Brown Butter Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Mocha Cookies

June 13th, 2013 Posted in Desserts, Snacks
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INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter
  • 1 1/4 cups packed dark brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons instant coffee powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup caramel bits (can sub in butterscotch bits)
  • 3/4 cup chocolate chips
  • coarse sea salt for spinkling

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  The butter will start to foam when shortly after it begins to boil. when it starts getting foamy, start whisking. The solids in the butter will sink to the bottom and eventually start to brown. The butter will start to smell fragrant and nutty and fantastic. Brown butter should be a light, golden brown (as seen in the picture below) . Its very easy to overcook the butter. From experience- if you are unsure about whether its done or not- I will say that its nicer to undercook the brown butter than to burn it. Remove the butter from heat as soon as the right colour is achieved- putting it in a different bowl to cool. Note: if you choose to let the butter cool in the same pan you were browning it in it will continue to brown and may burn. The whole process of browning butter should take no more than ten minutes- depending on how hot your stove runs.

2. Whisk together the flour, coffee, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and set aside.

3. Whisk the butter and sugars together until smooth. Add in the egg, yolk, and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and mix using an electric mixer on low until its cookie dough consistency. Mix in the caramels and chocolate chips.

4. Form into cookies and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes (mine only took 9) in convection oven until edges just start to turn golden brown. Sprinkle with sea salt and let cool. Enjoy!

 

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Feta & Bacon Stuffed Chicken Breast for 2

June 13th, 2013 Posted in Main Courses
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This was super easy and super delicious!

  • 2 tbs olive oil
  • 4 tbs feta cheese
  • 1 tbs oregano
  • 2 tbs lemon juice
  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts – sliced down the center for stuffing.
  • 4 pieces of bacon, fried and drained.
  • 1 clove crushed garlic
  • salt & pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Stuff your chicken breasts with two slices of bacon and two tbs of feta each, place in oven safe dish.
  2. Mix the olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, & oregano in a small bowl.
  3. Drizzle the oil mixture over the stuffed breasts.

Cook at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes- or until juices run clear and chicken is hot throughout.

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Cauliflower Pizza Crust w/ BBQ Chicken Pizza Recipe

June 2nd, 2013 Posted in Main Courses
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Cauliflower pizza crust is something I’ve been reading up on for a while before actually attempting to make. I wasn’t entirely convinced it would be as good as a regular bread style pizza (and really, nothing is as good as cheesey, meaty carbs) but I will say this recipe is really nice and is a great alternative if you are watching carbs but love to indulge in the occasional slice of pizza-y goodness. I used two recipes as a base for this – one was more for the crust and one for the toppings and tweaked them to make it my own.

Cauliflower Pizza Crust:

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 small to medium sized head of cauliflower – about 2-3 cups processed
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 tbs chili flakes
  • 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese
  • 1 egg

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Lay out a peice of parchment paper on a pizza stone and spray with a non stick oil.
  2. Wash and dry a small to medium head of cauliflower. Cut off the stems and discard. Pop the florets in the food processor and  process until the cauliflower is a snow like texture. You should have between 2-3 cups of the cauliflower crumbs.
  3. Put the cauliflower crumbs in a microwave safe bowl and cook for about 5 minutes. Lay out a clean tea towel, and when the cooked cauliflower is done in the microwaves, pour the cauliflower onto the tea towel and let cool. After its cool enough to handle, squeeze excess water into a bowl. Its really important the cauliflower has as much liquid removed as possible. I get about 1/2 – 2/3 of a cup of water out of a head of cauliflower. Keep squeezing until all the excess liquid is strained out.
  4. Put the strained cauliflower in a medium sized bowl and add parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, 1/4 tsp salt, 1 tsp oregano, garlic powder, egg and some red pepper chili flakes if you want. mix it up with your hands.
  5. Form a dough on the parchment paper- be careful not to make it too thick or too thin. Pat it down tightly, so that it sticks together better.
  6. Bake for about ten minutes in the oven or until the crust starts to look golden brown.
  7. Add toppings of your choice , and pop the pizza back into the oven for about 5 minutes until your cheese is all melty and gooey.
  8. Allow to cool for a few minutes and enjoy!
When its done properly, the crust will be slightly floppy but will still hold – so try not to overload it with toppings or you wont be able or it might be too heavy for your crust. The crust should not be crumbly – if that is a problem you are having more than likely the water was not strained out enough.  Additionally- it makes a small to medium sized pizza- if you are feeding a family or a crowd- you’re going to want to make two or three. 

