Don’t ask me to pronounce that, okay? : ) Learning to speak Irish Gaelic is still on my list of things to accomplish. I couldn’t go to bed tonight without saying thank you. To all my amazing friends. It’s easy to feel unappreciated and overwhelmed, caring for an autistic 6 year old and a plucky 2 year old. (And their daddy). But all I have to do is see a great friend and feel so supported, understood, and appreciated. Even when some don’t have their own husbands or kids yet, or don’t know what it’s really like to deal with Autism. Tonight we had our annual “Irish Dinner” in honor of my Dad, who was so proud of his Irish Heritage. And while dinner wasn’t served until an hour after everyone came, one dish got cold in the process, my oldest took all her clothes off a few times, my youngest decided to put her hand in her dirty diaper, Charlie (our golden retriever) wouldn’t stop chewing on everyone’s shoes and slobbering on anyone in reach…. It doesn’t matter when in the company of amazing friends. And all the feedback I get about the blog, my new hobby, just makes me wish I hadn’t waited so long to start doing it! I’m so glad to be able to share of my love of cooking and baking and to be so appreciated is such a bonus. So…. go raibh maith agaibh. I mean it with all my heart.
Roasted Tomato Soup
March 5, 2010 by
I love good soup. It’s easy, inexpensive, and delicious. What else can you ask for? : )
And if you don’t have fresh tomatoes on hand, you could always bypass the roasting and just use a couple cans of diced or crushed tomatoes.
Roasted Tomato Soup
1 white onion, chopped
12 roma tomatoes, cored and cut in half
6 garlic cloves, crushed
olive oil
salt and pepper
46 oz tomato juice
3 T sugar
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 c fresh basil, chopped
Drizzle olive oil in roasting pan. Spread on top onions.
Spread tomatoes on top, and garlic. Sprinkle with a little more olive oil, and salt and pepper.
Roast at 400 degrees for about 1 1/2 hours. (Remove garlic if starts to burn.)
Puree pans contents with the chicken broth in a blender. Put in a pot and add sugar and tomato juice.
Stir in cream.
Add basil, serve hot.
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Greek Salad Dressing and Pasta Salad
March 5, 2010 by
The nice thing about this pasta salad is that you can cut out most of the cutting. I left the olives and tomatoes whole and just cut up the red onion and artichoke hearts. I left off the amounts because you can really just put in however much you like. And the dressing is great on a spinach salad as well.
Greek Salad Dressing and Pasta Salad
Shredded Rotisserie Chicken, or shredded cooked chicken breast
Olives (variety of choice, I just used plain black)
Cherry or Grape Tomatoes
Red onion, cut in half, then thinly sliced
Feta cheese, crumbled
Artichoke hearts, drained and slightly chopped
Fresh baby spinach
Penne pasta, cooked and cooled
Greek Dressing
Toss everything all together.
Greek Dressing:
1/2 c plus 2 T olive oil
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp oregano
1 1/2 tsp basil
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp Dijon mustard
3/4 c plus 2 tsp red wine vinegar
Whisk everything except vinegar together well. Add in vinegar.
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How to… Chiffonade
March 4, 2010 by
So this only sounds fancy schmancy. (is that really a word?) But it’s really just little strips or ribbons. And I know alot of you probably know what it is, but just in case, here’s a little demo…
I used fresh basil leaves, my favorite thing to chiffonade.
Stack leaves in a stack:
Roll up snugly..
Using a sharp knife, cut into thin strips…
And there you have it.. chiffonade!
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Definitely Devil’s Food Cake with Chocolate Silk Frosting
March 1, 2010 by
Have you ever tried a new recipe and immediately KNEW it was going to be the best of that type you’d ever had/made? THIS is one of those recipes. I made this cake for Valentine’s Day. I took a picture of a piece before dinner and my husband says “Can I try a bite?” I turned around and the giant piece was almost finished off! I don’t normally like incredibly rich desserts, but this was so rich without being overly sweet. And VERY chocolatey. The recipe came from The Sweeter Side of Amy’s Bread. I made only a few minor adjustments. You should REALLY go buy this book. I love it. So, go make this for someone you love, and there will no way for them to doubt your devotion. : )
DEFINITELY DEVIL’S FOOD CAKE
5 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup plus 1 T sour cream
1/3 cup cocoa powder
2 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups boiling water
2 cups cake flour, sifted
1/2 tsp kosher salt
4 large eggs
2 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup unsalted butter, slightly softened
1 3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray and flour 2 nine inch cake pans, line bottom of pans with a parchment liner.
Melt the chocolate (microwave is fine) and set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, whisk together the sour cream, cocoa, and baking soda until it is a smooth paste. Very gradually add the boiling water, whisking until fully incorporated.
