Korean-Style Beef Stroganoff

    This is the second month that I've been able to participate in The Secret Recipe Club.    This month I was assigned to Koreafornian Cooking's blog.  I had a lot of fun searching through this blog.  I have never really cooked anything Korean and searching through this blog gave me a lot of great ideas.  There were many ingredients I had never heard of so while researching them I learned a lot about Korean food and cooking.

      In addition to recipes this blog has how to posts, reviews, and videos.  I finally decided on a recipe for Korean-style Beef Stroganoff.  It sounded like a spicy twist on beef stroganoff and is served over top of rice.  It had a great flavor to it.  It was spicy, but not so spicy it burnt my mouth.  It was perfect with the rice and a side of broccoli.  The taste is hard to describe but it was very tasty and was a flavor I never had before.  It was great and I would make it again.

Korean-Styler Beef Stroganoff  (adapted from Koreafornian Cooking )
1 lb. beef sirloin, cut thin
1 T. olive oil
1 c. sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 c. white wine
1/2 c. water
1 beef bouillon cube
1 c. plain yogurt
3 T. gochujang (Korean spicy red pepper paste)
1 t. sugar
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
2 c. rice

1.  Thinly slice the beef.  In a large skillet heat the olive oil.  Brown the meat in the hot oil then remove to a plate and keep warm.

2.  Add the sliced mushrooms to the skillet.  Cook for 3-5 minutes or until tender.  Remove the mushrooms from the skillet and keep warm.

3.  Add the wine, water, and beef bouillon cube to the skillet.  Bring to a boil.  Cook until the mixture is reduced to about a half cup. 

4.  In a small bowl combine the yogurt, gochujang, sugar, salt, and pepper.  Stir well.

5.  Stir the yogurt mixture into the wine mixture and stir well.  Add in the steak and mushrooms.  Cook and simmer over low heat for 5-7 minutes.  Do not boil.

6.  Serve over top of rice.

This post linked to:

Mangia Monday, Mouthwatering Monday , Made From Scratch Tuesdays
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Dr. Laura's Tasty Tuesdays

Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution

    I had heard many wonderful things about the book Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution by Michelle Moran.  I typically do not get into the historical fiction books as they are not my type of book.  However, I have always been interested in Madame Tussaud and how she came to build her famous wax museums so I decided to give the book a chance.  I am so glad I did!

    Madame Tussaud is set during the French Revolution.  It focuses on Marie Grosholtz, who later became Madame Tussaud,  as a young woman worked as a wax sculpture for her uncle's wax museum, Salon de Cire.  Together Marie and her uncle make wax figures of the important political figures of the time.

    Marie's life changes when the King and Queen of France come to visit the Salon.  The King's sister is a lover of the arts and hires Marie to teach her the art of wax sculpting.  Unfortunately, at this time tempers in France are reaching a boiling point.  The commoners in France are starting a revolution and their goal is to overthrow the King and Queen.

   Marie becomes wrapped up in the revolution as the people begin asking her to make wax figures of the men and women joining the revolution.  She is in constant conflict as she likes and appreciates the current monarch.  She has grown fond of the royal family through time well spent with the King's sister.

   Things become worse when the revolutionaries begin demanding Marie make wax heads of the traitors whom they have killed.  The Reign of Terror has officially begun and the Grosholtz family is in the middle.  The story goes through the uprising of the people, the revolution itself, the fall of the monarch, and the aftermath.  Throughout it all Marie is an integral part of the fight and stays strong through her work, the terror, and the aftermath.  After it's all over she rises up to become Madame Tussaud of the famous wax museums.

   Throughout the book Michelle Moran keeps the story going with glances at the royal family, glances at the revolution, and yet still sticks with Marie's family.  It's a strong, powerful book.  Even though it is fictional, many of the details of the French Revolution are true and gave me a much clearer picture of this time in history in France.

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Key Lime Bars: Recipe Swap

    This week our recipe exchange category was desserts.  Desserts are probably my absolute favorite thing to cook or bake and I have made a lot of desserts in my time.  I was anxious to see that recipe I would be given for the exchange.  I was super excited when I received a recipe for Key Lime Bars from Cathy's Kitchen Journey, as these are a dessert I've never made before!

