Chocolate Mousse

Yum. Chocolate goodness! I thought at first that it needed a little sugar (the recipe doesn't have ANY) but as I kept eating it I realized that it's just all about the chocolate anyway. It was rich and melt in your mouth good. I topped it with a little homemade whipped cream (whipping cream, powdered sugar, vanilla).

Sunday's dinner

Red Wine Balsamic Grilled Chicken, French Mashed Potatoes, and grilled asparagus with olive oil, garlic and sea salt.

The chicken was very flavorful! It should have been- it marinated for the entire day in a wonderful smelling blend of vinegars, thyme, garlic, orange juice, and honey; then I grilled it on my grill pan. As I ate the chicken I kept thinking it would be great tasting even cold on a salad later in the week. I made plenty of extra chicken, thinking they could be my dinner when hubby is out of town.

The mashed potatoes were the creamiest I've ever had- with lots of melty cheese and just enough garlic and butter. They were made mostly in my food processor. I think I would make half the recipe next time- we are left with way too many potatoes for two people! Or maybe we should invite guests next time? :)

The asparagus was made in my favorite way- tossed with olive oil, garlic, and sea salt and then grilled quickly on my grill pan. Man, I love my grill pan! {Constance, get a grill pan!)

Click here for the stolen recipe for Red Wine Balsamic Grilled Chicken.
Click here for the stolen recipe for Aligot (French Mashed Potatoes).

Pan Dulce (Mexican Sweet Bread)

My family is from Calfornia and I remember growing up with Mexican sweet bread from the local Mexican bakeries. What a treat! I loved the sugar topping, always in neat square shapes on the top. They were always so perfect and delicious.

This is what I remember, image from online:



I saw this recipe in my Google Reader (blog reader) and I knew I'd have to try. I knew I would try to recreate my childhood treats :) I mean, you can find Pan Dulce in Minnesota and it's probably just as good but it's not readily available to me out here in the Northern suburbs.

I made these during my Christmas break. I appreciated this recipe a lot. I mean, it was good. I ate tons of them. I didn't think they tasted quite the same as the Pan Dulce of my youth but it was a good attempt. I guess they tasted more homemade? And I didn't even attempt to make the fancy squares on top, I wouldn't know where to begin with that!

I also don't work with yeast much. I think this might have been my second attempt ever. I was happy that they worked out!

Click here for the stolen recipe.



Yeah, I need to make these again. They would be lovely with coffee!!

Chocolate Molten Cakes

This was a perfect New Year's Eve treat. My husband and I have a tradition of staying at home on NYE and making a nice (but not elaborate) dinner and dessert. We open our bottle of champagne at around 9-10pm because we don't stay up until midnight. We're parents, we need our sleep!

I found this recipe online a few years ago after my husband bought me the Willams Sonoma molten cake mixes for Christmas one year. They were SO GOOD. I couldn't justify spending the money to buy more so I did a search, thinking I'd find something similar and definitely not something that would compare. I was surprised to find that the WS chef had the recipe online that inspired the mixes at WS! It's not online anymore so I'll type it out below.

This recipe comes together pretty quickly and only takes 10 minutes to bake. It is heavenly.

The stolen recipe is below.



Chocolate Molten Cakes
Makes two individual cakes

2 oz. bittersweet chocolate
4 1/2 T butter
2 eggs
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour

Melt the chocolate and the butter together in the microwave. Beat in the 2 eggs and sugar. Fold in the flour. So simple!

Divide the batter into 2 ramekins, sprayed with Pam. Bake at 450 degrees for 10-12 minutes. I put the ramekins on a baking sheet for easy transfer. Those little ramekins are hard to handle when very hot!

Let the cakes cool for 1-2 minutes and then invert on to plates. Dust with cocoa powder or powdered sugar. Enjoy!

Adapted from the Chef who created the Williams Sonoma molten cake mixes, whoever he is!

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Mmmmmmm. This is better than take out and how great that you know exactly what is going in the recipe. It's a lot of sugar in the sauce and then lots of cornstarch to coat the chicken but it's so good.

Really. Try it.

Click here for the stolen recipe. Within this link there are a lot of reviews/comments from others who commented on the original post. A lot of the comments said that they reduced the amount of sugar successfully but also the chicken needed double the amount of sauce. I agree with both changes. I reduced the sugar to 1/2 cup.

Candied Cranberry Orange Sangria

Nice weather deserves a cool drink.
Yeah, that's a good reason to make sangria!

I have a Sangria cookbook that I don't use often and I have a lot of cranberries still in the freezer (they last many months) so it seemed like a great opportunity to make this recipe.

