Easy Italian Meatballs

It’s the time of year when you want something comforting and hearty for dinner. That usually means meat in my house. I could make meatloaf, but I wanted something a little different. So I decided on meatballs. After all, they’re almost like mini meatloaves.

But this recipe didn’t taste like any meatloaf I’ve ever eaten. Each meatball was packed with flavor from parmesan, garlic and spices.

I wasn’t really sure how to make meatballs, but it turns out they are really easy. I just thoroughly mixed all the ingredients in a big bowl with a spoon. Then I used my hands to roll medium-sized balls and laid them on a foil-lined cookie sheet.

The smell from the oven was great, so I hoped they would taste just as good. And sure enough, they were awesome. They would be a great addition to pasta or especially a meatball sandwich.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs ground beef
• 1 large egg, slightly beaten
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup breadcrumbs (or use enough to hold the meat together)
• 2 large cloves of garlic, minced (or use 1 teaspoon garlic powder or to taste)
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (or 2 tablespoons dried parsley)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.

2. Shape into medium-sized meatballs (at this point you can place on a baking sheet and freeze to use later, or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 24 hours before using).

3. Bake the meatballs at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes or until cooked through.

4. Add to your favorite, simmering pot of pasta sauce.

Technorati Tags: easy,italian,meatballs,ground beef,spices,garlic,pasta

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Zesty Oven Steak Fries

Steak fries are more satisfying than regular fries. But all store bought or restaurant variations have a more pillowey texture than what I have normally made at home. So I decided to take another stab at it.

Rather than just relying on the oven to bake these potato wedges of differing sizes, I went to the microwave. I poked holes with the tines of a fork into whole potatoes and microwaved about 8 or 9 of them for 5-6 minutes. Once done, and slightly cooled, I cut the potatoes into wedges. The microwaving seemed to help the potatoes with their final texture. Once the wedges were baked in the oven, they came out crispy on the outside, and more like a baked potato on the inside.

I also like this particular set of spices to turn these potato wedges into something zesty. I originally used 2 teaspoons of salt, but quickly discovered it was too much. I’ve dropped it to 1 teaspoon.

Printable Version

• 8 medium russet potatoes
• 1/2 c. grated parmesan
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. garlic powder
• 2 tsp. paprika
• 2 tsp. black pepper
• Olive oil for drizzling over potatoes

1. Heat oven to 450-degrees
2. Spray a cooking sheet with cooking spray
3. Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl.
4. Rinse potatoes and pierce the skin with a fork. Arrange on a microwave safe plate and heat in microwave for 5-6 minutes. (You still want the potato to be firm.)
5. Remove from microwave, and cut potatoes into steak fry sized wedges.
6. In a large bowl, drizzle the potatoes with the olive oil and mix with you hands until evenly coated.
7. Add potatoes to your bowl of dry ingredients and coat well.
8. Arrange potatoes on a single layer on baking sheet and bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.

 

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Slow Cooker Root Beer Pulled Pork

I picked up a Crock Pot Slow Cooker on Black Friday. So I was eager to put it to good use. So while searching for slow cooker recipes, I found one for pulled pork that really stood out.

You know how two ingredients should never go together in a recipe, such as a Krispy Kreme doughnut and a hamburger. Well surprisingly, root beer and pork loin goes together quite well.

Yea it sounds weird. But it turned out great. I just put the pork loin in the Crockpot, sprinkled with some salt and pepper, added the onions and garlic and set it for 8 hours. Once it was done, I could still smell the root beer and it gave it a unique flavor, but not overpowering at all. I imagine you could also use regular beer.

Be sure to drain the meat well before adding your barbecue sauce. I missed that step, and ended up putting the meat through a strainer to get rid of all the extra juices.

Printable Version

Ingredients

• 1 (2 pound) pork tenderloin or pork shoulder
• Salt and pepper
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle root beer
• 1 medium onion, sliced into half rings.
• 2 garlic cloves, cut in half
• 1 (18 ounce) bottle your favorite barbecue sauce
• 8 hamburger buns, split and lightly toasted

Directions

1. Place the pork tenderloin in a slow cooker; pour the root beer over the meat. Cover and cook on low until well cooked and the pork shreds easily, 6 to 7 hours.
2. Drain well.
3. Stir in barbecue sauce.
4. Serve over hamburger buns.

Note: the actual length of time may vary according to individual slow cooker.

