Some of this year's hits from our Superbowl dinner last night  :)

Jake is not a fan of red sauce, but Tim wanted meatball subs last night.  I saw Cherry Coke and Jalapeno Meatballs on a blog http://www.kayotic.nl/blog/cherry-coke-jalapeno-meatballs and loved the idea.   I had too many other things going to make meatballs from scratch, so while the frozen ones were doing their thing, I took a cup of Coke, 1/4c juice from a jar of maraschino cherries, 1c brown sugar and a splash of juice from a jar of sliced jalapenos and brought it to a boil.    I cooked it down to a nice syrupy consistency and then poured it over the meatballs for the last 5 mins of cooking.    The regular meatballs sat in the crockpot, and these got devoured.      YUM!

With Valentine's day coming up, I wanted non-chocolate treats for the Superbowl.     This apple pie dip was awesome, and Jake really loved the cinnamon sugar tortilla chips that went along with it.    I made mine on the stovetop and didn't need to use the cornstarch mixture at all.   We had it chilled, but I may warm some up and have it over vanilla ice cream later!   

                     
* Exported from MasterCook *

              Apple Pie Dip & Cinnamon-Sugar Tortilla Chips



  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
  2               cups  peeled -- cored, and diced apple- used Granny Smiths
  2               tbsp  fresh lemon juice
  3               tbsp  brown sugar
     1/4           tsp  cinnamon
  1                tsp  cornstarch dissolved in 1 tsp water (didn't need, mine thickened up nicely by itself)
                        for the chips
  5                     wheat tortillas -- (6-inch) ( I used regular)
  2        tablespoons  butter -- melted
     1/2      teaspoon  cinnamon
  1 1/2    tablespoons  sugar

    You can either cook this on the stove-top or the microwave.
    Combine all the dip ingredients in a small pan/ microwaveable bowl except the cornstarch-water mixture.
    Heat for a few minutes until it’s boiling and has extracted juice from the apple.
    Add cornstarch-water mixture to the “sauce”
    Put back in the microwave/stove top until boiling and the sauce has thickened.
    Set aside. You can serve this warm or chilled. It doesn’t matter. It will taste delicious.
    Cut tortillas into desired size. {wedges}
    Put in a slightly greased baking pan.
    Brush the tortillas with butter.
    Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, and bake at 210º C until golden brown, about 5-8 minutes.
    Let them cool before serving and serve with the Apple Pie Dip


Source:
  "http://www.thepeachkitchen.com/2011/09/apple-pie-party-dip-cinnamon-sugar-tortilla-chips/"

Doesn't get much easier than this.   I'm the only fan of spicy stuff here, but Jake even gave these a try (he got through about half  lol).      I omitted the sugar, but next time I might add a little seasoning of some sort.     Good warm or cold!    Saw these on Pinterest, they are from the Village Cook blog  :)

                     
* Exported from MasterCook *

                            jalapeno pinwheels



  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
  1                can  crescent roll dough -- (8 ounce)
  8             ounces  cream cheese -- softened
  1                can  diced jalapenos -- (4 ounce)-  (used about 25 rings, diced)
  1         tablespoon  sugar (omitted)

    roll the dough to form a rectangle, seal any openings.
    Mix together to cream cheese, jalapenos, and sugar.
    Spread over dough.
    Roll up (longways)
    Slice into two inch sections and bake at 375 for 12-15 minutes.

