Beer Battered Fish Nuggets

     One of my favorite ways to eat fish is beer battered. I love the flavor of the beer, the spiciness of the seasonings, and the crunchy of the outside of the fish. My version is pan fried rather then deep fried in order to be a bit healthier, though these fish nuggets can be deep fried.

     The flour and beer mixed together makes a thick batter for the fish. In Maryland we use Old Bay on just about anything that comes from the sea. It adds a bit of spice to the fish and the salt and pepper round out the seasonings. The nuggets get crispy and golden brown. Don’t cook them too long or the fish will be overcooked and the crust will stick to the pan.

Beer Battered Fish Nuggets (a Hezzi-D original recipe)

4 tilapia filets (about 1 pound total)
½ c. flour
¾ c. beer
2 t. Old Bay seasoning
1 t. black pepper
½ t. salt
3 T. olive oil

1. Start by cutting each tilapia filet into 8 pieces. Set aside.

2. In a medium size bowl mix the flour, Old Bay, pepper, and salt. Add the beer until the consistency is thick but still pours off a spoon. It will take between ¾ c. and 1 c. of the beer. Stir until smooth.

3. Heat 2 T. of oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Dip half of the fish nuggets into the batter tapping on the side of the dish to remove excess. Place in the pan so that the nuggets are not touching. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side. The crust should be a golden brown. Remove to a plate and cover.

4. Add the additional 1 T. oil to the pan and fry the remaining half of the fish nuggets. Serve warm with vinegar or tartar sauce.

This post linked to:

Made it on Monday, What's Cooking Wednesday

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

Spanakopita

   I really enjoy greek food.  We've recently found a little place in Morgantown called Ali Baba that has awesome Greek food.  It's really inspired me to try and make some dishes on my own.  I've always like Spanakopita but I thought it would be really tough to make.  Turns out I was wrong.

    Spanakopita is really easy to make!  Even though it uses phyllo dough (which my readers know I do not like) it's a simple dish to make.  I used a combination of two recipes and it turned out great!  It is basically a spinach pie with some onion, spinach, feta cheese, and dill in it.  The filling is layer in between phyllo dough and then baked to a golden brown. 

Spanakopita (adapted from What's Cooking Chicago?)
2 T. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
10 oz. frozen spinach
2 c. fresh spinach, stemmed
1 t. salt
1 t. black pepper
1 T. dill
3 scallions, chopped
1 c. feta cheese, crumbled
1 egg, beaten
1 package phyllo dough
4 T. butter, for brushing

1.  Defrost the spinach and drain, set aside.

2.  Heat the oil in a pan.  Add the onions and saute for 5 minutes.  Add in the garlic and cook and additional 2 minutes.  Toss in the fresh spinach and cook until just wilted, about 3 minutes.

3.  Remove from heat and add in salt, pepper, and dill.  Mix well.  Set aside to cool (about 10 minutes).  Add in the scallions, feta, and egg.  Stir until well combined. 

4.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Brush the bottom of a 9 X 9 pan with butter.

5.  Put 1 piece phyllo dough on the bottom of the pan, brush with butter and layer an additional piece.  Continue layering butter and phyllo dough until there are 6 pieces on the bottom.  Spoon in the spinach mixture.  Top the mixture with a piece of phyllo dought, melted butter, then continue layering 5 additional pieces of phyllo.  Brush the top with buter then roll in the excess hanging off the sides.  Trim if needed. 

6.  Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the top is golden brown.  Remove from oven and let cook 5 mintues.  Cut and serve.

This post linked to:

Not Baaad Sundays, Seasonal Sundays

Savory Sunday, Mangia Monday

Meatless mondays

Carrot Cake Muffins with Cream Cheese Icing

    I wanted to make a carrot cake for the kids at school.  We've been trying to have them eat more fruits and vegetables, and I thought a cake with both carrots and raisins in it would be a perfect treat to show them that fruits and veggies CAN taste good.  I've been looking for a reason to use my new Dorie Greenspan Baking book and I found a recipe for carrot cake in it.

    I'll be the first to say that baked goods made with oil instead of butter never turn out quite right for me.  This recipe was no exception.  The cake itself was delicious.  It was sweet with a little bit of spice and full of carrots and raisins.  The cream cheese icing was sweet and creamy.  It was close to perfection.  The only issue I had was that the muffins caved in in the center.  All it took to fix them was a little icing, but they were otherwise great.  The next time I make them I'll substitute butter for the oil.

