Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookie Cake

Behold!  Another deliciously sinful dessert baked courtesy of my husband and photography courtesy of me (I had to redo the photo shoot as I was not satisfied with his initial photos...).

Every time we go grocery shopping and he passes the bakery section he drools over the cookie cakes.  He swore to make one at home.  The only problem was that as a family of two (okay..maybe 2.5 right now with Baby Boy on the way!), we really don't need a giant cookie to eat by ourselves.  So, when the opportunity finally arose when we had our Restaurant Copy-Cats themed Dinner Club he jumped on it with this IMPROVED cookie cake.

Why is it improved, you ask?  Just take a deeper look into this picture...

It starts with not just a regular chocolate chip cookie but rather one in which the cookie dough is infused with peanut butter (of course!).  The use of a springform pan results in a thick cookie that is crunchy on the outside and soft and even a bit gooey on the inside.  But it doesn't stop there.  It's enveloped in a layer of fluffy peanut butter frosting and then finished with peanut butter cups held in place by a rich dark chocolate ganache.  Excessive?  Probably.  Delicious?  Yes.

Chris was in a hurry and so he skipped the chilling step of the ganache before piping.  This resulted in a sloppier than desired execution of the peanut butter cup decorations which ended up sliding towards the dip in the center of the cake.  He deemed it "not good enough to serve for dinner club" and considered keeping it hidden away in the refrigerator.  I'm pretty sure had he done that our guests would have revolted.

Happy Friday and have a wonderful weekend!

Two Years Ago: Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with Guacamole, Spicy Lime and Honey Wings, Shrimpo de Gallo, and Tres Leches Cake
Four Years Ago:  Blonde Brownies and Avocado, Tomato and Mango Salsa

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookie Cake

Ingredients

For the Cake

• 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup (110g) light brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup (100g) sugar
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cup (220g) all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup milk chocolate chips

For the Peanut Butter Frosting

• 1 cup (225g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 1/4 cups (150g) powdered sugar (plus up to 1/4 cup more, if needed)

For the Dark Chocolate Ganache

• 6 oz. (170g) dark chocolate (50% cocoa), roughly chopped
• 1/3 cup whipping cream

For Topping:

• 12 Mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan with butter.
2. In a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer beat together the butter, both sugars, and peanut butter until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat untilcombined. 
3. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients the wet ones and mix on low until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Transfer to the prepared springform pan.
4. Bake for about 24-26 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool at room temperature.
5. Make the Peanut Butter Frosting: Using a mixer, beat together the butter and peanut butter until light and fluffy. Add 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar to the bowl and mix in by starting on low and then increasing the mixer speed to high as it gradually becomes incorporated. If needed, add up to another 1/4 cup powdered sugar to bring the frosting to a spreadable consistency. Frost the tops and sides of the cooled cookie cake.
6. Make the Dark Chocolate Ganache: In a small saucepan over low heat melt the dark chocolate. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the whipping cream.  Put the ganache in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes to chill so that it will be easier to pipe onto the cake.  Transfer ganache to an icing bag fitted with a wide frosting tip (or just use a plastic bag with one corner cut off). Pipe 12 evenly spaced dots of chocolate frosting around the edge of the frosted cake.  Top each dot of ganache with one mini peanut butter cup. 
7. Serve cake immediately or chill until ready to serve.

Source: Barely modified from Inquiring Chef

Grilled Cheese Donut

Happy National Grilled Cheese Day!

Today I'm sharing a sight to behold.  It's no ordinary grilled cheese.  It's an entree...no...it's a dessert.  It's a grilled cheese DONUT!

Instead of bread, the cheddar cheese is sandwiched between two Krispy Kreme doughnuts.  It's sweet, it's savory, it's one of the most amazing inventions ever.  I like to use Krispy Kremes because they have the softest and fluffiest melt-in-your-mouth texture but any yeasted glazed doughnut will work.  I'll admit I was pretty grossed out when I realized I was buttering a glazed doughnut but how else are you supposed to get that signature grilled bread texture?

The credit for the concept goes to Tom+Chee, a local Cincinnati joint that specializes in a menu of just grilled cheese and tomato soup!  It's now nationally known after being featured on Man v. Food and Amazing Eats.

What's your favorite grilled cheese?

Also, have you entered my 4th blogiversary giveaway?  4 prizes at stake and the rafflecopter ends soon!

Two Years Ago: Banana Split Cupcakes and Chinese Steamed Fish
Three Years Ago: Blueberry Citrus Cake
Four Years Ago: Crockpot Turkey and Cake Balls (Truffles)

Grilled Cheese Donut

 
Ingredients

• Glazed doughnut (I prefer Krispy Kreme brand)
• Unsalted butter
• Sliced sharp cheddar cheese
• Salt

Directions

1. Heat a large skillet or griddle on the stove.
2. Cut doughnut in half and lightly butter each side on the non-glazed surface.  Place one doughnut half butter side down then top with a slice of cheese (on the glazed side) and then sprinkle with a crank of freshly ground sea salt (a small pink of regular salt will also work).  Place the other doughnut half on top.  The buttered sides should both be facing outward.
3. Grill on heated skillet or griddle. Flipping and removing when desired doneness is achieved and cheese is melted.
4. Enjoy hot!

Source: Inspired by Tom + Chee

Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza

It was our turn to host dinner club and we chose to bring back an oldie but goodie theme...Restaurant Copycats!  Last time we contributed Outback's Blooming Onion with Dipping Sauce and as a bonus I made some Clone of Cinnabon cinnamon rolls.  Our friends made Carraba's Chicken Bryan, P.F. Chang's Chicken Lettuce Wraps among others and it was by far one of the best dinner clubs because it was like having the best of what every restaurant had to offer.

Oddly enough, when it came time to pick the main dish that I was going to serve, I was at a loss as to what to make!  So I asked my wonderful facebook fans for advice.  Fans suggested everything from Cheesecake Factory's Cajun Chicken Pasta to Olive Garden's Chicken Scampi to Outback's Alice Springs Chicken and more.  All excellent ideas and then it dawned on me that there was one recipe I had bookmarked long long ago that I kept seeing on multiple websites and that would fit the bill.

Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza made famous by restaurants like Uno's Chicago Grill and Giordano's and Lou Manalti's.  There's even local takes such as Chi-nnati's Chicago-Style Pizza in Cincinnati.  Now, I won't get into an argument on whose pizza is best, whether Chicago-style means just deep dish or stuffed, or whether corn meal goes IN the crust or not because in the end, all that matters is that this particular recipe is pretty awesome!

