Every week I get together with a handful of friends at a local establishment to relax, catch up and discuss a variety of topics (usually sports-centered). We typically celebrate things like holidays, big sporting events and other big days together. One event we almost always convene for is the MLB All-Star game. We have several faithful baseball fans in the group (and some others who are not so faithful) so this always provides a perfect excuse to get together.
This year, we celebrated the all star game a little differently. Normally we gather at a friend's house and have snacky food and beverages. This year, we decided to have a pie celebration for the event. We had a wide variety of pies, from blueberry to brownie with granola to apple to chocolate peanut butter. Needless to say we were quite full by the end of the evening!
This pie recipe comes from the Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book, 14th edition on page 445. You can find this in many libraries and bookstores as well as online.
This recipe is quite rich, so keep that in mind when slicing for serving. A tiny piece usually does the trick for most people.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie
Ingredients:
1 chocolate wafer crust (you can make this or buy one. I bought one to save time.)
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
3/4 c. peanut butter
1 c. powdered sugar
2 T. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. whipping cream
2 T. powdered sugar
3/4 c. miniature chocolate chips
Directions:
1. Prepare a chocolate wafer crust if you choose to make one. Chill a medium mixing bowl and beaters in the refrigerator.
2. To make the filling: in a large mixing bowl beat cream cheese and peanut butter until smooth. Add the 1 cup powdered sugar, milk and vanilla, beating until combined.
3. In the chilled mixing bowl beat the whipping cream and the 2 tablespoons powdered sugar with the chilled beaters of an electric mixer until small peaks form. Gently fold one-third of the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture. Fold remaining whipping cream and miniature chocolate chips into the peanut butter mixture. Spoon into the chocolate wafer crust. Cover and chill about 2 hours or until set.
I unfortunately do not have a picture for this pie. It is extremely delicious, though!
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Kitchen Adventures 14.2
Life is busy. Sometimes, it doesn't even seem like there is time to breathe. So, if there's not time to breathe then making time for cooking is even more difficult. Now, I love eating, so of course I make time for that, but finding the time to cook is more difficult. So, when I went to the annual Cookbook Swap and Shop event at Norman Public Library and found a one dish cookbook, I snapped it up. I figured that if I only have to use one dish then it must not take very long to cook the meal, which fits perfectly into my busy days.
This was a pretty simple recipe. The only thing that caused a little confusion was finding the right kind of rice. Really, I don't think it matters that much after making the dish, so keep that in mind. It includes your meat, carbs, and veggies all in one, so overall it's a fairly balanced meal. It's deliciousness is another good factor. :)
This recipe is from Incredibly Easy One Dish cookbook on page 15. You can find a copy at Amazon or Barnes and Noble. You can also try your local library.
Creamy Parmesan Rice with Chicken
Ingredients:
1 T. oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 c. white rice
2 cans (14 1/2 oz. each) chicken broth
1 c. grate Parmesan cheese
1 c. frozen peas, thawed
Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a medium-size skillet. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and cook over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes or until lightly browned on both sides.
2. Add the garlic to the skillet and briefly cook. Stir in the rice and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat and simmer 20 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink in center.
3. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese and peas. Cover and let set 5 minutes.
This was a pretty simple recipe. The only thing that caused a little confusion was finding the right kind of rice. Really, I don't think it matters that much after making the dish, so keep that in mind. It includes your meat, carbs, and veggies all in one, so overall it's a fairly balanced meal. It's deliciousness is another good factor. :)
This recipe is from Incredibly Easy One Dish cookbook on page 15. You can find a copy at Amazon or Barnes and Noble. You can also try your local library.
Creamy Parmesan Rice with Chicken
Ingredients:
1 T. oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 c. white rice
2 cans (14 1/2 oz. each) chicken broth
1 c. grate Parmesan cheese
1 c. frozen peas, thawed
Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a medium-size skillet. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and cook over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes or until lightly browned on both sides.
2. Add the garlic to the skillet and briefly cook. Stir in the rice and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat and simmer 20 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink in center.
3. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese and peas. Cover and let set 5 minutes.
Kitchen Adventures 14.1
During the summer, I try to look for light dishes for dinner. Heavy dishes are delicious, but when it's literally 110 degrees outside, cranking up the oven and making a casserole just doesn't sound appetizing.
Occasionally these light recipes come in unexpected forms. Take spaghetti. Normally spaghetti has a rich marinara sauce and can sit heavy in the stomach. When I found this particular spaghetti recipe, I was excited to try it out. It makes this traditional favorite a light and summery dish. The bacon is a nice touch, too, thought it can be left off for a vegetarian version. When I made it my boyfriend was a little wary, but after tasting it he was converted. I even shared the recipe right after making it with someone who had an excess of basil.
