Small shells with spinach, bacon, and sun-dried tomatoes

   I'm a sucker for pasta dishes.  I could literally eat pasta every day in a different way and be happy about it.  Over the years I've accumulated a huge amount of pasta recipes and I'm amazed every time I find yet another pasta dish that I've never made.  This dish is no exception.  I don't like kale so I substituted spinach instead.  I also couldn't find orecchiette in my market so I used small shells and they worked perfectly.

   This pasta is simple but packed with flavor.  The shells are the perfect shape to hold both the vegetables and the light sauce.  Upon reading the recipe I was afraid there wouldn't be much flavor as there isn't much to the sauce, but I was pleasantly surprised with the results.  A hint of salty bacon, a drizzle of fresh lemons, and a richness from the Parmesan.  It's delicious and filling but doesn't feel heavy.  My husband loved this dish and was very disappointed when I took the leftovers to work the next day.

Small Shells with Spinach, Bacon, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes (adapted from Cooking Light)

12 oz. small shells (or other short pasta)
4 c. bagged, prewashed spinach
3 slices bacon
1/3 c. sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1/2 t. red pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 t. black pepper
1 t. salt
3 T. Parmesan cheese
2 T. fresh lemon juice
1 T. butter

1.  Cook the pasta according to the package directions.  Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water, and keep warm.

2.  Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet until crisp.  Remove the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.  Leave 1 teaspoon of bacon drippings in the pan, removing the rest. 

3.  Heat the bacon drippings in the pan over medium heat.  Add in the spinach and cook until just wilted.  Toss in the sun-dried tomatoes, red pepper, and garlic.  Cook for 1 minute stirring frequently. 

4.  Add the pasta, reserved pasta water, black pepper, and salt.  Cook for 2 minutes, stirring well to combine.  Add in the butter and stir until just melted.  Remove from heat.

5.  Sprinkle the pasta with lemon juice and half of the Parmesan and bacon.  Place the pasta on plates and add additional Parmesan and bacon if desired.

This post linked to:

Not Baaad Sundays, Seasonal Sundays

Mangia Mondays , Made it on Monday

What's on Your Plate? Wednesdays

Beach Theme Marble Cake

  One of the other special education teachers at work had to move mid-year to Florida because her husband took a job in that area.  She is one of my good friends at work and when the staff decided to put together a luncheon to say goodbye I was asked to make her a cake.  Knowing that she was moving to Florida, I immediately got to work researching beach themed cakes.

  In the end I decided on making a marble half sheet cake.  I've never made a marble cake in my life, but found two recipes that looked tasty and went from there.  I made the yellow cake first, then dotted it with the chocolate cake and swirled.  The end result was a beautiful marbled cake.

   The cake itself wasn't too hard to make, but the decorating took quite a long time.  I tinted icing blue and iced the entire cake.  While the icing was still wet I covered half the cake with crushed up graham crackers for sand.  I used royal icing to make bikinis, swim trunks, and sunglasses on teddy grahams and set them up on fruit by the foot beach towels, gummy saver inter tubes, and underneath beach umbrellas.  A lot of detail work went into it, but it was a crowd pleaser.  My friend absolutely loved it and numerous co-workers came by my room to tell me I should open my own bakery.  At the end of the day I went to pack up the leftover cake to bring home for my husband.  Boy was I surprised when the entire thing was gone!

Lazy Daisy Cake (yellow cake) (adapted from So Tasty, So Yummy)

3 eggs
2 c. sugar
2 c. flour
2 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
2/3 c. lowfat milk
1/3 c. plain yogurt
2 T. butter
1 t. vanilla

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Spray an 11 x 15 rectangular baking pan with cooking spray.

2.  In a large bowl beat the eggs.  Add in the sugar.  Beat until light.  Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Mix well.

3.  Heat the milk and butter for 45 seconds in a microwave safe bowl.  Remove and add to the flour mixture.  Add in the yogurt and stir until everything is combined.  Just stir in the vanilla.

4.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan and set aside.


Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate Cake (adapted from Hershey's)

1 c. sugar
1 c. flour
1/2 c. Hershey's cocoa powder
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
1 egg
1/3 c. milk
1/3 c. plain yogurt
1/3 c. vegetable oil
1 t. vanilla

1/2 c. hot water

1.  In a large bowl stir together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 

2.  In a medium bowl beat the egg.  Mix in the milk, yogurt, oil, and vanilla.  Stir until well combined.

3.  Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and stir well.  Mix in the hot water; cake batter will be thin.

