Popcorn with Black Truffle Salt

This is some seriously gourmet popcorn!  My cousin mentioned that she loved popcorn with Black Truffle salt so I decided to try it out and I am hooked!  My local spice shop sells the special salt and you can check out their website -click here.  The salt is a bit spendy, but a little big goes a long way!

Pasta with Chicken and Roasted Tomatoes

This recipe actually started as a clean out the fridge experiment.  It turned out great so now I intentionally keep the ingredients on hand.

Serves 1
2 oz dried pasta ( I used a mixed pasta)
1 oz goat cheese
1/2 lemon
1/2 chicken breast
10-12 cherry tomatoes
olive oil
salt and pepper

Boil water and cook pasta as directed.  While the pasta is cooking, pan sear the chicken with olive oil on medium heat.  When you flip the chicken breast, add the tomatoes, salt and pepper and cover (to roast the tomatoes). Drain the pasta when it is finished, squeeze the juice of one lemon onto the pasta and stir in 1 oz of goat cheese.  Chop the chicken into bite size cubes and add the chicken and tomatoes to the pasta.  Serve immediately. 

White Chicken Chili

This is a family favorite and it makes a big batch, so it is great to freeze and enjoy on a cold winter night!

Source: My mom

3 (16 oz) cans cooked great norther beans (not drained)
2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast
1 T. olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2 med. onions chopped
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground oregano
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (you can adjust this up or down depending on heat tolerance)
2 (4 oz) cans chopped mild green chillies
4 cups chicken stock
20 oz monterey jack cheese grated
sour cream
chopped jalapeno peppers, canned

Place chicken in a large saucepan.  Add cold water to cover and bring to a simmer.  Cook until tender, 15-20 min.  Remove from the saucepan and dice into 1/2 inch cubes.  Using the same pan, discard water and heat oil over medium heat.  Add onions, cook until translucent.  Stir in garlic, chillies, cumin, cayenne pepper, oregano and cloves.  Saute 2 to 3 minutes.  Add chicken, beans, stock and 12 oz cheese.  Simmer 15 minutes.  Ladle into large bowls, top with 1 oz cheese.  Serve with sour cream and chopped jalapeno peppers.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

These taste like peanut butter brownies....YUM.  I took these into work and was asked for the recipe before I even had time to post this blog.  Enjoy.

Source: mixandmatchmama

 

1 box chocolate cake mix

4 eggs

1 stick melted butter

1 box powdered sugar

1 (8 oz) cream cheese (at room temperature)

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

2 tablespoons peanut butter

1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup peanut butter chips (I use the Reese's version)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Grease a 9x13 inch casserole dish (I use Pam)

In one bowl, combine one box of any chocolate cake mix, two eggs and 1 stick of melted butter.

Spread mixture into prepared dish (this will be your "crust" on the bottom).

In a separate bowl, mix with a hand mixer, one box of powdered sugar, cream cheese, remaining 2 eggs, cocoa powder and peanut butter until smooth. Stir in both chips. Spread on top of crust mixture.

Bake 38-40 minutes.

Cool on counter 30 minutes, then cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 2 days. Cut and serve.

Fondue Part 3 - CHOCOLATE!

 

This party was for a bunch of ladies so we had to do 2 chocolate fondues! 

 

Chocolate fondue 1:

Source: Pampered Chef

 

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1/2 cup caramel ice cream topping

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

 

 

Chocolate fondue 2:

Source: Food Network

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 stick unsalted butter

2 (12-ounce) packages premier white morsels

 

Heat each fondue in a sauce pan to melt.  Stir frequently and then pour into a fondue pot to serve.  I ran out of fondue pots, so I used a double broiler to keep the white chocolate fondue warm when serving.

 

We served the fondue with strawberries, bananas, pound cake, marshmallows and cheesecake bites. 

 

It was such a lovely evening with my amazing friends!  Here's a picture of the women that I am blessed to call my friends!

 

 

Fondue Part 2 - Meat

Our fondue party continued with a main course of chicken, steak and shrimp in a "coq au vin" fondue with red wine and vegetable broth.

Coq Au Vin Fondue recipe:
Source: Food.com

3 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1/2 cup Burgundy wine
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
2 green onions, sliced

 

Heat vegetable stock in fondue pot until it begins to simmer.

Add all other ingredients, bring to simmer.

 

Place individual pieces of desired meat or veggies on fondue fork and put in pot until correct temperature has been reached. Lobster and shrimp may take under a minute to cook while beef and pork will take slightly longer. Take the necessary precautions so you don't eat raw meat.