    One of my favorite desserts is the classic lemon bar.  The key lime bars were a variation of them using key limes instead of lemons.  We were having a few friends over for dinner and I knew this would be the perfect summer dessert for our low key dinner party.  There are very few ingredients for this dessert and it takes less then an hour which makes it easy to make for company.

    The crust is just a very basic, very buttery, sugar cookie dough.  On top of that is poured the key lime layer.  I added a bit of lime zest to the key lime layer both to give it added flavor and color.  The color of the lime layer was more yellow then green from the eggs so I added a single drop of green food coloring which gave it a light green and "limey" color.  The finished bars were rich and buttery on the bottom and the perfect combination of sweet sugar and sour lime on the top.  They were easy to make, delicious, and can easily be transported to any summer get together. 

Key Lime Bars (adapted from Cathy's Kitchen Journey)
For the crust:
3/4 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. applesauce
2 c. flour

For the Key Lime Layer:
4 eggs
1/4 c. flour
1 1/2 c. sugar

1/4 c. key lime juice (I needed 4 key limes for this)

1 t. key lime zest

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2.  In a medium mixing bowl cream the butter and sugar.  Mix in the applesauce.  Add in the flour and mix well to combine.  Press the crust into the bottom of an ungreased  9 x 13 pan.

3.  Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.

4.  While the crust is baking make the key lime layer by whisking the flour and sugar together in a medium mixing bowl.  Beat in the eggs and the key lime juice. Stir in the key lime zest.  If desired, add a single drop of green food coloring and mix well.

5.  Once the crust is pulled out of the oven pour the key lime batter over top and return it to the oven for 20-25 minutes or until the top looks firm.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.  Cut into 24 squares and serve.

This post linked to:

Foodie Friday, Sweet Tooth Friday, Fat Camp Friday

Sweets for a Saturday, Party Mindie Style, So Sweet Sundays

Seasonal Sundays

Crock-Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup

     I’ve been in the market for some new crock-pot soup recipes. Even when specific recipes aren’t made for the crock-pot I can generally adapt them so that they can become crock-pot recipes. I recently came across a recipe for chicken enchilada soup. I already have a recipe for taco soup, but since I love enchiladas I was willing to take a chance on this Mexican soup.

     I put most of the ingredients in the crock-pot before I went to work in the morning. Even before I left the house it began smelling like a spicy enchilada. By the time I got home in the evening I felt as though I was walking into a Mexican restaurant. The smell itself was mouth-watering. I grated some cheese, chopped up the cilantro, and served it in a bowl topped with tortilla chips.

     This is a great alternative to taco soup which uses ground beef. It is a spicier soup that has pieces of chicken, vegetables, and lots of cheese in it. The soup packs a spicy punch and was like a Mexican flavor explosion in my mouth! I like the way that part of the cheese is incorporated into the soup instead of just laying on top. It really thickens up the soup and makes it more of an enchilada consistency. The first day we had the soup with side salads and bread. The second day we had this soup I served it with cheese quesadillas which was the perfect accompaniment.

Crock-Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup (adapted from Homemade By Holman  )

4 c. chicken broth
2 t. olive oil
¾ pounds of skinless, boneless chicken tenders
1 T. ground cumin
½ t. red pepper
1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes with peppers and onions
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 15 oz. black beans, rinsed and drained
2 c. frozen corn
½ c. tomato paste
8 oz. pepperjack cheese, divided
1 c. cilantro, chopped
Tortilla chips (I made homemade ones)

1. Put the crock-pot on low.

2. Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Cut the chicken tender into 1 inch pieces. Put the chicken in the skillet and sauté until all the pink is gone on the outside (about 5 minutes) but they chicken is not browned.

3. Put the chicken into the crock-pot. Add in the chicken stock, tomatoes, jalapenos, green pepper, onion, and garlic. Stir until well combined. Then add in the black beans, corn, and tomato paste. Mix well. Add in the spices and stir until combined.

