Sunday, September 25, 2011

Homemade Samoas Cookies (Girl Scout Cookie Clone) - Once Upon a Plate




These cookies are AMAZING but are very tedious to make. It is my husbands new favorite cookie. :)

Makes about 3 1/2 to 4 dozen

The cookies involve four steps: 
1. Make the cookie Base
2. Top with Caramel-Coconut mixture
3. Dip bottom of cookies in melted chocolate
4. Drizzle tops with melted chocolate

The Cookie (base):
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
up to 2 tablespoons milk

Preheat oven to 350F.

Cream together butter and sugar in a large bowl. Mix in flour, baking powder and salt at a low speed, next, the vanilla and milk, adding in the milk only as needed to make the dough come together without being sticky (you may not need any at all). The dough should come together into a soft, pliable ball. Add in a bit of extra flour if your dough seems sticky.

It's easiest to roll the dough out in 2 or 3 batches (between pieces of wax (or parchment) paper to about 1/4-inch thickness (or a little thinner) using a 1 1/2-inch cookie cutter to make rounds. Place on a parchment lined (or on silicone mat) baking sheet and make a hole in the center. I used the small end of a large round piping tip. Nicole comments that you can use a knife, or the end of a wide straw, to cut a smaller center hole. Repeat until the dough is used up (it's okay to re-roll, this dough is shortbread-like and very forgiving.)

Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes, until bottoms are very lightly golden brown around the edges.

Cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet, to allow them to firm up slightly, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Topping:
3 cups shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
12-ounces good-quality chewy caramels
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons milk
8 ounces dark or semisweet chocolate (chocolate chips will do)
(If you prefer milk chocolate, by all means use that.)

My notes: The caramel-coconut mixture is quite sweet, so I used Bittersweet chocolate to balance the sweetness bit.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees (F)

Spread coconut evenly on a rimmed baking sheet and toast 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until coconut is golden. Watch carefully, especially near the end of toasting time; the coconut toasts very quickly once it begins to become golden.

Cool on baking sheet, stirring occasionally. Set aside.

Unwrap the caramels and place in a large microwave-safe bowl with milk and salt. Cook on high for 3-4 minutes, stopping to stir a few times to help the caramel melt. When smooth, fold in toasted coconut with a spatula.

Using the spatula or a small offset spatula, spread topping on cooled cookies, using about 2-3 teaspoons per cookie. Reheat caramel for a few seconds in the microwave if it begins to firm up, to make it soft and spreadable once again.

While topping sets up, melt chocolate in a small bowl. Heat on high in the microwave in 45 second intervals, stirring thoroughly to prevent scorching. (I melted mine stovetop using double boiler method.) Dip the base of each cookie into the chocolate and place on a clean piece of parchment paper (I used silicone baking mats instead). Transfer all remaining chocolate into a piping bag or a ziplock bag with the corner snipped off and drizzle finished cookies with chocolate. (Melt a bit of additional chocolate, if there is not quite enough for each cookie.)

Let chocolate set completely before storing in an airtight container.

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Caramel Apple Cheesecakes (The Girl Who Ate Everything)


 
Crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

Cheesecake Filling:
3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons, divided
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Apples:
3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Streusel topping, recipe follows
1/2 cup caramel topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry blender (or 2 forks) until mixture is crumbly. Press evenly into a 9x13 baking pan lined with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 3/4 cup sugar in an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Then add eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla. Stir to combine. Pour over warm crust.

In a small bowl, stir together chopped apples, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle evenly with Streusel topping. Bake 40-45 minutes, or until filling is set. Drizzle with caramel topping and let cool. Serve cold and enjoy!

Streusel Topping:
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. I like to really combine it by using my clean hands to thoroughly combine the butter into the mixture.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Nacho Ordinary Taco Salad with Creamy Lime Cilantro Dressing (Meal Planning 101)


Beef:

1 lb ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely minced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
2 cups grape tomatoes, quartered
1/3 cup salsa
Salt & pepper

Salad:

1 head of romaine lettuce, cut into bite-sized chunks
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 diced red or green pepper
1 cup light old cheddar, shredded (surprisingly, you can't even tell it's lower in fat/calories. The cheese flavor is really bold)
4 green onions, chopped
1 avocado, sliced
2 whole wheat tortillas, cut into strips

Creamy Lime Cilantro Dressing:

2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 lime, zested
1/4 cup lime juice
1/2 cup light sour cream
1 clove garlic, smashed
1 tbsp honey
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper

In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, add your ground beef, onions, jalapeno and garlic and saute until cooked through. Stir in chili powder and cumin and allow to cook for about a minute. Add the grape tomatoes, salsa and salt and pepper and cook for two minutes until the flavors have combined and the tomatoes soften. Remove from the heat and set aside.