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Ultimate Southern Macaroni & Cheese

This past Thanksgiving I was treated to some comforting, homemade macaroni & cheese, so I had to share the recipe. Now many of us have come to the conclusion that mac and cheese should be swimming in sauce. We can thank box dinners for that idea. But real macaroni and cheese is so much heartier.

I’ve eaten homemade macaroni and cheese before. But each recipe was hit and miss. Often times the whole dish was heavy or the cheese just turned it into a greasy mess. But not this recipe.

It has a great cheesy flavor, but even more significant, the pasta came out fluffy instead of weighed down. This is the recipe I’ll stick with from now on.  

Printable Version

Ingredients

• 1 lb elbow macaroni, cooked - al dente, drained well
• 2 overflowing cups of sharp cheddar cheese, shredded or cut into 1/4-in cubes
• 1 can evaporated milk
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• Season salt - to taste
• Fresh cracked black pepper - to taste
• Dash or two or three or four of cayenne pepper

 

Directions

1. In a bowl, mix cooked and well drained macaroni and cheese together.
2. In another bowl whisk together eggs, milk, sugar and seasoning.
3. Pour egg/milk mixture over mac and cheese mixture, stir until well incorporated.
4. Pour into baking dish or tin, cover with foil.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour.
6. Remove foil, turn on broiler - broil top of mac and cheese until golden brown and bubbly.

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Easy Peanut Butter Fudge

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. I wrote this post on Thanksgiving, and set it up to post automatically. I have a feeling I’ll be up extra early to catch some of the Black Friday deals along with herds of crazed shoppers. I’m not proud of it, but hey, I need a griddle and a slow cooker for $13.00.

But if you’re not going shopping you may still have a house full of people to entertain and feed. So why not whip up an easy batch of peanut butter fudge and keep everyone’s sweet tooth in check.

I’ve made fudge recipes before, that ended up crystallized and gritty with un-dissolved sugar. And granted, these sound like peanut butter flavored sugar cubes, but my batch came out creamy with a rich, peanut butter flavor.

Even if you don’t have time to make them for this holiday, they would be perfect for Christmas and New Years. Simple and tasty is the only way to go. 

Printable Version

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 1/4 cups brown sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3/4 cup peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions

1. Place butter into a medium saucepan and melt it over medium heat.

2. Add brown sugar and milk, stirring.

3. Boil for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

4. Remove from heat.

5. Mix in peanut butter and vanilla.

6. Place confectioners' sugar into a large mixing bowl.

7. Pour hot peanut butter mixture over confectioners’ sugar and beat until smooth.

8. Pour fudge into an 8 by 8 inch pan.

9. Chill until firm, about 1 hour.

10. Cut into 1-inch squares.

 

Technorati Tags: easy,peanut butter,fudge,sugar,dessert,holidays,candy,candies,Christmas,Thanksgiving

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Baked Honey Mustard Chicken

I don’t want to eat fast food everyday. So quick meals are what get me through the work week. And this recipe for chicken breasts is one of my new favorites. It seems the grocery stores here always have boneless skinless chicken breasts on sale, so I always stock up. But at this rate, I just may grow feathers.

Anyhow, the flavors combine perfectly in this baked chicken dish. You won’t get too much honey or too much mustard flavor, as the two meld together to create a zingy and moist chicken breast. Serve alongside some wild rice.

Printable Version

Ingredients

• 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts

• 1/3 cup honey

• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 3 tablespoons butter

• 1/8 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon crushed rosemary

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Arrange chicken pieces in a shallow baking dish.

3. In a saucepan over med-low heat, combine remaining ingredients. Heat and stir until melted and well-blended.

4. Pour over chicken pieces.

5. Bake at 350° for about 45-50 minutes (or until internal temperature of about 177-degrees); basting chicken occasionally.

6. For the last 20 minutes of cooking, sprinkle with some Italian breadcrumbs.

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Brown Sugar Apple Cheesecake

I love cheesecake. But apple cheesecake is not my favorite. With that said, I was up for the challenge to come up with a recipe that worked for me. Let's just say my first venture into the land of apple cheesecake was a complete disaster. I used Granny Smiths and sautéed them much like this recipe calls for. But the apples were still too moist, allowing their juices to mix into the cheesecake batter making for a gloppy mess. This time was different thankfully.

