Daily Deliciousness

Clearly Fresh Bags

2011-06-24T21:48:00.000-04:00

A while back, I was contacted by Clearly Fresh Bags to do a review of their product. In turn, they gave me a sample of their fruit & vegetable bags to try out and see for myself how they really work. I received my sample pack in the mail the end of May and since then, I have been using them to store fruits and veggies, both in the refrigerator and on the counter top.

I have never used the Debbie Meyer Green Bags before or any other brand of these type of bags, so I don't have anything to compare it to, however, after using them, I definitely saw an improvement in the length of time that my fruits and vegetables lasted. I rarely ever buy bananas because they go dark so fast, but specifically this test (and to feed to my son), I bought a bunch of bananas. They lasted about a week and a half without browning on our counter top. I was very impressed with this! Most of the time, they start to develop dark spots within a day or two from bringing them home from the store.

I like the quality of the bags, they are large enough for big things like bunches of bananas, lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, etc... and you can reuse them for the same type of produce at least a few times before discarding.

Overall, I recommend these bags! From my experience, they did help extend the life of pricey fruits and vegetables and made them last much longer than I normally have witnessed.

As a thank you for taking the time to review Clearly Fresh Bags, they would like to offer all of you a 15% off discount on all orders placed in the next 15 days. The offer code for the 15% off is DD15. In order to receive the 15% off discount, you will need to check out through the www.clearlyfreshbags.com website and enter the promo code when you are in the shopping cart/checkout prompt, while supplies last, at http://www.clearlyfreshbags.com/products/clearly-fresh-bags-10-re-closeable-zip-bags.

Disclaimer: All thoughts and feelings of this product are solely my own. I received a sample of Clearly Fresh Bags to try from the Clearly Fresh Bags company. Any giveaways/discounts were provided by Clearly Fresh Bags.

Fiber One Brownie Winner!

2011-06-24T21:42:00.000-04:00

The time has come to announce the winner of the Fiber One Brownie Prize Pack! Dun dun dunnnnnnnnnn..... it's LAUREN!

CONGRATULATIONS LAUREN! Be sure to get me your address so I can get your info to MyBlogSpark and get you the prize!

Fiber One BROWNIES!?!

2011-06-20T13:39:00.002-04:00

Yes, you heard me right! Brownies. Rich, chocolate-y, satisfying brownies that only have 90 calories! Can you believe that? I received some samples of these brownies to try from General Mills via My Blog Spark and let me tell you, I was excited to try these babies out. I was afraid they'd have that weird aftertaste that so many low-calorie products have, but these really are good! I was impressed and also happy to see that one brownie offers 20% of your daily fiber. They come in two varieties, chocolate and chocolate peanut butter.

Would you like to try these brownies and win a healthy living prize pack?

Leave a comment below answering this question.

Where will you take these brownies to curb your snack attack?

Will it be to your office? Your friends house? Sneak them into a movie theater, perhaps?

Additional Entries:

Like Daily Deliciousness on Facebook - 1 extra entry (in a separate comment please)

Like Shawna's Kitchen Solutions (My Pampered Chef business page) on Facebook - 1 extra entry (in a separate comment please)

Like Fiber One on Facebook - 1 extra entry (in a separate comment please)

Rules and Notices:

Comments open until Friday, June 24 at 8 p.m. EST

One entry per reader per method listed above. Max entries - 3.

General Mills provided me with the free product, information, and gift pack through MyBlogSpark.

Good luck!https://www.facebook.com/pages/Shawnas-Kitchen-Solutions/117005728384878

Beef and Broccoli Lo Mein

2011-05-19T22:02:00.000-04:00

My husband said this was the perfect beef and broccoli. It wasn't too spicy and had a hint of sweetness to it which balanced it out. I used sirloin steak which was sliced thinly into strips and I used linguini noodles instead of spaghetti, which really held onto the flavorful sauce. You could easily add pea pods, baby corn or carrots to this dish as well!

Beef and Broccoli Lo Mein
Recipe adapted from Relish!

Ingredients

8 oz. spaghetti - I used linguini
1 T. toasted sesame oil
1 T. peanut oil - I used canola
1 tsp. ground ginger
3 T. ginger, minced
1 medium bunch of broccoli, cut into florets
1/2 white onion, sliced
1 lb. flank steak, trimmed of fat and cut into strips - I used sirloin
3 T. low-sodium soy sauce
2 T. brown sugar
1 T. chili paste - I used Sriracha

Directions

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until cooked but still firm to the bite.
Drain, return to pot and add sesame oil, tossing well to coat.
While pasta cooks, heat peanut oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the ginger and garlic; sauté 30 seconds.
Add broccoli and onion; sauté 3 minutes.
Add steak, and sauté 5 minutes or until done.
Add pasta mixture, soy sauce, brown sugar and chile paste; cook 1 minute or until lo mein is thoroughly heated, stirring constantly.

Chicken Fried Rice

2011-05-19T15:08:00.000-04:00

Fried rice is one of those dishes that I've tried to make several times and something was always "off". I realized that using freshly cooked rice was making my rice gooey and mushy. It never had the same quality as you'd get in a restaurant, but I decided to try one more time. It turned out great! I made the rice a few hours before (because I forgot to make it the day before) and refrigerated it for a while before making the recipe.

I made this recipe even easier by cooking up the chicken the day before and chopping the veggies before hand. I had everything ready to go and to be thrown together and it made it a cinch to whip this up and enjoy!

Chicken Fried Rice
Recipe adapted from Relish!

Ingredients

1 c. quick-cooking long grain rice - precooked the day before and refrigerated.
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and chopped
1 T. vegetable oil
2 large eggs
2 green onions, trimmed and chopped
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 T. low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 c. chicken broth
3/4 c. chopped carrots
1/2 white onion, chopped

Directions

Heat skillet to medium and add oil.
Add eggs, just as whites begin to set, stir to scramble.
Add green onions, white onions and ginger; cook 1 minute.
Add rice, carrots & bell pepper; cook 2 minutes.
Stir together soy sauce, sugar and broth - add to skillet.
Add chicken and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder (if desired), cook until heated through, about 3 minutes.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2011-05-17T20:52:00.001-04:00

Yes, another soup recipe! This was so packed with flavor and just the right amount of spice, it was perfect for an unseasonably chilly day like we had today. The recipe was by no means difficult and made the house smell fantastic. I debated over using premade tortilla strips or frying up my own and I'm glad I chose to fry my own. They only took a few minutes and were delicious! My husband is a fan of spicy foods and he gave this one a "thumbs up" and said I can make it again any time. I'm not as big of a spicy food fan, but this soup was spicy enough to make you sniffle, but didn't make your mouth burn, so it was just right!

Chicken Tortilla Soup with Spicy Crisps

Recipe courtesy of Relish!

Ingredients

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 white onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 T. olive oil
1 3/4 c. beef broth
1 c. chicken broth
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. chili powder, plus more for spicy crisps
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 10 oz. Rotel tomatoes with chilies, undrained
4 6-inch corn tortillas
4 T. canola oil

For garnish

2 avocados, chopped
1/2 cup cheese
sour cream

Directions

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil.
Drop in the chicken breasts and boil for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
Drain chicken in colander and let cool.
Shred or cube the meat.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat.
Add olive oil and sauté onion and garlic in oil.
Pour into the medium pot you used for chicken.
Add beef and chicken broth, tomato sauce, cumin, chili powder, jalapeno(to taste), salt, Worcestershire sauce, tomatoes and chicken.
Bring to boil, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
In the skillet, heat the canola oil until hot.
Cut tortillas in narrow strips and fry.
Sprinkle with salt and a little chili powder.
When done, place on paper towels.
Place half of the strips in bowls.
Fill with the hot soup.
Garnish with more tortilla strips, avocado slices and cheese.

Creamy Chicken Taquitos

2011-05-16T11:00:00.003-04:00

Taquitos are one thing I have never attempted to make...I didn't want to mess with frying them up, dealing with the lingering oil smell and residue in the air, the mess. I found this recipe for baked taquitos that really lived up to the hype. They came out perfect. Crispy and so flavorful. My husband raved. I had one more than I'm wanting to admit. However, it is a fairly healthy version of taquitos so it's not the worst thing in the world when you go to reach for that third crispy, creamy tube full of goodness, right?!?

Creamy Chicken Taquitos
Recipe adapted from Our Best Bites

Ingredients

3 oz. cream cheese
1/4 cup taco sauce
1 T fresh lime juice
1 t cumin
1 t chili powder
1/2 t garlic powder
1 small can chopped green chiles
3 T chopped cilantro or 1 T dried cilantro
2 T sliced green onions
2 C shredded cooked chicken
1 C grated Asadero (Quesadilla) cheese
small flour tortillas
kosher salt
cooking spray

Directions

Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil & lightly coat with cooking spray.
Mix cream cheese, green chiles, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder & taco sauce.
Stir to combine & then add cilantro & green onions.
Add chicken & cheese & combine well.
Work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft, between damp paper towel.
Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges.
Roll it up as tight as you can.
Place seam side down on the baking sheet.
Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet & make sure they are not touching each other.
Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray & lightly sprinkle some kosher salt on top (optional).
Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp & the ends start to get golden brown.

Mushroom & Cheddar Crusted Quiche

2011-05-15T11:00:00.057-04:00

Quiche is one of those meals that is always comforting and filling, yet light and delicious at the same time and I NEVER think to make it. I saw this recipe on the Relish! website (great menu-planning website, totally worth it) and thought it sounded so interesting with it's different type of "crust". I usually think crusts are flaky or crisp, but with this one, the mushrooms released water, so it didn't crisp up, but it had such a wonderful flavor, it didn't bother me in the least! I ate the leftovers the next day for lunch and enjoyed it just as much the second day.

Mushroom & Cheddar Crusted Quiche

Recipe courtesy of Relish!

Ingredients

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
8 ounces whole button mushrooms, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup cheddar flavored goldfish crackers
4 green onions, chopped
1 cup Swiss cheese, shredded
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup cottage cheese
6 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Melt half of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add the mushrooms, & saute 3-4 minutes.
Stir in crushed crackers.
Turn mixture into a greased baking dish & press firmly.
In the same skillet, melt remaining butter, add onions & saute until transparent.
Pour onions evenly over mushroom crust and sprinkle with Swiss & cheddar cheese.
In a food processor, blender or hand blender, pulse the cottage cheese, eggs & cayenne until smooth.
Pour mixture into crust & sprinkle with paprika.
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving.

Creamy Broccoli Soup with Blue Cheese

2011-05-15T11:00:00.052-04:00

I'm a fan of soups no matter the time of year. I'll make stews and soups all year round, I go against the grain that way, I guess...most people think of them only as a Fall and Winter meal, but I don't see a reason to wait when you have the air conditioning on!

This soup was delicious and it gave me a reason to break out my Cuisinart Hand Blender I've had in my basement since our wedding shower! What a wonderful tool that is for any level of cook! I've used it several times since this recipe and am loving it...I never knew what I was missing, but it definitely comes in handy and MUCH easier to clean than a whole blender.

Creamy Broccoli Soup with Blue Cheese

Recipe courtesy of Relish!

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
½ white onion, chopped
2 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium bunch broccoli, cut into florets
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
½ cup heavy cream
¼ cup crumbled blue cheese
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions

Heat oil in a large soup pan over medium heat.
Add onion & sauté until limp, 4-5 minutes.
Add potatoes & broccoli, cook until potatoes are beginning to color, about 5 minutes.
Add chicken broth & bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium-low & cook until potatoes are very tender, 20 minutes.
Pour ingredients (in batches) in blender. (Or use hand blender right in the pot)
Make sure to let steam escape before processing. Remove cap from hole in lid, cover lid firmly with a dish towel & blend.
Return soup to pan; add cream and blue cheese & cook, stirring, until soup is heated through & blue cheese is melted.
Season to taste with salt & pepper.
Serve garnished with extra blue cheese, if desired.

Baked Parmesan Romano Chicken

2011-05-14T11:00:00.001-04:00

I'm always looking for different ways to prepare chicken. It's such a versatile ingredient, yet it can get boring very easily. The red wine vinegar really gave this chicken it's boost of flavor and turned out to be very tasty! The best part of this recipe is that it only uses 1/4 tsp. of salt and you can lower the amounts of cheeses to reduce the sodium content further without losing much flavor.

Baked Parmesan Romano Chicken

Recipe courtesy of Relish!

Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
4 garlic cloves, divided
4 chicken breasts
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup Romano cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Whisk together oil, vinegar, salt, red-pepper flakes, oregano & half of the garlic cloves in a baking dish.
Add chicken to marinade in dish, turning each piece to coat.
Cover with plastic wrap & refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Stir together breadcrumbs, cheeses, parsley, pepper & remaining garlic in a medium bowl.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil & coat lightly with cooking spray.
Dredge each chicken piece in breadcrumb mixture to coat; shake off excess.
Transfer to prepared baking sheet.
Bake chicken until breadcrumbs are golden & chicken is cooked through, 30-35 min.
Using a spatula, loosen chicken from sheet before serving.

Lemon-Scented Pull-Apart Bread

2011-05-13T20:09:00.001-04:00

This one looks familiar because I made the cinnamon version of this a little while ago. In deciding what to make for the Mother's Day brunch I was hosting, I wanted something light and fresh to serve with the casserole I was making. This was perfect. I made the dough the night before and rolled and assembled it the next morning, which was so easy. It came out wonderfully, though the top of mine did burn (I should have put foil over the top!) before the middle was cooked through, but lesson learned for next time. I served it with the glaze on the side to minimize the mess when pulling the sheets off of the loaf. It was a big hit!

Lemon-Scented Pull-Apart Bread

Recipe courtesy of Leite's Culinaria

Ingredients

About 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons (1 envelope)instant yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup whole milk
2 ounces unsalted butter
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature

For the lemon filling

1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest (3 lemons)
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
2 ounces unsalted butter, melted

For the icing

3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon whole milk
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Directions

Stir together 2 cups of the flour, the sugar, the yeast, and the salt in the bowl of a stand mixer; set aside.
In a small bowl, melt the butter in the microwave until melted. Add the milk & stir to combine.
Add the water & vanilla to the milk butter mixture and let stand until just warm, not hot.
Pour the milk mixture over the flour-yeast mixture & using a rubber spatula, mix until the dry ingredients are evenly moistened. Attach the bowl to the mixer & fit the mixer with the paddle attachment.
With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition just until incorporated.
Stop the mixer, add 1/2 cup (2 1/4 ounces) of the remaining flour, & resume mixing on low speed until the dough is smooth, 30 to 45 seconds.
Add 2 more tablespoons flour & mix on medium speed until the dough is smooth & slightly sticky, about 45 seconds.
Knead gently until smooth & no longer sticky, about 1 minute, adding an additional 1 to 2 tablespoons flour only if necessary to lessen the stickiness. *I used my stand mixer for the kneading, you could knead by hand on a floured surface.
Place the dough in a large bowl, cover the bowl securely with plastic wrap & let the dough rise in a warm place (about 70°F) until doubled in size, about an hour. *After this rise, you can wrap the dough in plastic wrap & refrigerate overnight, then let sit out at room temp for 30 minutes before proceeding on with the recipe.
While the dough is rising, make the filling.
In a small bowl, mix together the sugar & the lemon & orange zests. Set the sandy-wet mixture nearby.
Center a rack in the oven & preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan or lightly coat the pan with nonstick spray.
Gently deflate the dough. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough into a 20-by-12-inch rectangle.
Using a pastry brush spread the melted butter generously over the dough.
Sprinkle the zest-sugar mixture the buttered rectangle.
Cut the dough crosswise into 5 strips, each about 12 x 4 inches.
Stack the strips on top of each other.
Slice the stack crosswise through the 5 layers to create 6 equal strips, each about 4 x 2 inches.
Fit these layered strips into the prepared loaf pan, cut edges up & side by side.
Loosely cover the pan with plastic wrap & let the dough rise in a warm place (70 °F) until puffy & almost doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
Bake the coffee cake until the top is golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Check it around 20 minutes & see if it's browning on top too quickly, add a layer of loose foil on the top if it is, since the top will burn before the middle is cooked through.
Transfer to a wire rack & let cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes.
In a medium bowl, vigorously mix the cream cheese & sugar until smooth.
Beat in the milk & lemon juice until the mixture is creamy & smooth.
To remove the coffee cake from the pan, run a butter knife around the edges release the cake sides. Invert a wire rack on top of the coffee cake, invert the cake onto the rack &carefully lift off the pan. Invert another rack on top, invert the cake so it is right side up & remove the original rack.
Using a pastry brush, coat the top of the warm cake with the icing to glaze it. (I served mine on the side to dip or spread on individual pieces.)
Serve the coffee cake warm or at room temperature.

