Peppermint Bark Cheesecake

I love trying new cheesecake ideas and with the beginning of the Christmas season I was inspired by Ghirardelli peppermint bark candy bars.  If you have never had one, it is a dark chocolate candy, layered with white chocolate and peppermint candy bits.

I made this recipe for both my husband's military Christmas party and my coworkers.  There were no leftovers!   I layered dark chocolate cheesecake, peppermint cheesecake, and white chocolate cheesecake with peppermint pieces, all topped-off with cool whip and pieces of Ghirardelli peppermint bark candy bars.

Peppermint Bark Cheesecake

Crust
2 c. graham cracker crumbs (you can use honey or chocolate)
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter, melted

Filling
32 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
1 c. sugar
3 tbls. flour
5 eggs, at room temperature
1/3 c. cream
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Add-ins
4 oz. dark chocolate, melted (I used Ghirardelli)
4 oz. white chocolate (I used Ghirardelli)
2 peppermint candy canes, crushed*
peppermint extract - to taste (about 2 tbls.)
red food color - to desired color
1 tbls. cream

Topping
Cool whip
Ghirardelli peppermint bark candy bar, broken into pieces


1.  Combine crust ingredients and press into the bottom of a greased 9" spring-form pan.
2.  Cream together the sugar and softened cream cheese until smooth.
3.  Beat in eggs, on at a time, until well incorporated.
4.  Mix in cream, flour, salt, and vanilla.
5.  Divide batter into thirds.
6.  Add melted chocolate into first third of batter.  Pour on top of crust.  Tap pan firmly on counter to remove air bubbles.
7.  Add peppermint extract and food color to second third of batter.  If batter appears a little thin, add 1-2 tbls. of flour to thicken it up a bit.  Pour on top of chocolate batter.  Tap pan firmly on counter to remove air bubbles.
8.  Combine 1 tbls. cream and white chocolate in microwave-safe container.  Heat until melted and smooth.  Add to remaining batter.  Pour on top of peppermint batter.  Tap pan firmly on counter to remove air bubbles.
*You may add the crushed candy canes in either the middle or top layer.  If you add it to the top layer, be prepared for your batter to turn light pink.  I did not appreciate the aesthetics of this little accident, so I'd put them in the middle layer.
9.  Bake in a water bath at 350F for 45-55 min or until firm, but the very center is still a little wobbly.
10.  Run a knife around edge of cheesecake to loosen it from the pan.  This will help to prevent cracking.
11.  Turn off the oven and crack open door; allow cheesecake to cool in oven for 1 hour.

12.  Just before serving, top with cool whip and Ghirardelli peppermint bark candy bar pieces.

Carrot Cake Whoopie Pies

A few days ago a friend of mine was talking about a recipe she found on Pinterest for Carrot Cake Cookie Sandwiches. They looked amazing, so I attempted to make the recipe yesterday. I decided to cheat a little and use pre-shredded carrots. Unfortunately, the shred was not fine enough, the recipe incorporated oatmeal, and I did not have pumpkin pie spice, so I was not pleased with the outcome.

As I perused through the original post for the recipe, I came across a new post from the same author for Irish Cream Whoopie Pies. I've only ever had one Whoopie pie, which was made for me by a dear friend from Maine, and it was the traditional chocolate with vanilla cream. The recipe gave me the idea to try making a carrot cake Whoopie pie (since I had carrots on hand). I decided to refine the shred on the carrots in my food processor. I also added a little bit of red and yellow color to the icing because it is spring, and light orange looked pretty with the cookie. I hope you get a chance to try this recipe, which I modified from the original found here.

Carrot Cake Whoopie Pies

2 1/3 c flour
1 tsp soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 c oil
1 c finely shredded carrot
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 c milk
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger

Cream Cheese Icing

8 oz cream cheese, softened
4 oz butter, softened
3 c powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Red and Yellow food color

For cookie, combine dry ingredients in one bowl and wet ingredients (including carrots and sugars) in a separate bowl. Combine wet with dry with a minimum of mixing (or cookie will be tough). Drop by tablespoonfuls onto parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 350 or until firm. Remove from pan and allow to cool completely.

