Chocolate Chip Stuffed French Toast

I had some leftover Italian bread and some leftover cream cheese (from making pumpkin whoopie pies last weekend), so my logical solution for using up these ingredients was making stuffed french toast. We are coming up on that time of year where we stuff things, after all. But we're usually stuffing birds, so I stuffed some bread this morning. And I stuffed it with a gooey, sweet cream cheese and chocolate filling. John liked the filling so much that he spread the extra on top of his toast (I prefer maple syrup on my french toast, but whatever). I had never made stuffed french toast before, but it was much easier than I thought and I will definitely be making it again.

Ingredients:

For the filling:

4 oz cream cheese, softened

1 Tbs sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 Tbs mini chocolate chips

For the toast:

8 slices of white bread

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

1 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp cinnamon

butter

Directions:

1. Using an electric mixer, beat together cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. Stir in chocolate chips.

2. In a shallow bowl or pie plate, combine egg, milk, sugar, and cinnamon. Whisk until combined.

3. Spread a slice of bread with the cream cheese filling. You'll use about 1-2 tablespoons, depending on how big your bread is and how much you like cream cheese filling. Place another slice of bread on top and press gently so the slices stick together.

4. Preheat a skillet over medium heat. Once the pan is heated, put a pat of butter in there. Dip your stuffed bread into the egg coating. Let the coating sink in for about 20 seconds, then flip it over and let it soak into the other side. Let the excess drip off, and then cook it in your preheated pan until crispy and golden (about 2 minutes per side).

Serves 2

Download a printable recipe here!

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Pumpkin Whoopee Pies

About a year ago, John and I took a little road trip to Lancaster County, PA (aka "Amish Country"). One of my fondest memories of the trip is the giant box of whoopee pies that we bought (the Amish people sure have a gift for making baked goods... how they do it without the Food Network or the interwebs is a mystery to me). We bought all different flavors... your classic chocolate, chocolate peanut butter (my personal favorite), red velvet, and pumpkin. Check out our whoopee pie bounty:

So when I came across this recipe on the Cooks Illustrated web site, I knew I had to try it. Since it's the time of year for all things pumpkin, I thought this would be an appropriate dessert. Plus, we were planning to take them over to Joe and Brooke's (John's brother and sister-in-law) for dinner, and Brooke is a pumpkin connoisseur (and she gave these two thumbs up!).

Although I might make a few changes next time, I thought these came out pretty well for my first whoopee pie attempt (you can pretty much bet on the second attempt being chocolate peanut butter). For starters, I'll make extra frosting next time... this recipe left me with a few cookies unfrosted (tragic, no?). I firmly believe that you can never have too much frosting. The recipe tells you to flatten each cookie (prior to baking) so that it's a half inch thick. I wasn't overly careful about doing that since I didn't anticipate how much the cookies would puff up when baked. I certainly wouldn't do anything to change the flavors, though.


Cookies:
1     (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
2     large eggs
3/4     cup vegetable oil
2     cups granulated sugar
2     teaspoons vanilla extract
2     teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2     teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
4     cups all-purpose flour
4     teaspoons baking powder
2     teaspoons baking soda
1     teaspoon table salt

Filling:
8     tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), softened but still cool
4     ounces cream cheese (1/2 package), at room temperature
3/4     cup Marshmallow Fluff (3 1/2 ounces)
1/4     teaspoon table salt
1     teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4     cups confectioners' sugar , sifted

Instructions:
1. For the cookies: Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 large (18 by 12-inch) baking sheets with parchment paper (I used silicone baking mats sprayed with some cooking spray).
  
2. Stir pumpkin, eggs, oil, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in large bowl until well blended. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in medium bowl. Stir dry ingredients into pumpkin mixture until well incorporated.
 
3. Using small ice cream scoop (#30 is the perfect size) or tablespoon measure, drop 2 tablespoons of dough on prepared baking sheet. (You should fit nine scoops of dough on each sheet.) Spread dough into 2-inch rounds about 1/2 inch thick and spaced 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies are just set and bottoms are lightly browned, 10 to 14 minutes, rotating baking sheets from front to back and top to bottom halfway through baking. Slide cookies, still on parchment, to cooling racks. Cool baking sheets, line with fresh parchment paper, and repeat with remaining dough.