Beef Fajitas with a Creamy Avocado Sauce

2011-05-13T18:03:00.000-04:00

When planning of my menu for the week, I try to think of things we haven't had in a long time and rotate what I make. One thing that popped into my mind was fajitas! We did have a lot of chicken in the freezer, but we have red meat so rarely that it sounded like the best bet. For this recipe, I used tenderloin steaks which made the fajitas just fall apart and so flavorful! I will make this recipe again in a heartbeat. The creamy avocado sauce was PERFECT. It was easy, fresh with the flavor of the cucumber and lime juice and had a good kick from the cumin. I would use this sauce for nachos, tacos or fajitas....or just to dunk some tortilla chips in!

Beef Fajitas
Recipe courtesy of Relish!

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried minced onion
1 teaspoon dried oregano
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/4 pounds tenderloin steak, cut into cubes
1 avocado , seeded, peeled and coarsely chopped
1/2 English cucumber , coarsely chopped
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 white onion , thinly sliced
2 red bell peppers, seeded, cored and thinly sliced

Directions

In large bowl combine oil, garlic and onion, oregano, pepper, and salt; set aside.
Add meat to oil mixture; toss to coat evenly.
Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, for Avocado Sauce, in food processor combine avocado, cucumber, mint, sour cream, lime juice, water, salt, and cumin.
Cover and process until nearly smooth, stopping to scrape sides as necessary.
Transfer to serving bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Heat large pan to medium heat.
Remove the meat from the marinade.
Cook meat for 10 to 12 minutes for medium rare (145 degrees F), turning to brown evenly.
Place the onion and peppers into another pan on medium high heat, adding oil and salt and pepper.
Cook the onion and peppers until tender.
Serve with the avocado sauce, grilled vegetables and toppings of your choice. We used shredded cheese, cilantro and sour cream.

Cucumber Ranch Dressing

2011-05-11T20:47:00.000-04:00

This dressing was a perfect companion to crisp romaine lettuce and ripe juicy cherry tomatoes. The cucumber added such a level of brightness and freshness and it was SO easy to make that I will definitely be making this dressing again over the summer cookout months!

Cucumber Ranch Dressing
Recipe courtesy of Relish

Ingredients
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded & finely diced
2 green onions, finely chopped
3/4 c. sour cream
1/4 c. mayonnaise
4 T. lemon juice
3 T. Italian parsley, chopped
coarse salt and fresh black pepper, to taste

Directions
Stir together cucumber, green onions, sour cream, mayonnaise, buttermilk, lemon juice, parsley and salt & pepper in a medium bowl.

Lemon-Rosemary Chicken Meatballs

2011-04-29T21:52:00.000-04:00

Do you ever just look at a recipe and think "I HAVE to make that?" Well, that's what happened when I saw this recipe for Lemon-Rosemary Turkey Meatballs over on The Daily Dish, a wonderful low-sodium lifestyle food blog. I only had ground chicken on hand, but these turned out SO good. Light, packed with the bright flavor of lemon and the rosemary flavor was carried throughout the dish in both the meatballs and the sauce.

I'm not going to lie, when I first began cooking and eating low-sodium, I could tell a big difference. All I craved were the salty foods I once ate without a care in the world. With recipes like this, I didn't even miss all that salt AT ALL. Everyone talks about eating low-fat, low-calorie, etc...but there are significant health benefits to just simply watching your salt intake daily!

Lemon-Rosemary Chicken Meatballs
Recipe adapted from The Daily Dish

Ingredients

1 medium onion, cut into smaller chunks
2 large cloves garlic, smashed & peeled
1 t. freshly grated lemon zest
1 T. chopped fresh rosemary or 1 1/4 t. dried rosemary, divided
1 lb. ground chicken
3/4 c. salt free breadcrumbs
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 t. black pepper
1/4 c. flour
2 t. olive oil
2 c. low sodium chicken broth
4 t. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 T. unsalted butter

Directions

Place onion, garlic & lemon zest in a food processor.
Add 1 tablespoon fresh or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary & pulse until the mixture is finely chopped but NOT mushy.
Transfer mixture to a large bowl & using clean hands, add in the turkey, breadcrumbs, Parmesan & pepper, mixing until combined.
Pinch off 2 tablespoons at a time and shape into meatballs, each about 1 1/2 inches in diameter.
Place flour in a shallow dish and roll the meatballs to lightly coat. Reserve the remaining flour.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Once oil is hot, add meatballs & cook, turning once or twice, until browned, about 5 minutes.
Remove the meatballs from the pan, place on a plate & set aside.
Add about 1/2 c. of broth to the pan, increase heat to medium-high & cook, scraping up any browned bits, until almost evaporated, about a minute.
Add the remaining broth & bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and return the meatballs to the pan along with the remaining rosemary.
Cover & cook until the meatballs are no longer pink in the middle, about 10 minutes.
Remove the meatballs to a plate & set aside.
Bring the sauce to a boil over medium-high & cook until reduced to 1 cup.
Whisk lemon juice & 1 tablespoon of the reserved flour in a small bowl, mixing until smooth.
Add the flour mixture to the sauce along with butter.
Simmer, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened.
Strain sauce through a fine-mesh sieve.
Serve immediately.

Garlic and Feta Shrimp Linguini

2011-04-23T21:23:00.000-04:00

On Friday, I was seeking a good meal for a meat-less dinner...enter the bag of frozen shrimp I had in my freezer. I threw this together without a recipe, though I'm sure there are similar versions out there, I didn't use one specific version and threw things together that sounded delicious! It turned out very good. Simple, flavorful, quick - you can't beat that! Once again, it earned the thumbs-up seal of approval from my husband.

Garlic and Feta Shrimp Linguini

Ingredients

1 bag of frozen shrimp (raw, but peeled and deveined), thawed and patted dry
3 T. unsalted butter
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, minced/pressed
Seasonings of your choice, I used a Sicilian blend I had on hand
Feta cheese, crumbled or cut into small chunks
Linguini, cooked and drained
Parsley for garnish

Directions

Heat a high-walled, heavy pan over medium high heat.
Melt butter and oil together pan.
Add shrimp into one layer.
Sprinkle seasonings of your choice over shrimp.
Cook on one side for about 2 minutes, then flip, add the garlic and cook until done - when shrimp are curled up tightly and firm. Don't overcook or they will get rubbery and tough.
Add your cooked linguini into the shrimp and butter, stirring to mix well and coat the noodles with the sauce/garlic.
Once served up in bowls or dishes, mix in the feta cheese and garnish with parsley.

Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries

2011-04-21T21:48:00.000-04:00

In thinking of a decadent treat that is also MOSTLY healthy, I spent a while racking my brain thinking of what to make...until my Mom said "Didn't we see stuffed strawberries somewhere??" Bingo...we did! I searched for a stuffed strawberry recipe and came up with this one. Looked easy? Check! Mostly fruit? Check! Can be put together quickly? Check again!

It really took no time to whip the filling together and piping the filling in with a pastry bag made it really simple. If you don't have a pastry bag, you could definitely use a plastic sandwich bag with a corner snipped off.

Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries
Recipe courtesy of AllRecipes

Ingredients

1-2 pints of fresh strawberries
1 8 oz. package of softened cream cheese
1 tsp. vanilla or orange extract (I used a little of both)
1/2 c. confectioners sugar

Directions

Place the softened cream cheese, extract and sugar in a bowl and mix until fluffy.
Put filling mixture into a pastry bag fit with the star tip and set aside.
Cut the top/stem off of the strawberries and set them on the flat end, pointing up.
Slice an X through the strawberry from the tip to the cut end, but not going all the way through (you want to make a sort of pocket for the filling).
Put the tip of the pastry bag into the strawberry and pipe the filling in.
Chill and enjoy!

Shrimp Stir Fry

2011-04-16T21:42:00.000-04:00

I am getting out of my cooking rut and thinking up new things to try. I've made this stir fry in the past with chicken, but this time I added shrimp and the results were delicious. It's been a long time since I made a stir fry and once you get the ingredients all chopped and prepped, it is so easy! This one actually tastes like takeout at home! I got the seal of approval from my taste-tester (a.k.a. my husband) several times.

Shrimp Stir Fry
Recipe adapted from The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

1 bag of frozen shrimp, peeled and deveined, thawed
½ c. lower sodium Soy Sauce
3 T. Sugar
½ c. low sodium chicken broth, divided
2 tsp. cornstarch
3 T. canola oil, divided
Half of white onion
1.5 c. chopped fresh broccoli florets
2 cloves garlic
10 whole mushrooms, sliced
3 carrots, peeled and cut into thin planks
1 can baby corn, cut into pieces
1 teaspoon sesame oil

Directions

Prepare all vegetables and have them ready.
Mix ½ cup soy sauce with sugar. Stir together and set aside.
Mix ¼ cup chicken broth with arrowroot. Stir together and set aside. Measure an additional ¼ cup chicken broth. Set aside.
To begin stir fry, heat skillet or wok over high heat. When it’s hot, drizzle in 2 Tablespoon canola oil.
Add shrimp to skillet and fry quickly, stirring around for 2 to 3 minutes. When just cooked through, remove to a separate bowl.
Add additional 1 tablespoon canola oil to same skillet. Throw in onions and cook for 1 minute. Add broccoli and carrots, cooking for about 2 minutes. Add garlic. Stir. Add mushrooms and stir. Cook for 45 seconds. Add baby corn. Stir.
Pour in ¼ cup chicken broth and soy sauce/sugar mixture. Drizzle in sesame oil.
Dump in cooked shrimp. Stir together. Pour in chicken broth/arrowroot mixture. Stir together, then turn off heat. Sauce will be much thicker and glossier.
Serve over cooked rice.

Kinda Wheat Bagels

2011-04-13T15:33:00.000-04:00

I have a confession to make...here goes...I don't like wheat. I don't like the smell, taste or texture of wheat bread, bagels, pasta, etc... I've tried to like it, I swear! I am an evil white flour lover all the way and I enjoy it...but decided to make a wheat-ish kind of bagel to add some health into it. I'm starting out slow, but I'll likely end up going with a 50-50 split of white and wheat flours. Baby steps, right?

These had a great texture, I could taste the wheat in it, but it wasn't overpowering at all. You can do plain bagels by just omitting the garlic powder and onion flakes. Plain bagels would be great with some peanut butter on top!

Garlic-Onion Kinda Wheat Bagels

Ingredients

1 3/4 c. warm water (about 110 degrees)
1 T. instant yeast
1 T. white sugar
1 tsp. salt
3 c. bread flour
1 c. wheat flour
1 T. garlic powder
1/4 c. dried minced onion flakes
Non-stick spray
1 egg
1 T. water

Directions

In the bowl of a stand mixer fit with the dough hook, pour warm water, sugar and yeast. Let stand for 5 minutes.
Add salt, flours, garlic powder and onion flakes.
Turn mixer on and let the dough knead for approximately 8 minutes, until the dough is elastic and smooth.
Spray a large bowl with non-stick spray. Place dough in, turning to coat in oil, then cover in plastic wrap.
Let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Divide dough into 12 pieces and shape into bagels. (I shape into balls, then punch my thumb through and stretch the bagel to shape.)
Cover bagels with a clean dish cloth and let rest for 10 minutes.
While bagels rest, bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Boil bagels about 4 at a time, 2 minutes on first side and an additional minute after flipping.
Drain bagels and return to pan. Repeat with all bagels.
Whisk together egg and 1 T. water, brush egg wash over bagels.
Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.
Let cool on racks and enjoy!*

*These are wonderful frozen, I pre-cut all my bagels and package them in individual sandwich bags, then freeze. It makes an easy breakfast to grab on your way out the door (if your place of work has a toaster!)

French Onion Soup

2011-04-12T21:18:00.000-04:00

I have made French Onion Soup frequently in the past, but never took the time to caramelize the onions for the soup. I've seen so many rave reviews over caramelized onions and the flavor difference they make that I had to try this. Overall, it was very easy, though just a tad time consuming. Mine took about an hour and I stirred them every 5 minutes to prevent any major burning.

The onions definitely came through in this soup, sweet with a silky texture. My version of French Onion soup is really the easy way to do it - instead of toasting French bread slices, I use bagged seasoned croutons. Because the cheese is pretty much the best part, my trick is to lay a slice on the bottom of the bowl, then top with croutons, soup and another slice of cheese, that way when you scrape the bottom, you get a bite of cheese as well!

This recipe is also lower in sodium than regular French Onion Soup.

Caramelized French Onion Soup

Ingredients:

3 large white onions, sliced thinly
Olive oil
3 cans reduced-sodium beef broth
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. pepper
Seasoned croutons - I used Garlic & Cheese
Slices of cheese - I used no-sodium Swiss this time, but love it with Provolone also

Directions:

Cover the bottom of a heavy-bottomed large pot with olive oil.
Heat the olive oil over medium heat.
Place the sliced onions in the pot and stir to coat with the oil.

It looks like a lot - trust me, they shrink down a LOT.

Leave onions alone and let cook away, stirring every 5 minutes for approximately 1 hour. It could take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour, but you're looking for an even deep golden brown color. Caramelizing brings out the sugars and sweetness of the onion.

After about 10 minutes

After about 40 minutes

All done!

After onions are caramelized, pour in the reduced-sodium beef broth.

Add garlic powder, thyme and pepper and stir.
Let simmer for about 20 minutes.
In an oven-proof bowl, lay 1 slice of cheese on the bottom, top with some croutons, ladle the soup over the croutons and then top with 1 slice of cheese.
Place bowl in oven under a broiler set to high, keep an eye on it and take it out when the cheese is gooey and delicious!

Cinnamon Sugar Pull-Apart Bread

2011-04-05T14:48:00.000-04:00

So...I've been M.I.A. I know...I apologize. Here is a picture of the perfect little reason.

Before giving birth to my son, I had zero energy to cook much, let alone try new recipes, so I made a lot of the same things over and over. After giving birth to my son, Ethan on November 19th, 2010, my life changed drastically...and not in the "newborn mom" way (lack of sleep, figuring out cries, etc...). I had developed Peripartum Cardiomyopathy during my pregnancy and had no idea - it's pregnancy-induced heart failure. So during the birth of my son, my heart stopped and then I was in a coma for a while, then woke up in a cardiac intensive care unit at the hospital with no recollection how I got there! Overwhelming to say the least and I went home to my son and husband in early December on a strict low-sodium diet and zero appetite.

Well, the good news is that with rest and medicines, my heart has recovered to the low end of normal and I can eat whatever I'd like again, though we'll stick to a lower sodium diet from now on, I decided to make us a treat. I saw this recipe on Joy the Baker and immediately started drooling in anticipation of making it!

Overall, this wasn't difficult by any means and I rolled out the dough immediately after the first rise - it was easy to work with and I didn't find that I needed the overnight refrigeration. The smell was FABULOUS even before this went into the oven and when it was cooking, it was as if Cinnabon had moved into my kitchen! The result was over-the-top delicious. I'll definitely make this again, it would be a wonderful addition to a holiday breakfast or an everyday brunch!

Cinnamon Sugar Pull-Apart Bread
Recipe courtesy of Joy the Baker

Ingredients:

For the Dough:

2 3/4 c. plus 2 T all-purpose flour

1/4 c. granulated sugar

2 1/4 tsp. (1 envelope) active dry yeast

1/2 tsp. salt

2 oz. unsalted butter (4 T.)

1/3 c. whole milk

1/4 c. water

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

For the Filling:

1 c. granulated sugar

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. fresh ground nutmeg

2 oz. unsalted butter, melted until browned (4 T.)

In bowl of stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, whisk together 2 c. flour, sugar, yeast & salt. Set aside.

Whisk together eggs & set aside.

