Cheese Souffle

I'd always been curious about souffles and why they were challenging to make.  So I decided to try out this recipe for a cheese souffle.  As I was making it, I had an "A-ha!" moment.  I totally got how they work.  I might say it's having common sense.  *However*, if you're cooking-challenged (or just don't have enough experience yet), there are some things you might not realize.  And that's OK.  I'll let you in on the secrets I learned. 

Before I go further, I have to say that I tried this souffle with very high hopes.  Unfortunately I wasn't "wow'd" by the results.  For starters, the flavor was bland - even despite using a sharp cheddar.  It did have some kick with the added cayenne, but overall I felt "meh" about it.  On top of that, the consistency, while light, almost reminded me of scrambled eggs.  Which I don't like.  Ick.

What I ended up doing rather unintentionally, was making another souffle - this time with zucchini.  Initially I thought I'd try a different one and the zucchini caught my eye but as I was going through the recipe I was confused by mixing in the eggs and adding baking powder.  I mean... isn't that opposite of what a true souffle is?  That sounds to me more like a quiche.  Or a frittata.

Anyhow, I made the second souffle by adding shredded zucchini and it was SO MUCH better than the plain cheese souffle.  It added just enough flavor and a really nice contrast with the texture.  The zucchini made this recipe a keeper. 

CHEESE SOUFFLE

INGREDIENTS:

3 tablespoons butter or margarine 

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon ground mustard

dash cayenne pepper

1 cup milk

1 cup shredded Cheddar or Swiss cheese 

4 eggs, separated

DIRECTIONS:

In a saucepan, melt butter. Stir in the flour, mustard and cayenne until smooth; gradually add the milk. bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat; stir in cheese until melted. Remove from the heat. Stir a small amount of hot mixture into egg yolks; return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Cool slightly.

In a mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold into egg yolk mixture. Pour into four greased 10-oz. souffle dishes or custard cups. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Serve immediately.

CHEESE & ZUCCHINI SOUFFLE*

*For the Cheese & Zucchini Souffle, just add a pound of shredded zucchini (about one medium zucchini).

PERSONAL NOTES:

As I mentioned above, the cheese souffle was boring.  Meh.  But once I added zucchini to the mix it was MUCH better.  I'd make this one again, for sure.

The secret to successful souffles is timing, when it all boils down to it.  I set everything up in advance - all ingredients measured out and ready to go.  It makes things much easier.

When mixing the ingredients on the stove, keep stirring!  Don't stop.  Take the pot off the heat, add the cheese and zucchini and allow it to cool down just a little bit. 

At the same time, start whipping the egg white.  As the mixer is going, start spooning bit by bit the souffle mixture into the bowl with the egg yolks.  Transfer back to the pot.  Gradually fold in the egg whites.  This is where it can get dicey.  Mix it ONLY UNTIL BLENDED. You don't want to mix the egg whites too much or they'll lose their "air".  The end result to that is, after putting the souffle into the oven; baked bricks.

So to ensure fluffy souffles that rise, do NOT over-mix the egg whites into the pot.  Moving quickly, scoop the mixture into ramekins (oiled or sprayed) and place into the oven.  Watch the clock to make sure you don't over cook them either. 

It might sound like a bit of work, but once you get these basics down, the rest will really be easy.

Peanut Chocolate Chip Muffins

So... I'm not a huge fan of most things peanut butter.  I don't know why.  Peanut butter itself is quite nice and I've been known to put down a lot of it in the past.  But when it comes to cookies, candies or pastries, it's just not something I "do".  However, in an effort to try out different recipes with things I don't have all the time, I decided to give these a go.  Don't get me wrong; they're tasty and they came out just fine.  Peanut butter just isn't my thing.

Anyhow, the original recipe is here.  It's specified for mini muffins which I adapted to regular sized muffins.

PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS

INGREDIENTS:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 egg

3/4 cup milk

2/3 cup chunky peanut butter

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2/3 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

In a large bowl, combine the first four ingredients. In another bowl, combine the egg, milk, peanut butter, oil and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in chocolate chips. Fill greased or paper-lined miniature muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

Makes as dozen muffins.

