Tomato, Mozzarella and Prosciutto........does it get any better than that?

I was just sitting here thinking how I can't believe the year is almost over.  I actually always found New Years a little depressing to be honest.  As I have grown up, I have decided enough of the coulda, woulda, shoulda that I obsess over on New Years, I am going to concentrate on the FOOD of it all!!!  HA!  There is no cooking for this particular appetizer, it is an assembly project all the way.  So for those of you who don't want to spend alot of time, this is easy and all ingredients are purchased and then just put together!

 

I have alot of disclaimers and if you do this, you have to do that, on this blog.  I am almost embarrassed to post the photo of ingredients.  I mean, as foodies, don't we kind of take it as a personal insult if we can't use what we deem to be the best ingredients??  It is almost like a failure for me to not have on hand exactly the perfect ingredients.  I am the queen of "make it work" but dang if I don't want the perfect ingredients every single time!!  This happened to me today and truth be told, if I had just gone to Whole Foods, I wouldn't have been in this predicament.  You win some, you lose some.  I could not find bocconcini anywhere today!  I ended up having to buy a ball of some Wisconsin brand fresh mozzarella and just go with it.  You can do this, if it is all you have available to you.  I just had to buy this big ball and cut it into chunks.

You will need:

1 pint grape tomatoes

1-2 containers of small mozzarella balls (not pearls, they are to small)

1 small box of toothpicks

3 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried basil

1/4 tsp black pepper

10-12 pieces of prosciutto

First,  you will make your seasoned olive oil.  In a small bowl combine, olive oil, oregano, basil, and black pepper and combine, add mozzarella balls and let marinate while assembling appetizers.  

 

Cut your prosciutto in half both ways, use 1 of the pieces for each one.  Skewer with your toothpick a tomato and then wrap a ball in 1 cut piece of the prosciutto and skewer, making sure to catch both ends of the meat strip to it will stay on.  

You may choose to add some salt to your olive oil if you do not use pretzels for skewers.  If you use the pretzels you get all the salt you need in the appetizer.  We loved these, and the use of dried herbs makes it easy for anyone and your herbs won't turn black after sitting awhile!  Make sure to kind of shake off your cheese so you don't get puddle of olive oil!!

Wishing you all a HAPPY NEW YEAR....may your blessings overflow!

Your "appetizer happy" chefwannabe

Chris

Oh Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuudge!!

Oh what a Christmas it has been!!!  Santa brought me a new camera so my blogging photos should be even better!  My husband made me a tie blanket, because I wanted one so bad.  He has a Philadelphia Eagles one I made him last year, he made me a ducky one!  I love little ducks. He calls me his little ducky.  Don't become ill, it's adorable and you know it!  I am told my BIG gift will be a couple of weeks late. Hmmm.....could it be the Kitchen Aid Pro?  We shall see!!  My husband is an incredibly thoughtful, and generous gift giver, I am gracious and spoiled.  At least I am gracious though right?  Instead of being spoiled and not gracious?  My stocking was bulging at the seams and we headed off for our traditional, "Christmas Chinese Dinner".  

 

My husband is a huge fudge lover, I don't care for it so much.  I have never successfully made it, or never had it turn out in a manner I would deem totally successful.  This one from an old newspaper article seemed fool proof and I had to try it.  I did add a few things of my own, and you could really change it up however you want for add ins.  I would try some, dried fruits, different nuts, peanut butter, crunched up pretzels,  liquors, use different chips as well if you like.

Fake Out Fudge
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 bag of milk chocolate chips
2 tsp vanilla extract  (used my homemade for the first time)
1/2 cup nutella
3/4 cup miniature marshmallows
1/2 cup chopped nuts of your choice

Use a square backing dish and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Line it with parchment paper that is longer than you need so that you can use the long sides to pull it up out of the baking dish like handles.  

In a sauce pan, melt choc chips into milk at a low temp, stirring constantly.  When COMPLETELY melted, take off of heat, stir in marshmallows, nutella and walnuts.  Turn into parchment lined baking dish and spread evenly.  Let sit for 2 hours, or in the refrigerator until set and hard.  Cut into small squares and serve!