In a small saucepan, melt together milk & butter until butter has just melted.
Remove from the heat and add water & vanilla extract. Let mixture stand for a minute or two, or until the mixture registers 115 to 125 degrees F.

Pour the milk mixture into the dry ingredients & mix.
Add the eggs & stir the mixture until the eggs are incorporated into the batter.
Add the remaining 3/4 cup of flour and mix about 2 minutes. The mixture will be sticky. That’s just right.

Place the dough is a large, greased bowl.
Cover with plastic wrap & a clean kitchen towel. Place in a warm space and allow to rest until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
*After dough has doubled, it can be refrigerated overnight for use in the morning. Take out and let rest on counter for 30 minutes before continuing the roll-out directions below.

While the dough rises, whisk together the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg for the filling. Set aside.
Melt 2 ounces of butter until browned. Set aside.
Grease and flour a 9×5x3-inch loaf pan. Set aside.

Deflate the risen dough and knead about 2 tablespoons of flour into the dough.
Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 5 minutes.
On a lightly floured work surface, use a rolling pin to roll the dough out. The dough should be 12-inches tall and about 20-inches long. If you can’t get the dough to 20-inches long… that’s okay. Just roll it as large as the dough will go.
Use a pastry brush to spread melted butter across all of the dough.
Sprinkle with all of the sugar and cinnamon mixture. Use all of it!

Slice the dough vertically, into six equal-sized strips. Stack the strips on top of one another and slice the stack into six equal slices once again.
Layer the dough squares in the loaf pan like a flip-book. Place a kitchen towel over the loaf pan and allow in a warm place for 30 to 45 minutes or until almost doubled in size.

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
Place loaf in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is very golden brown.

Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 20 to 30 minutes.
Run a butter knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the bread and invert onto a clean board. Place a cake stand or cake plate on top of the upside down loaf, and carefully invert so it’s right side up.
Serve warm.

Yoplait Frozen Smoothie coupon!

2010-11-01T10:53:00.000-04:00

Kroger $25 Gift Card Winner

2010-08-11T19:02:00.000-04:00

And the winner of our Kroger $25 Gift Card is....
Congratulations!

Kroger $25 Gift Card Giveaway!! TIME'S UP

2010-08-10T13:11:00.001-04:00

A surprise giveaway for this Tuesday! :) I've been given this opportunity to give my readers a chance to win a $25 Gift Card to Kroger! They are hosting great Back to School savings with their "Add Up The Savings" Event!

This giveaway was provided by The Kroger Family of Stores, General Mills and Kimberly Clark through MyBlogSpark.

Giveaway ends tomorrow, Wednesday, August 11 at 7 p.m. EST, so leave your comments quickly!

To win, comment and tell me what your favorite part of going back to school was (or is, if you have children). Mine was going shopping for all the back to school supplies! :)

Giveaway is open from now until Wednesday, August 11 at 7 p.m. EST.
PLEASE be sure to leave me a valid email address to contact you!
Once winner is announced, the winner should contact me at dailydeliciousness@gmail.com, so be sure to check back!!!
You are only eligible to win 1 blog contest per month.
If I do not receive contact within 1 week, I reserve the right to choose another winner.
Giveaway is open to residents of the US and Canada only.
One comment per person.
Winner will be picked using Random.org

Cherry-Cheese Crescent Braid

2010-06-19T14:53:00.000-04:00

Cherry-Cheese Crescent Braid

Ingredients
1    can (8 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls or 1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® Crescent Recipe Creations® refrigerated seamless dough sheet
1/2    cup pineapple cream cheese spread (from 8-oz container)
2    tablespoons sugar
1    egg, separated
1/2    cup chopped candied red cherries
1    tablespoon water
1    teaspoon sugar

Glaze
1/3    cup powdered sugar
1/4    teaspoon almond extract
1 to 2 teaspoons milk

Directions
1.    Heat oven to 375°F. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray.
2.    If using crescent rolls: Unroll dough onto cookie sheet, forming 13x7-inch rectangle. Firmly press perforations to seal. If using dough sheet: Unroll dough onto cookie sheet, forming 13x7-inch rectangle.
3.    In medium bowl, beat cream cheese and 2 tablespoons sugar with spoon. Beat in egg yolk. Stir in cherries. Spoon lengthwise down center of dough rectangle in 2 1/2-inch-wide strip. Cut 1-inch-wide strips on each side of cream cheese filling to within 1/2 inch of filling. Fold strips at an angle across filling mixture, alternating from side to side.
4.    In small bowl, mix egg white and water; beat well. Brush egg white mixture over dough. (Discard any remaining egg white mixture.) Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sugar.
5.    Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until deep golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet; place on serving tray. Cool 5 minutes.
6.    In small bowl, beat powdered sugar, almond extract and enough milk for desired drizzling consistency. Drizzle glaze over warm braid. If desired, garnish with additional candied cherries. Cool 15 minutes before slicing. Serve warm. Store in refrigerator.

Forgive me?

2010-04-24T17:03:00.000-04:00

I know...this blog has fallen a bit to the wayside...it won't be forever, I promise. I really have a good reason for the lack of posting! Beyond being in a cooking slump (hey, everyone has highs and lows in the kitchen, right?), I have recently been going through a stage where NOTHING sounds good to eat. The reason behind all of this...

So, there you have it. I have been cooking up a tiny little "turkey" of our own, to arrive a couple days after Thanksgiving!!!! We are thrilled, but please be patient, I'm sure my lack in motivation and my tiredness will subside and I will get back in the kitchen soon!

Seventh Generation Winner

2010-03-28T10:24:00.000-04:00

Congratulations to the winner of the Seventh Generation Prize Pack! Enjoy! Please email me at: dailydeliciousness@gmail.com with your mailing information!

A clean kitchen is a happy kitchen...giveaway! TIMES UP

2010-03-23T20:50:00.001-04:00

One of the very basic ingredients to a happy, healthy kitchen is good cleaning products! The lovely people at Seventh Generation and MyBlogSpark sent me a pack of goodies to try out in my own home. The Seventh Generation products are natural and "green", hypo-allergenic & non-toxic. I loved these features of the products and they cleaned just as well as harsh chemical products. It made me feel really good to know that I wasn't contaminating my "clean" kitchen with harmful chemicals where we will be preparing food!

Would you like to win a Seventh Generation Cleaning Pack? It comes chock full of cleaning goodies for you to try out!

To enter: Leave me a comment WITH your email address and answering the following question, What is the best thing you've done for the environment this year? Have you been recycling? Using non-toxic cleaners? Anything!

Rules:

Giveaway is open from now until Sunday, March 28th at 10 a.m. EST.
Once winner is announced, the winner should contact me at dailydeliciousness@gmail.com, so be sure to check back!!!
You are only eligible to win 1 blog contest per month.
If I do not receive contact within 1 week, I reserve the right to choose another winner.
This item for giveaway and use was provided to me by MyBlogSpark and Seventh Generation
Giveaway is open to residents of the US and Canada only.
One comment per person.
Winner will be picked using Random.org

Peanut Butter Cookies 3 Ways

2010-03-14T16:22:00.000-04:00

I wanted to make an easy treat for my husband today, so I thought about what I haven't made yet and what ingredients on hand. With a little searching I decided on Peanut Butter cookies, which surprisingly, I can't ever recall making....ever! This recipe was so easy, the dough really came together beautifully and turned out amazing.

I began with this recipe below and then added 2 other types of ingredient toppings to make 2 other varieties of dynamite cookies!

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies
Recipe courtesy of All Recipes

Ingredients
1 c. smooth peanut butter
1 c. white sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Jam/preserves of your choice (I used raspberry preserves)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a medium bowl, mix together peanut butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla until well blended.
Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets, I used a small cookie scoop.
Use a fork to make a criss-cross pattern on the top.
Make a small hole in the top of each cookie using the back of an 1/8th tsp. measuring spoon.
Fill the holes with preserves.
Bake for 8 to 11 minutes in preheated oven.
Allow to cool for a couple of minutes on the cookie sheets before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

In some of the cookies, I substituted the jelly with nutella:

And in some other of the cookies, I substituted the jelly with chopped Heath candy bar:

Feta Cheese Bagels

2010-03-14T10:40:00.000-04:00

Look closely - you can see 1-2 Feta chunks, the rest have melted in for delicious flavor!

My friend Lisa, a fellow Feta cheese fanatic, told me about a Feta cheese bagel that she purchases for breakfast...of course, this got my wheels turning! How could this be accomplished? Was the cheese on top or inside? What kind of flavorings were added? How could I bake it without scorching the cheese?

Well, I think I came up with a pretty good rendition, though after asking Lisa, it doesn't sound anything like her morning Feta bagel, but this turned out very flavorful and delicious! Mixing the Feta into the dough left pockets of cheese, though since it blended in with the dough, you couldn't see it, but you sure could taste it! I also added just a small amount of oregano, since that goes so well with the Feta flavor. The addition turned out so well, not overwhelming but just enough to compliment the dough!

Feta Cheese Bagels

Ingredients

1 tbs. active dry yeast
1 tbs. white sugar
1 3/4 c. 110 degree water
3 c. bread flour
1 c. all-purpose flour
1 tbs. salt
1 cup Feta cheese crumbles
3/4 tsp. dried oregano

Directions

In a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer) combine yeast, sugar & water.
Let stand for 5 minutes, then stir in flour, salt, oregano.
Mix dough thoroughly until it comes together in a large ball, pulling away from the sides of the bowl.
Add an additional tablespoon of flour or water, if needed.
Knead dough with the dough hook until elastic, about 8 minutes on a low speed, adding the Feta cheese about half way through so it retains some "chunks".
Place dough in a lightly greased bowl (non-stick spray works wonderfully), cover with plastic wrap & let rise for 1 hour.
Bring a large pot of water to a gentle boil & preheat the oven to 400F.
When dough has risen, turn the dough out & divide into 12 equal pieces.
Shape each piece into a tight ball.
Using your fingers, poke a hole through the center of each dough ball.
Stretch out the dough into a ring with your fingers (some cheese will try to escape at this point, just try to poke it back into place & make the hole a little larger than you want the finished bagel to have, as it will shrink slightly while the bagel is expanding during the baking process.
When all the balls are shaped, let the dough rest for 30 minutes covered with a clean dish towel.
Working four at a time, drop the bagels carefully into the boiling water.
Boil for 1 minute on the first side, then flip & boil for an additional minute.
Using a slotted spoon or strainer, transfer bagels to a clean towel to drain for a moment, then place on a Silpat or parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake for 20-24 minutes, until golden brown. Cool on a rack.

Sub/Hoagie/Sandwich Rolls

2010-03-08T19:41:00.000-05:00

I had Meatball Subs on the menu for the week and thought about buying sub rolls, but decided to try my hand at making them myself. I was worried they would turn out crusty and like hard rolls, but these turned out so soft and fluffy on the inside and though I didn't have any left to freeze, I imagine if you wrapped and froze them, they'd still be perfect thawed and just warmed through. We used these for the Meatball Subs as well as for lunchtime sandwiches the next day, both times they were delicious!!!

I halved the recipe for 8 rolls with no issues at all, but the recipe below makes 16 rolls.

Homemade Sandwich Rolls

Recipe courtesy of Recipezaar

Ingredients

5 teaspoons dry active yeast (2 pkgs)
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups water, about 110 degrees
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons salt
6-7 cups all-purpose flour
cornmeal (I omitted)
1 egg white
sesame seed (optional)

Directions

Dissolve sugar in water & add yeast to proof.
Rest one to two minutes.
Melt butter.
Stir melted butter & salt into yeast mixture.
Mix in flour, 1 cup at a time until desired consistency is reached (not too sticky to the touch but with plenty of give)
Knead until VERY well developed, about 10-12 minutes (important!)
Cover with plastic wrap and let stand until doubled in bulk (approx 40 minutes).
Lightly dust a small amount of corn meal over well-greased pans/Silpat, roll your dough into long, thin "logs" & place about 3" apart on the pans.
Slash each loaf every inch & a half with a knife, brush with egg white & sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired.
Let double in size.
Bake in a 400°F oven until golden brown.

Kroger Gift Card Winner!

2010-03-06T10:10:00.000-05:00

And another great giveaway comes to an end! Congratulations to Jen!!!

Please contact me at dailydeliciousness@gmail.com with your mailing information! :)

Thanks everyone who entered!

Nourish Your Inner Goddess WINNER

2010-03-05T19:19:00.000-05:00

So, the time is here to announce the winner of the Yoplait/MyBlogSpark Nourish Your Inner Goddess Winner!!!

Congratulations to Jessica!!! Your prize pack will be on it's way to you shortly after you email me your mailing info at dailydeliciousness@gmail.com

Want to win a Kroger Gift Card? Time's Up!

2010-03-03T18:33:00.002-05:00

OK...this is a great one! The great people at MyBlogSpark, Kroger and General Mills are offering one of my lucky readers a $25 Kroger Gift Card (or Kroger family of stores - Ralph's, King Sooper's, City Market, Dillons, Smith's, Fry's, QFC, Baker's, Owen's, Jay C Food Stores, Hilander, Gerbes, Food4Less, Pay Less Super Markets and Scott's Food and Pharmacy)

From now through March 14th, shop the Cart Buster Savings Event and find the hottest prices around on your favorite name-brand products in over 60 categories!!! Here are just a few of the great brands participating in the event: Honey Nut Cheerios, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Pillsbury, Betty Crocker, Hamburger Helper, Yoplait, Progresso, Totino´s, Green Giant, Cascadian Farm, Tide, Charmin, Bounty, Pampers, Pantene, Crest, Iams, Febreze, Old Spice and many more!

To win a $25 Kroger Gift Card.....

Comment and let me know your email address and what your favorite brand above is! That's it...easy!

Rules:

Giveaway is open from now until Saturday, March 6th at 10 a.m. EST.
Once winner is announced, the winner should contact me at dailydeliciousness@gmail.com, so be sure to check back!!!
You are only eligible to win 1 blog contest per month.
If I do not receive contact within 1 week, I reserve the right to choose another winner.
This item for giveaway was provided to me by MyBlogSpark, Kroger and General Mills.
Giveaway is open to residents of the US and Canada only.
One comment per person.
Winner will be picked using Random.org

Freezer Breakfast Burritos

2010-03-02T20:59:00.000-05:00

I normally keep a supply of homemade bagels in our freezer in their own individual bags, ready to grab and go for a nice quick breakfast. I wasn't feeling like making a batch of bagels over the weekend to replenish our stock and wanted to try something different. I remember seeing a website that spoke of making your own frozen breakfast burritos that were individually foil wrapped and ready to unwrap and microwave in only 2 minutes...that was the something different I was going for!

I made these simply, but in the future I could see adding more ingredients like onion, mushrooms, green peppers, bacon, different cheeses, etc... And the best part, based on my calculations for my simple version of these, for 20 individual burritos, they are a delicious, hot and filling breakfast all for about .33 cents each!

Freezer Breakfast Burritos
Recipe courtesy of Thrifty Fun

Ingredients

12 to 16 eggs, beaten
1 lb ground sausage, cooke
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
24 large flour tortillas

Extras: These ingredients are optional.

1 green pepper, finely diced
6 potatoes, shredded and fried
jalapeno, sliced or diced
1 can chopped green chilies
1-2 clove garlic, finely minced
1 onion, finely diced
1 tomato, peeled and chopped
2 green onions, sliced with tops

Directions

Scramble eggs in large skillet until cooked. Stir in cooked sausage. Add any of the extras you choose except the cheese
Wrap the Tortillas in a damp paper towel and warm in the microwave until they are warm (about 1 minute).
Place 1/2 cup of scrambled egg mixture into a tortilla. Then add a little of the shredded cheese and roll burrito-style.

To Freeze:
Wrap each burrito in foil and freeze in single layer on a sheet pan. When fully frozen transfer wrapped burritos to large zip-top freezer bags & freeze.

To Serve:
Remove foil & wrap in a paper towel. Cook for about 2 minutes in the microwave. Cook times may vary.

Nourish your Inner Goddess Giveaway Time's Up!

2010-03-02T20:43:00.001-05:00

I love doing the giveaways from MyBlogSpark. They truly have been wonderful to work with, quick to respond to any of my questions and so friendly! And coming at you right now is another wonderful giveaway, courtesy of Yoplait and MyBlogSpark! I hope you enjoy the opportunity to win as much as I enjoy doing these!

