese with Ham

For me there is no better comfort food on a cold fall night then homemade macaroni and cheese. I’ve used several recipes over the years and while they have all tasted good, I generally end up with some hunks of cheese in the macaroni because I use cheeses that don’t melt well.


I looked online to find a recipe that I could live with, and then added in some cheeses that melt well. I’ve also learned that while adding ham to the macaroni and cheese gives it an excellent flavor, big hunks of ham are not very good in it. I also like to have a sort of crumbly on top that brown in the oven.

I had a few mishaps when preparing the macaroni and cheese this time. I dumped about half a cup of steaming hot noodles on my hand which then went all over the floor. I also spilled a few of the cheese cubes and then ended up stepping on them in my socks.

But, it was all worth it when I pulled the macaroni out of the oven. The top was a crispy brown, and I could smell the ham and cheese. It was creamy and almost melted in my mouth. This is by far the best attempt at homemade macaroni and cheese I’ve made. My husband agrees. Adding the fontina and Velveeta cheeses to the cheddar made a world of difference.

Homemade Macaroni and Cheese with Ham (loosely adapted from Las Vegas Food Adventures  )

1 pound package of elbow macaroni
2 T. butter
2 T. flour
2 c. low fat milk
½ t. salt
½ t. black pepper
1 ½ c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
4 oz. Velveeta , chopped into small cubes
4 oz. fontina cheese, chopped into small cubes
8 oz. ham, chopped into small pieces
1 t. paprika
1 t. garlic salt

Topping:
½ c. panko breadcrumbs
½ c. shredded cheddar cheese
2 T. butter


1. Cook the macaroni noodles according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.

2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 13 x 9 pan with cooking spray.

3. In a large skillet melt the butter over medium heat. Slowly whisk in the flour until smooth. Cook about 2 minutes, continuing to whisk.

4. Slowly add in the milk, whisking until smooth. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer. Stir in the salt and pepper.

5. Add in the cheese about a handful at a time. Slowly whisking to incorporate the cheese into the milk mixture. After all cheese is added cook an addition 3 minutes until the sauce has thickened.

6. Place the macaroni noodles into the prepared baking dish. Mix in the chopped ham. Pour the sauce over top of the noodles and ham and mix well. Sprinkle the top with the paprika and garlic sauce. Bake for 10 minutes.

7. Meanwhile, melt the butter for the topping in a small bowl just until soft. Mix in the panko and cheddar cheese. Sprinkle on top of the macaroni after it has baked for 10 minutes. Continue baking in the oven for 15 minutes. At the end of 15 minutes, turn the oven to broil. Broil the top for 1-2 minutes or until the topping is golden brown.

8. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

This post linked to:

Not Baaad Sundays, Mommy's Kitchen

Your Recipe, My Kitchen

Steelers Cupcakes (Banana Nut Cupcakes with Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting)

When I have extra bananas that are beginning to go bad I usually make banana bread. I was a little tired of banana bread and began looking for a recipe that used the bananas and would be a nice treat. When I found a recipe for banana cupcakes on Bakerella’s blog that were black and gold I decided to give it a whirl for the Super Bowl. While she used cream cheese frosting, I made caramel cream cheese frosting for mine.

While these are not my favorite cupcakes, they are tasty and are a good substitute for banana bread. They had yellow frosting with black jimmies which made them the perfect Steelers cupcakes.  The cupcakes are a little muffin like in texture but the caramel in the frosting really transforms the bananas and nuts in the cupcake.

Banana Nut Cupcakes with Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting (adapted from Bakerella )

Cupcake:

1 ¾ c. flour
1 t. baking powder
¼ t. salt
¼ c. butter at room temperature
¼ c. applesauce
¾ c. sugar
1 egg
1 egg white
1/3 c. chopped pecans
2 bananas, mashed
½ c. milk
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray or line with muffin liners.

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

3. In a large bowl cream the butter, sugar, and applesauce. Add in the mashed banana and stir until well combined. Slowly mix in the egg and egg white.

4. Add half the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix well. Slowly stir in half the milk. Mix in the remaining flour then milk. Stir well.

5. Toss in the pecans and mix until just incorporated.

6. Pour batter into prepared muffin tin. Bake for 18-20 or a toothpick comes out clean.

Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting:

4 T. butter at room temperature
4 oz. softened cream cheese
1 t. vanilla
1/3 c. caramel topping
3 c. powdered sugar
Yellow icing color


1. Cream the butter and cream cheese with a mixer until smooth. Add in vanilla and caramel and mix well.

2. Slowly add in the powdered sugar a half cup at a time until frosting begins to stiffen. Add 2-3 drops of yellow icing color if desired.

3.  Frost cooled cupcakes and top with black jimmies or sprinkles.

This post linked to:

Friday Potluck, What's Cookin' in the Kitchen?

Fat Camp Friday, Sweets for Saturday

Maryland Style Crab Cakes

    I never heard of crab feasts until I moved to Maryland.  Living in Pittsburgh I knew people ate crabs, but I wasn't one of them.  When I moved to Maryland and met my now husband crabs were part of life.  People hear have huge parties with newspaper covered tables, Old Bay seasoning, and beer.  They sit around for hours picking crabs, sprinkling them with butter, and rolling the pieces in Old Bay.  I've been to these feasts and have even picked a few crabs myself, but I don't eat the raw crab meat.  My husband on the other hand lives for picking crabs.

      This week jumbo lump crab meat was half off at the market so I bought him a pound to surprise him.  He made his famous Maryland style crab cakes.  Now these I eat.  They can be fried but my husband bakes them in the oven until they are a crispy golden brown.  I love the spiciness of the Old Bay mixed with the fresh crab meat then balanced out with the fresh lemon slices.  They are great on a bun as a sandwich for lunch or just by themselves for a special dinner. 

Maryland Style Crab Cakes  (original recipe by my husband, Frank)

1 pound lump crab meat (we used Maryland blue crab)
2 slices of white bread, torn into pieces
1 t. Worcestershire sauce
1 t. brown mustard
1 t. mayonnaise
1 egg, beaten
1-2 T. Old Bay seasoning
Juice from half a lemon, plus 4 lemon slices

1.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Spray a medium sized baking pan with cooking spray.

2.  In a large bowl mix the pieces of bread, beaten egg, and crab meat.  Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, mustard, mayonnaise, Old Bay, and lemon juice.

3.  Divide the crab cake mixture into 4 parts.  Shape into patties and place in the prepared pan.  Top with a slice of lemon.

4.  Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Note:  To make crab cake sliders form patties that are the size of a half dollar and place on a baking sheet.  Cook for 5-7 minutes on each side or until golden brown.  Serve on slider buns with a lemon slice.

This post linked to:

Real Food Wednesday, Cooking Thursday

What's Cooking Wednesday?, Recipe Swap Thursday

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