A Teriyaki Snack

Overall I liked this recipe but had some issues with the preparation. I did not like boiling the edamame at all. It was hard to heat all the pods evenly and I felt that some were burning on the bottom. I would recommend steaming the edamame and then throwing it in a pan with the sauce. The flavor was sweet and a nice change from naked edamame with a sprinkling of salt but I think I liked the salted edamame better. The sauce makes your fingers all sticky so be prepared for a mess!

Garlic Teriyaki Edamame

(from allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:
1/4 cup water
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 package frozen edamame in the pod
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Directions:

1. Bring the water and garlic to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Stir in the edamame, and cook until the edamame are hot, and the liquid has nearly evaporated, about 5 minutes. 

2. Reduce the heat to medium-high and stir in the teriyaki sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, and sesame oil. Stir constantly until the sauce has thickened and coats the edamame, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle with sesame seeds to serve.

Fried Fish & Greens

Mr. Lawyer was making some moves in the kitchen tonight so I just sat back and enjoyed the view. He was recently in New Orleans for business and brought back some "Slap Ya Mama" Cajun Fish Fry mix. While in Reading Terminal we picked up some catfish and a lovely bunch of collard greens. They had mountains of collard greens! Our Southern inspired dinner was delicious. The cornmeal in the seasoning mix added a nice slightly crunchy texture to the catfish. The greens came out surprisingly well! It was also the first time we fried something in our new cast iron pan....I was prepared for disaster.

 No fire yet, just crispy catfish tenders.

 A stockpot full of greens before they cooked down.

Mr. Lawyer even had a say about the Fiesta colors! He chose Scarlett and Lapis because he didn't want his food the same color as the plate. I'll make a Fiesta fan out of him yet....

Spicy Collard Greens

(from allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:1 tablespoon olive oil
3 slices bacon (we used 1-2 tablespoons of bacon fat instead)
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
3 cups chicken broth
1 pinch red pepper flakes
1 pound fresh collard greens, cut into 2-inch pieces

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add bacon, and cook until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, crumble and return to the pan. Add onion, and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, and cook until just fragrant. Add collard greens, and fry until they start to wilt.
2. Pour in chicken broth, and season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes, or until greens are tender.

Apple Pie Time!

Yaaaaaay Fall! I made an official "Fall Bucket List" for Mr. Lawyer and I to complete. I have always had an unofficial one that included the basics: pick apples at Beak & Skiff, eat the apples, drink lots of cider, consume some cider donuts, eat Grandma's apple pie with cheddar cheese. Beak & Skiff is this wonderful family owned orchard (since 1911!) in LaFayette, NY (just outside Syracuse). I have wonderful memories of going there almost every year with my grandparents. Grandpa Bruce and I would always split a hot dog and look at the beehive (you can see inside it!) while Grandma Nancy got her apples for pie. When I started going to school at SU I introduced my Beak & Skiff tradition to Mr. Lawyer and our friends.

This is one of my favorite pictures from the 1st trip. Nyk was pointing out the specific apples she wanted and Mr. Lawyer obliged. I think she wore footwear that wasn't conducive to ladder climbing. Beak & Skiff has some wonderful old and gnarly apple trees that are huge.

Mr. Lawyer knew that I missed this tradition and decided to surprise me with a trip to a New Jersey Orchard! Now I'm partial to my B&S but this orchard was very kid friendly and had a pumpkin patch! The trees seemed very young in comparison to what I am use to but the apples were still delicious. 

He's always in the trees doing the heavy lifting!

See what I mean about the little trees though? No ladder needed.

We managed to get quite the jump on our Fall Bucket List, including making an apple pie (bonus: with apples you picked yourself!). 

Confession: this is the first apple pie I've ever made. I mostly just eat Grandma's pie. 