I created one cheese pie and another with pepperoni.  There are a number of pizza aficionados in the group (with my husband and our friends Daniel and Scott).  The boys agreed this was pass-along-the-recipe-please worthy pizza and better than some of those that we bought in restaurants.

First of all, I LOVE that it uses a plain 9-inch round cake pan to make this.  No fancy equipment needed!  The crust is thick, buttery, and full of airy pockets from the laminating process (don't let it scare you and check out step-by-step photos in Brown Eyed Baker's post; it's easier than it seems!).  The simple homemade sauce is chunky and full of flavor.  And the cheese, well, you cannot go wrong with cheese and I was told this was just the right ratio of crust to cheese to sauce for a deep dish pizza.

Tomorrow is my 4th blogiversary so come back for a sweet (literally!) recipe and giveaway in celebration.  Then on Friday, I pay homage to National Grilled Cheese Day with another recipe copycat that is so radical you won't want to miss it!

In the meantime, if you can't get enough copycat recipes, be sure to check out my copycat label!  I make sure each post is tagged with key words to make it easier for you to find recipes with similar ingredients and/or themes.  You can find these tags at the bottom of each post or the full list can be found on the right side bar below the Archive section.


Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza

Ingredients

For the Dough:

• 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
• 1 1/4 cups water, room temperature
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon + 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

For the Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup grated onion
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Crushed red pepper, to taste (optional)

For the Toppings:

• 1 pound (4 cups) mozzarella cheese, shredded
• Pepperoni, Italian sausage, mushrooms, onions, green peppers...whatever you want to add inside if you like to load your pizza with toppings.  Personally, I'm a purist!
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 

Direction

1. To Make the Dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, salt, sugar, and yeast. Add water and melted butter.  Using a dough hook, mix on low speed until fully combined, 1 to 2 minutes.  Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl occasionally if needed.  Increase speed to medium and knead until dough is glossy and smooth and pulls away from sides of bowl, 4 to 5 minutes. If you do not have a mixer, you could use a food processor or knead by hand. Coat a large bowl with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Transfer dough to bowl and turn to coat in oil. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until nearly doubled in volume, 45 to 60 minutes.
2. To Make the Sauce: While dough rises, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, oregano, and salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated and onion is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes, sugar, and crushed red pepper flakes if desired.  Increase heat to high and bring to a simmer then lower heat to medium-low and simmer until reduced to about 2½ cups, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat then stir in the basil and olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper.
3. To Laminate the Dough.  Turn the dough out onto a clean dry work surface and roll into a 15x12-inch rectangle. Spread the softened butter over the surface leaving a ½-inch border along the edges. Starting at the short end, roll the dough into a tight cylinder. With seam side down, flatten the cylinder into an 18x4-inch rectangle. Cut rectangle in half crosswise. Working with one half, fold into thirds like a business letter; pinch seams together to form ball. Repeat with remaining half. Return balls to oiled bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let rise in refrigerator until nearly doubled in volume, 40 to 50 minutes. Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to lower position and preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
4. To Bake the Pizzas: Coat two 9-inch round cake pans with 2 tablespoons olive oil each. Transfer 1 dough ball to work surface and roll out into a 13-inch circle. Transfer dough to the pan by rolling the dough loosely around a rolling pin and unrolling into pan. Lightly press dough into pan, working into corners and 1 inch up sides. If dough resists stretching, let it relax for 5 minutes before trying again. Repeat with remaining dough ball.
5. For each pizza, sprinkle 2 cups mozzarella evenly over surface of dough. If you're using any toppings, layer them now on top of the cheese. Spread 1¼ cups tomato sauce over the cheese (or toppings) and sprinkle 2 tablespoons Parmesan over sauce. 
6. Bake until crust is golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove pizza from oven and let rest 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Source: Cook's Illustrated, January-February 2010 as seen on and adapted by Brown Eyed Baker

Bravo's Lemon Shrimp Florentine Pasta

It's no secret that BRAVO! Cucina Italiana is one of our favorite Italian restaurants.  Imagine my delight when I found Bravo recipes direct from the source so that I could make it at home!  And, it's designed as 2 servings so it's perfect for my husband and I to have "date night in" :).

One of my recent favorite dishes to order is their Lemon Shrimp Florentine Pasta.  The menu describes it as "sauteed shrimp tossed with tomatoes, Boursin, spinach, Feta, and linguine in a creamy lemon sauce".  I just call it delicious.  It's slightly tart and tangy, a bit creamy, and a treat for the taste buds.  Perfect for Lent or any other time you want restaurant quality pasta at home!

Looking for other Christine's Kitchen Chronicles tested Bravo copycat recipes?  Try:

• Pasta Bravo - Their signature dish and you'll be shocked that it's so surprisingly easy!
• Mock Bravo Insalata Della Casa - It's my husband's favorite salad and the perfect way to start any meal.

Any other reader copycat recipe requests, Bravo or otherwise?

Three Years Ago: Jalapeno Cornbread Whoopie Pies, Awesome Slow Cooker Pot Roast, and Peanut-Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Bravo's Lemon Shrimp Florentine Pasta

Ingredients

• 1/4 lb Linguine (I felt it was a bit saucy and would recommend at least 1/3 lb)
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 tsp garlic, chopped
• 1/4 cup grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup vegetable stock
• 2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp roasted garlic, pureed with oil (I roasted my own homemade roasted garlic and then mashed it up.  There wasn't a lot of oil)
• 4 Tbsp crumbled Feta cheese, divided
• 2 Tbsp Boursin cheese (I used cream cheese)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 cup fresh spinach leaves
• 2 Tbsp toasted bread crumbs

Directions

1. Cook pasta to al dente according to package directions.  Set aside and keep warm.
2. Heat oil in a large saute pan on medium heat.  Add shrimp and cook slowly for 2 minutes.  Add chopped garlic and tomatoes and cook for 30 seconds more.  Add vegetable stock, lemon juice, roasted garlic, and 2 Tablespoons each of Feta and Boursin cheese.  Bring to a simmer.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Add butter and cook to a sauce consistency.  Add spinach and cooked pasta to pan.  Stir to combine.
3. Divide into two serving plates.  Garnish each plate with 1 Tablespoon of Feta cheese and 1 Tablespoon of toasted bread crumbs.

Source: BRAVO! Cucina Italiana

Recipe Swap: Copycat Chick-Fil-A Sandwiches

Any Chick-Fil-A fans in the house?  I for one am a huge fan of their chicken, especially the spicy versions!  I have seen many copycat recipes floating around the internet but have always been intimidated by them because 1) how close could they really taste? and 2) frying things and I...we don't get along.

Often times for recipe swaps I will find something to challenge me and so when I found this at Melissa's blog I was Born to Cook, I knew it was time to surrender and beat my fears.