While the beef is cooking, heat the oven to 450 degrees. Cut two tortillas into strips (I like to use kitchen scissors) and throw onto a baking sheet. Toss them with a little bit of oil or spray with cooking spray and place in oven until crispy and brown. This will only take a couple minutes. Set aside to cool.


To make the dressing, blend all ingredients together in a blender. Pour into a resealable glass jar.


To assemble the salad, arrange the lettuce on the bottom of a serving platter (or individual plates). Top with beef, corn, beans, red pepper, cheese, green onions and avocado slices. Pour on the dressing and top with a few crispy tortilla chips.

Menu Plan 9/19/11 - 10/1/11

Dinner:

9/19 - Tomato Basil Soup http://lovetocookagain.blogspot.com/2011/09/tomato-basil-soup-everyday-occasions.html and Pesto, Havarti grilled cheese.

9/20 - Hawaiian Crockpot Chicken http://lovetocookagain.blogspot.com/2011/09/crock-pot-hawaiian-bbq-chicken-six.html/rice/broccoli and cauliflower



9/23 - Tyler Florence's Meatloaf  http://lovetocookagain.blogspot.com/2011/09/tyler-florences-meatloaf.html/mashed potatoes/corn




9/27- Spaghetti and meatballs/salad/bread




10/1 - Nacho Salad

Chili Cheese Bake (What's On Your Plate)


Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups sour cream
  • 12 ounces bottled salsa verde (I like Herdez)
  • 10 to 12 corn tortillas, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese (about 2 cups)
  • 3 roasted poblano chiles, peeled, seeded, and diced
  • 1/8 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 °.
  2. Grease a large baking dish.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the sour cream and salsa verde.
  4. Add the tortillas, cheese, and chiles.
  5. Spoon the mixture into the prepared dish.
  6. Sprinkle the paprika and parsley over the top.
  7. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 45 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
  8. Serve hot.
Preparation time: 20 minute(s)
Cooking time: 45 minute(s)
Number of servings (yield): 8

Double Crunch Honey Garlic Pork Chops (Rock Recipes)























6 center loin pork chops, well trimmed

Sift together:

1 cup flour

2 tsp salt

2 tsp black pepper

1 1/2 tbsp ground ginger

1 tbsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp ground thyme

1 tsp ground sage

1 tbsp paprika

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper


Make an egg wash by whisking together:

2 eggs

4 tbsp water


Season the pork chops with salt and pepper, then dip the chops in the flour and spice mixture. Dip the chop into the eggwash and then a final time into the flour and spice mix, pressing the mix into the chop to get good contact.

Heat a skillet on the stove with about a half inch of canola oil covering the bottom. You will want to carefully regulate the temperature here so that the chops do not brown too quickly on the outside before they are fully cooked on the inside. I find just below medium heat works well. I use a burner setting of about 4 1/2 out of 10 on the dial and fry them gently for about 4 or 5 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy.

Drain on a wire rack for a couple of minutes before dipping the cooked chops into the Honey Garlic Sauce. Serve with noodles or rice.


Honey Garlic Sauce

In a medium saucepan add

2 tbsp olive oil

3 – 4 cloves minced garlic


Cook over medium heat to soften the garlic but do not let it brown. Add:
1 cup honey

¼ cup soya sauce

1 tsp ground black pepper


Simmer together for 5-10 minutes, remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes. Watch this carefully as it simmers because it can foam up over the pot very easily.

Tyler Florence's Meatloaf

Dad's Meatloaf and Tomato Relish 

Ingredients

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Coat a skillet with a 2-count of oil and place over medium heat. Saute the onion, garlic and bay leaves for a few minutes to a base flavor. Throw in the red peppers and cook them for a couple of minutes to soften. Now add the tomatoes; adding them at this point lets them hold their shape and prevents them from disintegrating. Stir in the parsley, ketchup and Worcestershire; season with salt and pepper. Simmer the relish for 10 minutes to pull all the flavors together. Remove it from the heat; you should have about 4 cups of relish.
In a large mixing bowl soak the bread pieces in the whole milk. Set aside. In a separate large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef with the ground pork and mix well. Squeeze out the milk from the bread and add the bread to mixing bowl. Add the eggs, 1 cup of the tomato relish, and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Mix well with hands. To test, fry a small "hamburger" patty of the meatloaf until cooked; the patty should hold together but still have a soft consistency. Taste the patty for seasoning.
Take a small baking tray and line with parchment paper. Form the meat into a loaf shape on the tray and top with another 1/2 cup of the tomato relish.
Bake the meatloaf for 1 to 1 1/2 hours until the juices run clear and meat is tender -- it should spring back lightly when pressed. Remove the meatloaf from the oven and let it cool a bit before slicing. Serve with the remaining tomato relish on the side.


