I’m always looking for new ways to prepare shrimp since it is such a healthy and delicious seafood.  It seems like the vast majority of shrimp recipes I already have are some sort of pasta dish, and while I LOVE shrimp pasta, I have about five favorite shrimp pasta recipes – no joke.  So, when I saw this recipe I was thrilled.  It is an incredibly quick and simple meal, and definitely healthy.  And fast, good-for-you recipes that also taste AWESOME are something I am always happy to find!  I served this atop a basic couscous, but it would be great with just some crusty bread, rice, or yes, even pasta (if you don’t already have a ton of shrimp pasta recipes).  Or, simply eat it on its own.  I ate the leftovers with no starch to accompany it and it was still delicious and filling.  You can prepare this in an oven-proof skillet and bake it in the same dish, transfer it to a baking dish, or use a Dutch oven for the whole process – whatever floats your boat!

Baked Shrimp in Tomato Feta Sauce
Ingredients:
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes, with juices
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1 tbsp. minced fresh dill or 1 tsp. dried dill
1 to 1 1/4 lbs. medium raw shrimp, peeled and deveined (thawed if frozen)
Salt and pepper, to taste
3 oz. feta cheese (about 2/3 cup, crumbled)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.  Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the onions and cook until soft, 3-5 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds more.  Add the tomatoes and bring to a simmer.  Reduce the heat and let the sauce simmer for 5-10 minutes, until the juices thicken a bit.  Remove the sauce from the heat, and stir in the herbs, shrimp, feta cheese, and salt and pepper to taste.

Transfer to a baking dish, if desired, and bake until the shrimp are cooked through, about 10-12 minutes.  Serve immediately. 

Source: adapted from Simply Recipes

One of Ben’s coworkers LOVES owls.   She collects all kinds of owl stuff, and as soon as I saw these cupcakes in my Hello, Cupcake book, I knew I had to make them for her.  Last month was her birthday, so it was the perfect opportunity!  Unfortunately, Ben didn’t tell me it was her birthday until the night before so I didn’t have time to make them for the actual day.  Then, I started working crazy shifts and before I knew it, it was a whole month later and I still hadn’t made the cupcakes!  I decided it was just time, so on my day off I made it happen.  They weren’t difficult to make, just a bit time consuming.  Glad I finally got around to making them.  So, happy (very belated) birthday Elizabeth!

Supplies Needed: (not all pictured above)
1 batch of Hershey’s Perfectly Chocolate cupcakes – 12 regular and 24 minis
1 package regular Oreos
1 package mini Oreos
1-2 cans store-bought chocolate frosting
1 can store-bought vanilla frosting
1 package Runts
1 package Junior Mints
1 large bag M&Ms
 

You will need enough Oreos with icing to make a pair of eyes for each cupcake (so 24 big Oreos and 48 minis).  Probably the most time consuming part of the whole thing was prepping all the Oreos.  The easiest way to get separate them while keeping all of the filling on one side was to use a butter knife to split them.  I scraped over the top of the filling to remove some of the extra crumbs as best I could.  

Using the other half of the Oreo (without the icing), cut out the shapes for the ears.  For the mini Oreos, just cut them in half.  For the large Oreos, cut each cookie into thirds and use the rounded pieces for ears.  Take note, it is really hard to cut Oreos without shattering them.  You will probably need some extras to have enough unbroken pieces.  It’s okay if they break a little bit though, they will be covered in frosting so they don’t need to look perfect.  

From here on out, it’s smooth sailing.  Frost the cupcakes using store-bought frosting.  Use a nice thick coat so all the cookies and candy will stick to it well.  

This is the fun part!  For the baby owls, use the iced mini Oreos you prepped to make the eyeballs, the cut mini Oreos to be the ears, and yellow M&Ms to be the beaks.  

Do the same for the full-size cupcakes, except use banana Runts as the beaks.  

I didn’t take pictures of the final steps, but basically, use a pastry bag fitted with a small round tip and filled with vanilla frosting to pipe a small dot of frosting onto each “eyeball”.  Press on M&Ms for the pupils of the baby owls and Junior Mints for the big owls.  (Placing the pupils in different parts of the eyes to make them appear to be looking different directions gives them so much expression!)

Then, using another pastry bag fitted with a V-shaped tip and filled with chocolate frosting, pipe frosting over the ear cookie pieces.  Pipe feathers on the edges of the top half of each cupcake (just underneath the cookies eyeballs) to make your owls cute and fluffy.  That’s it!