I love Greek yogurt, the rich, thick and creamy consistency is a delightful way to snack without the guilt. I was lucky enough to sample the new Yoplait Greek Yogurt in both Strawberry and Blueberry flavors and loved them! A great way to start the day as part of your breakfast or as an afternoon or late night snack. Yogurt is a great way to get calcium and nourish your body from the inside...and this giveaway comes with a spa gift pack to help you relax & pamper yourself as well!

Giveaway includes the spa pack as seen here and 4 VIP coupons for Yoplait Greek Yogurt*
*This coupon offer for a free cup of Yoplait Greek yogurt is not valid in some states, including California, Idaho, Louisiana, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, North Dakota, and Tennessee.

To enter:

Leave me a EMAIL ADDRESS and a comment as to whether you've tried Greek Yogurt before or why you'd like to try it now...it's that easy!

Rules:

Giveaway is open from now until Friday, March 5th at 7 p.m. EST.
Once winner is announced, the winner should contact me at dailydeliciousness@gmail.com, so be sure to check back!!!
You are only eligible to win 1 blog contest per month.
If I do not receive contact within 1 week, I reserve the right to choose another winner.
These items for giveaway and a sample pack were provided to me by MyBlogSpark and Yoplait for my thoughts/review on this product.
Giveaway is open to residents of the US and Canada only.
One comment per person.
Winner will be picked using Random.org

Slow Cooker Pork Loin

2010-02-24T20:37:00.001-05:00

I am absolutely LOVING this whole menu planning kick...Why on earth didn't I do this sooner? It has saved so much of my time, money and sanity! No more wondering "what's for dinner?" when nothing is thawed or ready. In my planning on Sunday, I decided to do a crock pot tenderloin. It turned out so flavorful and moist, it really had a beef-like flavor! Served with some mashed potatoes and corn, it made a nice comforting mid-week meal.

Slow Cooker Pork Loin

Recipe courtesy of AllRecipes

Ingredients

1 (2 pound) pork tenderloin
1 (1 ounce) envelope dry onion soup mix
1 cup water
3/4 cup red wine
3 tablespoons minced garlic
3 tablespoons soy sauce
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Place pork tenderloin in a slow cooker with the contents of the soup packet.
Pour water, wine, and soy sauce over the top, turning the pork to coat.
Carefully spread garlic over the pork, leaving as much on top of the roast during cooking as possible.
Sprinkle with pepper, cover, and cook on low setting for 4 hours.
Serve with cooking liquid on the side as au jus.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Brownies

2010-02-21T21:32:00.002-05:00

Watching the USA/Canada Hockey Olympic Game, Paul and I had a slight craving for something sweet after dinner....thinking about the ingredients we have on hand, this recipe was perfect. It all mixed up quick and beautifully and in no time, the sweet smell of peanut butter, sugar and chocolate was drifting out of the kitchen and into the living room.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Brownies
Recipe seen on YumSugar

Ingredients

6 tbs unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 c chunky peanut butter
1 1/4 c (packed) golden brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 c all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 c Ghirardelli milk chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Generously butter and flour 8-inch square baking pan.
Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until smooth.
Add peanut butter to butter; beat until well blended, scraping down sides of bowl occasionally.
Beat in brown sugar.
Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
Beat in vanilla.
Sift flour, baking powder & salt into medium bowl.
Add to peanut butter mixture; beat until blended. Stir in chocolate.
Transfer batter to pan. Using spatula, smooth top.
Bake until toothpick inserted 2 inches from edge of pan comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 40-50 minutes. Transfer pan to rack, cool completely.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Brownies

Pina Colada Cake

2010-02-20T19:14:00.000-05:00

I wanted to make my mother-in-law a cake for her birthday get-together and she said "surprise me"...so I tried to think of something out of the ordinary. I know she loves tropical drinks, so when Pina Colada Cake crossed my mind, I knew it would be a hit. I was not disappointed! Everyone raved over this cake and it was delicious! Very moist and the flavors of the drink really came though! I will definitely be making this again, it was light, moist, refreshing and you almost (almost!) felt like you were on the beach with a drink in your hand...until you saw the forecast for 6-8 inches of snow Monday. ;)

Pina Colada Cake & Frosting
Recipe Courtesy of About.com: Southern Food

Ingredients
For cake

1 (approx. 18.25 ounces) box white cake mix
1 small package (4 serving size) vanilla or French vanilla instant pudding mix
1/4 c vegetable oil
1/2 c water
1/3 c light rum
4 eggs
1 can (8 oz) crushed pineapple, undrained
1 c flaked coconut

For frosting

1 can (8 oz) crushed pineapple, undrained
1/3 c light rum
1 small package (4 serving size) vanilla or French
vanilla instant pudding mix
1 container (8 oz) Cool Whip
coconut to taste, toast* if desired

Directions
Cake

Grease and flour a 13 x 9-inch pan or two round 8-inch layer cake pans.
Preheat oven to 350°.
Mix cake mix, pudding, oil, water and rum.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Stir in pineapple then fold in coconut.
Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until a wooden pick or cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.

Frosting

Mix crushed pineapple, rum, and vanilla instant pudding.
Beat until it thickens.
Fold in 1 container of Cool Whip.
Frost cake and sprinkle top with coconut or toasted coconut.

Cinnamon Chip Scones

2010-02-20T10:44:00.000-05:00

My first "guest blogger" post ever! This recipe came from my friend Melinda, who lives in Washington DC and was baking her way through being snowed in during the crazy Snow Storm of 2010! We have been friends for about 15 years now (time does fly!), she is a fabulous baker/cook, works at the Rockville Nature Center, and is a wonderful person all-around. Take it away, Melinda!

I've always wanted to make scones but had heard that they are hard to get right. When I found this recipe for entitled "Simple Scones," I thought why not. I had some cinnamon chips and I was dying to try it. These scones were very simple and stayed moist while still crumbly and were delicious both warm and at room temperature.

Easy Cinnamon Chip Scones

Recipe adapted from All Recipes

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, frozen
1/2 cup cinnamon chips (can substitute other types of chips or fruit)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 large egg

Directions

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position & preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a medium bowl, mix flour, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Grate butter into flour mixture on the large holes of a box grater; use your fingers to work in butter (mixture should resemble coarse meal), then stir in cinnamon chips.
In a small bowl, whisk sour cream and egg until smooth.
Using a fork, stir sour cream mixture into flour mixture until large dough clumps form.
Use your hands to press the dough against the bowl into a ball. (The dough will be sticky in places, and there may not seem to be enough liquid at first, but as you press, the dough will come together.)
Place on a lightly floured surface and pat into a 7- to 8-inch circle about 3/4-inch thick.
Sprinkle with remaining 1 tsp. of sugar.
Use a sharp knife to cut into 8 triangles; place on a cookie sheet (preferably lined with parchment paper), about 1 inch apart.
Bake until golden, about 15 to 17 minutes.
Cool for 5 minutes and serve warm or at room temperature.

SAFEWAY WINNERS!!!!

2010-02-17T19:57:00.000-05:00

Well, time's up and the random.org winners have been picked!! Congratulations to the following ladies who left me comments! Enjoy your $50 Safeway gift card and be sure to let me know the goodies and treats that you end up getting! :)

Winner #1

Winner #2

CONGRATULATIONS COURTNEY & MELINDA! PLEASE CONTACT ME AT DAILYDELICIOUSNESS@GMAIL.COM with your name & mailing information to receive your prize!

Stay tuned for future giveaways!!

Baby Shower Cookies

2010-02-16T20:16:00.000-05:00

For my cousin Kelly's baby shower, I wanted to contribute something special, though the shower was thrown by my mom and her sisters. I found the adorable onesie cookie cutter at one of my most FAVORITE baking sites, Bake It Pretty and decided to decorate them in honor of my soon-to-be new baby second cousin, Alec Joseph, a bouncing baby boy!!

I used the sugar cookie recipe that I previously used for Halloween and Christmas cookies along with the same Royal Icing recipe as well.

White Sandwich Bread

2010-02-14T12:08:00.000-05:00

In an effort to watch our finances and pinch some pennies, I've decided the best (& most delicious) way to save a little bit is to make our own sandwich bread. This turned out delicious and likely more dense than it should, as I only had bread flour on hand...I will be making this again with all-purpose flour!! It had a rich and nice texture.

White Sandwich Bread
Recipe courtesy of King Arthur Flour

Ingredients

1 packet "highly active" active dry yeast; or 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast; or 2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
7/8 to 1 1/8 cups lukewarm water
3 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup Baker's Special Dry Milk or nonfat dry milk
1/2 cup instant mashed potato flakes
*Use the lesser amount in summer (or in a humid environment), the greater amount in winter (or in a dry climate), and somewhere in between the rest of the year, or if your house is climate controlled.

Directions

1) If you're using active dry yeast, dissolve it with a pinch of sugar in 2 tablespoons of the lukewarm water. Let the yeast and water sit at room temperature for 15 minutes, until the mixture has bubbled and expanded. If you're using instant yeast, you can skip this step.

2) Combine the dissolved yeast (or instant yeast) with the remainder of the ingredients. Mix and knead everything together—by hand, mixer or bread machine set on the dough cycle—till you've made a smooth dough. If you're kneading in a stand mixer, it should take about 7 minutes at second speed, and the dough should barely clean the sides of the bowl, perhaps sticking a bit at the bottom. In a bread machine (or by hand), it should form a smooth ball.

3) Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl. Cover the bowl, and allow the dough to rise, at room temperature, for 1 to 2 hours, or until it's nearly doubled in bulk. Rising may take longer, especially if you've kneaded by hand. Give it enough time to become quite puffy.

4) Gently deflate the dough, and shape it into an 8" log.

5) Transfer the log, smooth side up, to a lightly greased 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pan. Tent the pan loosely with lightly greased plastic wrap.

6) Allow the bread to rise till it's crested about 1 1/4" over the rim of the pan, about 1 hour. Again, it may rise more slowly for you; let it rise till it's 1 1/4" over the rim of the pan, even if that takes longer than an hour. While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 350°F.

7) Bake the bread for 15 minutes. Tent it lightly with aluminum foil, and bake for an additional 20 to 25 minutes, till the crust is golden brown, and the interior temperature measures 190°F on an instant-read thermometer.

8) Remove the bread from the oven, and gently loosen the edges with a heatproof spatula or table knife. Turn it out of the pan, and brush the top surface with butter, if desired; this will give it a soft, satiny crust. Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing. As soon as it's completely cool, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap; or in a plastic bag, air pressed and fastened securely at the top.

Champagne Chicken

2010-02-14T12:02:00.000-05:00

This was the main dish to my early Valentine's Day Champagne-themed meal. This was awesome! We both loved it and the plates were definitely cleaned! The sauce was rich and a combination of sweet & savory, which we both really enjoyed. We'll be making this again, it was a beautiful presentation and was a very elegant meal which was also easy!

Champagne Chicken
Recipe courtesy of The Rookie Chef, originally from Recipezaar

Ingredients

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/3 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 cup butter
2 tsp olive oil
1.5 cups champagne
1 cup whipping cream
1 tsp ground rosemary

Directions

Flatten chicken & dust with the flour, salt & pepper
In a large skillet, melt butter & olive oil together over medium heat
Add chicken & saute 5 minutes, turn over & add the champagne.
Continue to cook for 12-15 minutes
Add the cream & rosemary & cook until thickened
Remove chicken & place on plate. Pour sauce over chicken & enjoy!

Champagne Risotto

2010-02-14T11:47:00.003-05:00

As part of an early Valentine's Day dinner, I chose to make this recipe with my other recipe, Champagne Chicken, to have a whole Champagne-themed meal. I've never made risotto before and my husband had never eaten risotto before, so this was a slight risk...we both really enjoyed this and I will make it again! It had very creamy, rich flavor and was very delicious, though slightly tedious in the adding/stirring/etc...

Champagne Risotto
Recipe courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients

3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
12 asparagus spears, cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 shallot, finely chopped
3/4 cup Arborio rice or medium-grain white rice
3/4 cup Champagne
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer. Blanch the asparagus in the chicken stock for 2 minutes.
Remove the asparagus with a slotted spoon. Set the asparagus aside and keep the chicken stock at a low simmer.
In another medium saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter.
Add the shallot and cook until tender, about 3 minutes.
Add the Arborio rice and stir to coat in the butter.
Continue toasting the rice, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes more. Add the Champagne and simmer until the liquid has almost evaporated, about 3 minutes.
Add 1/2 cup of the simmering broth and stir until almost completely absorbed, about 2 minutes.
Continue cooking the rice, adding the broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each addition of broth to absorb before adding the next, until the rice is tender but still firm to the bite and the mixture is creamy, about 20 minutes total.
Remove from the heat. Gently stir in the asparagus, remaining butter, Parmesan, salt, and pepper.
Spoon the risotto into serving dishes and garnish by breaking the crisp prosciutto into smaller pieces over the top of the risotto. Serve immediately.

WIN A $50 SAFEWAY GIFT CARD! Time's Up

2010-02-10T19:12:00.001-05:00

I'm really jealous of this giveaway...not just that 2 (Yes, two) lucky winners get a $50 gift card each, but that some geographic regions have MUCH better selections of grocery stores than I have near me! Safeway, Vons, Dominicks, etc... are no where in Michigan and in my bad luck, comes good fortune for those of you who have the Safeway family of stores near you!

The very nice people at MyBlogSpark had offered me a $50 gift card to Safeway along with a second gift card and coupon for FREE Fiber One 4-pack of yogurt...alas, both of these gift cards are up for grabs to my readers!!! Lucky ducks! Just be sure you have a Safeway, Vons, Pavilions, Genuardi's, Dominick's, Carrs/Safeway, Randall's or Tom Thumb store in your area (which the gift card is good at any one of these stores!)

IF YOU HAVE A SAFEWAY STORE NEAR YOU, TO ENTER:

Leave me a comment stating what you will buy at Safeway with the gift card! BE SURE TO LEAVE ME A VALID EMAIL ADDRESS AS WELL!

Will it be some Yoplait Fiber One yogurt? A bouquet of flowers to brighten your day? Stock up on diapers? Anything!

Rules:

2 $50.00 Safeway gift cards are available to win, there will be 2 winners chosen for this contest.
Giveaway is open from now until Wednesday, February 17th at 7 p.m. EST.
Once winner is announced, the winner should contact me at dailydeliciousness@gmail.com, so be sure to check back!!!
You are only eligible to win 1 blog contest per month.
If I do not receive contact within 1 week, I reserve the right to choose another winner.
These items were provided to me for my thoughts/review on this product.
Giveaway is open to residents of the US and Canada only.
One comment per person.
Winner will be picked using Random.org

***Safeway and Fiber One provided Daily Deliciousness with the free Fiber One Yogurt, information, and gift card pack through MyBlogSparkTM**

Game Day Pretzel Bites

2010-02-07T20:41:00.000-05:00

I have made soft pretzels before, but with it being a self-imposed "lazy Sunday", I didn't want to take a lot of time shaping them. This recipe was exactly what I was looking for (why didn't I think to just do this to begin with?? and next time I might even stick with soft pretzel sticks like you can get in the mall) and aside from the rise time, they were really quick to make!

These were a great snack while watching the Super Bowl! I didn't make the cheese sauce to go with them, but I did warm up some cream cheese to use as a dipping sauce and had mustard to dip in as well.