4.  Pour batter by 3-4 T. onto the lazy daisy cake.  Take a knife and swirl the chocolate cake into the yellow cake, making sure you can see the swirls and the yellow cake.

5.  Put the entire pan into the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out of the center of the pan clean.

6.  Immediately place the cake in the pan on a wire cooling rack.  Allow to cool for 10 minutes then remove from pan.  Completely cool on racks then decorate.

For the Decorations

-Graham Cracker Crumbs (for sand)

-Red and White Mints (for beach balls)

-Teddy Grahams (for the people)

-Gummy Life Savers (for Intertubes)

-Sour Candy Strips (for beach towels)

-Cocktail Umbrellas (for umbrellas)

-Swedish Fish (to decorate sides of cake)

3 c. buttercream frosting tinted blue (to cover cake)

1 c. buttercream frosting tinted green (for underwater plants)

1 c. royal icing, tinted various colors, for piping on Teddy Grahams sunglasses and bathing suits (recipe HERE)

This recipe linked to:

Friday Potluck, Fat Camp Friday, So Sweet Sunday

Sweet Tooth Friday, Foodie Friday

Sweets for a Saturday, A Themed Baker's Sunday

Crab and Corn Chowder

   This week my cooking board hosted a vegetarian recipe for our recipe exchange.  I'm always trying to add more vegetables to our meals, so I was glad that this was the exchange for the week.  When my recipe came I knew my husband would be thrilled.  It was a recipe for crab and corn chowder and the recipe came from a Maryland native.  My husband, who has lived in Maryland most of his life, loves his crab.

   The recipe seemed easy enough and was filled with different vegetables.  I wasn't sure about the addition of potato flakes, but figured it would thicken the chowder.  The chowder came together quickly and smelled delicious.  This chowder is very thick and hearty.  It is flavorful without being heavy.  I enjoyed the spiciness of the Old Bay seasoning along with the variety of vegetables.  My husband liked it a lot too.  He immediately knew it was a Maryland recipe because of the use of Old Bay.  He could tell I used claw meat though and suggested that next time we use Phillip's special crab meat (which is a combination of lump and claw).     

Crab and Corn Chowder (adapte from The Cookaholic Wife)

1/2 lb. crab meat (I used Phillips so I didn't have pick through for shells)
1 green pepper
1 red pepper
1 T. olive oil
1 t. salt
2 T. butter
1/2 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 (10 oz) bag frozen corn kernals
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 c. dry potato flakes
1 can diced green chilies
2 c. fat free half and half
1 c. low fat milk
1 1/2 c. water
1 t. parsley
1 t. pepper
3 T. Old Bay

1.  Season the crab meat with 1 T. Old Bay.  Mix well and set aside. 

2.  Preheat the oven to broil.  Cut the red and green peppers into fours.  Place on a cookie sheet and drizzle with the olive oil and salt.  Broil 6 inches from heat for 4-6 mintues or until they begin to char.  Remove from the oven and cool.

3.  Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large stockpot over medium heat.  Add the onion and carrot and saute for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add in the garlic and heat an additional minute. 

4.  Chop the red and green pepper and add to the stock pot.  Stir in the corn and green chilies as well.  Cook for 5-7 minutes or until corn is completely thawed.

5.  Add in the water, potato flakes, Old Bay seasoning, and pepper.   Mix well and cook for 5 minutes.

6.  Slowly stir in the milk, half and half, crab meat, and parsley.  Cook for an additional 5-10 minutes.  Serve with additional Old Bay.

This post linked to:

What's Cooking Wednesday? Made it on Monday

Real Food Wednesday, What's on Your Plate? Wednesday

It's a Keeper Thursday, Recipe Swap Thursday



Creamy Cilantro Tomatillo Dressing and Giveaway Winner!

     At 6pm last night I chose the winner of the Freschetta Pizza Prize Package.  The winner was chosen by random.org.  The number picked was 18.

 Christine said...

I'm now following you on Twitter (@ChrissesKitchen). christineskitchenchronicles (at) gmail (dot) com

     Congratulations to Christine!  I have e-mailed you for your information.  Please e-mail me your mailing address so I can send your Freschetta Pizza and Bamboo cutting board!  Thank you to everyone who entered.