Nobody ever has to know you cheated!  Be creative and use different extracts, with different chocolates and mix ins!!

Now, off to shop.  I mean, do you really think I am going to miss the after Christmas sales??!

Your "somethin' for nothin' at after Christmas sales" chefwannabe

Chris

Christmas is here! Peppermint Candy Cane Meringues

It is Christmas Eve!  Can you believe it?  I am sitting in the recliner, with my cup of coffee, tree is lit, and I am just thinking about Christmas's past.  Missing my son and granddaughter this holiday season but thankful to have my son home from Iraq safe and granddaughter thriving and as precious as ever. 

I am going to do a little last minute shopping.  I am the one who has all her shopping done and on Christmas Eve decides everyone needs just one more little something.  I am going to convince him to go to the mall food court and have lunch so we can people watch and get some chuckles.  Are we the only ones who do this?  I bet we aren't!  Tonight is our big Christmas dinner, before midnight Mass.  Tomorrow is our annual Christmas chinese food!!  We have watched "A Christmas Story" a dozen times, which is a low number for us by now!  I hope you are indulging in all of your own Christmas traditions with the people you love. 

I am a terrible meringue maker.  I make pavlova, and it always turns out.  Meringue cookies do not, so you do the math, because I just don't get it!!  This year my luck seems to have turned around.  I am not sure if it is because i used meringue powder or just that the stars were all in proper alignment!  I had meringue powder left from my royal icing, and that phase quickly ran its course, so I wanted to use this powder up.

Peppermint Candy Cane Meringues

3 tsp meringue powder
1/4 cup cold water
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
1 candy can smashed to smithereens!
3/4 cup sugar
food coloring (optional)

Preheat oven to 225 degrees.  In a bowl combine powder, water, extract, food coloring, and half of the sugar.  Beat for 5 minutes slowly adding in the remainder of the sugar.  Put mixture in piping bag with star tip and pipe into small stars on  parchment lined cookie sheet. Sprinkle tops with candy cane dust and put in the oven for 30-40 minutes.  Turn oven off and leave in the oven until completely cooled.  You can also drop the cookies by spoonfuls if you desire. 

I hope you enjoy these cookies.  They aren't so quick as far as eating them but quick and painless to make and wait for.  They are SO delicious!!

Merry Christmas to you all........you are a blessing in my life!!

Your "everytime a bell rings an angel gets her wings" chefwannabe
Chris

More "Picky's" for us non-bakers! Sweet Chex Mix!

Well, we all know its crunch time.  The baking, the shopping, the wrapping and preparing is in overdrive!  I am not sure how it happened but all my shopping is done and shipped and wrapped!  Amen for small miracles.  

 

I don't think there is a person alive who hasn't had the traditional Chex mix snack, right?  Well somehow I have never known there was a sugary, sweet version as well.  It is so easy and simple for us baking challenged cooks!  It is done in 15 minutes, and you can mix it with some Christmas candy or red and green M&M's!  Maybe some licorice bits?  

 

You can use any Chex cereal you want for this.  In fact, I have some Cheerios, and Honeycombs I am going to do this same thing with.  I don't see any reason you can't use almost any cereal of your choice with this one.  I also feel like you could choose to add any kind of nut you wanted.  

Here we go!!  Don't blink or you will miss it, it is THAT easy!

Sweet Chex Mix Snack

8 cups any Chex mix cereal

1 cup pecan pieces

1 cup butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees, and pour Chex mix and pecans into large roasting pan.  In saucepan, melt butter and brown sugar together.  Pour melted mixture over cereal mix and stir.  Bake for 8 minutes and then stir again. Bake 8 more minutes, remove from oven and stir one more time.  Let cool.   Store in Ziploc bags or airtight container until ready to use.  

 

This is so delicious.  I might consider adding a little cinnamon next time as well!  Change up the cereal mix or nuts, however you choose!

I love "picky's"!!

Your "picky lovin' chefwannabe"

Chris

Peppermint Patties

....I get the feeling I can actually bake, when in reality I haven't had to bake a single THING!

