Awesome Egg Salad (with avocado!!)

Do you ever just really crave eggs?  More specifically, hard boiled eggs??  Even more specifically, egg salad???  Well, I do…and tonight I did.  I just couldn’t wait to get my hands on a big ol’ egg salad sandwich.  I thought about this sandwich for hours.  I decided to see what I could find on allrecipes to make my egg salad a bit snazzier.  I found several recipes that had some good add-ins to your standard egg salad, and picked the ingredients that sounded best to me.  This sandwich was fantastic, I highly recommend it on toasted wheat bread with some fresh baby spinach.  This recipe should make 3 or 4 sandwiches (maybe more, depending on how thick you put that egg salad on and how big your bread is).

I think a lot of foods are not very photogenic
(and also, I'm not a very good food photographer)

I have to be honest with you about this recipe, besides the 4 eggs and 1 avocado, I did not measure a single other ingredient.  So I really have no clue how much of what went into this.  I tried to do some guesstimating here based on other recipes and what I think I did.  Also, I didn’t mash in my avocado, I just stirred in the cubes (but mashing seems like a good idea).

Oh, and just in case you have a hard time getting your hard-boiled eggs just right, try our friend Erin’s instructions at Chopstitch.  This is how I make my eggs and they always turn out just right!

Ingredients

4 hard-boiled eggs

1 large avocado – peeled, pitted & cubed

¼ cup mayonnaise

1 tbsp mustard

1 tbsp finely diced onion

½ tsp paprika

1 ½ tsp horseradish (or more…or less…as hot as you like it)

salt & pepper to taste

baby spinach (optional)

Instructions

Everything is better with baby dills.

1)  Mash eggs in a mixing bowl with a fork.  Stir in all the rest of the ingredients with fork, and gently mash until blended.  Slap your egg salad on two slices of bread with spinach.

Enjoy!

 ~ j

Sweet & Sour Chicken and Broccoli

This recipe is adapted from a Pinterest find.  I’m totally addicted to Pinterest, but hadn’t actually done much of anything with any of my pins…until the last few weeks.  I have projects going all over the house now, which means it’s a disaster ‘round these parts.  I really need to start making more of the recipes I’ve pinned, though.  So here’s the first one I’m sharing.  Like I said, I adapted it some…broccoli wasn’t part of the original recipe, but seemed like a good addition to me!  I also adjust some of the measurements from the original and added Sriracha (just because I love it).  As you can tell from the photo, I didn’t have much broccoli in the house, or I would have put in a lot more (which is also why I didn’t put any measurement/amount on the broccoli, you decide).

Anyways, like I said, I haven’t actually made many of the recipes I’ve pinned.  I have a feeling a lot of them are not really winners, they just sound good in theory.  But this one is definitely a winner, and a great alternative to Chinese take-out!

Sweet & Sour Chicken and Broccoli

Ingredients

²/₃ cup white sugar

4 tbsp ketchup

½ cup white vinegar

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp garlic powder

dash (or more) Sriracha hot pepper sauce (optional)

~1.5 lbs boneless chicken breasts

salt & pepper

1 cup cornstarch

2 eggs, lightly beaten

¼ cup canola oil

broccoli, cut up into bite-size pieces

Instructions

1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

2) Mix together sugar, ketchup, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic powder and Sriracha.  Set aside.

2) Cut up chicken into bite-size pieces, season with salt and pepper to taste.  Dip chicken into eggs to coat, then dip in cornstarch until well coated.

3) Heat oil in a large skillet and drop chicken in, cook just until slightly brown, but not cooked through.

4) Place the chicken and broccoli in a lightly greased 9”x13” baking dish, and pour the sauce over all it.  Cook for 45-60 minutes, turning chicken about every 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

 ~ j

Ravioli and Butternut Squash Sauce

Holy tastebuderific dinner I made tonight!  Yeah, I don't know, I was trying to come up with a fun, made-up word for super delicious taste times.  ANYWAYS...