Amazingly, even though I bought a full-size bag of M&Ms, I did not have enough brown ones to use as pupils for all the baby owls.  So I decided to branch out and give some of them blue and green eyes – and I thought they looked SUPER cute that way!

Source: adapted from Hello, Cupcake by Alan Richardson and Karen Tack

This particular pizza is an idea that has been brewing in my mind for quite a while.  Unfortunately, due to my long work hours this month I had a hard time making it happen.  But the idea just kept nagging at me and pretty soon it was all I could think of.  I had to have this pizza!  One night after we had already eaten dinner, I prepped everything in advance.  I made the pizza crust, the pesto, and grilled some chicken so that they were all ready to go for the next night.  It actually made for a very quick dinner with everything prepped – just preheat the pizza stone, assemble the pizza and bake.  

I’m not surprised that this completely fulfilled my expectations.  I have posted about this crust before – it is phenomenal.  It would taste wonderful with just about any toppings, but this combination was awesome!  I don’t think anything will ever top margherita pizza with tomatoes and basil from our own garden, but this is sure to be a favorite in our rotation.  The pesto recipe makes about twice what we used for the pizza, but I made the full batch because it’s always nice to have pesto on hand.  I’ll be posting another recipe using the remaining pesto soon.

Chicken Pesto Pizza
Ingredients:
For the pesto:
1/4 cup pine nuts
3 medium garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
7 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

For the pizza:
1/2 batch perfect pizza crust dough (enough for 1 pizza), at room temperature
Olive oil, for brushing
Shredded mozzarella cheese
Grilled chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces (about 1/2 of one chicken breast)
Cherry tomatoes, sliced into thirds
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 

Directions: 
To make the pesto, toast the pine nuts in a small skillet over medium heat until just golden and fragrant, 4-5 minutes.  Set aside.  Add the garlic to the empty skillet and toast, shaking occasionally, until the cloves are fragrant and their color deepens slightly, about 7 minutes.  Transfer the cloves to a cutting board; cool, peel and chop.  Place the basil in a heavy-duty gallon-sized plastic bag.  Pound the bag with a rolling pin until all the leaves are bruised.  

Combine the pine nuts, garlic, basil, olive oil and 1/2 tsp. salt in the bowl of a food processor.  Process until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.  Transfer the mixture to a bowl, stir in the Parmesan cheese, and adjust the salt to taste.  Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

To make the pizza, preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.  Place a pizza stone in the oven while it is preheating, and let it heat up for at least 30 minutes.  Place a round of parchment paper the size of your pizza stone on a work surface and lightly sprinkle it with cornmeal.  Place the pizza dough in the center and roll it out into a large round using a lightly floured rolling pin, or a pulling/stretching motion with floured hands (I use both).  Leave an approximately 1-inch border that is thicker around the edges for the crust.  Lightly brush this outer edge of the crust with olive oil.  Spread a thin layer of pesto on the pizza crust using the back of a spoon.  Sprinkle with a layer of shredded mozzarella cheese.  Top with grilled chicken pieces and sliced cherry tomatoes.  Season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste.  

Carefully transfer the parchment round to the preheated pizza stone.  Place in the oven and bake until the cheese is bubbling and the crust is lightly browned, about 12-15 minutes.  Slice and serve immediately.  

Source: pizza crust and pesto adapted from Baking Illustrated

I am not much of a coffee drinker, but I definitely do enjoy coffee from time to time.  Of course, I am the kind of coffee drinker that true coffee drinkers roll their eyes at – I just love the sugary, girly coffee concoctions from Starbucks.  Frappuccinos, mochas, lattes, etc. – oooh yeah, yummm.  These cupcakes consist of a mocha cupcake base topped with a white chocolate whipped cream and garnished with dark chocolate swirls to look like rising steam.  I was so happy with the way they turned out!  I drew the inspiration for these cupcakes from many sources, many of which I cannot remember anymore.  A big part of my motivation was my incredible love for this white chocolate whipped cream…I am constantly trying to think of more ways to use it.  The cupcakes were moist, light and just barely sweet.  The whipped cream was just the right counterbalance and reminded me a lot of the whipped cream I always order on my indulgent coffee drinks :)

My main issue with these cupcakes is that while they tasted fantastic, I don’t think the coffee flavor came through quite as well as I would have liked.  One possible reason is that I did not use brewed coffee as the recipe recommends, but simply espresso I mixed at home from espresso powder and boiling water (I don’t have a coffee maker or know how to use one, after all!)  If you are not a big fan of coffee flavor then these are perfect as is, but next time I will add an extra scoop of espresso powder to be sure that flavor really comes through.  I would also love to try drizzling these with a raspberry sauce since my Starbucks warm drink of choice is a white chocolate mocha with a shot of raspberry.  I fully intended to try the syrup this time around, but I just didn’t have the time or energy!  Maybe next time.

