tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80072018822510361072024-02-01T23:57:55.215-05:00Taste CraveJust the good stuff.Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07573322288184866347noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8007201882251036107.post-66148190378345037222012-01-01T13:34:00.002-05:002020-07-17T19:59:02.970-04:00Cappuccino Fudge Cheesecake<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
File this one into the category of, "I can't believe I actually made something this amazing".<br />
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I am not a baker, or a professional chef. If I can make this, anyone can!! Sure, it's time consuming but if you want to make something impressive and over-the-top tasty good, try this recipe! Oh also make it one day ahead to let the flavors mix n mingle and settle in together. </div>
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<b>Special Tools Needed:</b> food processor, coffee grinder, 10-inch-diameter springform pan with 3-inch-high sides (a.k.a: a "cheesecake pan") , electric or stand mixer, pastry bag (or use a Ziploc bag), and a small star tip. You'll also need some patience and some time. Prep + chilling time is over 3 hours. Final Chill is at least 6 hours - so don't go making this a few hours before you need to arrive at Aunt Margaret's pot luck supper!</div>
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<b>Ingredients </b></div>
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<b>Crust</b></div>
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1 9-ounce box chocolate wafer cookies</div>
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6 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips</div>
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1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed</div>
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1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg</div>
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7-8 tablespoons melted unsalted butter</div>
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<b>Chocolate Ganache</b></div>
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1 1/2 cups whipping cream or heavy cream</div>
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20 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips / or bars, chopped</div>
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1/4 cup coffee-flavored liqueur (I used Starbucks but you can use KahlĂșa or any other type) </div>
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<b>Filling</b></div>
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4 8-ounce packages cream cheese at room temperature ( I like Philly the best but use whatever kind you like)</div>
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1 1/3 cups granulated sugar</div>
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2 tbsp all-purpose flour</div>
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2 tbsp dark rum (I used Myers but you can use any dark rum...take a sip while you're at it. Makes cooking more fun!)</div>
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2 tbsp instant espresso powder</div>
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2 tbsp ground whole espresso coffee beans (medium-coarse grind)</div>
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1 tbsp vanilla</div>
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2 teaspoons light molasses</div>
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4 large eggs, room temperature</div>
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<b>Topping</b></div>
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1 1/2 cups sour cream</div>
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1/3 cup granulated sugar</div>
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2 tsp vanilla </div>
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<b>Instructions</b></div>
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<b>Crust</b></div>
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Finely grind up the cookies, chocolate, brown sugar, and nutmeg in a food processor. Add the melted butter and process until crumbs begin to stick together, scraping down bowl occasionally. This will be about a minute. </div>
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Transfer the crumb mixture to your springform pan. Press crumb mixture firmly up sides to within 1/2 inch of top edge, then over bottom of pan. ( Wrap your fingers with plastic wrap to make it easier... or just dip them in more melted butter... ) </div>
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<b>Ganache</b></div>
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Bring whipping cream to a simmer in large saucepan. Remove from heat; add in the chocolate and coffee liqueur. Whisk until chocolate is melted and ganache is smooth. Resist the urge to dip your fingers in and eat it. </div>
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Pour 2 cups ganache over bottom of crust. Freeze until ganache layer is firm, about 30 minutes. </div>
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Reserve remaining ganache; cover and let stand at room temperature to use later for creating lattice pattern.</div>
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<b>Filling</b></div>
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. </div>
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Using an electric or stand mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until blended. Beat in flour. </div>
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Stir rum, espresso powder, ground coffee, vanilla, and molasses in small bowl until instant coffee dissolves; beat into cream cheese mixture. </div>
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Beat in eggs 1 at a time, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl.</div>
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Pour filling over cold ganache. Place cheesecake on rimmed baking sheet. Bake until top is brown, puffed and cracked at edges, and center 2 inches moves only slightly when pan is gently shaken, about 1 hour 5 minutes. You don't need a water bath for this cheesecake because we're covering the top, so the cracks don't matter. </div>
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Transfer cheesecake to rack. Cool 15-20 minutes while preparing topping (note that the top of cheesecake will fall slightly,this is normal). Leave the oven on, still at 350. </div>
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<b>Topping</b>: </div>