4. For the filling: With electric mixer, beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed until no lumps remain, about 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula. Add Marshmallow Fluff and beat at medium speed until incorporated, about 60 seconds. Beat in salt and vanilla until well blended, about 30 seconds. Scrape down bowl. Reduce speed to low and gradually add confectioners’ sugar, beating until smooth, about 1 minute.

 

5. Spread 2 tablespoons filling on center of flat side of one cookie. Place flat side of second cookie on filling and press cookies together to bring filling to edges. Repeat with remaining cookies and filling. (Cookies can be refrigerated in airtight container for up to 4 days).

Makes about 18 whoopee pies.

And just for fun, here's a picture of John and I pretending to be Amish...




Download a printable recipe here!
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Tomato Basil with Orzo Soup

 

I usually find a soup recipe that sounds good, I make it once, and don't like it enough to make it again. This tomato basil soup, however, is my one exception. I found this recipe a few years ago, and always find myself wanting to make it when the weather starts to get a little cooler. In fact, I made a big pot of it today just so I could have it for lunch all week long. It's a thick, hearty soup that's great for a meal on its own (but also makes a nice accompaniment to a grilled cheese). Even though there's a little bit of cream in it (which gives it a velvety texture), it's a pretty healthy soup since it's chock full of veggies.

The recipe came from the Wegmans web site (and you can actually just buy the soup already made in the store if you're lucky enough to live near a Wegmans). If I may go off on a small tangent: I love Wegmans. A lot. I didn't grow up near one, but my grandparents used to live in upstate New York (prime Wegmans territory). I have a lot of fond memories of my grandmother taking me there and letting me pick out a cookie or cupcake to eat while she shopped. So, when I moved to Princeton a few years ago and found out that there is a Wegmans here, it was a big nostalgic thrill for me. And if you're an eagle-eyed viewer of "The Office," you may have noticed some Wegmans brand products on the show (check out the cereals on top of the fridge or the soda cans).

See, Michael Scott likes Wegmans milk and cereal!  Anyways, back to the soup. If you do live near a Wegmans, check out the original recipe on their website, as it calls for some Wegmans-specific products. I've adapted the recipe so that you can make it with ingredients purchased just about anywhere. But seriously, get thee to a Wegmans if you've never been. Ok, ok, to the soup...

Ingredients:
1 cup onion, diced fine
1/2 cup celery, diced fine
1/2 cup carrot, diced fine
2 Tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 28oz. cans crushed tomatoes with Italian herbs
1 carton (32 oz) vegetable stock
salt and cracked black pepper
2 jarred roasted red peppers, 1/4-inch dice
1 cup orzo pasta
1 cup light cream
2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil

Directions: 
Add onions, celery, and carrots and olive oil to large stockpot on medium-high. Cook, stirring, 6-7 min. Add chopped garlic. Cook 2 min, until vegetables are tender. 

Add all tomatoes; simmer about 10 min. Add stock; return to simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Add red peppers and pasta. Simmer 8-10 min, stirring often, until pasta is firm but tender. Remove from heat. 

Temper cream: Pour cream into medium bowl. Add a few ladles of hot soup to cream to slowly raise cream temperature. Add cream mixture to soup; fold in basil. Ladle into warmed bowls to serve.

Makes 13 cups (about 8 servings)

Note: This makes a ton of soup, so make sure you use a big enough pot. Also, I sometimes like to freeze half of the batch. If you're going to freeze the soup, freeze it before you add the cream and basil. Follow the last step after you reheat the soup.

Download the recipe here!
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Vegetable Stromboli & Pizza Dough Recipe

So it's been a week since our last post, its not like we haven't been cooking, its just that we haven't had anything blog-worthy to post.  This week was a lot of quick meals thanks to Trader Joe's and their wonderful frozen foods selection.  We did make Sloppy Joe's this week that I enjoyed, but Bec wasn't wowed by them so alas they will not be appearing here.  Well yesterday morning after breakfast I felt like making some pizza dough. I wasn't sure what I was going to make, but the recipe I use makes enough for 4 pizza's or stromboli's, or whatever else I feel like covering with tomato sauce and cheese.  I knew we were going to be making some other things this weekend (blog posts to follow), so I thought an easy meal for Saturday night would be a pizza or stromboli.