I adapted my base cheesecake recipe with some added brown sugar, apple pie spice (usually a mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice) an d apple cider. The apple cider gave it a hint of apple flavor but the star of the cheesecake are the apples themselves. A surprise layer of sweet and caramelized apples are hidden inside this cheesecake. They came out tender and didn’t mess with the texture of the cheesecake batter.

I used Fuji apples this time and I was pleasantly surprised. They don’t fall apart in the frying pan, they hold their texture and even caramelize beautifully with a little added brown sugar. These are my new favorite cooking apples.

The ginger snap crust was great with some added cinnamon and brown sugar. Although the cookies are strong flavored, the crust didn’t overpower all the other flavors.

Overall, this cheesecake is a winner. But now I want to try the recipe with the apples ON TOP of the cheesecake, drizzled with some caramel sauce. That sounds even better.

Printable Version

Filling

4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese

1 c. brown sugar

½ c. white sugar

¾ c. milk

4 Tbs. apple cider

4 eggs

1 c. sour cream

¼ c. all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons apple pie spice

Apples

4 tablespoons butter, divided

3 large Fuji, peeled, cored and cut thinly, divided

2 tablespoons brown sugar, divided

Crust

1 ½ c. ginger snap cookie crumbs

2 Tbs. brown sugar

4 Tbs. melted butter

½ tsp. cinnamon

 

Directions

For the Apples

In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high. Stir in half of the apples and cook, until they are golden and limp, about 5 to 10 minutes. Scatter the apples with 1 tablespoon brown sugar and cook, tossing to coat, for 1 minute. Scrape apple mixture onto a plate and repeat with remaining apples, butter and sugar. When done, set aside to cool.

For the Crust

In a medium bowl, stir together cookie crumbs, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Drizzle in butter and stir to moisten the crumbs. Scoop crumbs into a spring form pan coated with nonstick spray and firmly press them over the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Place pan into a preheated oven at 350 degrees and cook for 10 minutes, until the edges are golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

For the Filling

1. Triple wrap bottom of spring form pan with the wide version of Reynolds foil.
2. In a large bowl or stand mixer, mix cream cheese with sugars until smooth. Blend in milk and apple cider, and then mix in eggs one at a time, mixing just enough to incorporate. Mix in sour cream, apple pie spice and flour until smooth.
3. Pour about a third of the filling into the prepared crust. Add the apples as an even layer, and pour the rest of the filling on top.
4. Use a water bath for the cheesecake. Put spring form pan in larger rectangular pan. Set in oven, and add water until about 1-2 inches high on spring form pan.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Turn the oven off and leave cheesecake to cool, about 2-3 hours, to prevent cracking from cooling down too fast. Then remove from oven and set on counter to finish cooling to room temperature.

Technorati Tags: apple,cheesecake,spice,ginger snap crust,fall,dessert

 

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fastfood@home: Taco Bell Seasoning

In my post a few weeks ago I talked about the MSG in Taco Bell’s seasoning packet that you can find at the grocery store. Well I’ve scoured the Internet to find a great alternative to those packets. And I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised by the spice mixture. It gives great flavor to the taco meat without that added greasy flavor from those Taco Bell seasoning packets.

When I do buy those packets from the store, I never use the whole thing for one meal. Half a packet works for me because I find the flavor to be way too salty using the full packet. This recipe is no different. 1/2 to 3/4 of the spices is all you need with the 3/4 cup water.

If you want to avoid the MSG entirely, leave out the beef boulion granules as they contain a small amount. Like all recipes, this one isn’t set in stone. If you like a little more spice add some red pepper flakes or other spices to fit your tastes.

Printable Version

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon dried onion flakes
• 1 teaspoon beef bouillon granules
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar

Directions

1. Combine and store in an air-tight container.

2. Notes: To make taco meat, brown 1 lb ground beef in skillet; drain.

3. Add seasoning mix and 3/4 cup of water.

4. Bring to a boil then reduce heat.

5. Simmer uncovered, 2-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Technorati Tags: taco bell,seasoning,meat,msg,copycat,homemade,recipe

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Oat-Nut Pancakes

Tired of plain ol’ pancakes? It seems many restaurants have a fascination with thick, heavy pancakes. They’re so thick, they barely get a chance to cook inside, leaving a funny, floury after-taste. They may even go so far as to call them “fluffy.” But as you near the end of your breakfast, you realize you’d rather not see another plate of pancakes any time soon.