Carrot Cake Muffins with Cream Cheese Icing (adapted from Baking by Dorie Greenspan)
For the Muffins:
1 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg
1/2 t. salt

1 1/2 c. shredded carrots

1/4 c. shredded coconut
1/2 c. raisins
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. canola oil
2 eggs

For the Frosting:

5 oz. cream cheese

5 T. butter
2 c. powdered sugar
1 T. fresh lemon juice
1 t. vanilla

Chopped nuts and shredded carrots for topping

1.  Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.

2.  In a medium bowl mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.  In another medium bowl combine the carrots, coconut, and raisins.

3.  In a large bowl beat the oil and sugar together.  Add in the eggs and beat well.  Slowly add in the flour mixture until it is just combined.

4.  Stir in the carrot mixture and stir well.  Pour batter into muffin tins filling them 2/3 of the way full.  Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

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

6.  Meanwhile combine the butter and cream cheese and mix with a hand held mixer until smooth.  Add in the vanilla and lemon juice and continue to beat.  Slowly add in the powdered sugar until the frosting is smooth and velvety.  Pipe onto cooled cupcakes.  Top with shredded carrots and nuts if desired.

This post linked to:

Friday Potluck, Foodie Fridays,

Sweet Tooth Fridays, Sweets for a Saturday

So Sweet Sundays, Muffin monday

Chinese Chicken Salad

    Now that the weather is getting warmer I've been looking for some recipes that don't require me to be cooking in the kitchen for long periods of time or that are piping hot when it's 80 degrees outside.  I found a recipe for Chinese Chicken Salad that caught my eye.  The salad itself looked really good but I was very uncertain about the dressing.  The ingredients didn't sound as if they'd come together to make a tasty dressing.

     The salad was great.  A fresh salad of lettuce, cilantro, green onions, and peppers topped with bright Mandarin oranges, crunchy chow mein noodles, and chicken.  I loved the combination of greens, chicken, citrus, and crunch.  It really worked.  The dressing was surprisingly light and delicious as well!  It was a citrus ginger dressing with hints of sesame.  This salad was really delicious.  I ate it for three meals in a row I enjoyed it so much.  My husband thought it was a great easy and light meal as well.

Chinese Chicken Salad (adapted from Foodista )
1 pound chicken breasts
1 T. olive oil
1 t. salt
1 t. pepper
1 t. ground ginger
1 head iceberg lettuce
3 green onion, sliced
1/4 c. fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 c. green pepper, chopped
1/2 c. Mandarin oranges
1 c. chow mein noodles

For the dressing:
4 T. rice vinegar
1 T. sesame oil
1 T. olive oil
1 T. lemon juice
1 t. sugar
2 T. soy sauce
1/2 t. ground ginger

1.  In a large skillet heat olive oil.  Sprinkle the chicken with salt, pepper, and ginger.  Saute 5-6 minutes on each side or until chicken is cooked through.

2.  Remove chicken from pan and cut into 1/2 inch pieces, or shred.  Set aside to cool.

3.  In a large salad bowl combine lettuce, cilantro, green onions, and green peppers.  Mix to combine.  Set aside.

4.  In a small bowl combine rice vinegar, lemon juice, soy sauce, sugar, and oils.  Mix well.  Add in ginger.  Refrigerate until you are ready to use.

5.  On large plates put the lettuce mixture.  Top with 1/2 c. chicken, 5-6 Mandarin oranges, and a handful of chow mein noodles.  Sprinkle with dressing.

**I made a double recipe of the dressing because it turned out being really tasty and I wanted more then the recipe made.  I also used it to make a Chinese chicken wrap.**

The Works: A review of an Ottawa burger joint

    My brother was excited to go to "The Works" for lunch when we recently went to Ottawa, Canada.  He said that they have over 60 combinations of burgers and plenty of yummy sides.  It sounded good so we went there on our last day in Ottawa.

    The Works is a great little chain of restaurants located in Canada.  The whole idea is to build the ultimate burger.  We received the brown paper menu with a list of all the burger toppings.  The drinks come in huge glass Fire-King measuring cups which was pretty cool.  The walls are covered in cement, brick, gadgets, and gizmos. 

    There are 4 things we needed to decide before ordering.  First, decide on a white bun or a wheat bun.  Second, choose a burger.  They have beef burgers, turkey burgers, grilled chicken breast, veggie burgers, and portabello mushroom caps.  For an additional price organic beef or elk can been substituted.  Next  I had to choose a topping.  Finally came the choice of sides:  factory fries, sweet potato strings, spicy die-cut chips, lumpy mash, green weeds, or bold slaw.

