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Archive for July, 2010

Alice’s Chocolate Chip Cookies

2010 - 07.28

Tags: chocolate chip, cookies
Posted in Baking | 1 Comment »

I’m not sure where this recipe came from, but it’s yummy!

Pictures

the Ingredients (minus the butter, I forgot to put it in the picture!)

Mixing it Up

Adding the Pistoles

Cookie Dough

On the Sheet

Out of the Oven

Nice Rack!!

Pistoles!!

Box o' Pistoles that I used

Alice’s Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup butter (2 sticks) softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
2 whole eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups flour (12 oz) please weigh the flour
1 teaspoon sea salt, If you must use table salt, use 1/2 tsp.
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
16 ounces pistoles or semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 360 degrees. Cream butter, sugar, and brown sugar until it is nice and fluffy (approx. 5 minutes on medium speed). Add both eggs and vanilla and beat for an additional 2 minutes. Add baking soda, baking powder, salt, and flour until cookie batter is fully incorporated. Finally add chocolate chips until well distributed. The cookie batter should be somewhat thick.

Drop about 2 tablespoons of dough or use a medium cookie scoop and plop the batter onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake for 12 minutes until the edges are nice and golden brown. Remove from heat and allow the cookies to stay on the cookie sheet for an additional 2 minutes. Transfer to cookie rack to cool.

Makes 55 good size cookies.

Mystery Burrito Meat

2010 - 07.25

Tags: beef, burritos, spicy
Posted in Dinners | No Comments »

I know it sounds strange, but I assure you it’s very delicious!! I usually just throw this together but I tried to get measurements. Just remember to have fun with and add the spices and peppers as you feel are necessary. This also makes a LARGE amount. Feel free to cut in half.

Pictures

the Ingredients

El Pato Jalapeno Salsa

Tomato Sauce and Meat!

Seasoning

Chopped Peppers

Second Layer of Meat

More Seasonings

More Peppers

Jalapeno Salsa on Top

Shredding the Meat

All Shredded

First Some Cheese

Stirring up the Meat

Then Some Meat

Lots of Meat!

More Cheese

Ready to Eat!

Mystery Burrito Meat

5 1/2 pounds beef eye round roast (any roast will work) ( I used 2 roasts)
10 jalapenos, diced
1 habenero, diced
1 8 ounce can El Pato Tomato Sauce (it’s spicier the regular tomato sauce)
1 8 ounce can El Pato Jalapeno Sauce
8 teaspoons cumin, divided
6 teaspoons chili powder, divided
2 teaspoons cayenne, divided
flour tortillas
cheese

Remove any access fat from the roast(s). Cut it into manageable large chunks.

Spray slow cooker with Pam. Pour tomato sauce into bottom of slow cooker. Add half the meat, half the spices and half the peppers. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

Cook on high for 8 hours. The meat should break up with tongs pretty easily. Fill you tortilla with meat, cheese and anything else you like.

You can also use the meat for nachos, quasadilla, taquitos, or really anything you want.

Triple Vanilla Cupcakes

2010 - 07.22

Tags: cupcakes, vanilla
Posted in Baking | No Comments »

These are extra good!!!

Pictures

the Ingredients

Mixing!

Add the Egg Whites

Going into the Oven

All Cooked Up!

Frosting Ingredients

Mixing!

All Frosted!

I Like This One Best!

Triple Vanilla Cupcakes

Soft White Cupcakes
1/2 cup soft butter
1 1/4 cups vanilla sugar, *see note
2 1/4 cups cake flour (sift before measuring)
3 teaspoons baking powder, sifted
1 cup milk, combined with 1 tsp vanilla
4 whole egg whites, beaten to stiff peaks
Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting
1 cup unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 whole vanilla bean, * see note inside scraped out
6 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup whipping cream

Cream butter and sugar. Then add milk alternately with flour. Fold in the beaten egg whites. Fill lined cupcake pans 2/3-3/4 full. makes 24 cupcakes

Bake in lined cupcake pans at 325 for 18-20 minutes, when top is just solidified.

Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting: Cream butter for just a minute with the vanilla and then add 2 cups of the powdered sugar and cream together for 2-3 minutes, until it starts to get fluffy. Smear the vanilla bean evenly across the frosting, mix that in, then add 2 more cups sugar, mix that in slowly, add most of the heavy cream, and mix on high for another 5 to 7 minutes, until it is whipped up and shiny. Scrape sides in between mixing.

You can achieve your own favorite consistency by adding more sugar and/or cream and whipping up again. Use the frosting immediately so it doesn’t get crusty.

Notes-Put vanilla bean pod/husk and all others in the future in a large jar and cover with granulated sugar. Voila! Vanilla sugar!