 

We also added potatoes to the broth to cook and made a green goddess sauce (link)

 

We also served various sauces including BBQ, Franks hot sauce, Thai sweet chili, A1 and cocktail to enjoy with the meat.

Fondue Part 1 - Cheese

Holly and I hosted a 3 course fondue dinner party as a Bridal Shower for our friend Heidi!  We love you Heidi and we are so excited for your upcoming wedding!  So, I have to brag a bit and say the food was awesome!  This is part one of our fondue dinner.  We enjoyed wine with our cheese fondue while everyone gathered for the party.  Of course we all gathered around the kitchen island - there really is more space in my house than a 3 foot kitchen island but there is where everyone gathers.  I realized at the end of the night I never took a picture of the cheese fondue.  So, in this picture my friends (from left) Liz, Heidi and Cristina are enjoying the cheese fondue with apple, pretzel and french bread dippers.  This picture has friends and food...two of my favorite things :)

Easy Cheese Fondue Recipe:
Source: Pampered Chef


1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed cheddar cheese soup
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup apple juice
1 small garlic clove - minced
a few dashes of Tabasco
Assorted dippers such as french bread cubes, bite-size veggies, apples, pretzels, ham cubes, etc.

You can either microwave and stir the ingredients or just put in the electric fondue pot on medium heat and stir as the cheese melts.

Steak Flatbread

Steak flatbread - Yum!  I modified the recipe a little bit to cook the flatbread in the oven and pan sear the steak on the stove.  It was too dark and too cold to use the grill.  Plus I used pre-made pizza dough versus making the flatbread dough from scratch - much easier!  I tried to work my dough into a nice long rectangle and it just didn't cooperate - so I ended up with an amoebae.  Still tasted great! 

Recipe: Grilled Flatbread with Garlic Rubbed Fillet of Beef, White Bean Puree and Sun-dried Tomato Chutney
Source: Bobby Flay Foodnetwork - original recipe link

Steak:

• 1 (8-ounce) beef tenderloin
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped

White Bean Puree:

• 1 cup cooked white beans, plus 1/4 cup of cooking liquid, or 1 (15-ounce) can white beans, slightly drained
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

Sun-dried Tomato Chutney:

• 6 sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil, drained and julienned
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• Flatbread - I used about 1/2 of a package of pre-made pizza dough from my local grocery store
• 4 roasted shallots, sliced thin

Combine beef, olive oil, and garlic in a large resealable plastic bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Preheat the grill to high. Grill on both sides for 3 to 4 minutes, for medium-rare. Let rest for 5 to 10 minutes and then slice thinly.

Puree the beans, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, and thyme in a food processor until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Mix together the tomatoes, olive oil, vinegar, honey, and parsley, and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Heat grill to high. Flatten flatbread dough and gently press into a large rectangle and throw on grill. Grill on 1 side until golden, about 2 minutes. Remove from grill, turn over, and spread each flatbread with a thin layer of White Bean Puree, sliced beef, roasted shallots, and Tomato Chutney. Return to grill, close cover and cook for 2 minutes. Serve immediately.

*To roast shallots on the grill, place the shallot in the center of a piece of aluminum foil, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bring the edges of foil together and scrunch to seal tightly. Place on a hot grill, close the cover and "roast" for 25 to 30 minutes or until soft. Remove the skin and slice.

Toasted Coconut Waffles with Strawberries

I did a full pantry clean out and organization this past weekend so I could donate to a local food drive.  Once a year a local realtor - Cheryl Sartain does a neighborhood food drive and this year her goal was 1300 pounds!  While I was doing my pantry clean out I came across my absolute favorite pancake/waffle mix that had gotten lost in the back of the pantry.  Stonewall Kitchen Toasted Coconut Pancake &Waffle Mix.  So Delicious!  I usually make these for birthdays.  However in honor of finding the mix in the back of my pantry I whipped up some waffles.  These are sweet enough that I just eat them with fresh strawberries.  For those of you who can't imagine waffles without syrup - lighlty drizzle with some real maple sryup and Enjoy!

Cavatappi with Brussels Sprouts

I really like brussels sprouts..the funny part is that my Mom doesn't.  This is the reverse situation of a parent trying to get their child to eat vegetables.  So, I cut the spouts thinly and tossed them with pasta and she enjoyed these so much she wanted to take the leftovers home.  I got my Mom to eat brussels sprouts - Success!  This recipe isn't difficult, but I did use 4 pots/sauce pans to get it all cooked.  One other note - I added grilled chicken so my Dad would consider this a "meal".