     I recently found a creamy cilantro dressing on one of my favorite light blogs.  It sounded light but full of flavor.  It worked perfectly with the pork and tomatillo dish I was making for dinner. This dressing it light and refreshing on a mixed greens salad or even on bibb lettuce.  It has a ton of flavor from the cilantro, spices, and tomatillo.  It's a beautiful light green color and has a hint of spice from the red pepper.

Creamy Cilantro Tomatillo Dressing (adapted from Gina's Skinny Recipes )

1/2 c. lowfat milk
1/4 c. light mayonnaise
1/4 c. fat free plain yogurt
1/4 c. fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tomatillos, husks removed, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 scallion, chopped
juice from half of a lime
zest from half of a lime
1 t. dried parsley
1 t. cumin
1 t. red pepper
1 t. black pepper
1 t. salt

1.  Combine all ingredients in food processor.  Chop on high for 30 seconds or until everything is well combined.   Refrigerate until ready to serve.

This post linked to:

Meatless Mondays, Mangia Mondays

Tuesdays at the Table, Tuesday Night Supper Club

Made From Scratch Tuesdays

Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream Frosting: What's Baking?

      This month the What's Baking? challenge is from Cara at The Boys Made Me Do It!  Her challenge was to bake something for Mother's Day.  Now I had a tough time with this.  For one, I saw my mother the weekend before Mother's Day so I knew if I baked something, it was going to be for me.  The second problem was that whenever I think Mother's Day I think red velvet, I think flowers, I think chocolate.  Well, I didn't want to make any of that.  I wanted something light, and spring like to celebrate the day.

      After hitting the market, I decided on a lemon blueberry cupcake since blueberries were on sale this week.  I wanted to make it light and refreshing, but also wanted to make the decorations pretty enough for Mother's Day.  The cupcake was easy to make and had lemon peel, lemon juice, and fresh blueberries in it.  I debated over whether to go with a cream cheese frosting or a buttercream and eventually went with a fluffy lemon buttercream.  To top it all off I added candied lemon peel and more fresh blueberries.

      These cupcake were awesome!  The lemon flavor was strong enough to taste it in both the cupcake and frosting, but it wasn't overbearing.  The tartness of the blueberries went wonderful with the sweet lemon cake and frosting.  They were light,  pretty, and delicious; perfect for mom!  I'll be making these again soon.

Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes(adapted from The Big Book of Cupcakes from Betty Crocker)

1 1/4 c. flour
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
6 T. butter
3 T. applesauce
2/3 c. sugar
1 egg
1 egg white
1 T. lemon grated lemon peel
1 T. lemon juice
1/2 t. vanilla
1/4 c. milk
1/2 c. fresh blueberries

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Put 12 cupcake liners in a muffin tin.

2.  In a medium bowl cream the butter, applesauce, and sugar together until well mixed.  Beat in the egg and egg white.  Mix in the lemon juice, lemon peel, and vanilla.  Set aside.

3.  In another medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt.  Slowly stir the flour mix into the butter mixture, stirring the flour is added.  Pour in the milk and mix until everything is smooth and well combined.

4.  Divide the batter into the 12 prepared muffin cups, filling 2/3 of the way full.  Place 3-4 berries on top of the batter in each cup and press down slightly.

5.  Bake 25-28 minutes or until a toothpick comes out of the center clean.  Remove to rack to cool.

Lemon Buttercream Frosting (adapted from The Big Book of Cupcakes from Betty Crocker)

2 1/2 c. powdered sugar

5 T. butter
3-4 T. lemon juice
1 t. grated lemon peel

1.  With an electric mixer beat together the butter, lemon juice, and lemon peel.  Slowly add in the powdered sugar until it is well combined and the icing is smooth.  This may take several minutes.

2.  Frost lemon blueberry cupcakes and top with fresh blueberries and candied lemon peel.

This post linked to:

Sweet Tooth Friday, Sweets for a Saturday

Not Baaad Sundays, Seasonal Sundays

Muffin Monday,  Cupcake Party

Balsamic BBQ Chicken

   The weather is finally getting nicer.  My favorite part of warm weather, besides wearing sandals, is being able to grill out.  Nothing tastes as good as food cooked on the grill.  One of my favorites is BBQ chicken on the grill and this balsamic version is awesome!  The sauce gets thick and is both sweet and sour.  It's a wonderful glaze for a grilled piece of chicken.