After splitting lengthwise, scrape seeds out with tip of butter knife onto a plate. Save empty vanilla pod for vanilla sugar.

I use vanilla sugar for everything!

This recipe came from here.

Pasta with Vodka Sauce

2010 - 07.22

Tags: garlic, pasta, sauce
Posted in Dinners | 1 Comment »

This Justin’s favorite meal. The first time I ever made it it was for him!!

Pictures

the Ingredients

Cooking the Garlic

Golden Brown

Adding the Crushed Peppers

Dark Brown

Adding the Onion

Adding the Vodka

Reduced!

Adding the Crushed Tomatoes and Cream

All Mixed Up and Ready to Cook

Dinner!

Pasta with Vodka Sauce

6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup onion, chopped
1 cup vodka
2 28 ounce cans crushed tomatoes
6 tablespoons crushed red pepper * see note
2 cups cream
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 32 ounce bags ravioli, cheese-filled

Heat a little olive oil in a medium sauce pan. Make sure oil is hot. Add garlic and cook until golden brown. Add crushed peppers and saute with garlic until garlic is dark brown.

Add onion and cook for 3 minutes.

Add Vodka and reduce liquid by half.

Add tomatoes and cream.

Simmer to reduce liquid to the desired consistency.

Cook raviolis. Serve with Garlic Chicken and Cheesy Garlic Pull Aparts.

*NOTES- Again we love the spicy!!! You might not want to add this much crushed pepper. One time I made this for some friends and one of them got a nose bleed from the spiciness. We laugh about it now!!!

Fried Banana Ravioli with Vanilla Custard Sauce

2010 - 07.22

Tags: bananas, custard, vanilla
Posted in Baking | No Comments »

This was out of my normal dessert making but I thought it sounded yummy!!!

Pictures

Custard Ingredients

Cream and Vanilla Bean

Sugar and Egg Yolks

All Mixed Up!

Simmering

Added the Yolk/Sugar Mixture

All Cooked!

Banana Ravioli Ingredients

Banana Filling (SO GOOD!)

Filling it Up

Sealing it Up

Raviolis!!!

The First One

Frying Up a Batch

All Fried Up

Fancy!!

Lets Eat!!

Fried Banana Ravioli with Vanilla Custard Sauce

3/4 cup bananas, finely chopped
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons walnuts, finely chopped
2 tablespoons pecans, finely chopped
16 whole won-ton wrapper
1 whole egg, beaten to blend
Vegetable oil, for frying
powdered sugar, optional
Vanilla Custard Sauce
2 cups whipping cream
1 whole vanilla bean, split lengthwise
4 whole egg yolks
6 tablespoons sugar

Fried Banana Raviolis- Gently mix bananas, brown sugar, graham cracker crumbs, walnuts and pecans in medium bowl (do not mash bananas). Lay wonton wrappers on work surface and brush edges with egg. Spoon 1 1/2 heaping teaspoons banana filling into center of each wrapper. Fold wrappers diagonally over filling. Press edges to seal. Place on baking sheet lined with plastic wrap. (Ravioli can be prepared 6 hours ahead. Cover with plastic and refrigerate.)

Add enough oil to heavy large skillet to reach depth of 2 inches. Heat over medium heat to 350°F. Working in batches, add ravioli; cook until golden brown, about 45 seconds per side. Using slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels; drain.

Arrange ravioli on serving plate and dust with powdered sugar, if desired. Serve with Vanilla Custard Sauce.

Vanilla Custard Sauce- Place whipping cream in heavy medium saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add pod. Bring cream to simmer. Whisk egg yolks and sugar in medium metal bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in hot cream mixture. Return mixture to saucepan and stir over medium-low heat until custard thickens and finger leaves path when drawn across back of spoon, about 4 minutes (do not boil). Strain. Cover and refrigerate custard sauce until cold, about 3 hours. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.)

YUMMY!!!!

Recipe from here.

Garlic Chicken

2010 - 07.22

Tags: chicken, garlic, spicy
Posted in Dinners | No Comments »

This chicken doesn’t really have a recipe but I’ll do my best just for you!!

Garlic Chicken

the Ingredients

the First Layer

More Layers

Cooking in a Pan

Ready to Eat!

Garlic Chicken

4 6 ounce boneless skinless chicken breast

4 teaspoons minced garlic

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons crushed red peppers

Place the chicken in a bowl and just add everything to it! Feel free to add other things too. Cover it and put in the refrigerator and let it marinade for a couple of hours.

Place a skillet on medium heat and cook the chicken until its yummy!!

Now keep in mind that I love spicy food so you might not want to add that much crushed pepper. Use your own judgement. These measurement are just guesses anyway!