For icing, cream butter and cream cheese in mixer. Add vanilla and food color. Slowly add in powdered sugar. Place in plastic bag and chill for at least 30 minutes. Place icing on one cookie and top with another.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

I consider myself a damn good cook. I have yet to be told other wise. Now, that being said, I've always had a hard time getting the simplest of deserts right; the chocolate chip cookie. It could be because my idea of a tasty chocolate chip cookie is made by Keebler elves in a magical land far far away. They are the perfect chewy consistency, with just the right amount of chocolate-y-ness.

I have followed the recipe on the back of the Hershey's and Nestle's bags. I have tried Girardelli chips with the Better Homes and Gardens Recipe. Still no luck. A few weeks ago I opened a Pinterest account and stumbled onto a yummy looking picture of marbled chocolate chip cookies. The author had slightly modified the New York Times recipe. I took the idea, modified it slightly for my needs, and ended up with a damn fine cookie!

Try them and let me know what you think. This recipe yields three dozen medium-sized cookies.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

3 2/3 c flour
1 1/3 c sugar
1 1/3 c brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp sea salt
2 eggs
2 sticks butter, room temperature
1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla

Cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add in eggs, one at a time, mixing well between additions. Add in the vanilla and stir well. Add flour, salt, soda, and powder. Stir until well combined. With a wooden spoon, stir in cocoa and chocolate chips. Yes this method makes the dough look marbled instead of a uniform chocolate color. For a medium-sized cookie, roll 1 tbls dough into a ball, then place in a gallon-sized baggy or a bowl. Refrigerate dough for 24 hours. (The recipe that I used did not make this suggestion, but it was very difficult to portion the cold dough onto the cookie sheet). Place dough 2" apart on parchment-lined cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-12 minutes, or until the bottoms are slightly browned and the dough is just set. Remove from oven and allow to rest for three minutes then cool on a wire rack. Be sure pan is cooled off before baking the next batch.

The recipe that I used suggested sprinkling sea salt on top of the cookies before baking. This was a yummy idea, but I don't feel like it added much to the over-all flavor of the cookie. I might suggest adding some chopped roasted pecans instead.

Mint Chocolate Chip Brioche

While I was in college I worked for a patisserie in Rochester, NY that served a wonderful Mint Chocolate Chip Brioche on Sundays. I have made brioche before, but could never find a good enough recipe to duplicate the heavenly taste of those from Jean-Claude's Patisserie.

At 8 1/2 months pregnant, when a craving sets in, I'm bound to try to find a way to fulfill it. So, I got online and looked for a brioche recipe that I felt might be close to the one used by that fantastic french bakery. I found one by Ina Garten from the Food Network. I tweaked her recipe ever so slightly and I think it turned out fantastic.

Some of the comments that I read on the Food Network complain about the difficulty of the recipe and the overnight refrigeration. This is by far the easiest, hands-off approach to brioche that I have seen and the refrigeration allows the dough to mature overnight and improve in flavor. I do not recommend skipping this step, though it is not necessary.

You can omit the mint chocolate chips and leave the brioche plain or add fruit (such as blueberries, apples, etc).

Mint Chocolate Chip Brioche
1/2 c warm milk
1 package active dry yeast
6 tbls sugar
6 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
4 1/2 c flour
2 1/2 tsp salt
12 tbls unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 bag mint chocolate chips
1 egg mixed w/1 tbls milk, for egg wash

Combine the milk, yeast, and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Let stand for 5 minutes until the yeast and sugar dissolve. Add the eggs and beat on medium speed for 1 minute, until well mixed. With the mixer on low speed, add 2 cups of the flour and the salt and mix for 5 minutes. With the mixer still on low, add 2 1/4 more cups of flour and mix for 5 more minutes. Scrape the dough into a large buttered bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.