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Whisk sour cream, sugar, and vanilla in medium bowl to blend. Pour topping over hot cheesecake, spreading to cover filling completely. Bake until topping is set, about 10 minutes. (You can turn the oven off now) </div>
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Transfer cheesecake to rack and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. </div>
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Run small sharp knife between crust and pan sides to loosen cake; release pan sides. I just leave the bottom part of the pan attached to the cheesecake. I am WAY too afraid of taking the cheesecake off of the metal disk. If you want to try it, you can feel free but it's perfectly OK to leave it on the bottom of the pan. </div>
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Spoon reserved ganache into pastry bag fitted with small star tip.</div>
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Pipe 6 diagonal lines atop cheesecake, spacing 1 inch apart. Repeat in opposite direction, making lattice. Pipe rosettes of ganache around top edge of cake. Chill until lattice is firm, at least 6 hours. Wrap loosely in foil, forming dome over lattice; keep refrigerated) </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDP5T7CUDqrxd1SMS7WvxuaIpa_h2fNmkXDE6H4d50LBBtmkSVyMSiWHeiug779xM_qlqm17O3qcXJBR1Jae5iLTiq3o26zI36k7mwxfaLet-PvjOOaWgXyY6xnyOkDxDOcQUNKzpg2LQD/s1600/DSCN2797.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDP5T7CUDqrxd1SMS7WvxuaIpa_h2fNmkXDE6H4d50LBBtmkSVyMSiWHeiug779xM_qlqm17O3qcXJBR1Jae5iLTiq3o26zI36k7mwxfaLet-PvjOOaWgXyY6xnyOkDxDOcQUNKzpg2LQD/s320/DSCN2797.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Recipe adapted from Epicurious.com</span></div>
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Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07573322288184866347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8007201882251036107.post-3033035214679768872012-01-01T13:05:00.002-05:002012-01-01T13:08:56.660-05:00Rustic Meatballs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnp7MHWElN8FkIq7ufk5KA-R4pwysCdYSSpw6IvXcnaYb0XvB_7Cs18axi5iE7eYh82hSzaBi6MbYTHw2IzxbMS3_2PThFlN6Z947CZfi6B8zJ9uPsyVy6Km9sQs-SdXi5OmKEoxOpMUTu/s1600/P1000016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnp7MHWElN8FkIq7ufk5KA-R4pwysCdYSSpw6IvXcnaYb0XvB_7Cs18axi5iE7eYh82hSzaBi6MbYTHw2IzxbMS3_2PThFlN6Z947CZfi6B8zJ9uPsyVy6Km9sQs-SdXi5OmKEoxOpMUTu/s320/P1000016.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>I love meatballs. My grandmother, who wasn't Italian, used to make some really great meatballs. Unfortunately she passed away and I never got the recipe. I have attempted to duplicate her recipe and I think they came out pretty close. I'm calling them "rustic" meatballs because of the rough chops of the garlic and onions, and also because they're not perfectly uniform and round. I set out to make them this way - so they not only match the texture and flavor of the meatballs she used to make .. but they match in appearance as well. Full recipe posted below.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6hg6QHoPAz2mI6_3tVzTECfi_sggZ-x4GUdQB8cIhZo8Ez-G2A_beLo2EtGXLkDTFSlQeRWWJrJUgrMz6XN-7vV2LPTtVZ8EbYSrp0RlHS8V2qeRMDFP6I8JD6PIOQTi4SMRq3ePQ5oLU/s1600/P1000005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6hg6QHoPAz2mI6_3tVzTECfi_sggZ-x4GUdQB8cIhZo8Ez-G2A_beLo2EtGXLkDTFSlQeRWWJrJUgrMz6XN-7vV2LPTtVZ8EbYSrp0RlHS8V2qeRMDFP6I8JD6PIOQTi4SMRq3ePQ5oLU/s200/P1000005.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>The meatballs are surprisingly easy to prepare -- basically just throw everything into a bowl and mix with your hands - sometimes it can be kind of fun to get your hands dirty.<br />
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The cast of characters includes ground beef, pork, and veal. To that I added some seasonings (salt, pepper, parsley, and Italian seasoning), some bread crumbs, and a rough chop of garlic. I used eggs and a bit of milk as the liquid ingredients.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4WriIcx0W08evobkfH1q5SAjYgZs29HEt7AqwsYVSe_rijbjXBUItB03-yCPp44aceWvz3-gs4V305U_nYq0ZKOC9vU3adI8DDj7yJKm4LcyqrKghjmyFdHFDAHC6EAAXXAUdFqYtnskw/s1600/P1000006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4WriIcx0W08evobkfH1q5SAjYgZs29HEt7AqwsYVSe_rijbjXBUItB03-yCPp44aceWvz3-gs4V305U_nYq0ZKOC9vU3adI8DDj7yJKm4LcyqrKghjmyFdHFDAHC6EAAXXAUdFqYtnskw/s200/P1000006.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />
Note, I didn't forget the onions - they're a key ingredient in these meatballs! I was afraid the onions would not get soft enough if I added them raw, so I rough chopped them and I sauteed them for a bit to soften them up. Once they were softened up, I let them cool for a bit in the fridge before I added them to the meatball mixture.<br />
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Once the onions are cooled, add them to the meatball mixture and get your hands in there and mix, mix, mix!<br />
Work all the ingredients together until it resembles this:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrUHgU4WlOp2AL35YPh9B5ekojbLjS7MmdVpfG8lRIci3Kkuf2MbkbSzEV4U6kaurpOIZLLmZOiZ2GMMWv_lEPEPEtyLdgGDAlucYJkP2vKQfvYRujU5nQ8QXfF5AfaXOjbdIWVcXlDWvG/s1600/P1000008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrUHgU4WlOp2AL35YPh9B5ekojbLjS7MmdVpfG8lRIci3Kkuf2MbkbSzEV4U6kaurpOIZLLmZOiZ2GMMWv_lEPEPEtyLdgGDAlucYJkP2vKQfvYRujU5nQ8QXfF5AfaXOjbdIWVcXlDWvG/s200/P1000008.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />
You'll note that the onions don't seem to be mixed that well and, well, you're right. I may have used a bit too many onions but I wanted to ensure that each meatball had some onion-y goodness in it. It's okay if not all the onions get incorporated into the mixture.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsnj7hHg0P3mJ7ElHf40O7J1poDhGpAICT9RALlQGaym8i0XJQj6TZPrMkJ4KJO6JHs8t7jjqXLtmDHn_smZ2d5Z9E5_W9NMquqOuwbrbhtoaXtLv7MXRCMuQlg4rs65jTuLfLJSo2NZHu/s1600/P1000010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsnj7hHg0P3mJ7ElHf40O7J1poDhGpAICT9RALlQGaym8i0XJQj6TZPrMkJ4KJO6JHs8t7jjqXLtmDHn_smZ2d5Z9E5_W9NMquqOuwbrbhtoaXtLv7MXRCMuQlg4rs65jTuLfLJSo2NZHu/s200/P1000010.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>Next -- get out a pan and heat it up to medium (I used the same pan that I sauteed the onions in). Start rolling the meatballs and adding them to the pan. Note: do not over fill the pan, you'll need room to maneuver and flip the meatballs to get them browned on all sides. <br />