The reality I live with is that I am not such a good baker.  I have said it before and I will say it again.  I just don't bake well.  I try, I try really hard.  I am just a cook at heart and so for me the holidays are filled with making goodies that I don't really have to bake!  Some of my fabulous foodie friends bake exquisite goods and desserts.  I envy them all!  I do things mostly that are no bake, or assembled things!  I can make a mean ganache, and some out of this world pastry cream, and I can dip like no dipper ever dreamed of dipping!

I am obsessed with ugly cookie trays.  Haven't you gotten these before?  The ALL BROWN, dry, mostly broken up mystery cookies?!?! Yuck!  No merriment at all behind one of those things!

My husband is a huge peppermint patty fan.  I am not.  As usual, being a wife, we find ourselves making what everyone else wants, don't we?   We do it with a loving heart and all that crazy stuff, *isn't that what I was supposed to say??* hehe.  So I found a recipe from allrecipes.com.  I hope you try these, they are so simple it seems like your not baking at all.  Oh yea...your NOT!  Though the inside texture IS a bit different than a peppermint patty, my picky, opinionated husband, has given it the thumbs up all around.  The recipe calls for these to be dipped in dark chocolate.  I hate dark chocolate so I used chocolate almond bark, or you could use semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips.

Peppermint Patty's
1 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk
4-6 cups of powdered sugar aka icing sugar (calls for 6, I only managed to get 4 in)
1 tbsp peppermint extract (my husband says it needed another tsp) go with what you like
24 ounces of melted chocolate

Combine condensed milk, and peppermint extract.  Add in powdered sugar in 1 cup increments. Although the recipe calls for 6 cups, I only could get 4 cups in.  At that point it was a little dry so I did add a few teaspoons of water to bring things back together properly.  Combine it using your hands if necessary into a large ball.  Pull off bits of dough as big as you like, roll into a ball, place on parchment or sil pat lined cookie sheet and using 2 fingers flatten into the shape of a peppermint patty.  Do this with all the dough, it will make alot!  Let sit for 2 hours and dry.  Flip over and let sit for another hour.  I let them sit overnight, so the time is really flexible.  Melt chocolate, and using a fork, dip each one and place back on parchment.  The faster you move with this the better it goes.  Freeze or refrigerate for 2 hours and then place in Ziploc for storage until you are ready to use!

Get your children in the kitchen, or call a friend, making these balls might seem like it takes forever without help and company!  I hope you love them as much as my husband does. Need to go hide those puppies right now!

Your "peppermint patty party starter" chefwannabe

Chris

Guest Blog, if it can be "Veganized" SHE can do it! Vegan Monkey Bread

Nick, husband of Jessica, father of Riley and Georgia, and living legend  of the vegan community in the making

A little over a year ago, I agreed to help my husband embark upon the great vegan experiment. It was a little rough in the beginning. There was a lot of Googling the ingredient lists, there are animal by products in damn near everything; and, it feels like manufactures’ are trying to hide that fact.

I am an adventurous cook, brash baker, and a big fan of eating food. I took it as a personal challenge to veganize what I could. If nothing else- to prove to my mother that this was a viable lifestyle.  To be perfectly clear- I am not vegan; but, I am fairly busy with two babies and don’t want to make two meals all the time. So I go vegan during the week.

One fateful night I was scanning my favorite blogs, when I came across this lovely little recipe for monkey bread. It was really more of a cake, but I wasn’t going to hold that against the blogger. A quick scan of the ingredient list and I realized- I CAN VEGANIZE THIS! My poor husband had been left out of several great internet finds and now he was finally able to partake. Let me fill you in on how simple it was to make these face free.

Vegan Cinnamon Monkey Cake

You will need:
1-8oz. tub softened vegan cream cheese

1 ½ cups softened soy butter

2 ½ cups vegan sugar

2 tsp vanilla

3-4 containers of Pillsbury biscuits

2 TBSP cinnamon

1 ½ cups brown sugar

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter up two 9 inch pans and set aside.

In a small pot or bowl, melt ½ c  soy butter.

In a big Ziploc bag mix 1 c brown sugar and 1 c sugar, add cinnamon and shake it all up.

Remove biscuits and roll each one into a little 4 inch tube, then cut them into 4-5 pieces.