I bought this big ol’ butternut squash the other day totally on a whim.  I love squash, but had nothing in particular in mind that I was going to do with it.  Today I decided I wanted to do something with that squash and some pasta, and then I remembered I had some cheese ravioli…it sounded like a fantastic idea (and it was a really fantastic, that’s why I’m sharing).  I really wish I could tell you that I made the ravioli, and then give you an awesome recipe for it, but I've never made pasta in my life.  So anyhow, I did a quick interwebs search and found this recipe, which was perfect because I also have a shit-ton of 2 different types of basil growing in my garden.  I only very slightly strayed from the recipe I found, and here’s what I did.  This was so delicious, you should go get a squash right now and start cooking.

Yep, that's Beeb, eating squash out
of the food processor.

Ingredients

Your favorite cheese ravioli (in whatever amount you want)

1 medium to large butternut squash, roasted

   (I’ll give roasting instructions, in case you’re not sure about that)

1-2 cups half &half

½ cup grated parmesan cheese

3 tbsp fresh basil, torn
cayenne pepper (optional - use as much as you'd like, I like my food spicy!)

salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

1) Cook ravioli according to package instructions. 

2) While your ravioli is cooking, place squash, approximately 1 cup half & half, cheese, basil and cayenne pepper in food processor.  Blend, and add half & half until the sauce reaches a consistency you like (I like it thicker, so I only used about a cup).  Add salt & pepper to taste, if desired (I didn’t add any, I thought it was perfect as is).

3) Drain ravioli and spoon desired amount of sauce over the top.

**My squash was still hot when I put it in the food processor, so I didn’t heat it at all after I blended it…you may want to heat your squash sauce after blending it.

Roasting the squash:  Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Cut the squash in half lengthwise, scoop out seeds, place in a 9”x12” baking dish (cut side up), put approximately 1 tbsp butter in each side and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper (I also sprayed a little bit of olive oil all over the squash, but it’s not necessary).  Place the squash in the oven for 30-45 minutes (until the squash is all soft and can be easily scooped out).

Enjoy!

 ~ j

Sriracha-Lime Popcorn

This is delicious.  I'm not sure where I got this one from, so if you've seen it somewhere else, let me know and I'll give credit where it's due.  No measurements, I just can't do it.  I think I'm going to start posting the stuff I make with no measurements.  That is, honestly, the only thing holding me back from posting more recipes.  I'm incapable of measurement.  I make all sorts of great dishes and take photos of them, and then I don't know how to write them up because I just don't measure.

ANYHOW...here is a delicious mix of stuff to put on your popcorn.  Please don't use pre-packaged microwave popcorn, that stuff is poison and you're just killing yourself with it.  I have a Stir Crazy popper that my sis-in-law gave me for Xmas, and I love it!

Ingredients

popcorn

butter

Sriracha amazing hot chili pepper sauce (as much or as little as makes your mouth happy)

lime juice (you don't need a lot...experiment with it to your liking)

salt (optional)

If you know how to make a bowl of popcorn
look exciting and photogenic, let me know.

Instructions

1)  Pop your popcorn.

2)  While the corn is popping, melt the butter using whatever method you like.

3)  Whisk the Sriracha and lime juice into the melted butter.

4)  When the popcorn is done, pour the butter mixture over the top a little bit at a time, stirring the popcorn around with each pour.  Shake salt on top if you'd like.

enjoy!

 ~ j

Homemade Ginger Ale!!

Homemade ginger ale!!  How great does that sound??  Okay, so I definitely did not come up with this recipe on my own.  I got this directly from my new favorite book “Make the Bread, Buy the Butter” by Jennifer Reese.  Seriously, I LOVE this book!  It’s more than just a cookbook or how-to book, it’s also full of great stories from the author’s life…like the good and the bad of raising chickens and goats in her family’s suburban backyard.  Including a highly entertaining attempt at raising their own Thanksgiving turkey(s).  The book is funny and witty, and SO informative.  Reese gives an overview of many common foods we buy all the time (Oreos, cream cheese, mustard...over 120 recipes!).  Reese breaks each item down by cost and hassle to determine whether you should buy it or make it (hence, the title of the book), and then gives a recipe or two or three.

Buy this book!!