The next day, allow the dough to sit at room temperature for 1 hour. Meanwhile, grease 24 mini brioche tins or two muffin tins. Set aside.

Place the dough in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook, add the softened butter in chunks, and mix for 2 minutes, adding additional flour as needed to make a ball. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured board and divide the dough into 1/4 and 3/4 portions. Further divide the 3/4 portion into 24 balls and place them in the tins. Using your index finger place an indent in the center of each ball. Roll the remaining dough into 24 tiny balls and place one in each indentation. Cover the tins with a damp towel and set aside to rise at room temperature until doubled in volume, about 2 hours. Alternately, place the tins, uncovered, in the oven with a hot water bath for 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush the top of each roll with the egg wash and bake for 20 minutes, or until the tops spring back and it sounds slightly hollow when tapped. Turn the rolls out onto a wire rack to cool.

Coconut Cake

I saw a recipe for coconut cake using fresh coconut in the April 2010 issue of BHG and it looked so yummy that I decided to make it (albeit over one year later). Most of my cooking escapades are issue free, but this one did not go so well!

Let's start with the coconut. According to the recipe and author, cracking a coconut doesn't have to be difficult. I beg to differ. You are supposed to put holes in two of the eyes using an ice pick, which I do not own, so I used a screw driver and hammer. Drain all of the water from the coconut and set that aside. Then tap the coconut forcefully all over in order to loosen the shell. After several minutes the shell should crack. Then break the shell open completely using a few more forceful taps of the hammer. Next, using a thin, flexible knife, separate the shell from the flesh. A thin skin will remain, but can be removed with a vegetable peeler. Finally, shred the coconut finely using a box grater. Hopefully your experience is better than mine. I did get the water drained but was never able to crack the coconut open, so my husband smashed it for me. I then used the thinnest knife that I had, but was not able to separate the shell from the flesh. When I managed to get a small amount of flesh cleaned and grated, I tried a bite and found it highly unappealing. I couldn't imagine how the mostly tasteless chewy flesh was going to taste good on a cake.

The recipe for the cake batter is pretty straight forward and quite tasty. I would recommend it for making any yellow cake. I don't understand why it is called coconut cake since there is no coconut flavor in the batter. It seems to me that it should be a yellow cake with coconut frosting. If you make a yellow cake with chocolate icing, it is not called chocolate cake.

I made the batter and placed it into two prepared pans. One was an individual round cake pan. The other was an extra deep Wilton round cake pan. Once the cake was cooled, I planned on cutting it in half to make two separate layers. Here is where my second problem occurred. The individual layer cooked nicely in about 20 minutes as expected, but the double layer was still not cooked after 1 1/2 hours (normally this pan requires a 50-60 min cook time). After several failed attempts to get things going I learned that my oven had stopped working. Flash forward a few days: The oven had come mostly unplugged, my husband remedied the situation and the oven works fine. Back to the cake: It never completely cooked through. So, I took it out of the pan, placed it on a microwave safe plate, and nuked it for 10 minutes. Obviously this dried the cake out to the point that it could not be used as a layered cake. It turned into the cake used for a tiramisu, though a yummy treat, I do not recommend the recipe that I used for the cheese filling, so I won't post it. But I digress. :)

I never got to make the icing, so I cannot give you any tips or tricks for that part.

After some thought I have decided to post the recipe that I will use next time I attempt to make a coconut cake. I will give you the original recipe with my suggested changes in parenthesis. I intend to use coconut milk to give the cake a light coconut flavor and packaged sweetened coconut because it is easy and guaranteed to taste good. May you have better luck than I!