Drop the pieces in the butter. I used a slotted spoon to fish them out and drop them in the bag of sugar. Shake it , shake it, shake it like a Polaroid picture.

Drop them casually into the well buttered cake pans.

Repeat until you’ve covered the bottoms of the pans fairly completely. I actually ran out of sugar and had to had about ½ c more of each kind of sugar and another good dash of cinnamon..

Take the remaining butter from the dipping process and melt 1 more stick with it. Add to that whatever sugar was left in the Ziploc bag and heat in a sauce pan. This bit is tricky because you want to stir it constantly until the sugar is just melted into the butter but not burn it.

Drizzle this delicious concoction evenly over your two pans.

Bake for about 30 minutes.

While that’s baking:

Make sure the burner is OFF!

 

In the same little sauce pan you melted your butter/brown sugar mixture- mix ½ c soy butter, vanilla, the tub of vegan cream cheese, and about 1 c. vegan sugar. Residual heat only here folks. With a whisk just whip the crap out of all those ingredients until you get a creamy smooth consistency. Finger dip tasting is the only way you’re going to know if you’ve added enough sugar.  Once you’ve reached peak taste toss the pot into the fridge and let it rest and set up while you’re baking.

Pull your lovely cakes out of the oven. Loosen the sides with a spatula and turn them out onto plates. Take your frosting and spread a thin loose layer to be the middle.  Top it with the second layer and coat it with the remaining frosting. At this point you should be DYING to eat the whole damn thing- so go for it!
 

Jessica, with daughter Georgia

 



Guest Blogger-

Jessica is a blogger, mom, and all around amazing  person.

Check out her blog It's Less Important Than You Think.

She's also on Facebook  and Twitter @CrunchieMom

Blush............not Bashful!

It has been one of those days friends!  I allowed my husband to Christmas shop with me.  WHAT was I thinking you ask?  I wasn't!  THAT is the problem!  He is a great shopper when we are casually shopping, in fact a far more willing shopper than I.  When we need to look for something in particular, he is nuts.  He had the audacity to tell me the print on our granddaughters tights didn't NEED to be the same pink as the top.  Ladies?!?!  This is what I was dealing with.  He waited while I got my nails done as well, they were 2 weeks overdue, and it took forever.  Needless to say, not all the shopping got done.

We got home late and I decided I didn't want to cook, I wasn't so hungry anyway and I knew George wouldn't be either.   Well he emerged wondering what was for dinner.  Mind you I haven't been to the store for awhile, so I have no fresh herbs, hardly any veg, and no fresh pasta.  So what I concocted out of the pantry was this pasta dish that I LOVED.  I had no idea it would turn out so good!  Although I only made pasta, and no meat, this would be great with a sliced Italian sausage carefully sliced and laid out on top, or grilled chicken.   I am just a pasta lovin' girl.  There is no way around it, and nothing I can humanly do to change it.  I hope you enjoy, add some meat and a salad, or some bread.  Maybe even use it as a side dish alongside a meatloaf!!

You first need to make a little spice blend consisting of:
1 tbsp dried basil
1/2 tbsp onion salt
1 tsp garlic powder
Combine in small dish

Here is what else you will need:
1 tsp olive oil
1 1/2 cups of crushed tomatoes (I used Pomi)
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Spice blend
12 ounce pack of farfelle (bow-ties) or any short pasta of your choice, prepared
according to package directions.  Do not overcook!


While pasta is cooking......
In a high sided skillet add olive oil and tomatoes. Let warm through and add spice blend.  Let come to a tiny boil and turn down to simmer until pasta is finished cooking.  When pasta is done, drain and set aside.

 

Add in cream and cheese, mixing to combine completely.

Add in pasta and toss until pasta is completely coated in sauce.  It should absorb the perfect amount, almost all of it with a WEE bit left.  Not to dry and not over sauced!

I hope you enjoy this quick and easy side or main dish!!  Have a wonderful evening!!  Happy Christmas baking to all and to all a good night!!