Toppings for a BBQ Chicken Pizza (as seen below) :

  • 2/3 a cup of mozzarella cheese
  • 2/3 cup cheddar cheese
  • 1 chicken breast cooked & cubed and slathered in BBQ sauce of your choice
  • 1/4 red pepper sliced
  • 1/2 red onion sliced
  • 3 tbs fresh cilantro
  • BBQ sauce (used as a pizza sauce)
  • 6 plum tomatoes (I slow roasted them in olive oil for a few hours earlier in the day)

My first ever cauliflower crust pizza:

 

 

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Mocha Chocolate Cake & Coffee Butter Frosting

June 2nd, 2013 Posted in Desserts
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A yummy mocha cake I mastered for a friend’s upcoming birthday :D

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups white sugar
  • 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 cup hot strong brewed coffee with 2 tbs extra instant coffee mixed in.

DIRECTIONS:

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 9 inch round cake pans.

2. Measure flour, sugar, cocoa, oil, eggs, buttermilk, baking powder, soda, and salt into a mixing bowl. Dissolve instant coffee into the strong brewed coffee, and add to mixing bowl. Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes until smooth; batter will be thin. Pour into prepared pans.

3. Bake for about 30 minutes (mine were perfect at exactly 28 minutes but it will depend on how hot your oven runs), or until an inserted wooden pick comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, and then turn out onto racks to cool completely.

Notes:

This recipe layers quite nicely. I prefer to do four layers with coffee butter frosting  (below) in between.  It also freezes nicely. I like to make cakes ahead, and freeze them. I take them out the night before and let them thaw in the fridge. In my experience, this only ever improves the cake – something about un-thawing it keeps it moist. It also keeps the cake out-of-the-oven fresh (as opposed to baking the cake two or three days in advance and letting it sit out).

Coffee Butter Frosting

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa
  • powder
  • 1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
  • 1 tablespoon strong brewed coffee

DIRECTIONS:

  1. In a small bowl, stir together the sugar and cocoa powder. In another bowl, beat the butter until creamy, add in the sugar mixture. You’ll need to use a spatula to clean off the sides of the bowl. Stir in the coffee, and beat until smooth.

 

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Easy-Peasy Peach Bellini’s

June 1st, 2013 Posted in Drinks / Beverages
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INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 cups frozen peaches (or nice, ripe peeled and depitted fresh peaches)
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 3 oz peach schnapps
  • 1 bottle chilled Prosecco sparkling wine (you can sub for a different champagne if you like, but I like the Prosecco)
  • a splash of grenadine

DIRECTIONS:

Place the peaches, lemon juice, peach schnapps and sugar in a blender and blend until smooth. Fill each champagne glass about half full of the puree and top with cold prosecco. Drop a splash of grenadine into each cup for colour and drink up!

 

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Chocolate-Dipped, Cheesecake-Stuffed Strawberry Deliciousness!

June 1st, 2013 Posted in Desserts
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INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 pints strawberries
  • 8 oz cream cheese
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 8 graham crackers
  • 1 1/2 cups dark chocolate chips melted

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Rinse & prepare the strawberries. Slice a little off the bottom of each strawberry so it will be able to stand up nicely flat (and dont worry if the inside is hollow and theres a whole at the bottom  of the strawberry- the chocolate will harden over it and create a “bowl”. Remove tops and using a small melon baller-  make a small hallow space at the top of the strawberry to create extra space for the cheesecake filling. Try to dab the ready to go strawberries dry with a paper towel before the dipping process begins, it just makes the chocolate stay on better.
  2. Melt your chocolate in the microwave on low heat – stopping after the first forty five seconds to stir. You’re going to want to stir every ten seconds or so until its nice and melty to prevent sorching.
  3. Dip the strawberries in the chocolate and set to harden on parchment paper. They harden enough to move around some after about twenty minutes or so if you are careful with them.
  4. In a food processor, combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract and mix until smooth. If you dont have a food  processor, you could use a mixing bowl and a little arm power- but my advice would be to let the cream cheese soften in advance.
  5. Spoon mixture into zip-closed bag and snip off 1 corner of the zip-closed bag, and use this to pipe your cream cheese filling into your strawberries. If this method starts to fail, which it did for me twice- just use a small spoon and spoon it in. Fill the strawberries
  6. Crumble Graham Crackers by hand (in a plastic bag) or in a food processor.
  7. Dip stuffed strawberries (top down) into crumbled Graham Crackers.
  8. Pair with wine ;) and consume!