There’s really not much to pancakes. It’s basically flour and water or milk. Not exactly the most nutritious by the time it’s drizzled with syrup and butter. But enough preaching. I wanted to try a different take on the regular pancakes. This recipe is said to be a copycat of Ihop’s Harvest Grain & Nut Pancakes. I’ve only eaten at Ihop once so I can’t say if these taste like them or not. But I will say this is a welcome change to Bisquick-style pancakes.

I ground up the oats and mixed all the ingredients together. Once my pan was hot enough I added the batter and waited for the first side to get done. It seemed to take a little longer for these to cook compared to regular pancakes. My pan was lopsided on the bottom so that may have had something to do with it. But I soon found they do indeed cook differently.

Flipping the pancakes was a more delicate process than I’m used to. I had to wait to flip them until the top batter was almost dry. Once I realized how they cook, the rest of the process was easy.  

And the small amount of extra effort paid off. They turned out pillowy, and I mean that in a good way. The syrup didn’t just run off the top, it soaked into every nook and cranny it could, almost like a sponge. The taste was hearty and wholesome from the wheat flour, the oats and walnuts. While the buttermilk helped give it a slight zing.

As for my crappy frying pan? It’s about to be traded in for a nice griddle. That’s the one thing I’ll be after during all these crazy Black Friday sales.

Printable Version

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup Quaker Oats
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons chopped walnuts

Directions

1. Lightly oil a skillet or griddle, and preheat it to medium heat.

2. Grind the oats in a blender or food processor until fine, like flour.

3. Combine ground oats, whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.

4. In another bowl combine buttermilk, oil, egg and sugar with an electric mixer until smooth.

5. Combine dry ingredients with wet ingredients, add nuts and mix well with mixer.

6. Ladle 1/3 cup of the batter onto the hot skillet and cook the pancakes for 2 to 4 minutes per side or until brown.

Technorati Tags: ihop,copycat,oat,nut,pancakes,flap jacks,hot cakes,recipes,breakfast,easy,buttermilk

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Magic Cookie Bars

Layers of chocolate, coconut and nuts with sweetened condensed milk and graham cracker crumbs. Sounds good doesn’t it?

This is one those easy favorites anyone can make. There’s recipes all over the net and you can even buy a kit from the grocery store by Eagle Brand (they’re the ones who make sweetened condensed milk.) I definitely had graham cracker crumbs left over from my fanatical cheesecake baking a few months ago. But I was out of sweetened condensed milk. Yet strangely, I had all the ingredients to make homemade sweetened condensed milk, so that’s what I used.

I just added the graham cracker crumbs with the butter and pressed them down to form a good, solid crust. And then I just layered the sweetened condensed milk, the chocolate chips, coconut and nuts on top, and that was it.

The coconut gained even more flavor from baking and they turned into a great crunchy topping. You’ll definitely need a plate because the coconut does fall off fairly easily.

Make sure you have a house full of kids or some company so they can disappear quickly. Maybe it’s just my sweet tooth but I have a tendency to eat all the treats I make by myself. As a kid I could easily eat 3 to 4 candy bars a day. By 18, I was out on my own and rarely ate a candy bar. Nowadays I’ve moved from the candy bar to fattening treats. What could go wrong?

Printable Version

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1 (14 ounce) can Sweetened Condensed Milk
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate morsels
• 1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
• 1 cup chopped nuts (I used almonds because they were on hand.)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F (325 degrees for glass dish). Coat 13x9-inch baking pan with no-stick cooking spray.
2. Combine graham cracker crumbs and butter. Press into bottom of prepared pan. Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over crumb mixture. Layer evenly with chocolate chips, coconut and nuts. Press down firmly with a fork.
3. Bake 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool. Cut into bars or diamonds. Store covered at room temperature.

Variations

Substitute 1 cup (6-ounces) butterscotch flavored chips* for 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips and proceed as directed above.

From Eagle Brand 

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Veggie Pasta with Herb Butter and Parmesan

Talk about simple. This pasta is full of flavor and takes just a few minutes. You can use any veggies you want, but I find the pre-packed bags of vegetables at the grocery store makes this recipe a snap. For this pasta I used broccoli, cauliflower and baby carrots along with some celery and capers I had in the fridge.