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I average about 12-13 meatballs in the frying pan and I have a decently big frying pan. Turn each meatball around so that each side gets browned. <br />
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Take them out when they are done and repeat until all the remaining meatballs are browned.<br />
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Now your options are to either throw them into a crock pot filled with sauce and cook until they are done, or you can bake them in the oven for about 30 minutes. If you really want to go nuts, make your own sauce and let the meatballs cook and simmer in there.<br />
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<b>Ingredients</b> - Yield 40 "medium" sized meatballs<br />
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1.5 pounds ground beef (85% fat)<br />
.75 pound ground pork<br />
.75 pound ground veal<br />
3 large eggs<br />
6-8 cloves garlic, roughly chopped<br />
2 medium onions, roughly chopped<br />
2 tbsp parsley<br />
2 tbsp Italian seasoning<br />
1 tsp salt<br />
1 tsp black pepper<br />
2 cups bread crumbs (I used Italian seasoned crumbs)<br />
1/4 cup milk<br />
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Crock pot method - you'll need 3 jars of sauce. I use a mixture of tomato/basil and marinara.<br />
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If baking the meatballs, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.<br />
If using a crock pot, add 3 jars of sauce to a crock pot and turn it on high.<br />
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Saute the onions until soft, cool and set aside.<br />
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In a large bowl, combine the meat, eggs, bread crumbs, parsley, Italian seasoning, garlic, milk, salt, and pepper. Mix it all together with your hands. Get dirty! Add in the cooled onions and mix some more.<br />
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Form into balls 1.5-2" in diameter and add to a frying pan. Brown on all sides, and then remove from pan. Repeat until all meat mixture is used up and you have browned all the meatballs.<br />
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If using a crock pot, simply place the meatballs into the sauce and keep in on high until the meatballs are cooked through - approximately 3 hours.<br />
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If baking, add to preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes. (less time if you're making smaller meatballs, longer if you are making larger meatballs).<br />
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That's it, Enjoy!Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07573322288184866347noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8007201882251036107.post-34500616715380011202011-09-03T10:09:00.002-04:002011-09-03T17:29:51.929-04:00Easy Cornbread Mini Muffins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnKKUkNUJz8OgRzOmEy9FLFDbvL6jfQ-XFwN0JmZm8OF3IgFxiFaXmY5L7SZq4zWjQv7D-Nk92yyIhYocSRQNUa2751vqQYwQSW-jlvx2eN0hdYfCIKHRTS27_wcwsON8xTehgvf6u9F2G/s1600/337560_10150357064148980_527963979_9695537_7939840_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnKKUkNUJz8OgRzOmEy9FLFDbvL6jfQ-XFwN0JmZm8OF3IgFxiFaXmY5L7SZq4zWjQv7D-Nk92yyIhYocSRQNUa2751vqQYwQSW-jlvx2eN0hdYfCIKHRTS27_wcwsON8xTehgvf6u9F2G/s320/337560_10150357064148980_527963979_9695537_7939840_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
So we're having this big Labor Day BBQ tomorrow (50+ people, yikes!) and I am making a ton of BBQ chicken and pulled pork .... I needed something to go with it. I decided to make cornbread mini muffins. Good idea, right? Well to be honest the only cornbread I'd ever attempted was Jiffy mix cornbread and , well, I'm sure you can guess the outcome of that.<br />
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<i>Blech</i>.<br />
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So I wanted an easy, homemade cornbread recipe -- made into mini muffins so I wouldn't have a gigantic mess from people cutting pieces out of a cornbread loaf. Plus I thought they'd look cute in baskets lined with red/white checked napkins.<br />
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<b>Easy Buttermilk Cornbread Mini Muffins</b><br />
<i>Makes 48 mini muffins</i><br />
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2 cups all purpose flour<br />
2 cups yellow cornmeal<br />
1/2 cup granulated sugar<br />
1/2 tsp salt<br />
1/2 tsp baking soda<br />
1 tbsp baking powder<br />
1/2 cup canola oil<br />
2 eggs, beaten<br />
2 cups buttermilk<br />
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<b>Instructions</b><br />
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.<br />
Next, get our your mini muffin pans. You'll need two pans (24 mini-muffins each). I used one light colored, and 1 dark colored and they both came out the same. Well, maybe the dark colored one came out slightly more browned on the bottom but the taste was nonetheless the same. Use whatever pans you have, don't stress!<br />
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OK spray the muffin tins pretty well with cooking spray. I used olive oil spray but you could use any type you have on hand. If you don't have any cooking spray, use a pastry brush with some melted butter in each tin. If you don't have butter, put some canola oil on a paper towel and rub it in the tins. If you don't have any oil, well, then you probably need to head to the grocery store.<br />
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OK pans all lubed up. Now, in a decent size mixing bowl, add in the dry ingredients + the sugar. Stir it all up or sift it so it's nicely combined. In another (smaller) bowl, add in the buttermilk, beaten eggs, and oil. Mix that up a bit. Pour it into the dry ingredient bowl and mix it good. No need for an electric mixer here, a wooden spoon works best.<br />
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Scoop the batter into the muffin tins until it's just under "full". If you have a cookie scoop, your life will be much easier. If you don't have a cookie scoop, don't fret, it'll just be a bit messier for you. Ok once the muffin tins are full, give them a shake against your counter to settle the batter.<br />
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Pop them in the 375 degree oven for 10 minutes. They're done when a toothpick inserted into the center of the mini muffin comes out clean.<br />