We voted on a stromboli.  Now my mom used to make these all the time when we were kids, and her traditional way of making them was with pepperoni and mozzarella.  It is still my favorite version, but I also enjoy this version that we created several months ago for Bec's birthday party.  Since we have a lot of vegetarian friends, and I should probably eat more vegetables than pepperoni, we came up with this delicious recipe.

There's 2 recipes here, one for the pizza dough, which I borrowed from this blogger, and one for the stromboli.  I found this pizza dough recipe earlier this year when I was trying to make a thin crust pizza that I could be proud of.  This is it what I was looking for and I love it!



Pizza dough:

Ingredients:
3-1/2 cups bread flour (or part bread flour, part white whole wheat, or part semolina flour)
1 cup warm water (between 95 and 115F; it should feel comfortable on your wrist.)
1 packet active dry yeast
1 Tbsp. honey
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp. sea salt


Directions:
In small bowl, stir water and honey till honey dissolves. Sprinkle yeast over water; stir; let sit at least 5 minutes til it bubbles. Place 1-1/2 cups flour in work bowl of food processor with salt; pulse to combine. Pour yeast mixture over flour; pulse several times to mix. Add oil and pulse till incorporated. Add remaining flour and pulse till dough forms, adding more water or flour as needed to get the right consistency. You want a soft dough, but it shouldn't stick to the work bowl. Place the dough on a floured board and knead for about a minute to build the gluten. Place the dough in a greased bowl; turn to coat both sides; cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot for about 45 minutes, or till doubled. (I usually put my dough in the microwave, turned off, of course, because it's a nice warm spot. Test for doubling by pushing two fingers into side of dough. If dent remains, dough has doubled.)

Punch your fist into the center of the dough and smack it around to deflate the bubbles.  Now you have some options:

1. If you want to use right away, let the dough rise again now -- back to the microwave. The second rising will be shorter, maybe 25-30 minutes. Check the dough by pressing two fingers near the edge. If dent remains, dough has risen enough. Punch it down again and shape it and divide it up into 4 equal parts. Its now ready to use.

2. Let the dough cure in the fridge -- separate it into 4 balls. Flatten to discs. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in coldest part of fridge (lower back). This will slow the yeast down so the dough won't over-rise in the fridge. You should be able to leave it there for a few days, but I usually take it out the second day and punch it down, then put it back, just to be sure it doesn't over-rise. You do not need to let it rise again when you take it out to use it, but bring it to room temperature before rolling it. It'll roll much more smoothly then.

3. Freeze the dough for future use -- It'll be ok for at least a month. Just wrap it in plastic wrap, put it in a freezer bag, and freeze. When you're ready for it, take dough out, and bring it to room temperature before you try to roll it. That may take a few hours, so plan accordingly. And don't worry if it starts to rise again. When you're ready to use, just punch it down first and then roll it to shape. Yeast dough is a funny thing: the more you handle it, the better it is.

Stromboli:

Ingredients:
1 disc of pizza dough (brought to room temperature if refrigerated)
1 Tbs olive oil
2 medium yellow onions, cut in half and sliced thin
1 large red pepper, seeds removed and cut into 1/4" strips
1 medium container sliced baby bella mushrooms (about 8oz)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
8 oz. mozzarella cheese (use the fresh stuff and grate it yourself)
pretzel salt (optional)
your favorite tomato sauce for dipping