Source:
  "http://thevillagecook.com/jalapeno-pinwheels/"

These were on the menu for Superbowl, but I ended up having so much other food I scrapped them.   Jake and I threw them together last night and we really enjoyed them.    I used my Pampered Chef mini muffin pan and my smallest cookie scoop.   I only did a few hot dogs worth, and the rest as plain muffins.    Big hit with Jake, he ate half a dozen.     I had mine with some specialty mustard I ordered from Stonewall kitchen, and would have liked them with a spicy ketchup too.    I found the recipe on the Iowagirleats blog via Foodgawker   :)  

                     
* Exported from MasterCook *

                          Mini Corn Dog Muffins


  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
     1/2           cup  melted butter (or 1/4 cup butter + 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce)-- used butter
     1/2           cup  sugar
  2                     eggs
  1                cup  buttermilk
     1/2      teaspoon  baking soda
  1                cup  cornmeal
  1                cup  all purpose flour
     1/2      teaspoon  salt
  8                     all-beef hot dogs -- cut into 1' bites (8 to 10)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine butter and sugar in a bowl, and whisk to combine. Add eggs and whisk to incorporate. Add buttermilk and whisk to incorporate.

2. In a separate bowl, combine baking soda, cornmeal, flour, and salt, and stir to combine. Whisk into wet ingredients in two batches.

3. Spray a mini muffin tin with non-stick spray, and spoon 1 Tablespoon of batter into each mini muffin cup. Place one hot dog bite into the middle of each cup.

4. Bake for 8-12 minutes (oven temperatures vary), or until cornbread is golden brown. Cool in mini muffin tin for 5 minutes before serving. Store leftovers in the refrigerator, and re-heat for 20-30 seconds before serving.

Source:
  "http://iowagirleats.com/2012/01/30/super-bowl-recipe-week-mini-corn-dog-muffins/"

Good morning everyone  :)   Procrastinated this year, but finally decided on my Valentine's treat yesterday morning and after a quick run to the store for supplies, I made these cupcakes that I found via Foodgawker on the Kitchen Simplicity blog.      I did cheat and start with a chocolate fudge cake mix, but added sour cream and vanilla to it.   These are superchocolately, but not overly sweet.    I used Nestle dark chocolate chips for my ganache because I am a huge fan.  

The notes state that the frosting is stiff, and to me it was almost too much so, I had to thin it down with a little additional whipping cream to make it pipeable.   

These are definitely the thing you want to make if you want chocolate overload!    Be sure to check out the blog, she had lots of other awesome looking recipes there   :)

                


                        Triple Chocolate Cupcakes



                        Chocolate Sour Cream Cupcakes
  1 1/2           cups  all-purpose flour
     1/2           cup  white sugar
     1/2           cup  brown sugar -- packed
     3/4      teaspoon  baking soda
     1/4      teaspoon  salt
  2                oz.  bittersweet chocolate -- finely chopped
  2        tablespoons  unsalted butter -- softened
     1/4           cup  unsweetened cocoa
     1/2           cup  boiling water
  1           teaspoon  vanilla
     1/2           cup  sour cream
     1/2           cup  buttermilk
  2              large  eggs

Sift flour, sugars, baking soda and salt through a fine-mesh sieve. Set aside.

Place chocolate, butter and cocoa into a large bowl. Pour boiling water over. Let sit for 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Whisk in vanilla, sour cream, buttermilk and eggs until well combined. Add dry ingredients, whisking until smooth.

Spoon 1/4 cup batter into regular-sized muffin tins prepared with cupcake liners (about 15). Bake at 350ºF for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Let cool 5 minutes before removing to cool on a wire rack. Cool completely before frosting.

Ganache

    4 oz semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped (used Nestle dark chocolate chips)
    1/2 cup whipping cream, steaming hot

Place chocolate in a bowl. Pour cream over chocolate and let sit for 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Let cool to room temperature.

Chocolate Frosting

    1/2 cup butter, room temperature
    1/3 cup whipping cream
    1/8 teaspoon salt
    1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
    1 teaspoon vanilla
    1 pound confectioners sugar

Place butter, cream and salt in the bowl of a mixer. Sift cocoa through a fine-mesh sieve set over the mixing bowl. Mix on medium-speed until creamy. Add vanilla. Sift confectioners sugar into mixing bowl through a fine-mesh sieve. Beat on low to combine; turn speed to medium and beat for 6 minutes until creamy and fluffy. Icing will be quite stiff.