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If you want to make regular muffins, you can do that too. Bake for 16-18 minutes depending on muffin size. Rely on the toothpick check to tell when they are done.<br />
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That's it. Now, take them out of the oven and let them sit for a few minutes so you don't burn your hands (we all know what that's like). After a few minutes have gone by, take them out of the muffin tins and put them on a cooling rack. Resist the urge to eat them (actually grab some butter, slather it on and enjoy one... nobody will know).<br />
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Serve warm or room temperature.<br />
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If storing, <b>cool them completely</b> put in an airtight container or wrap tightly with plastic wrap.<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
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Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07573322288184866347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8007201882251036107.post-72783077313451337802010-10-18T22:33:00.000-04:002010-10-18T22:33:33.394-04:00Smores BarsNot quite a brownie, not quite a cake, these smores bars are just plain yummy! They're chewy, chocolatey, and delicious!<div><br />
</div><div>The ingredients: </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m194/finzup-kt/tastecrave/DSCN2028.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m194/finzup-kt/tastecrave/DSCN2028.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">You'll note that there's a carton of whole milk in that picture - but I actually forgot to add it to the recipe. They came out just fine! I think though, if you add the milk, the bars will come out less dense and chewy. I will post the full recipe below. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When making these, it's best to line the pan with aluminum foil, and then butter it. I had no problem removing them from the pan with the butter/foil method. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Then you mix the wet ingredients, add in the dry, and press into the buttered, foil lined pan</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The mixture is very thick when you forget to add the milk, but it works!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div><br />
</div><div>Throw the pan into the oven and bake halfway. Take the pan out and then arrange marshmallows in rows. Put the pan back in the oven and bake a while longer. The marshmallows get big, puffy, and golden brown :</div><div><br />
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<div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m194/finzup-kt/tastecrave/DSCN2034.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m194/finzup-kt/tastecrave/DSCN2034.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Once you take them out of the oven, they "calm down" and flatten. Let them cool in the pan, then cut and enjoy. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m194/finzup-kt/tastecrave/DSCN2037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="327" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m194/finzup-kt/tastecrave/DSCN2037.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">They look a bit like fried eggs, but let me assure you they taste really good :)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Serve warm - They can be stored for a few days - I recommend popping them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to heat them back up. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Ingredients</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 cups graham cracker crumbs (make them yourself in a food processor, or get the Keebler ready made graham cracker crumbs) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1/4 cup all-purpose flour</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 1/2 tsp baking powder</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1/4 tsp salt</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1/2 cup unsalted butter (room temp) + butter to line the bottom of the pan </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">3 large eggs</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 tsp vanilla</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">3/4 cup whole milk (optional - use it if you want more cake like bars.. don't use it if you want chewy brownie like bars) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">12-16 ounces semi sweet chocolate chunks (either buy the chunks or cut up some chocolate bars) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">15 marshmallows</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Kitchen Tools</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">13 x 9 baking pan</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">aluminum foil </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Stand mixer or hand mixer</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Instructions</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Preheat oven to 325 degrees. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Line bottom and sides of baking pan with aluminum foil and then coat it liberally with butter. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Put the graham cracker crumbs, flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and stir to combine. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar (with hand mixer or stand mixer) until the mixture looks creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Add in half the crumb mixture and mix until blended. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here is where you would add the milk if you are using it. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Mix in the remaining crumb mixture, and then stir in the chocolate pieces. Scoop batter into pan and spread it evenly. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Bake for 20 minutes, then remove the pan from the oven and arrange the marshmallows on top of the cake - three rows of 5 marshmallows. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Continue baking until the marshmallows are golden brown and puffed up - about 15 minutes. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Take the cake out of the oven and immediately loosen it from the sides using a small knife. Cool the cake, in the pan, on a wire rack. When ready to serve, just lift the foil out of the pan and cut it into slices. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Serve warm or microwave to reheat. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m194/finzup-kt/tastecrave/DSCN2038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m194/finzup-kt/tastecrave/DSCN2038.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Enjoy!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div></div></div></div>Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07573322288184866347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8007201882251036107.post-55884781899307522522010-10-18T21:44:00.006-04:002010-10-18T22:08:42.243-04:00Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip CookiesI have to say I have never really been a fan of peanut butter. I hated how it stuck to the roof of my mouth, how it was too gritty, too chunky, or just plan something I just wasn't ever in the mood for. I never craved peanut butter <i>anything. </i> I didn't even really enjoy Reese's peanut butter cups - I just felt that there were better candy / dessert options out there. Well, you know how people's tastes change every so often? Mine has - big time. I now literally cannot get enough peanut butter! I think I may even have had a dream about peanut butter the other day.<br />
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I got a new Kitchen Aid mixer for a wedding present and so I decided to whip up a batch of cookies (peanut butter, of course). I couldn't just do plain peanut butter - I had to add chocolate chips :)<br />
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OK so on to the cookies! Here are the cast of characters: (I'll post the full recipe below)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m194/finzup-kt/tastecrave/DSCN1975.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m194/finzup-kt/tastecrave/DSCN1975.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Basic cookie ingredients - nothing too fancy - flour, sugar, vanilla, butter, an egg, salt, brown sugar, baking soda, oh, and peanut butter. I use natural peanut butter because I don't like the idea of hydrogenated oils in my cookies. There's something not quite right about it. Anyway, I found some of the natural peanut butters can get a bit gritty - so for these cookies I used Skippy Natural, which is as creamy as the peanut butter with the hydrogenated oils (so tell me again why we need these silly trans fats??)<br />
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I have to say my Kitchenaid mixer is THE BOMB. I love how easy it all was!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m194/finzup-kt/tastecrave/DSCN1982.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m194/finzup-kt/tastecrave/DSCN1982.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Once they were all mixed up, I rolled them into balls and placed them on a cookie sheet. Then take a fork and smoosh the cookie down till it's flat and has a nice criss cross pattern on it. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m194/finzup-kt/tastecrave/DSCN1976.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m194/finzup-kt/tastecrave/DSCN1976.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m194/finzup-kt/tastecrave/DSCN1978.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m194/finzup-kt/tastecrave/DSCN1978.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Bake them and enjoy the aroma of cookies. There's nothing like the smell of fresh baked cookies!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m194/finzup-kt/tastecrave/DSCN1985.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="252" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m194/finzup-kt/tastecrave/DSCN1985.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Take them out of the oven and try to let them cool off a bit before you eat them. I couldn't wait that long and burned the roof of my mouth. Some day I will learn about restraint. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m194/finzup-kt/tastecrave/DSCN1991.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m194/finzup-kt/tastecrave/DSCN1991.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Serve with a big glass of cold milk !</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here's the recipe: </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Ingredients<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">1/2 cup smooth natural peanut butter</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">1/2 cup unsalted butter</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">1/2 cup granulated sugar</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">1/2 cup brown sugar</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">1 egg</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">1/2 tsp vanilla</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">1/2 tsp baking soda</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">1/4 tsp salt</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">1 1/4 cup all purpose flour</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Kitchen Tools Needed:</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Mixer (either a stand mixer or hand mixer) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Cookie Sheet (s) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Spatula</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Wire racks for cooling </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Instructions</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Preheat oven to 375 degrees.<b> </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Cream butter and peanut butter in mixing bowl. Beat until smooth - about 1 minute. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Add sugar, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla - beat until combined. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Mix flour, baking soda, and salt together, and gradually add into the wet mixture. Mix until well combined. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Add in chocolate chips and stir gently. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Roll dough into 1 inch balls and place about 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet, or a sheet lined with parchment paper. Press flat with a fork in a criss-cross pattern. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Bake until golden brown - 10-12 minutes. Be careful not to over cook, these can get a bit dry.. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Remove from baking sheet and cool on a wire rack. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Variations</b> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><ul><li>Skip the chocolate chips</li>
<li>Add butterscotch chips</li>