White Chocolate Mocha Cupcakes
Yield: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:
For the cupcakes:
5 oz. semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 cups cake flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup sour cream
5 tbsp. cocoa powder
2 1/2 tsp. baking soda
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups hot coffee
12 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp. brown sugar

For the whipped cream:
6 oz. white chocolate, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream

For decorating:
4 oz. chocolate (I used bittersweet), finely chopped
chocolate sprinkles

Directions: 
To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Line two cupcake pans with paper liners.  In a double boiler, melt the chocolate.  Let cool slightly.  In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and salt.  In another bowl, whisk together the sour cream, cocoa powder and baking soda.  Mix to form a paste and then slowly whisk in the coffee.  In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and vanilla.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy.  Slowly add the egg and vanilla mixture and beat until combined.  Add the melted chocolate and beat well.  Add the flour mixture, alternating with the liquid mixture, beating just until all ingredients are incorporated.

Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners.  Bake 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Allow to cool in the pans 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the white chocolate whipped cream, place the chopped white chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water.  Melt, stirring occasionally.  When the chocolate is almost melted, bring 1/2 cup of the cream to a boil.  Once the chocolate is fully melted, transfer the bowl to a counter, pour in the hot cream and let it sit for one minute.  Then stir gently with a spatula until the chocolate is smooth.  Let the chocolate sit until it reaches room temperature – the chocolate can’t be the least bit warm when it is added to the whipped cream.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the remaining 1 cup cream only until it holds the softest peaks.  With the mixer on high speed, add the white chocolate all at once and continue to beat just until the mixture holds firm peaks.  Transfer the cream to a bowl, press a piece of plastic wrap gently against the surface and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

While the cream is setting, make the chocolate decorations.  Spread a piece of wax paper on a flat work surface.  Place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl and microwave in 30 seconds intervals, stirring in between, until completely melted.  Allow the chocolate to cool for several minutes (I probably waited 10-15 minutes).  Transfer the melted chocolate to a plastic squeeze bottle (a plastic bag with the corner cut off would also work).  Carefully squeeze the melted chocolate onto the wax paper in the desired shape.  Allow to set completely.  Carefully peel off of the wax paper.

Frost the cupcakes with the now set white chocolate whipped cream, top with chocolate sprinkles, and garnish with chocolate decorations.  Store in the refrigerator but serve at room temperature for best flavor. 

Source: cupcakes adapted from Miss Cupcake Face, whipped cream from Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

As a child, I despised carrots.  I think that was partly because my dad considered them a necessary part of every salad (which we ate almost every night), and partly because I just genuinely don’t like raw carrots.  I try to like them and occasionally make myself eat them from time to time because I know they are good for me, but I just can’t bring myself to like them!  Ever since I have been making Andrew’s baby food though, I have been trying really hard to find ways to make myself like my formerly unloved veggies.  After all, if I’m going to make him eat them, then I should have to eat them too.  I have discovered that I actually do like cooked carrots prepared several ways – hooray, I’m growing!  Normally I prepare them in a much healthier way but I decided to give these whiskey-glazed carrots a whirl for our Easter meal.  Decidedly adult and not at all healthy, but incredibly delicious!

I know some people aren’t fans of Pioneer Woman, but personally I am crazy about her.  I love her photos (not so bothersome if you scroll through quickly!), her quirky sense of humor, and most of all the fact that every one of her recipes I have tried has turned out nothing short of fantastic.   I really appreciate having a source of recipes that I know will turn out well for sure, and I don’t have to “test drive” them before preparing them for company.  The same was true with this dish.  I did make my standard adjustment, using about half the amount of butter that she does, but otherwise I didn’t make many changes.  Of course I was concerned that the whiskey would be overpowering as it often can be in cooking, but everyone agreed that it was just the right amount.  Enough that you could definitely taste it and it made things interesting, but the carrots were still the center of attention.  These certainly won’t be my carrots for everyday fare (you know, all that drenching them in butter, sugar and whiskey) but I will absolutely make these again when splurging for company.  