Soft Pretzel Bites
Recipe courtesy of Two Peas and Their Pod
which they adapted from Bobby Flay

Ingredients

1 1/2 c. warm water
2 tbs. light brown sugar
1 package active dry yeast
3 oz. unsalted butter, melted
2 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
4 1/2 to 5 c. all-purpose flour
Vegetable oil
3 qt. water
3/4 c. baking soda
1 whole egg, beaten with 1 tbs. cold water
Coarse sea salt

Directions

Combine the water, sugar, yeast, & butter in the bowl of a stand mixer & mix with the dough hook until combined. Let sit for 5 minutes.
Add the salt and flour & mix on low speed until combined.
Increase the speed to medium & continue kneading until the dough is smooth, about 3-4 minutes.
If the dough appears too wet, add additional flour, 1 tbs. at a time.
Remove the dough from the bowl, knead into a ball with your hands.
Oil a bowl with vegetable oil, add the dough, turning to coat.
Cover with a clean towel & place in a warm spot until the dough doubles in size (1 hour.)
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Bring the water to a boil in a small roasting pan over high heat & add the baking soda carefully!! (It bubbles up on you, so I added it in small increments at a time).
Remove the dough from the bowl & place on a flat surface.
Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces.
Roll each piece into a long rope measuring 22 inches.
Cut the dough into 1-inch pieces to make the pretzel bites.
Boil the pretzel bites in the water solution in batches.
Boil for about 30 seconds.
Remove with a large slotted spoon. Place pretzel bites on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick spray or lined with a Silpat, ensuring they are not touching.
Brush the tops with the egg wash & sprinkle with the salt.
Place into the oven & bake for 15-18 minutes until golden brown.
Remove to a baking rack & let cool 5 minutes. Dig in!

My husband loves me...

2010-02-07T20:26:00.000-05:00

I often post things like "My husband loves my cooking..." or that he's just an awesome person in general...but the other day, I came home from work and he surprised me with this:

Meaning, he listens to me, he knows what I like, he knows that it's the little things in life that make me extremely happy and he knows exactly how to cheer me up after any bumps in the road. Thanks sweetie, you're the best!

Chicken and Rice

2010-01-24T19:57:00.000-05:00

My mom's Chicken and Rice growing up was one of the best comfort food there is...that's what I was going for in looking for a recipe. I found this one from Campbell's and thought it sounded right. It was good, but wasn't exactly what I was expecting. The rice turned out a tad on the dry side and though the chicken turned out pretty flavorful, it just wasn't IT. I will be asking my mom for her recipe and this time, I won't lose it.

One Dish Chicken & Rice Bake
Recipe courtesy of Campbell's Kitchen

Ingredients

1 can Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup (I used 98% Fat Free)
1 c water
3/4 c uncooked regular long-grain white rice
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

Directions

Stir the soup, water, rice, paprika & black pepper in a 2-quart shallow baking dish. Top with the chicken. Season with additional paprika & black pepper. Cover with foil.
Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through & the rice is tender.

Filet Mignon Steaks

2010-01-23T22:37:00.000-05:00

Making Filet Mignon seemed a tad daunting for me, since I'd never made it before and really rarely make steaks that aren't grilled. I didn't want to do anything wrong and ruin an expensive cut of meat! The key to these is NOT to overcook them...if you like well-done steaks, you've come to the wrong person...medium is where it's at! I did an extremely simple preparation on these steaks, as I didn't want to overpower their natural flavor.

Filet Mignon Steaks

Filet Mignon cuts, approx. 2 inches thick
2 tbs. vegetable oil
Coarse salt
Fresh black pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Place an oven-proof skillet (cast iron or stainless steel) on stove over high heat.
Add vegetable oil & let it heat until almost to the point of smoking.
Pat beef dry with a paper towel.
Season well with salt & pepper.
Place in hot pan, searing on 1st side for 3 minutes.
Flip steaks over & continue to sear on 2nd side for 3 minutes.
Place pan into hot oven for an additional 7-9 minutes to finish cooking to medium doneness.
Remove pan from oven (carefully!) & place steaks onto plate/serving dish, tenting loosely with foil.
Let rest for 5-10 minutes & enjoy!

PW's Buttered Rosemary Rolls

2010-01-23T22:24:00.000-05:00

Pioneer Woman's website is chock full of wonderful recipes...but not for the faint of heart, butter phobic or anyone really remotely on a restricted diet. But her recipes sure are good! This one even utilizes a pre-made item from the freezer section, making it so simple to make...the hardest part is remembering to put them out to rise 3-5 hours in advance.

Buttered Rosemary Rolls
Recipe courtesy of The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

Frozen, unbaked dinner rolls
Melted Butter
Fresh Rosemary, chopped
Coarse sea salt

Directions

Spray a small iron skillet or round cake pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Place frozen rolls in the skillet, leaving room for rising.
Cover & allow to rise for 3-5 hours.
After rising, brush rolls with melted butter.
Sprinkle on chopped rosemary.
Brush with additional butter.
Sprinkle with coarse sea salt.
Bake according to roll package directions, until rolls are a deep golden brown on top.
Serve warm.

Pastor Ryan's Pan-Seared Mushrooms

2010-01-23T22:09:00.000-05:00

What goes better with a great steak than sauteed mushrooms? Not much, aside from a big glass of wine.... I had this recipe for sauteed mushrooms starred in my Google Reader for quite some time and am so glad I finally made this one!

Pastor Ryan's Pan-Seared Mushrooms
Recipe courtesy of Pastor Ryan via The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

1-2 lbs. fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 tbs. vegetable oil
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
2 tbs. butter
2 shallots, chopped finely

Directions

Place a stainless steel pan or an enameled cast iron pan/dutch oven on stove over very high heat.
Add vegetable oil & heat until almost smoking.
Add mushrooms & let them sit for a minute or two.
Stir & add salt.
Let sit again, you want to form a crust on the mushrooms.
At this point, I noticed that my mushrooms released a LOT of liquid...so I just kept cooking/stirring until the liquid reabsorbed/evaporated.
Then add the butter, shallots & pepper.
Stir & cook until shallots are soft.
Serve over steak, in a side dish or even as a side dish on their own.

Turkey Florentine Meatballs

2010-01-20T19:26:00.001-05:00

This was easy, tasty and flavorful!! Thank you so much to Mara over at What's For Dinner? for the recipe/inspiration.

Turkey Florentine Meatballs

Recipe adapted from What's For Dinner?, originally from Rachael Ray

Ingredients

1 box frozen spinach, defrosted
1 1/3 pound (1 package) ground turkey breast
1 medium onion, finely chopped, divided
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3/4 c. finely chopped fresh mushrooms
1 large egg
1 3/4 c. milk, divided
3/4 c bread crumb
1/2 c grated Parmesan
Coarse salt and black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
2 tbs butter
2 tbs all-purpose flour
1 c turkey stock
1 8-oz. bag shredded 2% Mozzarella
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
Noodles or rice

Directions

Pre-heat the oven to 400°F.
Wring the defrosted spinach dry in a clean kitchen towel.
Place the turkey in a bowl. Add the spinach, all but 3 tbs. of the onion, the garlic, egg, about 1/4 c. of the milk, mushrooms, the breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan, salt and pepper. Mix well.
Form into 12 large meatballs and drizzle with EVOO.
Arrange on a nonstick cookie sheet and roast for 20 minutes, or until cooked through.
While the meatballs are in the oven, heat a small saucepot over medium heat.
Add a drizzle of EVOO and 2 tbs. butter.
Melt the butter, then add the remaining finely chopped onion.
Cook for 2 minutes, then whisk in the flour.
Cook for 1 minute, then whisk in the remaining 1 1/2 c. milk and 1 c. stock.
Bring the liquid up to a boil, then stir in the shredded Mozzarella.
Season the sauce with salt, pepper and nutmeg and turn the heat to lowest setting.
Place three meatballs on top of noodles or rice, top with sauce and serve.

English Muffin Bread

2010-01-19T21:30:00.002-05:00

I've been meaning to try this bread for a long time now and with no other plans, I decided tonight was the perfect night to bake up a loaf. The recipe below makes 2 loaves of this bread, I halved the recipe below with no issues at all, but will include the full recipe.

English Muffin Bread
Recipe courtesy of All Recipes

Ingredients

2 c. milk
1/2 c. water
cornmeal
6 c. flour
2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
1 tbs. white sugar
2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda

Directions

Warm the milk and water in microwave until very warm (125 degrees F).
Lightly grease (I used Non-stick baking spray) two 8x4 inch loaf pans; sprinkle cornmeal evenly on bottom and sides.
In a bowl or bowl of stand mixer, mix together 3 cups flour, yeast, sugar, salt & soda.
Stir milk into the flour mixture; beat well.
Stir in the remaining flour, 1 cup at a time, until a stiff batter is formed. (I used my dough hook in my mixer until it was just combined.)
Spoon batter into prepared pans (I shaped into a rough loaf and put in the pan).
Cover & let rise in a warm place for until nearly doubled in size, about an hour.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Remove from pans immediately & cool on a rack.

"Chipotle"-style Bowls

2010-01-14T21:16:00.002-05:00

One fast-food type of place that I cannot get enough of is Chipotle. The flavors are always so...bright...in their food. Is that the right word? I think it is.
I enjoy the "make your own" combos that they offer there, allowing you to add your own ingredients and leave off what you don't enjoy...but what's better than totally customizing your meal? Making that meal at home for a fraction of the cost AND knowing exactly how you make each ingredient! The below recipes are just layered into a bowl, however you'd like them. You could certainly add salsa, pico de gallo, guacamole, beef, different beans, etc...
I layered the rice, beans, chicken, 2% shredded cheddar cheese, fresh avocado, low-fat sour cream and more cilantro.

At Home Burrito Bowls
Recipes courtesy of Mara at What's for Dinner?

Cilantro Lime Rice

1 pkg. instant boil-in-bag rice
Juice of 1 lime
1/3 cup of chopped fresh cilantro
1 tbs. butter

Cook rice as directed.

Add cilantro, lime juice & butter.

Mix well, keep warm.

Chili Lime Chicken

Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts (I used 1 pkg. chicken tenderloins)
Juice of 3 Limes
2 tbs. chili powder
1 tbs. olive oil
1/2 tbs. garlic powder.

Marinate boneless skinless chicken breasts in lime juice, chili powder, olive oil & garlic powder for at least 30 minutes-1 hour.

Grill/cook thoroughly then chop into bite-sized pieces.

"Not-Refried" Black Beans

1 can of black beans
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. chili powder

Heat medium skillet over medium-low heat.

Reserve half of the beans liquid then pour the remaining liquid & beans into the skillet.

Add spices & stir until combine.

Heat through for about 8-10 minutes, simmering to concentrate the liquid.

Using a masher, break up/mash the beans together until your desired consistency is reached. Stir & let heat through.

If too thick (or when reheating), add a bit of the reserved bean liquid to rehydrate.
Serve & enjoy!

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

2010-01-11T19:19:00.000-05:00

This is another "what do we have in the house" type of meal, but it turned out to be a great meal!

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients

2 large chicken breasts, boiled and cut into small cubes
3/4 package of cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. mild cheddar cheese, shredded, plus more for topping
1/2 c. Monterrey jack cheese, shredded
1 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. chipotle powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. cumin
6-8 large flour tortillas
1 can enchilada sauce of your choice

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Mix chicken, cream cheese, cheeses, pepper, chipotle, garlic powder and cumin until combined.
Place a layer of the mixture on the side third of a tortilla, top with a little bit of cheese, then roll it tightly and place seam-side down in a pan.
Repeat with remaining filling and tortillas.
Pour enchilada sauce evenly over all tortillas and top with shredded cheddar cheese.
Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies

2010-01-07T21:20:00.000-05:00

Being more conscious about what I bake and cook at home is part of my New Year's plan, but that doesn't mean that some tasty treats can't be made every now and then...especially when they are made with whole wheat flour, rolled oats and cranberries! These tasty treats were delicious and will also make a great treat for my co-workers on a very snowy Friday! Not overly sweet, a bit of tang and hint of orange in every bite, these came out wonderfully.

Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies
Recipe adapted from AllRecipes

Ingredients

2/3 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp. orange extract
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cups dried cranberries
2/3 cup coarsely chopped white chocolate

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In a bowl, cream together the butter & brown sugar fluffy.
Beat in the eggs one at a time.
Add in vanilla and orange extract.
Combine oats, flours, salt, & baking soda; stir into butter mixture one cup at a time, mix well after each cup.
Stir in dried cranberries & white chocolate.
Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheets.
Pat each mound down with your fingers a bit to flatten.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in preheated oven, or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks.

Yields about 36 cookies.

Homemade Pizza

2010-01-03T18:42:00.001-05:00

Often times, I say something was 'THE BEST'...this time I mean it. I really, truly mean it. I swear....this is the best thin pizza crust I have ever made. It held up the pile of toppings without being soggy at all....the crust turned out golden and crisp. My husband said this reminded him of the Appian Way pizza kit that his grandma made him as a child - and yes, that is a compliment! It did remind me of that too because my mom used to make it for me when I was little and I LOVED it.

Homemade Pizza Crust
Recipe courtesy of Robbie's Recipes

Ingredients

.25 oz. pkg. active dry yeast
1/4 tsp. granulated sugar
3/4 c. 110 degree water
1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
pizza sauce of your choice, as needed
shredded cheese of your choice, as needed
toppings of your choice, as needed

Directions
Dissolve yeast and sugar in water; allow to rest for 8 minutes.
In a separate bowl, combine flour and salt.
Pour yeast mixture over flour mixture and mix well with a heavy spoon.
Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead for 2 minutes. (I used my KitchenAid mixer)
Working from the edges to the center, press dough into a 12" circle.
Place dough on a lightly greased pizza pan and stretch dough to edges.
Spread sauce over crust and top with cheese and desired toppings.
Bake in a 500 degree (I did 470 degree) oven for 8-12 minutes, or until edges are golden.

Boeuf Bourguignon

2010-01-01T22:55:00.006-05:00

Happy New Year, 2010! I hope everyone has had a wonderful start to the New Year and it finds you healthy, warm, happy and prosperous. Let's face it, it HAS to be a better year than 2009, right?!?! To begin this year on the right foot, I decided to take a risk (a lengthy, time-consuming, and labor-intensive risk) and make Julia Child's Boeuf Bourguignon for my husband and my parents, who were going to be visiting to bring us some items we had forgotten at their house over Christmas (my precious dSLR camera being one of them and a loaner laptop for my husband, whose laptop died on New Years eve.)

Making this was not a relaxing endeavor, by any means, but it was oh so worth it. Rich, delicious, exquisite. Or as my husband put it "a fancy stew". ha ha ha. Well worth the work...it's not a meal I'll be making once a week or once a month..on special occasions, this is a stunner! I served mine with some homemade No-Knead Bread and over buttered noodles.

Boeuf Bourguignon
Recipe courtesy of Knopf Doubleday Publishing Website, found in the cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, by Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle and Simone Beck, 1961.

Ingredients

6 ounces bacon
1 Tbsp. olive oil or cooking oil
3 pounds lean stewing beef , cut into 2-inch cubes
1 sliced carrot
1 sliced onion
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. flour
3 cups full-bodied, young red wine, I used Pinot Noir
2 to 3 cups brown beef stock or canned beef bouillon
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 cloves mashed garlic
1/2 tsp. thyme
Crumbled bay leaf
Blanched bacon rind
18 to 24 small white onions , brown-braised in stock
1 pound quartered fresh mushrooms , sautéed in butter
Parsley sprigs

Directions

Remove bacon rind and cut into lardons (sticks 1/4-inch thick and 1 1/2 inches long). Simmer rind and lardons for 10 min. in 1 1/2 quarts water. Drain and dry. (I didn't do this part, I used chunked up store-bought bacon.)
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Sauté lardons in 1 tbs. of the oil in a flameproof casserole over moderate heat for 2 to 3 min. to brown lightly. Remove to a side dish with a slotted spoon.
Dry beef in paper towels; it will not brown if it is damp. Heat fat in casserole until almost smoking. Add beef, a few pieces at a time, and sauté until nicely browned on all sides. Add it to the lardons.
In the same fat, brown the sliced vegetables. Pour out the excess fat.
Return the beef and bacon to the casserole and toss with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
Then sprinkle on the flour and toss again to coat the beef lightly. Set casserole uncovered in middle position of preheated oven for 4 minutes.
Toss the meat again & return to oven for 4 min. (this browns the flour and coves the meat with a light crust).
Remove casserole & turn oven down to 325 degrees.
Stir in wine and 2 to 3 c. stock, just enough so that the meat is barely covered.
Add the tomato paste, garlic, herbs & bacon rind. Bring to a simmer on top of the stove.
Cover casserole & set in lower third of oven. Regulate heat so that liquid simmers very slowly for 3 to 4 hours. The meat is done when a fork pierces it easily.
While the beef is cooking, prepare the onions & mushrooms.
Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons butter with one and one-half tablespoons of the oil until bubbling in a skillet.
Add onions and sauté over moderate heat for about 10 min., rolling them so they will brown as evenly as possible. Be careful not to break their skins (I removed the skins). You cannot expect them to brown uniformly.
Add 1/2 cup of the stock, salt and pepper to taste and the herb bouquet.
Cover and simmer slowly for 40 to 50 minutes until the onions are perfectly tender but hold their shape, and the liquid has evaporated. Remove herb bouquet and set onions aside.
Wipe out skillet and heat remaining oil & butter over high heat. As soon as you see butter has begun to subside, indicating it is hot enough, add mushrooms.
Toss & shake pan for 4 to 5 min. As soon as they have begun to brown lightly, remove from heat.
When the meat is tender, pour the contents of the casserole into a sieve set over a saucepan.
Wash out the casserole &d return the beef and lardons to it. Distribute the cooked onions & mushrooms on top.
Skim fat off sauce in saucepan. Simmer sauce for a minute or 2, skimming off additional fat as it rises. You should have about 2 1/2 c. of sauce thick enough to coat a spoon lightly.
If too thin, boil it down rapidly. If too thick, mix in a few tablespoons stock. Taste carefully for seasoning.
Pour sauce over meat and vegetables. Cover & simmer 2 to 3 minutes, basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce several times.
Serve in casserole, or arrange stew on a platter surrounded with potatoes, noodles or rice, and decorated with parsley.
If serving later, let cool and refrigerate. Take out about 15-20 min. prior to serving, bring to a simmer, cover and slowly simmer for 10 minutes, occasionally basting meat and vegetables with sauce. This can be made completely one day in advance.