Directions:
In a large skillet over medium high heat, heat the olive oil and add the onions and a pinch of salt, stirring and coating them evenly. Lid the pan and let the onions soften for about 5 minutes.  Add the peppers and another pinch of salt, stir well, cover and let them cook about 10 minutes, stirring often so the onions don't burn.  You want the onions to get to a nice golden brown before adding the mushrooms. Once onions are well browned but not totally caramelized, add the mushrooms with a pinch of salt, and stir well. Cover again and let the veggies cook another 5 minutes stirring every couple minutes.  After 5 minutes take the lid off and stir, the mushrooms should be browning nicely and the onions should be well caramelized.  Use you judgment and cook them longer if need be.  When they are done, turn off the heat and add the garlic, stirring well to combine.  Add the mixture to a bowl and sit aside to cool.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Grease a cutting board with a little bit of cooking spray, and stretch out the pizza dough to a rectangle about 12 x 16" wide. This dough is very easy to stretch with just your hands.  Sprinkle the vegetable mixture and cheese evenly over the bottom 2/3 of the dough, it doesn't matter which goes on first, just as long as the vegetable mixture isn't too hot.  Start rolling from the bottom up. You may have to kind of fold it a little to get it started. When you get towards the top, try and roll it so you get one wrap around the entire roll that is just dough.  This will help insure a strong crust and lessen the chances of oozing cheese and vegetables. As you can see below, I kind of went a little too far up with the filling, resulting in some oozing cheese and veggies.

Transfer to a lightly greased baking sheet, seam side down, and spread a little bit of olive oil all over the stromboli. I find it easiest to just pour about a tablespoon into my hand and spread it on with my fingers. Lastly, and optionally, sprinkle a heavy pinch of pretzel salt on top. I suppose a tasty sea salt would work here too, but the pretzel salt adds a nice crunch.  Bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until the stromboli is a nice golden brown.  Let it sit for a few minutes before slicing and serving.

Serves 2, or more if having for an appetizer.

We like to serve it with my homemade tomato sauce for dipping.  But that's another blog post...

Download the pizza dough recipe here!
Download the vegetable stromboli recipe here!
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Sunday Dinner: Chicken Cacciatore with Portobellos and Sage

John's parents came over for dinner this evening, so we wanted to cook up something nice (but not too difficult... it is the "day of rest" after all).We were mulling over menu ideas this morning, and chicken cacciatore randomly popped into my head, so John pulled this recipe off of the Cooks Illustrated web site. The chicken simmers in a rich red wine sauce along with mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, and herbs. We served this up with some egg noodles, a salad, and some crusty bread.  I'm not entirely sure how "authentic" this dish is (I really haven't had much chicken cacciatore in my life), but we all really enjoyed it. We had John's amazing apple pie for dessert, so I'd say this was a great Sunday meal all around.

Ingredients:
8  bone in chicken thighs (about 3 pounds), trimmed of excess fat
1  teaspoon olive oil
1  medium onion , chopped
6  ounces portobello mushroom caps (about 3 medium), wiped clean and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
4  medium cloves garlic , minced
1 1/2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups dry red wine
1/2 cup chicken stock or low-sodium canned chicken broth
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes , drained
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
1 piece Parmesan cheese rind (2 inches, about 1 ounce), optional
2 teaspoons minced fresh sage leaves

Directions:
1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking, about 2 minutes. Add four chicken thighs, skin-side down, and cook, not moving them until skin is crisp and well browned, about 5 minutes; using tongs, flip chicken and brown on second side, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer browned chicken to large plate; brown remaining chicken thighs, transfer to plate, and set aside.

2. Drain off all but 1 tablespoon fat from pot. Add onion, mushrooms, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; sauté over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until moisture evaporates and vegetables begin to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Meanwhile, remove and discard skin from browned chicken thighs. Add garlic to pot and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, about 1 minute. Add wine, scraping pot bottom with wooden spoon to loosen brown bits. Stir in stock, tomatoes, thyme, cheese rind (if using), 1/2 teaspoon salt (omit salt if using cheese rind), and pepper to taste. Submerge chicken pieces in liquid and bring to boil; cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until chicken is tender and cooked through, about 45 minutes, turning chicken pieces with tongs halfway through cooking. Discard cheese rind, stir in sage, adjust seasonings with salt and pepper, and serve.

Serves 4.

Note: For the wine, we used an Italian Sangiovese. I have no idea if that's the best wine to use in this dish or not, I just know that I like saying it and drinking it.

Download a printable recipe here!
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Mmmm...Apple Pie.