Whiskey-Glazed Carrots
Ingredients:
2-3 lbs. carrots, peeled and cut into thick slices
4 tbsp. unsalted butter
1/2 cup Jack Daniels (or other whiskey)
2/3 to 1 cup brown sugar
1/2 to 1 tsp. salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
In a large skillet or pot with a lid, heat the butter over medium-high heat until melted.  Add half of the carrots to the pan and cook briefly just to sear, 60-90 seconds.  Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining carrots.  Set aside.

Very carefully add the whiskey to the pan and allow to evaporate for about 30 seconds.   Reduce the heat to medium.  Sprinkle the brown sugar into the pan and stir.  Mix in the carrots, stir well, and cover.  Cook for 5 minutes. 

Remove the lid and season with salt and pepper.  Cover once more and continue cooking until the carrots are fork-tender and the glaze has thickened, about 5-10 minutes more.  Transfer to a serving platter and top with minced fresh herbs, if desired, for extra color.  Serve immediately. 

Source: adapted from The Pioneer Woman

Not long ago, a representative from See’s Candies contacted me and asked if I would be interested in reviewing one of their products.  Free chocolates?!  Obviously, my answer was yes!  They shipped me an assorted box of chocolates and Ben and I wasted no time digging in.  Right off the bat I was slightly disappointed because the box did not come with a key – you know, the little guide that tells you the flavor of each candy.  I need that key when dealing with a box of chocolates – so that kind of bummed me out, but I forged ahead.  I did my best discerning the various flavors and took notes of our favorites.  Now, looking at their website I have been able to figure out which types we liked best so I will highlight those here.

Overall we really enjoyed these chocolates.  Of course, like any assorted box of candies I had favorites and some I did not like so much.  But there were a lot of really, really good ones.  I had four favorites in particular: the mocha (coffee milk chocolate buttercream), the maple walnut (maple buttercream with English walnuts), the walnut square (caramel with English walnuts and a chocolate bottom), and the P-Nut crunch (chocolate with a crunchy peanut butter center).  Ben’s favorites were the Scotchmallow (honey marshmallow and caramel) and the rum nougat (English walnuts, rum, cherries, raisin nougat).  While perusing the website to identify my favorites, I saw several other flavors that I am very anxious to try – raspberry cream, kona mocha, and the apple pie truffle to name a few.

In my opinion the very best thing about See’s and their website in particular is that you can order custom assortments to include your favorite candies.  This flexibility allows you to create your own “ideal box of chocolates” because you choose what is included, and just as importantly, what is left out (like mint for me – ick!)  This would also be great for avoiding food allergies, nuts in particular.  Most standard boxes of chocolate include multiple candies with nuts, but See’s allows you to create a custom assortment that is allergy-safe!  These would make lovely gifts for just about anyone, and I will certainly be ordering my own custom assortments for friends full of flavors I know they will enjoy.  Of course they have a huge selection of pre-packaged gift ideas as well so if you do not want to spend the time choosing a custom assortment, they have you covered.  They have gifts in a wide variety of price ranges to accomodate any need, large or small.  Try some of these chocolates for yourself, and you won’t be disappointed.

At the beginning of this month, I had to work a week of night shifts.  One thing that makes nights tough for me is that I get really hungry!  It makes sense, considering that I get less sleep than usual and I am expending more energy.  And despite that fact that I work in a hospital, there are not always a lot of healthy food options readily available.  I tried to bring somewhat healthy snacks with me like fresh fruit, yogurt, and some of this granola.  I liked to eat this mixed in with my vanilla yogurt and it is great!

Overall I was very happy with how this granola turned out, although the peanut butter flavor did not come through as much as I would have liked.  Next time I will add more peanut butter to the mixture, as well as mix in some honey-roasted peanuts after the granola is baked to bring out that flavor.  I have reflected these changes in the recipe below.  The addition of the bittersweet chocolate chunks is obviously optional, but I thought they added a nice amount of sweetness to the granola since it isn’t overly sweet on its own.  I prefer the chocolate in chunks but you could add it to the granola just after it is still warm from the oven to melt it a bit and blend it in to the granola further.  Enjoy!

