Cheese Snob

I like cooking so much that I often do not repeat meals/recipes since I like to try new ones. However, there are a handful of recipes that I make over and over again because they are just THAT good! This is one of those recipes. There is nothing quite like homemade Alfredo sauce and it's so easy to make! Don't be afraid of the price tag on a block of Parmesan cheese. When grated, a little bit goes a long way. Plus, if you wrap it really well, it stores in the fridge for well over a month. There are so many uses for Parmesan cheese if you have a lot leftover. I would use it to grate over a Caesar salad, make fresh pesto to serve with crostini, eat by itself drizzled with a little balsamic vinegar, or serve with fresh fruit and a big glass of wine. One thing's for sure.....once I started using fresh Parmesan, I've never gone back to that fluffy, powdery stuff in the shaker container. If that makes me a cheese snob, then so be it!

Cajun Chicken Alfredo


Ingredients:


3 large chicken breast, tenderized and sliced lengthwise (to make 6 strips total)
Any spicy grill seasoning or rub (I like Pampered Chef Chili Lime rub)
1 box Barilla Campanelle pasta
1/4 cup butter
3 cups half-n-half
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper
Fresh parsley, chopped (optional)


Directions:


1. Preheat grill at medium heat. Rub chicken strips with your favorite seasoning or rub. 
Place chicken on grill and close lid.
2. Cook pasta as directed and drain.
3. Melt butter in a saucepan. Add garlic and cook over low heat until translucent, but not browned. Stir in 3 cups half-n-half. Simmer on low for 5 minutes. In the meantime, turn chicken on the grill.
4. Remove sauce from heat and add parmesan cheese. Stir until cheese is melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Add pasta to Alfredo sauce. Serve topped with cooked chicken. Sprinkle with fresh parsley if desired.


Note: This Alfredo sauce does not get super thick like the kind in the jar. However it does slightly thicken as it cools. For leftovers, pour a small amount of milk or half-n-half over pasta before reheating since the noodles absorb a lot of the sauce. Then stir after heating.

Chewy Chewy

I love all things "CHEWY"! Macaroons have always been one of my favorite cookies for that reason. When you bake them, they stay moist and chewy on the inside, but get really crispy and toasted on the outside. Coconut just tastes even better once it's toasted! There are so many recipes out there for coconut macaroons, but this one is my tried and true favorite. One batch is never enough, so I always double it. If you don't have any stoneware pans, you will want to use parchment paper to keep these sticky, ooey-gooey little morsels from sticking to your aluminum baking sheets! Try not to eat some of the batter when you are making these, I dare you!

Coconut Macaroons

Ingredients:

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

5 1/2 cups flaked coconut

1/4 tsp salt

1 (14oz) can sweetened condensed milk

2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, combine flour, coconut, and salt. Stir in sweetened condensed milk and vanilla using a wooden spoon until well blended. 

3. Drop golf ball size amounts of dough onto baking sheet using a cookie or ice cream scoop.

4. Bake for 12-15 minutes until coconut is golden brown and toasted. 

If you need a chocolate fix, try adding mini chocolate chips to the batter! Don't forget to double the recipe if you want these to last more than a day!

Fresh Baked Breakfast

I never make extra time for breakfast, so I always end up eating it in the car. I love the idea of a "breakfast bar", but have never been able to find one that tastes great and isn't over-processed. I love these yummy little bars and they put Nutrigrain bars to shame!!! Plus, they are so healthy, feel free to eat two!

Banana Chocolate Chip Breakfast Bars


Ingredients:


1 very ripe banana
1/3 cup canola oil
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup flour
2/3 cup dark chocolate chips
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups quick cooking oats
Optional add-ins: chopped banana chips, raisins, chopped walnuts, cinnamon


Directions:


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, mash the ripe banana with a fork then add canola oil and brown sugar. Mix well until there are no sugar lumps left. 
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and oats. Mix into wet ingredients and stir in chocolate chips.

4. Pat batter down into a greased square 8-inch pan. Bake for 25 minutes, or until edges are golden. Let cool before cutting into squares. 

A New Spin on Lasagna

I've been neglecting my blog! It's been so long since my last post, but I have lots of new recipes that I'm trying so expect some major deliciousness in the near future. This recipe goes out to all lovers of lasagna and buffalo chicken wings! It's a nice change to classic lasagna and the flavors combine really well. Plus you can make it as spicy or as mild as you like!

Buffalo Chicken Lasagna (altered from Pampered Chef recipe)


Ingredients:


1 large can tomato sauce (or 2 small cans)
1 pound chicken breasts, cooked and diced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, diced
3 Tbsp. hot sauce (or more, to taste)
1 small container ricotta cheese
2 cups mozzarella, divided
1 egg
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
9 uncooked no-boil lasagna noodles (I used Barilla)
1/2 cup crumbled bleu cheese
Drizzle of olive oil


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in pan and saute onion, bell pepper, and garlic until tender.
3. While onion and pepper are cooking, combine ricotta, 1 1/2 c mozzarella, egg, and salt in a separate bowl. Combine tomato sauce and hot sauce in another bowl.
4. Grease a 9x9 inch baking dish. Spread a small amount of tomato sauce mixture on bottom of dish. Layer all ingredients starting with noodles, then ricotta mixture, then the veggies and chicken. Repeat layers two more times. Top with tomato sauce mixture and sprinkle with 1/2 cup remaining mozzarella.
5. Bake covered for for 45 minutes. Remove from oven, top with 1/2 cup bleu cheese, and bake an additional 15-20 minutes uncovered.