Additional Tips:

  • I use chocolate fountain chocolate because it melts easier and is generally very easy to use.
  • This dessert is super  easy to make, and really doesn’t take very much time at all. But it does take a bit of patience.
  • Chocolate dipped strawberries will “sweat” in warmer weather-  this works best made a couple of hours before consuming- not something you want to make the day before a party.
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Black Bean Tortilla Soup

May 27th, 2013 Posted in Cooking, Soups
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Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 med onion, chopped
  • 1 clove of garlic, crushed
  • 1 6 oz can of tomato paste
  • 2 medium tomatoes
  • 2 red peppers
  • 1 jalapeno, finely diced
  • 1 bouillon cube, (chicken)
  • 2 tbs each cilantro and parsley
  • 1 tbs cumin
  • 1 tbs chili powder
  • 1 tbs oregano
  • lime juice
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 avocado, sliced up pretty
  • 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 4 tortilla shells
  • 1/4 rice (optional)
  • 1 can black beans
  • 1 can corn
  1. In skillet, coat bottom with preferred oil, add onion, garlic, tomato paste on medium-high heat. Add tomatoes and peppers. Simmer for five minutes to blend flavours.
  2. Add soupstock (bouillon cube and 1 cup boiled water) and beans/rice and stir. Simmer until peppers are tender.
  3. Season with cilantro, parsley, cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper & oregano. Add a dash of lime juice before serving.
  4. Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro, avocado, tortilla strips (cut shells into strips and toast), cheddar and sour cream.
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Zesty Black Bean Quinao Salad

May 27th, 2013 Posted in Main Courses, Salads
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INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 2 cups water
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 limes, juiced
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or more to taste
  • 1  can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 5 green onions, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • salt and ground black pepper to taste

 

DIRECTIONS:

1. Bring quinoa and water to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until quinoa is tender and water has been absorbed, 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.

2. Whisk olive oil, lime juice, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, and red pepper flakes together in a bowl.

3. Combine quinoa, black beans, and green onions together in a bowl. Pour dressing over quinoa mixture; toss to coat. Stir in cilantro; season with salt and black pepper. Serve warm or cold, personally, I like it warm. For a heartier, non-vegan dinner- add in cubed chicken.

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Chicken Cordon Bleu

May 27th, 2013 Posted in Cooking, Main Courses
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INGREDIENTS:

  • 6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
  • 6 slices Swiss cheese
  • 6 slices ham
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 egg, mixed with a tbs water for dipping chicken in to coat in crumbs.
  • 6 tablespoons butter (or more if needed)
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Pound chicken breasts if they are too thick.
  2. Fold and roll cheese within the ham so that the ends are folded and the cheese wont melt out. Fill the chicken with ham and cheese rolls and wrap neatly by folding the edges of the chicken over the filling, and secure with toothpicks.
  3. Mix breadcrumbs and paprika in a small bowl, and coat the chicken pieces by dipping the stuffed breasts into the egg wash mixture and then into the bread crumbs.
  4. Heat about 5 tbs butter (reserving two tbs for the sauce) in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and cook the chicken until crumb coating is crispy on all sides. Remove the chicken from the frying pan and put in an oven safe dish to bake at 400 degrees while you make the wine sauce.
  5. In a small pot, melt the remaining two tbs of butter. Add the wine and bouillon. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. After about 20 minutes, remove your chicken from the oven, and add some of the juices from your baked chicken to the simmering wine for extra flavour.
  6. Bake for approximately another ten minutes, depending on the size of your chicken breasts.When your chicken is fully cooked and the juices run clear, remove from the oven and finish off the cream sauce by blending the cornstarch with the cream in a small bowl, and whisking that mixture slowly into the skillet.
  7. Cook, stirring until thickened, and pour over the chicken. Serve warm.

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Pomodori al’Forno

May 20th, 2013 Posted in Appetizers
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Pomodori al’ Forno

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup (or more) extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 2 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise and seeded*
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 3/4 to 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh Italian parsley or minced fresh basil leaves (your choice)
  • Aged goat cheese
  • 1 baguette, thinly sliced crosswise, toasted

Preparation:

  1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
  2. Pour 1/2 cup olive oil into a 13x9x2-inch glass or ceramic baking dish.
  3. Arrange the tomatoes in the prepared baking dish, cut side up. Drizzle with the remaining 1/2 cup olive oil. Sprinkle with sugar, and salt.
  4. Bake two to three hours, stopping halfway to turn tomatoes, until tomatoes are a deep red colour. Let tomatoes cool to room temperature.
  5. When ready to serve, slice baquette into cracker sized peices and toast until crispy. Top with goat cheese, tomatoes and sprinkle with leeks for garnish. Enjoy!

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