Banana Peanut Butter Granola
Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups rolled oats
2 1/2 cups puffed rice cereal
2 tbsp. honey
1/3 cup applesauce
1/3 cup mashed bananas
1/3-1/2 cup creamy peanut butter, warmed slightly
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/3 cup brown sugar
1-1 1/2 cups dried banana chips
1/2 cup honey roasted peanuts
3-4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (optional)

Directions: 
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine the rolled oats and puffed rice cereal.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the  honey, applesauce, mashed banana, peanut butter, salt, cinnamon and brown sugar until smooth.  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until the oat mixture is evenly coated.  Spread onto the prepared baking sheet in a thick even layer.

Bake for 30 minutes.  Then, using a large spatula, turn the granola over in segments.  Bake for an additional 15 minutes.  Depending on the size of your baking sheet, the center may not be fully dried.  If necessary, remove the edges of cooked granola and bake the remaining granola for 10-15 minutes more or until done, being careful not to over-bake.  Cool on a wire rack.

Once the granola has cooled, crumble it into a large bowl or plastic bag.  Add in the dried banana chips, honey roasted peanuts and bittersweet chocolate, if using.  Mix well to combine.  Store in an airtight container. 

Source: Annie’s Eats original

As busy as I have been this month, I was lucky enough to have Easter day off.  And although I originally did not have any plans to attend or host a gathering, the next thing I knew, I was hosting my in-laws for an Easter meal!  (It’s a compulsion – someone stop me!)  Seriously though, we had a wonderful time and it was great to spend the day with family.  Because I came home from the hospital fairly late the night before, I tried to plan a meal that was simple enough to prepare entirely in a few hours on Sunday morning.  Despite the time crunch, I think it turned out very well.  The menu included spinach artichoke dip for an appetizer, pineapple-glazed ham as the main course with mashed potatoes, Parmesan green beans, whiskey-glazed carrots and honey yeast rolls on the side.  And for dessert, we had this phenomenal cake!  I must admit that because I am such a sucker for complex and time-consuming desserts, I had a really hard time choosing this cake.  But it ended up working out perfectly because this cake is absolutely wonderful and was just the right way to finish off a simple but delicious meal.  

There are multiple reasons why  I love this cake.  First, for its simple ingredients.  Second, how completely thick and awesome the batter gets after being whipped at a high speed to incorporate lots of air – can anyone else relate to this?  I love thick cake batter!  And last but not at all least, the taste.  A wonderfully soft, moist cake accompanied by a light fresh strawberry sauce.  Swoon.  I could barely keep myself from eating more than one piece a day.  A few tips on the cake: I think the almond extract is really important to the flavor, so don’t skip it.  Also, you could probably bake this in two loaf pans, but I think a bundt pan is a great way to fancy up a pound cake.  Finally, I am a huge fan of fruit sauces and this coulis in particular, so I would recommend making a double batch.  I ended up having to make extra for our leftover cake.  This keeps best for 2-3 days at most stored in an airtight container. 

Cream Cheese Pound Cake with Strawberry Coulis
Ingredients:
For the cake
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 (8 oz.) package Philadelphia cream cheese, at room temperature
3 cups sugar
6 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt

For the strawberry coulis:
2 cups quartered, hulled strawberries (about 12 oz.)
1/4 cup water
3 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Directions: 
To make the cake, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.  Butter and flour a bundt pan or tube pan (line the bottom with parchment if using a tube pan).  Combine the butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Beat on medium speed until smooth.  Add the sugar, increase the speed to high, and beat until light and airy, at least 5 minutes.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.  Mix in the vanilla and almond extracts.  Add in the flour and salt and mix until just incorporated.

Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula.  Bake until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean, about 75 minutes.  Place the pan on a wire rack and allow to cool for about 20 minutes.  Remove the cake from the pan and allow to cool completely.  Serve at room temperature.

To make the strawberry coulis, combine the strawberries, water, sugar and lemon juice in a food processor or blender.  Puree until very smooth, then press through a fine mesh sieve to remove the seeds.  Cover and refrigerate until cold.  Serve with slices of pound cake. 

Source: adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Quiche is one of those dishes that is suitable for almost any situation.  Serve it in the morning alongside some fresh fruit and mimosas and call it brunch.  Serve it for lunch with a simple green salad.  Serve it for dinner as a wonderful main course.  It is highly adaptable and highly delicious!  The vegetables, etc. that you mix in are also very adaptable.  This particular combination was great but you could use any number of things – spinach, roasted bell peppers, leeks, potatoes, artichokes, sausage, crab…use your imagination!  You can use a variety of cheeses as well.  I used gruyere because I had it on hand, and well, it’s awesome.

