White Chocolate Panna Cotta with Mint-Strawberry Gelee and Florentine Cookies: Daring Baker's Challenge

    The February 2011 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Mallory from A Sofa in the Kitchen. She chose to challenge everyone to make Panna Cotta from a Giada De Laurentiis recipe and Nestle Florentine Cookies.  Surprisingly I've never made either the panna cotta or the florentine cookies so I was excited to try them.

    I decided to make a white chocolate panna cotta as I like the white color but wanted to add some additional flavor with the chocolate.  The end result was a creamy, pudding like dessert.  It was pretty tasty.  I added my own version of mint-strawberry gelee to give it a tangy, fruit flavor as well.  The combination was fantastic and I'll definitely be making it again.

    The florentines were easy to make and really delicious.  They are crisp and buttery and I loved the addition of chocolate to the cookies.  I went with a trio of florentines, each with their own chocolate; white, milk, and dark.  A strawberry garnish on the plates tied these desserts together nicely.  I was pleasantly surprised with the results of both.


A Trio of Chocolate Florentine Cookies (recipe adapted from Nestle)

2/3 c. butter
2 c. quick oats
1/2 c. sugar
2/3 c. flour
1/4 c. dark corn syrup
1/4 c. lowfat milk

1 t. vanilla

1/2 t. salt

1/4 c. milk chocolate

1/4 c. white chocolate
1/4 c. dark chocolate

1.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Cover the baking sheets with parchment paper.

2.  Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat.  After melted remove from heat.  Stir in oats, sugar, flour, corn syrup, milk, vanilla, and salt.  Stir until well combined. 

3.  Drop by heaping teaspoon onto the prepared baking sheet, about 2 inches apart.  Flatten each cookie with the back of a spoon.

4.  Bake for 9-12 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown.  Remove from oven.

5.  For rolled cookies let cool 1 minute then immediately shape over the handle of a wooden spoon.  Move slowly so as not to tear the cookie.  (I used 3 different spoons so that each cookie could cool on the wooden spoon.)  Let remaining cookies cool on baking sheet.  Once cool transfer half of cookies to wire rack.

6.  Melt each of the three chocolates in a zip top baggie in the microwave in 30 seconds increments or until cooled.  Drizzle white chocolate over one third of cookies.  Fill the rolled cookies with milk chocolate.  Flip half of the remaining cookies so the flat side is showing.  Squeeze on dark chocolate, smooth, and top with with a second cookie.  Serve one of each cookie on a plate with garnish.

White Chocolate Panna Cotta (adapted from Bon Appetit)

1 c. lowfat milk

1 T. unflavored gelatin
2 c. heavy whipping cream
1/2 c. sugar
3/4 cps white chocolate chips
1 t. vanilla

1.  Pour milk into a small bowl and sprinkle gelatin over top.  Set aside.

2.  Heat cream, sugar, and vanilla in a medium pan over medium heat.  Bring to a boil. 

3.  Add in white chocolate and whisk until melted.  Continue whisking and add in the milk mixture.  Whisk for 2 minutes or until gelatin is dissolved.

4.  Pour panna cotta into glasses.  I poured half on top of glasses I already had set with mint-strawberry gelee. Refrigerate for 5 hours.  Remove and top with mint-strawberry gelee.  Refrigerate for an additional 3 hours. 

Mint-Strawberry Gelee (a Hezzi-D original)

1 c. strawberries, chopped

1/4 c. water

1/4 c. sugar

1 T. fresh mint, minced

2 t. gelatin

1.  In a saucepan over medium heat combine strawberries, water, and sugar.  Bring to a boil and add in gelatin and mint.  Boil for 10 minutes then remove from heat.  Cool for 15 minutes.

**I made a half recipe and poured into 3 glasses.  I chilled for 2 hours then topped with the white chocolate panna cotta.  I also made another half recipe 5 hours after chilling the white chocolate panna cotta and topped the remaining ones with the gelee at this time.  To serve I sliced a strawberry and placed on top of the panna cotta with a fresh mint leaf.**

This post linked to:
Not Baaad Sundays, Mommy's Kitchen
Meatless Mondays, Your Recipe, My Kitchen
Made From Scratch Tuesday, Sweets for a Saturday

Thai Beef Noodle Salad

  My brother received a recipe from a lady at work for Thai Beef Salad.  He immediately turned it over to me asking if I would make it and let him know how it is.  I wasn't sure about the ingredients, but after a week I decided to go for it.  I made some changes to the recipe including adding noodles and cucumber to the salad which I think helped to make it more filling.

  Don't let the dressing for this salad fool you.  It tastes sweet and yummy, but leaves a kick of spice after you swallow.  We really enjoyed the salad.  It was a light, semi-healthy meal that had enough substance to eat for a dinner.  My husband loved the flavors in this salad and I loved the bright colors of it.  This is a salad I would make for company.  We'll be having this again soon!

Thai Beef Noodle Salad (adapted from a recipe given to me by my brother)

16 oz. beef (we used flank steak)
2 T. garlic, minced

1 T. seasame oil

1 T. olive oil

2 mild chilies, chopped

1 head lettuce

2 small tomatoes

1 cucumber

2 green onions, chopped

1 c. spaghetti noodles, cooked

3 T. soy sauce

For the dressing:
3 T. fresh lemon juice

2 T. fresh chopped mint

1 T. honey

2 T. garlic, minced

1 t. white vinegar

1 t. mild chili, minced

4 T. olive oil

1 T. sesame oil

1 t. black pepper

1 t. salt


1.  Place the beef in a freezer bag.  Add 1 T. sesame oil, 1 T. olive oil, 2 T. garlic.  Marinate for at least 4 hours.

2.  Mix all ingredients for the dressing and whisk until oils are well incorporated.  Place in refrigerator until ready to use.

3.  Put the cooked spaghetti noodles in a bowl with soy sauce.  Let the noodles soak in the sauce for at least 10 minutes before serving.

4.  Place the lettuce, tomato, cucumber, green onions, and chilies onto 4 plates.  Top with noodles that were in the soy sauce.

5.  Heat a skillet over medium heat.  Take out the marinated steak and cooke 3-4 minutes per side.  Remove from heat and slice thinly.  Place steak on top of salads. 

6.  Pour dressing over top of salads and enjoy!

This post is linked to:

It's A Keeper Thursday, Frugal Food Thursday

What's Cookin' In The Kitchen, Friday Potluck

Recipe Swap Thursday, Seasonal Sundays

Green Giant Winner!

The winner of the Green Giant Giveaway was chosen by random.org.  The winning comment number was 13.

life and kitchen said...

I love making frozen veggie pies, which is like a chicken pot pie but made with frozen veggies. Much easier than the real thing, but still tasty!
February 17, 2011 11:05 AM

Congratulations to life and kitchen!  I will be contacting you later on today to get all of your information.  Thank you to everyone who entered!

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