4. Shred 4 oz. of pepperjack cheese and stir into the soup. Cover and heat on low 8 hours.

5. Shred the remaining pepperjack cheese and chop the cilantro. Pour soup into a bowl and top with the cheese, cilantro, and tortilla chips.

**This soup is very spicy. If you do not like things that are really spicy please make the following modifications. Substitute a 4 oz. can of green chilies for the jalapenos. Substitute cheddar cheese for the pepperjack. This makes for a much milder soup.
This post linked to:
Frugal Food Thursdays, It's A Keeper Thursdays
Fresh Food Friday, Not Baaad Sundays

Blackened Tilapia Baja Tacos

    While looking through one of my older issues of Cooking Light I came across a recipe for fish tacos.  My husband has tried to get me to eat fish tacos several times and I've refused because they just haven't looked like something I would eat.  However, after reading through the ingredients, I was sold on the idea of the blackened tilapia.

    Getting the dry rub together was easy.  It was a nice red color and smelled sweet and spicy.  I liked the addition of lime juice and avocado to these tacos.  The fish cooked easily and was a pretty deep red color.  It tasted amazing, especially paired with the jalapeno sauce, avocado, and cheese.  My husband and I really enjoyed these fish tacos and will be having them again soon.  I love finding new ways to eat fish!

Blackened Tilapia Baja Tacos (adapted from Cooking Light)
1/4 c. low fat sour cream
2 T. chopped fresh cilantro
1 T. lime juice
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 c. onion, chopped
2 t. paprika
1 t. brown sugar
1 t. oregano
1 t. garlic powder
1 t. ground cumin
1 t. black pepper
1/4 . red pepper
4 tilapia fillets
1 T. olive oil
8 flour tortillas
1/2 avocado, peeled and sliced
Cheese and salsa for topping

1.  In a food processor combine the sour cream, cilantro, lime juice, and jalapeno pepper.  Process until smooth.  Pour into a small bowl and add the onion.  Stir and put in the refrigerator.

2.  In a separate small bowl combine the paprika, brown sugar, oregano, garlic powder, cumin, red pepper, and black pepper.  Stir to combine.

3.  Heat the olive oil in a large skillet.  Cover the tilapia fillets with the paprika mixture pressing into the fish to cover.  Add the fish to the pan and cook 3-4 minutes on each side.

4.  Remove from heat, cut into strips, and serve in a tortilla with sour cream mixture, avocado, and toppings.

This post linked to:

Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays, Dr. Laura's Tasty Tuesdays ,Made From Scratch Tuesdays,
Made it on Monday, What's on Your Plate Wednesday?, Real Food Wednesday

What's Cooking Wednesday

The Baked Brownie with Easy Chocolate Ganache

    My husband's birthday was last week and when I asked him what kind of cake or dessert he wanted me to make he told me he wanted brownies.  I was appalled!  With all the desserts I make, he wanted a plain old brownie.  Now, I normally just make Hershey's brownie recipe, but I had just seen BrownEyedBakers top 10 brownie list and wanted to go with one of those.

    I chose the Baked Brownie because I've heard so much about it and wanted to see if it was worth the hype.  I couldn't believe the amount of chocolate in it but I went right along and made it.  I wasn't sure when it was finished because the center was so moist even when it was cooked. 

   Once the brownies cooled Frank asked if I could put ganache on top, so I did.  These brownies were out of this world!  They are by far the best brownie I had ever eaten.  Moist, sweet, fully of chocolate, sinful.  The ganache on top put me over the edge!  My husband loved them and enjoyed sharing them with friends who thought they were awesome as well.  No more Hershey's brownie recipe for me!  This is my new "go to" brownie recipe.

The Baked Brownie(adapted from Brown Eyed Baker)
1 1/4 c. flour
1 t. salt
2 T. cocoa powder
11 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (or you can use dark chocolate)
1 c. butter, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
5 eggs
2 t. vanilla

For the ganache:
1 c. chocolate melts
1/2 c. sweetened condensed milk

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Butter the sides and bottom of a 9 x 13 pan (or two 8 x8 pans).  Line the pans with parchment paper.