Assembly

    1 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (I used dark chocolate chips and grated them with my PC grater)

Cut out a small cone in the centre of each cupcake. Discard scraps. Spoon ganache into each cupcake and spread a small amount over the top to smooth it out. Pipe on frosting in desired fashion (I used an Ateco 808 tip). Drizzle with remaining ganache, heating up if necessary. Garnish with chopped chocolate.

Makes: 15 + cupcakes


Source:
  "http://kitchensimplicity.com/triple-chocolate-cupcakes/"

They look sinful Jolene!  But they look wonderful.  How much sour cream did you add to the cake mix, the same amount 1/2 cup as in the "scratch" recipe?  I will absolutely have to try these, since Bob and Joey are chocoholics!  LOL.  Thanks!!

Theresa

Theresa, I always plop in a couple heaping tablespoons of sour cream to box cake mix.    No exact measure!  And a splash of vanilla, maybe a teaspoon?

:)   I like to pull the bottom off, smush it onto the top and then eat them.    It's called a cupcake sandwich, and I saw it years ago on one of the star's of Lost's blog-

http://dispatchesfromtheisland.blogspot.com/2010/04/you-learn-something-new-everyday.html

Found this via Foodgawker, from the blog Taste and See.   I tweaked it a bit and it was a huge hit.    My ranch dressing already had bacon in it, so I didn't make any additional.   I used Penzey's minced dried onion because Tim is not a fan of red onion.     I put a half sheet pan in the oven while it preheated rather than digging out my pizza stone.   A small sprinkle of cornmeal before putting the calzones on it and it turned out perfect.  

(No picture- gloomy day + the chosen ingredients didn't look appealing at all, but sure tasted great!)   Be sure to go check out the blog and her photos!

BBQ Chicken Calzones

  1             recipe  pizza dough -- (used soft garlic breadstick recipe from TOH)
  2                     chicken breasts from a rotisserie chicken -- chopped or shredded --I had thin chicken breasts, cooked them in the crock with bbq sauce
     1/2         small  red onion -- chopped (used dried minced)
     1/4           cup  BBQ sauce- used Sweet Baby Ray's Honey
     1/4           cup  Ranch dressing -- (used ranch with bacon)
                        Shredded cheddar cheese -- (also used part skim mozz)
     1/2       package  bacon -- cooked and diced (omitted)
     1/4           cup  fresh oregano -- chopped (used dried)
                        Olive oil cooking spray

Preheat oven and pizza stone to 500-degrees.

In a bowl, mix together the bbq sauce and ranch dressing. Add the chicken and stir to combine.

Divide the pizza dough into 4 even pieces. Stretch each piece into a circle and place on a lightly floured surface to prevent sticking.

Spread 1/4 of the chicken mixture onto one half of each circle, leaving a 1-inch edge. Sprinkle with bacon, onion, cheese, and oregano. Fold into a half moon shape and crimp the edges with your fingers or with a fork. Spray the top of each calzone with cooking spray for even browning.

Place calzones onto the preheated pizza stone and bake for 10-12 minutes or until the dough is golden brown.

Serve warm with extra bbq-ranch sauce for dipping.

***Calzones freeze really well. Let them cool after baking and then wrap each one in plastic wrap. Place the wrapped calzones into a freezer bag and freeze.


Source:
  "http://maryanna-bishop.blogspot.com/2011/07/bbq-chicken-calzones.html"

(Made the base waffle only- definitely will be making again along with trying the topping!)   We had ours with maple syrup and cinnamon chips.    I got 3 Belgian waffles from the recipe, which I found on Annie's Eats, awesome blog!    1 cup per waffle, cooked for 4 mins in my Presto Flipside.