Sunday, September 18, 2011

Parmesan-Crusted Tilapia (Rachel Ray)

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 4 tilapia fillets (about 1 pound total)
  • 1 lemon, cut into wedges

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°. In a shallow dish, combine the cheese with the paprika and parsley and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle the fish with olive oil and dredge in the cheese mixture. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake until the fish is opaque in the thickest part, 10 to 12 minutes. Serve the fish with the lemon wedges.

The Best Grilled Cheese Sandwich (Everyday Occasions)


8 slices of Italian Bread
1 cup of extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
2/3 cup of provolone cheese, shredded
2/3 cup of swiss cheese, shredded
2 tablespoon of butter
salt & pepper

Divide the bread into 4 stacks of 2 pieces.  butter the tops and bottoms of the sandwiches.  In between the slices, divide up the shredded cheeses.  In a hot skillet - or cast iron pan/griddle works best - grill the sandwiches on medium heat for about 3 minutes on each side until they are brown and the cheese has melted. 

Tomato Basil Soup (Everyday Occasions)


3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 - 14 oz. cans of crushed tomatoes
1 - 14 oz. can of whole tomatoes
2 cups of stock (chicken or vegetable)
1 tsp of sea salt
1 tsp of sugar
1/2 tsp of fresh ground black pepper
1/4 cup of heavy cream
3 tablespoons of fresh basil, julienned
parmesan cheese

In a saucepan, saute garlic in olive oil on medium heat for 1 minute - being careful not to burn the garlic.  Add the crushed tomatoes.  Add the whole tomatoes one at a time, squeezing them into the pan to break them up.  Add the juice from the whole tomatoes, as well.  Add chicken stock, salt, pepper and sugar.  Cook the soup on medium at a simmer for 10 minutes. 

Nacho Ordinary Taco Salad with Creamy Lime Cilantro Dressing (Menu Planning 101)




Beef:
1 lb ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely minced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
2 cups grape tomatoes, quartered
1/3 cup salsa
Salt & pepper

Salad:
1 head of romaine lettuce, cut into bite-sized chunks
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 diced red or green pepper
1 cup light old cheddar, shredded (surprisingly, you can't even tell it's lower in fat/calories. The cheese flavor is really bold)
4 green onions, chopped
1 avocado, sliced
2 whole wheat tortillas, cut into strips

Creamy Lime Cilantro Dressing:
2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 lime, zested
1/4 cup lime juice
1/2 cup light sour cream
1 clove garlic, smashed
1 tbsp honey
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper

In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, add your ground beef, onions, jalapeno and garlic and saute until cooked through. Stir in chili powder and cumin and allow to cook for about a minute. Add the grape tomatoes, salsa and salt and pepper and cook for two minutes until the flavors have combined and the tomatoes soften. Remove from the heat and set aside.

While the beef is cooking, heat the oven to 450 degrees. Cut two tortillas into strips (I like to use kitchen scissors) and throw onto a baking sheet. Toss them with a little bit of oil or spray with cooking spray and place in oven until crispy and brown. This will only take a couple minutes. Set aside to cool.

To make the dressing, blend all ingredients together in a blender. Pour into a resealable glass jar.

To assemble the salad, arrange the lettuce on the bottom of a serving platter (or individual plates). Top with beef, corn, beans, red pepper, cheese, green onions and avocado slices. Pour on the dressing and top with a few crispy tortilla chips.

Taco Soup




My mom gave me this recipe. Our family loves it and I love it even more b/c it is SOOOOO easy. :)


Ingredients:

1 pound ground lean hamburger ( I used 2 pounds)
1 large onion, chopped
4 cups water
1 (16 oz.) can light red kidney beans, drained
1 (15.5 oz.) can pinto beans, drained
1 (15.5 oz.) can niblet corn, drained
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (10.75 oz.) can tomato soup
1 (10 oz.) can diced tomatoes wth green chilies
1 (10 oz.) can enchilada sauce
1 (1.25 oz.) package taco seasoning mix
1 teaspoon salt
Garnish:shredded cheese, sour cream, crushed taco chips

Directions:

In a large Dutch oven,combine ground beef and onion. Cook over medium-high heat, until beef is browned and crumbles;drain. Stir in remaining ingredients; except for the garnish. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer for 1 hour. Garnish each serving, if desired.