Ginger ale seemed to call to me.  We don’t drink soda very often at our house, but when we do it’s almost always ginger ale.  The thought of making it myself with all-natural ingredients was extremely appealing, and this is a great recipe.  That being said, I didn’t quite follow the recipe, but I should have, and next time I will.  What did I do differently?  Well, I used active dry yeast instead of instant because that’s what I had in the house.  I didn’t have a lemon, but I did have lemon juice…so it’s very possible I didn’t even come close to adding the correct amount.  And I skimped a little on the ginger because I was being lazy and tired of grating it.  I definitely should have added more ginger, it’s such a great flavor!!  Oh, and by the way, Reese's verdict is “make it.”  She compares Canada Dry at about $1.79 for a 2-liter bottle and the homemade version at about $1.59.  DO NOT go and try to compare this to some cheap shit, generic ginger ale because that stuff sucks ass…it doesn’t even have ginger in it!  Now make some of this, mix it with a little dark rum and have yourself a fabulous dark 'n' stormy!

Ginger Ale

Props to Terrapin

Ingredients

1 lemon

2 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger (~2” chunk)

1 cup sugar

¼ tsp instant yeast

cold tap water

Empty 2-liter plastic bottle with a screw-on cap to put it all in

Instructions

1) Place funnel in the mouth of 2-liter bottle.  Juice the lemon and strain the juice in the bottle.

2) Add the ginger, sugar and yeast.  It’s okay if some is stuck to the funnel, the water will flush it out.  Pour in enough water to fill the bottle and cap tightly.

3) Gently shake to mix up all the sediment (ginger, sugar, yeast).  Press on the bottle, you’ll notice there’s a little give.

4) Let the bottle sit at room temperature for about 24 hours.  You’ll know the soda is done when you press on the bottle again and there’s no give.  Put the bottle in the fridge, and as soon as it’s cold, it’s ready to drink!  If you don't want the ginger "pulp," strain it into a glass to drink.
*Open the bottle with care, it may be very bubbly.  Finish off within a few days, as it will lose its effervescence.

enjoy!

~ j

Balsamic Glazed Vegetables

I don’t remember where I found this recipe (somewhere on the interwebs), but the original recipe called for regular balsamic vinegar.  I’ve made these veggies a couple times now, with regular balsamic and white balsamic...I definitely preferred them with the white balsamic.  You can use all different veggies in it, so it’s a great recipe for using up random veggies in the fridge.  I also like it because I always make brussel sprouts exactly the same way, and they’re great, but it’s nice to have at least one other way to prepare them.  Alrighty…here we go…

Ingredients

1 ½  - 2 lbs of your choice of carrots, brussel sprouts, yellow squash, broccoli, cauliflower and zucchini (I used 1 lb brussel sprouts, 4 medium-large carrots, ½ head of cauliflower)

½ cup water

½ cup white balsamic vinegar (or regular balsamic vinegar)

1 tbsp butter

salt & pepper

Have I mentioned that I grew up under the rule of having
green, orange/yellow and white veggies with every meal?

Instructions

Place the veggies in a pan with the water and vinegar.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cover.  Cook for 10 minutes.  Remove the lid and turn the heat back up.  Allow the water to boil away and the vinegar to reduce and glaze the veggies, about 5-7 minutes.  When the veggies are glazed, add the butter to the pan and turn veggies all around to coat.  Season with salt and pepper and serve.

All ready to serve with venison cube steaks
(thanks to my "little" brother, the deer slayer).

enjoy!

 ~ j

Scallops with Kale and White Beans

*warning *** my photography skills are deteriorating*** but hey, I actually got a shot of this one* 

I got this recipe from Whole Foods – modified it slightly – and bam, it became one of my new favorite meals.  We planted kale for the first time this year and have decided that we like it.  It holds up its texture unlike other greens, so you don’t need as much as you would for spinach.  We like it, and are definitely planning on planting many more plants next year.  

Besides having few ingredients, it only dirtied one pan! SCORE!  I think the simple nature of this dish really allows the scallops to shine.   It's got a delicious earthy taste from the kale and the salty goodness of the sea from the scallops.  And, as a bonus, it’s good for you- low in fat and low in calories, high in fiber and vitamins!  Sometimes, the ‘good for you’ meals seem to be lacking in flavor or zing, this one does not disappoint. 

 

 What you need: Serves 4.