Looking at the ingredient list there were some items that weren't surprising and then others that made me go "huh?".  Take the pickle juice marinade for example.  I don't even like pickles and well...that's an awful lot of juice!  The powdered sugar was another interesting one...I was skeptical.

So how did it turn out?  Surprisingly, it tasted eerily similar to the real Chick-Fil-A sandwiches!  It didn't taste too pickle-y.  Instead, it gave that great tang and saltiness that is characteristic of their chicken.  The sugar also added just enough sweetness to offset it.  Since I like the spicy sandwiches I added Tobasco to the pickle juice and cayenne to the spice blend.  I think I would actually add more in the future because it wasn't quite to the spiciness of the real version.  But overall, yep, it was good!

My only lament is I still can't fry things to save my life.  Mine ended up a little more toasty than I would have desired.  Still have to work on that one...

Thank you Melissa for the recipe and Sarah at Taste of Home Cooking for organizing the swap!

Copycat Chick-Fil-A Sandwiches

Ingredients

• 4 boneless chicken breasts 
• 1 cup pickle juice 
• 1-2 tsp Tobasco sauce (optional to create the spicy version)
• 3 eggs 
• 2/3 cup milk 
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 
• 3 tablespoons powdered sugar 
• 2 teaspoons paprika 
• 2 teaspoons salt 
• 1 teaspoon black pepper 
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder 
• 1 teaspoon dried basil 
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional to create the spicy version)
• vegetable oil for frying (peanut oil is supposedly better, but I didn’t have any) 
• 4 buns, buttered and toasted 
• pickle slices

Directions

1. Pound out chicken to 1/2 inch thickness. Marinate in pickle juice and Tobasco (if using) for 1 hour. 
2. Beat egg and milk together in a bowl. Combine flour, sugar and spices in another bowl. Dip chicken on both sides in egg first, then flour mixture. 
3. Heat oil in a deep skillet. Fry each piece for a few minutes on each side, or until golden and cooked through. Place on paper towel lined plate and blot top side. 
4. Serve on buns with pickles 

Source: Slightly modified from I Was Born to Cook

Bourbon Street Chicken

Originally today I was going to share the most authentic and coveted recipe of all...a Chinese Sponge Cake recipe from my Grandmother.  It is one of the few recipes that actually is written down and well documented.  But, as I discovered when I tried to make it, there aren't enough details to get it right without some experimentation first.  So, allow me to play with it a bit more and then get back to you on sharing that one...

Instead, I'm going to share a really tasty but not-so-authentic stir fry recipe so there's a little something for everybody.  This is a dish that you often find at the mall food court where little Asians try to shove chicken samples on a toothpick in your face.  Oddly enough, I never find myself taking those samples nor ordering this dish but I got a hankering to eat it at home recently.

The sauce is sweet and sticky with a good amount of spice that can be adjusted to your liking.  And despite its name (and my love for drunken foods)...contains no bourbon.  Either way, it's really really good.  Good enough that my husband actually agreed to take leftovers to work the next day for lunch.  He NEVER does that!

I happened to use about half as much chicken and then threw in some leftover broccoli that I needed to use up.  I think steamed broccoli a common side dish for this anyway but I wanted mine to be nice and saucy.

Two Years Ago: Chicken Cacciatore

Three Years Ago:  Crockpot 40 Clove Garlic Chicken

Bourbon Street Chicken

Yields: 4 Servings

Ingredients

• 2 lb boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1/4 tsp ginger
• 3/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (For added heat, add a squirt of Sriracha!)
• 1/4 c apple juice (I use no sugar added)
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp ketchup
• 1 Tbsp cider vinegar
• 1/2 c water
• 1/3 c low sodium soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch dissolved in a bit of water

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large skillet.  Add chicken pieces and cook until lightly browned.  Remove and set aside on a plate.
2. Add remaining ingredients and heat until well blended and dissolved.  Add the chicken back in then bring to a hard boil.
3. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes uncovered.  Add the cornstarch mixture and continue to cook until thickened.
4. Serve over hot rice.

Source: Big Oven

Buca di Beppo's Spicy Chicken Rigatoni

Did you know that October was National Pasta Month?  Me neither and so here I am sneaking in this pasta dish just in the nick of time!

Pasta would have to be one of my favorite foods EVER.  I mean, what's not to love about this versatile dish?    It can be dressed up Italian or Asian or even with a Mexican flair.  You can make it in your oven like this Pierogi and Kielbasa Bake  or on your stovetop like this Stovetop Mac and Cheese.  I could eat pasta EVERY SINGLE DAY and not get bored.  When I was growing up I told my mom I preferred pasta to rice and she basically made me feel like the worst Asian person ever.  It's blasphemy to dislike rice!

I enjoy finding copy-cat recipes of restaurant favorites and this one comes from the family-style Italian chain, Buca di Beppo.  I had this dish at a recent work lunch and found it a nice remake of a previous dish that I got there, the Penne Rosa (pink sauce).  This new-to-me version, Spicy Chicken Rigatoni, was much improved by the addition of many flecks of crushed red pepper!  If you can't handle spicy foods, this probably isn't the dish for you...unless perhaps if you decrease the crushed red pepper in the dish but then it'd just be Chicken Rigatoni!  However, if you like spice and you like garlic, you'll love this dish.

It's so easy to make at home (Hello jarred sauces! And, if you're feeling extra lazy, hello pre-cooked chicken strips or rotisserie chicken, too!) and tastes just like the real thing so impress your date and save some money, too!

One Year Ago: Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars, Apple Cinnamon Truffles, and Mini Triple Treat Cupcakes (A simple Halloween treat!)
Three Years Ago: Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Buca di Beppo's Spicy Chicken Rigatoni

Ingredients

• 1 lb rigatoni pasta, cooked
• 2 chicken breasts, cooked and sliced
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 2 tsp butter
• 1 Tbsp garlic, minced
• 1/2 Tbsp crushed red pepper
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup marinara sauce
• 1/2 cup Alfredo sauce
• 1/2 cup frozen peas

To garnish: 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

Directions

1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat olive oil and butter.  Add garlic and crushed red pepper cooking until fragrant, about a minute.
2. Add marinara and Alfredo sauces and peas. Then season with salt and pepper.  Heat until warmed.
3. Stir in the cooked pasta and chicken breast slices.  If desired, garnish with additional crushed red pepper.

Source: Slightly modified from Bucca di Beppo at Home

Crazy Cooking Challenge: Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning

I'm excited to be participating in my first ever Mom's Crazy Cooking Challenge.  I've seen other bloggers doing this and it seemed like fun.  Basically the concept is that each month there is a set theme and participating bloggers go off and make something related to that theme.  Then on the 7th of each month the real fun begins because everyone reveals their challenge recipe and the blog hop begins!