Cinnamon Rolls

When my husband woke up this morning he asked, "What's for breakfast?"  Without skipping a beat I answered, "Cinnamon rolls".  I'd seen this recipe and knew I wanted to try it out.  Since I rarely have a Saturday morning in, I decided this was the best time to give it a whirl.

They took a lot longer than I expected.  By about an hour.  Mixing the dough was quick and mixing the icing was quick.  Aside from the time spent allowing the dough to rise, the longest part was slicing 12 semi-even rolls and placing them in the pan.  Not an easy task, I can promise you that.  I tried using both a knife and dental floss to make the even cuts.  The dental floss would have worked better if the dough underneath didn't keep sticking to the wax paper.  I used the wax paper to prevent any of it sticking in the first place. So that was frustrating.  And as I mentioned, it took far longer than I thought it would. 

But... they came out wonderful in the end.  Here's what they looked like straight out of the oven:

CINNAMON ROLLS

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup milk

1/2 cup butter

1 cup water

1 tablespoon active dry yeast

1 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

6 cups all-purpose flour

FILLING:

3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 cups dark brown sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

ICING:

2 cups confectioners' sugar

6oz mascarpone cheese, softened

1 tablespoon butter, softened

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons milk

DIRECTIONS:

1. Warm the milk in a small saucepan until it bubbles, then remove from heat. Mix in the butter; stir until melted. Add water and let cool until lukewarm.
2. In a large bowl, combine the milk mixture, yeast, white sugar, salt, eggs and 2 cups flour; stir well to combine. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
3. Divide dough into two pieces. Roll each piece into a 12x9 inch rectangle. In a bowl, stir together the cinnamon and brown sugar. Spread each piece with half of the butter, half of the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture. Roll up dough, using a little water to seal the seam.
4. Cut each roll into 12 slices using a very sharp knife or dental floss. Place rolls onto two 9x13 inch greased baking pans. Cover and let rise until almost doubled, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
5. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown.
6. To make frosting; combine confectioner's sugar, mascarpone, butter and vanilla. Add milk gradually until frosting reaches a spreading consistency. Spread over warm (but not hot) cinnamon rolls.

Makes 24 rolls.

PERSONAL NOTES:

These are absolutely yummy, but they do take a fair amount of time to make.  The original recipe called for 3oz. cream cheese for the icing, but I used twice that amount plus switched it to mascarpone.  So much better.  I also increased the amount of cinnamon to make it a little spicier.  I like my cinnamon rolls to really taste like cinnamon rolls.

Cheese, Tomato and Basil Muffins

Again, this is a recipe I wish I could say was mine, but it's not.  Of course it attracted my attention and of course I had to try it out.  It's a good dinner muffin - just beware that it has a pretty strong flavor so you may not want to serve it with anything too overpowering.  They also have a wonderful consistency that I can't seem to put my finger on.  They're chewy in a non-bready-way, but they're good - really, really good.  And they'd be mighty tasty with some butter spread on them too.  Just something to think about ;-)

CHEESE, TOMATO & BASIL MUFFINS

INGREDIENTS:

2/3 cup self-rising flour

pinch of salt

1/3 cup & 2 tbsp yellow cornmeal

1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese

4 tbsp sun-dried tomatoes in oil, chopped

2 tbsp chopped basil

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 1/4 cup milk

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

butter to serve

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and oil 8 muffin tin holes. In a bowl combine flour, salt, cornmeal, cheese, tomatoes and basil. In a separate bowl beat egg, milk and oil. Mix dry and wet ingredients, divide the batter between the muffin holes and scatter over the remaining cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Serve with the butter.
PERSONAL NOTES:
For starters, this recipe made about 10 muffins, not 8.  Be prepared to have more batter.  I also didn't use sundried tomatoes in oil.  Frankly, it wasn't missed.  I didn't have them with butter either, but I'm sure they'd be mighty tasty with it.

Oh, they're only about 145 calories per muffin.  Sweet!

Sweet Potato and Fennel Frittata (with Leeks!)

This is a creative combination right here (and I wish I'd thought of it!): Sweet potato and fennel.  I wouldn't have thought to bring these two together but I'm glad someone else did.  Since I wasn't sure how I'd feel about fennel (beleive it or not I've never actually had fennel before except as tea) so I picked up some leeks to split the frittata into two parts: one half fennel and the other half leeks.  As it turns out, both halves are delicious!  Although I'm still glad I grabbed the leeks.  They offer good flavor combinations as well as textures.  So good.