Snowman Oreo Truffle Pops

2009-12-27T11:20:00.001-05:00

Christmas time was coming up fast and I wanted a special dessert to take to my Aunt's on Christmas Eve, these it the bill perfectly! Cute, perfectly sized, rich and delicious, these were a huge hit! I made them a couple of days in advance and they store wonderfully in the refrigerator. You can decorate them for any holiday and they are very versatile!

Snowman Oreo Truffle Pops
Recipe from Homemade by Holman

Ingredients

1 package Oreos
8 oz cream cheese, softened
White almond bark, for melting/dipping

Directions

Line a baking sheet with wax paper or a Silpat.
Crush Oreos in a food processor until the cookies become fine crumbs. You could also add cookies to a bag & crush with a rolling pin.
Add cream cheese & stir until well combined.
Roll into 1" diameter balls & transfer to prepared baking sheet.
Gently push in lollipop sticks, if using.
Freeze for at least 30 min.
Melt white chocolate in a double boiler or the microwave.
Dip the frozen Oreo balls in melted chocolate. Drain off excess & transfer to a 2nd baking sheet lined with wax paper or Silpat.
Chill for 30 min. in the refrigerator & decorate if desired.
To decorate mine, I used black & orange royal icing & piped from a very small corner cut from a sandwich bag, easy & disposable!

New York-Style Everything Bagels

2009-12-16T22:03:00.000-05:00

King Arthur Flour is a paradise for any baker...they have everything there. I was browsing their website a couple days ago and found some items that I felt would kick my bagel making up a notch (or two)...Everything Bagel Seasoning and Malt Syrup. The dough I made with the following recipe was a much more stiff dough and much more dense. It was made with all bread flour and the Malt Syrup. I did have a little difficulty shaping these because the dough was dryer than I was used to working with, but they came out looking pretty good!

The verdict...much chewier, denser, with a definite bakery flavor. These are delicious!!! I will definitely use this recipe again. However, if you do not own a stand mixer, I wouldn't even attempt these, I cannot imagine mixing and needing this dough by hand. Stick with my previous bagel recipe, which would be easier to knead by hand and are still delicious.

CHOW Bagels

Slightly adapted recipe courtesy of CHOW

Ingredients

1 1/2 c. lukewarm water (105-110 degrees), plus 1 tbs. for egg wash
1 (1/4-oz.) packet active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp.)
4 c. bread flour
2 tbs. malt syrup
2.5 tsp. kosher salt
4 tsp. granulated sugar
1 large egg white for topping
Everything Bagel Topping

Directions

Pour 1 1/2 cups of the water in a bowl (I used a large glass measuring cup) & dissolve the yeast, set aside. Combine flour, malt syrup, salt & sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add yeast mixture, scraping any undissolved yeast out of the bowl..
Mix on low until most of the flour has been worked into the dough & the dough looks shredded, about 2 min. Increase the speed to medium low & continue mixing until the dough is stiff, smooth, & elastic, about 8 to 9 min. The dough should be dry & somewhat stiff.
Shape the dough into a ball, place it in a large oiled bowl & turn it to coat in oil. Cover the bowl with a damp towel & let the dough rise in a warm place, until it is puffy/springs back when you poke it, about 20 min. (The dough will not double in size.)
Heat the oven to 410 degrees & arrange the rack in the middle. Fill a large, wide, shallow pan (about 3 to 6 quarts) with water, bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium low & let simmer. Cover until you’re ready to boil the bagels. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat. Place a metal rack inside over a dish towel and set aside.
Turn dough out onto a dry surface. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces, about 3 ounces each. (cover with a damp towel to prevent drying.) Roll each piece into a 9-inch-long rope, lightly moisten the ends with water, overlap the ends by about 1 in, & press to join so you’ve created a bagel. You can also use the shape into a ball and poke a hole in the middle method. Widen the hole in the middle so it is approximately the size of a quarter. Cover the bagels with a damp towel & let rest 10 min.
After resting, stretch the dough to retain the quarter-size hole (the dough will have risen a bit) & boil the bagels 3 or 4 at a time. Cook for about 30 seconds on each side then remove to the wire rack.
Whisk together the remaining 1 tbs. water & egg white until evenly combined. Brush the egg wash all over the bagels, then sprinkle with seasoning. Arrange the bagels on the baking sheet lined with a Silpat. Rotate the pan after 15 min. & bake until the bagels are a deep caramel color & have formed a crust on the bottom/top, about 10 min. more. Remove from the oven & let cool on a rack for at least 30 min.

Rolo Pretzel Turtles

2009-12-13T20:52:00.001-05:00

The last item to wrap up my Christmas goody boxes were these....don't let the simplicity fool you...these are tiny bombs of addictiveness. The magic that happens when you get a Rolo candy melty on top of a salty pretzel and top it with a pecan is pure heaven. I have no doubt that these will be a huge hit and aside from unwrapping 50+ Rolo candies, these were so simple to make, I'm not sure if this even qualifies as a recipe!

Rolo Pretzel Turtles

Recipe courtesy of Recipezaar

Ingredients

50 small pretzel twists
50 pieces Rolo candies
50 pieces whole pecans or walnuts

Directions

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
Place pretzel pieces on a baking sheet lined with a silpat or parchment.
Top with one Rollo candy.
Place in a warm oven to just let the Rollo candy melt on top of the pretzel to hold it in place.
Remove from oven & place a pecan piece on top.
Let cool & harden.

Christmas Cookies

2009-12-13T18:58:00.000-05:00

Christmas goody boxes would not be complete without sugar cookies! I used this sugar cookie recipe and royal icing recipe previously for Halloween cookies, which you can find here! So good!

Candy Cane Biscotti

2009-12-13T18:47:00.000-05:00

Christmas baking is such a wonderful tradition and it feels so good to share the treats with those around us. I have been a busy baker this weekend, making up some treat boxes for my friends/co-workers. This recipe just jumped out at me as "Christmas-sy" and I had to include it. These are delicious and are wonderful dipped in coffee or tea!

Candy Cane Biscotti

Recipe courtesy of Pennies on a Platter

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
2/3 cup finely crushed peppermint candy canes
14 ounces fine quality white chocolate, melted
extra crushed candy canes to sprinkle on top

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder & salt.
In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter & sugar. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Add dry ingredients & mix until combined & stir in crushed candy.
Divide dough into 4 pieces. Shape each piece into 9″ x 1 1/2″ round log. Place logs 3 inches apart onto baking sheet with a silpat or parchment.
Bake until tops are cracked & ends just start to turn light brown, about 18-20 min. Remove from oven & reduce temperature to 325. Cool logs 10 minutes on cookie sheet.
Cut each log diagonally into 1/2″ slices with sharp serrated knife. Arrange pieces standing up back onto the baking sheet.
Bake until cookies are light golden brown & crisp on both sides, about 12-15 min. The centers may still be a little soft but will firm up as they cool. Place onto cool rack & cool completely.
Dip half of each biscotti into melted chocolate & shake off excess. Immediately sprinkle with additional crushed candy canes & set on a parchment or wax paper lined baking sheet until the chocolate has set.
Make about 4 dozen.

Pumpkin Ravioli with Browned Butter Sage Sauce

2009-12-06T19:06:00.000-05:00

Paul and I love to watch the competitions on Iron Chef America and to guess who will win before the judging! We were watching it last night and someone served a Pumpkin Ravioli with a browned butter sauce, which got me to thinking. I'd heard about this dish before and have always been intrigued by a savory pumpkin ravioli, but now my wheels were turning... I figured the pierogi dough I knew how to make would be a perfect way to package up the little scoops of pumpkin, since it was savory and had sour cream in the dough, it would pair well.

I only made a very small batch because honestly, I didn't know how I'd like it and I really didn't know how Paul would like it. So, I decided to do a trial run... I made my dough, rolled it as thin as I could, made my filling and then as they boiled, then I browned my butter & sage. Boy, oh boy...this turned out so delicious, the sage worked so well with the pumpkin filling and the filling mixture was a great consistency. Paul raved about them, commenting how fancy the dish was and how he would eat these anytime. Looks like I whipped up a winner! I'll definitely make a much larger batch next time and possibly for entertaining!

Pumpkin Ravioli with Browned Butter Sage Sauce

Recipe inspired by Food Network

Ingredients

Dough

1/2 c. sour cream
1 egg
Enough flour to make a dough
Splash of milk

Filling

1 c. pumpkin puree
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg yolk
1 tsp. rubbed sage
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
water
Parmesan cheese for topping, if you wish

Sauce

1/2 stick butter
1 tsp. rubbed sage

Directions

Make dough by mixing egg & sour cream in a bowl, mix in flour until a shaggy rough dough forms, then add splash of milk to make it come together. Begin mixing & kneading with your hands on a counter top, adding flour until the dough is no longer overly sticky and can be rolled out without tearing or breaking.
Mix all ingredients of the filling together.
Roll out dough to a long thin rectangle. Along one side of the rectangle, place small scoops of the filling about 1-2 inches apart in a row. Wet the dough with the water around each scoop of filling.
Take the opposite side of the rectangular dough and fold it over on top of the scoops, then removing as much air from each ravioli as possible, cut into squares or rounds, ensuring each ravioli is sealed thoroughly.
Repeat with the rest of the ravioli.
Cook ravioli in small batches in boiling water for 3 minutes, flip over and boil for another 3 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat a skillet over medium low heat and add butter. Keep a close eye on the butter, skimming the foam off the top and cooking until it's a golden brown color.
Add sage and stir.
Add boiled ravioli and cook for a few minutes per side.
Serve, topping with a drizzle of the browned butter sauce over top and enjoy!

Mushroom Garlic Orzo

2009-11-29T18:48:00.000-05:00

What side dish goes well with Eggplant? After thinking about that while I picked up some other groceries, I decided to make a new side dish I had never made before...or even worked with! Orzo pasta. I had it before in salads and in restaurants, but I had never made it at home. No time like the present! I felt that a few simple additions would make that pasta more flavorful and I sure was right, it turned out delicious, was really easy and looked beautiful, I will be making this dish again when we have company!

Mushroom Garlic Orzo

Ingredients

1 c. orzo pasta
1 tbs. butter
1 c. mushrooms, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 tbs. chopped parsley
1 tsp. coarse sea salt
2 tbs. olive oil

Directions

Boil water and cook orzo pasta as directed.
In a separate non-stick pan, melt butter and add chopped mushrooms.
Cook mushrooms until soft and add garlic, mixing well.
Drain pasta and return to pot.
Add mushroom mixture to pasta, then add salt, pepper, parsley and olive oil, stirring well to mix.

Eggplant Parmesan

2009-11-29T18:37:00.000-05:00

After a much-needed trip to the grocery store for produce, fruit and meats, I saw that eggplant was on sale. The first thing that came to mind was Eggplant Parmesan and since I had never made it before, I thought this was the perfect opportunity to try it! Once I added a can of tomato puree and Italian-seasoned bread crumbs to our cart, we were good to go!

Eggplant Parmesan

Ingredients

1 large eggplant
Salt
1 1/2 c. Italian Seasoned Breadcrumbs
2 eggs
4 tbs. heavy cream
Tomato sauce of your choice (I used homemade)
Parmesan Cheese
Mozzarella cheese, fresh or shredded

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Slice eggplant into 1/2 inch thick rounds.
Salt both sides of each round of eggplant and let sit in a colander for 15-20 minutes to draw out the bitterness and excess moisture.
Place breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl.
In a second shallow bowl, add eggs and cream and mix well.
Pat off moisture from eggplant with paper towels until dried well.
Dip in egg mixture then breadcrumb mixture and place on baking sheet
Repeat with remaining eggplant slices.
Bake for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the sauce of your choice.
Place a layer of sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 glass baking dish.
Once eggplant have cooked 15 minutes, remove from baking sheet and place on top of sauce layer.
Top each piece with a spoonful of sauce, dust with Parmesan cheese and mozzarella on each piece.
Bake for another 15 minutes until cheese is melted and beginning to brown.

Granola

2009-11-22T18:52:00.000-05:00

We needed something to snack on in our house besides chips or cookies and I saw this on my Google Reader (love that thing!) and it was just what I was looking for. I adapted this recipe quite a bit, adding things I knew we'd like and omitting things I didn't care for or have on hand.

It turned out great and I did not use it as bars, but crumbled it and put into 2 containers, one to put in the freezer for later and one for the fridge to use as cereal, a snack or a topping for yogurt.

Granola
Recipe adapted from Proceed with Caution, which she originally adapted from Clean Eating, Nov./Dec. 2009.

Ingredients

1 c. unsalted roasted almonds, chopped
1/2 c. dried berry mix
1 c. dried cranberries
1 1/2 c. rolled oats
1/2 c. Flax seeds
1 1/2 c. unsweetened brown rice cereal
3 egg whites
1/4 c. honey
1/2 tsp. cinnamon, ground
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place Silpat on a 9x13 baking sheet.
Place almonds in a food processor. Lightly pulse until chopped. Transfer to a large mixing bowl; add oats, dried fruits, Flax and cereal.
In smaller bowl, combine egg whites, honey, cinnamon, salt & vanilla, stirring well. Add to almond/dried fruit mixture and stir until well coated.
Spread mixture onto Silpat, pressing down gently. Bake about 25 minutes or until browned. Allow to cool 15 to 30 minutes before crumbling.
Store in airtight continers in the refrigerator or freezer.

Turkey Cutlets Diane

2009-11-22T18:36:00.000-05:00

For the past week, our household has been making changes that will make us healthier and ultimately fitter than before. I have been making a lot of salads and chicken for dinner, but wanted to figure out another protein so we didn't get burned out only on chicken. We picked up some turkey cutlets the last time we were out at the grocery store and here is the recipe I found to jazz it up a bit. The sauce really gave it a great flavor. I served these with roasted asparagus.

Turkey Cutlets Diane
Recipe courtesy of EatTurkey.com

Ingredients

Non-stick cooking spray
1 Pound TURKEY BREAST CUTLETS, pounded to an even thickness
2 Teaspoons lemon pepper seasonings
2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 Teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 Teaspoon fresh parsley, chopped

Directions

Coat a large skillet with cooking spray and heat pan over medium heat for 30 seconds.
Sprinkle both sides of turkey cutlets with lemon pepper.
Place turkey in hot skillet and saute for 3 to 5 minutes on each side until browned and no longer pink in the center.
Combine remaining ingredients in a small mixing bowl, mixing well.
Add to pan and cook until heated through.

Cleveland Fabulous Food Show

2009-11-22T14:33:00.000-05:00

My mom and I were so excited to learn that the Fabulous Food Show was coming to Cleveland this year (somehow we've missed it the last 4 years!) but this year, we weren't going to miss it. The 3.5 hour drive was totally worth it to us and my dad graciously offered to chauffeur us there, since he knew how excited we were to go!