For this challenge, we had two, yes TWO days to complete it. But thankfully it was easy.  I took a little liberty in this challenge in that I didn't make it fully into the dressing/dip...simply because I didn't have any mayo, sour cream, or even yogurt (a first!) in the house to do so.  Besides, now this seasoning can really show off its versatility as a dressing, dip, or seasoning for things like meats and potatoes.  It's completely homemade and literally took a minute to whip up from pantry ingredients.  One step to the recipe.  Seriously.  You'll never go back to the packaged stuff again!

I didn't have garlic salt or onion salt as the original recipe calls for so just used more regular garlic and onion powders and added roughly 1 tsp of salt.  I figure you can always add more later depending on your final application!

Upcoming challenges:

October 7, 2012 - APPLE PIE

November 7, 2012 - STUFFING Recipes
December 7, 2012 - PERFECT SUGAR COOKIE

Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning

Yields: ~1/2 cup

Ingredients

• 4 saltine crackers (I only had Ritz crackers around today...time to go to the store!)
• 4 Tbsp dried parsley
• 4 Tbsp dry minced onion
• 1/2 Tbsp dill weed
• 1.5 Tbsp onion powder
• 1.5 Tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt

Directions

1. Add all ingredients into the bowl of a food processor or blender and process until you form fine particles.  (I LOVE the Cuisinart Smart Stick Hand Blender with Whisk and Chopper Attachments...so versatile and the perfect size for this application!)

To make into Ranch Dressing: Add 1 Tablespoon of the ranch seasoning to 1 cup of mayonnaise + 1 cup of buttermilk.  Stir to combine and if necessary, season with salt and pepper.

Source: Modified from Kayotic Kitchen

SRC: Homemade Nutella

It's that time of the month again!  This month for Secret Recipe Club (SRC) I received Heidi's blog, Heidi's World.  She is Danish and so it was my first adventure with a foreign blog.  I was excited!

Since most of the world other than the US cooks by weight, I was grateful to have my food scale.  But, since I realize not all of you may have one (highly recommend to get, though!), I did my best to translate the recipe into volumetric cups based on the ingredients that I used.  Please realize though that depending on the particle size of what you're measuring, you could actually end up with more or less of the item than intended because of packing, though.

I was intrigued by her recipes which included many unfamiliar things (such as these Moink Balls - Meatballs wrapped in bacon, grilled and then brushed with BBQ sauce...sounds like a Summer cookout winner to me and almost made those!).  Ultimately, I went with a homemade version of Nutella.  If you don't know what Nutella is, surely you've been living under a rock all of these years.  It is chocolate hazelnut spread and somehow passes as dessert for breakfast when you smear it on your toast.  Every time I think of Nutella now I think of the woman that sued them because she was "deceived" into thinking it was a healthy breakfast food for her child.  Really, it's quite laughable to think this given it's CHOCOLATE but hey, that's how Nutella markets themselves with their "breakfast never tasted this good!" slogan.  I'm not sure if this is necessarily healthier than the real stuff but at least you know exactly what is going into it.

I haven't had Nutella in a long while but from what I can remember, this is good!  I mean really, can you go wrong with chocolate and nuts?  I think not.  When it was hot, it was quite soupy and I thought surely I must have read something wrong (it wouldn't be the first time).  But, it does get nice and thick as it cools and sets so don't fret!  I personally would like a thicker spread and more hazelnut flavor so have adjusted those ingredients, accordingly.  This recipe made a lot and is supposed to last 2 weeks in the fridge (if it lasts that long).  I think mine might become ingredients for other things...possibly more recipes to come?

As usual a special thank you to April of the blog Angel's Homestead, SRC ring leader and Debbi of the blog Debbi Does Dinner, our new Group C Hostess!

Homemade Nutella

Ingredients

• 75g (3/4 cup) pre-chopped hazelnuts
• 150g (~1 cup) good chocolate, chopped (I used Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips)
• 30g (2 Tbsp) butter
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
• 2 Tbsp powdered sugar
• Salt, to taste

Directions

1. In a microwave safe dish, toast hazelnuts in the microwave for about 1 minute.  Ground them up finely using a food processor.  For a chunkier spread, process for less time but keep it going longer until the oils are released and it forms a nut butter if you want it nice and smooth like real Nutella.
2. Heat the cream in a small saucepan on the stove.  Pour in the chopped chocolate pieces and stir until the chocolate has melted.  Add the butter and stir until melted.  Add the nuts, powdered sugar, and salt.  Stir until well combined.
3. Transfer the mixture to a glass jar and close immediately.  Put in the refrigerator and allow to set.  Can be stored for 14 days in the refrigerator.  You may need to allow it to come to room temperature a bit before becoming spreadable again.

Source: Re-written from Heidi's World

Panera Mac and Cheese

I already have a favorite mac and cheese recipe.  But this one is right up there with it and if you're a fan of Panera, you'll probably love this version because it comes from their own website!

Oddly enough, I've never had the mac and cheese at Panera but I do love everything else there.  When I think of Panera, I'm reminded of my cousin Jen who lives in Arizona where the chain does not exist.  So, anytime she visits somewhere that has one, it's usually at the top of her list to visit.

This mac and cheese was served at my Father's Day lunch this year to accompany AB's Who Loves Ya Baby Back Ribs.  It was picked especially for my father-in-law and he approved.  Eating firsts, seconds, and THIRDS.  It was very saucy and creamy, just the way I like my mac to be.  The only reason I still think the other mac edges this one out is because I think that one is a bit more creamy and uses a sharper cheese, which I prefer.

One Year Ago: Summer Strawberry Salad with Poppy Seed Vinaigrette (Another Panera inspired recipe!)
Two Years Ago: Firecracker Shrimp
Three Years Ago: Pasta Salad


Panera Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

• 1 lb. pasta shapes, such as shells
• 4 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2½ cups milk or half-and-half
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1½-2 tsp. Dijon mustard
• ¼ tsp. hot sauce
• 4 oz. white American cheese, finely chopped (available at the deli counter of most grocery stores)
• 8 oz. white cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil.  Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente.  Drain well.  Return to the pot off the heat.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat.  Stir in the flour and cook until light golden brown, whisking constantly, about 1½-2  minutes.  Slowly whisk in the milk until no lumps remain.  Stir in the salt, mustard, and hot sauce.  Lower the heat to medium and continue to cook the sauce, stirring frequently, until it bubbles and thickens, about 6-8 minutes.
3. Remove the sauce from the heat.  Stir in the cheese a handful at a time, mixing until fully melted before adding more.  Once all the cheese has been added and the sauce is smooth, pour the sauce over the pasta in the stockpot.  Mix well until the pasta is fully coated in the sauce.  Serve immediately.