Balsamic BBQ Chicken (adapted from Giada's Kitchen)
1/2 c. balsamic vinegar
2/3 c. ketchup
2 T. brown sugar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 T. Worchester sauce
1 T. Dijon mustard
1/2 t. onion powder
1 t. black pepper
1 t. cornstarch
1 lb. chicken breasts

1.  Grill the chicken on an outdoor grill.  When the internal temperature reaches 170 degrees remove from heat and cover in foil to keep warm.

2.  Meanwhile, combine all ingredients except cornstarch in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer, stirring occasionally.  Whisk in the cornstarch and cook for 10-15 minutes or until the sauce thickens.  Serve over top of grilled chicken.

Freschetta Simply Inspired Review and a Giveaway

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of FRESCHETTA®. All opinions are 100% mine.
   I always keep frozen pizza on hand for days when we are too busy to make anything.  I've had many different frozen pizzas over the years and both my husband and I agree that Freschetta frozen pizzas are our favorite.  The new Simply Inspired Freschetta pizza line comes in 8 mouth watering flavors including:

• Southern BBQ Recipe Chicken
• Classic Bruschetta
• Farmer's Market Veggie
• Tuscan Farmhouse
• Rustic Pepperoni Pomodoro
• Harvest Supreme
• Hawaiian Style
• Chicken Bianco

    I have tried the Classic Bruschetta and the Farmer's Market Veggie.  I really enjoyed the classic bruschetta.  It comes with a thin, crispy crust (which my husband loved) topped with a tomato and garlic pesto, a blend of four cheese, garlic, and tomatoes.  The tomatoes are very fresh tasting and pair wonderfully with the pesto sauce.  It's perfect not only as a meal but cut into small pieces for an appetizer pizza.

     The other pizza I've tried is the Farmer's Market Veggie.  This is another delicious thin crust pizza.  I like the vegetables that are on this one, as I feel many frozen pizzas skimp on the vegetables.  This one has a red sauce topped with mozzarella cheese, marinated Portobella mushrooms, zucchini, tomatoes, and red onion.  The combination  is really tasty.

 

     Another great thing about Freschetta Simply Inspired Pizzas are the packaging.  Each Freschetta pizza comes in a Freschetta-Taste Seal Package which locks in the flavor while using 30% less packaging materials.  This means it not only tastes good but is leaving you with less waste as well.  Visit FRESCHETTA® Simply…Inspired™    to find out more about the Simply Inspired Pizzas.

      Freschetta and Social Sparks were nice enough to provide me with a coupon for a free Freschetta Simply Inspired pizza as well as an awesome Freschetta bamboo cutting board with utensils, and provided one of these packages for aHezzi-D's Books and Cooks reader as well!

      Madatory Entry:  Leave me a comment telling me which flavor of Freschetta Simply Inspired pizza you would like to try.  Don't forget to leave your e-mail address as well!
To receive additional entries you can:

• Like Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks on Twitter (+1)
• Like Freschetta on Twitter (+1)
• Like Freschetta on Facebook

     All entries must be received by Friday, May 13 at midnight.  ***Due to Blogger being down for a day and a half all entries must be in by 6pm on Sunday, May 15.  The winner will now be announced Monday morning.**  Good luck!

French Onion Soup

First let me say Happy Mother's Day to all the amazing and wonderful women out there who are mothers.  I for one do not know what I would do without my mother, Patty.  I hope all the mother's who read my blog have a fabulous day.  Now, on to the soup!

My husband adores French Onion soup. While paging through my new Paula Deen cookbook I caught sight of a picture of her French Onion soup. It looked really yummy. Even though French Onion is not my favorite soup, I decided to go for it.

Cutting the onions was a disaster. Tears were streaming down my face and my husband was wondering what the problem was. Not five minutes later his eyes began tearing up as well. It got worse as I caramelized the onions. But once that was over the rest of the process was easy.

Frank wasn’t thrilled when he found out it’s a crock-pot recipe, but as soon as he smelled it cooking he changed his mind. It smells incredible when it’s cooking. I could smell the butter, onions, and beef. We couldn’t wait to try it.

The soup turned out thick and rich. I ladled it into pottery bowls handmade by our friend Shane, topped it with croutons and cheese, and put it under the broiler. It looked amazing! The cheese was gooey and brown and the croutons peeked out from underneath it.