This recipe is from Every Day with Rachael Ray.
Summer Herb Spaghetti with Crumbled Bacon
Ingredients:
1 pound spaghetti
8 slices thick-cut bacon
1 c. flat-leaf parsley leaves
3/4 c. fresh basil leaves
5 T. olive oil
5 T. fresh lemon juice
1/4 c. finely chopped chives
Salt and pepper
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
1. In a large pot of boiling, salt water, cook the spaghetti according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water, and transfer spaghetti to a large bowl.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until crisp, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels when done. When cool enough to handle, crumble into large pieces.
3. While the pasta and bacon are cooking, puree 1/2 c up parsley, 1/2 cup basil, olive oil, lemon juice and 2 tablespoons chives in a blender or food processor. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Add the herb oil, Parmesan cheese and reserved 1/2 cup pasta water to the pasta and toss. Chop the remaining 12 cup parsley and 1/4 cup basil and add to the pasta along with the crumbled bacon and remaining 2 tablespoon chives. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Occasionally these light recipes come in unexpected forms. Take spaghetti. Normally spaghetti has a rich marinara sauce and can sit heavy in the stomach. When I found this particular spaghetti recipe, I was excited to try it out. It makes this traditional favorite a light and summery dish. The bacon is a nice touch, too, thought it can be left off for a vegetarian version. When I made it my boyfriend was a little wary, but after tasting it he was converted. I even shared the recipe right after making it with someone who had an excess of basil.
This recipe is from Every Day with Rachael Ray.
Summer Herb Spaghetti with Crumbled Bacon
Ingredients:
1 pound spaghetti
8 slices thick-cut bacon
1 c. flat-leaf parsley leaves
3/4 c. fresh basil leaves
5 T. olive oil
5 T. fresh lemon juice
1/4 c. finely chopped chives
Salt and pepper
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
1. In a large pot of boiling, salt water, cook the spaghetti according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water, and transfer spaghetti to a large bowl.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until crisp, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels when done. When cool enough to handle, crumble into large pieces.
3. While the pasta and bacon are cooking, puree 1/2 c up parsley, 1/2 cup basil, olive oil, lemon juice and 2 tablespoons chives in a blender or food processor. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Add the herb oil, Parmesan cheese and reserved 1/2 cup pasta water to the pasta and toss. Chop the remaining 12 cup parsley and 1/4 cup basil and add to the pasta along with the crumbled bacon and remaining 2 tablespoon chives. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Kitchen Adventures 13.2
When someone says "down home cooking," people can have different ideas. For me, it makes me think of casseroles, roast, potatoes, and veggies. Normally meat and veggies combined comes in the form of pot roast and veggies. However, I found a pie recipe, similar to a chicken pot pie, that is quite delicious.
This dish took some effort, mainly because I ended up with way too much food for my cooking dish. You really do need a deep pie dish or a skillet for this one. I ended up using my pie dish for part of it and baked the rest of the filling wrapped up in the remainder of the crust. That turned out pretty well, too, which just proves mistakes can be delicious.
This recipe is another one from Every Day with Rachael Ray.
Beef, Cheddar and Potato Pie
Ingredients:
2 lbs. ground beef'
2 carrots, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1 large onion, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
2 stalks celery, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
1 large baking potato, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1/2 c. dark beer
8 ounces shredded Sharp cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper
2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed but cool
1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 T. butter
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Combine the beef, carrots, onion, celery, garlic, and potato in a large skillet, breaking up the meat, over medium-high heat until the beef is cooked through and some liquid has evaporated, about 15 minutes. Lower the heat to medium, add the beer and cook for 10 minutes. Add the cheese, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, then let cool.
2. On a floured surface, roil 1 puff pastry sheet into a 12-inch round. Place this in a 10-inch ovenproof skillet or deep pie dish. Roll the remaining pastry into an 11-inch round. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meat mixture into the skillet/pie dish. Lightly brush the edges of the crust with some egg wash, then place the second pastry sheet on top. Press the edges to seal, then trim to a 1/2-inch edge.
3. Place the pie on a baking sheet. Brush the top with the egg wash and cut an "X" in the top. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and bake for 45 minutes. Tent the pie with foil if the crust darkens too quickly. Transfer to a rack to cool for 15 minutes when done.
This dish took some effort, mainly because I ended up with way too much food for my cooking dish. You really do need a deep pie dish or a skillet for this one. I ended up using my pie dish for part of it and baked the rest of the filling wrapped up in the remainder of the crust. That turned out pretty well, too, which just proves mistakes can be delicious.
