Friday, October 30, 2009

Cheesy Vegetable Chowder




1/2 cup each finely chopped carrots, celery and onions

1/4 cup chopped sweet red pepper

8 T butter, divided

4 cups chicken broth

3 cups fresh broccoli florets

1 medium potato, peeled and diced

3/4 t Worcestershire sauce

1/2 t cayenne pepper

1/4 cup flour

1 can (120z) evaporated milk

2 cups (8oz) shredded sharp cheddar cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Additional shredded cheese, optional

In a dutch oven, saute carrot, celery, onion and red pepper in 4 T butter until vegetable are tender. Stir in broth, broccoli florets, potato, Worcestershire and cayenne; bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 10-15 minutes or until the broccoli and potatoes are tender.Meanwhile in a saucepan, melt remaining butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Gradually whisk in milk. Bring to boil. Cook and stir for two minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat; stir in cheese. continue to stir just until cheese is melted.

Slowly stir cheese sauce into vegetable mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Super easy dinner rolls





1 cup warm water.
2 pkg yeast
1/2 c butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Combine the warm water and yeast in a large bowl. Let the mixture stand until yeast is foamy, about five minutes. Stir in butter, sugar, eggs and salt. Beat in flour until dough is to stiff to mix (you may not need all the flour) Cover and put in the refrigerator 2 hours or up to four days.
Grease a 13x9" baking pan. Divide dough into 24 equal-size pieces. Roll each piece into a smooth round ball. Place balls in even rows in the prepared pan. Cover and let rise until double about one hour.
Bake in a 375 degree oven until rolls are golden about 15-20 minutes. Bush with melted butter.

This is a cake I made about 5 years ago

So I decided to play around with the cake and make a magazine cover with it.

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Caramel Apple Twist


16 Rhodes dinner rolls, thawed and risen
2 Large tart apples, peeled and chopped
12 caramels, cut into fourths
3/4 cup sliced almonds, divided
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 T all-purpose flour
3 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 to 3/4 cup prepared vanilla frosting
Spray work surface slightly with cooking spray. Combine eight dinner rolls into a ball and roll into a 16" X 6" rectangle. Repeat with remaining rolls. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest. In a large bowl, combine apples, caramel. 1/2 cup almonds, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon. Remove wrap from dough.
Spread half of apple mixture down the center of each. Fold both edges to each rectangle over the filling. Overlapping slightly: Pinch tightly to seal.
Place rectangle side by side, seam side down,
on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Carefully twist them together. Pinch ends to seal. Cover with plastic wrap coated with spray, let dough rest for 15-20 minutes.
Remove plastic wrap and bake at 350 for 25-20 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove from pan to a wire rack. Cool for 10 minutes. Microwave frosting for 10 seconds, spread or drizzle over top; sprinkle with remaining almonds. Serve warm.

Baked Tilapia

I do not make fish often because I am the only one who likes some fish. Well, I have never tried Tilapia and after attending a Taste of Home show Diana made this and said it was really good. I have to admit I did not even give this recipe a second look until she was talking about how good it was. So that night I went out and got the stuff. Safeway had the Talapia on sell for $3.99 a pound. It is really good and I will make is again.

3/4 C soft bread crumbs
1/3 C grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp oregano
4 Tilapia (5 oz each)
In a shallow bowl, combine the bread crumbs, cheese, salt and oregano. Coat fillets in crumb mixture. Place on a backing sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 8-12 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Yield: 4 servings.






Saturday, October 17, 2009

Gingerbread Cupcakes with Caramelized Mango Buttercream Recipe : Bobby Flay : Food Network

This one is going to be in three parts, I wanted to share it with you all but the recipe was too long to just send over and I did not have time to type it all out. This are really good, enjoy.


1 cup water
1 cup granulated sugar
1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
For the cupcakes:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
6 tablespoons black strap molasses
3/4 cup water
For the caramelized mango buttercream:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups (1 pound) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into small pieces
1 to 2 tablespoons honey
3 ripe mangoes, peeled, pitted and coarsely chopped
6 egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup candied ginger, finely diced"


Gingerbread Cupcakes with Caramelized Mango Buttercream Recipe : Bobby Flay : Food Network

For the caramelized mango buttercream:
Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in large saute pan over high heat. Add the honey and the mangoes and cook until caramelized and soft. Transfer to a food processor and process until smooth. Pass mixture through a medium mesh strainer into a bowl.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a wire whip attachment, beat the egg yolks at medium-high speed until creamy and pale yellow, about 5 minutes.
In a nonstick saucepan, combine the sugar and corn syrup. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a full rolling boil without stirring and cook until it reaches soft-ball stage (238 to 242 degrees F) on a candy thermometer. Immediately pour the mixture into a buttered measuring cup to halt the cooking.
Add a small amount of the syrup to the beaten egg yolks, turn on the mixer to high speed, and beat for about 5 seconds. Continue stopping the mixer, adding syrup, and beating in the same manner until all of the syrup is incorporated and the mixture is cooled completely.
Add the butter, 1 piece at a time, and beat until incorporated before adding the next piece. When all of the butter has been blended in, add the vanilla and slowly add the mango puree. Continue beating until combined.
Frost each gingerbread cupcake with the caramelized mango buttercream and sprinkle with the candied ginger."