Source: As adapted by and seen on Annie's Eats from Panera Bread

Recipe Swap: Strip House Potatoes Romanoff

These potatoes were, in the name sake of my recipe swap partner for the week, DeLish!  My husband went in for second servings (shhh, nobody tell him that there's a good helping of sour cream in this dish!) and we easily cleaned out half of the casserole dish (supposedly 6 servings) between the two of us.

It's a bit time consuming to make with the pre-baking of the potatoes prior to the final casserole assembly and bake but cheesy flavor is amazingly comforting.  I'm sure in a rush you could substitute hash brown potatoes and go straight for the final bake.  I may try that in the future but if someone else gets to it first please let me know how it goes.

I baked my potatoes and assembled the casserole in the same day (still allowing to cool to room temperature first).  My potatoes were on the small side since they came from my farm share and probably could have benefited from a reduced pre-baking time to shred more easily.  I did not have white cheddar so used a combination of sharp cheddar and some leftover three cheddar cheese (which, I guess technically has *some* white cheddar in it).  In lieu of shallots which I forgot to buy I just used a medium onion and 2 garlic cloves.  Also, I cut back the salt to 1.5 tsp but still found it to be a little too salty.  Might scale it back to a single teaspoon in the future.  I used fat free sour cream with success to trim some calories.  I'm sure hubby will be asking for this dish again!

Please visit A Taste of Home Cooking for the swap roundup and check out the equally cheesy and comforting Stovetop Mac and Cheese recipe (my go-to!) that I submitted and Hezzi D's Books and Cooks recieved in this week's swap.

Strip House Potatoes Romanoff

Yields: 6 Servings


Ingredients

• 3 large russet potatoes, about 2 lb. total, unpeeled and scrubbed  
• 3/4 cup minced shallots  (I used a medium onion and 2 cloves garlic, which I grated on the small side of the grater)
• 2 1/2 cups grated white cheddar cheese (I used 1 & 1/2 cups sharp and three cheese cheddar)
• 2 tsp. kosher salt (I used 1.5 tsp but would recommend trying 1 tsp)
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground white pepper 
• 1 1/2 cups sour cream (I used fat free)

Directions

1. Wrap each potato in aluminum foil and pierce several times with a fork. Place the potatoes directly on the oven rack and bake until tender, about 1 hour. Remove the foil and let the potatoes cool to room temperature. Place the potatoes on a plate, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
2. The next day, preheat the oven to 350ºF. 
3. Using the large holes of a box grater, grate the potatoes, including the skins. Transfer to a bowl and sprinkle the shallots, 1 3/4 cups of the cheese, the salt and white pepper on top. Using your hands, gently toss the mixture together to combine, then fold in the sour cream in 2 additions. 
4. Transfer the potato mixture to a 1 1/2-quart gratin dish; do not compress. Sprinkle the remaining 3/4 cup cheese on top. Bake until the potatoes are hot and the cheese is golden brown, about 30 minutes. 

Source: Originally from Strip House as seen on DeLish

Homemade Girl Scout Samoa Cookies

This is the final course on this week's sharing of items from my 23 Things in 2011 list.  You might also know them as Caramel Delites.  Whatever you call them, we can all agree on one word: DELICIOUS.

Did you know that the reason Girl Scout Cookies are known by different names is because there are two bakeries that supply the nation with these delectable cookies?  Each manufacturer has their own names for the cookies and that's why the name is different depending on what region you're in.  Growing up as a Girl Scout myself (Troop 2180 represent!) I remember them going by both names.  Yep, I was one of those girls that sold you cookies door-to-door, at your parents' office, and even at your neighborhood Kroger.  I even have the badges to prove it :).

It's strange that I even like these cookies.  I HATE the texture of coconut but the flavor is fine by me.  I think what makes it work for me in this cookie is the fact that the coconut is completely drowned in gooey, delicious caramel.  Who can say no to that??

Yes this cookie is a little time consuming to make.  Yes, I couldn't get my holes to stay open when I baked them (I think putting them in the freezer a few minutes before baking would help them to retain their shape and therefore the hole or if you're fortunate enough to own a donut pan apparently those are awesome for this application, too).  But, that didn't make them any less appetizing...just ask my Dinner Club friends Jeff, Jackie, Toni, Ke'Mani, Scott and Emily.  They sampled these at our Luau themed Dinner Club (hey, I figured the coconut would loosely fit and it was a bonus dish anyway!).  I'd even consider making them in a bar version to save time in the future.  Taste over aesthetics any day when it's just me wanting to eat the whole batch.  Noms!

Two Years Ago: Cha Cha's White Chicken Chili - My favorite white chicken chili but watchout because it definitely packs a lot of heat!

Homemade Girl Scout Samoa Cookies

Yields: 3-1/2 to 4 dozen cookies

Ingredients

For the Cookies

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• Up to 2 Tbps milk

For the Topping

• 3 cups shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
• 12 oz good-quality chewy caramels (I used the Kraft ones)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 Tbsp milk
• 8 oz dark or semisweet chocolate (chips are okay)

Directions

To make the cookies:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar.  Mix in flour, baking powder and salt at a low speed followed by the vanilla and milk as needed to make the dough come together without being sticky (it's possible you may not need any milk at all).  The dough should come together in a soft, not-too-sticky ball.  Add in a bit of extra flour if your dough is very sticky.  
3. Roll the dough (working in 2-3 batches) out between pieces of wax paper to about 1/4" thickness and use a 1 1/2" cookie cutter to make rounds.  Place  on a parchment lined baking sheet and use the end of a wide straw to cut a smaller center hole.  Repeat with remaining dough.  Alternatively, use scant tablespoons of dough and press into an even layer in a mini donut pan to form the rounds.  
4. Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes until bottoms are lightly browned and cookies are set.  If using a mini donut pan, bake for only about 10 minutes, until edges are light gold.  Cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To top and decorate the cookies:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Spread coconut evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet (preferably one with sides) and toast 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until coconut is golden. Cool on baking sheet, stirring occasionally. Set aside.
2. Unwrap the caramels and place in a large microwave-safe bowl with milk and salt. Cook on high for 3-4 minutes, stopping to stir a few times to help the caramel melt. When smooth, fold in toasted coconut with a spatula.
3. Using the spatula or a small offset spatula, spread topping on cooled cookies, using about 2-3 tsp per cookie. Reheat caramel for a few seconds in the microwave if it gets too firm to work with.
4. While topping sets up, melt chocolate in a small bowl. Heat on high in the microwave in 45 second intervals, stirring thoroughly to prevent scorching. Dip the base of each cookie into the chocolate and place on a clean piece of parchment paper. Transfer all remaining chocolate (or melt a bit of additional chocolate, if necessary) into a piping bag or a ziplock bag with the corner snipped off and drizzle finished cookies with chocolate.  Let chocolate set completely before storing in an airtight container.