<li>Add peanut butter chips </li>
<li>Combine peanut butter and chocolate chips together</li>
<li>Add in some chopped nuts </li>
</ul>The options are pretty much endless :)<br />
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</div>Enjoy!Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07573322288184866347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8007201882251036107.post-47492477270000547162010-01-25T07:40:00.002-05:002010-01-25T19:09:06.151-05:00Nigella Lawson's Nutella Cake<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m194/finzup-kt/tastecrave/?action=view&current=DSC_3405.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="286" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m194/finzup-kt/tastecrave/DSC_3405.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>My sister loves Nutella. But honestly I have never met anyone that didn't love Nutella. So for her birthday she wanted a Nutella cake. I found Nigella's cake and decided it looked really amazing and I had to make it for her. <br />
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The cake is flourless, making it gluten free as well. It's surprisingly simple to make, too!<br />
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Besides a springform pan, you will need the following cast of characters: (Note: I'll list the amounts and exact directions below) <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m194/finzup-kt/tastecrave/?action=view&current=DSC_3284.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m194/finzup-kt/tastecrave/DSC_3284.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
</div>First step is to grind up the hazelnuts into a powder. I used a blender. If you use a blender, be sure to only pulse it so that the heat of the blades doesn't liquify the nuts. They should look like this when done:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m194/finzup-kt/tastecrave/?action=view&current=DSC_3289.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m194/finzup-kt/tastecrave/DSC_3289.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
</div>Next, melt the chocolate and set it aside so it can cool. I had to try not to "accidentally" stick my fingers in there to taste it. <br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m194/finzup-kt/tastecrave/?action=view&current=DSC_3293.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m194/finzup-kt/tastecrave/DSC_3293.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
</div>Now, whip up those egg whites!<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m194/finzup-kt/tastecrave/?action=view&current=DSC_3296.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m194/finzup-kt/tastecrave/DSC_3296.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
</div><br />
Then make the rest of the cake batter (which only contains Nutella, egg yolks, butter, rum, and melted chocolate.) Yum. <br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m194/finzup-kt/tastecrave/?action=view&current=DSC_3299.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m194/finzup-kt/tastecrave/DSC_3299.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
</div>After the batter is done, fold in all the egg whites and pour it into a buttered pan and put it in the 350 degree oven. <br />
<br />
Now, toast up some hazelnuts in a frying pan (don't use oil or anything). Use med/high heat and mix them CONSTANTLY. They will burn and get ruined and you will be sad, and have to throw them away. <br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m194/finzup-kt/tastecrave/?action=view&current=DSC_3301.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m194/finzup-kt/tastecrave/DSC_3301.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
</div>Once they are heated through and starting to brown (some of the shells will fall off in the frying pan), transfer them to a towel and rub them, and most of the rest of the skins will come off as well. <br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m194/finzup-kt/tastecrave/?action=view&current=DSC_3302.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m194/finzup-kt/tastecrave/DSC_3302.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
</div>OK.. Then make the ganache. <br />
<br />
By now the cake is out of the oven. Let it cool! Top with ganache and toasted hazelnuts, and voila!<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m194/finzup-kt/tastecrave/?action=view&current=DSC_3396.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m194/finzup-kt/tastecrave/DSC_3396.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
</div><b><u>Complete Recipe</u></b><br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients</b><br />
Cake:<br />
1/2 cup finely ground hazelnuts<br />
6 large eggs, separated<br />
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened<br />
1 13-ounce container Nutella<br />
1 tablespoon rum or Frangelico (I used aged rum)<br />
4 ounces semi-sweet/bittersweet chocolate, melted and<br />
cooled (I used 72% and it came out great. Use what you like!) <br />
pinch of salt (approx 1/8 tsp)<br />
<br />
Ganache:<br />
4 ounces whole hazelnuts <br />
1/2 cup heavy or whipping cream <br />
4 ounces semi-sweet/bittersweet chocolate (I used 72%) <br />
1 tablespoon rum or frangelico<br />
<br />
<b>Instructions</b><br />
<br />
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. <br />
<br />
Butter a 9-inch springform pan. Don't skimp, make sure the butter gets into all the crevices of the pan. We don't want this lovely beauty to stick! <br />
<br />
Next, In a large bowl (metal works best, but I used glass and it was fine),<br />
whisk the egg whites and salt until stiff. I used a hand mixer. Start first on low, then once it starts to get thicker you can gradually increase the speed. Start out too fast and there will be egg whites all over your walls. <br />
<br />
In another bowl, with a mixer, cream the butter and Nutella, then add<br />
the rum/frangelico, egg yolks, and ground hazelnuts. <br />
<br />
Fold in the melted chocolate gently. <br />
<br />
Add a scoop of beaten egg whites to the chocolate batter, and mix gently until well-combined. Best to use a rubber spatula and be very gentle so as not to break the egg whites. <br />
<br />
Fold in the remaining whites a scoop at a time, mix very gently but thoroughly. <br />
<br />
Pour into the buttered springform and bake for 40 minutes. <br />
Test for doneness by inserting tester, which should come out mostly clean; lightly pressing finger into top to check for a slight bouncing-back; and observing edges beginning to separate from pan. <br />
