Rainbow Cake!

Click here for funky recipe

Turkey loaf

I found this funny blog entry while looking for a bread pan

Speaking of which,
I am still looking for a bread pan in the shape of a turkey. Does anyone know where I could find one? I need to cook something good for two vegetarians this Christmas and am thinking lentil loaf.

Apples & Caramel Cream Cheese Dip

I stole this from my friend's cooking blog. I like things that are so simple that I can actually envision myself making them too.

{apples & caramel cream cheese dip}

1- 16 oz. container Litehouse Caramel dip

1- 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened

6-8 tart apples, granny smith or Johnathan- sliced

in a medium bowl whip cream cheese until soft & fluffy with an electric mixer. add caramel sauce & whip until combined & creamy.

Zucchini Risotto

Emily has been the lone blogger on here for so long and I thought it was about time I posted something.  A few weeks ago, we had our first few cold days.  Can you believe the heat kicked on before Sept 1?!  So I made some warm, comfort food, Zucchini Risotto.

7 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cups Arborio rice, uncooked
3-4 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
10 sun-dried tomatoes, softened and chopped
6 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan (or mozzarella) cheese
Basil or thyme or other herb to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Bring the stock to a boil in a medium stock pot, then reduce heat to a low simmer.

Melt butter in a large, heavy bottomed stock pot over medium heat. Stir in onions and cook for 2 minutes, or until softened.

Add the rice and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until lightly toasted. Add the wine.

Gradually ladle in simmering vegetable stock, stirring continuously. Risotto will become "creamy" and slightly sticky, yet still firm in the center, or al dente. This may take 20-30 minutes.

When almost finished, stir in the zucchini, sun-dried tomatoes, and herbs, adding stock as needed and stirring continuously.

Stir in 3 tablespoons cheese just before serving. Divide risotto among 6 bowls, sprinkle with remaining cheese, and season with pepper to taste.

My first Manicotti

It's really just lasagna stuffed into tubes rather than layered, but there is something about changing the shape of food that also changes the experience.

• The filling: Ricotta cheese 15 oz mixed with 2 eggs, chopped fresh basil & parsley

• Then I sauteed some onion & mushroom with italian seasons and mixed that in.

• Sauce: I just used jarred and added sauteed onion and ground turkey meat for a little protein.

• Pour most the sauce on the bottom of a glass baking dish.

• Stuff the cooked Manicotti pasta with the filling and lay on top of sauce side by side.

• Pour remaining sauce on top. Sprinkle with desired amount of Italian cheese.

• Cover with tin foil & bake (i forget the temp & time, I just followed what the box said;)

Okay, so this was a super easy version. It would be much better with a homemade sauce and all that but this works for me in my little kitchen with a toddler at my feet and is about as elaborate as I get. I was most excited to just try something new.

Trader Joes Mexican Night

We don't have a Trader Joe's in Grand Rapids which is just another good reason not to live here.
But yesterday we made a trip to Detroit and made a special point of stopping off at their T.J.s on the way back. Yum yum.
Then I decided to make enchiladas for my first time! I've never been super big on mexican food but Im trying to learn how to make basic dishes i've never tried before (like lasagna too).
So I found a really easy and fabulous way to do it.

First I baked two chipolte chicken skewers and chopped up the meat after in little bits.
I dipped the corn tortillas in premade sauce then pan fried them breifly.
In my baking pan I filled each tortilla with a little chicken, some black bean& roasted corn salsa, and a little cheese.

Then I topped it off with more sauce and cheesiness

As a special side dish I thought of a salad that Keith might actually eat....
First is a bowl of shredded carrots. Then I added some T.J's Corn & Chile salsa, a little fresh cilantro, and just a touch of a mexican flavored vinagrette.
If I had a lime I would have added a squeeze of that....Delicioso!

Summer fresh green beans

Now, I've been way too sick for the past couple months to eat much of anything but geesh, don't any of you culinary goddesses have any edible delights to share?
Well then,
Here is my favorite though very simple way to enjoy fresh green beans.

First cook your summer green beans to a crunchy perfecting (steam or boil)
Then I mush up one avocado and mix it all over the beans
a little lemon pepper & salt to taste

And thats it! No butter needed. Super light, nurishing and delish!
(that is, when I can down something at all)

Crème brûlée French Toast

This recipe was secretly found & perfectly executed by Keith for my birthday.
I have never been so impressed by a dish he's prepared. I think he surprised himself a little too.
I'm sorry that I only thought to take to take a picture at the very end but trust me, it's deeeeeelicious!

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons corn syrup
• 6 (1 inch thick) slices French bread
• 5 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups half-and-half cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon brandy-based orange liqueur (Grand Marnier®)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Mix in brown sugar and corn syrup, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Pour into a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2. Remove crusts from bread, and arrange in the baking dish in a single layer. In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, half and half, vanilla extract, orange brandy, and salt. Pour over the bread. Cover, and chill at least 8 hours, or overnight.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Remove the dish from the refrigerator, and bring to room temperature.
4. Bake uncovered 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven, until puffed and lightly browned.

NEW TURKEY RECIPE

Your dinner will be the talk of the TOWN!!
You should try this!
Sure to bring smiles from your guests!
Here is a new way to prepare your Thanksgiving Turkey.