Your "is it Christmas yet"chefwannabe

Chris

Spaghetti Alla Carbonara

OK,  so admittedly, I have only made this once before.  It was a disaster.  No, really, I mean a REAL disaster!  I decided since it is one of my husbands favorites, I would try again.  I watched video after video, read recipe, after recipe.  I equipped myself with every ounce of knowledge I could find.  After all I have eaten it plenty, so know the difference in taste between good carbonara and bad.  So  I was prepared to make the best carbonara I have ever tasted...........and I DID IT!!  I also chose to use bacon instead of panchetta because it is what I had in the freezer.  I personally prefer bacon to panchetta in carbonara.  Odd I know, but I do.  I enjoy the smokey flavor it lends but do miss the bite of the panchetta too.  It is 6 of one, and  a half dozen of the other, pick what you like!

 

After I decided to make my own recipe, I was torn.  Half of the videos I watched,  or recipes I read, used cream and half didn't.  Well, I am a cream lovin' girl so I decided I would take the best parts, in my opinion, of the recipes I watched and put it together into my own version.  This recipe will feed 3-5, I only served it with some crostini. 

Before we start, there are a few tips I have for you.  First, save your pasta water, you will need some of it!  Secondly, bring your eggs to room temp before using.  An important ingredient is fresh cracked black pepper, USE IT!  When you add your egg/cheese mixture, you will have shut off your flame or burner, and put your pan on a cold burner or hot pad on your counter.  The trick is to cook the egg gently with the heat of the pasta and residual heat from you pan.  You don't want scrambled eggs.  That being said, let me tell you what you will need for this dish.

3 eggs (room temp)
1 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup pasta water
1/2 lb bacon, chopped (traditionally panchetta is used so substitute if you like)
1 tbsp fresh cracked black pepper
16 oz spaghetti





Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt liberally and add in pasta.  In a large skillet, brown bacon in 1 tsp olive oil, turn to low so it doesn't gt overly crispy but remains on a gentle heat. 

In a separate bowl mix your eggs, cheese, cream and pepper together.  When pasta is al'dente, use tongs and transfer it from its pot to the bacon pan quickly.  Pour in egg mixture and using tongs, toss until all of the mixture is combined, gently stirring and tossing for a bit longer  Add some of the pasta cooking water to loosen up your sauce and continue tossing until all incorporated.  Do NOT let your eggs scramble!!  They should cook while thickening your sauce, making a silky, gorgeous sauce that gently coats all of your pasta!  Salt to taste as always!! Bacon and cheese are salty so be careful!

My husband fell in love with me all over again after I served this to him.   The only thing I might do differently next time is combine some panchetta with some bacon, and get the best of both worlds!!

 

Buon Appetito!

Your "don't think about the eggs while your eating"chefwannabe

Chris

So when your near me, darling can't you feed me....S.O.S!!

OK so my attempt to change the ABBA lyrics to suit my food meaning didn't work so well, did it?

S.O.S.   Another meal of my past has come back to, well I would say haunt me, but it is to delicious to consider it haunted.  I remember my mom, mother of 10, making this because it was "cheap food".  It was cheap and could feed a small army.  She probably made an entire pot of gravy with only one package of dried beef!!  We joke all the time about how we can remember 3 lbs of macaroni for goulash to 1 lb of ground beef!

Anyway, SOS is short for "shit on a shingle".  One of my dads favorite dishes.  We of course called it creamed chipped beef as kids until we learned what SOS meant and we said that as a little "we said a bad word without saying the bad word and didn't get in trouble" sort of thing!!!

It has been a long time since I made it.  It is so easy and can be served on toast or biscuits, although I have only ever had it on toast.  When I moved to New Jersey, I was introduced to tomato juice, or stewed tomatoes being poured over the top.  Sometimes, eggs were served up on top.  Regardless of how you choose to eat it, it is good eats for sure!!  The recipe couldn't be simpler and what a quick, delicious meal for your family!