2.  In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, salt, and cocoa powder.  Set aside.

3.  In a medium saucepan bring a half pan of water to a simmer and set a large mixing bowl on top of it.  In the bowl put the coarsely chopped chocolate and the butter.  Stir until completely melted and smooth.  Remove from heat but leave the bowl on top of the saucepan.  Add in the sugar and brown sugar.  Whisk until completely combined and then remove the bowl from the saucepan.

4.  Add the eggs to the chocolate mix and stir until well combined.  Mix in the vanilla until just combined. 

5.  Stir the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture until everything is just combined.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.  Bake for 30 minutes, or 35 if using the 8 x 8 pans,  rotating the pan halfway through baking.  Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack until completely cooled. 

6.  In a microwave safe bowl heat the chocolate melts and sweetened condensed milk for 30 seconds.  Mix well.  Put in for additional 10 seconds at a time until it is totally melted.  Pour over the cooled brownies and spread quickly.  Let cool 2-4 hours or until the ganache becomes firm.

7.  Left the brownies from the pan using the parchment paper.  Cut into squares and serve.  Store at room temperature in an air tight container or wrapped in plastic wrap.

Note:  To make these into brownie bites simply fill 24 mini muffins cups 2/3 of the way full and bake for 15-17 minutes.  Leave the tops plain and spoon a small amount of ganache on top of the brownie bites.

This post linked to:

Sweets for a Saturday, Not Baaad Sundays

My Meatless Mondays,  Mangia Mondays 

Mexican Chicken Eggrolls

   This week the theme for our recipe exchange was Mexican.  My husband and I absolutely love Mexican food so I was really excited about this exchange.  I received a recipe from Jey of The Jey of Cooking for Mexican Chicken Wonton Rolls that sounded awesome.  I had a pack of eggroll wrappers at home, so I substituted those for the wonton wraps.

   I used much of the original recipe but added in some shredded green pepper and onion for a bit of crunch inside of the roll.  The rolls were cheesy, a bit spicy, and filled with flavor.  The eggrolls themselves were brown and crunchy.  The avocado sauce on the side was the perfect cool, creamy contrast to the spicy chicken eggrolls.  We had these as an entree but they would be great as an appetizer when watching a baseball or football game as well.

Mexican Chicken Eggrolls (adapted from The Jey of Cooking)
2 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped
2 c. pepper jack cheese, shredded
1/2 green pepper, shredded
1/2 onion, shredded
1 t. chili powder
1 t. cumin
1/2 t. garlic powder
1 t. salt
Eggroll Wrappers
2 T. butter

For the Creamy Avocado Sauce:
1 avocado, mashed
1/2 c. sour cream
2 t. hot sauce
1 t. salt

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

2.  In a bowl combine the chicken, cheese, pepper, onion, chili powder, cumin, and garlic powder.Mix well to combine.

3.  Get a small bowl of water and a brush.  Place an eggroll on the table and fill with 2 teaspoons of the chicken mixture.  Fold in the edges about 1/4 inch then roll up.  Brush the end of the eggroll with water and press to seal.  Place on the baking sheet.  Repeat until all the chicken mixture is used.

4.  Melt the butter in a bowl and get a basting brush.  Brush each eggroll with butter covering the top, sides, and ends.  Bake for 22-25 minutes or until brown.  Remove from oven.

5.  In a small bowl combine the avocado, sour cream, hot sauce, and salt.  Mix until smooth.  Serve with chicken eggrolls.

This post is linked to:

  Fresh Food Friday,   Fat Camp Friday

Foodie Food,  Party Mindie Style

Orange Chicken

   I've really been getting into the Chinese cooking lately.  I tried cooking Chinese food years ago and everything I made tasted horrible.  I've recently found a few blogs that have had amazing Asian food on them and I've made a number of dishes that have been as good as or even better then we get at the local Chinese restaurant.