Coconut Cake

Batter:
5 eggs
1 c butter
1 c whole milk (coconut milk or coconut water)
3 c cake flour (all-purpose)
1 tbls baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 c sugar
1 tbls vanilla

Frosting:
3-4 c fresh grated coconut (packaged sweetened coconut)
3 egg whites
2 c sugar
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
3/4 c water
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla

Cake:
Let the eggs, butter, and milk come up to room temperature. Meanwhile, sift the flour, baking powder, and salt onto a piece of parchment (or waxed) paper. In a large mixing bowl beat butter until smooth, add sugar and vanilla and mix until well combined. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down sides of bowl periodically. Alternate adding flower and milk (1/3 each at a time) until batter is well mixed and smooth. Evenly divide batter among three round or square pans that have been greased, lined with parchment (or waxed) paper, greased again, and floured. Bake for 20-25 min at 350 F or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake in pans for ten minutes then invert on wire rack and cool completely.

Icing:
Let the egg whites come up to room temperature. In a medium saucepan combine sugar, cream of tartar, and water. Cook and stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Cover and bring to boil; boil for 2 minutes. Remove cover and cook until candy thermometer reaches 240 F. DO NOT STIR! Beat egg whites until frothy, add salt and beat until stiff peaks form. While beating on low speed, slowly drizzle in hot syrup. Add vanilla. Beat on medium-high for 3-4 minutes or until light and fluffy.

Ice cake being sure to sprinkle coconut between layers and on outside of cake. If the icing begins to thicken up, place frosting bowl over bowl of hot water and mix periodically. For a slightly different flavor you can use toasted coconut.

BBQ Beef (Crockpot)

I have never made BBQ beef before, but thought it would be a yummy way to celebrate 4th of July this year. I know the easiest method is to place beef and BBQ in a crock pot, but then the beef doesn't seem to get as much flavor, lots of BBQ is wasted, and the crock pot is a mess to clean up! So, I decided to try my own recipe, it is currently cooking, so I'll have to post later to tell you how it turned out. Good luck to me :)

BBQ Beef (Crock pot)

1 c water
1/2 large onion (diced)
1/4 c ketchup
1 tbls prepared mustard
1 tbls onion powder
1 tbls garlic powder (I didn't have any so I used Mrs. Dash Garlic & herb)
2 beef bouillon cubes
2-4 lb beef chuck roast
Salt
Pepper
8 oz beer (I used Woodchuck Hard Cider instead)
BBQ sauce
Buns

Combine the onion, ketchup, mustard, onion and garlic powders, bouillon cubes, water, and beer in a large crock pot. Place beef in mixture and thoroughly season both sides with salt and pepper. Cook on the lowest setting that time allows. I started late so it will be 6 hours. Once the meat is done, pour off liquid, shred beef and mix with your favorite BBQ sauce. I like Gates original (a local BBQ). I will put the BBQ in the crock pot because I don't want to waste the onions that have cooked all day and I want to heat the sauce up a little. Enjoy!

Red, White, and Blue Ice Cream Dessert

Many of the foods that I make were once inspired by a recipe that I read somewhere, but failed to write down. This tasty festive treat is one of those recipes. It is very simple, very pretty, and most importantly delicious. The sweetness of the ice cream is contrasted with a slight tanginess from the blueberry muffin mix. The strawberries add an excellent contrast. Enjoy!

Red, White, and Blue Ice Cream Dessert

1 box Bakery Style Blueberry Muffin Mix (shoud include muffin mix, blueberries, and crumble topping)
1 qt Vanilla ice cream, softened
1 pint strawberries, sliced
2 tbls butter, melted

Grease an 8x8 square baking dish. Combine melted butter with 2/3 of muffin mix. Press into bottom of dish to form a crust. Bake in oven at 350 F for 10 min or until set but not browned. Cool completely. Combine ice cream with remaining muffin mix. Spread evenly on top of crust. Sprinkle top with packet of crumble topping. Place in freezer until ice cream has re-frozen. Just before serving, remove dish from freezer and place in hot water for 30 sec to 1 min to loosen up the edges. Strain and rinse blueberries. Arrange blueberries and strawberries in pattern of choice.