SOS
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp. GRATED onion
3-4 cups milk or half and half
1 tbsp fresh black pepper
2 containers of dried beef

Melt butter in a medium saucepan.  Add flour and whisk and let cook for 1 minute, to cook off the raw flavor of the flour.  Add in grated onion.  NO you may not mince, chop, or slice, it must be grated!!  Cook another minute stirring constantly.   While whisking, pour in 3 cups of milk or half and half.  Let come to a boil while stirring so you don't burn it!  It will begin to thicken as it boils.  Depending on the consistency you like, you can add more liquid.  When it comes to the consistency you want, add in dried beef that you have chopped and black pepper.  Add salt to taste, as the dried beef is very salty and you may want to consider rinsing it!  Serve on toast or biscuits!!!

I hope enjoy your SOS as much a I enjoyed mine!!  Make sure to watch that salt content, you don't want to kill anyone!!

Your "SOS rocks" Chefwannabe

               Chris

Cinnamon Applesauce Christmas Ornaments

Happy Monday evening!  I hope your day was good and you are snuggled in warm jammies, and enjoying your evening!  It is FREEZING here in Nebraska.  I spent the day with my sister shopping.  It was wonderful, some of you know I am unable to drive, so its great to get a day out without bugging hubby!!!

Anyway.....I have always wanted to make these ornaments and just never have.  You fine friends have been posting different recipes so I tried them.  This is not my recipe, I am not sure where I got it.  These are my artistically challenged ornaments in the photo however.   I feel the need to clarify since there has been some scandal going on in the foodie world as of late.  If  a recipe I blog is not mine, or hasn't been severely altered to meet my needs in which I take ownership of my version, I will give credit to where it came from.  I will even link you up to it if you want me to.  All of my photos are MINE.  They are my final product, and if you haven't noticed, they are quite amateur!  Bottom line....if I ever use anyone else's recipes or photos, they will be given credit.  Ok done with that.  Now.......

I had a few drinks Sunday night while making these.  I mean what else are you supposed to do for 2.5 hours while they are baking/drying.  I added some extra vodka to some Mudslide premix, so excuse the Hawaiian Christmas Bikini Girl.  I hope she is not offensive, but she was fun.  She could possibly be chefwannabe's new mascot.  What do you think?

Here we go with the complicated, intricate, and somewhat confusing recipe for these ornaments. :)

You will need:

3/4 cup applesauce

4 ounces cinnamon (1/2 cup)

1 straw2

Preheat your oven to 200 degrees.  Mix until a dough forms.  If it seems to dry add a tsp of applesauce at a time.  If it seems to wet, add more cinnamon.  Roll out and use cookie cutters in the shape you want your ornaments to be. When you have them all on the cookie sheet, use a straw to make a hole for a hanger to hang them.  Usually at the top!   I put them on parchment paper on the cookie sheet.  You will get 12-15 out of this.  I got 15.  It all depends on the size of cutters you use.  Bake for 2 1/2 hours.  Remove and let cool.  Decorate with paint, ribbon, buttons, glue, anything, your options are limitless!!!

The smell in your house is incredible!!  I hope you get your children involved or someone's children involved!  It is a fun project!

Your "cinnamon= Christmas" chefwannabe

Chris

Jello Christmas Cookies, A Blast From My Past

Ok, how many of you were in 4-H?  I loved 4-H.  I loved the cooking part of it especially.  There were a handful of recipes I wanted to make all the time, and one of them was Jello Cookies.  This cookies were so easy, and you could change them up so many ways.  Of course I loved feeling grown up cooking or baking by myself, and having everyone love it.  These cookies are really great and let's keep it real here.....who is sick of getting cookies trays with all brown cookies on them??  These are a simple, tasty cookie that will brighten up your trays wonderfully.  
 

As I was baking these cookies, I was thinking of a ton of different things you could do with them.  Let me give you my ideas first so that you can make changes if you wish.  This are so easy and fail proof.  Just make sure not to over bake them, 8 minutes is IT.  Otherwise they will lose their color and get a brown tinge.  

1.  Use any flavor jello you like, I used cherry for the red color, making them Christmas-ee, but could use lime or another green jello flavor.

2.  Replace vanilla extract with an extract that is the same flavor as your jello.  Cherry jello=cherry extract.

3.  I sprinkled mine with red sugar for effect.  But you could top the cherry cookies I made with a maraschino cherry the last minute or 2 of baking.