   My family decided to start out with an Ottawa favorite-Poutine.  Poutine consists of fresh cut fries with beef gravy and fresh cheese curds.  At The Works they take it to a whole new level with meat and other toppings.  We chose to have ours with thick sliced Montreal smoked meat.  My dad and brother loved the poutine.  My mother and I liked the fries, but I wasn't a big fan of the meat on top.

      My brother chose to have the R.O.F. Burger.  He had it on a white bun, with a ground turkey burger, and a side of spicy die cut fries.  His toppings included an onion ring, jalapeno peppers, banana peppers, chipotle peppers, and jack cheese.  He was in his glory on this one.  The burger was huge and "hotter then hell" as promised.  He ate this one up in a hurry.

   My father chose to have the Rockcliffe Grinder.  He had it on a wheat bun, with grilled chicken, and a side of sweet potato strings.  His toppings included Cajun breading on the chicken, Crazy Frank's hot sauce, tomatoes, chipotle mayo, and bacon.  This burger was also large.  It was a little bit spicy and he said the chicken was moist and juicy.  He loved the sweet potato strings with there sweet, crispness.

   My mother does not like the spice that my brother and dad seem to gravitate to.  She chose to have the Teriyaki Melt.  Hers was on a wheat bun, with grilled chicken, and a side of sweet potato strings.  Her toppings were sauteed wild mushrooms, teriyaki sauce, and Swiss cheese, though she changed the cheese to brie.  She enjoyed her juicy chicken and said that the sauce was just right.  She really liked the addition of the brie to the burger.

    I went with our waitresses favorite, The Red House.  I am all about the vegetable goodness.  My burger was on a wheat bun, with a huge portabello mushroom cap, with a side of spicy die-cut chips.  My toppings included roasted red peppers, avocado, beechhouse sauce (which is a creamy garlic sauce), and Havarti cheese.  I substituted the Havarti with jack cheese.  The burger was huge.  The portabello was thick and tasty and the combination of toppings was amazing.  Truly a vegetarian delight.  It was filling, delicious, and seasoned perfectly.  The die-cut chips was crisp and spicy.

     Overall we had a great meal that left us full for most of the day.  I will say that the burgers are pricey, but the side dishes come with them and the meal is filling.  We all enjoyed our burgers and would like to go back again to try out a different combination of burger!

Roasted Red Pepper and Fresh Mozzarella Couscous

When I saw this couscous recipe I couldn’t wait to try it. Couscous, fresh mozzarella, artichokes, and roasted red peppers are just a few of my absolute favorite foods. Putting them all in a bowl together? Amazing. This is the perfect side dish for an outdoor picnic or summer meal. It has very distinct flavors mixed into it so there is no need for a “dressing”. Simple olive oil and balsamic vinegar tie this dish together.

Bell Pepper and Fresh Mozzarella Couscous (adapted from Cooking Light  )

¾ c. water
1 c. uncooked couscous
1 t. salt
½ c. chopped roasted red peppers
½ c. marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
¼ c. fresh mozzarella, chopped
1 t. oregano
1 t. Italian seasoning
1 T. balsamic vinegar
1 t. olive oil
1 t. black pepper


1. Cook the couscous according to the package directions.

2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl combine the red pepper, artichokes, and mozzarella. Top with salt, oregano, and Italian seasoning. Stir gently.

3. Gently mix in the couscous. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Add black pepper to taste. Chill for 1 hour.

This post linked to:

Meatless Mondays, Mangia Mondays

Made it on Monday, Tuesday Night Supper Club

Dr. Laura's Tasty Tuesdays

Spiced Lemon Scented Chocolate Marquise with Torched Meringue and Caramel Rum Sauce

     The May 2011 Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Emma of CookCraftGrow and Jenny of Purple House Dirt.  They chose to challenge everyone to make a Chocolate Marquise.  The inspiration for this recipe comes from a dessert they prepared at a restaurant in Seattle.  When I first looked over the ingredient list I thought a dozen eggs??? I couldn’t imagine a dessert using a dozen eggs. Thankfully that was for a full recipe that feeds 20 people and when I used the quarter recipe it only used 3 eggs.

     The hardest part of making this dessert was finding the time to make all of the components. The process of making each piece is fairly simpler, though it is very time consuming. I decided to make this dessert for one of my friend’s birthday. She and her husband were coming over on Saturday night so I split the tasks into two days. On Friday night I made the chocolate base and the chocolate marquise so that it could freeze overnight. I poured the marquise into a loaf pan, covered it with plastic wrap, and put it in the oven.