The ultimate flavors come from my recipe for herb butter. The herb butter has Italian spices and of course fresh garlic. To begin, I put a sauté pan on medium-low heat and used the herb butter to sweat and steam the veggies. You don’t want the heat too high or else the butter will burn and the veggies won’t get a chance to cook properly. You can also steam the veggies separately before adding them to the pasta.

Once the veggies were done (tender, but still with a little bite), I turned off the stove top and sprinkled some shredded parmesan over the top. I then added the pasta and mixed all the ingredients together in the pan as the parmesan quickly melted. Just transfer to a plate with tongs and you’re done.

I love this recipe because it’s fast and simple. The aroma of garlic from the herb butter along with wonderful, gooey blobs (is that the right word?) of parmesan. The celery seems to be best at soaking up the flavor of the herb butter and the little, salty capers fit right in.

This is one of those recipes you don’t really need exact measurements. The pictures above could probably feed two, even though I scarfed it down myself. :-)

I used about a one inch circumference of angel hair pasta. In the sauté pan, I just added a nice handful of veggies and used two hefty tablespoons of the herb butter. 1/2 to 3/4 cup of shredded parmesan should also do the job.

Butter, cheese and pasta don’t sound very health conscious, but at least you’re getting your veggies.

 

Technorati Tags: vegetables,veggies,pasta,herbs,herb butter,easy,recipe,capers,parmesan

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Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk

Don’t you hate it when you have every possible ingredient for a recipe except one thing that requires a trip to the store. Well it turned out I had four ingredients to make the one thing I needed. Who knew sweetened condensed milk was so easy to make at home? And this is no stretch of the truth, it tasted just like the famous Eagle Brand.

Amazingly I have a couple boxes of nonfat dry milk which is the prime ingredient for this recipe. All you need is a little sugar, butter, water and a blender and you’re done. I did find that the water may not be enough. Use the amount listed and if needed, add a little more water until it reaches the consistency like that from the can.

I could eat this stuff all by itself. When I was kid we used sweetened condensed milk for snow ice cream. Freshly fallen snow (we lived in the mountains) mixed with some of the sweetened condensed milk became instant ice cream flavor.

Printable Version

Ingredients

1 c. nonfat dry milk
1/3 c. boiling water
2/3 c. sugar
3 tbsp. melted butter

Directions

Place all ingredients in mixing bowl and mix until well blended. Makes the equivalent of 1 can of sweetened condensed milk, about 1 1/3 cups.

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Pumpkin Brioche Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce

During my trip to Ketchum, Idaho, I tasted some wonderful pumpkin brioche bread pudding at the Ketchum Grill. It was so good I knew I had to try making it at home.

Little did I know, my first big challenge was finding a bakery with Brioche. I made a few phone calls and was shocked some “bakeries” didn’t even know what brioche was. I made a mental note to avoid going to their shops in the future. Finally I found Rustica Bakery in Minneapolis, which bakes fresh brioche on Tuesdays. So that would be my day.

Brioche is a rich yet light bread made with ample amounts of butter and eggs. It has a dark, golden, and flaky crust from an egg wash applied before and after proofing. The crust is a little too tough for bread pudding, so you’ll have to slice it off. But the texture and crumb of the bread is great to soak up the cream, milk, sugar and of course pumpkin. You can also use white bread, but I wouldn’t use a dense bread like Pepperidge Farm or Brownberry. This is where good old Wonder Bread is your best bet.

The bread pudding itself is very moist but not runny like some bread puddings (thank goodness). The pumpkin flavor is not overpowering, but it’s definitely pumpkin. It’s a great flavor for the fall and through the holidays. But the homemade caramel sauce really ties it all together with a rich sweetness alongside some refreshing ice cream.

Hopefully you have a full house, to share this with because it’s addictive. I had leftovers the next morning and it reminded me of French toast. I wondered if I could cut a square in half and fry it up. Sounds like a good breakfast worth trying.

Printable Version

Ingredients

Pumpkin Bread Pudding

2 Tablespoons butter, melted
Granulated sugar for dusting the pan
7 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups unsweetened pumpkin puree
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
7 cups of cubed brioche or white bread (crusts removed, cut into 1/2-inch cubes)

Caramel Sauce (here’s my post about this awesome caramel sauce)

3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Pinch of cream of tartar
1 cup heavy cream

Directions

Prepare pan: Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter a 13x9 baking dish. Dust with granulated sugar.