SWEET POTATO & FENNEL FRITTATA (AND LEEKS)

INGREDIENTS:
4 eggs (or egg subsitute)
1/4 cup mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup milk
1 large sweet potato (peeled and sliced really thin with a mandolin
1 large fennel bulb (cored, and sliced thin)
2 leeks (optional)
1/4 cup fresh grated Pecorino cheese
1 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (or oregano)
Salt and pepper as needed
2 tablespoons butter, melted

DIRECTIONS:
Whisk together the eggs, mascarpone and milk together. Season with salt and set aside. Brush the bottom of your tart pan with butter. Arrange one-third of the sweet potato slices in a single layer on the base slightly overlapping the slices. Sprinkle a third of the fennel slices evenly. Season with salt, pepper and a third of the thyme. Pour a third of the egg mixture over the veggies. Sprinkle some of the Pecorino cheese. Repeat with 2 more layers ending by sprinkling all the remaining Pecorino on top.

Bake at 350F for 30 minutes until the center is set. Remove to rack and serve immediately.

PERSONAL NOTES:

As I mentioned above, I split the frittata into two halves.  One side for the fennel, the other for the leeks.  Also - and this is a BIG note - my frittata cooked for 50 minutes NOT 30 minutes.  I kept checking to see if the eggs were cooked in the middle and they weren't.  I have no idea why it took so long, but there you have it.  Check it at 30 minutes and see if you need to keep it cooking or not.  50 minutes is quite a bit of time - and considerably longer than what the recipe originally called for.  But let me tell you, the end result was worth the wait.  SO GOOD.

Pumpkin Chocolate Swirl Muffins

What more can I say about pumpkin?  I simply love the stuff and it's versatility.  You can do so much with it.  I mean, you can have it as dessert, make it as a bread, have it in soup or as a main dish.  So many options.  And although pumpkin is a winter squash I'll be eating it pretty much all year.  Plus, since you all know how much I love muffins as either a breakfast food on the go or as a midday snack, I had to try these out...

PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE SWIRL MUFFINS

INGREDIENTS:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 egg

3/4 cup egg substitute

1 (15 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin 

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/4 cup canola oil

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

In a mixing bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. In another bowl, combine egg, egg substitute, pumpkin, applesauce and oil; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Stir in chocolate chips. Coat muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray; fill two-thirds full with batter. Bake at 400 degrees F for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

PERSONAL NOTES:

The recipe originally states to use chocolate chips.  Something in my mind made me think that melting the chocolate first and making chocolate swirls would be a little more fun, more whimsical.  It tastes absolutely fine.  My only recommendation with making swirls is mix the melted chocolate with about 1/2 cup of the batter first.  Since it's just the melted chocolate, it has a different consistency in the muffin.  As I said, still yummy, just different.  Next time I'll be mixing it with the batter first. 

Super yummy!

(Original recipe can be found here from allrecipes.com)

Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Muffins

Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Muffins?  Yeah, there was no way I was avoiding these guys.  Holy Moly - they're yummy.  The muffins are very light and fluffy - almost cake-like.  The amount of chocolate chips is just the right amount - not too overpowering.  And that's coming from someone who LOVES chocolate.  This was perfect. 

At first I was a little unsure because the dough seemed a little bit on the gummy side - like it had too much flour in it or something, but really, they came out just fine.  Even the next day the consistency and freshness remained unsullied.  So wonderful.  In terms of grabbing this and eating on the go, they're probably better than some of the of the other muffins I've made.  There's nothing sticky on the tops to create a mess (like if you put one in a sandwich bag for "on the go").  They're just easy.  And the batch only took about 10 minutes to whip up.  Easy all around.  Plus, they're only about 160 calories each!

You can find the original recipe here from allrecipes.com

INGREDIENTS:

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 egg, room temperature

1/2 cup cream

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup white sugar

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease 12 muffin cups or use paper liners.

Beat cream cheese and butter together until fluffy. Beat in egg, cream and vanilla. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir flour mixture into cream cheese mixture until flour is moistened. Fold in chocolate chips. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups filling them 3/4 full.

Bake in preheated oven until tops are golden, about 20 minutes.