1 can of white beans, drained and rinsed

1 lb scallops

10 medium sized kale leaves, destalked and torn into quarter sized pieces

5 garlic cloves (I probably used more, you may want to use less)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon red pepper

½ lemon

dash of sea salt

What you do:

Heat a pan over medium heat, add half the olive oil and garlic, sautee for a minute or two then dump in kale, sautee for 2 more minutes, add beans and red pepper and let them warm up, stirring frequently.  When they are warmed - maybe about 5 minutes – transfer to a bowl (I used the bowl we served them in) and cover to keep warm.  Into the pan, add the other half of the olive oil, turn up the heat to medium-high, and sear the scallops on each side, about a minute depending on size, juice lemon over the top,  and place over the bed of the kale/bean combo. Sprinkle with sea salt and serve right away.  From start to finish, even with prep, this meal only takes about 15 minutes. Excellent, I say!  

Enjoy!

-h

Veggie Sides

I missed my recipe last week, but in my defense I was out of town for the better part of the week…and that’s my only excuse.  So here’s a recipe to make up for last week, and I'm planning to post another later this week.  In my book, that will still keep me at a recipe a week.  :)  And have you noticed my new white, square plates?!  They were a Xmas gift from mother-in-law, and I think they make my food photos look so much nicer…I love them!

I cooked a bone-in ham a few weeks ago for the first time.  I’m not going to bother with that “recipe,” because I did nothing but follow exactly what the plastic wrap on the ham told me to do (325 degrees F for 10-12 minutes per pound of ham).  But I thought I would share the sides I made to go with the ham.  These are very basic veggie side dishes that you could put with just about any meal, and you can definitely change up all the amounts of ingredients to your own tastes…in fact, I don’t even give measurements here on my mashed potato recipe, because I have no clue what I do (and this time I was just scraping the bottoms of containers for whatever was left in them).

Colorful!

Glazed Carrots

Ingredients

4 large carrots - washed and cut into bite-size pieces

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp brown sugar

Instructions

1)  Steam carrots to desired softness.

2)  Melt butter and sugar in pan, add carrots and sauté until evenly coated.

Brussel Sprouts with Garlic

Ingredients

1 lb (I think) Brussel sprouts - washed, trimmed and cut in half

2 tbsp olive oil

4 large garlic cloves, minced

Salt & pepper to taste (optional)

Instructions

1)  Heat oil in pan over medium heat, add garlic and sauté for a minute or two. 

2)  Add brussel sprouts cut sides down, also add salt and pepper if desired.  Sauté for a few minutes, until cut side is just starting to brown, then stir sprouts around (not worrying about what side is down).  Cover pan with lid and continue to cook until you reach desired softness (I prefer mine crunchier, Squatch prefers his a bit mushier).

Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

Potatoes, washed and cut into small pieces

Whole garlic cloves

Milk

Sour cream

Butter

Parmesan cheese

Fresh or dried herbs of your choice (basil, oregano, parsley, chives, etc…)

Salt & pepper

Instructions

1)  Boil potatoes and garlic cloves in large pot of salted water, until potatoes are very soft.

2)  Drain water from pot, then add milk, sour cream, butter and parmesan cheese.  Mash with a potato masher or hand-held electric mixer.  Mix in herbs and salt & pepper.

enjoy!

 ~ j

Not Just ANOTHER Seven Layer Dip

I don't call this a seven layer dip, because it seems to me that it has more than seven layers.  I guess it all just depends on what you consider a "layer."  ANYWAYS...I love this dip, and every time I've taken it to a party, I've been asked for the recipe.  So it seemed like a good one to share as we approach the Super Bowl holiday season.

Ingredients
3 cups shredded lettuce
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 chopped fresh red chile peppers
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1 (8 oz) container sour cream
2 fresh jalapenos, very finely diced
1 tbsp grated lime zest
1 cup chunky salsa
1 avocado - peeled, pitted and diced
3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup chopped black olives, drained
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
Delicious corn chips (like Tostitos with lime...YUM!) for serving

Instructions
1) Layer shredded lettuce on a 12" serving platter.

2) In a medium bowl, stir together black beans, red chile peppers and green onions.  Spoon the mixture evenly over the lettuce.