Prepare and Bake Bread Pudding: Whisk the egg yolks in a bowl with the 1/2 cup sugar.  Heat the milk and cream in a saucepan over medium heat until steamy but not boiling. Turn off the heat and add the pumpkin puree, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cloves and salt.  Stir to mix. Slowly, pour over the egg yolks/sugar mixture while whisking. Gently fold in the bread cubes. Transfer the pudding mixture to baking pan.  Bake until nicely browned and set, about 40 minutes.

Caramel Sauce: Combine 3/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup water, salt and cream of tartar in a small saucepan. DO NOT STIR. Bring to a boil and cook until the caramel browns. When the caramel is medium brown, carefully add 1 cup of cream and simmer.

Serve: Cut bread pudding into large squares or just spoon onto a plate. Spoon a layer of caramel on top. Dust with powdered sugar and serve warm. Serve alongside caramel swirl ice cream or even better, some salted caramel ice cream.

 

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Grilled Cheese with Dilled Havarti and Sliced Apples

It’s getting downright chilly. So why not warm yourself up with some gooey grilled cheese sandwiches.

When most people think of grilled cheese, they might imagine American cheese on white bread. Well, I can barely eat that stuff now. Grilled cheese should have real cheese in it. There’s nothing better than some toasty bread with sharp cheddar cheese. But this recipe is a little different with the addition of fall fruit.

A hearty wheat bread with dilled havarti cheese and some fresh fall apples sounded like a perfect fall lunch. After all fruit and cheese go together. And I was pleasantly surprised at how all the flavors melded together so well. The sweetness of the apples cut through the richness of the cheese. The wheat breads adds a wonderful nutty flavor. And I always love the fresh and invigorating flavor of dill

Almost any grocery store has Havarti with dill. It’s a semi-soft white cheese with lots of flavor. The dill gives it that refreshing taste that is made more apparent after it’s melted. For the apples, super-thin slices of Granny Smiths or other firm apples (Gala?) will go great with this. I used a mandoline to slice the apples for the perfect thickness.  

Printable Version

Ingredients

• 1-2 thinly sliced apples
• Salted butter, softened
• Honey whole wheat bread
• Havarti dill cheese

Directions

1. Slice apples thinly with a slicer or mandoline.
2. Heat a large frying pan over medium-low heat. Meanwhile, spread butter on 1 side of each slice of bread. (I toast both sides with butter)
3. Once the pan is warm, add 1 slice of bread buttered side down, and top with  the cheese and apples to your liking. Close with the second bread slice, buttered side up.
4. Cook until bread is toasted and cheese is melted, about 3 minutes per side.

Technorati Tags: havarti,dill,grilled cheese,apples,cheese,fall,recipe

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Herb Butter

Butter goes with everything right? But sometimes it needs something more. I love this recipe for herbed butter. Dried herbs and fresh garlic is all you need.

It goes great on a warmed French baguette, with some veggies and pasta or even on top of a baked potato. And don’t forget, fresh herbs will make this recipe even better.

Ingredients

1 stick salted butter (room temperature)

2 cloves garlic

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. dried thyme

1 tsp. dried basil

Mix all the ingredients until the butter if fluffier and then refrigerate.

Technorati Tags: herbs,butter,recipes,fresh,garlic,herbed

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Easy Caramel Sauce

I didn’t know caramel sauce could be this easy, but it is. And it tastes way better than the stuff from the bottle.

The process begins by adding sugar, water and a touch of salt to a saucepan. Once the mixture begins boiling, watch it carefully but do not stir. I used a non-stick saucepan and it made the process a lot easier.

As the sugar mixture boils, it will get very thick. Then you’ll start seeing come color in your clear sugar. First some blond shades and then a richer medium brown. Once it begins to show some real color, begin stirring until the sugar is evenly medium brown and remove from the heat.

Now you’ll want to be careful as you add the cream, because it’s cold cream meeting molten sugar. Slowly add the cream and whisk vigorously so that the sugar doesn’t form a ball as it hits the cream. Whisk until fully mixed and then just let it simmer for 5-10 minutes.

The caramel is thinner than you would expect for a caramel sauce, but as it cools it thickens up nicely. If you’re using the sauce for something hot, it won’t stay as thick however.