Source: Baking Bites

Stuffed Chicken Marsala

Here's this week's second item off of my 23 Things in 2011 list that I'm posting this week.  This is a blinged out version of chicken marsala.  If you know anything about me, you'll know that not only do I love mushrooms but I also love CHEESE and anything using sun-dried tomatoes.  So, when I saw this recipe on Joelen's blog it was a no-brainer that this would be the recipe that I made to check that chicken marsala off my list.  The fact that it's an original Olive Garden recipe made it a bonus.

It was ridiculously good.  Like...died and gone to heaven good!  I used some of the mushroom sauce to top on a side of spaghetti noodles.

Two Years Ago: Barbecue Chicken Pizza

Stuffed Chicken Marsala

Ingredients

For the Cheese Stuffing:
1/2 cup smoked shredded cheese (provolone or gouda) 
8-oz package mozzarella cheese, shredded 
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated 
1/2 cup breadcrumbs 
1 tsp fresh garlic, minced 
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, crushed 
2 Tbsp sun-dried tomato, chopped (drain first if in oil) 
1/3 cup green onions, thinly sliced
3/4 cup sour cream (6 oz) 
1/2 tsp salt 
1/2 tsp black pepper 
For the Sauce:
1/2 large red small onion, finely chopped 
1-2 cloves garlic, minced 
2 cups Marsala wine 
1 cup heavy cream 
1 8oz container of cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced 
Salt and pepper to taste 

2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breasts 
4 fl oz olive oil for frying
2 cups all-purpose flour

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 350°F and have a baking dish ready.
2. Combine all the cheese stuffing ingredients in a mixing bowl and set aside.
3. To prepare the chicken, butterfly the thickest section of chicken breasts to create 2 halves. Place each breast in a large ziplock bag and pound it with the flat side of a meat mallet until ¼” - ½” thick.  Place the flattened chicken breasts on a plate and add a desired amount of cheese stuffing on one half of each chicken breast. Try not to overfill. Gently press stuffing down and fold over other half of chicken breast; it does not have to seal. Place flour in a shallow pan and season to taste with salt and pepper. Dredge stuffed chicken breasts in flour, shaking off excess.
4. In a cast iron skillet over medium heat, add oil and heat until shimmering. Saute the flour coated chicken breasts in the preheated oil, cooking until each side is golden brown. Remove chicken from pan and place in the baking dish you have on hand. Bake the browned chicken in the preheated oven for 10-20 minutes, or until juices run clear and the center of chicken reaches 165°F.
5. Meanwhile, add the onions and garlic to the cast iron skillet and stir to loosen chicken drippings. After 2 minutes, add mushrooms and fresh chopped parsley. Sauté until the onions are translucent and the mushrooms begin to caramelize. Add the Marsala wine to the skillet to deglaze the pan – make sure to incorporate drippings from bottom of pan. Allow the Marsala to come to a simmer and then add the heavy cream. Simmer on low heat until reduced by half. Place the cooked chicken breasts on a plate and top each with this Marsala-mushroom sauce.

Source: Originally from Olive Garden Kitchen as adapted by and seen on What's Cookin, Chicago

Peanut Butter Cup Chocolate Cheesecake

I didn't think it was possible but there's something that's even more decadent and outrageous than the Peanut Butter-Fudge Cheesecake that I made for Chris' birthday last year.  Last year when he had that cake he told me he wanted me to make that same cake for him for the rest of his life.  But, I went ahead and gave him some alternative options this year just in case he changed his mind.  One look at this cake and he was sold.  We were destined for fatness greatness.

This recipe is based on Cheescake Factory's Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Chocolate Cake Cheesecake - Chunks of Reese’s® Peanut Butter Cups in our Original Cheesecake with Layers of Delicious Fudge Cake and Caramel.  With my change of substituting one of the caramel layers for a peanut butter layer, it's by far one of the best copycat recipes that I have EVER made.  It's seriously spot on and Chris (and his fellow PB loving mom) went to PB chocolate heaven.

Here's the cake all dressed up and ready to go..or so I thought.  When I presented it to the birthday boy, he asked me "Where are the peanut butter cups??  The picture on the recipe showed it having peanut butter cups!"

There, we go.  Peanut butter cups!  Now we're in business and boy does that look rich (and surprisingly a lot like last year's cake from the outside).  But  it's SO MUCH more.  Let's peel back the layers and peek at what lies inside...

Ohmigoodness there are 9 layers of amazingness to this cake!!!

And here it is neked...

I'll admit the cake looks intimidating with all its steps and layers but if you set aside a few nights to bake and assemble, people will think you're a kitchen God/dess AND you'll save yourself some $40+.  Plus, the original website has some nice step-by-step pictures to help you along the way if you need extra assistance.

A word of caution: my caramel layers oozed out over time so I wouldn't make it more than 2-3 days in advance.  The cake is literally so heavy that it squishes the liquid layers out!  Ae nother note from experience - I found that while keeping the cake in the freezer helps keep the layers intact it's just too hard to cut.  So, allow it to thaw some in the fridge before serving or, if you don't mind risking some caramel ooze after cutting, just keep it in the fridge full time for minimal wait time before enjoyment :).

Will I be able to top this cake in the future?  I'm always for challenging myself in the kitchen and next year is the big 3-0 for my dear hubby but my waistline sure hopes not!

Happy 29th Birthday, honey!

Two Years Ago: Sausage, Onion, and Green Pepper Fra Diavolo

Peanut Butter Cup Chocolate Cheesecake

Serves: 15-20 people


Ingredients

For the Crustless Cheesecake

• 30 mini peanut butter cups, each one quartered
• 2 sticks (16 tbsp) softened butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 4- 8 oz packages cream cheese, softened
• 1- 3 oz. package cook and serve vanilla pudding
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

For the Caramel Layers

• 1 (4 oz) can of sweetened condensed milk
• 5 tbsp. butter
• 40 caramels
• Scant 1/2 cup of salted peanut halves 

For the Chocolate Cake

• 1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cups cocoa powder, unsweetened
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup canola oil (or other vegetable oil)
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup of coffee - must be hot! 