4.  You COULD intensify the color with food coloring matching your jello color as well.  These are not colored with food coloring and I think they still turned out fairly vibrant.  

Ok so maybe that wasn't an official "ton" of change ups but each involves change ups galore!  

Jello Christmas (or any other day) Cookies!
1 1/2 cup softened butter
1 cup sugar
1 3oz. pkg Jello of choice
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla (or flavoring of your choice)
1 tsp baking powder
3 1/2 cups flour
Red sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Cream together butter and sugar.  Add all the rest of the ingredients except flour.  When thoroughly combined, add flour a little at a time.  Use cookie scoop and scoop cookies 2 inches apart, sprinkle the top with a little red sugar if you desire.  Use silicone mat or parchment paper (or cooking spray). Bake 8 minutes.  ONLY 8 minutes.  If you bake longer, your cookies will get hard, and have a brown look to them which you do not want.  

Make these cookies tonight!  They are fast, simple, and tasty!  Merry Christmas my dear friends, I pray for the best for you all always!

Your "the world needs brighter cookies" chefwannabe

Chris

Salisbury Steak - School Lunch Series!

School days, school days!!  

I love how so many of you have shared your favorite lunch, the cafeteria made when you were a child! I was never one of those kids who got to pack a lunch very often. I had to eat at school mostly but I LOVED it! Of course, I did not like peas and I especially did not like mushy canned peas. I swear as I type I can smell them, SKEEVY! As a matter of fact only in the last couple of years have I leaned to enjoy fresh or frozen peas. Anyway, one day, I didn't want to eat my peas, and I don't like milk so I let someone else drink half of my milk, shoved my peas in the carton and off I went to see if I could "go up", which was some kind of elementary code for taking your try and dumping its contents and giving it to the lady who washed them. Miss Vidal (you Ord Elementary peeps should remember this old battle ax) pardon my terminology. She busted me, made me go sit down and eat my peas out of my milk carton! Anyway, the purpose of telling you that story is that it was on salisbury steak day. No harm was done, it remained one of my all time favorites too.

 

I am pretty confident I hit the nail on the head with this one.  I mean, I don't mean to brag but, I have some real re-creation "skillz".   The consistency was dead on an the taste was exactly what you remember only better!  I used all dried herbs for this particular recipe, I don't feel like any cafeteria in the nation is using fresh herbs on a daily basis!  Please, let me know if I am wrong!  Let us take a trip back in time, to that cafeteria and the one, undoubtedly crabby lunchroom aide or cook.  Remember her?  Now, with her in mind, let's get cooking!

Salisbury Steak (feel free to cut recipe in half or 3rds, I was cooking for a crowd)

3 lbs ground beef

1 tbsp dried parsley

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tbsp onion salt

1 tsp fresh ground pepper

1/8 tsp dried sage

3 cups bread crumbs.

2 eggs

Packaged brown gravy.  (I used SawMill, roast beef gravy and it makes 3 cups)

Mix ingredients thoroughly.  In fact if you have a stand mixer, use it and let it mix for 3 minutes.  You can use an electric hand mixer as well.  Don't ask, just do!  :)  When mixed, form into oval patty's, you should get 9-12 depending on the size.  Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a frying pan.  Brown patty's and place into baking dish,

Prepare your packaged brown gravy mix.  Make alot of gravy!  Prepare as directed and pour over salisbury steaks.  Place in pre-heated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.  Serve with mashed potatoes and NO MUSHY CANNED PEAS!!!  Also make sure to serve with a roll, all salisbury steak meals were served with a hot roll as well!

I hope you enjoy your culinary trip down memory lane!  Please, enjoy this recipe and keep your requests coming!!

Your "school lunch ladies ROCK"chefwannabe

Chris

Key Lime Mousse Pie/Cheesecake!!!!!

It is FINALLY Friday friends!  Man this has been the week from H-E, double hockey sticks!!  I apologize for my slacking, just haven't had time this week.  It is over, it is done and we never have to relive it again.  Right?  Can you give me an AMEN to that?

When you want to indulge, in something sweet, with a slight tart undertone, a decadent texture and flavor, yet light, this is it!  This is the kind of pie you keep going back for, for another piece!  Give me cream cheese, fresh whipped cream and butter and it is like my dream recipe for heaven's sake.  I can't say no to any of those ingredients!!  Can you?!?!