There is no stolen recipe online.



Candied Cranberry Orange Sangria
1 1/2 cups whole cranberries
3/4 cup simple syrup (see note below)
1 bottle red wine
2 oranges, cut into half wheels
1/2 cup cranberry juice

In a saucepan, combine the whole cranberries with the simple syrup over low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the cranberries soften and the syrup starts to thicken. Remove from the heat and set aside. Let cool. Combine the wine, oranges, and cranberry juice in a large ceramic or glass container. Add the cranberry mixture and stir well. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Serve over ice. Garnish with additional orange half wheels.

Note: This simple syrup is made by combining 1 cup hot water and 1 cup sugar, until the sugar dissolves. Let cool.

Serves about 7
Adapted from 101 Sangrias & Pitcher Drinks

I didn't, I couldn't wait four hours. I am enjoying a small glass right now. Yum! I love anything cranberry so I am a bit biased.

Linguine with Shrimp, Lemon, and Garlic

I have a goal of trying one new recipe a week, at least. This week I have THREE planned- two meals and one dessert :)

Here is the first recipe of the week. I have lifted this from my The Best Light Recipe cookbook, from the editors of Cook's Illustrated, one of the best cooking sources I know. A recipe from these people is almost guaranteed to be great or foolproof. I started subscribing to the magazine years ago, let the subscription go, and just recently have found my way back to it. I'm so glad. My sister gave me two of their great cookbooks for my birthday one year, the other cookbook is Baking Illustrated. I really need to make more from these cookbooks! And I just realized I have a third cookbook, The Best 30 Minute Recipe. I'm a lucky girl! This makes me more determined to use these cookbooks.

I wasn't able to find the recipe online so I typed it out below. There is no stolen online recipe. This is a LIGHT recipe.




Linguine with Shrimp, Lemon, and Garlic

1 medium onion, minced
1 tsp olive oil
salt
8 medium garlic cloves, minced
2 c. low-sodium chicken broth
2- 8 oz. bottles clam juice
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tsp minced fresh thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
2 T cornstarch
2 T water
1/2 cup juice from 4 lemons
3 T light cream cheese
1 1/2 lbs extra large shrimp (21-25 per lb), peeled and deveined
1 lb linguine or spaghetti
3 T minced fresh parsley leaves
ground black pepper

1. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in a large pot for the water.
2. Meanwhile, combine the onion, oil, and 1/2 tsp salt in a 12 inch nonstick skillet. Cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the broth, clam juice, pepper flakes, thyme, and bay leaf to the skillet, scraping up any browned bits. Bring to a boil and cook until the sauce measures about 2 cups, 7 to 10 minutes.
3. Whisk the cornstarch and water together, then whisk it into the simmering sauce. Continue to simmer the sauce until it has thickened, about 2 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in the lemon juice and cream cheese until smooth. Add the shrimp, cover, and let sit off the heat until the shrimp are firm and no longer translucent in the center, 7 to 10 minutes. Discard the bay leaf, cover and set aside.
4. While the shrimp are cooking, stir 1 T salt and the pasta into the boiling water and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water, drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Gently stir the shrimp-sauce mixture and parsley into the pasta. Cover and let sit off the heat until the shrimp are hot, about 1 minute. Add the reserved pasta cooking water as needed to loosen the sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide among six individual bowls and serve.

Recipe adapted from The Best Light Recipe


What did we think of the meal? My husband gave it the "really good" rating. When I cook he has a couple of things he says: "it's good" (so-so), "it's really good" (wow!), or "it's okay" (his nice way of saying that it isn't worth repeating). I agree that this was really good. I always can pick out a thing or two that I would do differently- for this one I might add just a bit more red pepper flakes or lemon juice. The shrimp were excellent. I don't know why I've never cooked with raw shrimp. Peeling and handling the shrimp really made me queasy, I felt like I was handling little aliens, but it was worth it in the end.

We will make this again!

Tuna and Artichoke Pasta Salad

Man, I can't rotate this picture to save my life. I don't know what's up with it!

Well, this is the Tuna Artichoke Pasta Salad that I make ahead when it's a hot day or I don't feel like cooking. It comes from a Cooking Light cookbook and I'm so glad I found it!

I've typed the recipe as I found it so many years ago but I tweak it to my liking whenever I make it. Some of my changes: I add more lemon juice and tuna. I also use whole wheat pasta or pasta with added protein. Oh, and I also use bottled ginger- actually a tube. We tend to use a lot of it in various recipes.