I think this version of French Onion soup has forever changed my mind about French Onions soups. It was out of this world! Rich and beefy with caramelized onions, topped with gooey Gruyere cheese and crunchy croutons. It doesn’t get much better then this!

French Onion Soup (adapted from Paula Deen’s recipe in The Deen Family Cookbook)
3 large sweet onions, thinly sliced
3 T. butter
2 t. sugar
1/3 pound beef, cut into ½ inch cubes (I used London Broil, but stew meat or flank steak is fine)
¼ c. dry white wine
5 ½ c. beef broth
1 c. water
2 t. Worcestershire sauce
1 t. dried thyme
1 t. black pepper
1 bay leaf
1/3 pound of Gruyere cheese, grated

For the Croutons:
1 French baguette
2 T. butter
½ t. black pepper

1. In a large skillet melt the butter. Once it is melted add the sliced onions. Sprinkle the sugar on top and sauté about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are caramelized. Put the onions in the crock-pot and turn on low heat.

2. Add the beef to the same skillet along with the wine. Cook for 5 minutes or until the beef is no longer pink. Make sure you get all the brown bits off the bottom and mixed with the wine. (My London broil was left over from last night’s dinner so I only cooked it for 1 minute to get the wine flavor and brown bits off the pan).

3. Pour the beef and wine mixture over top of the onions in the crock-pot. Add the broth, water, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, thyme, and bay leaf to the crock-pot. Cook on low for 5-6 hours.

4. About 30 minutes before serving, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the French baguette into 1 inch cubes. Heat the butter in a large skillet. Add the baguette pieces along with the black pepper and sauté for 2-3 minutes to cover the croutons in butter. Transfer the croutons to a baking pan and cook for 10-15 minutes or until brown and crunchy.

5. Turn on the broiler. Ladle the soup into oven proof bowls. Top with croutons and grated Gruyere cheese. Broil 6 inches from heat for about 3 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and browned.

This post linked to:

Seasonal Sundays, Not baaad Sundays

Mangia Mondays, Tuesdays at the Table,

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

Made From Scratch Tuesdays

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites

       After having such success with my cake batter bites, I decided to make a similar treat with chocolate chip cookie dough. I mean, everyone knows the best part of chocolate chip cookies is the dough! I easily modified the recipe to make these little bites and they were even better then the cake batter bites!

     The batter tasted exactly like cookie dough and dipping them in milk chocolate was like eating a chocolate covered chocolate chip cookie. These are perfect to make and take with you to a party. They don’t need to be refrigerated and they travel well.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites (a Hezzi-D original)

3 T. melted butter
1 c. flour
¼ c. sugar
¼ c. brown sugar
1 t. vanilla
¾ c. sweetened condensed milk
1 – 1 ½ c. powdered sugar
½ c. mini chocolate chips
1 c. chocolate melts

1. In a bowl combine the melted butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Mix well. Add in the vanilla and stir. Slowly add in the flour and mix until combined.

2. Mix in the sweetened condensed milk and the chocolate chips. Slowly add the powdered sugar a little at a time until the dough is very stiff and hard to mix.

3. Line a baking sheet with waxed paper. Roll the dough into quarter sized balls and place on the lined baking sheet. Freeze for 15 minutes.

4. Melt the chocolate melts in a double boiler or in the microwave until just melted. Remove half the dough balls from the freezer and dip into melted chocolate. Set on a sheet of waxed paper and immediately top with mini chocolate chips. Let sit for 15 minutes to harden.

This post linked to:
Friday Potluck, Fat Camp Friday
Sweet Tooth Friday, Sweets for a Saturday
So Sweet Sundays, Meatless mondays

The Glass Castle

    A few months ago a friend of mine told me to read The Glass Castle.  I put it on my "to read" list but there were so many books ahead of it that I wasn't sure I would get to it.  Then this past month The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls was picked for my monthly book club.  I wasn't really sure what the book was about, but a fellow teacher let me borrow her copy and told me it was so good that she finished it in a week.  I was intrigued, as this teacher is not a big reader.

    The book is a memoir about Jeannette Walls' life growing up.  She was one of four children born to Rex and Rose Mary Walls.  Rex and Rose Mary were borderline geniuses who quickly got bored with whatever job they had and moved from place to place looking for work and adventure.