1. Cut out aluminum foil in desired shapes.
2. Arrange the turkey in the roasting pan, position the foil
carefully. (see picture for details)
3. Roast according to your own recipe and serve.
4. Watch your guests' faces...

*note: this was an email forward not my idea

Cranberry Orange Pumpkin Muffins

Happy Halloween! While I would like to eat lots of candy in honor of the holiday, I have to go to work tonight and also, lots of candy, not so healthy. Here's a great autumn bread/muffin recipe.

Cranberry Orange Pumpkin Muffins (makes about 2 dozen)

1/2 C dried cranberries
1/2 C orange juice
1 T orange peel

Dry Ingredients:
3 1/2 C flour (I use 2 C whole wheat and 1 1/2 C all-purpose flour)
2 t baking soda
1 1/2 t salt
2 t cinnamon
1 t nutmeg
2 C sugar

Wet Ingredients:
3 C canned pumpkin (29 oz can)
2 eggs
1 t vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place dried cranberries and orange peel in orange juice and let stand for 15 minutes.

Sift together all dry ingredients

Mix together all wet ingredients including OJ and cranberries. Add to wet ingredients and mix well.

Spoon into greased and floured muffin tins, about 3/4 full (you can do more, they don't rise too much)

Bake for 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Remove from pan and cool. Can be frozen for several months. Can also be made in bread pans, just cook longer, probably about 50-60 minutes.

Fancy Shmancy French Toast

I recently went out for a family brunch and was delighted by their version of a French Toast.
It was a giant wedge like a cake but seemed to be put together like a bread pudding.
I haven't attempted this at home yet but am planning on it. I'd love to hear if anyone else is successful in re-creating this breakfast dessert.

World Peace Through Dessert 2007

We held our annual dessert party a couple of weeks ago, and if I'd been on the ball, I would have taken pics. We had some outstanding contributions, including peach and raspberry tart, amazing brownies, delish lemon tartlets that were deceptively small (causing me to guzzle dozens at a time).

One of my contributions was a Mormon and pregnancy-friendly Tiramisu (so no coffee, alcohol, or egg yolks). It's not the most authentic recipe, but I promise it's yummy. And easy.

The recipe I adapted this from claims to serve 6, but I think you'd have to have 6 very greedy people.

Lena's Tiramisu
4 tsp Pero in 250 ml hot water/ 250 ml espresso
15 g cocoa powder
200 g chocolate (semi or bittersweet)
750 g (pasteurised) mascarpone (at room temperature)
100-200 ml cream
1 vanilla pod/ 1 tsp vanilla essence
50 g caster sugar
200-300 g (40-60) lady fingers (biscotti per tiramisu)
cocoa powder for dusting

Prepare the Pero (espresso) beforehand and dissolve the cocoa powder in it. Leave to cool.

Chop the chocolate in a food processor, until the larger ones are about pea size. Open the vanilla pod lengthwise and scrape out the beans (or just add the essence). Combine with the mascarpone and sugar in a bowl and mix thoroughly, adding enough cream for a soft texture. Fold in the chocolate.

Take out a trifle bowl or dish and dunk the ladyfingers in the coffee mix, one by one, and make up the first layer. Dunk them quite quickly, making sure they soak up some of the liquid but do not become too wet. You want the biscuits to hold their shape in the tiramisu. Spoon half of the mascarpone mix on top. Top with another layer of dunked ladyfingers and cover with the rest of the mascarpone. Cover with cling film and cool in the fridge until ready to serve. Depending on the consistency of the mascarpone, you will need to leave it to rest in the fridge for 1 to 6 hours. This is great prepared the night before. Dust with the cocoa powder just before serving.

Sick Husband Chicken

Today my husband is feeling under the weather. A sick grown man is such a pitiful sight. They moan and groan and need absolute pampering. Well, it just wont do to let this drag on so, this morning I woke him up with a healthy cup of tea. By noon I forced him out of bed to brush his teeth and take a shower, and for lunch I came up with this great aromatic recipe. I figured that they use mint and ginger in a lot of cold&flu remedies so why not lunch! It was a real hit especially concidering my husband's delicate palate. Here it is:

Mint Ginger Chicken

*Chicken Breasts
Marinade:
Mix together
-chopped fresh mint leaves
-crushed garlic (optional- I did it without and I think it was good as sometimes garlic overpowers the essence of a dish)
-a few large strips of fresh ginger
-ginger powder
-fresh lemon juice & some zest
-lemon pepper /or garlic pepper
-olive oil (I used an olive oil infused with lemon peel-very subtle)
-honey
-pinch of brown sugar

After letting this soak an hour or so I bbqed it on the grill and suddenly my poor sick husband miraculously felt great again. Go figure!

Making Salsa

So I've been reading a lot of food blogs lately and have become enamored with the beautiful pictures of creating food. The processes and recipes become so much more interesting with pictures! So tonight I made salsa and decided to document the process with my itty bitty camera phone, for lack of better photographic equipment.

Hot House tomatoes, sweet onion, several cloves of garlic, jalepeno peppers, fresh cilantro

Chop them to fit in the food processor

Process until it's as chunky as you want it!

Add plenty of kosher salt, fresh ground pepper, a generous sprinkling of cumin and a couple of tablespoons of lime juice.

Yum! Enjoy! Now if I can just get a better camera... watch out Cooks Illustrated, here I come!