                 Cinnamon Waffles with Caramelized Apples


  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
                        For the caramelized apples:
  3              tbsp.  unsalted butter
  6                     Fuji apples -- peeled, cored and cut into 1/4-inch slices
     1/2           cup  sugar
  1               tsp.  cornstarch
     1/2          tsp.  ground cinnamon
     1/4          tsp.  ground nutmeg
     1/4          tsp.  salt
  2               tsp.  vanilla extract

                        For the waffles:
  3                     eggs -- separated
  1 3/4           cups  buttermilk
  8              tbsp.  melted butter
     1/2          tsp.  vanilla extract
  1 3/4           cups  all-purpose flour
  1 1/2           tsp.  baking powder
  1               tsp.  baking soda
     1/3           cup  sugar
  1               tsp.  ground cinnamon
     1/4          tsp.  ground nutmeg
     1/2          tsp.  salt
                        whipped cream -- for serving

Directions:
To make the caramelized apples, in a skillet over medium-high heat, melt 3 tablespoons butter.  Add the apple slices, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.  Mix until apples are evenly coated.  Cook about 18 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove skillet from heat and stir in vanilla.  Set aside.

To make the waffles, in a large bowl whisk together the egg yolks, buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla.  In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.  Whisk the flour mixture into the yolk mixture until smooth.  In another clean bowl, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 1 minute.  Gently fold 1 cup egg whites into batter; carefully fold in remaining egg whites.

Preheat waffle maker on medium-high.  Pour 1/3 cup batter into each well of waffle maker; close the lid.  Cook 5-6 minutes.  Repeat with remaining batter.  Serve waffles with caramelized apples and whipped cream.   

Yield: 12 4-inch square waffles

Source: adapted from Williams-Sonoma Catalog, February 2009

Source:
  "http://annies-eats.com/2009/02/20/cinnamon-waffles-with-caramelized-apples/"

Rec, Rev & Pic~ Pasta with Chicken in a Creamy Rosemary Lemon Sauce

This was another Pinterest find, both Jake and Tim love pasta in creamy sauces, so I thought I'd give it a go.   I only had a bag of Wacky Mac on hand and in the end, the colors helped the dish to be a little bit more attractive.    Next time I would put some color on the chicken before adding the lemon juice and I think it would add a little more texture to the dish.    We are not goat cheese fans, so I used a heaping tablespoon of ricotta.     I also added a few twists of fresh cracked black pepper to my plate.  Overall, the guys loved it and it was a nice addition to our menu.   

Be sure to go check out the blog, Adventures in Cooking, I saw quite a few other recipes that I think would go over well here!

     Orecchiette Pasta with Chicken in a Creamy Rosemary Lemon Sauce


  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
  3                     Garlic Cloves -- minced (used jarred)
  1              Large  Chicken Breast -- cut into 1-inch cubes
                        Juice from 1 Lemon
  1                     and 1/2 Cups Dry Orecchiette Pasta -- (used wacky mac lol)
     2/3           Cup  Milk
     1/3           Cup  Chicken Broth
     1/4           Cup  Olive Oil
  1         Tablespoon  Goat Cheese -- (used ricotta)
  1         Tablespoon  Flour
  1         Tablespoon  Grated Parmesan -- Asiago, or Romano cheese (used shredded parm)
  2          Teaspoons  Fresh Rosemary -- chopped- used dried
     1/2      Teaspoon  Grated Lemon Rind
     1/2      Teaspoon  Salt
                        Water (for preparing the orecchiette)

Heat the olive oil and minced garlic in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken breast pieces and lemon juice and allow to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked all the way through, (this should be checked but cutting one of the larger cubes in half to peek inside). Remove the chicken from the pan using a slotted spoon so that the olive oil and garlic remain in the pan.

Lower the heat. Stir in the chicken broth, milk, grated lemon rind, salt, and 1 teaspoon of the rosemary. Once the mixture is hot, but not boiling, sprinkle the tablespoon of flour over the mixture and whisk it in. Continue whisking the sauce until the flour is fully incorporated and there aren't any flour chunks. Turn the heat to the lowest setting and allow to simmer, stirring occasionally, while you prepare the pasta.