A word about eating apple pie: It is essential that you eat the pie with sharp cheddar cheese. Mr. Lawyer asked me what the cheese was for when I pulled it out of the fridge. Adorable. I guess it's a NY/New England thing. It's delicious. Have a bite of pie, have a bite of cheese. Heaven.

I have this really cute kitchen towel that tells you how to make apple pie. It made the perfect backdrop.

Cheese time!

It's not Grandma's pie but it was pretty delicious for a first attempt.

Apple Pie

(from allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:
1 pastry recipe for a 9 inch double crust (I used pre-made crusts)
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon allspice
4 to 8 Granny Smith apples depending on size- peeled, cored, and sliced
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add water, white sugar and brown sugar, and bring to a boil. Reduce temperature and let simmer. Add the spices and mix well.
2. Place the bottom crust in your pan. Toss apples in liquid and then place apples and most of the liquid into the pie pan. Cover with a top crust. Pour any remaining sugar and butter liquid over the crust.
3. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes until apples are soft.

It's Friiiiday!!

I had an amazing week. Mr. Lawyer not so much. Which means Friday is time to celebrate/feel better! One bottle of red wine, some steaks, and a salad later it has been accomplished! The steak marinade was advertised as the "best ever" and it was pretty good. It started off with a mellow worcestershire flavor and ended on a mellow soy note. Mr. Lawyer liked it more than I did. I prefer more bold in your face flavors. I did the prep work and he grilled the steaks to perfection, special shout out to Mrs. T for sending us the yummy steaks!

My best buddy from school, Ms. J, gave me some fancy flavored (raspberry?) balsamic vinegar which was amazing on the provolone and pecan topped salad.

Steak Marinade 

(adapted from allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Directions:
1. Mix all the ingredients together!
2. Pour marinade over desired type of meat. Cover, and refrigerate for up to 8 hours. Cook meat as desired.

P.S. The new Fiesta color will be announced this weekend. Eeeeeeee!!

Tilapia Scampi

Mr. Lawyer made dinner tonight! He said he wouldn't make it again. It was decent but very mild, no real flavors. We served it up with some broccoli rabe from DiBruno Brothers which overpowered the dish. The gorgonzola cheese spread on bread was amazing!

Tilapia Scampi

(Adapted from allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 (6 ounce) tilapia fillets
1 tablespoon dried parsley
Directions:
1. Preheat an oven to 400 degrees
2. Combine the butter, lemon juice, and garlic in a microwave-safe bowl; heat in microwave in 10-second increments until the butter is completely melted and the garlic has softened, stirring between each session, about 1 minute total.
3. Arrange the tilapia in the bottom of baking dish; pour the butter mixture over the fillets assuring they are all evenly covered. Sprinkle the parsley over the tilapia.
4. Bake in the preheated oven, turning the fillets every 10-15 minutes, until the fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve on top of pasta.

Irish Steaks

The cold weather has Mr. Lawyer going all manly on me. I asked him to pick a recipe and he picked one with steak AND whiskey. It was a delicious steak and onion combo but I must admit I did not taste the whiskey at all. He claims he could, perhaps it's a boy thing. We opened a NY State red wine (they are not known for their reds) and while it was acceptable it was so one dimensional and boring after all our fancy Italian red wine (thank you parental units!). We decided that we'll have to look at our finances and create a fancy wine budget. I was half joking but I think Mr. Lawyer was serious. I think I'm in trouble!

Irish Steaks

(from allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons butter
1 onion, chopped
4 (4 ounce) beef top sirloin steaks
1 clove garlic, cut in half lengthwise
1/4 cup Irish whiskey
salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Directions:
1. Heat vegetable oil and butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat until butter has melted. Cook and stir onions in butter and oil until lightly golden brown, about 10 minutes. Push onions aside with a spatula.
2. Rub steaks with cut sides of garlic clove.
3. Place steaks in the skillet, leaving the onions to the side, and cook over medium-high heat until meat is browned but still lightly pink inside, 2 to 4 minutes per side.
4. Remove the skillet from heat. Slowly pour Irish whiskey into the hot skillet (be careful, whiskey fumes are flammable). Mix browned onions into whiskey and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat.
Sprinkle steaks with salt, black pepper, and parsley; turn steaks over in whiskey pan sauce to coat both sides, and serve drizzled with sauce.