Or you can cook in a crock pot on low. However, you need to brown ground beef and saute onions first.

The Best Whole Chicken in a Crock Pot




Ingredients
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon thyme
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne (red) pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 onion
  • 1 large chicken
Directions
  1. Combine the dried spices in a small bowl.
  2. Loosely chop the onion and place it in the bottom of the slow cooker.
  3. Remove any giblets from the chicken and then rub the spice mixture all over. You can even put some of the spices inside the cavity and under the skin covering the breasts.
  4. Put prepared chicken on top of the onions in the slow cooker, cover it, and turn it on to high. There is no need to add any liquid.
  5. Cook for 4 – 5 hours (for a 3 or 4 pound chicken) or until the chicken is falling off the bone. Enjoy!

Fiesta Chicken (The Girl Who Ate Everything)






4 chicken breasts, frozen or thawed

1 (15 1/2 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 ounce) can corn, drained
1 (15 ounce) jar of your favorite salsa
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese

Take 4 frozen, yes, frozen (or thawed), boneless chicken breasts put into crock pot. Add 1 can of black beans, drained, 1 jar of salsa, 1 can of corn drained.  Keep in crock pot on low for about 4-5 hours or until chicken is cooked. Once it is cooked, take it out and shred it. Return shredded chicken to the crockpot.

Add 1 package of cream cheese (just throw it on top!) and let sit for about 1/2 hour. It may look at little strange at this point. Don't worry. Stir in the cream cheese.

Serve over rice or in warm flour tortillas.

Crock Pot Hawaiian BBQ Chicken (Six Sister's Stuff)



Ingredients:

4-6 Boneless Chicken Breasts (mine were still frozen!)
1 Bottle Archer Farms Hawaiian Style Barbecue Sauce (from Target)
1 20 oz. can Pineapple Chunks, drained

Directions:
Spray the inside of your crock pot with cooking spray for an easy cleanup!  Place frozen chicken breasts in the crock pot and cover with sauce.  Empty can of drained pineapple chunks on top.  Cook on High for 2-3 hours or Low for 4-6 hours.  Shred chicken with two forks while still in the crock pot so the chicken will be well coated with sauce.  Serve over rice.

Southwest Stuffed Bell Peppers (Our Best Bites)


A great meatless meal!

This recipe was adapted from Our Best Bites


Ingredients: 

4 large peppers (red, yellow, green or orange)
1 Tbs salt
1/2 C white rice (you could use any type of rice. I did not have any jalapenos so I used Mexican rice to give it more flavor)
2 Tbs olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 – 1 jalapeno, minced (or you could sub a small 3oz can of mild green chilies)
1 14oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn kernels or 1 can of corn, drained
2 green onions, sliced
1/2-1 tsp chipotle chili powder
1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/4 black pepper, plus more to taste
1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes, preferably fire roasted
1 1/4 C jack or pepperjack cheese, divided
3-4 Tbs chopped fresh cilantro
tortilla chips, just a handful and more for serving if desired.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.  Prepare peppers by washing, slicing tops off, and removing insides.  Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon salt.   Boil whole peppers for about 3-4 minutes, until they begin to soften.  Remove from water with tongs and place on paper towels to drain.

Add rice to boiling water and cook until tender, about 13 minutes. (I used instant rice because I was short on time).  Drain.

Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onions, garlic, and jalapeno (or chilies) and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add corn, beans, green onions, chipotle chili powder, kosher salt, and pepper. Stir until corn and beans are heated through, about 5 minutes.  Place peppers in a baking dish.  Remove skillet from heat and add rice, tomatoes, 1 cup cheese, and cilantro.  Stir to combine well and give it a taste.  Add additional salt, pepper, and chipotle powder to your liking.  Then evenly divide mixture between peppers.

Top peppers with remaining 1/4 cup cheese and crushed tortilla chips.

Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.


I had a lot of the bean/rice mixture left over. We are using it for taco's or over tortilla chips. 

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Apple Dapple Cake (Mom's)

Ingredients:

3 eggs
1 1/2 cup oil
2 cup sugar
3 cup flour
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup milk
3 cup apples, diced
1 cup nuts (optional)
Topping:
1 stick margarine
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup milk

Directions:

Mix eggs, oil and sugar. Add the rest of ingredients. Bake at 350 in a 13x9 inch pan for 30 to 40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool.

Topping:

Boil ingredients for 2 1/2 minutes. Stir entire time. Pour over cooled cake or warm cake.