Upon arrival, we took a moment to look around the I-X Center, happy to see that the show had been significantly increased in size from the one we attended 5 years ago. There was much more space to move between the vendors (over 250 of them!) and the shows/demonstrations.

Our first mission was to get in line to obtain Guy Fieri's autograph...we were first and second in line! We figured, better to wait in line for 2 hours than take the chance of not getting an autograph, then we could move along to seeing all the booths and other shows. Being first in line was a good plan, but when he came out, we were rushed through the line so fast and Guy was busy coordinating with his photographer that it wasn't probably the best plan, since he didn't even say hello. Autographs in hand, we were off to see the other vendors and then Guy's show.

Guy's show was awesome, he did more talking than cooking, but that's most of his shows and his personality, so that definitely came through. We had great seats 5 rows back on the end, so we could see everything great. We were nicely surprised when a little way into the show, we saw someone walk out and stand not even 5 feet from us...Michael Symon!

He went onto the stage and talked with Guy a bit and had some laughs.

We did some browsing and shopping after that...laughing a lot and spending too much. :) I also got to go get my copy of Ratio signed and meet Michael Ruhlman...my mom didn't know who he was, but I was pretty excited about this one. He walked in to the book area and my mom said "Maybe this is him???" and he looked over and said "Hello, yes, it is me!" which was pretty funny and he was so nice about signing my book taking a picture with me.

The next day, we came back to see Bobby Flay's show before heading back to Michigan. His show was outstanding, over an hour of him cooking and preparing a delicious meal of steamed halibut, creamy mushroom polenta and chocolate hazelnut banana crepes with a brown butter orange sauce.

Our trip was fantastic, it was great to spend time with my mom and I know she enjoyed it as well. We are already looking forward to next year!

Lemon Feta Chicken

2009-11-16T20:09:00.001-05:00

My friend Rachel at work raved about this low-cal meal she made with Feta cheese....anything with Feta is perfect with me and healthy to boot!?! Awesome. She even drew me a post-it note picture of how it should look and the ingredients. Thus, I present Lemon Feta Chicken! :) Thanks Rach! This was so easy and flavorful, coming together so quickly! My husband and I loved it!

Lemon Feta Chicken

Recipe courtesy of my friend, Rachel

Ingredients

Thin cut chicken breasts
Juice of half of one lemon
Lemon pepper seasoning, to taste
Feta Cheese, about 2 tbs. per piece of chicken

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place chicken in a 9x13 baking dish
Season with lemon pepper seasoning.
Pour half the lemon juice over pieces.
Top each piece with 2 tbs. crumbled Feta cheese.
Pour the rest of the lemon juice over each piece.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until cooked through.

*One 3 oz. skinless chicken breast, 2 tbs. of Feta, lemon pepper seasoning and lemon juice = about 157 calories, according to SparkPeople.com

White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

2009-11-01T00:32:00.000-04:00

*Forgive the bad lighting in the picture, I was too focused on getting things set up on the table than a great pic!*

Lately for birthday dinners, I've made white cakes, carrot cakes and cupcakes...but this time, I wanted something different. I had only made 1 cheesecake in the past year and was definitely due for another! I came across this recipe for White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake and it was HEAVEN. Rich, decadent, not too difficult...definitely a keeper! My dad (Happy Birthday, Dad!) enjoyed it very much, as did everyone else!

White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

Recipe courtesy of AllRecipes

Ingredients

1 c. chocolate cookie crumbs (I used chocolate graham crackers)
3 tbs. white sugar
1/4 c. butter, melted
1 (10 oz.) package frozen raspberries (I used 1 1/2 pints fresh)
2 tbs. white sugar
2 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 c. water
2 c. white chocolate chips
1/2 c.p half-and-half cream
3 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. white sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions

In a medium bowl, mix together chocolate grahams, 3 tbs. sugar, and melted butter. Press mixture into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan.
In a saucepan, combine raspberries, 2 tbs. sugar, cornstarch & water. Bring to boil &continue boiling 5 minutes or until sauce is thick. Strain sauce through a mesh strainer to remove seeds.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In a bowl over a pan of simmering water, melt white chocolate chips with half-and-half, stirring occasionally until smooth.
In a large bowl, mix together cream cheese & 1/2 c. sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time. Blend in vanilla &d melted white chocolate. Pour half of batter over crust. Spoon 3 tablespoons raspberry sauce over batter. Pour remaining cheesecake batter into pan & again spoon 3 tbs. raspberry sauce over the top. Swirl batter with the tip of a knife to marble.
Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until filling is set. Cool, cover with plastic wrap &d refrigerate for 8 hours before removing from pan. Serve with any leftover raspberry sauce (I poured over the whole cheesecake top.)

Homemade Pizza Rolls

2009-11-01T00:19:00.000-04:00

The beauty of most "junk food" is that you can figure out a way to make the same thing at home, both better tasting and healthier! Pizza rolls are a snack I used to eat a LOT in the my teenage & college years, but haven't had much lately. After a conversation at work about snack foods, I decided that pizza rolls were something I'd like to attempt to make at home!

These came out perfect, a great substitute for the frozen store-bought pizza rolls and the ability to make these with your favorite combination of ingredients really puts these over the top. Experiment with sausage, peppers, any other "toppings" you'd like!

Homemade Pizza Rolls

Ingredients

Won Ton Wrappers
1 cup pizza sauce
1 cup (or more) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup or so of pepperoni, diced small
3/4 cup fresh mushrooms, diced small
Small bowl of water (for moistening edges of wrappers)
Non-stick cooking spray

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a medium-size bowl, combine pizza sauce, cheese, pepperoni & mushrooms and mix until combined evenly.
Lay out won ton wrappers and place a tablespoon or so of filling in the middle. (Do not overfill!)
With you finger or small pastry brush, brush edges with a small amount of water. Place edges together to form a rectangle and pinch edges together well, trying to get any excess air out of the wrapper.
Place on a greased baking sheet or Silpat.
Repeat with remaining wrappers.
Spray all wrappers lightly with cooking spray.
Bake for 13-15 minutes until golden brown.
Let cool for 5 minutes before digging in, don't burn your taste buds off! :)

Halloween Cookies

2009-10-29T22:16:00.000-04:00

I have been itching to try royal icing for some time now and never seemed to have the time. I finally found the time (and the courage) to try this. I think with time, the process would get simpler, but I was happy with my first attempt. There are a lot of steps, but I was just mainly concerned with the icing drying out, but had no real issues. Honestly, it was easier than I imagined and with more practice, I can see finding many excuses to use royal icing for cookies all the time! The results were definitely so pretty and worth the effort...and it tasted wonderful too!

Sugar Cookies

Recipe courtesy of Annie at Annie's Eats

Ingredients

1 cup butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. salt
2 ½ cup flour

Directions

Cream butter.
Add powdered sugar.
Blend in egg, almond extract, vanilla, salt and flour.
Chill dough until firm. Roll to ¼” thickness on well-floured surface.
Cut with cookie cutters.
Place on greased cookie sheets or use a Silpat.
Bake at 375° for 8-10 minutes. Cookies should not get browned at all.
Decorate when cooled completely.

Royal Icing

Recipe adapted from Good Things Catered, as seen on Annie's Eats

Ingredients

4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 tbsp. meringue powder
5 tbsp. water

Directions

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until the icing is no longer shiny (about 7-10 min).
Transfer the contents of the mixing bowl to an air-tight container. This will be the stiffest consistency of the icing, at this point it is still too stiff to use.
Add water a very small amount at a time & stir by hand until fully mixed. Continue until the icing has reached a piping consistency.
Using a pastry bag, pipe around the edges of each cookie. Let stand so the icing will set and dry.
Be sure to keep the leftover icing covered at all times when not in use or it will begin to dry.
Once all the cookies have been edged, spoon some of the remaining icing to a separate air-tight container.
Thin out by mixing in a small amount of water at a time, until the icing drips off the spoon easily when lifted & smooths back into the icing fairly quickly.
Once the icing has reached the desired consistency, transfer it to a squeeze bottle or drizzle a bit from the spoon to the area & flood the area surrounded by the piping on each cookie. If it doesn't completely spread, use a toothpick to spread.
Allow to dry completely.
Use the remaining thicker icing for piping decoration.
Gel icing color is the best type of coloring to use, as it doesn't affect the consistency of the icing and provides a more vivid color. Mix in a little at a time and stir to combine completely, a toothpick works well for adding the gel to the frosting.

Chicken Alfredo Lasagna Rolls

2009-10-29T20:57:00.001-04:00

I've been meaning to make Lasagna Rolls again for a while, since it has been such a big hit in the past, but wanted to put a new spin on it. I had some chicken and Alfredo sauce on hand, so this recipe was then born!

Chicken Alfredo Lasagna Rolls

Recipe inspired by Giada DeLaurentiis

Ingredients

1 lb. chicken breasts, boiled and shredded
4 oz. softened cream cheese
2 cups fresh spinach, chopped fine
1 cup white mushrooms, chopped
1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese, plus more for topping
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
2 tbs. fresh chopped Italian parsley
2 cloves minced garlic
8-10 lasagna noodles, cooked as directed and cooled slightly
2 cups Alfredo Sauce, homemade or jarred

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a mixing bowl, mix the chicken, cream cheese, spinach, mushrooms, cheese, salt, pepper, parsley & garlic until combined.
Spread a ladle or two of Alfredo sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.
Lay out one lasagna noodle on cutting board, spread about 1/4 cup of the mixture along the noodle and roll up from one end to the other. Lay the roll seam side down in the Alfredo sauce.
Repeat with remaining noodles and filling, laying each in the sauce.
Top with mozzarella cheese.
Bake in oven for 20-30 minutes until heated through and cheese is browned slightly on top.

Spicy Sesame Noodles

2009-10-23T21:01:00.005-04:00

As you know, whenever my husband isn't feeling up to par, he craves spicy foods. With minimal groceries in the house and no desire to run out in the rain to get his favorite Thai food, I had to improvise. I had Lo Mein noodles, garlic and a variety of spices...a quick search on the Internet and I found the perfect recipe for Spicy Sesame Noodles!

This was great, just what the doctor ordered and would be fabulous with some beef mixed in! I'll keep that in mind for next time.

Spicy Sesame Noodles

Recipe courtesy of Recipezaar

Ingredients

Lo Mein noodles
6 cloves of garlic, minced
6 Tbs. Vegetable oil
6 Tbs. Rice wine vinegar
6 Tbs. Sugar
6 Tbs. Soy sauce
2 tsp. Sesame oil
2 tsp. Chili sauce (Sriracha)
Sesame seeds for garnishing
Red Pepper flakes for garnishing

Directions

Cook noodles according to directions.
Meanwhile, in a small sauce pan, mix garlic, vegetable oil, vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil and chili sauce together and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook until sugar is dissolved.
Drain noodles and return to pot, pour sauce over and stir to mix. I let this sit for a few minutes to soak up the flavor.
Serve in bowls and top with sesame seeds and red pepper flakes, to taste.

Who wants FREE Fiber One Yogurt?

2009-10-20T20:20:00.002-04:00

Who wouldn't want free yogurt? Or at the very least $1.00 off coupons? How about a great snack that helps you fit into your favorite jeans? The wonderful people at Yoplait offered me this opportunity (along with some coupons for yummy yogurt) to share this new microsite with you and the first 50 readers of Daily Deliciousness who sign up at the site below will receive a coupon for a FREE 4-pack of Fiber One Yogurt! Enjoy!!!

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      Available in four flavors – Strawberry, Vanilla, Peach and Key Lime Pie – Fiber One 50-calorie yogurt is a delicious snack that is good for you, contributes 20% of the recommended daily value of fiber and is a good source of calcium as well as vitamins A and D.
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Versatile Mustard Sauce

2009-10-18T11:08:00.000-04:00

I served this Honey Mustard Sauce over my Stuffed Pork Tenderloin, but this would be good over chicken, fish or even veggies!!

Mustard Sauce
Recipe Courtesy of Recipezaar

Ingredients

1/3 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons dijon-style mustard
1 teaspoon honey

Directions

In small sauce pan combine sour cream, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard & honey.
Cook over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes until heated through.
Do not boil and then serve!

Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

2009-10-18T11:01:00.001-04:00

For Sweetest Day (basically a Hallmark Holiday celebrated here in the Mid-West), my parents were coming over to drop off my dog to watch while they go to Vegas. I wanted to make an easy and different meal than my normal lasagna or pot roast....pork tenderloin fit the bill exactly because I've NEVER made pork tenderloin before! I decided to be ambitious and make a stuffed pork tenderloin, which turned out absolutely wonderful!!! Everyone raved about this dish and I have to admit, it turned out so flavorful and delicious, even though I'm not a huge pork fan! I will make it again, it looked very elegant, but was so easy!

Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients

1 large or 2 small pork tenderloin, trimmed of fat
1/3 cup of olive oil
3 tbs. of Dijon mustard
2 tbs. of soy sauce
1 tsp. pepper
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 tbs. butter
1 cup of baby Bella mushrooms, chopped
1 cup of fresh baby spinach, de-stemmed and chopped
2 cups boxed/bagged stuffing mix
1 cup water
Kitchen Twine

Directions

In a glass 9x13 baking dish, combine olive oil, Dijon, soy sauce, pepper & garlic. Whisk together until combined.
Lay out pork tenderloin on a cutting board and slice through longways, but not all the way through. Lay open and pound out into a thin rectangle, as evenly as possible. (If you have a second smaller tenderloin, repeat with that one as well).
Lay pork into the marinade mixture and turn to coat each side evenly. Seal the top with plastic wrap and refrigerate to marinate for up to 8 hours, but a couple hours is good.
Meanwhile, heat butter over medium high heat and add mushrooms and spinach, sautee until tender.
Add the stuffing mix and water, stirring to combine, cover, turn off heat and let sit for 5 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Remove pork from refrigerator and lay out on cutting board.
Take spoonfuls of stuffing mixture and lay down the middle of the rectangle.
Roll up the sides of the tenderloin to the middle, covering the stuffing mixture and tying with twine that's been soaked in water to secure.
Place a rack on a baking sheet and lay the stuffed tenderloin on top of the rack.
Cook at 375 degrees for 40-50 minutes until pork reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees.
Remove and let rest for about 10 minutes before cutting and serving with the sauce/gravy of your choice.

Paul's Famous Potatoes

2009-10-18T10:37:00.000-04:00

I am so blessed and lucky to have a husband like mine, he never expects me to make dinner (though I love it) and he always wants to help me prepare it. So when he offers, I often will gladly let him! I cannot make pan-fried potatoes like Paul can...these are his "signature" potatoes, which everyone always loves!

Paul's Famous Potatoes

Ingredients

7 large Red Skin potatoes, cut into 1 in. pieces
4 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for coating all pieces
1 1/2 tbs. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
Salt & pepper to taste
1 tbs. dried parsley flakes

Directions

Coat non-stick pan with olive oil and add potatoes, stirring to coat all potatoes evenly with oil (using more oil, if necessary).
Place pan on stove over medium high heat and cover with tight fitting lid, cooking until potatoes become soft.
Add all seasonings, except parsley and stir gently.
Turn heat to high and constantly gently stir potatoes to form the uniform crust. At this point, you need to give them constant attention to ensure they get the crust and do not burn.
When potatoes are uniformly cooked, add parsley and toss, then serve!

Makes 4 servings

Meatball Submarines

2009-10-11T21:20:00.000-04:00

I received a wonderful loaf of Italian bread from my mother when we visited and thought the perfect way to use it would be to make meatball subs for dinner. Along with homemade sauce and delicious meatballs, I believe I have found the perfect dinner for any husband! My husband loved these so much, he said they needed a special name, like "Mama Mia Meatball Subs." That gave me a good laugh and was a huge compliment! He also said that the sauce was the best sauce he's ever had....WOW!