This is an amazing recipe I got from a fellow Army mom, way back when my son was in BCT.  I needed an easy cheesecake, pie, something, dessert and this is what was shared with me.  I made it and could not believe how good it was.  I will warn you, it SEEMS like alot of work, but it isn't.  There are alot of steps but it is really very easy.  The result is a flavor to behold and although I love lime, I did cut the juice in half and and the zest.  I will keep the original measurements in and just note what I did. 


Remember when whipping heavy cream to put your bowl and whisk or beaters in the freezer for 15 min or so before, and that your cream is cold, it will whip up in half the time.  You could also use gingersnaps for your crust.  When it came time to add my cream cheese, I did it in my food processor! This pie is somewhere between cheesecake and key lime pie.  It is so tasty and you could add a couple of drops of green food coloring to drive home the lime and the Christmas color if you wanted!  


This makes a ton of filling and I think could easily make 2 pies.  


* 2 cups Nilla Wafer Cookie Crumbs
* 2 tablespoons white sugar
* 6 tablespoons melted butter
* 1 (.25 ounce) envelope unflavored gelatin
* 2/3 cup lime juice (I used 1/3 cup)
* 2 1/2 cups heavy cream, divided
* 9 ounces white chocolate, chopped
* 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
* 1 cup white sugar
* 2 tablespoons grated lime zest (I used 1 tbsp)

Directions

1. Combine cookie crumbs and sugar in a large bowl. Pour in melted butter, and mix thoroughly. Press into the bottom, and 1-inch up the sides of a 10-in springform pan.
2. Sprinkle the gelatin over the lime juice in a small bowl, and set aside to soften. Bring 1/2 cup of whipping cream to a simmer in a heavy pan. Remove from heat, and stir in the white chocolate until melted. Mix the gelatin into the chocolate until well combined; set aside to cool. Beat remaining 2 cups of cream to stiff peaks in a large bowl, and set aside.
3. Beat the cream cheese with the sugar with an electric mixer until well blended. Slowly blend chocolate mixture into cream cheese, then mix in lime zest. Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture, and pour into prepared crust. Cover, and refrigerate overnight.


Please take the time to make this incredible dessert. Though I did not garnish mine, the possibilities, especially with the holidays are endless!!  

Your "cheesecake addicted" chefwannabe

Chris

Walking WHAT? Walking Tacos!!!

Ok, I don't know if this is a Nebraska thing or what, but it is genius, regardless!   Here is how I became smitten with walking taco's.  We had moved to Nebraska and we were at a high school football game with my dad.  (he is a sports broadcaster).  I sent my husband to the concession stand to pick up a cold drink and when he returned he had a smile on his face like a kid who just was handed a 10lb bag of candy for free!  He was donning 2 small bags of Doritos that were open and had a fork stuck in them.  He proudly announced he had gotten us each a "walking taco".  I had no idea what it was so he handed me the bag and what was inside was a mishmash of different taco toppings stacked neatly in layers on top of the crushed up Doritos.  So let me introduce you to the "walking taco".....

I know, I know, not the best photo, but I took it from the top so you could see what was inside!!  This one just had meat, cheese and sour cream.  You can add tomato, lettuce, guacamole, lime, olives, beans, the possibilities are endless.  How FUN are these for a kids party, or football game day?  You can do the same idea with Fritos, and chili and cheese!

You will need:

-1 lb ground beef (or however much you need for the amount of people you have)

-shredded cheddar or cheese of your choice

-taco seasoning for hamburger

-small bags of Doritos

-Toppings, sour cream, guacamole, tomato's, lettuce, beans, limes to juice, olives, onions, salsa, hot sauce, etc...

Brown your hamburger with seasoning.  Take your bag, crush up the dorito's inside, open the top, add toppings of choice and stick a fork in it!  You have your own walking taco!!!

I don't know why I think these are so genius, but I do.  My husband will practically roll over and play dead for them! :)

Enjoy!!

Your "walking taco's rock" chefwannabe

Chris