There are two main methods you could use for cooking the meat and vegetables, and I think they result in significantly different flavors of the quiche.  In this case, I cooked the bacon in the skillet, set it aside and then proceeded to cook the vegetables (minus the broccoli) in the same skillet.  This infused the whole quiche with a strong bacon flavor.  So, if you are a bacon lover (I know there are TONS out there!) then go this route.  Since I enjoy bacon but do not love it as many do, I think next time I will cook the bacon separately.  I made my favorite pie crust recipe for this.  I have posted directions for making it in the stand mixer (so simple, I can’t resist!) but you can click the link below for the original recipe with instructions for making it by hand.  Enjoy!

Bacon, Mushroom and Broccoli Quiche
Ingredients:
For the crust:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
8 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3 tbsp. very cold water

For the filling:
3 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups milk
6 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 medium onion, minced and sautéed
1 cup mushrooms, sliced and sautéed
1 head broccoli, cut into florets and blanched
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups gruyere, shredded
1 tbsp. flour

Directions:
To make the crust, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, sugar and salt.  Add the butter to the flour mixture and toss with a fork to coat.  Mix on medium-low speed until the texture resembles coarse cornmeal with the butter pieces no larger than small peas.  Add the water and mix on low speed just until the dough pulls together.  

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface, pat into a ball and flatten into a disk.  Roll the dough out with a rolling pin until it is about 12 inches in diameter and 1/8-inch thick.  Lift and turn frequently during the rolling process to prevent the dough from sticking to the work surface.  Transfer the dough a 9-inch pie plate.  Trim most of the excess from the edges and use your fingers to create a fluted edge. 

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.  Line the pie crust with foil and fill with pie weights.  Bake for 5 minutes.  Remove the pie weights and foil and bake for an additional 5-7 minutes.  Remove from the oven and reduce the heat to 325 degrees F.  

To make the quiche filling, in a large bowl whisk together the eggs and milk.  Mix in the bacon, onion, mushrooms, broccoli and salt. In a separate bowl, toss the cheese and flour together.  Add the cheese to the rest of the ingredients and mix well.  Pour the mixture into the pre-baked pie crust and bake 35-40 minutes or until the filling is almost completely set but slightly jiggly in the center.  Let the quiche rest for at least 15-20 minutes before serving.  

Source: crust adapted from Williams Sonoma, quiche adapted from Use Real Butter

I know I have mentioned before my strong affinity for Rice Krispie treats.  I love a big huge rectangular piece of the classic version, but now I am starting to venture out into other variations and of course it is no surprise – I love them all.  First there was the black and white version, then the peanut butter crispy bars, and now these.  Full of chopped cookies and topped with cookie crumbs, they are sure to be a hit with Oreo-lovers such as myself.  They were simple to make and the only thing I might change next time will be to top them with finely chopped Oreos rather than crumbs just for some added texture and because I think it would be more aesthetically pleasing.  

Cookies and Cream Rice Krispie Treats
Ingredients:
1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
4 tbsp. unsalted butter
10 oz. marshmallows
1 tsp. vanilla extract
6 cups Rice Krispies
20 Oreo cookies, coarsely chopped
4-6 oz. white chocolate, chopped
finely chopped Oreos, for topping

Directions: 
Place bittersweet chocolate in a small microwave safe bowl.  Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until completely melted.  Set aside.  Grease a 9×13″ pan.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add the marshmallows and stir until melted and well combined.  Turn off heat and stir in the melted chocolate and the vanilla extract.  Gently stir in the Rice Krispies and coarsely chopped Oreos, and mix to coat evenly.  Press the mixture into the prepared pan, leveling the top.  (I like to use a piece of plastic wrap over my fingers and press it down with my hand.)  Allow to cool completely.

Once cooled, cut into squares.  Place white chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, and stir until completely melted.  Place the finely chopped Oreos in another bowl.  Dip the top of each square into the white chocolate and then the finely chopped cookies.  Set aside to cool and let the chocolate set completely.  Store in an airtight container. 