3) Gently spread sour cream over the beans.  Sprinkle with jalapeno peppers and lime zest.

4) Drain excess liquid from salsa.  Spoon salsa over sour cream layer.  Place avocado chunks on top of salsa (OR you can mix the avocado into the salsa before you spoon the salsa on).

5) Sprinkle with Monterey Jack cheese.  Top with black olives and cilantro.  Serve immediately, or chill in refrigerator.

TA DAAAA!!!

enjoy!
 ~ j

Butterscotch Blondie Bars with Peanut-Pretzel Caramel

I haven't actually made this recipe myself, YET, but this was the winner of the cookie exchange I hosted.  It was a Xmas cookie exchange, but these are definitely way more than just a Xmas cookie.  My friend Maria made these, and they were simply fabulous in all of their gooey, sweet and salty splendor!  So how did we pick a winner?  We sequestered Squatch in the bedroom and had him taste every cookie, we really had to force feed him to make that happen.

Someday I'll try to get a better photo to put here...

Butterscotch Blondie Bars with Peanut-Pretzel Caramel

Yield 40 cookies
Ingredients
BLONDIE
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter
2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

PEANUT-PRETZEL CARAMEL
4 cups roasted unsalted peanuts
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups 1 1/2"-wide thin twisted pretzels, coarsely crushed

Instructions
BLONDIE
1)  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line 9"x13" baking pan with parchment paper, leaving 1" hanging over on long sides of pan.
2)  Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
3)  Stir butter in a medium skillet over medium heat until browned bits form at bottom of pan, 7-8 minutes.  Transfer to a medium bowl, and add brown sugar.  Using an electric mixer, beat until well combined and mixture resembles wet sand, 2-3 minutes.  Add eggs and vanilla; beat until fluffy and well combined, about 2 minutes.  Add dry ingredients; beat until smooth (batter will be thick).  Using a spatula, evenly spread batter in prepared pan.
4)  Bake blondie until golden brown, edges pull away from sides of pan, and a tester inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 20-25 minutes.  Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack.

PEANUT-PRETZEL CARAMEL
1)  Preheat oven to 350 degree F.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.  Spread peanuts over sheet in an even layer.  Bake, stirring frequently, until golden brown and fragrant, 5-7 minutes.  Set aside.
2)  Stir sugar and 1/2 cup water in a large saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves.  Increase heat; boil without stirring, occasionally swirling pan and brushing down sides with a wet pastry brush, until caramel is deep amber, 12-15 minutes.  Add honey; return to a boil, stirring often, about 1 minute longer.  Add butter; stir until blended.  Add cream (mixture will bubble vigorously); whisk until smooth.  Stir in peanuts and pretzels.
3)  Pour over cooled blondie.  Refrigerate until cool, about 30 minutes.
4)  Run a knife around short sides of pan to release blondie.  Using parchment paper overhang, lift from pan.  Cut lengthwise into 4 strips.  Cut each strip crosswise into 10 bars.  Chill for up to 1 week in an airtight container.  Bring to room temperature before serving.

enjoy!
 ~ j

Chicken Pot Pie - Sandra Lee Style

I love Sandra Lee-style meals (semi-homemade).  This chicken pot pie recipe can go MANY ways.  You can use canned or frozen or even fresh veggies (if you cook them a little first), you can use different combos of soup mixes, and you can use different types of chicken.  I have used leftover chicken from other dishes, rotisserie chicken, and even boiled breasts and cut them up for this.  I have done so many different ways but it always turns out great.  One of my favorite things though, is the refrigerated crust.  In my opinion, for this dish, it is not worth your time to make the dough from scratch.  Tastes the same and takes forever, plus rolling it out is a chore.  I am a huge fan of doing things homemade, so go for it if that's your thing, but using premade crust and soup mix makes this meal that you can prep in 10 minutes, tops.  This is one of Glenn's favorite and most requested meals.  