    This recipe for orange chicken really spoke to me.  It had crispy, browned chicken pieces in a sweet citrus sauce over top of rice.  It sounded delicious.  I already had eggrolls in the freeze so I was ready to roll.  When I made the marinade it tasted ok but I wasn't too impressed with it.  I was a little worried but continued on with the recipe.  The chicken looked great after it was cooked.  Once the orange sauce was cooked it thickened up and had a fantastic citrus and Asian flavor to it.  The dish didn't taste like the orange chicken I would get at a Chinese restaurant, but it was still really good.  We'll be having this one again!

Orange Chicken (adapted from America's Test Kitchen, as seen on A Taste of Home Cooking )
For the marinade and sauce:
3/4 c. chicken broth
1 c. orange juice
zest of 1 orange
1/4 c. rice vinegar
1/4 c. soy sauce
1/3 c. brown sugar
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 T. fresh ginger
1 t. red pepper
1 t. black pepper
1 pound chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 T. cornstarch
2 T. cold water

For the Coating:
2 egg whites
1 c. cornstarch
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. red pepper
1 t. salt
1/4 c. olive oil

1.  In a medium bowl combine the chicken broth, orange juice, orange zest, vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, red pepper, and black pepper.  Remove 1 cup of the sauce and place in a freezer bag along with the cut up chicken.  Refrigerate 1-2 hours (no longer).

2.  After marinating the chicken, put the sauce in a saucepan over medium heat.  Bring to a simmer.  In a small bowl whisk the cornstarch and water together until smooth.  Add the cornstarch mixture to the sauce.  Stir to combine.  Cook for 5-10 minutes or until the sauce thickens.  Remove from heat and set aside.

3.  In a small bowl beat the egg whites until they are frothy.  In a second shallow bowl combine the cornstarch, baking soda, red pepper, and salt. 

4.  Remove the chicken from the marinade and pat with a paper towel to dry.  Put half the chicken in the egg whites, turning to coat.  Take them out and put them in the cornstarch mixture turning to coat.  Meanwhile, put the other half of the chicken into the egg whites, turning to coat.

5.  Heat 3 T. olive oil over medium high heat in a large skillet.  Add the chicken coated in the cornstarch.  Immediately coat the remaining chicken with cornstarch and add to pan.  Pan fry the chicken for 5 minutes on each side or until golden brown.  Add remaining oil after turning chicken the first time. 

6.  Remove from pan and drain on paper towels.  Remove oil from pan and return the chicken, covering with the orange sauce.  Serve over rice.

Mom's Tuna Loaf

   Every Good Friday since I was a kid my mother made us tuna loaf for dinner.  My dad loved fresh fish but the rest of us didn't so tuna was our best option.  I'm not sure if it's because I only ever had it once a year or because it truely is awesome, but I love tuna loaf.  I love it so much that this year I asked my mom for her recipe.  This is the first year that I've been married during Good Friday and I wanted to make tuna loaf for my husband.

   When I first brought up the tuna loaf my husband was extremely skeptical.  He wasn't sure what it was and if he wanted to have it.  Then we invited a friend over and he really wasn't sure that he wanted to try it.  I assured him that it was awesome and that both he and his friend would enjoy it.  It's very simple to make and goes into a loaf pan for 1 hour to bake.

   I whipped it out of the oven and cut it up for everyone.  The first bite was fantastic.  It's a warm, comforting dish with quite a bit of flavor both from the Miracle Whip and the Dijon mustard.  When our friend tried it he commented that it tasted like a giant crab cake minus the crab with the addition of tuna.  He's exactly right!  That's what it tastes like.  Both my husband and his friend really enjoyed the tuna loaf and the three of us ate the entire pan.  We've already invited him back for next Good Friday's tuna loaf.

Mom's Tuna Loaf (adapted from my mom's awesome recipe)
2 c. Stovetop stuffing mix
2 cans tuna, drained
2/3 c. Miracle Whip (or mayonaise)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 egg
1/2 onion, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 t. Dijon mustard
1 t. black pepper

1.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Grease a loaf pan.

2.  Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl until well combined.  Spread into the loaf pan.  Bake for 55-60 minutes or until the top is browned.  Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes.  Cut and serve.

This post linked to:

Made from Scratch Tuesdays, Dr. Laura's Tasty Tuesdays

Frugal Food Thursday

Grilled Zucchini with Couscous, Spinach, and Cheese & a Winner!