Meatball Submarines

Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

1/2 onion, chopped finely
2 tbs. olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, minced/pressed
1 large can of whole tomatoes
1 small can of stewed tomatoes
1 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. flat leaf Italian parsley
1 tsp. basil
1 small can tomato paste

Directions

Heat 2 tbs. olive oil over medium high heat.
Add onion and cook until soft and lightly brown. Add garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
Add cans of tomatoes and seasonings, stirring to combine.
Cover and simmer over medium heat for 1 hour.
Crush all tomatoes with a wooden spoon (or I used a potato masher) until only lightly chunky.
Continue simmering uncovered for another hour and then add the can of tomato paste and stir to combine. At this point, it should be reduced and fairly thick.
Serve over pasta or with meatballs.

Meatballs

Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef
1 c. Italian bread crumbs
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. paprika
2 cloves minced garlic
1 egg

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Place a cooling rack on top of a cookie sheet and set aside.
Mix all ingredients together by hand until well combined.
Shape into balls, slightly larger than a large egg or so.
Place onto cooling rack and bake for 30 minutes.
At this point, you can leave them whole and put on top of pasta or if making subs, cut each meatball in half and place into pasta sauce, continuing to cook for about 20 minutes.
Place meatballs on your bread of choice and top with cheese (Mozzarella or Provolone work great!) and place under broiler until bread is crisp and cheese is bubbly and brown in spots.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

2009-10-11T20:52:00.000-04:00

My fall obsession with baking with pumpkin hasn't stopped just yet and here is just another example of some treats I made for my co-workers! These were moist, delicious and a perfect way to use pumpkin in some baking!

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
Recipe adapted from AllRecipes

Ingredients

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1/2 c. white sugar
1 tbs. all-purpose flour
1 egg
1 tbs. orange extract
1 2/3 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 c. pumpkin puree
1/2 c. vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 1/2 c. brown sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Line muffin tin with paper liners.
In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, 1/2 c. white sugar, 1 tbs. flour, 1 egg and orange extract; beat until smooth. Set aside. Sift together 1 2/3 c. flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice; set aside.
Place pumpkin, vegetable oil, 2 eggs and 1 1/2 c. brown sugar in a large bowl; beat well. Stir the pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture just until combined. Pour 1/4 c. of the pumpkin batter into the muffin wells. Spoon cream cheese mixture on top of this layer and then pour on another 1/4 cup of pumpkin batter.
Bake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of the muffin comes out clean. Cool muffins on a wire rack.

White Chocolate Toffee Pumpkin Blondies

2009-09-28T21:33:00.000-04:00

Having leftover pumpkin puree from the pumpkin cupcakes left me wanting to make something else with the delicious fall-flavor! It was a cold, windy day here in Michigan so these were perfect to make and an even better surprise for my husband to come home to! Thanks to Annie for this delicious recipe, originally adapted from Martha Stewart.

White Chocolate Toffee Pumpkin Blondies
Recipe adapted from Annie's Eats

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. baking soda
¾ tsp. salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. white sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup toffee chips

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350° F.
Line a 9×13-inch baking dish with foil.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt. Stir together and set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugars on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Beat in the egg and vanilla until well combined.
Mix in the pumpkin puree.
With the mixer on low speed add the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated.
Fold in the white chocolate and toffee chips with a rubber spatula.
Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
Bake until the edges begin to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few crumbs, about 35-40 minutes.
Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely before cutting.
To serve, lift the cake from the pan using the foil and transfer to a cutting board.
Peel off the foil and using a sharp knife, cut into 24 squares.

Febreze Winner

2009-09-27T20:08:00.000-04:00

Thank you for all the wonderful comment and be sure to try the new Febreze line! I am definitely loving it!!

Congratulations to Sofia, who wants to try the Willow Blossom scent and now can try it with her $20 WalMart gift card!

Pumpkin Cupcakes

2009-09-25T16:46:00.001-04:00

It's fall here in Michigan and the air is cooler, the nights are arriving just a little earlier and I had a serious craving for something with pumpkin. These cupcakes turned out so light, moist and fluffy inside. Paired with a nice cream cheese frosting, it certainly satisfied any pumpkin craving!

I also have to share this over-the-top "review" from an anonymous coworker after eating one of my cupcakes. It really cracked me up!

"The smooth cream cheese frosting was delicate, bringing back memories of a simpler time in the world of baking (before ace of cakes). The pumpkin cake was light and airy, while still being the appropriate consistency we’ve all come to expect from a fall treat. The combination of frosting and cake in each bite was delectable! While some conspiracy theorists are suggesting this was in fact the work of Betty Crocker or Sarah Lee, any educated palate can tell that these cupcakes are solely the work of Shawna."

It's kind (in a hilarious way), but Martha gets all the credit for these. :)

Pumpkin Cupcakes

Recipe courtesy of Martha Stewart

Ingredients

2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. coarse salt
1 tsp.ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1 c. packed light-brown sugar
1 c. granulated sugar
1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted & cooled
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners. In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg & allspice; set aside.
In another bowl, whisk together brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter & eggs. Add dry ingredients, & whisk until smooth. Whisk in pumpkin puree.
Divide batter evenly among liners, filling each halfway. Bake until tops spring back when touched & a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating pans once if needed. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool. Frost with your favorite cream cheese frosting.

Great Febreze Giveaway TIME'S UP

2009-09-23T19:35:00.002-04:00

*This product review was based on using complimentary Febreze Home Collection products provided by P&G. P&G does not represent or warrant the accuracy of any statements or product claims made here, nor does it endorse any opinions expressed within this blog site*

I know, I know...this is a food blog, however, I believe that a happy home & kitchen is a place scented with comforting smells and fresh scents (and I love sharing great products with you!). I was fortunate enough to receive samples of the new line of Febreze Home Collection from P&G and MyBlogSpark. Their new line consists of Flameless Luminiaries, Scented Reed Diffusers, Soy Blend Candles and Room Sprays.

Most of the Febreze products I have are the Green Tea Citrus scent and man, does that smell good. It's a nice warm scent, neutral enough not to overpower anything, but you definitely notice it. Green Tea is one of my favorite candle scents in general, so these are a great addition to our household.

The reed diffusers emit a great fragrance and are perfect for any room in your home. The new Soy Blend candles have a nice long life of 30-40 hours and look so pretty sitting out on a coffee or end table. I especially love the fact that it has a wooden lid that is also used as it's base. The room spray really did perk up the upstairs part of our home and the scent lasted for quite a while after I sprayed! That is really important when I buy a room/scented spray.

I am going to say my absolute favorite item is the Flameless Luminary. I think it is so pretty! I really enjoy the peace that comes from the flickering light and the even greater peace of mind that I won't forget about a real candle burning! So easy to use, you just open a paper scented shade and place over the "candle" part. Once it is in place, the flameless candle is automatically turned on and will remain on for 4 hours, then automatically shuts off. You can either flip the switch to "off" on the bottom wooden base or remove the shade to turn the light off. It really does look like a candle in the luminary and the scented shade made our living room/dining room & kitchen smell great almost immediatley!

These items come in other scents as well, Pomegranate Mango, Cranberry Pear and Willow Blossom.

For my wonderful readers, Febreze is offering you a $20.00 WalMart Gift Card to stock up on the new Febreze Home Collection items of your choice (go for the Luminary/refills definitly!!). Pick your favorite scent and use the gift card to make your home smell nice and fresh 24 hours a day!

TO ENTER, ANSWER THIS QUESTION:

What item/scent of the new Febreze Home Collection would you like to try?

ALSO PLEASE LEAVE A VALID EMAIL ADDRESS IN YOUR COMMENT so I can contact the winner and get you the card!!

Rules:

Giveaway is open from now until Sunday, September 27th at 8 p.m. EST.
Once winner is announced, the winner should contact me at dailydeliciousness@gmail.com, so be sure to check back!!!
You are only eligible to win 1 blog contest per month.
If I do not receive contact within 1 week, I reserve the right to choose another winner.
These items were provided to me for my thoughts/review on this product.
Giveaway is open to residents of the US and Canada only.
One comment per person.
Winner will be picked using Random.org

Spinach and Artichoke Stuffed Turkey Burgers

2009-09-22T20:17:00.001-04:00

Happy first day of fall! Though these aren't made with typical fall ingredients, you have to try them! These turned out so wonderfully, I will definitely make these again in the future! Each bite was so flavorful and was full of a Spinach & Artichoke Dip-type filling.

Spinach and Artichoke Stuffed Turkey Burgers

Ingredients

Turkey Burgers

1 lb. ground turkey
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 c. Italian breadcrumbs
2 Tbs. olive oil
Buns

Filling

3/4 c. chopped fresh spinach
1/2 c. drained chopped artichoke hearts
2 oz. cream cheese (room temperature)
1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder

Directions

Heat olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium high heat.
In a bowl, combine spinach, artichoke, cream cheese, mozzarella cheese and all seasonings. Mix well to combine.
In a seperate bowl, combine turkey, breadcrumbs and seasonings. Mix well with your hands.
Form turkey into 4 equal parts. Then divide each of the 4 parts in half.
With each half, flatten into a thin patty. Lay on cutting board, take a large spoon of the filling and place in the middle of the first patty. With the second half, flatten into a patty and lay on top of the filling, crimping the edges together, then pick up the patty and press all around the sides to trap in the filling.
Repeat with other 3 burgers.
Lay burgers into hot skillet, cooking for 10-12 minutes on first side, then flip and cook and additional 10-12 minutes until cooked completely through.
Serve on your favorite bun and enjoy!

A gift of savings from Kernel Seasons!

2009-09-22T11:35:00.000-04:00

To show their appreciation of my unsolicited review and for all of you checking out their site, Kernel Seasons has provided me with this link to share with you!

Go to Kernel Seasons and enter promo code Kernel235 and you will be able to receive a free popcorn pouch and popcorn spritzer with any purchase on their website!

Thank you for the wonderful discount!

Apple Cinnamon Bagels

2009-09-20T17:25:00.000-04:00

Fall is fast approaching and cooler weather has come to Michigan. Fall is our favorite time of year, the weather, the smells, the apple orchards, hay rides, bonfires...I could go on and on. I was talking to my friend Lauren and she asked me for advice on how to make Apple Cinnamon Bagels. Unfortunately, I have never had them before, nor had any bright ideas she probably hadn't thought of before...until I looked on my counter. I have a whole row of popcorn spices on my counter-top from Kernel Seasons and one of those spices happens to be Apple Cinnamon. So, I went ahead and tried a new variation on my bagels today during my Sunday "freezer restocking" session!

Apple Cinnamon Bagels

Ingredients

1 3/4 c. warm water
1 T. instant yeast
1 T. packed light brown sugar
1 T. salt
2 T. Kernel Seasons Apple Cinnamon seasoning (plus more for sprinkling before baking)
3 c. bread flour
1 c. all-purpose flour
2 T. honey, for boiling water

Directions

In bowl of stand mixer (or regular bowl), combine water, yeast and brown sugar. Let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes.
Add salt, flours and Apple Cinnamon seasoning and mix well.
Knead with the dough hook for 8 minutes (or by hand for 10 minutes) until smooth and elastic.
Transfer dough to large, oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap or towel. Let rise 1 hour or until doubled.
Turn dough out onto countertop and divide into 12-16 (depending on how large/small) round pieces. Make bagel shape by punching thumb through the center and gently stretching out until it's the size you desire and place on a cookie sheet sprayed with non-stick spray. *The dough will shrink back a bit, so I recommend over-stretching a bit larger than you actually want.
Let bagels rise for another 30 minutes covered with clean kitchen towels.
While bagels are rising, preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
Begin to boil about 8 cups of water and add the honey.
After second rise, put as many bagels into the water as will fit comfortably, boiling for 30 sec.-1 min. per side. Remove from water and place back on cookie sheet, sprinkling with a little more Apple Cinnamon seasoning on top. Repeat with all the bagels.
Bake at 400 degrees for 22-24 minutes, until golden brown.

Attention Yogurt Lovers!

2009-09-15T13:04:00.000-04:00

Have you seen the newest low-cal/low-fat treat called Yoplait Delights? They look so good and a great way to feed your sweet tooth, I can't wait to try them!

Try them for yourself for $1.25 LESS, by following the link to this YOPLAIT DELIGHTS COUPON! :)

Great American Taste Test

2009-09-14T19:43:00.003-04:00

I obtained a copy of America's Most Wanted Recipes by Ron Douglas from the lovely people at Atria Books. Flipping through this book was nothing but a joy! To see all the recipes we can make at home, most likely better tasting and cheaper is perfect for those of us who are trying to cut down on unnecessary spending on things like dining out. There are many more recipes I can't wait to try, but of all of them, I wanted to try these Cheddar Biscuits first because I have tried other "copycat" recipes and they weren't quite right.

These tasted JUST like Red Lobster and my husband agreed. We have had the Red Lobster Cheddar Biscuits many, many times....and a lot of those times, the basket has had to be refilled. Though I'm not a HUGE Red Lobster fan, I love their Cheddar Biscuits, brought out nice & warm in the basket.

These came out nicely browned on the outside and light, fluffy & cheesy on the inside and the very best part was that they came together in a snap and were done in no time!

Red Lobster Cheddar Biscuits
Recipe found in America's Most Wanted Recipes, Ron Douglas, page 186

Ingredients

2 c. biscuit mix
1/2 c. shredded mild Cheddar cheese (I used sharp)
2/3 c. milk
4 tbs. (1/2 stick) butter
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
Parsley flakes for sprinkling

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Stir together the biscuit mix, Cheddar & milk until a soft dough forms. Beat with a wooden spoon for about 30 seconds.
Spoon onto a greased cookie sheet. Smooth down the tops to prevent hard points from forming.
Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the tops are brown.
While the biscuits are baking, melt the butter in a pan and stir in the garlic powder.
Once the biscuits are done, brush the butter on the tops, sprinkle with parsley flakes and serve hot.

Coconut Cupcakes

2009-09-07T17:10:00.000-04:00

Oh.my.goodness.

That's all I have to say about these cupcakes AND the frosting. Heaven. Pure heaven wrapped in a pretty baking cup. If you want a cupcake recipe that makes a lot of cupcakes (It made 2 dozen reg. size cupcakes for me) and impresses your guests, this is the one. OK...Ina does go completely, insanely and absurdly overboard with the butter, but if you just think that it's spread out over 2 dozen cupcakes (and I have about 1.5 cups of the frosting left over in the fridge), you can sorta justify it.

Ina's Coconut Cupcakes
Recipe courtesy of Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa, episode Stephen's Birthday

Ingredients

3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
5 extra-large eggs at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk
14 ounces sweetened, shredded coconut
For the frosting:
nocoupons
1 pound cream cheese at room temperature
3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 1/2 pounds confectioners' sugar, sifted

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter & sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla & almond extracts & mix well.
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda & salt. In 3 parts, alternately add the dry ingredients & the buttermilk to the batter, beginning & ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold in 7 oz. of coconut.
Line a muffin pan with paper liners. Fill each liner to the top with batter. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until the tops are brown & a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove to a baking rack & cool completely.
Meanwhile, make the frosting. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on low speed, cream together the cream cheese, butter & vanilla and almond extracts. Add the confectioners' sugar & mix until smooth.
Frost the cupcakes & sprinkle with the remaining coconut.

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Freezer Breakfast Burritos

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Slow Cooker Pork Loin

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Brownies

Pina Colada Cake

Cinnamon Chip Scones

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Baby Shower Cookies

White Sandwich Bread

Champagne Chicken

Champagne Risotto

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Game Day Pretzel Bites

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Chicken and Rice

Filet Mignon Steaks

PW's Buttered Rosemary Rolls

Pastor Ryan's Pan-Seared Mushrooms

Turkey Florentine Meatballs

English Muffin Bread

"Chipotle"-style Bowls

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies

Homemade Pizza

Boeuf Bourguignon

Snowman Oreo Truffle Pops

New York-Style Everything Bagels

Rolo Pretzel Turtles

Christmas Cookies

Candy Cane Biscotti

Pumpkin Ravioli with Browned Butter Sage Sauce

Mushroom Garlic Orzo

Eggplant Parmesan

Granola

Turkey Cutlets Diane

Cleveland Fabulous Food Show

Lemon Feta Chicken

White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

Homemade Pizza Rolls

Halloween Cookies

Chicken Alfredo Lasagna Rolls

Spicy Sesame Noodles

Who wants FREE Fiber One Yogurt?

Versatile Mustard Sauce

Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

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A clean kitchen is a happy kitchen...giveaway! TIMES UP

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