Prepare the orecchiette pasta according to the package directions. I recommend adding a teaspoon of olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the water you boil the pasta in. While the pasta is cooking, add the chicken pieces and goat cheese to the lemon sauce and stir until the goat cheese is completely melted and incorporated into the mixture. Remove the pan from the heat and set it aside. Once the orecchiette is cooked all the way through, strain it and drizzle some olive oil over it, stirring it a bit in the strainer, to help keep the pasta from getting stuck to each other.

Pour the orecchiette into a large bowl and add the lemon sauce and chicken, garnish with the grated Parmesan, Romano, or Asiago cheese and the remaining teaspoon of rosemary. Serve immediately

Source:
  "http://adventurescooking.blogspot.com/2012/02/orecchiette-pasta-with-chicken-and.html"



NOTES : *next time I would put some color on the chicken before added the lemon juice.   

This is a warm up recipe.  LOL  I've got more stuff lined up, but this was something fun Jake and I could do together this morning    :)   We also used mini choc chips and sprinkles.    I added a tiny bit of veg oil to the chips to keep them melty.

                    Chocolate-Coconut Graham Crackers

march 2007 Everyday Food Martha Stewart


  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
     1/2           cup  sweetened shredded coconut
  4             ounces  semisweet chocolate
  6                     graham crackers

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with waxed paper; set aside. On a rimmed baking sheet, toast coconut until golden, 6 to 8 minutes.
    Meanwhile, place chocolate in a medium bowl set over (not in) a saucepan of simmering water; stir frequently until almost melted. Remove from heat, and stir until completely melted.
    One at a time, dip one short end of each cracker into chocolate, coating about half of cracker. Place on prepared baking sheet; sprinkle chocolate with coconut. Refrigerate until chocolate has hardened, about 10 minutes. Store at room temperature in an airtight container, up to 2 days.

Jake and I are big fans of breakfast for dinner.   Since I already had commercially made pineapple ice cream topping in the fridge, I didn't make the topping listed, just added coconut to ours.     Due to nut allergies, I subbed rice krispies for the nuts.   They give a nutty flavor and crunch.     I made Belgian waffles, and got 4 nice sized ones.      Tropical and fun, and they definitely are going in the keeper file!

Hawaiian Waffles


  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
  1       (20-ounce) can  crushed pineapple -- undrained
     1/2           cup  sugar
     1/2           cup  flaked coconut
     1/2           cup  light corn syrup
     1/4           cup  pineapple juice
                        Waffles:
  2               cups  all-purpose flour
  4          teaspoons  baking powder
  1         tablespoon  sugar
     1/2      teaspoon  salt
  2                     eggs -- separated
  1                cup  milk
     1/4           cup  butter or margarine -- melted- used butter
  1       (8-ounce) can  crushed pineapple -- well drained (didn't drain)
     1/4           cup  flaked coconut
     1/4           cup  chopped macadamia nuts -- (used rice crispies)
                        Additional chopped macadamia nuts -- toasted, optional

In a saucepan, combine the first five ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 12-15 minutes or until sauce begins to thicken; set aside. In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Combine egg yolks, milk and butter; stir into dry ingredients just until combined. Stir in pineapple, coconut and nuts. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form; fold into batter (batter will be thick). Preheat waffle iron. Fill and bake according to manufacturer's directions. Top with pineapple sauce and additional nuts if desired.

Source:
  "2001 Taste of Home Annual Recipes"

Yield:
  "16 4-inch waffles"

Here's my contribution for this week's challenge- I've had it in MasterCook a while, and since I had a little OJ left over from Mother's day I put it on the menu today.   

I prefer my asparagus grilled or roasted over boiled, so I tossed it with the oil listed and grilled it on a grill pan on the stove.  I reduced the OJ, salt and zest to a glaze and then tossed the cooked spears in it.    I'd definitely make this one again!   I'm not sure why they'd add the oil to the juice to reduce it though, doesn't sound appealing to me at all.