Gluten Free Rice Pudding

As you may know, I am 11 weeks pregnant and fighting some sort of stomach issue (possible an ulcer or gastritis). So, during my last check-up my Dr. suggested that I give a gluten free diet a try. Now, I am a carb junkie, so this sounds like a death sentence to me. Though I have not started this diet yet, I did purchase a carton of Almond Breeze "milk" the other day, because I am mildly lactose intolerant and should not be drinking milk while having stomach issues. I am squeemish about trying new things, especially in the milk department, and I must say that I am not fond of the color, texture, or slightly sweet almond flavor. I love almonds, but I just can't get past it while drinking something called "milk." So, I have been eating it in cereal, where I don't notice the slight flavor, but I need to use the carton up in 7 days. In an effort to create a tasty treat, remain gluten free, and use up the almond milk, I decided to make rice pudding. I used a recipe from tasteofcuba.com, but am suggesting slight modifications. Also, be prepared, because the almond milk turns the rice pudding a sort of grayish color.

Gluten Free Rice Pudding

1/2 c rice
1/2 c water
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 lime rind
1/2 c sugar
1 tsp vanilla
4 c almond breeze milk (original)
1 cinnamon stick
Powdered cinnamon

Add rice, water, cinnamon stick, salt and lime rind to large saucepan and boil rice, uncovered, until tender and most of the liquid is gone (about 10 min). Add milk and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to med-low and simmer, uncovered, until most of the liquid is absorbed and the pudding has thickened. Stir occasionally to keep rice from sticking. Remove lime rind and cinnamon stick. Place in dishes and top with powdered cinnamon.

Vegetable Fried Rice

I love fried rice, but there are so few good chinese restaurants in our area. Even if the food is good, the rice is less than spectacular. I have recently decided that I am quite capable of making my own fried rice that has all of the elements that I believe a good fried rice requires. It does take a little bit of time, but it is definately worth the effort.

3 cups steamed rice
4 tbls butter
2 eggs
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
1/2 small onion, diced
1 tsp ginger paste
1/2 tsp sesame oil
3 tbls soy sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper

Melt butter in large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and salt, saute until soft and transluescent. Meanwhile combine sesame oil, soy sauce, and ginger paste in small bowl. Add eggs to pan and scramble. Add rice, mixed vegetable, sauce, and pepper. Stir until well combined and continue to fry until the rice is cooked to your liking.

Mocha Chocolate Gooey Butter Bars

This is by no means an original recipe! I kidnapped it from Paula Dean. Now, that being said I saw about 1 million recipes on google for Chocolate Gooey Butter Bars. I thought adding a shot of espresso would make a good thing better. These received rave reviews at work yesterday. I hope you enjoy! A note of caution: DO NOT OVER COOK!

Crust
1 stick butter, melted
1 egg, beaten
1 box chocolate cake mix

Filling
1 stick butter, melted
2 eggs
1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1 tbls vanilla
3 tbls cocoa
1 shot espresso, brewed
1 lb confectioner's sugar

Heat oven to 350 F. Grease a 9x13 pan. Combine egg, butter, and cake mix in a bowl, pat into pan. In a separate bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth, add eggs and beat on medium-high speed until smooth. Add vanilla, cocoa, espresso, and confectioner's sugar. Beat on medium-high speed until smooth. Add melted butter. Beat until combined. Pour over crust. Bake for 40 - 50 minutes or until center is set, but not cooked through. If you over cook the cake, the bars won't turn out gooey! :) Cool before cutting into bars.

Red Velvet Cheesecake

I developed this recipe for our church's chili/desert cook-off competition. Though it was not the winning recipe, it was definitely a big hit.