    Happy 4th of July weekend!  What a beautiful holiday weekend we have.  Before I get to my fabulous summer picnic side dish, I need to announce the winner of the Learn How To Can Giveaway!  Using random.org the number 27 was drawn.  The winner is:
                                                   HMB4Him said...

I am a FACS teacher and I would love to learn to can. I am somewhat old-fashioned. I make my own laundry soap and cleaners so this is right up my alley! I would like to learn how to make raspberry and blackberry jelly!

   Congratulations!  I have e-mailed you.  Please e-mail me back with your mailing information within 48 hours!

   I'm so excited that the weather is finally warm and it's time to use the grill again.  Usually my husband is the one to grill but this year I decided I wanted to try my hand at it.  I've been looking for vegetables that can be grilled as well and came across a yummy looking recipe for zucchini.

    This recipe calls for hollowed out zucchini filled with a couscous stuffing.  I love couscous so I was immediately taken with the recipe.  The mixture of couscous, spinach, Parmesan, and lemon juice was really light and fresh.  The zucchini grills up with nice grill marks on the bottom and the couscous mixture bakes into the zucchini.  It's a perfect BBQ or summertime side dish.

Grilled Zucchini with Couscous, Spinach, and Cheese  (adapted from Cooking Light )
1 c. vegetable broth
1 shallot, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 c. frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1/2 c. couscous, uncooked
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese
1 t. lemon zest
1 T. lemon juice
1 T. olive oil
1 t. salt
1 t. pepper
3 zucchini

1.  Preheat the grill.

2.  Heat the vegetable broth over medium high heat.  Bring to a boil and add in the spinach and shallots.  Let the mixture boil for 5 minutes.  Add in the couscous, stir, then cover and remove from heat.

3.  Cut the zucchini in half then scoop out the middle leaving a 1/4 inch thick shell.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and set aside.

4.  Remove the lid from the saucepan and stir.  Mix in the Parmesan, lemon juice, lemon zest, and olive oil.  Spoon this mixture into each of the zucchini halves.

5.  Place the zucchini directly onto the grill.  Close the lid and grill for 10-15 minutes.

This post linked to:

Not Baaad Sundays, Seasonal Sundays
Mangia Monday, Meatless Mondays

Layered Cakes: What's Baking? Round Up!

     This month I was lucky enough to be the host of the What's Baking? challenge.  I have been dying to make a layer cake and decided this would be the perfect challenge for this wonderful group of bakers.  I couldn't wait to see all the different cakes and I wasn't disappointed!  The flavors and fillings on these cakes look amazing!



     Melissa from I Was Born to Cook made this delicious Yellow Cake with Chocolate Filling covered in chocolate frosting for her husbands birthday.

     Jade from The Mess Pot, made this gorgeous looking Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Layer Cake.

                                                               

    Jaida of Sweet Beginnings shared a cake perfect for summer; a Triple Layer Lemon Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting.

    This tasty looking Neapolitan Layer Cake was made by Lindsey of Our Share of the Harvest.

    I made a Vanilla Cake with Strawberry Lemon Marmalade Filling topped with a Lemon Buttercream for Father's Day.

    Carrie from Carrie's Sweet Life made this dreamy Chocolate Mousse Cake.

    This amazing strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate cake has layers of Swiss Meringue Buttercream and was made by Cara of The Boys Made Me Do It.

This adorable birthday cake, made by Jey from The Jey of Cooking, was a White Almond Sour Cream Cake with strawberry filling and buttercream icing.



Nicole from 7 Ate 9 Bakes made a great Reese Cup Chocolate Peanut Butter cake with adorable Reese cup mortar board hats!

This summery, Strawberry Layer Cake was made by Catherine of Pursuing Domestic Goddessness.

Just in time for the 4th of July is the fabulous Red, White, and Blue Layer Cake from Amanda of Our Italian Kitchen.