Makes 12 muffins*
PERSONAL NOTES:

As I mentioned above, you really don't need to smother the muffins in chocolate chips. They have just enough in what the recipe calls for. Also, I used skim milk where it called for cream and Egg Beaters for the egg. YUM!

*Actually, they made more like 14...

Spinach Cheese Swirls

I guess I got a little sidetracked with yesterday's big football game which is why I hadn't posted.  But I made these and had to share.  They're SO good!  What a great appetizer for a football party (Giants @ the Superbowl!!!)! Or perhaps for any other occasion for company or to enjoy for yourself :)
Back when I was making the pot pies, I purchased Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets.  As it turns out, there's a recipe on the back of the box for these Spinach Cheese Swirls.  I thought they looked so good I had to try them.  I clipped the recipe and held on to it until now to make them.  They're really yummy.  And while they can be enjoyed at room temperature, they are definitely best fresh out of the oven or warmed up afterward.  So good!

SPINACH CHEESE SWIRLS

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 of a 17.3oz package of Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets (1 sheet)
1 egg
1 tbsp water
1/2 cup shredded Muenster cheese or Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 green onion, chopped
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1 pkg. (about 10 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained

DIRECTIONS:

THAW pastry sheet at room temperature 40 min. or until easy to handle.  Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Lightly grease baking sheet or line with parchment paper. 

STIR egg and water in small bowl.  Stir Muenster cheese, Parmesan cheese, onion and garlic powder in medium bowl.

UNFOLD pastry sheet on lightly floured surface.  Brush with egg mixture.  Top with cheese mixture and spinach.  Starting at short side closest to you, roll up like a jelly roll.  Cut into 20 (1/2") slices.  Place slices cut-side down on baking sheets.  Brush with egg mixture.

BAKE 15 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Nothing like a hearty bowl of winter chowder

There is no better day than today to sit down to a hot, chunky bowl of chowder.  YUM!

Back when I was making the pot pies, the thought came to mind how good the pie itself would be just as a chowder.  After all, the pie crust is what makes the pot pie, but it's also the thing that's not good for you (among other things in life, of course).  So as I was debating how to cook the fish I had stored in the freezer I thought about making the soup and the decision was finalized when Rob mentioned he had all this cooked chicken that he didn't know what to do with.  Hmmmm... I think I see a chicken chowder in your future, dear husband.

And this is exactly what I've done; made a seafood chowder and a chicken-potato chowder.  While they still took a good amount of time to prepare, I ended up tossing them both into slow cookers to simmer for a few hours.  If nothing else, I figured the potatoes needed cooking time to soften up a bit.  But after inhaling a bowl of soup I know I made the right call.  The chowder is out of this world and as I said, what better day to have it than today when it's snowy and blustery out.  I feel all warm and cozy on the inside now :)

Getting back to the pot pies, these are different in a few ways.  I didn't use peas or celery and I added sweet potatoes, red potatoes and corn.  I'm not a fan of celery and I just plain ol' forgot the peas.  But I really like the texture of the potatoes with the carrots and therefore that works really well for me.  I also added a bit more broth and cream to the mix.

SEAFOOD CHOWDER

INGREDIENTS:

1/3 cup butter

1 small onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves

3 celery ribs, chopped (optional)

3 carrots, chopped or sliced

1 10oz package frozen corn

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups vegetable broth

1 cup fat free half-and-half cream

1 cup coconut milk

Salt and ground black pepper to taste

2 4.5oz cans crabmeat 

3 handfuls uncooked jumbo shrimp (cut into pieces)

2 4oz fillets uncooked tilapia (or other white fish)

1 medium red potato, chopped into bite-sized pieces

1 medium sweet potato, chopped into bite-sized pieces

1tsp Old Bay seasoning

DIRECTIONS:
Melt butter in a skillet over medium-low heat, and cook the onion, (celery if you're using it), and carrots until tender, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in corn, potatoes, parsley, thyme, flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the flour coats the vegetables and begins to fry, about 5 minutes. Whisk in vegetable broth, half-and-half, and coconut milk and cook until the sauce is thick and bubbling. Season to taste with salt and black pepper, and mix in the seafood.

Transfer the chowder into a slow cooker and set for about 3 or 4 hours. 