Crust:
2 c crushed chocolate graham crackers
4 oz butter, melted
2 tbls sugar

Filling:
24 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 c buttermilk, room temperature
1 1/2 c sugar
1 tbls vanilla extract
4 eggs, room temperature
2/3 c heavy cream, room temperature
1 c flour
3 tbls cocoa
1 1/2 oz red food color
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tbls vinegar

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Brush some of the melted butter in a 9" spring-form pan. In a small bowl combine the melted butter and sugar, stir until sugar dissolves. Mix in chocolate grahams. Press mixture into prepared pan and bake for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl beat cream cheese until smooth. Add in sugar and beat until mixed. Gradually add in buttermilk, cream, red food color, and vanilla extract. Beat until well combined. Add in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Sift in flour and cocoa. In a small cup combine baking soda and vinegar, add mixture to cheesecake batter.

Pour batter onto cooled crust. Bake at 250 degrees F in a water bath for 1 1/2 hours or until outside edges are set. Turn off oven, crack open oven door and allow cheesecake to remain for one hour. Remove cake from oven and run a knife around the outside edge. Allow the cheesecake to cool completely before storing.

If you would like to add a chocolate swirl to your cheesecake, do not add the red food color. Instead, remove 1 cup of batter, mix with 2 oz melted bittersweet chocolate. Add the red food color to large batch of batter. Pour batter into pan. Spoon chocolate batter on top of cheesecake batter, create swirl pattern.

Nothing new yet...

Due to the holidays and bad weather, I have not felt inclined to cook much. That being said, I have developed a new recipe for my church's women's ministry Chili/Desert Cook-off. Since I am submitting this recipe for the competition, I can't post it yet, but on Wednesday be prepared for a new post and a fantastic, Valentine's Day inspired, cheesecake! I also have a few other recipes that I failed to post, so keep an eye out for Peach Bread Pudding, Lasagna in a Pot, and Arroz con Pollo.

Pumpkin Tapioca Pudding

Mmmm. It is that time of year: warm pumpkin something or other, hot chocolate, stew, bread. I love fall. I had purchased a can of pumpkin and had not used it so I decided to make pumpkin tapioca pudding. This is very easy and quite tasty.

2/3 c sugar
3 tbls tapioca
3 c milk
1 can pumpkin (~15 oz)
1 egg, well beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp cinnamon

Combine all ingredients, except vanilla, in medium saucepan. Allow to sit for 5 minutes. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until pudding comes to boil. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla. Cover with plastic wrap and cool.

Squash Applesauce Coffee Cake

I've made this recipe a few times over the summer to use up the bounty from my garden. I have heard nothing but good things about it and have had a lot of requests, so here it is. To be honest, I got this recipe from Allrecipes.com but I have tweaked it a lot from the original, so I don't think you'd be able to find the original anymore.

My recipe calls for summer squash, but you can use zucchini, cooked butternut or acorn squash, or a mixture that strikes your fancy.

Streusel
1/4 c brown sugar
1/4 c sugar
1/4 c flour
1/4 c oats
1/4 c nuts (pecans are best)
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 tbls cold butter

Cake
1/2 c butter-flavored shortening
1 c sugar
2 eggs
2 c squash
1 tsp vanilla
2 c flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
pinch cloves
1 c applesauce

Cream together shortening and sugar. Add in eggs, squash, vanilla, and spices. Stir in flour. Grease two loaf pans or an 8 x 8 cake pan. Place half the batter in pan, layer in applesauce and 1/2 the streusel. Top with remaining batter and streusel. Bake at 375 for 40 min or until done.

Irish Soda Bread

One of my favorite fall/winter treats is Irish soda bread. I have been making various versions for the past few years that are more like a desert or cake, but I decided to modify one of the recipes that I use to make it more authentic. From what I know about Irish soda bread it is very basic, no eggs, no sugar, no caraway seeds, no raisins! Other recipes that I have found have also used baking powder, yeast, butter, etc. I made a yummy loaf a few days ago and it was as easy to make as it gets. I hope you give it a try, even if you don't bake, and bread scares you, it is hard to mess this one up. This recipe makes one, smallish, loaf.