I had another day off work today, and what better way to spend a day off than to spend it making an apple pie?  I don't think I've ever made a pie from scratch, so knowing I had nothing else to do today, I took up the challenge.  It really wasn't that hard, but let me tell you that I officially hate to peel, core, and slice apples.  There must be some tool out there that makes this job a lot easier.  Oooh, another kitchen gadget to buy!  Anyway, lets get down to it.  For my first attempt at baking a traditional apple pie, I went to the bible of cooking, Cooks Illustrated's The New Best Recipe Book. This 1,000 page tome has recipes for pretty much everything, and they have tested and retested and updated these recipes dozens of times, so you know you're going to get something good.  There are illustrations and explanations of techniques of every kind, including making pie doughs.

So this morning after breakfast I made the dough.  It has to be shaped into discs and left in the refrigerator for a few hours before making the pie, so that left me some time to go get the apples.  They recommend a mixture of Granny Smith and McIntosh apples, but this time of year when different varieties are abundant, they recommend several others.  I went with 4 each of Macoun and Cortland.  The other varieties in lieu of the Granny Smith / McIntosh combo are, Royal Gala, Empire, Winesap, and Rhode Island Greening.

They say this pie is best eaten at room temperature or even the next day.  Currently it is sitting on the counter cooling as I drool on the keyboard typing this.  I guess I'll have to wait until tomorrow to update on the taste and texture, and of course pictures!

Here's the recipe...



Pie Dough
2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
1 tsp table salt
2 Tbs granulated sugar
12 Tbs (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
8 Tbs vegetable shortening (chilled)
6-8 Tbs ice water

Apple Filling
1 1/2 lbs. Granny Smith apples (3 large)
2 lbs. McIntosh apples (4 large)
2 Tbs unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar + 1 Tbs for topping
1 Tbs juice and 1 tsp grated zest from 1 lemon
1/4 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground allspice
1 large egg white, beaten lightly

Instructions (for pie dough):
Pulse flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor. Add butter and pulse to mix in five 1-second bursts. Add shortening and continue pulsing until flour is pale yellow and resembles coarse cornmeal, with butter bits no larger than small peas, about ten 1-second pulses. Turn mixture into medium bowl.

Sprinkle 6 tablespoons ice water over mixture. With blade of rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix. Press down on dough with broad side of spatula until dough sticks together, adding up to 2 tablespoons more ice water if dough will not hold together. Squeeze dough gently until cohesive and divide into two equal balls. Flatten each into a 4-inch-wide disk. Dust lightly with flour, wrap separately in plastic, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 days, before rolling.

for the apple filling:
Remove 1 dough disk from refrigerator. If stiff and very cold, let stand until dough is cool but malleable. Adjust oven rack to lowest position, place a rimmed baking sheet on it, and heat oven to 500 degrees.

Roll dough disk on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch circle. Fold dough in quarters, then place dough point in center of 9-inch Pyrex regular or deep dish pie pan. Unfold dough. Gently press dough into sides of pan leaving portion that overhangs lip of pie plate in place. Refrigerate while preparing fruit.

Peel, core, and quarter the apples; cut the quarters into 1/4-inch slices and toss with lemon juice and zest. In a medium bowl, mix 3/4 cup sugar, the flour, spices, and salt. Toss the dry ingredients with the apples. Turn fruit mixture, including juices, into chilled pie shell and mound slightly in center.

Roll out other dough round to a 12-inch circle and place over filling. Trim top and bottom edges to 1/2 inch beyond pan lip. Tuck this rim of dough underneath itself so that folded edge is flush with pan lip. Flute edging or press with fork tines to seal. Cut four slits at right angles on dough top. Brush egg white onto top of crust and sprinkle evenly with remaining 1 Tbs sugar (omit if freezing unbaked pie, see below).

Place the pie on the baking sheet and lower the oven temperature to 425 degrees.  Bake until top crust is golden, about 25 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees; continue baking until juices bubble and crust is deep golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes longer.

Transfer pie to wire rack; cool to almost room temperature, at least 4 hours.

Do-Ahead: Freeze the unbaked pie for two to three hours, then cover it with a double layer of plastic wrap, and return it to the freezer for no more than two weeks. To bake, remove the pie from the freezer, brush it with the egg wash, sprinkle with sugar, and place directly into a preheated 425 degree oven. After baking it for the usual fifty-five minutes (25+30), reduce the oven to 325 degrees, cover the pie with foil so as not to overcook the crust, and bake for an additional twenty to twenty-five minutes.