     Thank you to all the ladies that participated in June's Baking Challenge!  July's challenge will be hosted by Lindsey of Our Share of the Harvest.  The theme for July will be Bake Local.  Bakers can choose from tons of in-season fruits, baking-friendly veggies like zucchini and beets, not-so-obvious local finds like nuts, honey, prepared jams and jellies, maybe even grains if they're lucky. 


This post linked to:
Frugal Food Thursdays, It's A Keeper Thursdays
Sweet Tooth Friday, Fat Camp Friday
Foodie Friday, Sweets for a Saturday

Chicken Salad with Strawberries & Dried Cranberries

    The recipe swap theme for this week was entree salads.  I was excited about this because in the summertime we make a lot of entree salads and I'm always looking for new ones to add.  I received a chicken salad with oranges and cranberries.  It looked really good but I don't much like canned oranges and I had a basket of fresh strawberries so I switched them out.

    The vinaigrette dressing was a raspberry vinaigrette, but I didn't have any raspberry vinegar so I had to improvise.  Because I was already putting strawberries in the salad, I used a few pureed strawberries and one minced strawberry to give the dressing a light, fruity flavor.  I really ended up liking this recipe.  The strawberries and cranberries added a bit of sweet and tart to the salad.  The dressing was sweet, sour, and tangy all at once.  This is a great summer salad.

Chicken Salad with Strawberries and Dried Cranberries (adapted from Sweet Beginnings)
For each salad:
1 boneless, skinless, chicken breast
2 strawberries, hulled and quartered
1/4 c. dried cranberries
2 c. lettuce

For the dressing:
3 strawberries
1/3 c. red wine vinegar
1/2 c. olive oil
3 T. honey
1 t. sugar
1 T. Dijon mustard
1 t. tarragon
1 t. salt
1 t. black pepper

1.  Cook the chicken in a skillet and cut into strips or bite sized pieces.  Set aside to cool.

2.  To make the dressing cut two strawberries in half and puree.  Put the pureed strawberries as well as the other minced strawberry in a small bowl.  Add the vinegar, olive oil, honey, and sugar.  Whisk until smooth.  Then whisk in the remaining ingredients.  Put in the refrigerator until ready to use.

3.  To assemble the salad put the lettuce on a place.  Place the quartered strawberries around the edges.  Place the chicken strips on the salad and sprinkle with cranberries.  Drizzle the dressing over top of the salad and enjoy.

Spiced Peach Jam & Learn How to Can Giveaway!

     I am still so pumped after my HouseParty the other day.  Learning to can fruits and vegetables and to share that with others has been an amazing experience.  I recently made a spiced peach jam which was so good I was literally eating it with a spoon.  The peaches were sweet and the spices really added a special hint of flavor to this jam.  It was fairly simple to make and something I'll be enjoying all winter long!

    I'm also excited to share with one lucky reader a Learn How to Can prize pack!  Whether you are a seasoned canner or you just want to learn how to can, this prize pack will help you every step of the way!  Included in the prize is:

-1 Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving

-1 Jar of Pectin

-2 Packets of Instant Pectin

-1 berry masher

-1 collapsible funnel
-coupons for Ball jars and pectin

     To enter this giveaway you must complete the mandatory entry. You may then do any (or all!) of the additional entries. Leave a comment telling me about each additional entry along with your contact information so that I can contact you if you are the winner.

Spiced Peach Jam (slightly adapted from Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving Cookbook)

4 c. chopped, pitted, peeled, peaches

2 T. lemon juice
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg
1 package (1.75 oz) regular powdered fruit pectin
5 c. sugar

1.  Prepare the canner, jars, and lids.

2.  In a large stockpot, bring water to a boil and add the peaches.  Let them boil for 1-2 minutes.  Remove to a cold bath and remove the skins and pits.  Chop peaches.

3.  In a large stainless steel sauce pan combine the peaches, lemon juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Whisk in the pectin until it is dissolved.  Bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring frequently.  Add sugar all at once and continue stirring constantly.  Bring to a hard boil and stir for 1 minute.  Remove from heat and skim off any foam.

4.  Ladle the hot jam into the warm jars leaving 1/4 inch of headpace.  Remove the air bubbles and adjust the headspace.  Wipe the rim of the jars, center on the lid, and tighten the screwband to fingertip tight.