CHICKEN POTATO CHOWDER

INGREDIENTS:

1/3 cup butter

1 small onion, chopped

3 celery ribs, chopped (optional)

3 carrots, chopped

1 10oz package frozen corn

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup fat free half-and-half cream

1 cup coconut milk

Salt and ground black pepper to taste 

3 cups cooked chicken, cut into bite-size pieces

 

DIRECTIONS:
Melt butter in a skillet over medium-low heat, and cook the onion, (celery if you're using it), and carrots until tender, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in corn, potatoes, parsley, thyme, flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the flour coats the vegetables and begins to fry, about 5 minutes. Whisk in chicken broth, half-and-half, and coconut milk and cook until the sauce is thick and bubbling. Season to taste with salt and black pepper, and mix in the chicken.

Transfer the chowder into a slow cooker and set for about 3 or 4 hours.

PERSONAL NOTES:

You may find you'll want either thicker or thinner chowder.  If that's the case, then either cut back or increase the amount of broth/cream/milk to the soup.  I like thicker soup so I tend to use less and add in if I need to "loosen" it up a bit.  I love a chunky soup so this just works well for me. 

Pumpkin Streusel Muffins

Back in early December, I went to dinner with a girlfriend of mine for some good Japanese food.  While I love Japanese in general, my friend went on to insist that I try the tempura cheesecake for dessert.  Really??? Fried cheesecake?  I know that somewhere in the middle of the country people are already frying up sticks of butter, but did I really want to have tempura cheesecake? 

Yes, I really did need to try the tempura cheesecake. It was outrageous.  It was warm, it was creamy and cheesecakey with a typical (and yes, absolutely delicious) tempura shell.

The reason I bring up the tempura cheesecake is because when I tried these Pumpkin Streusel Muffins, the inner cream cheese filling reminded me of the tempura cheesecake.  You really need to try it to know what I'm getting at.  And while the muffins are good at room tempurature, they are MUCH better warmed up.  Then again, most things are...right?

So here's the next muffin experimentation.  The original recipe can be found here from allrecipes.com.  It was pretty easy to make.  The combination of flavors - pumpkin and cream cheese - and textures - brown sugar and moist cake - make this a hit. 

PUMPKIN STREUSEL MUFFINS

INGREDIENTS:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup canned or cooked pumpkin

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, cut into cubes

STREUSEL:

 

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon cold butter

1/4 cup finely chopped nuts

DIRECTIONS:

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg. In another bowl, beat the egg, milk, pumpkin and oil. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups one-fourth full. Place one cream cheese cube in the center of each muffin cup; top with remaining batter. In a bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add nuts. Sprinkle over batter. Bake at 400 degrees F for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.

PERSONAL NOTES:

When adding the cream cheese to the muffins, I used reduced fat.  Plus, I added 1/2 egg and 1 tsp sugar and blended them till creamy.  I felt it added a little extra "umph" to the mix.

 

I also substituted unsweetened applesauce for the oil.  Actually, I used 1/4 cup applesauce plus 1 tbls.  Then added 1 tbls oil.  For some reason muffins come together much nicer if it has even a little bit of oil.  So I add just that small amount. 

The streusel topping became rather gooey when baked.  A lot of it stuck to the pan which made me soak it for some time before scrubbing it off.  But by then it wiped clean pretty easily.

Pound Cake Muffins

Who says muffins can't be a good breakfast?  I don't know if "good" necessarily equals "nutritious", but these pound cake muffins will do the trick first thing in the morning (or in between teaching class!).

This is a recipe I've been using for at least ten years.  Although, today is the first time I've made them in about 8 years. Let me tell you why:  They are SO good I just about can't stop eating them.  The only way to stop is to not start.  Therefore, no pound cake muffins in 8 years.  However, I was thinking of things to make that I already knew - rather than always experimenting with new items.  And thus, these scrumptious muffins came to mind.

Recipe is courtesy of Muffins: Over 200 Recipes and Variations to Accompany Any Meal by Francesca DiPaolo.  Thank you Francesca!!!

POUND CAKE MUFFINS

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup butter, softened
4 large eggs
1 tbls vanilla extract
2 cups sour cream
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbls baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 375 and prepare a baking pan (either lightly greasing a muffin pan or using paper liners).