Notes:
When making the dough, its better to have a wetter dough because you will be adding flour later when rolling.  It is much much easier to roll the dough when its cold.  After taking it out of the fridge, only let it cool for a few minutes before starting to roll it out.  Roll on a well floured surface and you should have no problem rolling it out pretty big.  When mixing the apple mixture, its easiest to use the biggest bowl you have and mix with your hands.  Its a little sticky, but much easier, and it tastes good licking your fingers afterward! (More notes to come once I cut this baby open tomorrow and taste it!)

Final Verdict: Delicious. Especially with ice cream.

Click here to download a printable version of this recipe!
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The Best Quesadillas in Modern World History

I know that's a pretty bold claim, but I can back it up.  These are awesome. This was one of the first meals we cooked in our new apartment once we'd grown tired of eating pizza and pasta from the restaurant downstairs. It has since become one of our favorite dishes.

Not only are these quesadillas delicious, but they're very quick and easy to make.  We adapted this recipe from an America's Test Kitchen recipe (those people are geniuses, I swear). The original recipe called for steak, but we have always used chicken instead. Vegetarian friends, just leave out the chicken and throw in some extra veggies, caramelized onions would be tasty.You could make endless combinations of deliciousness in your quesadillas as long as you always include one secret, magical ingredient. What is this wondrous ingredient? It's something you never, ever would have thought to put in a quesadilla:

 

Ta-da! It's Boursin cheese (you were so excited to find out, admit it). If you've ever eaten Boursin, you probably spread it on a cracker or baguette.  It's a soft, herbed cheese and it really adds an unexpected flavor to this dish. Just trust me on this and try this recipe!

Ingredients

1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast

1 Tbs vegetable oil

1 5.2 oz package Garlic & Fine Herbs Boursin cheese, crumbled

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese

4 (12 in) flour tortillas

1/2 cup jarred roasted red peppers, drained and diced

4 scallions, sliced thin

Directions

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat until just smoking. Cook chicken for about 4 minutes per side, until cooked through. Transfer to a plate and let rest for 5 minutes, then slice into bite-sized pieces. Wipe out your skillet.

While chicken is resting, combine Boursin, cheddar, 1/2 tsp. of salt and 1 tsp. of pepper. Divide the mixture evenly over one half of each tortilla, leaving a 1/2 inch border around the edge. Top with your peppers, scallions, and chicken, then fold the tortilla over the filling and press firmly.

 

Add 2 quesadillas to your empty skillet and cook over medium-high heat until golden and crisp, about 2 minutes. Flip quesadillas and cook for 2 more minutes. Transfer to a cutting board, repeat this process with your other 2 tortillas, then slice and serve. Makes 4 quesadillas.

Download printable recipe.

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Creamy Penne with Walnuts

I was off from work today, because people really shouldn't have to work AND vote on the same day, and felt like cooking something new.  I had all day to think about it, but all I could come up with was the meatballs.  I asked Bec, and her only input was mac and cheese.  Yes, our mac and cheese recipe from Cooks Illustrated is amazing, but I wanted to experiment a little.  So I flipped through some cookbooks and stumbled upon this recipe from a Williams Sonoma Pasta cookbook, a gift from my sister in law and fellow food blogger, Brooke.  Hi Brooke!

I like this recipe because it takes less than 30 minutes from start to finish, and the Gorgonzola Parmesan cheese sauce sounded really interesting.  Its not exactly fat free, but it is damn tasty.



Ingredients
4 Tbs unsalted butter
6 oz. mild Gorgonzola cheese (aged 3 months)
1 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 lb. Penne or other tubular pasta
1/2 cup walnuts, lightly toasted and coarsely chopped
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

Directions
For the sauce:  In a large frying pan over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Add the cream and Gorgonzola, mashing it with a wooden spoon.  Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally.  Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring, until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon, about 3 minutes.  Do not allow the sauce to boil.  Remove from the heat and stir in the Parmesan and pepper.