Jalapeno Popper Burgers

I have to hand it to Rachael Ray. I'm not a huge fan of hers, but these burgers are freakin' AMAZING!!! (She makes them as sliders, but I made regular-sized burgers because sliders give me the creeps. Don't ask why!?!?) They are really easy to make and don't even require the regular addition of ketchup, mustard, mayo, etc. These are going to become a staple on my summer dinner menu. I just fired up the grill for the first time since last summer/fall. I love cooking on the grill and was so excited to make these. They definitely did not disappoint! 

Jalapeno Popper Burgers (altered from Rachael Ray recipe)


Ingredients:


2 large, fresh jalapeno peppers
Olive oil, for drizzling
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 Tbsp grated onion
1 large garlic clove, minced
Salt and pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
1 1/4 lb lean ground beef
1 block sharp cheddar cheese, thinly sliced
1 package pita bread


Directions:


1. Preheat grill on medium heat while preparing ingredients. 
2. Add grated onion, garlic, salt, pepper, and cumin to softened cream cheese and stir to blend. Set aside.
3. Form ground beef into patties; whatever size you like. I made 5 average size burgers. Place on grill over medium heat and close lid.

4. Core and seed jalapeno peppers using the handle of a spoon or fillet knife. Slice into rings. Heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat and cook peppers until slightly blackened and tender.

5. Once burgers appear to be cooked half-way through, flip them over. Place a dollop of the cream cheese mixture in the middle and top with a slice or two of the sharp cheddar cheese. Close grill lid and continue to cook for about 5 more minutes until burgers are done and cheese is melted.

6. Once burgers are off the grill, top with cooked jalapenos. I put the burgers on whole wheat pita bread (cut to size with a biscuit cutter) instead of hamburger rolls. I liked this so much more, but rolls would be fine, too!

Hope you like these burgers as much as I do! Oh, and what do you guys think of my new apron? :)

People driving by my house probably crack up when they see me outside grilling in a pink apron! Haha! Oh, and just to clarify, I don't only cook for shoes. I also cook for handbags, makeup, and jewelry! ;)

Breakfast for Dinner

Breakfast for dinner? Sure, why not?! I'm a big fan of breakfast food and would eat it any time of day. Plus I was looking for an excuse to try out my brand new All-Clad griddle pan (which I love, by the way). French toast is still my all-time favorite, but pancakes have grown on me over the years. I decided to make pancakes from scratch after using Bisquick and other mixes in the past. You won't believe the difference a little fresh egg can make! This is a basic recipe, but can be switched up by adding blueberries or chocolate chips. I decided to top mine with some blueberry syrup. YUM!

Classic Pancakes


Ingredients:


1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk or almond milk (original or vanilla)
2 Tbsp canola oil
1 egg


Directions:


1. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, oil and egg.
3. Add flour mixture to egg mixture and stir just to moisten- a few lumps are fine.
4. Cook pancakes on a griddle over medium heat. You'll know it's time to flip them when little air bubbles form along the outside.

I am hooked on this Blueberry Syrup by Stonewall Kitchens. You can buy it at Reading China and Glass in Reading, PA or at Gardner's Chocolates and Gift Shop in Pennsburg, PA. It's delicious drizzled on pancakes, waffles, french toast, or ice cream.

P.M.S. Cake

As promised, here's Ina Garten's FABULOUS chocolate cake recipe. To me, it's the perfect solution to a wicked P.M.S. chocolate craving! That's why I have renamed it "P.M.S. Cake". Believe me, it will make you happy!

Chocolate "P.M.S." Cake


Ingredients:


Butter for greasing the pans
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk, shaken
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee
Chocolate frosting (recipe below)


Directions:


1. Preheat oven to 350 degree. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.
2. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer. Mix on low until combined. In another bowl, combine buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With mixer on low speed, slowly add wet ingredients to the dry. Add hot coffee and mix until combined.

3. Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for 35-40 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

Chocolate Frosting


Ingredients:


6 ounces good semisweet chocolate (I used Ghiradelli)
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 Tbsp instant coffee powder


Directions:


1. Chop the chocolate and place in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until just melted and set aside until cooled to room temperature.

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter on medium-high speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg yolk and vanilla and continue beating for 3 minutes. 
3. Turn mixer on low and gradually add confectioners' sugar, scraping down bowl as necessary, until smooth and creamy.
4. Dissolve the coffee powder in 2 teaspoons of the hottest tap water. On low speed, add the chocolate and coffee to the butter mixture and mix until blended. Don't whip! Spread immediately on the cooled cake. (For less intense coffee/mocha flavor in the icing, decrease coffee powder to 1 tsp.)




To frost the cake:

1. Place four small rectangular pieces of wax paper along the outsides of the cake stand to keep it from getting messy. Place one layer, flat side up, on cake stand.

2. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting.

3. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up.

4. Spread frosting evenly on the top and sides of cake. Remove wax paper by pulling slowly.

5. DIG IN!!!!!