Tuna and Artichoke Pasta Salad

2 t. grated lemon rind

3 T fresh lemon juice

3 T olive oil

1 T peeled, minced gingerroot

2 garlic cloves, minced

4 cups cooked elbow macaroni (8 oz.)

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup chopped green onions

1/3 cup flat leaf parsley

1- 6 oz can albacore tuna, drained

1- 14 oz can quartered artichoke hearts, drained

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Add pasta and remaining ingredients; toss gently to coat. Cover and chill at least 1 hour.

South Beach Peanut Butter Cookies

Another South Beach recipe. Phase One of the SB Diet is so hard that we've needed to find a dessert, something sweet that we can "cheat" with. This has satisfied us in those situations. And just three ingredients!

I'm not a big fan of Splenda. I actually don't like the taste in anything else but these cookies. It's weird. I can't explain it.

My husband really is the one that bakes these.

Click here for the stolen recipe.

Egg Bake

This is a great make ahead breakfast, especially for those busy work weeks. I've always made this with the Canadian bacon that I find at Sam's Club. It is the best. And cheap!

We've especially made this breakfast food during our South Beach diets.

There is no stolen recipe online. I found this online so long ago that I can't find the link. I am copying this from my recipe card collection.

Egg Bake
1 1/2 cups diced veggies (any combo of mushrooms, green bell peppers, red onions, etc.)
1 1/2 cups reduced fat sharp cheddar (or any cheese you like)
4 oz. breakfast meat (bacon, Canadian bacon, cooked sausage, etc.)
8 eggs
1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese
salt, pepper, whatever you like

I've sauteed the veggies for a few minutes before adding to the egg bake- it releases some of its moisture and keeps the egg bake texture from getting too runny.

Spread veggies on the bottom of a baking dish (cake pan), top with the chopped meat and cheese. Beat eggs with cottage cheese and spices. Pour over the ingredients in the baking dish. Bake at 325 degrees for approximately 40 minutes or until set. Let it cool for half an hour. You can either slice the egg bake into portions or refrigerate and cut as needed.

We usually will have six portions. For the two of us, we eat it for three days and it's good heated up in the microwave.

It's really good with a bit of salsa on top!

Roasted Pepper and Artichoke Spread

This has been one of those recipes that we turn to for Superbowl parties or other gatherings with a bunch of guys. Guys just really like their dips!




See below for the stolen recipe.
Okay, it's not really stolen. It was given to me by my BFF Christa.

Warm Roasted Pepper and Artichoke Spread
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup mayo (I use light mayo)
1 eight ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 small garlic clove
1 -14 oz can artichoke hearts, drained and finely chopped
1/3 cup roasted red bell peppers, jarred, and finely chopped

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In food processor bowl with metal blade combine parmesan cheese, mayo, cream cheese, and garlic; process until smooth.
3. Place mixture in large bowl. Add artichoke hearts and roasted peppers; blend well. Spread in an ungreased 9 inch quiche dish or glass pie pan.
4. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes until thoroughly heated. Serve warm with crackers, bread, or veggies.

Thai Peanut Turkey Burgers

I guess it's safe to say that if I blog about it on here, it's going to be a food that we love to eat. We really enjoy these burgers because we're fans of ginger, peanuts, carrots, turkey, and cilantro. Yum. This is an easy recipe that my husband can throw together early in the day, and then I throw on our grill pan for a quick 10 minutes when I get home from work. The recipe includes a mayo sauce that really goes well with it. Oh and we really like the new "Sandwich Thins" bread instead of a burger bun.

Add a quick coleslaw (prepackaged broccoli or traditional cabbage/carrot mix with bottled dressing) to the meal and we're happy!

Click here for the stolen recipe.

Buttermilk pancakes

I made this simple recipe into pancake balls for my little boy but it's the best and simplest of all of the pancake recipes I've made. I've been making double batches and making tons of pancake balls at a time because they freeze well.


These were filled with chocolate chips!



I'm not able to find the recipe online but it came from my Better Homes and Gardens "New Baking Book", 1998.


1 cup flour
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 beaten egg
1 cup buttermilk (or 1 Tbsp lemon juice and enough milk to make 1 cup, let sit for 5 minutes before using)
2 Tbsp cooking oil

Mix dry ingredients together. Mix wet ingredients in another bowl. Add wet to dry, stir just until moistened.

Cook pancakes as you would normally.