Gingerbread Cupcakes with Caramelized Mango Buttercream Recipe : Bobby Flay : Food Network

For the ginger syrup:
Directions
Bring all the ingredients to a boil in a small saucepan and cook until the sugar has melted and the mixture thickens slightly. Remove from heat and infuse for 30 minutes. Remove ginger just before using.
For the cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 12-muffin tin cups with paper cupcake liners and spray the inside of each liner and the top of the pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon and cloves into a medium bowl.
Whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, and molasses in a large bowl until blended. Add some of the water to batter then some of the dry ingredients to the batter. Continue alternating with the water and flour until everything is added and smooth.
Fill each paper liner with 1/3 cup of the batter, about 1/4-inch below the top of the liner.
Place into preheated oven and bake just until the tops feel firm and a toothpick inserted into the center come out clean, about 15 to 18 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush the tops liberally with some of the ginger syrup.
Allow cupcakes to cool prior to frosting."

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Spice cookies and pumpkin dip


Here is the recipe I always make. The other Spice cookies were good but if you are my kids you are going to say they taste different. These are softer then the other ones a few recipes down. I like the crisp ones.

1 1/2 cups butter, softened
2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup molasses
4 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon each ground ginger and cloves
1 teaspoon salt

PUMPKIN DIP:

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
2 cups pumpkin pie filling
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger



In a bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add molasses; mix well. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt; add to creamed mixture and mix well. Chill overnight.
Shape into 1/2-in. balls; roll in sugar. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375° for 6 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Cool for 2 minutes before removing to a wire rack.
For dip, beat cream cheese in a bowl until smooth. Add pumpkin pie mix; beat well. Add sugar, cinnamon and ginger; beat until smooth. Serve with cookies. Store leftover dip in the refrigerator. Yield: about 20 dozen (3 cups dip)."

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

5 pounds unpeeled red potatoes, quartered
1 1/2 C butter, room temperature
5 ounces Romano cheese, grated
1/4 cup and 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
2-1/2 teaspoons salt
2-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

This recipe's Ingredients were scaled to yield a new amount. The directions below still refer to the original recipe yield of 100 servings.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 45 minutes; drain. Stir in butter, cheese, garlic, salt and oregano. Mash with a potato masher or with an electric mixer."

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Chocolate Chip- Pumpkin Spice Bars




I got this recipe from
http://www.recipegirl.com/

BATTER:
1 ¾ cups pure pumpkin puree
1 cup canola oil
4 large eggs
1½ cups granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole- wheat pastry flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground cloves
¾ cup mini- chocolate chips

FROSTING:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 Tbs butter, softened
2 tsp milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
½ cup mini- chocolate chips (for topping)

1. Prepare batter: Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 10×15-inch baking pan with nonstick spray.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin, oil, eggs and sugars until combined.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, ginger and cloves. Toss in mini chocolate chips and stir to combine. Add dry ingredients to the wet and stir until moistened.
4. Pour batter into prepared pan coated with nonstick spray. Bake until the center springs back when lightly pressed in the center- about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove and place on wire rack to cool completely.
5. Prepare frosting: In a large mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese, butter, milk and vanilla. Slowly add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, and mix until smooth. Frost bars and sprinkle with additional mini chocolate chips.
Yield: About 42 bars
Recipe Source: Adapted from Betty Crocker"

Ginger snaps




1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup molasses
2 egg
4 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cloves
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup white sugar for decoration

1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2.In a large bowl, mix together the brown sugar, oil, molasses, and egg. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cloves, cinnamon, and ginger; stir into the molasses mixture. Roll dough into 1 1/4 inch balls. Roll each ball in white sugar before placing 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
3.Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in preheated oven, or until center is firm. Cool on wire racks"

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Sour Cream Pumpkin Coffee Cake

Sour Cream Pumpkin Coffee Cake (Recipe's From Megan's Cookin' ):


Sour Cream Pumpkin Coffee Cake

By Libby’s Pumpkin

1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sour cream
1 3/4 cup (16 ounce can) solid pack pumpkin
1 slightly beaten egg
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Streusel
Cream butter, 3/4 cup sugar and vanilla in mixing bowl. Add 3 eggs, beating well. Combine flour, baking powder and baking soda. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture alternately with sour cream.
Combine pumpkin, beaten egg, 1/3 cup sugar and pie spice. Spoon half of batter into 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish, spread to corners. Sprinkle half of the Streusel over batter. Spread pumpkin mixture over Streusel. Carefully spread remaining batter over pumpkin mixture. Spread remaining Streusel over top. Bake at 325 degrees F for 50 to 60 minutes or until a wooden pick comes out clean.
Makes 12 servings.
Streusel
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup butter
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup chopped nuts
Combine brown sugar, butter and cinnamon until blended. Stir in chopped nuts."

Monday, October 5, 2009

Casa de Fruita



Garlic

Coffee Shop

This was before the sugar, you should see him after the sugar.


Yummy Candy
Love all the bright colors
Chocolates!
Dried Fruit
Nuts!..Yes I am. :o)


Salt Water Taffy






Birds
Can you see it?