This sauce would be great on top of ice cream, as a dip for apple slices, or with some bread pudding.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Pinch of cream of tartar (don’t sweat it, if you don’t have any on hand. I doubt a pinch of anything will change the consistency)
1 cup heavy cream

Directions:

1. Combine 3/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup water, salt and cream of tartar in a small saucepan. DO NOT STIR.

2. Bring to a boil. Once the sugar begins to brown, stir until evenly medium brown.

3. Then carefully add 1 cup of cream and simmer for 5-10 minutes.

4. Remove from pan into a heat-safe bowl and let cool before refrigerating.

Technorati Tags: easy,caramel sauce,recipes,sugar,caramels,candy,ice cream,topping

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Mozzarella and Radicchio Pasta

This is an adventure in bitter veggies. The highlight of this dish is radicchio. It’s that little red head that looks like cabbage at the grocery store. Here in the U.S. you’ll find it mostly in salads, but here’s another way to get your veggies.

Radicchio is a leaf chicory. It’s bitter, but the taste mellows with cooking or grilling. In Italy, where the vegetable is popular, it’s usually eaten grilled in olive oil, or mixed into dishes such as risotto.

I’ve cut down the amount of radicchio in this recipe, because it called for three heads. I couldn’t even fit that in my saute pan. One and a half heads should be just fine. Once the cream sauce is made, season with salt to taste. This should help cut down on the bitterness. The richness of the cheeses also helps cut through the radicchio. The pasta would also go well with meat that has some sweetness to it, such as teriyaki chicken. Hey, why not mix Asian with Italian.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 1 medium white onion, small dice (about 1 cup)
• 7 medium Roma tomatoes (about 2 pounds), cored and coarsely chopped
• 1 1/2 heads radicchio, ends trimmed and sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch strips
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1 pound penne rigate or ziti pasta
• 8 ounces shredded mozzarella
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 400°F and arrange a rack in the upper third. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
2. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When it foams, add garlic and onion, season well with salt, and cook until translucent. Add tomatoes and let simmer until slightly reduced and thickened, about 10 minutes. Add radicchio and cream, and cook until radicchio is wilted, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.
3. Meanwhile, cook pasta in the salted water until nearly done, or about half the time recommended on the packaging and drain. (Do not rinse.) Set aside.
4. Once sauce has finished simmering, combine it with half-cooked pasta and mix until pasta is evenly coated. Place pasta mixture in a 13-by-9-inch baking dish and sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan over top. Place in the oven and bake until mixture is bubbling, pasta is al dente, and top is golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Technorati Tags: radicchio,chicory,pasta,mozarella,bitter,recipe

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Oatmeal Cake with Broiled Nut Topping

Yep, it’s time to break out the fall recipes and throw a little spice into some cakes. This Oatmeal Cake turned out nice and fluffy and the broiled topping gives it a nice sweetness. It’s great paired with some vanilla ice cream, or even better, perhaps some salted caramel ice cream. If you want to make it a little more moist with a hint of apples, I imagine you could add 1/4-1/2 cup applesauce to the mix. The kitchen is for testing.

Printable Version

Ingredients

• 1/2  cup butter
• 2  eggs
• 1-1/4  cups boiling water
• 1  cup rolled oats
• 2  cups all-purpose flour
• 2  teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4  teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2  teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2  teaspoon salt
• 1/4  teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3/4  cup granulated sugar
• 1/2  cup packed brown sugar
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 1  recipe Broiled Nut Topping

Directions

1. Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, grease and lightly flour a 9-inch springform pan; set pan aside. In small bowl pour boiling water over oats. Stir until combined; let stand 20 minutes. In medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg; set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla; beat until well combined. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Alternately add flour mixture and oatmeal mixture to butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Pour batter into prepared pan.

3. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Remove sides of pan; cool on wire rack at least 1 hour more.

4. Transfer cake to a baking sheet. Spread Broiled Nut Topping over warm cake. Broil about 4 inches from heat for 2 to 3 minutes or until topping is bubbly and golden. Cool on a wire rack before serving.

5. Makes 12 servings

6. Broiled Nut Topping: In a medium saucepan combine 1/4 cup butter and 2 tablespoons half-and-half, light cream, or milk. Cook and stir until butter melts. Add 1/2 cup packed brown sugar; stir until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Stir in 3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts and 1/3 cup flaked coconut.

Technorati Tags: coconut,nut topping,oatmeal cake,spice cake,easy,recipe

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