We had such pretty plate colors to choose from!

Love it!

Corned Beef is Chewy

The glaze for this recipe was amazing and could be used on other cuts of meat. The corned beef was a pain in the bottom. I have made corned beef before in the crockpot and it was fine but this simmer and baking method did not soften it enough. Mr. Lawyer still ate the whole thing, I was hoping for lunch leftovers, so I guess it tasted so good the chewing was worth it? If I were to make this again I would try to use the sauce with the crockpot method. 

Glazed Corned Beef

(adapted from allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:4 1/2 pounds corned beef, rinsed
1 cup apricot preserves
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Directions:

1. Simmer corned beef in water with seasoning packet according to directions, normally around three hours.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

3. Coat a large pan with non-stick cooking spray. Place corned beef in dish.

4. In a small bowl combine apricot preserves, brown sugar, and soy sauce. Spread the apricot mixture evenly over the corned beef.

5. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees 25 to 30 minutes, or until the meat is tender; basting occasionally with pan drippings.
6. Slice corned beef across grain and serve.

Hurricane Chili!

In August 2011 during Hurricane Irene I made some fabulous Hurricane Potato Soup. This time around I went with some Hurricane Chicken Taco Chili and it was a hit. I will definitely be adding this to my chili recipe rotation. It was chock full of beans, the corn was a nice touch, and the spice was spot on. It's from a healthy recipe site and was created with weight watchers in mind so it's super healthy! 

I also made my own taco seasoning. So fancy! I loved it so much that I will be making a larger batch to keep on hand. It's easy to customize if you want more or less spice and if you're concerned about sodium you can tweak the amount of salt (or completely omit it), something you can't do with pre-packaged taco seasoning!

Homemade Taco Seasoning

(adapted from allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (some versions use cayenne pepper)
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin (I used 1/2 teaspoon)
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Directions:
1. In a small bowl, mix together chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, oregano, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper. Store in an airtight container.

Crock Pot Chicken Taco Chili

(adapted from skinnytaste.com)

Ingredients:

1 onion, chopped
1 16-oz can black beans
1 16-oz can kidney beans
1 16-oz can tomato sauce
10 oz package frozen corn kernels
2 14.5-oz cans diced tomatoes w/chilies (I used Hunts diced tomatoes with zesty jalapenos!)
1 packet taco seasoning (I used two tablespoons homemade seasoning)
1 tbsp cumin (I only used 1 teaspoon)
1 tbsp chili powder
24 oz. (3) boneless skinless chicken breasts (I only used two and it was fine)
chili peppers, chopped (optional)
chopped fresh cilantro, cheese, sour cream for serving
Directions:
1. Combine beans, onion, chili peppers, corn, tomato sauce, cumin, chili powder and taco seasoning in a slow cooker. Place chicken on top and cover. Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. (**I sliced my chicken breasts into smaller strips to reduce the cooking time**)

2. Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Top with fresh cilantro. Also try it with low fat cheese and sour cream.

Baked Edamame

I've been looking for some healthy snacks and this pinterest find fit the bill. I would make them again with some adjustments. First, garlic powder is a must! The original recipe was just salt, pepper, and parm. I guess I wasn't heavy enough with the salt/pepper because they weren't that flavorful. We sprinkled on some garlic powder and voila! Amazing. Definitely cook them a little longer, more like 20. If the edamame isn't cooked all the way it's a tad on the gummy side. Not all of mine were truly crispy so I changed the name from "crispy edamame" to "baked". I'm not sure there is a way to fix the coating because not all the beans were well coated with cheese. The ones that did have little bits of browned parm on them were to die for!