2 1/4 c flour
1 c buttermilk
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 375F. Mix flour, salt, and baking soda. Stir in buttermilk until mixed. Knead the dough until all of the flour is incorporated and it begins to smooth out (about 5 min). Form the dough into a ball and tuck the sides underneath. Place on un-greased baking sheet. Using a sharp knife, make two shallow cuts in the form of an x on the top of the bread. Bake for 45 min or until bread sounds hollow when you knock on it. (Yes, really, go ahead and knock on the loaf).

This bread is best when eaten warm and the same day it is made. It will last a few days at room temperature but will go rancid if left too long. If you have left-overs, you can microwave a slice or toast it, but you should consider putting some butter and/or jam on it.

Shepherds Pie

I'm trying to make smaller meals and to make life easier on myself by doing some meal preparation ahead of time. This being said, a few days ago I made stuffed green peppers, as you well know. I had 1 lb ground beef, but only needed to use 1/2 lb, so I saved the remaining 1/2 to use for shepherds pie. I was able to use fresh carrots straight out of my garden! Even though the recipe seems small, it yields 4 servings. I suggest serving it with warm buttermilk biscuits.

1/2 lb ground sirloin
1/4 c diced onion
1/4 c diced carrot
1 c frozen mixed vegetables (corn, peas, beans)
1 tbls Worcestershire sauce
2 tbls ketchup
1 c beef broth
4 tbls butter
1/4 c milk
1/4 tsp thyme
2 large russet potatoes
2 tbls flour
salt & pepper

Heat 2 tbls butter over med-high heat, add carrots and onions. Cook for 5 minutes, then add ground beef. Cook until ground beef is cooked through and vegetables are tender. De glaze the pan with the broth, mix in ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and thyme. Gradually sprinkle flour into mixture, stirring constantly. Allow sauce to thicken, stirring occasionally. Add frozen vegetables and heat for 5 minutes. Place in 1 qt baking dish.

Meanwhile, peel and dice two potatoes. Place in medium saucepan, cover with water, and add salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to med-high and boil for 15 minutes or potatoes are fork-tender. Strain potatoes and put back in hot pot on hot burner. All additional water to cook off, then mash potatoes, add butter while continuing to mash. Add milk, salt, and pepper to taste and consistency.

Top meat and vegetable mixture with mashed potatoes. Place in a preheated 375F oven for 20 minutes. If top does not brown, broil for 5 minutes or until potatoes are golden on top.

Stuffed Green Peppers

It's getting cold outside and the season for comfort food has arrived. I was very busy this evening, so I had to make this recipe a little different than I usually would have, but it turned out well and was very hands off.

4 large green peppers
1 c long grain rice
1 c spaghetti sauce
1 1/2 c water
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 c mozzarella cheese
1 tsp Italian spices
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 lb ground beef

Brown ground beef in 10" pan w/ lid. Add onions and cook over medium heat until tender. Meanwhile, cut tops off from green peppers, remove stem and dice tops. Add peppers and spices to pan and cook for 5 minutes. Add water, sauce, and rice, bring to boil, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes. Meanwhile, place peppers in baking dish and bake at 375F for 25 min. Fill peppers with rice mixture. Top with sauce and mozzarella cheese. Bake for additional 10 min or until cheese is melted.

If you have the extra time, you can fill the raw peppers with the rice mixture, top with sauce and cheese, and bake for 25 min. Enjoy!

Moroccan Chicken with Couscous

I had paid an exorbitant amount of money for a whole chicken last week and decided to get my buck's worth. So, I washed the chicken, lightly salted and peppered it and then cooked it in the crock pot for 4 hours. I allowed the chicken to cool to room temperature and then placed it in the refrigerator. The next day I ripped that sucker apart and divided the meat into three portions. One portion I froze. One portion I used to make chicken and biscuits. One portion I refrigerated. Tonight, I used the refrigerated chicken pieces to make Moroccan chicken.