    Rex was a brilliant man who taught his children about physics, geology, architecture, and who dreamed of building The Glass Castle.  Unfortunately Rex was drunk most of the times and spent most of the family's money on booze and pipe dreams.  Rose Mary was a teacher by trade but painting was her true passion.  Instead of cooking, cleaning, or providing for her family she spent much of her time making paintings. 

   When the children were young Rex and Rose Mary took them from place to place in the West, from one adventure to the next.  The children rarely attended school and enjoyed the freedom of moving from place to place.  Things change when the family runs out of money and moves to a poor mining town in West Virginia to be closer to Rex's parents.  Things go from bad to worse as neither parent can hold down a job and the Walls are the poorest family in town.

   The children ban together to fend for themselves.  Collecting cans in order to get a hot meal, finding wood to mend the holes in the roof, and even taking odd jobs to save money in order to get out of the town and start a better life for themselves.  Against all odds these intelligent four children manage to get out, one by one, and move to New York where things get better for all of them but one.

   This store is full of funny stories, heartwarming moments, and the love of a dysfunctional family.  It is also full of moments when the children act more like adults then their parents do.  There are moments in the book where I would have liked to have choked Rex and Rose Mary and asked them to look at what they were doing to their children.  There were other times that I wondered in awe at what these children, who came from nothing, had accomplished.

  The Glass Castle is an amazing story that I would recommend to anyone.  It kept me engaged until the very end.  In fact, it kept me engaged long after I finished the last page and proceeded to look up more information on the Walls' family for weeks after.

I give this book 5 out of 5 starts.

Pierogi and Kielbasa Bake

    I’ve recently seen several recipes for pierogi bakes. I have loved pierogi’s since I was a little girl. They are a tradition in Pittsburgh. They are so popular in Pittsburgh that there are actual “pierogi” races at the Pittsburgh Pirate games. Yes, grown adults put on pierogi costumes and race each other at the baseball games-it’s hilarious!
    I’ve been trying to decide which pierogi bake to try when I came across one for pierogi’s and kielbasa. While I don’t really enjoy kielbasa, my husband loves it. I would have liked to have used my dad’s homemade pierogi’s, but we happened to be out of them so I had to settle for Mrs. T’s. As a quick side note, my dad makes the most amazing pierogi’s I have ever tasted.

    This dish was actually really good. It has a base of pierogi’s, topped with kielbasa and peppers, with a cheese cream sauce poured over top. The cheese sauce is really delicious with its blend of cheeses, white wine, and chicken broth. The flavor of the kielbasa really seeps into the sauce and gives it a salty flavor as well. Both my husband and I really enjoyed this meal and I’ll be making it again soon. It’s quick and easy to prepare, perfect for a quick weeknight meal. The only thing I’d do differently is to use the homemade pierogi’s-they make all the difference in the world!

Pierogi and Kielbasa Bake (adapted from Lemons and Love)

1 package (16 oz.) of frozen potato and cheese pierogies (though homemade are better!)
½ lb. kielbasa, cut into small pieces
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ c. green peppers, julienned
¼ c. red peppers, julienned
¼ c. onions, chopped
4 oz. low fat cream cheese
½ c. white wine
¼ c. chicken broth
¼ c. cheddar cheese, shredded
¼ c. mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 t. black pepper

1.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2.  Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray.  Arrange the pierogies in the bottom of the dish.  Set aside.

3.  Cook kielbasa in a pot over medium heat, about 6-7 minutes, or until it begins to brown.  Add garlic, peppers, and onion.  Saute for 2-3 minutes.  Stir in the cream cheese and pepper until the cream cheese starts melting.  Add in the wine and chicken broth, stirring frequently until all ingredients are well incorporated.  Heat 3 additional minutes. 

4.  Remove the pan from heat and pour over the pierogies in the prepared baking dish.  Top with the cheeses and bake for 20 minutes or until heated through.

This post linked to:

Tuesdays at the Table, Tuesday Night Supper Club

Dr. Laura's Tasty Tuesdays, Made it From Scratch Tuesdays

What's Cooking Wednesdays?, Made it on Monday

Mushroom Bolognese

   I recently tried this recipe for mushroom bolognese.  I was intrigued as the bolognese is made mostly from mushrooms, though it does have a small amount of ground beef for flavor.  This sauce was delicious.  It was thick, rich, and chunky.  If I hadn't told my husband it was mostly mushrooms I think he truly would have believed it was a bolognese sauce.  This version is much healthier then traditional bolognese and I'll be the first to admit I didn't miss the massive amount of meat at all.  Give this lighter version a try-you'll be glad you did!