In a separate bowl, combine the cake flour and salt and whisk them together. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and vanilla.
Using an electric mixer with paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until it is light and fluffy, 2 to3 minutes. Add the melted chocolate, which should be pourable but not too hot. Continue mixing until the chocolate is completely incorporated, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add the eggs gradually, mixing well after each addition.
Turn mixer down to medium-low and add the flour in 3 parts, alternating with the liquid mixture. Begin with the flour and end with the liquid. Mix until evenly incorporated. This is a very thin batter, so there isn’t much danger of over mixing it.
Divide batter into the 2 prepared pans. Bake for about 35 minutes. Cake should almost pull away from the edge of the pan and a toothpick inserted into the center should have a few moist crumbs.
Cool in pans on a rack for 10 minutes, then invert on a rack sprayed with cooking spray. (top side up)
Cool completely before frosting.
CHOCOLATE SILK FROSTING
Because of the high percentage of solid chocolate, this cake keeps best at room temp. It will become hard in the fridge. (though still divine)
3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar
3/4 cup cocoa powder
2 cups unsalted butter, slightly softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp kosher salt
Melt chocolate chips in double boiler or in the microwave. Set aside to cool. In another bowl, sift together the sugar and cocoa powder.
In a mixing bowl, using an electric mixer with a paddle attatchment, cream the butter at medium speed until it’s very light but not too soft, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar mixture and continue to mix on low speed until sugar and cocoa have been well incorporated.
Add the melted chocolate, vanilla, and salt and mix on medium speed until everything is incorporated and the frosting is smooth and has a good spreading consistency, 1 to 2 minutes. Be careful not to overmix or it will get too warm and runny. (If this happens, just firm up in fridge briefly.) It should be smooth, glossy, and soft enough to spread but still hold a stiff peak. Use immediately or stor in an airtight container at room temp and use within 3 days.
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Pita Chips & 4 Way Hummus
February 26, 2010 by
This is a great pantry dish, and versatile has never been a better word.
I use dried garbanzo beans (also known as chickpeas) because they are so much cheaper than the canned variety and I don’t care for the sludge canned beans come with.
(For every cup of dried beans, add 3 cups of water, soak overnight or for about 6 hours, boil gently until tender, about 1-2 hours)
Cook up a big batch, and freeze in ziplocks in the quantity needed for your favorite recipes. This hummus can be easily doubled or tripled for a party, or you can do some of each since it’s so cheap and simple!
PITA CHIPS
Pita bread
Olive oil
Salt and Pepper
Cut pita bread in half, opening it up.
Cut each circle into 8 wedges, like a pizza.
Lay out on a cookie sheet in a single layer.
Drizzle with olive oil.
Sprinkle with salt & pepper.
(you could get creative with the seasonings if you want here.)
Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes, until golden and crisp.
4 WAY HUMMUS
Base:
1 cup garbanzo beans
2 T sesame seeds
2 T sour cream
3 T olive oil
2 T lemon juice
salt and pepper, to taste
Combine all in food processor until well blended.
CILANTRO HUMMUS:
Make base, then add 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves and pulse briefly.
ROASTED GARLIC HUMMUS:
Make base as directed, but add 1/4 cup roasted garlic
TOASTED SESAME HUMMUS:
Make base as directed, but top with 2 T toasted sesame seeds*
(you could also toast the seeds in the base.)
*To toast sesame seeds, put in dry skillet over med high heat and stir occasionally, until golden and fragrant.
ROASTED RED PEPPER HUMMUS:
Make base as directed, but add in one roasted red bell pepper.
(This one will be slightly thinner consistency than the others, so if you want you could add more beans or omit the oil.)
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PERFECT Roasted Vegetable Quiche
February 26, 2010 by
This is by far one of my favorite things I’ve ever made. I love, love, LOVE roasted vegetables.
I could eat them three times a day I think! The first time I made this quiche I did a higher amount of vegetables and less custard. This time I used a little more restraint and I also made it to fit in a standard pie pan since some of you may not own a quiche pan. I used my favorite pie pan, which is a deep dish, but you could definitely use a standard pie pan, you just won’t have that extra piece of crispy crust at the top.
ROASTED VEGETABLE QUICHE
6 mushrooms, (about 6 oz), quartered
1 small red onion, chopped small
1 red bell pepper, chopped small
1 zucchini, chopped small
1 roma tomato, chopped small
1 T olive oil
salt & pepper
1 tsp herbs de Provence
pie crust, unbaked
1/4 c fresh basil, chopped or chiffonade
4 eggs
1 cup half and half (you could use 1/2 cup heavy cream and 1/2 cup milk)
1/2 cup grated parmesan
Lay vegetables on a baking sheet in a single layer.
Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and herbs de Provence.
Cook at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes.
Vegetables should be softened but not completely mushy.
Pour vegetables into pie crust and add basil.
Whisk together cream, eggs, and parmesan cheese.
Pour over vegetables in pie crust.
Bake at 400 degrees for 40-45 minutes, until set but not rubbery.
Serve lukewarm or room temperature.
And if you’ll excuse me… this piece has my name all over it.
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Pie Crust 101
February 26, 2010 by
This is how I pretty much always make my piecrust. It seems silly so many buy premade piecrust. It’s simple, cheap, quick, easy… why WOULD you buy one? And you can even make some yourself for the freezer. And if you don’t allready have a pastry blender… why? It’s cheaper than those piecrusts in your freezer 🙂 And it’ll come in handy for making biscuits. Now, some like to use shortening, lard, or margarine in their crust, but I swear unsalted butter makes the best, most wonderful and flaky piecrust. So just follow along, I promise it’ll be the best piecrust you’ve ever had. And don’t worry about making the perfect edge. It’s homemade and should look accordingly. And if you really struggle with it, just flop it about and call it a “rustic” pie. (I won’t tell) 🙂
PIECRUST
Makes one piecrust, large enough for a deep dish
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, COLD
4 T ice water, YES, ICE water
Mix flour and salt together in a bowl.
Cut butter into flour using a pastry blender.
(Push down and turn)
Continue until butter is the size of peas or so.
Drizzle water into bowl, one tablespoon at a time.
Mix in with a fork after each addition.
Stop when the dough is just starting to clump together.
Turn out onto plastic wrap.
You should be able to press together into a ball.
Wrap tightly with the plastic wrap, forming a disc.
Chill in the refrigerator for a half hour to hour.
Remove plastic wrap and place on a lightly floured mat or counter.
Using a rolling pin, roll from the middle outwards in all directions.
Roll out large enough to have a small overhang on pie pan.
Fold into fours.
Place in a pie pan, putting the middle corner in the center of the pan.
Drape into corners of pie pan.
Using kitchen scissors or a knife, cut around edge of pie pan.
Crimp edge with fingers.
See? Wasn’t that easy? Now, if you want some premade ones for the freezer, just make them in disposable pie pans and put in a freezer plastic bag in the freezer.
And if you want a two-crust pie, just double the recipe and crimp the two edges together after filling the pie and topping with the second crust.
*BONUS RECIPE! Use your leftover crust, or even double it, and roll out, cut in strips, brush with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Bake at 400 degrees until golden and delicious!
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Wheatberry Salad
February 24, 2010 by
I love using whole wheat in lots of ways. High in nutrition and fiber, a great food storage item, and more versatile than you might think. You might see the name “wheat berries” more often now, but it is the same thing as wheat kernels. This salad is delicious, healthy and even better I think after it sits and the flavors marry more. I hope you love it too!
WHEAT BERRY SALAD
Serves 6
1 c hard winter wheat berries (wheat kernels)
kosher salt
1 c finely diced red onion (1 onion)
6 T olive oil, divided
2 T balsamic vinegar
3 scallions, sliced thin, white and green parts
1/2 red bell pepper, small-diced
1 carrot, small-diced
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Place the wheat berries and 3 cups of boiling salted water in a saucepan and cook, uncovered, over low heat for about 45 minutes, or until they are soft. Drain.
Saute the red onion in 2 T of the olive oil over med-low heat until translucent, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the remaining 4 T olive oil & the vinegar.
In a large bowl, combine the warm wheat berries, onions, scallions, red bell pepper, carrot, 1/2 tsp salt, and pepper. Allow the salad to sit for at least 30 minutes for the wheat berries to absorb the sauce. Season to taste and serve at room temp.
Source: Barefoot Contessa Family Style
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Corn Flake Cookies
February 20, 2010 by
These are a throw back to my childhood. And they’re also my oldest daughter’s favorite cookies. And I love how quick and easy they are to make. Only 5 ingredients and no baking time. I usually hate no-bake cookies. Some are decent enough, but rarely are they as good as a baked cookie in my opinion. These however are as good as they are quick! I hope you love em too!
CORN FLAKE COOKIES
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c corn syrup
1 c smooth peanut butter (or chunky if you prefer)
2 c corn flakes
1/2 c coconut
Stir together sugar and corn syrup in a pot. Bring to a boil over medium high heat.
Add in peanut butter, stir until smooth. Take off the heat and stir in corn flakes and coconut.
Drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper.