What you need:
- 2 refrigerated pie crusts (they usually come in a 2 pack)
- 3 to 4 cups of cooked and cut up chicken
- 2 cans of veg-all, drained (or 3 cups of frozen veggies) 
- 2 cans of cream of chicken soup (or one cream of chicken and one cream of celery)
- 1/2 cup of milk
- dash of Worcestershire
- black pepper to taste
- egg white 

What you do:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, add soup, milk, black pepper, and Worcestershire and mix up.  Add veggies and chicken and stir up.  Lay the first crust out over the pie pan and add the chicken mixture. Unroll the second pie crust and place gently on top.  Cut a few slits in the top for steam to escape and then use a fork to close the edges.  If you are dorky like me, you can take the extra crust from the top and make a seasonal theme for your pot pie ( I intended to post this a few weeks ago for Halloween, but baby brain hit me hard).  Brush the top of the pie with egg whites and bake for 45 minutes to an hour.  Some people like to cover the edges of the crust with tin foil so it doesn't get burned, but I have found with cooking it at a lower temperature you don't need to do this step.  Probably depends on the oven too. 

Enjoy!
-hayden

Irish Cream

When it starts getting chilly outside and the stores are full of holiday cheer, I always feel like that's the perfect time for Irish cream.  And I really like to make it myself, because I can tweak all the ingredients to my own personal preferences...for instance, I put more whiskey in it than I'm admitting to here in this recipe.  I made 2 jars (yes, jars...I live in Kentucky now, so a Mason jar just felt appropriate for my booze), one of them with a peppermint twist on the original.  I didn't use the blender this time, because The Beeb was sleeping and she's not a big fan of the blender sounds.

I dunno', how would you pose a jar of booze?

Ingredients

1 cup heavy cream

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

1 2/3 cup Irish whiskey

1/3 cup cold coffee

1/4 cup chocolate syrup (I like Hershey’s Special Dark syrup)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp almond extract (OR ½ tsp mint extract)

Instructions

1)  Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend.

2)  Chill, serve over ice, slurp!

OR, you can do it the Kentucky way:

1)  Put all the ingredients in a Mason jar and shake vigorously.  Step 2 remains the same.

enjoy!

 ~ j

Ham and Potato Casserole

YUM

Think scalloped potatoes with ham.  This is a simple and hearty meal.  Good for those cold nights during the winter.  I am finding myself wanting comfort food more and more and this one definitely hits the spot.  Trust me, your husband will thank you...if you don't wait til 845 to serve it like I did.  This is a quick meal to put together but it takes a while in the oven.  My recipe served 4 as the main course.  I made it in a small pyrex dish, (think half size of normal casserole dish) but you could easily double this recipe to serve more.

What you need:
-about a half pound of ham, cut up (I had leftovers from a whole ham, but you could use a hamsteak cut up or even sliced ham if you wanted)
- 3 medium potatoes, washed and sliced thinly (if you have a food processer, use it...takes about 15 seconds)
-  1 can cream of mushroom soup
- 1/2 cup of milk
- dash of Worcestershire sauce
-black pepper
1/2 block of cheddar cheese, shredded
-cayenne pepper

What you do:
Preheat  the oven to 350 degrees F.  In a medium bowl mix together soup, milk, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Spray pyrex with cooking spray (or if you are naughty like me, coat with butter. Butter makes everything better!).  Layer 1/3 of the potatoes so they overlap slightly, 1/3 of the soup mixture, 1/2 ham and repeat until used. On the top of the last layer (should be cream mixture) sprinkle cheese and cayanne.  Cover with tin foil (tip- spray tin foil with cooking spray so cheese doesn't stick) and put in oven for an hour.  Uncover after an hour and test potato tenderness with a fork, let cook on a high shelf (if your oven has a top burner) for 15 to 20 minutes.

Enjoy!
-Hayden

Bell's Brewery - Two Hearted Ale

I have suspected for a while now that I may have a problem, well, now it has been confirmed.  I am addicted to IPAs.  In fact, I am also ruined by them…most other beers just can’t cut the mustard.  I am an appreciator of all beers (including the likes of PBR), but a good IPA just hits the spot for me.  Which brings me to one of my favorite IPAs, Bell’s Two Hearted Ale.  I first had this while on a work trip to the Outer Banks on a recommendation from a colleague, and have been a fan ever since.  Some IPAs can blow you away with hops (which is a good thing!), but this one has just the right amount of hoppy and malty flavor.  Upon first sniff it may not seem all that impressive, but the first sip will make you a lifelong fan, I promise!  At 7.0% alcohol, it has enough kick to do you right, but not too much to beat you up if you have more than 2 or 3 (or 10).