Mushroom Bolognese (adapted from Cooking Light)

1 T. olive oil
1 c. chopped onion
1 t. salt
1 t. black pepper
1/2 lb. lean ground beef (optional)
5 c. finely chopped mushrooms (I used a combination of white and baby bella)
1 t. minced garlic
3 T. tomato paste
1/2 c. red wine
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 t. Italian seasoning
1 t. oregano
1 lb. pasta
1/4 c. pasta water
Parmesan cheese and fresh chopped parsley

1.  Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add the onion, salt, pepper, and ground beef.  Cook for 10 minutes or until beef is browned.

2.  Add the mushrooms and garlic and cook for an additional 15 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated.  Add in tomato paste, wine, and tomatoes.  Bring to a boil then reduce to simmer for 30 minutes.  Stir occasionally. 

3.  Meanwhile, make the pound of pasta according to package directions.  Reserve 1/4 c. pasta water.

4.  Stir in the oregano and Italian seasoning.  Stir in pasta water.  Spoon over hot pasta and sprinkle with cheese and parsley.

**This sauce can be frozen for up to 6 months.  I usually put it in quart sized freezer bags and stack flat in the freezer.**

This post linked to:

Seasonal Sundays, Not Baaad Sundays

Mangia Monday, Meatless monday

Vegetable Tempura: Recipe Swap

    I once again decided to participate in the recipe swap with my online cooking board.  The theme for this weeks swap was Asian recipes.   I was excited when I received a recipe for Vegetable Tempura.  Whenever I go to our local Asian kitchen I always order the vegetable tempura with my meal.  I love the crunchy coating on the outside of the vegetables and the awesome dipping sauce that goes with it.

     I have actually never thought about making my own tempura.  I'm not very good at deep frying foods and it seems as though it would be difficult to make.  I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the recipe was very basic and sounded easy!  The hardest part was deciding which vegetables to use as part of the tempura.  I knew for sure I wanted broccoli and onions, but wasn't sure what else to go with.  I finally decided on acorn squash and yellow squash.

     Earlier in the day I made the tempura dipping sauce and cut up all my vegetables.  I also made the batter and put it in the refrigerator.  I didn't take anything out until the oil was already heating up.  I was a little apprehensive when I put the first batch into the oil but I was thrilled when I pulled the vegetables out and they looked very similar to the ones I get at the local Asian kitchen!  I quickly added a few more batches and we ate the vegetable tempura with the dipping sauce.

    It was so good!  The vegetables were crunchy and golden brown and the dipping sauce was amazing.  I was surprised with how well it turned out.  My husband thought it was great as well.  Next time he wants to try shrimp tempura as well.  He also thought this would be an impressive appetizer to serve at a party.  I totally agree.  It would take some work, but it goes fairly quickly, is really tasty, and is totally impressive.  We will be having this again for sure!

Vegetable Tempura (adapted from I Was Born to Cook as seen on Itsy Bitsy Foodies )

For the Tempura:

1 onion, peeled and cut into rings

1 acorn squash, peeled and cut into thin slices

1 yellow squash, cut into 1/2 in discs

1 bunch broccoli, broken into florets
canola oil for frying

For tempura batter:
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 c. cold water
1 1/2 c. flour
2 ice cubes

For tempura sauce:
1/4 c. water
1 T. soy sauce
1 T. rice vinegar
1 T. oyster sauce

1.  Combine all sauce ingredients in a small sauce pan.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat.  Simmer for 2-3 minutes.  Remove from heat and cool.

2.  To make the batter mix the egg and water in a medium bowl.  Add in the flour and mix until combined, not over mixing.  There should still be a few lumps in it.  Put the two ice cubes in the bowl and place in the refrigerator until ready to use.  (This will help keep batter ice cold)

3.  Prepare the vegetables.  If you are not ready to use them place in the refrigerator until time to use.

4.  Heat oil in a wok or a large skillet over medium high heat.  When the oil is ready dip the vegetables a few at a time into the batter and place in the oil.  Heat for 3-4 minutes or until the tempura is a golden brown.  Heat in batches so as not to crowd the vegetables and lower the temperature of the oil.  Remove with a slotted spoon.  Place vegetables on a cooling rack positioned over top of a cookie sheet to catch excess oil.  Serve immediately with dipping sauce.