In a large bowl, cream together the sugar and butter.  Blend in the eggs, vanilla and sour cream.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and baking soda.

Combine the two mixtures just enough to blend.  Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Remove the muffins from the pan, and cool on a wire rack.  Serve warm.

Makes 12 muffins.


PERSONAL NOTES:

This is not one of those recipes that I "lighten" up by substituting applesauce for oil or anything like that.  I make this recipe exactly as it is written.  And it is sooooo outrageously delicious.

One thing you should note is that while the recipe states it makes 12 muffins, these are LARGE muffins.  I usually half the ingredients and still end up with about 8 muffins or so.  As you can tell by the pictures the muffins are fairly large and in charge.

Chocolate Chip Muffins

I tried this this week for the first time and while I think they're tasty, I also think they're lacking more of a chocolate "bite".  They'll have to have another go and either with more cocoa or more melted dark chocolate.  Oh, and the chips I placed on the muffin tops all sank in as they baked.  Can't remember if I've had that happen to me before.  Odd.  Although, it was a nice little surprise to bite into the muffin and catch a bit of milk chocolatey heaven.

Anyway, they looked really good...

The original recipe can be found here. 

CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS

INGREDIENTS:

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup baking cocoa

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 eggs

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, beat the eggs, sour cream, water, milk, oil and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in chocolate chips. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 325 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

PERSONAL NOTES:

I substituted applesauce for the oil and milk chocolate chips in place of the semi sweet.  These definitely need more than milk chocolate chips!  While the taste is nice, I felt like it could use more of a chocolate punch. 

Cookie Experiment: Oreo Cheesecake Truffle Cookies

Yes, I do sometimes sit around wondering how to improve my favorite cookie recipes. Or even the ones that aren't my favorite to make them better in general. But this recipe here brings together 2 of the better cookies from this past holiday season. Oreo Cheesecake Cookies and Cookie Balls. It's not all that complicated. I literally brought the two together to create:

OREO CHEESECAKE TRUFFLE COOKIES

INGREDIENTS (For the Oreo Cheesecake Cookies):

½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup Oreo cookie crumbs

DIRECTIONS:

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and cream cheese on medium speed until smooth and well-combined.

Add the sugar and vanilla extract and mix until the ingredients are well-combined. Add the flour and mix on low until the flour is incorporated.

Scoop the cookies into about 1½ to 2″ balls and then roll in the cookie crumbs. Place the cookie balls on the baking sheet.



OREO TRUFFLE INGREDIENTS:

1 (16 ounce) package Oreo cookies , crushed

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese , softened

DIRECTIONS:

Using a blender or hand held mixer, mix Oreos and cream cheese together.  Chill for one hour.

To combine cookies and truffles...

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Scoop 1 tbls cookie dough and scoop 1 tsp Oreo truffle mix.  Place the truffle mix in the middle of the cookie dough and roll so truffle mix is completely covered.  Place the Oreo cookie crumbs in a small bowl. Roll dough in the Oreo cookie crumbs and place on cookie sheet. 

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the tops are slightly puffed. Cool on the pan for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

YUM!!!

Rosemary Lentil Stew with Goat Cheese and Sun Dried Tomatoes

This has always been "that dish" - the one people asked about when I ate it. 

A few years ago while working at a yoga studio, a teacher came in eating this from a thermos.  The smell was so enticing I asked what it was. He told me, but then allowed me to try a sample.  SO good!

This is one of those meals that are perfect in the winter time.  They're hearty and pretty easy to make.  Plus, they make a few servings.  In my case, that's lunch for a week.  That makes my life easier. 

Something else that makes this dish even easier to make is using a slow cooker.  Just dump everything in, set to cook for 6 or so hours, come back later and you have dinner waiting for you.  I love the idea of slow cooking.  It allows the flavors to really come together.  And since it's made slowly, it's made with more love (I think so anyway :)

The yoga teacher gave me the recipe, but of course I ended up altering it.