Baked Edamame

(Pinterest find, adapted from allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:
1 (12 ounce) package frozen shelled edamame (green soybeans)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Garlic powder!
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Place the edamame into a colander and rinse under cold water to thaw. Drain.
2. Spread the edamame beans into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle cheese over the top and season with salt and pepper.
3. Bake in the preheated oven until the cheese is crispy and golden, 15-20 minutes.

Maple-Brined Pork

Tonight was my turn to say "mmmm...I'll keep you!" Mr. Lawyer made an amazing maple-brined pork loin and it was well worth the wait! We had never brined anything before and it was amazing. So soft, tender, and moist. The flavors were amazing: rosemary, sweet maple, dijon. Yum. Definitely a keeper recipe! I also recommend deglazing the bottom of the pan and adding that yummy dijon-maple glaze to your finished dish.

Maple-Brined Pork Loin

(from allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:
1 quart cold water
1/4 cup salt
1/3 cup maple syrup
3 cloves garlic, crushed
3 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
2 teaspoons dried rosemary
1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 (2 1/2 pound) boneless pork loin roast
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Directions:
1. Mix water, salt, 1/3 cup maple syrup, garlic, ginger, rosemary, black pepper, and red pepper flakes in a large bowl. Place pork loin in brine mixture and refrigerate for 8 to 10 hours.
2. Remove pork from brine, pat dry, and season all sides with salt and black pepper.
3. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
4. Heat vegetable oil in an oven-proof skillet over high heat. Cook pork, turning to brown each side, about 10 minutes total.
5. Transfer skillet to the oven and roast until pork is browned, about 40 minutes.
6. Mix 2 tablespoons maple syrup and Dijon mustard together in a small bowl.
7. Remove pork roast from the oven and spread maple syrup mixture on all sides. Cook for an additional 15 minutes, until the pork is no longer pink in the center. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 145 degrees F (63 degrees C)

Birthday Cake!

Poor Mr. Lawyer's birthday was a bit overlooked this year with our holiday weekend in NYC, me starting school again, and our engagement party so I made him a birthday cake! Technically it's still his birthday month so it's okay. He requested a coconut cream cake...that's right, cake not pie. I had to go to three different stores before I found coconut cream! Actually I ended up with cream de coconut which is sweeter so I just added less condensed milk. I also decided to use two round cake pans and layer them in order to make it more festive. I also toasted the coconut for some color. It was a hit! And the reviews said it gets better the next day. Mmmmm....cake for breakfast.

He was surprised when he walked in and saw a cake with candles!

A work in progress....thank god for frosting!

 mmmmmm cake!

Coconut Cream Cake

(adapted from allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:
1 (18.25 ounce) package white cake mix
3 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
1 (14 ounce) can coconut cream
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 cup flaked coconut
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.
2. In a large bowl, mix together cake mix, eggs, oil, water and coconut flavoring. Beat for 2 minutes and pour into 9x13 inch pan. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
3. In a medium bowl, combine coconut cream with sweetened condensed milk and stir until smooth. 

4. When cake comes out of the oven, poke holes into it in even rows using a large fork or chopsticks. Pour milk mixture over, allowing it to soak into the cake. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
5. In a large bowl, whisk cream until soft peaks form. Add sugar and continue whipping until stiff. Spread over cooled cake. Sprinkle top with flaked coconut.

Harvest Pumpkin

These cupcakes were satisfactory but they didn't wow me. My co-workers and students raved about them so part of it might just be I'm too critical of something that I made, it does always taste better when someone else makes it! I was excited because the batter tasted so amazing (yes Grandma, I still lick the bowl....haven't died yet.) but a lot of the pumpkin flavor baked off. Once the cream cheese frosting was on it tasted like a carrot cake to me. Sometimes pumpkin cupcakes/muffins get too dense but this cupcake was nice and fluffy. 