Happy Drinking,

Squatch

EASY Apple Dumplings

These are super quick and easy (as the title might imply), and quite tasty.  I found this recipe (on allrecipes.com, and then tweaked it…just like pretty much every recipe I make), because I had a bunch of apples that were starting to reach their shelf life.  As you can see from my photo, I didn’t quite follow my own directions.  I didn’t peel the apples (much to The Squatch’s dismay), and I didn’t place the dumplings seam-side down in the pan (I didn’t wrap them with the seam on the flat side of the apple halves, next time I will try it that way).  Next time I will also make sure I have some freshly whipped up whipped cream…but The Beeb was sleeping, so I didn’t’ want to fire up the Mix Master.

Ingredients

1 (16 oz) can refrigerated flaky biscuit dough (jumbo biscuits)

4 apples – peeled, cored & halved

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup water

½ cup butter, melted

2 tsp vanilla extract

chopped walnuts (optional)

ground cinnamon

Instructions

1)  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2)  Lightly grease 9”x13” baking dish.  Separate biscuits and flatten each one into a circle.  Wrap one biscuit around each apple half and place, seam side down, in pan.

3)  In a small bowl, combine sugar, water, melted butter and vanilla.  Pour mixture over dumplings in pan.  Sprinkle walnuts on top of each dumpling (optional).  Sprinkle cinnamon over the dumplings.  Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until golden.  Serve hot.

enjoy!

 ~ j

Candy Corn Pretzel Kiss Treats

My apologies for the stupid name on this recipe, I didn't know what to call it.  This is another really easy Halloween treat recipe, just 3 ingredients and no real cooking involved!  I found these on Pinterest, along with pretty much every new recipe I’ve tried lately.  That website is brilliant!  ANYHOW…

These are so good, and so easy to make…and so easy to walk by and pop into your mouth about 873 times a day.

Ingredients

mini pretzels (you can the square ones, or regular twists)

Hershey’s Hugs (or regular Kisses if you aren’t into white chocolate)

candy corn

Instructions

Shiny Hugs being smooshed.

1)  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2)  Line baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.  Arrange pretzels on foil in a single layer, not touching.

3)  Unwrap Kisses and place one on each pretzel.  Put baking sheet in oven for about 3 minutes, just until Kisses start to get shiny.

4)  Take baking sheet out of oven and smoosh down each Kiss very gently with a candy corn.  Let cool and then transfer to serving platter/bowl/your mouth.  (I put them in the fridge for about 20 minutes to speed up cooling.)

enjoy!

 ~ j

Halloween Candy Toffee Bark

I’ve made this overdose of candy treats twice now.  It really does sound like a ridiculous amount of chocolate, candy, and sugar -- but it's also ridiculously yummy.  The first time I basically followed this recipe:  Halloween Candy Bark.  Ryan took it on a backpacking trip for one of his classes, and of course college students loved it.  :)   The second time I did a combo with this recipe:  Chocolate Graham Toffee Bark.  I preferred my second method.  Ryan took it into school, and people (full-blown adults, not just students!) were asking for the recipe right away...so here it is:

Halloween Candy Toffee Bark

Ingredients:

½ box (approx.) graham crackers

1 cup butter (2 sticks)

¼ cup brown sugar

¼ cup white sugar

1 lb bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

3 Butterfinger candy bars (or 8 fun-size bars), roughly chopped

3 toffee candy bars (or 6 fun-size bars), roughly chopped

8 peanut butter cups (or 16 mini cups), cut into wedges

¼ cup honey roasted peanuts

3 oz. yellow & orange M&Ms, coarsely chopped

3 oz. good quality* white chocolate, finely chopped

Instructions:

1)  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a 10”x15” jelly-roll pan with non-stick foil**.  Arrange whole graham crackers to cover the bottom of the pan in a single layer, breaking up the last few to fit the entire space.

2)  Melt butter on stovetop over medium heat.  Add brown sugar and white sugar, stirring to combine.  Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and let mixture gently bubble for about 4 minutes.  Remove from heat.