     On Saturday I made the caramelized nuts and the spiced nuts in the morning. Then I made the caramel rum sauce, which took two tries because I burnt the first batch, and refrigerated it. I made the meringue about 3 hours before my friend’s came over and refrigerated it as well. I wouldn’t recommend refrigerating it for more then 6 hours because it will begin to weep.

     The marquise itself turned out amazing. My friends, and my husband, were impressed. The chocolate marquise was silky smooth and chocolaty, filled with hints of spices and lemon. I put it on top of the pillow soft torched meringue and topped it off with a few of the nuts. The plates were drizzled in the caramel rum sauce which seemed to pull this entire dessert together.

     This is a dessert that is made to impress. It’s so fancy and gorgeous. I would love to make it again for a large dinner party or a birthday get-together.

Chocolate Base (a component of the Chocolate Marquise)

3 oz. bittersweet chocolate (I used Sea Salt Soiree made by Ghirardelli)
1/3 c. heavy cream
¼ t. cayenne
1 T. Bailey’s Irish cream
1 T. light corn syrup
½ t. vanilla
1 T. cocoa powder
2 t. lemon zest
½ T. butter

1. Break the chocolate into pieces and put it in a small mixing bowl.

2. In a double broiler, heat the heavy cream until it is hot but not boiling. Remove it from the stove and pour over top of the chocolate.

3. Stir the cream and chocolate mixture until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth.

4. Add in all the remaining ingredients and mix well. Set the bowl aside to cool. Do not use in the chocolate marquise until it is at room temperature.

Chocolate Marquise  (recipe adapted from Emma and Jenny's recipe)

3 large egg yolks (save the whites for the meringue)
1 large egg
3 T. sugar
2 T. water
Chocolate Base (recipe above)
½ c. heavy cream
½ t. cinnamon
¼ t. ginger
½ t. nutmeg
Torched Meringue (recipe below)
Spiced Almonds (recipe HERE)
Caramelized Almonds (recipe HERE)

Cocoa Powder and Powdered Sugar for rolling

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the egg yolks and whole egg. Beat on high for 10 minutes, or until the eggs are thick and pale.

2. Five minutes after starting to beat the eggs begin making the simple syrup mixture. In a small saucepan bring the sugar and water to a boil over medium high heat. Let it cook to the softball stage (235 degrees).

3. Reduce the speed on the mixer to low and drizzle the simple syrup mixture into the eggs. When all the syrup has been added return the mixer to high speed. Allow to mix 5-7 minutes or until the bowl is cool to the touch.

4. In another mixing bowl whip the heavy cream. I used my hand mixer since the stand mixer was mixing the eggs. Once soft peaks have formed set aside.

5. When the egg mixture has cooled, add in the chocolate base, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Mix on low speed for one minute. Then fold in half of the whipped cream. Once it is incorporated, fold in the other half.

6. Prepare an 8 x 8 pan by covering the bottom with parchment paper. Slowly pour the chocolate mixture into the pan. Cover the chocolate mixture with plastic wrap, making sure the plastic touches the chocolate so as not to let in any additional air.

7. Freeze the chocolate mixture for at least 8 hours. When you are ready to plate the chocolate remove it from the freezer and let thaw for 5 minutes. Pull up on the parchment paper and put the chocolate marquise on a cutting board.

8. Mix together the cocoa powder and powdered sugar in a bowl. Cut the chocolate marquise into 2 x 2 squares and roll in the cocoa mixture.

9. Put a torched meringue on a plate. Place the chocolate marquise on top of the torched meringue and drizzle with the caramel rum sauce. Top off with the caramel nuts and a few spiced nuts.

Torched Meringue
3 egg whites
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 t. vinegar

1/2 t. vanilla

1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. ginger

1.  Combine the egg whites, sugar, and vinegar in a metal bowl.  Using your hand, mix the ingredients together.

2.  In a small saucepan bring water to a boil.  Place the metal bowl with the egg whites on top of the suacepan to warm the eggs.  Continue mixing the eggs with your hands, stirring until the mixture is heated up and the sugar is dissolved.

3.  Remove the bowl from the saucepan and mix with a hand mixer until soft peaks for.  Add in the vanilla and spices and beat an additional minute.