Cavatappi with Browned Brussels Sprouts and Buttery Breadcrumbs
Source: Cooking Light Nov 2012

Ingredients - Makes 4 servings
8 ounces uncooked cavatappi pasta

2 teaspoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

4 teaspoons olive oil

12 ounces Brussels sprouts, trimmed and thinly sliced

1 cup thinly sliced onion

1 teaspoon minced garlic

2/3 cup organic vegetable broth

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 ounces pecorino Romano cheese, shaved (about 1/2 cup)

2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted

1. 1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and transfer to a large bowl; keep warm.
2. 2. Melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat; swirl to coat. Add panko to pan; cook 3 minutes or until browned, stirring frequently.
3. 3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add Brussels sprouts to pan; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add onion and garlic; cook 3 minutes or until onion is tender and the Brussels sprouts are lightly browned. Add broth and next 5 ingredients (through pepper). Cover and cook 2 minutes or until Brussels sprouts are crisp-tender. Add Brussels sprouts mixture to pasta; toss well. Sprinkle with cheese, pine nuts, and panko. Serve immediately.

Spiced Pumpkin Bundt Cake

This cake tastes similar to a Starbucks Pumpkin Latte minus the espresso.  A guy at work agreed that it was like pumpkin pie in cake form - seriously moist!  Yum!

Spiced Pumpkin Bundt Cake
Source: Mixandmatchmama blog

Cake Ingredients:

1 box of spice cake mix

2 small boxes instant vanilla pudding

1/2 cup veggie oil

1 1/4 cups water

4 eggs

1 cup pumpkin (I use Libby's)

 

Icing Ingredients:

4 cups powdered sugar

1 stick butter, softened

3-4 splashes milk

1 T. cinnamon (The original recipe calls for 2 T. I use really strong cinnamon so I cut back)

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Grease a 10 inch bundt pan - I use coconut oil
• In mixing bowl, combine cake mix, puddings, oil, water, eggs and pumpkin with an electric mixer. Pour into prepared bundt pan.
• Bake 40-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
• Let cake rest on counter in pan 10 minutes. Then, invert cake onto serving plate to finish cooling.
• In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, butter and milk with an electric mixer until creamy. Stir in cinnamon. Frost cooled cake.

Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese

To My Brother, Ryan -
This sandwich has your name written all over it.  I know how you love jalapenos and bacon and adore them together in jalapeno poppers.  I promise to make this sandwich the next time you are at my house.  It is totally sister approved! 

Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese  - Makes 1 sandwich

Source: Basil blog - from Cooking and Eating From Away

2 slices sourdough bread
2 ounces goat cheese, softened

2 slices cooked bacon

1 jalapeno peppers
1 tablespoons apricot preserves

Enough butter to lightly spread on two slices of bread

• Broil the jalapenos in the oven until the skins blacken and blister. Remove jalapenos from the oven and place in a sealed container. Seal and let steam until cool enough to handle, about 10-20 minutes. Remove blackened skins and slice into strips.
• Spread one of the slices of bread with the goat cheese. Top with roasted jalapeno peppers slices, then bacon.
• Spread the other piece of bread with the apricot preserves, and put on top of the other piece. Butter each side of the sandwich, and toast in saucepan over medium heat until bread is toasted, about 4-5 minutes per side.

Chicken Divan

This is one of my family favorites.  It can be made ahead of time and then just heated in the oven when you are ready to have dinner.  I like to make this recipe for guests as I can make it, clean up and then just have it in the oven when I am socializing before dinner.

Recipe:

4 whole chicken breasts - or 8 split breasts  - cook in a large pot of boiling water for approx 30 min until the chicken is no longer pink.

2 heads of broccoli chopped in bite size pieces - cook in boiling water until crisp tender

Mix together the following ingredients in a bowl:
1 can cream of chicken soup
2/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 teas. Lemon juice
1/2 teas. curry powder

Place the cooked broccoli on the bottom of a 9x13 pan.  Layer the cooked chicken breasts on top.  Then pour the liquid from the bowl on top.  For the final step melt 1 T butter and mix with 1/2 cup bread crumbs.  Spread the buttered bread crumbs on top and bake at 350 for 30-40 min until hot.

Beef Taquitos with Pineapple Dip

My friend Noelle made these for me several months ago and shared the link for the original recipe.

A couple revision to the original dip recipe - I leave out the "Candied Jalapenos" and just use regular sugar instead of "coconut palm crystals".

Another note - the recipe calls for "Amasi".  This is a Beyond Organic product that is similar to yogurt or kefir.  You can substitute plain yogurt, or purchase Amasi from this website - click here

Here is the link to the original recipe - click here