3)  Carefully pour butter/sugar mixture over the graham crackers, spreading to cover evenly with a rubber spatula.

4)  Bake for 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and let rest until bubbling subsides.

5)  Melt chopped bittersweet chocolate in a double boiler, stirring frequently until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth.  Pour the chocolate over the graham crackers, spreading evenly to cover with a rubber spatula.

6)  Evenly sprinkle the chopped candy and peanuts over the melted chocolate.  Press gently to adhere the candy to the melted chocolate.  Place in refrigerator and chill for 30 minutes.

7)  Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler, until smooth.  Drizzle white chocolate over the chilled candy bark.  Return to the fridge and let chill again until the white chocolate is set, about 30 minutes more.

8)  Peel the sheet of chocolate away from the foil and break into irregular pieces.  Store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to serve.

*Don’t cheap out on this.  The first time I made this with store brand white chocolate chips, and it did not drizzle well at all.  When I used good white chocolate the second time, it melted and drizzled perfectly.

**Don’t be dumb like me and decide to use waxed paper because you have a lot more of it than foil…the paper will stick to the bottom of the bark and be a pain the rear to peel off.

enjoy!

 ~ j

Soft Chocolatey Chocolate & Mint Chip Cookies

I finally did what I've been wanting to do for about 9 months now.  No, not finish gestating something, I made the super yummy Soft Chocolatey Chocolate & Peanut Butter Chip Cookies with mint chips instead of peanut butter chips.  And here's what I have to say...do yourself a favor, find these somewhere, and buy them...you can thank me later:

Mint lovers, these cookies are fantabulous!  I replaced the 1 cup of peanut butter chips with 1 cup of these Andes baking chips, and I also added 1/2 teaspoon of mint extract.  BUT, next time I am going to replace ALL the chips with mint (so that would be no chocolate chips, no peanut butter chips, just 2 cups of mint chips).

enjoy!
 ~ j

Witch Hats!

Okay, so this isn't exactly cooking...but it's something cute I made in the kitchen and took pictures of, so it works for me.  I saw these around on the interwebs somewhere and had to make them because they looked so freakin' cute.  Well, they don't look quite as cute in my photos, but I think you get the idea.  I need to take a class on food photography.  Do you think there is such a thing?  I also need better lighting in my kitchen for food photos.  ANYWAYS...

I've been cooking up all sorts of stuff lately, and remembering to take pictures!  So hopefully I'll get my slack-ass in gear and actually start posting again.  I made these, and Ryan took them into work, and everyone thought I was cool.  So make them and get lots of props with hardly any work...it's fabulous.  And now, finally, what you've been waiting for...Witch Hats!!

Ingredients:
fudge stripe cookies
Hershey's kisses
orange Wilton decorator icing in a can (or tube, I guess)

Instructions:
1)  Turn cookies upside-down.
2)  Squeeze some icing onto the bottom of a kiss.
3)  Smoosh kiss onto the middle of upside-down cookie.
4)  Get mad kudos with minimal effort.

enjoy!
 ~ j

mashed sweet potatoes

Wow. It has been a while since I posted anything.  Can we say slacker?  I had a good reason for a while, we were packing up our house, moving, and then remodeling our kitchen.  But the kitchen remodel has been done for a few weeks now, so I have no excuses. I am back on the wagon with this really easy and delish side dish.  Makes around 6 servings.

What you need:
4 sweet potatoes
3/4 c milk
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp honey
3 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp brown sugar
dash cinnamon
salt to taste

What you do:
Bring around 6 cups of lightly salted water to boil, while the water is boiling peel and cube the potatoes into dice sized pieces. Add potatoes, boil for 20 minutes or until fork tender.  Drain water, mash potatoes slightly (i used a hand mixer but you could certainly use a stand mixer) add butter and all sweeteners and mix some more, then slowly add milk until it is the desired consistency, you may need a little more than 3/4 cup but I found that was about right for the amount I had. Serve warm!

 These were very good and I will definitely be making them again. Look for more recipes soon! I have a few stored up, many without pictures but I am going to post them anyway bc they were so good.

Enjoy!
-Hayden