Here's my version of Rosemary Lentil Stew with Goat Cheese and Sun Dried Tomatoes

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb lentils
2 tbsp olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
(2 celery ribs with leaves, finely diced - optional)
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 carrots, peeled and finely diced
1 (14 1/2 oz) can recipe-ready diced tomatoes with their juices
3-4 c. vegetable stock, chicken stock or water
1 1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, minced or 1 tsp dried, crumbled plus a whole sprig of fresh rosemary or parsley for garnish
1 bay leaf
1/8 tsp cayenne
1 or 2 smoked ham hocks (optional)
8 sun-dried tomato halves, cut into 1/4-in. pieces or 1/3 c. dried tomato bits
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
4 oz. fresh white goat cheese, cut into bits Salt
Freshly ground pepper


DIRECTIONS:

Rinse lentils in a colander and pick over to remove any grit. Set aside.

In a large saucepan or flameproof casserole, heat the olive oil over moderate heat. Add the onions, cover and cook 2 minutes. Uncover and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are golden and beginning to brown around the edges, 5-7 minutes . Add the garlic and cook about 3 minutes longer.

Add the onions and garlic to the slow cooker.  Stir in the carrots and lentils. Add the tomatoes with their juices, the stock, rosemary, bay leaf, cayenne and sundried tomatoes. Set to cook slow for about 6 hours.  You can also choose a quicker setting and let it go for 2-4 hours.

Once cooked, remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the goat cheese (it should remain in little clumps). Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve at once or set aside at room temperature for up to 2 hours. 6 to 8 servings.

PERSONAL NOTES:

As I've said, this dish is simply delicious.  The original recipe called for the addition of a ham hock but clearly I left that out.  Ick.  It tastes wonderful without it.  I also don't use celery (because I don't like it), but feel free to add it in.  Over time I played around with different amounts of goat cheese.  This last time I used the 4oz.  But in the past I've used twice the amount for the extra rich flavor.

Also, I didn't use the canned tomatoes.  I used fresh ones instead.  I pierced the skins, blanched them for a few seconds and ran them under cold water to remove the skins.  Then I placed them in a food processor to chop and put that in the stew.  However, I do add a 4.5 oz can of tomato paste.  Again, I like the rich flavor it adds while thickening it up :)

One more thing... I like to use Trader Joe's steamed lentils.  Frankly, it's no different than getting the dried lentils, but I still feel compelled to soak the lentils (even though you really don't have to here).  And anyway, I like the steamed lentils.

Tilapia with Tomato-Orange Relish

I have to start off by saying that this dish was AMAZING!!!  I'm so glad I chose this one tonight.  Plus, it was super easy to make.  For those of you who know me, you know I don't eat meat, but I do enjoy fish.  Boy, do I enjoy fish.

This recipe comes to me from the Taste of Home Comfort Food (Diet) Cookbook and there are some tasty-looking dishes in here that I'll be making, for sure.

TILAPIA WITH TOMATO-ORANGE RELISH

INGREDIENTS:

6 tilapia fillets (6 oz each)
3 tbls butter, melted
1/2 tsp salt, divided
1/2 tsp lemon-pepper seasoning
1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped
1 medium orange, peeled, sectioned and chopped
1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
1 tbls capers, drained
1-1 1/2 tbls brown sugar
1 tbls red wine vinegar

DIRECTIONS:

Place fish in a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan.  Drizzle with butter; sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt and the lemon pepper.  Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

In a small bowl, combine tomato, orange, onion, capers, brown sugar, vinegar and remaining salt.  Serve with fish.

6 servings.  1 fillet with 8 tsp relish = 219 calories.


PERSONAL NOTES:

For starters, I'm the only one eating fish.  Rob generally doesn't touch the stuff.  So I made just one fillet.  Although, I did make the entire batch of relish.  Sooooooo goooooood!!!

Oh, and I had some leftover frozen shrimp that I needed to get rid of so I tossed those in with the tilapia to cook.  Therefore I had a tilapia/shrimp combo with the tomato-orange relish. 

Pot Pies - Two Ways

Happy New Year!!!

The hubby and I maintained our tradition of staying in and doing nothing for New Year's Eve.  That could mean we're getting old and/or it could just mean we're over the big partying thing.  Probably a little of both.  As a matter of fact, I slept through midnight (I was asleep after 11p) and was woken up at 12:05am by my hubby so he could wish me a Happy New Year.  Then I sank back to sleep.

Since we were staying in I decided to cook us both dinner - which I rarely do. But just so you know, that's only because I don't know how to cook very many meat dishes and Rob doesn't really eat fish or veg-only meals. 