Harvest Pumpkin Cupcakes

(from allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:
4 eggs, slightly beaten
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin
1 3/4 cups flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
Frosting:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon orange juice
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly grated orange peel
4 cups powdered sugar
Directions:
1. To make cupcakes: Blend the eggs, oil, sugar, and pumpkin in a large mixing bowl; set aside. 

2. Stir together dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture and beat until well blended. 

3. Pour into lined muffin tins. Fill about 2/3 full. Bake in preheated 350 degrees oven for 30 minutes or until center springs back when touched. Cool 30 minutes. Spread with frosting.
4. To make frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add remaining ingredients and beat until smooth. Spread over cooled cupcakes.

The orangey-brown color looked amazing.

 Fun with Frosting!

 I didn't have enough room in the fridge so I kept them out on the balcony until school the next day....because it's fall now and chilly enough to do that!

Happy Fourth!

 Happy Fourth of July! This is the first year that I can remember not spending with family so I've been a bit mopey today. The past couple of years we've been at the shore and before that I was on the lake with the Nelsons. I miss family and cookouts! So I tried to make a spicy firecracker of a burger to celebrate. However, it wasn't that spicy! I don't think my jalapeno was up to par. It still tasted delicious but it was definitely more of a savory flavor. I halved the recipe and added half a cup of panko bread crumbs.

Spicy Turkey Burgers

(adapted from allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:
2 pounds lean ground turkey
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root
2 fresh green chile peppers, diced
1 medium red onion, diced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon ground dry mustard
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 dash Worcestershire sauce
Directions:
1. Preheat the grill for high heat.
2. In a bowl, mix the ground turkey, garlic, ginger, chile peppers, red onion, cilantro, salt, soy sauce, black pepper, paprika, mustard, cumin, and Worcestershire sauce. Form the mixture into 8 burger patties.
3. Lightly oil the grill grate. Place turkey burgers on the grill, and cook 5 to 10 minutes per side, until well done.

Slamming Schnitzel

Mr. Lawyer has been wanting to cook more but we're never home! Today we were finally home alone for the whole entire day. That means someone made a mess in my kitchen! But it was delicious. The pork was tender inside and crispy outside. The mushroom sauce was heavenly. Definitely a keeper. It was good without the sauce so you could omit that to be a bit healthier, maybe top it with some kind of apple slaw/chutney thing. 

Butter Schnitzel

(from allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:
6 boneless pork loin chops, 3/4 inch thick
1 cup bread crumbs
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1-1/2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 pound butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
1-1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon water
olive oil as needed
Directions:
1. Pound the pork chops with a spiked meat mallet until 1/4 inch thick; set aside. In a large bowl, combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, parsley flakes, salt, and pepper. Press the pork into the crumbs to bread thoroughly; set aside.
2. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour in the wine and sliced mushrooms. Allow to simmer and cook until the mushrooms have softened, about 10 minutes. Stir together the cornstarch and water, then add to the mushroom sauce. Simmer until the sauce has thickened, then remove from the heat and set aside.
3. Meanwhile, heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the pork cutlets a few at a time until golden brown and cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Serve with reserved mushroom sauce.

A Seafood Dilemma

I had a little bit of leftover fish from last night but not enough from a meal so I needed a side. In the freezer I found some leftover scallop pieces from the last time I made Bacon Wrapped Scallops, not enough for a meal but the perfect amount for a side! I found this recipe and used it as a guide. I decreased the amount of butter (reviews also suggested olive oil or a combination) and tossed the sauce with pasta. Then I served it up and topped it with scallops because we only had a handful, I didn't want them to become lost in the pasta. 

The result was delicious! The pasta had a light lemon flavor and the scallops added a little sweetness to each bite. The garlic wasn't overpowering. It was quick and easy (took longer to boil the pasta!) I would love to try this recipe with the original amount of scallops! Mmmmmm...