5.  Put the jars in the canner making sure they are completely submerged and put on the lid.  Boil for 10 minutes.  Remove the lid of the canner and wait an additional 5 minutes.  Remove from canner and let sit for 12 hours.  Check the seal and store for up to 1 year.

Note:  This makes 6 half pints of spiced peach jam.

This post linked to:

Meatless Mondays, Mangia Monday

Made from Scratch Tuesdays

Zesty Salsa and Discover You Can HouseParty



  I cannot tell you how excited I was to be a HouseParty host for the Discover You Can Party sponsored by Jarden Home Brands.  A few months ago I decided to plant a vegetable garden and finally learn how to can.  Being a host for this HouseParty sealed the deal!  About a month before the party, I canned my very first thing:  Strawberry Lemon Marmalade.  It was awesome!  A week later I canned 6 half pints of Zesty Salsa.  One week before the party I canned 6 half pints of Spiced Peach Jam.

My husband and cousin



    The party pack that I received from HouseParty and Ball was amazing!  I received a Discovery Canning Kit, 3 bottles of pectin, sample packets of pectin to share with my guests, 4 collapsible funnels, dissolveable labels, 3 Ball Blue Books, 2 berry mashers, gift bags, coupons, and tons of other things!  I got to keep some for myself, share some with friends and family, and I'm going to share with one of my readers as well! 

    I decided to host the party at my parents house as we were having a huge birthday party for the June birthdays in our family.  I made it birthday/canning party!  It was a huge success.  I'm not sure who had the most fun;  the adults, or my young cousins who liked being the "jam tasters"!  Together we made 9 half pints of Strawberry Lemon Marmalade. I had already made 9 half pints to give to the guests so they could each take one home.  I also gave out 5 jars of Zesty Salsa and 5 jars of Spiced Peach Jam as party favors in thegift bags along with coupons, pectin samples, and more.  My cousin ended up winning the Ball Blue Book prize for guessing the most secret ingredients, and my mom won a collapsible funnel.  I raffled off 2 other funnels and each guest went home with an awesome gift bag full of Ball goodies!



My brother, Kristin & Peyton



     Everyone had a great time at the party and I'm sure a few people will be canning on their own by the end of the summer!  I'd like to thank Jarden and HouseParty for this wonderful "gift" of teaching me how to can.  If you are interested in canning or preserving check back tomorrow for my Learn How to Can giveaway prize pack and another great canning/preserving recipe!  For more information on canning visit Ball's website.



Zesty Mild Salsa   (adapted from Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving)



Mom and Greg



5 cups chopped, cored, peeled tomatoes

1 1/2 c. green bell peppers, chopped and seeded

1 c. red bell peppers, chopped and seeded

2 c. chopped onions
1 c. chili peppers, chopped and seeded
2/3 c. white vinegar
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 T. cilantro, chopped
1 t. salt
1 t. ground cumin
1 t. black pepper

1.  Prepare the canner, jars, and lids.

2.  In order to peel the tomatoes use a large sauce pan to boil water.  Put the tomatoes in the water for 1 minute, flip them over and boil an additional minute.  Transfer to a colander and run cold water over top of them.  The skin should easily peel off the tomatoes.  Cut out the core and chop the tomatoes.

3.  Combine the tomatoes, green peppers, red peppers, onions, chili peppers, vinegar, garlic, cilantro, cumin, and pepper in a large saucepan.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat stirring constantly.  Reduce the heat and boil gently for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

4.  Ladle the hot salsa into half pint jars leaving 1/2 inch headspace.  Use a tool to remove air bubbles and adjust headspace if needed.  Wipe the rims of the jars and center the lid on them.  Put on a screwband and tightened using your fingers.

5.  Process the salsa in the half pint jars in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes.  Remove the lid and let sit for 5 minutes.  Remove the jars and cool for 12 hours.  After 12 hours check the seals and store.

Makes 7 half pint jars.

This post linked to:

Seasonal Sundays, Not Baaad Sundays

Canning Week at From Mess Hall to Bistro