4.  When ready to use, put in a piping bag and pipe onto a cookie sheet.

5.  Heat the oven to broil and cook for 3-4 mintues or until the tops of the meringues are torched.

Caramel Rum Sauce

1/2 c. sugar

1/4 c. water

1/2 c. heavy cream
2 T. rum
1 t.  sea salt

1.  In a heavy bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar and water over medium high heat.  Boil until the mixture turns a golden brown.  Do not over heat or the mixture will burn!  (I had to make this twice because I burnt the first pan)

2.  Immediately remove the pan from the heat and add some of the cream.  It will bubble and spit, so add a little at a time while stirring.  Continue adding the heavy cream until it is all adding.  Return to the stove over low heat and whisk.  When the caramel sauce darkens to the color you desire remove from heat.  Add the rum and stir. 

3.  Allow the caramel sauce to cool.  Before serving add the sea salt and mix.

This post linked to:
Friday Potluck,  Sweet Tooth Friday 
Sweets for a Saturday, Not Baaad Sunday
Seasonal Sundays

Almonds: Dripping Caramelized & Spiced

     I was recently working on a new dessert and was trying to get the perfect almond to go with it.  During my hours of trial and error I found two nuts that stood up to the test.  The dripping caramelized almonds take whole almonds, dip them in homemade caramel at the hard crack stage, and allow them to drip which in turn forms "tails" on the nuts.  The other almond is a spiced almond flavored with nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, and cayenne pepper.  Both are delicious in their own way and can be used in a variety of dishes.  The spiced almonds are great just as a snack by themselves.

Dripping Caramelized Almonds  (technique from Bourbonnatrix Bakes)

20 whole almonds
1 c. sugar
1/4 c. water
1 t. sea salt
1/2 t. vanilla
skewers

1.  Put each whole almond on the end of a wooden or metal skewer. Pierce it just enough so that it stays on the skewer.  I used metal ones, but I've seen wooden ones used.

2.  In a small saucepan over medium high heat, bring the sugar and water to a boil.  Continue boiling, stirring occasionally, until the sauce reaches a golden brown color.  Immediately put it into an ice bath so it does not burn.  I poured the sauce into a mixing bowl then dunked that into an ice bath.

3.  Stir the sauce until it thickens.  Quickly spread out newspaper underneath your kitchen counter.

4.  Working quickly dip the end of the almonds into the caramel and place the skewer on the edge of the counter, allowing the caramel to drip down.  Some will fall onto the newspaper and that's ok.

5.  Allow the caramel to harden then trim the "tails" to size.  Serve with your favorite dessert or over top of ice cream.


Spiced Almonds
1/2 c. sugar
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg
1 t. ginger
1/4 t. cayenne pepper
1/2 t. salt
2 t. lemon zest
1 egg white
1 c. blanched whole almonds

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.   Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2.  In a medium bowl mix the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cayenne pepper, and salt in a bowl. 

3.  In a small bowl beat the egg white until it is frothy and thick.  Pour over top of the spice mixture and whisk to combine.

4.  Mix in the lemon zest.  Add the almonds and toss to coat.

5.  Spoon the nuts onto the baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes.  Cool the nuts completely and remove from parchment.  They can be stored for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.

This post linked to:

It's a Keeper Thursdays, Frugal Food Thursday, Sharing Sunday

Sauteed Chicken with Sage Brown Butter

   I love browned butter but we rarely have it in the house, as I'll eat just about anything if brown butter is poured over top of it.  I found a recipe for sage brown butter chicken and it was calling my name.  The dish is from Cooking Light so doesn't have a lot of butter in it, and seemed really easy to make so I tried it after work one day last week.

   The butter is added with shallots, sage, and lemon juice which really brighten the flavor of the browned butter and make it taste much lighter then it is.  It was a little bit nutty, a little bit tangy, and had a huge flavor to it.  Poured over top of browned chicken breast it was a great, easy chicken dish.  While my husband really enjoyed it, he thought this sauce would be really good over top of fish.  I loved it and will definitely be making it again.

Sauteed Chicken with Sage Brown Butter  (adapted from Cooking Light)

8 skinless, boneless, chicken breast tenders
1 t. salt
1 t. black pepper
1/2 c. flour
1 t. dried sage
1 T. olive oil
4 T. butter
8 sage leaves
1 shallot, minced
2 T. lemon juice

1.  Sprinkle the chicken breast tenders with salt and pepper.  Mix flour and dried sage in a short bowl.  Dredge the chicken through the flour and set on a plate.

2.  Heat 1 T. olive oil over medium high heat.  Add the chicken tenders and cook for 5 minutes each side or until the internal temperature is 170.  Remove to a plate and keep warm.

3.  In the same pan add butter and sage.  Cook until the butter browns.  Add in the shallots and cook an additional minute.  Add in lemon juice and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes.  Remove from heat and pour over chicken tenders.

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