Garlic-Lemon Scallops

(adapted from allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:
3/4 cup butter (I used half a stick)
3 tablespoons minced garlic
2 pounds large sea scallops
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Directions:
1. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in garlic, and cook for a few seconds until fragrant. Add scallops, and cook for several minutes on one side, then turn over, and continue cooking until firm and opaque.
2. Remove scallops to a platter, then whisk salt, pepper, and lemon juice into butter. Pour sauce over scallops to serve OR toss sauce with pasta and add scallops.

Pasta Sauce Change Up!

This was a nice spring-like change from regular red pasta sauce. I used fresh parsley and basil, dried thyme and omitted the marjoram. The only thing I really changed was adding the extra butter and all the herbs to the hot pan at the end to help melt it and blend the flavors. Then I tossed it with the pasta. It was easy, quick and would work well in a pinch. Nice change but not an overly exciting photo! You can see a little bit of the herbs but there isn't much to show with a butter sauce!

Fettuccine with Garlic Herb Butter

(adapted from allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:
6 ounces dry fettuccini pasta
1 teaspoon butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh marjoram (optional)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme (optional)
1 tablespoon butter
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 pinch ground black pepper
Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
2. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 1 teaspoon butter. Add garlic and cook for 30 to 60 seconds or until garlic begins to turn golden.
3. In a small bowl, combine parsley, basil, marjoram, thyme, 1 tablespoon butter, salt and ground black pepper with cooked garlic; mix well. Toss with pasta and serve.

Lasagna Architect

Mr. Lawyer is my Lasagna Architect because I have no patience for putting it together. I think I shall put that on his business cards. I planned and did all the prep work and then he swooped in to build it. Pretty good deal if you ask me.

Another use for our 9.3 pounds of chicken (yes, there's still more in the fridge. I'm SO sick of chicken) that worked out well because Ms. Boo is here visiting and a big one dish meal is what we needed! Chicken lasagna! Not quite what I was hoping for but it worked. I added mushrooms to the spinach and made a straight up bechamel sauce from my mushroom lasagana. Overall the dish didn't have a ton of flavor, there were no spices or anything that jumped out. It was light and creamy. When I took my first bite I thought there would be seafood in it (it had that kind of creamy taste). You don't really taste the chicken.

White Cheese Chicken Lasagna

(adapted from allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:
9 lasagna noodles
1/2 cup butter
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups milk
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups ricotta cheese
2 cups cubed, cooked chicken meat
2 (10 ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese for topping
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, and rinse with cold water.
2. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook the onion and garlic in the butter until tender, stirring frequently. Stir in the flour and salt, and simmer until bubbly. Mix in the broth and milk, and boil, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Stir in 2 cups mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Season with the basil, oregano, and ground black pepper. Remove from heat, and set aside.
3. Spread 1/3 of the sauce mixture in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Layer with 1/3 of the noodles, the ricotta, and the chicken. Arrange 1/3 of the noodles over the chicken, and layer with 1/3 of the sauce mixture, spinach, and the remaining 2 cups mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Arrange remaining noodles over cheese, and spread remaining sauce evenly over noodles. Sprinkle with parsley and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
4. Bake 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven.

Chocolate Fix

Need a chocolate fix? These cookies are for you! Nice crackled outside, gooey inside, and rolled in powdered sugar for good measure. I was told that they were "brownie cookies" and "fudge cookies". The only issue I had was the chilling time: three hours?! Please. I cut it in half because it was late and Miss Sandy was here. Priorities. 

Chocolate Crackled Cookies

(adapted from allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
1 stick all-vegetable shortening
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups all purpose flour
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup powdered sugar
Directions:
1. Beat brown sugar, shortening and vanilla in large bowl at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended. Add eggs; beat well.
2. Combine flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda. Add to shortening mixture; beat at low speed just until blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Cover and chill 3 hours.
3. Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Shape dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar, then in powdered sugar to coat completely. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until cookies are set. Cool 2 minutes on cookie sheet. Remove cookies to wire rack to cool completely.