This post linked to:
Fat Camp Friday, Friday Potluck

Maple Mousse in Brown Sugar, Brown Butter, and Bacon cookie cups: Daring Baker's Challenge

    The April 2011 Daring Baker's challenge was hosted by Evelyne of the blog Cheap Ethnic Eatz.  Evelyne chose to challenge everyone to make a maple mousse in an edible container.  Prizes are being awarded to the most creative edible container and filling, o vote on your favorite from April 27th to May 27th at http://thedaringkitchen.com/ !

   When I saw what this month's challenge was I wasn't happy.  I don't really like the taste of maple and it is an expensive ingredient to use when I didn't know whether or not I'd eat it.  I debated for about two weeks before I gave in and bought a bottle of organic maple syrup I found at Wal-Mart.  I spent another week agonizing about a container to make.  I wanted to make something with bacon, but I've been a little afraid to use bacon in my baking.  I finally sucked it up and came up with the idea of a brown butter, brown sugar, and bacon cookie container. 

   The result was awesome!  I LOVED the cookie containers.  I couldn't believe it.  The bacon is not very noticeable except to a salt taste that pairs so well with the browned butter.  I made the mousse while I was making the cookie containers and was leery of it as well. Turns out that this mousse tastes more of caramel then of maple.  I was thrilled!  Put the two together and I had an out of this world dessert!  My husband thought it was awesome as well and couldn't believe that I had baked with bacon-cookies and bacon are two of his favorites.

    Though this recipe is time consuming I'd love to make it again for a dinner party or to take to an event.  The mousse needs to stay cool so it would have to be somewhere that I could take it out of the refrigerator and serve immediately.  Thank you so much for this challenge, it was awesome!

Maple Mousse (recipe from Jaime Oliver is not my Boyfriend)

1 c. pure maple syrup

4 egg yolks

1 package (1 T.) unflavored gelatin

1 1/2 c. whipping cream

1. In a small saucepan bring the maple syrup to a boil.  Remove from heat.

2.  In a large bowl whisk the egg yolks.  Pour in a small amount of the hot maple syrup while whisking constantly in order to temper the egg yolks.

3.  Add the egg yolks to the hot maple syrup and mix well.

4.  In a small microwave proof bowl pour 1/4 c. whipping cream and sprinkle with gelatin.  Let rest for 5 minutes.  Put the bowl in the microwave for 20 seconds.  Remove and stir.  Put it back in for 15 seconds.  Remove and stir until gelatin is dissolved.

5.  Whisk the gelatin mixture into the maple syrup mixture.  Set aside.  Whisk occasionally for the next hour.  (I did this about every 10 minutes)

6.  After an hour whip the remaining cream.  Stir in 1/4 c. whipping cream into maple syrup mixture.  Stir well.  Fold in the remaining whipping cream.  Refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

7.  Remove from refrigerator and put in edible cookie cups.

Brown Sugar, Brown Butter, and Bacon Cookie Cups (adapted from Lipstick Blogger)
7 T. butter
1 c. brown sugar, packed
1 c. flour

1/2 t. salt

1 large egg
2 slices bacon, cooked and minced
2 t. vanilla

1.  Heat the butter in a small saute pan over medium high heat until melt.  Stir constantly until the butter is a golden brown and smells nutty.  Remove from heat and put browned butter in a mixing bowl.  Let cool for 10 minutes.

2.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a mini muffin tin with baking spray (I sprayed 18 cups). 

3.  In a small bowl combine flour, salt, and bacon.

4.  Mix the brown sugar with the butter stirring until all the lumps are out.  Add in the egg and vanilla and mix well.  Slowly add in the flour mixture, stirring after each addition.

5.  Roll the dough into quarter sized balls, placing one in each mini muffin cup.  Using a shot glass, dip the flat end of the shot glass into flour then push into the dough forming a cup.  Do this for each dough ball.

6.  Bake for 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and using the shot glass and flour, remake the indentation in each cookie cup.  Bake for an additional 5 minutes.  Let cool on a cooling rack.  Fill with maple mousse.

This post linked to:

What's on Your Plate Wednesdays, Made it on Monday

Real Food Wednesdays, What's Cooking Wednesdays, So Sweet Sundays

It's a Keeper Thursday, Frugal Food Thursdays, Sweets for a Saturday