Cheesy Garlic Pull Aparts

2010 - 07.22

Tags: biscuit, bread, cheese, garlic
Posted in Sides | 24 Comments »

As I said yesterday many things were made yesterday Lets start with bread!

the Ingredients

Garlicy Butter Goodness

Cut Up Biscuits

CHEESE!!!!

Fresh Out of the Oven

On the Plate!

Cheesy Garlic Pull Aparts

3 tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 12 ounce can Pillsbury Golden Layers Biscuits *see note
1 cup mozzarella cheese, part skim milk
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated

Heat oven to 425.

Melt butter in small bowl. Stir garlic, parsley and garlic powder into butter. Pour butter mixture into a pie pan.

Cut biscuits into 4 sections each (or as many as you like). Place in pan. Top with both cheeses.

Bake for 10-15 minutes until biscuits are cooked through.

Invert upside down onto a plate. (I take a knife around the edges of pan to release stuck on cheese before inverting to plate.).

*Notes! I prefer the Golden Layer Biscuit, but have used the buttermilk biscuits and it’s still delicious! If you are serving this as an appetizer serve it with warm pizza sauce. It will disappear in moments!!

Also this is supposed to feed like 6 people, my husband and I can just about finish it ourselves! Yes we are pigs!

I got this recipe here!

Justin’s Birthday Dinner

2010 - 07.21

Posted in Other | No Comments »

It was epic! Much food was prepared and tomorrow I will regale you will all the details. For now I must relax. I think I’ve been cooking for 12 hours!!! Talk to you tomorrow.

Pina Colada Cupcakes

2010 - 07.20

Tags: cupcakes, pine colada
Posted in Baking | No Comments »

I decided to make a new Pina Colada Cupcake recipe this time. We’ll see how the people at Justin’s work like them.

Cupcake Ingredients

I Love Mixing Pictures

Adding Coconut and Pineapple

Pre-Oven

Post-Oven

Frosting Ingredients

Mixing

One Cupcake to Rule Them All!

All the Cupcakes

Pina Colada Cupcakes with Coconut Buttercream

1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/3 cup pineapple juice
1 tablespoon rum
2 teaspoon vanilla
3 whole eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup crushed pineapple
1/3 cup coconut flakes

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line cupcake pans with liners.

With an electric mixer at medium speed beat together the melted butter, pineapple juice, rum, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

In a separate bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture 1/2 cup at a time until combined. Fold in the pineapple and coconut.

Fill the cupcake liners three-quarters full. Bake for 17-19 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.

Coconut Buttercream

1/3 cup butter, softened
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, divided
5 tablespoons coconut milk, or more if needed

In a bowl, beat butter until fluffy. Gradually add 1 cups powdered sugar and salt, beating well. Slowly beat in coconut milk. Gradually beat in 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar. Beat in additional coconut milk to reach desired spreading consistency.

This makes 16 cupcakes and I got the recipe from here. The frosting came from a Better Homes and Garden Magazine, the recipe isn’t on their website.

Chicken Breasta Fiesta

2010 - 07.19

Tags: cheese, chicken, spicy
Posted in Dinners | No Comments »

This is another favorite about the house. I hope you like it!!

the Ingredients

the Crumbs

All Crumbed Up

Sauteing the Green Onions

Adding the Cheese

All Melted

Poured Over the Chicken

Cooked

Yummy!!!

Chicken Breasta Fiesta

3 ounces cheese crackers, crumbs
1 tablespoon taco seasoning mix
4 6 ounce boneless skinless chicken breast
2 whole green onion, chopped
1 tablespoon butter, melted
3/4 cup whipping cream
4 ounces lowfat cheddar cheese, shredded
3/4 4.5 ounce can diced green chiles, drained

Combine cracker crumbs and seasoning mix, stirring well. Dredge chicken in crumb mixture, and place in a greased 11x7x2-inch baking dish.

Saute green onions in butter in a skillet until tender. Stir in whipping cream and remaining ingredients; cook until cheese is melted; pour over chicken. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

This is cheesy, spicy and yummy!!!!!

Jenna's Random Thoughts & Recipes

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Archive for July, 2010

Alice’s Chocolate Chip Cookies

Pictures

Mystery Burrito Meat

Pictures

Triple Vanilla Cupcakes

Pictures

Pasta with Vodka Sauce

Pictures

Fried Banana Ravioli with Vanilla Custard Sauce

Pictures

Garlic Chicken

Garlic Chicken

Cheesy Garlic Pull Aparts

Justin’s Birthday Dinner

Pina Colada Cupcakes

Chicken Breasta Fiesta

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