Let cool completely, in pan, on a rack.<br />
<br />
Toast the hazelnuts in a dry skillet shaking them around frequently. <br />
Do this until they are lightly browned. If the hazelnuts came with the skins on, simply put them in a kitchen towel after toasting and rub around. This will remove most of the skins from them easily. Cool them completely before using them. <br />
<br />
For the Ganache, break or chop up the chocolate, and add to a sauce pan with the heavy cream and the rum or frangelico. Heat over medium to low heat until mixed. Whisk it until it is silky and gorgeous. <br />
Important - let it cool!<br />
<br />
Assembly-<br />
Take cooled cake pan out of springform pan. Top with cooled ganache. I like to let it drip over the edges. You can be neat about it too if you like :)<br />
Sprinkle or arrange the hazelnuts on top. <br />
<br />
Enjoy!Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07573322288184866347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8007201882251036107.post-18832657865793453432010-01-11T19:48:00.004-05:002010-01-11T19:53:48.467-05:00Chocolate Espresso Snowcaps - pretty AND delicious<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span></span>I went to a cookie exchange party in December and made these. They came out so pretty and everyone really loved them. They almost taste like a cookie/brownie. I got the recipe from Martha Stewart's website and wanted to share with you all. They are really, really good. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikSFIllAlQ9BJdaxAOPv9sWQwmWIfsGC_5YPPSPYB4ODJR2Wfn47zWqFi9wrv0zAkBUtG1mjjAI4ySsf3NpRQfEPbOizkcweJFRRCZLWEyQ6lUe_iXqWDWG9Uo5UNDjuDM6XCThwxoeEB9/s1600-h/DSC_2793.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikSFIllAlQ9BJdaxAOPv9sWQwmWIfsGC_5YPPSPYB4ODJR2Wfn47zWqFi9wrv0zAkBUtG1mjjAI4ySsf3NpRQfEPbOizkcweJFRRCZLWEyQ6lUe_iXqWDWG9Uo5UNDjuDM6XCThwxoeEB9/s320/DSC_2793.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><strong>Ingredients</strong><br />
<br />
1/2 cup all-purpose flour<br />
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder<br />
4 teaspoons instant espresso<br />
1 teaspoon baking powder<br />
1/8 teaspoon salt<br />
4 tablespoons unsalted butter<br />
2/3 cup packed light-brown sugar<br />
1 large egg<br />
4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled<br />
1 tablespoon milk<br />
Confectioners' sugar, for coating, about 1/2 cup to maybe 3/4 cup. <br />
<br />
<strong>Directions</strong><br />
First step, be sure to melt the chocolate so it has time to cool. <br />
<br />
Next, In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, espresso, baking powder, and salt. <br />
<br />
Then cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy (use an electric mixer). Beat in egg until well combined; mix in cooled chocolate. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture; beat in milk until just combined. The dough is going to be tough.. but it will all mix together!<br />
Lay out some plastic wrap and plop the dough on it. Flatten it into a disk and then wrap in plastic. <br />
Freeze until firm, about 45 minutes. <br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. (Your hands WILL get dirty. Embrace it.). <br />
Pour confectioners' sugar (about 1/2 cup) into a medium bowl; working in batches, roll balls in sugar two times, letting them sit in sugar between coatings.<br />
<br />
Place on prepared baking sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies have spread and coating is cracked, 12 to 14 minutes; cookies will still be soft to the touch. Cool cookies on a wire rack. Try not to eat them all at once :)<br />
<br />
****<br />
The recipe indicated that it made 18 cookies. I must've made them a bit smaller because I got about 28 cookies out of each recipe.<br />
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</div>Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07573322288184866347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8007201882251036107.post-91364445938246845852010-01-10T19:55:00.001-05:002010-01-10T19:58:55.250-05:00Roasted Broccoli / Cauliflower that anyone will LOVE<span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Let me start out by saying I HATE broccoli and I DESPISE cauliflower. Truly. I hear their names and think "blech". Something about all broccoli and all cauliflower just turns my stomach. <br />
<br />
Until now. <br />
<br />
I have found a way to prepare broccoli and cauliflower that is not only healthy but fan-freakin-tastic. I wouldn't lie to you!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
The secret is roasting it at high high heat and few tricks along the way...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdU0RfhRQ22r2GSqBEJ39dkpOADo7GQG5HTs_ioJukhyphenhyphennhhVki8Xj5PCZF4JE9yhZc2jjEkStprBxvT-501ER1D0ItcDeRUHxM4llmMIw6htXZ1WQZ6wxOfEOOstk56I2O9GWCvDIAYwhg/s1600-h/broccoli.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdU0RfhRQ22r2GSqBEJ39dkpOADo7GQG5HTs_ioJukhyphenhyphennhhVki8Xj5PCZF4JE9yhZc2jjEkStprBxvT-501ER1D0ItcDeRUHxM4llmMIw6htXZ1WQZ6wxOfEOOstk56I2O9GWCvDIAYwhg/s200/broccoli.png" /></a></div><br />
1. Get a fresh head of cauliflower or broccoli. No frozen and not pre-chopped in a bag. It is too "moist" and won't turn out right. In fact it will be down right awful. It must just be the head of the broccoli or cauliflower. I know it's going to be weird buying it. If you don't like broccoli or cauliflower, you'll be thinking, <i>"I just know I'm going to hate this"</i>. Buy it anyway!<br />
<br />
2. Now, this may sound gross but don't wash the broccoli/cauliflower. It's going to be in the oven at 425 degrees, it'll kill anything on it. If you must wash it, you have to dry it so that there is not a remaining drop of moisture on it.<br />
<br />
3. Get out a cookie sheet and cover it with aluminium foil. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.<br />
<br />
4. Cut up the broccoli (I'll just use 'broccoli' for the rest of the instructions -- but it's the same whether you are using broccoli or cauliflower). Now -- you must must must cut the broccoli into small pieces. If the pieces are too big they won't taste good. Only use the crowns and cut them into pieces no bigger than 1" square. As you cut them, throw them onto the cookie sheet.<br />
<br />
5. Get out some olive oil. Give the broccoli a good drizzle (1-2 tbsp) and then sprinkle with kosher salt and use those hands to mix it all together. You may find you need to add a bit more oil. The oil will cook off and also be left in the pan, so don't think that because you're adding all that oil that you will be ingesting all that oil. Besides, olive oil is your friend. Arrange the broccoli so it's in 1 layer on the cookie sheet.<br />