Orange-Glazed Asparagus

3 pounds fresh asparagus, trimmed

Tim loves the Alice Springs chicken from Outback Steakhouse.  I've tried a couple of the clone recipes, none that really knocked his socks off.    Gave this one a run today, and he said while it's not really like the Outback one either, he liked it a lot and would eat it again if I made it.     "Partially cooking" the bacon is kind of vague, you want it to crisp up but not burn on top of the chicken while it bakes, I eyeballed it and it was pretty close.   We aren't mushroom fans, so they got omitted   :)  I used Penzey's Seasoned salt in place of the salt/pepper/paprika.

                       Bacon-Cheese Topped Chicken

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
     1/2           cup  Dijon mustard
     1/2           cup  honey
  4 1/2      teaspoons  vegetable oil -- divided
     1/2      teaspoon  lemon juice
  4                     boneless skinless chicken breast halves
     1/4      teaspoon  salt (used Penzey's Seasoned Salt)
     1/8      teaspoon  pepper (omitted)
                  dash  paprika (omitted)
  2               cups  sliced fresh mushrooms (omitted)
  2        tablespoons  butter (didn't need)
  1       cup (4 ounces)  shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  1       cup (4 ounces)  shredded cheddar cheese
  8                     bacon strips -- partially cooked
  2          teaspoons  minced fresh parsley (omitted)

In a bowl, combine the mustard, honey, 1-1/2 teaspoons oil and lemon juice. Pour 1/2 cup into a large resealable plastic bag; add the chicken. Seal the bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for 2 hours. Cover and refrigerate the remaining marinade. Drain and discard marinade from chicken. In a large skillet over medium heat, brown chicken in remaining oil on all sides. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and paprika. Transfer to a greased 11-in. x 7-in. baking dish. In the same skillet, saute mushrooms in butter until tender. Spoon reserved marinade over chicken. Top with cheeses and mushrooms. Place bacon strips in a crisscross pattern over chicken. Bake, uncovered, at 375' for 20-25 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 160'. Sprinkle with parsley.

Source:
  "Taste of Home Magazine (February/March 2005)"

This week was truly a challenge for me.   Tim is very picky about his steak.   And Jake has sensory issues coupled with a bad steak experience from a few years ago.    So I searched through MasterCook, Pinterest, Foodgawker and assembled my possibilities.   I've gotten Jake to eat chicken, pork and eggplant all by breading and baking/frying, so I mulled over the idea of Country fried steak, but I am terrible at making gravy.    Sue suggested steak fingers, and a quick google found me these on Allrecipes.   

On their own, they are a little bit bland, I'd definitely amp them up with something next time, but for a trial run with Jake, they were perfect.

I used round steak with the outer fat trimmed off, beaten with a meat mallet, then sliced it thin and across the grain.   Didn't take long at all for them to brown up and cook through.     Jake had his dipped in honey, and I used Sweet Baby Ray's Honey Chipotle BBQ sauce.     Success!   He even came back and asked for 2 more fingers.     Definitely a keeper and a great positive experience for his memory bank and the possibility of him trying different preparations   :)

                     


                              Steak fingers


  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
     1/3           cup  vegetable oil
  1              pound  round steak
  2                     eggs
     1/2           cup  milk
                        salt and pepper to taste
  1 1/2           cups  all-purpose flour for coating

    Tenderize steak by pounding with a mallet. Cut into 3 inch long strips.
    Combine egg, milk, salt and pepper in a shallow dish, whisk until well blended.
    In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 1/3 cup oil (or just enough to cover the bottom of the pan).
    Coat steak pieces in flour. Shake off excess. Then dip in the egg mixture and again in flour.
    Fry the strips in the hot oil until golden brown; about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb oil.

Source:
  "http://allrecipes.com/recipe/steak-fingers/"







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