After some searching, I came across this recipe for chicken pot pie and decided to give it a whirl.  What would I make for myself, you might ask?  The same thing, only adapted for a seafood dish.  Actually, I changed quite a bit of it. 

CHICKEN POT PIE

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup butter

1 small onion, chopped

3 celery ribs, chopped

3 carrots, chopped

2/3 cup frozen peas

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups chicken broth

2/3 cup half-and-half cream

salt and ground black pepper to taste

3 cups cooked chicken, cut into bite-size pieces

1 (17.3 ounce) box frozen puff pastry (such as Pepperidge Farm®)

1 egg yolk, beaten

1 tablespoon water

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Melt butter in a skillet over medium-low heat, and cook the onion, celery, and carrots until the celery and carrots are tender, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in peas, parsley, thyme and flour, and cook, stirring constantly, until the flour coats the vegetables and begins to fry, about 5 minutes. Whisk in chicken broth and half-and-half, and cook until the sauce is thick and bubbling. Season to taste with salt and black pepper, and mix in the chicken meat.

Transfer the chicken, vegetables, and sauce into a 2-quart baking dish. Arrange biscuits on top of the filling. In a small bowl, beat egg yolk with water; brush egg yolk on the biscuits.

Bake in the preheated oven until the biscuits are golden brown and the pie filling is bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.


SEAFOOD POT PIE

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup butter

1 small onion, chopped

1 celery ribs, chopped

1 carrots, chopped

1/4 cup frozen peas

1 small potato (any kind)

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1-1 1/2 cups vegetable broth

2/3 cup fat free half-and-half cream

salt and ground black pepper to taste

1 4oz cooked tilapia fillet, cut into bite-size pieces

6oz cooked jumbo shrimp

1 5oz can crab meat

1 (17.3 ounce) box frozen puff pastry (such as Pepperidge Farm®) 

1 egg yolk, beaten

1 tablespoon water

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Melt butter in a skillet over medium-low heat, and cook the onion, celery, and carrots until the celery and carrots are tender, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in peas, parsley, thyme and flour, and cook, stirring constantly, until the flour coats the vegetables and begins to fry, about 5 minutes. Whisk in vegetable broth and fat free half-and-half, and cook until the sauce is thick and bubbling. Season to taste with salt and black pepper, and mix in the fish.

Transfer the mixture into a 2-quart baking dish. Cut a piece of the puff pastry to the size of the baking dish, cut a small hole in the middle (the size of a nickel) and arrange on top of the filling. In a small bowl, beat egg yolk with water; brush egg yolk on the puff pastry.

Bake in the preheated oven until the  puff pastry is golden brown and the pie filling is bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

PERSONAL NOTES:

The seafood pot pie varies from the chicken pot pie in a few ways.  Yes, it has the fish, but I also added potato.  Actually, when I made mine I used a sweet potato.  Plus, I eliminated the celery and peas.  I just didn't want them. 

I also substituted fat free half & half for the regular half & half to make it a little lighter.  The consistency remained the same.  Then I cut the vegetable broth down to 1 cup to make it thicker still.  It came out great - I absolutely loved it. 

To top it off, instead of using the biscuits (as the original recipe calls for), I used Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets.  For both dishes, I ended up cooking them in 15oz glass dishes (oven safe, of course).  This is what enabled me to make these using two individual dishes for each recipe. If you follow the original recipe  and use the biscuits, you'll need the extra space a two quart dish supplies. I have no regrets using the puff pastry over the biscuits. So when it came time to put the puff pastry on, before putting the pot pie mixture in the bowls, I turned one upside down and pressed down so it would be just enough to cover the top. Then I cut out a whole in the middle so it could breathe.

Although both dishes tasted great (Rob loved his pot pie!), the downside to making this wonderful dinner is that it took me FOREVER to make it.  2 1/2 hours!  So Rob suggested that next time I might use frozen carrots or something to help reduce time spent chopping.  And no, my food processor doesn't have an attachment the right size for this kind of slicing.  The carrots and celery would have come out far too thin.  And that would have made me sad.

Oh, the other downside is the calorie content.  OUCH.  Each individual serving is 770 calories.  If you choose to forego the pastry (and really, why would you want to do that?) it would be 450 calories, which is definitely better. I guess you'll have to decide which works for you.