<br />
6. By now the oven should be heated up. Put the broccoli in the oven and set the timer for 15 minutes. I know right now you broccoli-haters are thinking, "<i>I am going to hate this</i>". I thought the same thing. I didn't believe I could like, no wait, that I could <b>LOVE</b> broccoli. You can too!<br />
<br />
7. After the 15 minutes are up, take the broccoli out and mix it around a bit. Rearrange it on the cookie sheet and throw it back into the oven for another 12-15 minutes.<br />
<br />
8. When the timer goes off, take the broccoli out of the oven. You will know when it is done. The edges will be "crispy" looking and it will have gotten lots smaller and darker in color.<br />
<br />
9. Now if you are a salt person give it another sprinkle of salt. Then take some lemon juice (I use "real lemon" stuff but you could use an actual lemon). I use about 2 tsp worth of lemon juice. Sprinkle it all over the broccoli. Then, get some fresh grated Parmesan cheese (I use the Trader Joes pre-shredded kind -- it comes in a tub and is very convenient). Grab some of that and sprinkle it all over your broccoli. Now mix it up. Don't be scared.<br />
<br />
10. Serve it up, eat and enjoy. Seriously I eat like 3 crowns of broccoli this way. It's soooo good!!!<br />
<br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
I think the trick is that the olive oil almost 'oven fries' them. The fact that they are so small, all the moisture is removed. All of that bad broccoli/cauliflower taste goes away and you are left with something magnificent.<br />
<br />
If I could eat pasta on my diet I would toss the roasted broccoli in with some pasta, olive oil, Parmesan cheese, white wine, and crushed red pepper. Maybe even add in some shrimp or chicken breast. Now that would be delicious!<br />
<br />
But as it is, I devour it just as it is, as a side dish. I'm not a vegetarian but I could easily make a meal out of it with maybe a sweet potato on the side.<br />
<br />
I am pretty sure you can do this with other vegetables too -- I have tried Brussels sprouts - which I also LOATHE and they came out "just okay". I realized that my problem was that they were too big - I cut them in half but I think they need to be smaller. So I would recommend quartering them instead of halving them.<br />
<br />
<br />
That's it.. enjoy!</span>Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07573322288184866347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8007201882251036107.post-48741630281305632392010-01-10T17:32:00.002-05:002010-01-10T19:35:22.025-05:00Lighten up your Chicken Pot Pie!I have not ever heard of a person that does not love chicken pot pie. It's comfort food at it's finest. We decided to make chicken pot pie the other day and every recipe I found had either light cream, half & half, whole milk, or condensed mushroom soup in it. I thought there has to be a way to lighten up chicken pot pie a bit.<br />
<br />
So I set off to device a lower in fat and calorie chicken pot pie recipe that still <strong>tasted good</strong>. Turns out it was pretty easy! My basic substitutions were to eliminate the bottom crust, and to substitute skim/nonfat milk for the cream/half & half. I don't use any soup mix at all. The result? A pie that was so amazing, I literally could not tell that it was a healthier version.<br />
<br />
So, I get that even my lighter version is still not the pinnacle of heath (I wouldn't eat it while on my diet) but for a "cheat day" or day when you want to splurge a bit, why not try my lower-fat chicken pot pie?<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsOqS3_EYJ3Pq-joYrN-gk9TLZ2K_yOgNeTtHOhDJiJe0QBq4iOC1weH9-CCqsGC-wdaTgc66JHAuWRc23vo3euSRB0bP3tQK79nTz9gqrOdBG31kzhyx8lYLlxXVHnt0QrIZUtzBFRCe6/s1600-h/DSC_2798.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsOqS3_EYJ3Pq-joYrN-gk9TLZ2K_yOgNeTtHOhDJiJe0QBq4iOC1weH9-CCqsGC-wdaTgc66JHAuWRc23vo3euSRB0bP3tQK79nTz9gqrOdBG31kzhyx8lYLlxXVHnt0QrIZUtzBFRCe6/s320/DSC_2798.JPG" style="clear: both; float: right; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" /></a><br />
<br />
<strong>Katie's Lower-Fat-But-Still-Delicious Chicken Pot Pie<br />
</strong>serves 4-6<br />
<br />
<strong><u>Ingredients</u><br />
</strong>1 pound of chicken breast, boneless, skinless, cut into cubes<br />
1 bag of frozen vegetables (any kind you like, really) - I use a blend of peas, carrots, lima beans (or whatever's in the freezer)<br />
1/2 cup (approx) celery -cut up into small pieces<br />
1/4 cup butter<br />
1/2 cup chopped onion<br />
1/3 cup all purpose flour<br />
salt and pepper to taste<br />
2 cups (16 oz) chicken broth or turkey broth or vegetable broth (I prefer the low sodium kind)<br />
1 cup skim/nonfat milk<br />
1 ready made pie crust<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong><u>Directions<br />
</u></strong>Preheat the oven to 425<br />
<br />
In a medium to large sauce pan add the chicken, frozen vegetables, celery, and enough water to cover it and boil it for 15 minutes.<br />
Remove from heat, drain and set aside.<br />
Same pan, medium heat, add in butter and onions and cook until they are soft.<br />
Stir in flour, cook until flour is mixed in - maybe a minute or so.<br />
Slowly add in the chicken broth (or veg broth or turkey broth) and milk. Simmer on medium-low until thick.<br />
Season to taste with salt and pepper.<br />
Pour the chicken & vegetables into the pie pan. Pour hot liquid mixture over the veg/meat mixture.<br />
Cover with the pie crust, seal it, and cut a few slits to vent it.<br />
<br />
Bake 30-35 minutes<br />
Cool 10 minutes before serving.<br />
<br />
<strong>Variations: </strong>Use turkey instead of chicken. Use really any kind of frozen vegetables. Add mushrooms. Whatever you do, it'll likely be delicious!<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>Nutrition Info: </strong><br />
<br />
6 Servings, Amount Per Serving<br />
<span style="font-size: 78%;"><br />
Calories - 339.5<br />
Total Fat - 15.8 g<br />
Saturated Fat - 7.4 g<br />
Polyunsaturated Fat -1.5 g<br />
Monounsaturated Fat - 5.5 g<br />
Cholesterol - 66.7 mg<br />
Sodium 612.7 mg<br />
Potassium - 438.1 mg<br />
Total Carbohydrate- 26.2 g<br />
Dietary Fiber - 2.7 g<br />
Sugars - 4.9 g<br />
Protein - 22.8 g<br />
</span><br />
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</div>Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07573322288184866347noreply@blogger.com0