I made a fancier recipe not that long ago and we agreed this simple one was better- fluffy, tastier. Good ol' Better Homes and Gardens :)

Pizza

I made this pizza in March. I received Pioneer Woman's book for Christmas and one of the recipes I knew I wanted to try was her pizza crust. We love to make a pizza around here but we always use the refrigerated, "fresh" (processed) crusts from the grocery store. I guess it is still better than Pizza Hut or somewhere.

The pizza crust was VERY easy to make with my electric mixer. I ended up freezing half of the dough for later use and made the other half the next day.

The first pizza- I made half with red sauce and half with pesto. The dough wasn't quite what I wanted. I thought it should have baked for longer but the toppings would burn.


So I decided that the next time I would prebake the crust for a few minutes and then add the toppings. Much better! I also brushed olive oil and salt on the crust before baking- it added a lot more flavor.



Click here for the stolen recipe.

Spinach and Cheese Strata

This was made for Easter brunch. I loved that it was make-ahead and this morning I just had to let it sit for half an hour on the counter before throwing it in the oven for 45 minutes.

We used a cheese that I'm not familiar with- Gruyere cheese. My sister told me it's a stinky cheese that melts well. It was good :) I also was not familiar with stratas. I read that it is similar to a bread pudding, which doesn't appeal to ME but I knew it would turn out well.

The verdict: everyone loved it. I saw second helpings.

We also had:
Honey Baked Ham
Juicy Strawberry Scones
Fresh fruit and dip (my Mom brought this, I'm guessing at the recipe)
Carrot Cake cupcakes
Caramel corn "carrots"
Mimosas

Click here for the stolen recipe.

Carrot Cake

Mmmm. Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting is one of my favorites. I knew that I would make carrot cake for Easter and I knew I'd bring out Baking Illustrated for the perfect recipe. My sister gave me this book for my birthday and I love it. I need to use it- often!

I turned the cake into cupcakes and then decorated for Easter. The cream cheese frosting was a disappointment (lumpy) but I didn't follow the recipe exactly, not making it in a food processor but with my stand up mixer. I added coconut that I dyed green to look like Easter grass and a Peep sits on top. The cupcake baskets I found at Michael's. This all just came together, I didn't know I'd use the Peeps, I didn't know about the coconut grass until a few days ago after I bought the cupcake baskets.

All this work just for a couple of guests but I love it. I love to bake and follow recipes!

Click here for the stolen recipe. I did follow the recipe in my cookbook but if figures that one of blogger greats also tried the recipe!

Hmmm

It occurred to me today that I am not the only online thief. The "greats" of the food blog world also borrow and adapt others' recipes for their own blogs. I am making Baking Illustrated's Carrot Cake (cupcakes) today. It is from a cookbook and I wondered how I would share the link here on this blog so I did a Google search and found the recipe on my very own favorite blogger's website- Annie's Eats. I guess it probably is very common to use others' recipes and maybe modify an ingredient or two and call it yours. These bloggers also very plainly site their sources, at the bottom of recipes. I guess I'm just being a little more obvious about it in my blog title and "Click here for the stolen recipe"!

Caramel corn

I've been wanting to make this caramel corn since I first saw it in the fall. Caramel corn does seem like a fall treat but with today's rain and cooler winds it seemed natural to have the oven on and the warm, sweet smell in the kitchen!

Click here for the stolen recipe. It made tons!

I bagged it up in these cute little carrot cellophane bags. I think maybe this is my centerpiece for my Easter table?

Monster Cookies

My dear bro-in-law requests these cookies. They freeze well and you can pull them out 1, 2, 3 or however many at a time. They are also great seasonal cookies because you can use Christmas, Easter, or Valentine's Day M&M's.

Click here for the stolen recipe.
My substitutions: I halved the recipe and then used 1/2 cup of peanut butter instead of 1/2 cup of margarine.

Juicy Strawberry Scones

This is technically my first post though I think I'll go back and post some other pictures/recipes from the past.

I'm going to start this separate blog just for food. I'm starting to become known as a foodie and I like the compliments but I feel like a fake. I love to follow a good recipe but I can't take the credit for it! I am a recipe thief, or a recipe ladrona! Most of what I make turns out really well and it's because of the great bloggers that I steal from- Good Things Catered, the Pioneer Woman, Annie's Eats, the Brown Eyed Baker, Cara's Cravings, Smitten Kitchen, the Way the Cookie Crumbles, and oooooh Bakerella! The other greats are listed in the side column of this blog.


Well, on to the scones! I tried these out today to see if they were worthy of an Easter brunch. I think they are :) I ate three of them! They were kinda small, so get off my back, okay? I had to make sure they were tasty.

Click here for the stolen recipe.