This recipe is another one from Every Day with Rachael Ray.
Beef, Cheddar and Potato Pie
Ingredients:
2 lbs. ground beef'
2 carrots, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1 large onion, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
2 stalks celery, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
1 large baking potato, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1/2 c. dark beer
8 ounces shredded Sharp cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper
2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed but cool
1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 T. butter
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Combine the beef, carrots, onion, celery, garlic, and potato in a large skillet, breaking up the meat, over medium-high heat until the beef is cooked through and some liquid has evaporated, about 15 minutes. Lower the heat to medium, add the beer and cook for 10 minutes. Add the cheese, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, then let cool.
2. On a floured surface, roil 1 puff pastry sheet into a 12-inch round. Place this in a 10-inch ovenproof skillet or deep pie dish. Roll the remaining pastry into an 11-inch round. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meat mixture into the skillet/pie dish. Lightly brush the edges of the crust with some egg wash, then place the second pastry sheet on top. Press the edges to seal, then trim to a 1/2-inch edge.
3. Place the pie on a baking sheet. Brush the top with the egg wash and cut an "X" in the top. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and bake for 45 minutes. Tent the pie with foil if the crust darkens too quickly. Transfer to a rack to cool for 15 minutes when done.
Kitchen Adventures 13.1
Baby showers are usually a finger food affair. It's a time for snacking and light, small dishes. Several friends got together to have a shower for one of our fellow SLIS comrades who was expecting a baby girl. We kept the menu light as it was a lunchtime event. Her cake, done by a friend, was gorgeous! the food complimented the time together and was delicious as well. I made two dishes and friends made others so we could split the workload.
These two dishes were both very good. I especially liked the chicken tortellini salad. I went through quite a lot to make them, though. I should have used a different kind of tortellini (I used the frozen kind rather than the refrigerated kind) and I also busted a cutting board in the process. I never thought that would happen, but it sure did. I left my kitchen a disaster to get to the party on time and fortunately for me my wonderful boyfriend came over and cleaned my kitchen up for me. It was a challenge because it was a mess! Thank goodness he is not afraid of working in the kitchen.
I unfortunately do not have images of the dishes I made, but I will include an image of the gorgeous cake. Also, a friend sent these recipes to me so I am not sure where she got them.
Hot Artichoke Dip
Ingredients:
1 8 oz. can artichoke hearts, chopped and drained
1 c. grated Parmesan cheese
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 c. mayo
Garlic powder to taste
Directions:
Mix all ingredients together and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes in a lightly greased small casserole dish.
Chicken Tortellini Salad
Ingredients:
2 9 oz. packages refrigerated cheese-filled tortellini
1/2 c. olive oil
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 c. fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 c. chopped cooked chicken
1 c. frozen sweet peas, thawed
1/2 c. thinly sliced green onions
1/2 c. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Prepare tortellini according to package directions. Process olive oil, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice garlic cloves and Worcestershire sauce in a blender or food processor. Toss olive oil mixture with tortellini, chicken, and remaining ingredients in a medium bowl and serve.
Here is a picture of the cake for little Maelia.
These two dishes were both very good. I especially liked the chicken tortellini salad. I went through quite a lot to make them, though. I should have used a different kind of tortellini (I used the frozen kind rather than the refrigerated kind) and I also busted a cutting board in the process. I never thought that would happen, but it sure did. I left my kitchen a disaster to get to the party on time and fortunately for me my wonderful boyfriend came over and cleaned my kitchen up for me. It was a challenge because it was a mess! Thank goodness he is not afraid of working in the kitchen.
I unfortunately do not have images of the dishes I made, but I will include an image of the gorgeous cake. Also, a friend sent these recipes to me so I am not sure where she got them.
Hot Artichoke Dip
Ingredients:
1 8 oz. can artichoke hearts, chopped and drained
1 c. grated Parmesan cheese
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 c. mayo
Garlic powder to taste
Directions:
Mix all ingredients together and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes in a lightly greased small casserole dish.
Chicken Tortellini Salad
Ingredients:
2 9 oz. packages refrigerated cheese-filled tortellini
1/2 c. olive oil
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 c. fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 c. chopped cooked chicken
1 c. frozen sweet peas, thawed
1/2 c. thinly sliced green onions
1/2 c. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Prepare tortellini according to package directions. Process olive oil, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice garlic cloves and Worcestershire sauce in a blender or food processor. Toss olive oil mixture with tortellini, chicken, and remaining ingredients in a medium bowl and serve.
Here is a picture of the cake for little Maelia.