Gingery Love

I can rationalize making these cookies because ginger is good for your tummy and aids in digestion right?! Therefore these cookies are completely medicinal and okay for the second day of the new year. I think I like them better than the Molasses Cookies I made back in November. The Molasses ones were moist and cake-like, the Gingersnaps are slightly chewy (but not hard like store bought ones) and have more gingery zip to them. 

Gingersnap Cookies

(adapted from allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup shortening
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup dark molasses
1/3 cup cinnamon sugar
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Sift the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt into a mixing bowl. Stir the mixture to blend evenly, and sift a second time into another bowl.
3. Place the shortening into a mixing bowl and beat until creamy. Gradually beat in the white sugar. Beat in the egg, and dark molasses. Sift 1/3 of the flour mixture into the shortening mixture; stir to thoroughly blend. Sift in the remaining flour mixture, and mix together until a soft dough forms.

4. Pinch off small amounts of dough and roll into 1 inch diameter balls between your hands. Roll each ball in cinnamon sugar, and place 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet.
5. Bake in preheated oven until the tops are rounded and slightly cracked, about 10 minutes. Cool cookies on a wire rack. Store in an air tight container.

I love the crackly top!

Double Bread Heaven!

This recipe was divine. I followed suggestions about increasing the amount of olives (I used one cup), adding garlic/herbs and lowering the temperature (The original recipe said 500 and many people complained of burnt bread). You could taste the garlic, it was a nice addition but I could not taste the Italian herbs. Another suggestion was to had 1/2 cup parmesan cheese which would be fun to try! People had good results with all sorts of different olives but I used kalamata because they are my all time favorite.

However, it was not all rainbows and sunshine. I had some issues with the dough. I didn't feel like it was rising properly and it was very sticky. I had reduced the amount of time I kneaded it because I was using my Kitchen Aid and the book says to do that, my yeast proofed wonderfully....I had no idea what was wrong! After I footballed it like a squishy newborn from the bowl to the pan while shouting "Geronimo!" (where it didn't hold it's shape well) I was convinced that it was going to be a disaster. So while it was baking I whipped up some English Muffin Loaf again because 1) we were all out 2) I like eating it all the time with jam or honey or toasted with peanut butter 3) I wanted to stay in my apron because it's super comfy 4) I was looking for an excuse to use Reggie the Kitchen Aid again. Lo and behold the Olive Bread came out okay and I had an extra bonus loaf of English Muffin Bread! The very center of the loaf is a bit moist so it might have needed a few more minutes or it could have been attributed to my dough issues. 

Mediterranean Black Olive Bread

(adapted from allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:
3 cups bread flour (I used all purpose)
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon Italian herbs
1/2 to 1 cup chopped olives, roughly chopped (amount and type depend on personal taste)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/4 cups warm water
1 tablespoon cornmeal
Directions:
1. In a large bowl, mix together flour, salt, garlic, herbs, black olives, and olive oil. In a second bowl proof your yeast with warm water and sugar. After the yeast is proofed, combine with flour mixture.
2. Turn out dough onto a floured board. Knead until smooth and elastic, 5 to 10 minutes. Set aside, and let rise about 45 minutes, until it doubles in size. Punch down. Knead well again, for about 5 to 10 minutes. Let rise for about 30 minutes, until it doubles in size.
3. Round the dough on kneading board. Place upside down in a bowl lined with a lint-free, well floured towel. Let rise until double in size.
4. While the bread is rising for the third time, put a pan of water in the bottom of the oven. Preheat oven to 450.
5. Gently turn loaf out onto a sheet pan that has been lightly oiled and dusted with cornmeal.
6. Bake loaf at 450 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees. Bake for 30 more minutes, or until done.

Double Bread Heaven!