For the Peanut Butter Layers

• 1 cup creamy peanut butter

For the Chocolate Ganache Frosting

• 13 oz. or 1 2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 tbsp. corn syrup

For the Peanut Butter Frosting and Garnish

• 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
• 4 tbsp butter, softened
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 6 mini peanut butter cups

Directions

For the Crustless Cheesecake

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Grease two 9" pans with shortening, line the pans with parchment and then grease the parchment.  Lightly flour the pans and tap out excess.  Set aside.
2. Cream butter and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment.  Add cream cheese a little at a time until smooth.  Scrape bowl down and beat again on medium speed, adding eggs one at a time.  Add remaining ingredients except peanut butter cups.  Mix again until smooth.
3. With a rubber spatula, fold in quartered peanut butter cups.  Divide batter evenly between pans.  You should have 8 cups of batter, so 4 cups in each pan.  Smooth batter with offset spatula and bake for 55 minutes to 1 hour.  Cheesecake will puff up during baking, then deflate when taken out.
4. Do not turn out cheesecakes when they are finished baking.  Put them directly in the freezer.  While the cheesecake is freezing, make the caramel layer.

For the Caramel Layers

1. In a large microwaveable bowl, place 1- 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk, 5 tbsp. butter, and 40 caramels.  Heat at 1 minute intervals until smooth. 
2. Pour caramel evenly over frozen layers of cheesecakes.  Be careful to not let the caramel drip over the sides.  Sprinkle each layer with 3-4 tbsp. of salted peanut halves.  Return cheesecake layers to freezer until frozen solid.

For the Chocolate Cake and Peanut Butter Layer

1. Grease 2- 9" pans with shortening and line with parchment.  Grease parchment and lightly flour pan, tapping out excess.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Sift all the dry ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment.  In a 4 cup glass measure, mix all the wet ingredients except hot coffee! 
3. Turn mixer on low speed and gradually add wet ingredients to dry.  Stop and scrape down the bowl, making sure to scrape the bottom where dregs tend to gather.  Return mixer to low speed and beat in hot coffee.  Mixture will be very thin.
4. Divide batter evenly between the two pans, and bake for 35-40 minutes (check at 35).  Cake is ready when toothpick tester comes out clean.  Cool slightly in pans.  Run knife around the edge of cakes and turn them out.  Let them rest on a cooling rack.
5. When cool, level cakes with a serrated knife or cake leveler.  Line cake pans with parchment or wax paper, enough to hang over the edges (just like previously with the cheesecake layers).  Return cake layers to parchment lined pans.
6. Make the peanut butter layer by microwaving it in a bowl for approximately 1 minute.  Pour peanut butter mixture evenly over both chocolate cake layers, sprinkle with 3-4 tbsp. salted peanut halves.  Place peanut butter covered cakes in freezer until peanut butter has hardened a bit (about 15 minutes).
7. Remove all cake layers from freezer.  Remove all cake layers from pans.  All of the cakes will be stacked with the caramel or peanut butter layer on top.  Stack layers beginning with 1 layer of chocolate cake as the bottom, then cheesecake layer, then chocolate layer, and last cheesecake layer will be on top.  Wrap layers in plastic wrap and freeze overnight.  You'll frost your cake the next day.

For the Chocolate Ganache Frosting

1. Note: Remove cheesecake layers from freezer and unwrap.  Choose your serving plate and line it with wax paper strips.  Place cake over strips.  Now you're ready to frost.
2. Put chocolate chips in a medium bowl or 4 cup measure.  Heat cream in a saucepan over medium high heat until very hot but not boiling.  Pour hot cream over chips and stir until smooth.  Remove 2/3 cup chocolate mixture and pour into a small bowl.  Add 1/2 tbsp. corn syrup and stir.  When combined, immediately pour over top of cake, creating a shiny dark topping and taking care that most remains on top of the cake and doesn't spill down the edges.  Return cake, uncovered this time,  to freezer.
3. Fit stand mixer with whisk attachment.  Pour remaining chocolate ganache into the stand mixer bowl and whip on the highest speed for 5-10 minutes until icing is light and fluffy.  Icing is ready when it is thick and can be pulled into a stiff peak.
4. Remove cake layers from freezer and frost sides with chocolate ganache using an offset spatula.  The whipped frosting should grab on to the frozen cakes well.  Use all the ganache frosting, evening the cake's surface as you work.

 For the Peanut Butter Frosting and Garnish

1. Cream peanut butter and butter together in stand mixer with whisk attachment.  Gradually add powdered sugar.  Whip on high speed until light and fluffy.
2. Transfer icing to a piping bag fitted with a large piping tip.  Pipe edges and then 6 large swirls around the top edge of cake.  Garnish each large swirl with a peanut butter cup.
   

Source: Slightly modified from Sprinkle Bakes

Asian Lettuce Wraps

There are some people that L.O.V.E. the restaurant P. F. Changs.  I, however, am not one of those people.  Personally I find the restaurant to be an overpriced version of any run-of-the-mill Americanized Chinese food and usually, it's way too salty.  But, I do love Asian lettuce wraps...and that's something they serve that's a bit more authentic.  People go gaga over these wraps there...and for good reason!

There's something about the contrasting flavors and textures of this meal: crisp, cool lettuce versus the hot (and if desired, spicy) meat filling.  Essentially, it's Asia's version of the taco.  It's also great for low-carb dieters because there's no tortilla, just a lettuce cup holding all the meaty goodness inside.

Asian Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients

For the sauce:

• 1½ tsp. hoisin sauce
• 1 tsp. soy sauce
• ½ tsp. sesame oil
• 1 tsp. rice wine vinegar
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp. Sriracha hot sauce

For the filling:

• 2 tsp. canola oil
• 1 tsp. minced garlic
• ½ tsp. grated fresh ginger
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1 lb. ground turkey or chicken
• 2 cups mixed vegetables 
• ½ green apple, finely chopped

To assemble:

• Butter lettuce leaves, washed and separated
• Shredded carrots for topping (optional)

Directions

1. Combine all the ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl and mix to blend.
2. To make the filling, heat a skillet on high heat with cooking oil.  Once the pan is hot, add the garlic, ginger and green onions to the pan, and stir fry for a few seconds, just until fragrant.  Add the ground turkey or chicken, breaking into small pieces, and cook until almost cooked through.  Add the vegetables to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes.  Mix in the sauce and cook for about 1 minute until thickened slightly.  Add the apples to the pan and toss to coat.  Immediately remove the pan from the heat.
3. Serve the filling in lettuce “cups” and top with shredded carrots, if desired.

Source: Originally from Steamy Kitchen as adapted by and seen on Annie's Eats

SweetFire Chicken

Have you tried this yet?  I know I was hooked from the moment these sweet and spicy chicken morsels hit my tongue.  I used to knock Panda Express because I figured it was just another bad Americanized Chinese food joint but this is truly another example where you shouldn't judge a book by its cover.