Kitchen Adventures 12.6
"It tastes like chicken." We've all heard this before. The trick is to make chicken NOT taste like chicken. I'm always looking for different types of chicken recipes to mix it up so I'm not eating the same chicken thing over and over again.
This is a pretty good chicken recipe. It uses a small number of spices, but it's just the right combination. The yogurt gives it a nice touch, too. It's an easy recipe to make, which also makes it more appealing. Remember to read the entire recipe as this will take longer than you anticipate since it has to refrigerate for 30 minutes. It's worth it, though!
This recipe is from Every Day with Rachael Ray.
Spiced Grilled Chicken
Ingredients:
One 6-ounce container plain yogurt
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. chili powder
Salt and pepper
4 large chicken breast halves on the bone (I used boneless and it worked fine.)
Directions:
1. In a gallon-size resealable plastic bag, combine the yogurt, garlic, cumin, chili powder and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cut two slits in each chicken breast and add these to the yogurt mixture in the bag. Turn the bag and make sure the chicken breasts are thoroughly coated. Leave the chicken in the bag and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place the chicken on a rack and over a rimmed baking sheet and roast until cooked through, about 30 minutes.
*Note: only roast on the rack if bone-in. If boneless, just cook on the baking sheet and check them at about 20 minutes.
This is a pretty good chicken recipe. It uses a small number of spices, but it's just the right combination. The yogurt gives it a nice touch, too. It's an easy recipe to make, which also makes it more appealing. Remember to read the entire recipe as this will take longer than you anticipate since it has to refrigerate for 30 minutes. It's worth it, though!
This recipe is from Every Day with Rachael Ray.
Spiced Grilled Chicken
Ingredients:
One 6-ounce container plain yogurt
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. chili powder
Salt and pepper
4 large chicken breast halves on the bone (I used boneless and it worked fine.)
Directions:
1. In a gallon-size resealable plastic bag, combine the yogurt, garlic, cumin, chili powder and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cut two slits in each chicken breast and add these to the yogurt mixture in the bag. Turn the bag and make sure the chicken breasts are thoroughly coated. Leave the chicken in the bag and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place the chicken on a rack and over a rimmed baking sheet and roast until cooked through, about 30 minutes.
*Note: only roast on the rack if bone-in. If boneless, just cook on the baking sheet and check them at about 20 minutes.
Kitchen Adventures 12.5
I'm back! After a long respite due to a very busy autumn, I am catching up on my very large backlog of recipes while on break. The perks of working at a university just keep going. :)
This first recipe is one I made for a work birthday party. I have had this recipe since my time at Pitt, about five years ago now. Time flies! I never had problems with this recipe while in Pitt, but for some reason every time I have made it in Norman the middle sinks down after baking. I don't know if I'm overmixing or using bad baking powder, but regardless people even like that part of it.
This coffee cake is great for dessert or breakfast. Chocolate chips and cinnamon are a great combination! And remember, if you run out of sour cream you can always substitute plain yogurt. It works just as well and no one will know the difference!
Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake
Ingredients:
2 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 stick butter at room temperature
2 eggs at room temperature
1 c. sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. chocolate chips
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8"x8" square baking pan and set aside. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking p0wder, baking soda and salt. Combine 1/4 cup sugar and the cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside.
2. Beat the butter and remaining 1 cup sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then beat in the sour cream and vanilla. Fold in the flour mixture until combined and pour half the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with half the cinnamon-sugar mixture and half the chocolate chips. Spoon the remaining batter into the pan and spread out, then top with the remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture and chocolate chips.
3. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean, about 30-35 mintues.
*From Every Day with Rachael Ray.
This first recipe is one I made for a work birthday party. I have had this recipe since my time at Pitt, about five years ago now. Time flies! I never had problems with this recipe while in Pitt, but for some reason every time I have made it in Norman the middle sinks down after baking. I don't know if I'm overmixing or using bad baking powder, but regardless people even like that part of it.
This coffee cake is great for dessert or breakfast. Chocolate chips and cinnamon are a great combination! And remember, if you run out of sour cream you can always substitute plain yogurt. It works just as well and no one will know the difference!
Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake
Ingredients:
2 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 stick butter at room temperature
2 eggs at room temperature
1 c. sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. chocolate chips
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8"x8" square baking pan and set aside. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking p0wder, baking soda and salt. Combine 1/4 cup sugar and the cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside.
2. Beat the butter and remaining 1 cup sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then beat in the sour cream and vanilla. Fold in the flour mixture until combined and pour half the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with half the cinnamon-sugar mixture and half the chocolate chips. Spoon the remaining batter into the pan and spread out, then top with the remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture and chocolate chips.
3. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean, about 30-35 mintues.
*From Every Day with Rachael Ray.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