The recipe that follows cooks the chicken with the stew, but either method is super tasty. If you have a picky eater in the house (like my family), this is a great way to prepare veggies! This is a modified recipe from All Recipes.com (ID#83565).

1 cup couscous
1 tbls oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 bay leaves
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp ground turmeric
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
6 chicken pieces (breasts, thighs, legs)
16 oz can garbanzo beans
16 oz can crushed tomatoes
6 c chicken broth
2 carrots, diced
1 zucchini, cubed
1 summer squash, cubed
1/2 eggplant, cubed (optional)

Prepare the couscous per package directions.

Saute the onion and carrots until the onion is tender. Mix in spices, add chicken pieces and cook until browned. Add zucchini, summer squash, and eggplant, cook additional 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, cover and simmer 25 minutes. Serve over couscous.

Homemade Mac & Cheese

So you know your favorite boxed mac & cheese? Stop buying it! I started making homemade mac & cheese a few years ago, and though I still eat the boxed stuff from time to time it is not nearly so tasty. I use cellentani pasta because it is corkscrew pasta with lines, so the cheese sticks well to it and the pasta does not become mushy. There are a few alternatives to jazz this basic recipe up. Also, the same technique applies to making fettucini alfredo if you are so inclined.

1 lb Cellentani pasta
1 1/2 c sharp cheddar cheese
2 tbls butter (not margarine)
2 tbls flour
2 c milk
1/4 tsp ground mustard
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 c diced onion (optional)

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile in a medium sauce pan over medium heat, saute onions in butter until translucent. Add flour to pan and stir to combine, allowing the flour to cook for 1-2 minutes. Gradually add the milk and continue stirring until the milk is thick and bubbly. Stir in cheese, ground mustard, and pepper. When pasta is al dente drain, but do not rinse, and return to pot on stove. Allow the excess liquid to cook off in the hot pot. Stir cheese mixture into pasta. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To make this a hearty meal you can add diced ham, then pour the mac & cheese into a buttered casserole dish. Melt 2 tbls butter and stir into 1 cup panko bread crumbs. Top mac & cheese with bread crumbs and bake in 375F oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.

Pear and Blueberry Crisp

As you may know, I enjoy cooking. My mom gets the credit for my possession of this fine attribute. Love ya, Mom! I decided to post some of my favorite recipes for you to enjoy. For the most part, they are simple and easy. Most of the time, they'll probably be what I ate for breakfast, dinner, or dessert. As a side note, if the recipe is not original I will make every effort to give credit to my source, but I cannot make any promises.

For dessert tonight I made a pear blueberry crisp using pears, since they are in season, and frozen blueberries. The blueberry oatmeal intensifies the blueberry flavor and adds a little extra texture to the crisp. Let me know if you like it. Enjoy!

1 1/2 cups blueberries
4 pears, peeled and diced
1/4 tsp almond extract
2 tbls cold butter
1 tbls sugar
1/2 tbls tapioca (optional)
3/4 c flour
1/4 c brown sugar
1/4 c sugar
2 packages blueberries & cream instant oatmeal (or plain oatmeal)

Preheat oven to 375F. Butter a 1 qt baking dish, add diced pears, blueberries, almond extract, 1 tbls sugar and tapioca. Mix to combine. In small bowl combine flour, brown sugar, sugar, and oatmeal. Cut in butter until crumbly. Top fruit with crisp mixture and gently pat down. Bake until golden brown and bubbly, approximately 35 min.

Notes: I did not use almonds in the topping, but they would be yummy. This recipe uses a fine crisp top due to extra flour, you could reduce the flour by 1/4 cup if you desire. The tapioca is not necessary, but it acts as a thickener. If you do not have tapioca, sprinkle some flour in with the fruit. The ingredient measurements are approximate, since I do not measure out ingredients for simple desserts. I urge you to experiment :)