Yes, it's cheap.  Yes, it's not authentic.  But YES, it is DELICIOUS!  As I savored every bite and realized it would be quite a drive for us to get this food often, I thought surely this couldn't be difficult to make at home.  A quick internet search yielded some recipes and a place to begin.  The recipe I ended up finding was precisely what I concocted in my mind when I thought I'd try to DIY.  The only thing I did differently was to add some cornstarch to the flour mix so that it'd help thicken the "sauce" and also some spices for flavoring the chicken.  I also added more pineapple and veggies.  Yum!  You could deep fry the chicken like they do in the restaurant but this offers a slightly healthier option and frankly, we didn't miss the deep-friedness.

Chris was totally delighted by this recipe and asked that it be added to our weekly rotation (which, we don't have a weekly rotation because I rarely ever repeat recipes!).  With much enthusiasm as he wolfed down his portion and went for seconds he boldly declared this dish my "best Chinese dish yet".  In my opinion, it was dead on and it was soooo easy!

With its pineapple, red bell pepper, onions, and chicken in a sweet chili sauce, it's a modern day spicy spin on your regular run of the mill sweet and sour chicken.  But 10 million times better.  An "exotic fusion of flavors" as they call it.  Best Chinese yet.

Two Years Ago:  Quick and Easy Alfredo Sauce - I may not have a weekly menu but this is actually one of them that does make it on my menu often.  Especially on lazy days ;).

SweetFire Chicken

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Ingredients

• 2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" chunks
• 1 cup flour
• 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 3/4 of a red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
• 1/2 of a small onion, sliced
• 1 1/2 cups fresh pineapple, chopped (can substitute drained canned pineapple chunks)
• 1/2 cup Thai sweet chili sauce
• Vegetable oil

Directions

1. Chop and prepare all ingredients before starting. 
2. Heat oil in pan on stovetop. Mix flour, cornstarch, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper in a gallon ziplock bag. Add chicken pieces and coat evenly. Once pan has heated, add the chicken pieces. Throw out the leftover flour mixture. Cook 4-5 minutes, stirring several times to cook chicken. If the pan surface gets dry, add a little bit more oil.  Once the chicken has browned and cooked, remove and set aside.
3. Add the bell pepper and onions to the pan and stir fry about 3-4 minutes. Add the sweet chili sauce and stir. Then immediately add the cooked chicken and pineapple. Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes. Serve over rice immediately.

Source: Modified from So I Married a Triathlete

Cookies and Cream Oreo Look-Alike Cake

January is a month filled with Birthdays in my family.  My mom, Grandma, brother-in-law Justin, cousin Jim, and brother's girlfriend Diana all have their birthday within a single week of each other.  Thankfully this year my sister took the lead on making my mom a pull-apart cupcake cake (and paid tribute to all other January birthdays in the decoration).  But, I still wanted to do something special for Justin.

You see, this year on Justin's birthday it dumped a ton of snow on the city and therefore nobody felt like going out to celebrate.  Cincinnati is a strange city.  Even though we get a considerable amount of snow every year the city just doesn't seem to know how to effectively handle it and Cincinnati drivers freak out at the mere mention of snow.  God help you if you are on the road and there are *gasp*...snow flurries!  Traffic will crawl along the highway going 20mph (if you're lucky!), cars will be doing 360s and spinning off the roads, and it will ultimately take a minimum of 2x (if not 8x) as long to get where you're going.  No joke - one time it took me FOUR HOURS to get home for what is normally a 30 minute commute.  For some reason it seems like the road crews find it appropriate to wait until it STOPS snowing before they get out and plow and oh, in the mean time they'll dump salt on the road to make it a nice slushy mess.  Cincinnatians will rush the grocery stores for bread and milk the night to "stock up" before predicted snow and schools will cancel the evening before.   It gets so bad that for those whose companies allow for it, people will just plain stay at home to avoid the headaches.  Seriously.  All hell breaks loose in this city when the "white death" is upon us.

As for me?  I was abducted by Asians and sequestered away in a 4-day long residential training program for work during all of this snow nonsense.  Thank goodness.  But like I said, when the weekend came and we were ready to celebrate Justin's belayed birthday, I thought he certainly deserved a cake.

Justin, like his brother, likes peanut butter.  But honestly I was all peanut buttered out and short on time.  Thank goodness I found this recipe for a Cookies and Cream Cake which is doctored-up cake mix!  Let's be serious for second, who DOESN'T love cookies and cream?  And, I have to say that this is one of the easiest cakes I have made and yet it looks impressive and homemade.  What would have looked nicer is if my cake hadn't split across the top layer during transport but no matter...I'm happy to report that the birthday boy loved his cake.  He just says the cake is so delicious that it looks like it's eating itself :). 

By the way, this is uber rich so either share with a friend or make your slices small!


Oh and for good measure, he's a picture of my mom and Diana with their Pull-apart Cupcake Cake that Kelly made and I helped to decorate.  Ummm...as a side note, I'm kind of anal and didn't post this as my first picture because then it'd forever show up in the thumbnail previews as the photo associated with this recipe and I didn't want that because then it wouldn't match lol!

One Year Ago: Ham and Potato Soup

Cookies and Cream Oreo Look-Alike Cake
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Ingredients

For the Cake:

• 1 Box of Chocolate of Devil's Food Cake Mix (or substitute your favorite homemade chocolate cake)

For the Filling:

• 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 cup (8 ounces) heavy whipping cream
• 12 Oreo cookies, coarsely chopped

 For the Ganache:

• 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
• 4 tablespoons (¼ cup) unsalted butter, cubed

Directions:

1. Prepare cake batter and bake in 2 (9-inch) round pans as directed on package. Cool cakes in pans 10 min. Invert cakes onto wire racks; gently remove pans. Cool cakes completely. 
2. To make the filling, with a stand or hand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk the heavy whipping cream on low until it starts to become frothy and thick. Gradually increase the speed and whisk until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl beat together the cream cheese and sugar until well-blended and smooth. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in ¼ of the whipped cream to lighten the cream cheese mixture. Fold in the remaining whipped cream, and then the chopped Oreos.
4. Place one layer of the cake on a serving plate, spread the filling mixture on top, and top with the second cake layer.
5. To make the ganache, microwave the chocolate and butter in a small microwavable bowl in 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until the butter is melted. Cool for 5 minutes.
6. Spread the ganache over the top of the cake and let stand until firm. Keep refrigerated.

Source: Brown Eyed Baker who was inspired by Kraft