For the pasta:  Cook the Penne in salted water until al dente, according to the package directions.  Drain, reserving about 1/2 cup of the pasta water.  Add the pasta to the sauce along with the walnuts and stir to combine.  Add a little bit of the pasta water to thin the sauce just a bit.  Warm for a few minutes on low heat just to blend the flavors and let the pasta absorb the sauce, and serve.  Serves 4.

Notes:
I only used a splash of the pasta water, then put it back on low heat for about 5 minutes and the sauce turned out perfect.  The pasta absorbed a good bit of the sauce and it was nice and thick.  Best part about this meal is it took under 30 minutes

Download a printable recipe here!
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Balls of Meat

About every couple weeks I get a craving for some delicious meatballs, and today was one of those days. Let me start by saying that my grandmother has made the best meatballs known to mankind, but it's been at least 10 years since they've made their way out of her oven. And my Mom makes damn good meatballs too, but I've tried her recipe and they never come out the way they do when she makes them. I think that's because she doesn't measure the ingredients, and just wings it from memory. That brings me to my brother, Joe. The guy can barely boil water, but somehow he has managed to almost replicate my grandmother's meatballs. And since he won't give me his recipe, although I know it pretty much only contains meatloaf mix and a block of Locatelli, I am left to search for my own.

I've tried lots of different recipes from various sources, and I just couldn't find one that knocks me out. Until recently. Now anyone who knows me will tell you that I kinda have a man-crush on Alton Brown, but I never thought that this crazy guy from Georgia could make a meatball. Well I was wrong. A few months ago I decided to give his recipe a whirl and was knocked out. Bec and I loved them. Granted they are not my grandmother's, but I was on to something here and hopefully with a little tweaking, I could have a recipe to call my own.

Here it is, based on Alton Brown's Baked Meatball recipe.

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds ground pork
1 1/2 pounds ground round
1 box (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and thoroughly drained
1 cup of freshly grated Parmesan (Locatelli works here also)
2 eggs
1 Tbs dried basil
1 Tbs dried parsley
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp red pepper flakes (more like 3/4 tsp, use more if you like a spicy meatball)
1 cup breadcrumbs (1/2 cup for mix, 1/2 cup for coating)

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine the pork, beef, spinach, cheese, eggs, basil, parsley, garlic, salt, red pepper flakes, and a 1/2 cup of the bread crumbs. Using your hands, mix all the ingredients until well combined. You can use the mix right away, or for a better flavor, cover the bowl and put the mix in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.

Place the remaining 1/2 cup of bread crumbs into a wide bowl. Shape the meatballs into medium size balls (about 1 1/2 inches in diameter), roll around in the bread crumbs coating evenly, and place on a baking sheet. I get about 24 - 30 meatballs with this recipe, depending on the amount of meat. Bake for 25 minutes or until the crust is a golden brown and they are cooked through.

Notes
You may get some cheese oozing out of the meatballs when you bake them, believe me, this is ok. The original recipe calls for 1 pound each of pork, ground round, and lamb. I made them and they were indeed amazing, but I wanted to try it without the lamb and am very happy with this meat mix. You can also substitute turkey for the beef, it still tastes great.

Click here to download a printable version of this recipe!
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Apple Squares

I prefer low-maintenance baking. This could change one day when I get my dream appliance: A Kitchen Aid mixer.  But for now, I like things that require little more than mixing a few ingredients together, popping them in the oven, and then sitting back and enjoying the delicious smells coming from the kitchen. My mom's apple square recipe totally fit the bill on this cool fall afternoon. These are so simple to make, and use only one mixing bowl so clean-up is minimal.

So what exactly is an apple square, you ask? I guess it's kind of an apple cake... all you really need to know is that it's delicious. Mom's been making these as long as I can remember and they never lasted long. When I was a kid, I liked them without the nuts, but today I threw in some pecans since I had some in the pantry.Walnuts would work here too.

I usually eat these straight up, but I think they would be pretty amazing if you served them with some caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream. And maybe some toasted pecans sprinkled on top.  Mmm.

Apple Squares
Recipe from Mum

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
  
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 cups diced apples (I used MacIntosh)
• 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Grease and flour a 13x9 inch pan.

Mix together sugar, eggs, corn oil and vanilla.  Add flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda. Fold in the apples and nuts. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Makes 12 squares.

Click here to download a printable version of this recipe!

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