Source: adapted from Cast Sugar

I think sometimes it may appear from my blog that all I eat is sweets, but that is definitely not the case.  I try to post a wide variety of recipes, both sweet and savory.  Even though dessert is my favorite part of the day, we all need more well-rounded meals to eat before that time comes.  Homemade spaghetti and meatballs is a classic recipe that should be a part of everyone’s repertoire, so I decided it was time to post my favorite version.  This recipe makes a large quantity of both meatballs and sauce so it can be used for multiple meals.  We made meatball subs with the leftovers one night (AWESOME!), and then ate the remaining marinara sauce over pasta a couple weeks later.  I haven’t tried it myself, but I think this would freeze well and would be a nice meal to thaw out at a moment’s notice.  

Spaghetti and Meatballs
Ingredients:
For the sauce:
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28 oz.) can tomato puree
1 (28 oz.) can tomato sauce
2 tsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. sugar
1/2 cup of water (or more) 

For the meatballs:
1/2 cup bread crumbs, divided
1/4 cup milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp. dried parsley
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 lb. ground beef, pork and veal mixture (or 1 lb. ground sirloin)

For serving:
Freshly cooked spaghetti
Shredded Parmesan cheese
Minced fresh basil

Directions: 
To make the sauce, heat the olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add the onion to the pot and saute until tender, 5-8 minutes.  Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, stirring, about 1 minute.  Add the tomato puree, tomato sauce, parsley, basil, oregano, salt and sugar.  Add water to thin the sauce out to your desired consistency (I would estimate that I add about 1/2 cup).  Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer.  Let simmer for at least 2 hours. 

To make the meatballs, in a medium mixing bowl combine 1/4 cup of the bread crumbs with the milk.  Let the bread crumbs soak for 10 minutes.  Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix thoroughly.  Form the mixture into meatballs (I usually get about 20-25 out of one batch).  Add the meatballs to the simmering sauce about 45 minutes before the sauce will be finished cooking.  Cover and let simmer until the meatballs are cooked through, 35-45 minutes.  

Transfer freshly cooked pasta to serving dishes.  Top each serving with sauce and meatballs.  Garnish with shredded Parmesan and fresh basil, if desired.  

Source: adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

Sorbets are such a fantastic dessert.  They are quick and easy to make, fairly healthy (for a dessert), and are a great ending to just about any meal.  This sorbet had a great texture – very fruity, smooth and not too icy.  I did not strain out the seeds because I like them, but you certainly could if you want an even smoother texture.  I made a batch of freshly whipped cream to top the sorbet (you know, I wouldn’t want it to be too healthy) and it was delicious!  Kind of a strawberries and cream thing going on – yum!  The only thing I will change next time will be to make a double batch, as the original recipe doesn’t yield much more than a pint and I like to make more than that at once.  

Strawberry Sorbet
Ingredients:
1 lb. fresh strawberries, rinsed and hulled
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. kirsch (optional)
1 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
Pinch of salt

Directions:
Slice the strawberries and toss them in a medium bowl with the sugar and kirsch, if using, stirring until the sugar begins to dissolve.  Cover and let stand for 1 hour, stirring every so often.

Puree the strawberries and their liquid with the lemon juice and salt in a blender or food processor until smooth.  Press the mixture through a strainer to remove the seeds if you wish.  

Chill the mixture thoroughly, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. 

Source: The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz

Happy Easter, everyone!  If this is a holiday that you celebrate, I hope you have had a nice day and spent it with family like we did.  I made a huge meal for Ben’s family and we had a really nice time.  I’ll be posting a few items from that eventually, but I’m still playing a major game of catch-up here on the blog so it may be a while.  I have always been a big fan of pasta salad.  I make a beeline for it every time I see it at a pitch-in or potluck.  However, I’ve never had great success with making it myself.  Usually it ends up tasting too much like salad dressing or the vegetables aren’t right.  Last month we had some friends over for dinner and I was looking for a good side dish to go with a meal of grilled chicken and veggie sandwiches, and this seemed like a suitable option.  Almost anything with fresh tomato and basil gets my vote, so it was no surprise that this was a hit.  

The garlic infused oil is a wonderfully light but flavorful dressing that doesn’t overpower the other ingredients in the dish.  Next time I make this, I will do a couple things differently.  I think I will use half shredded mozzarella instead of all Parmesan – it just seems like a natural addition because of the tomatoes and basil.  Also, I’ll break the pasta strands in half before cooking them just to make them more manageable for eating.  Finally, I definitely preferred the taste of this at room temperature as opposed to after refrigerating so I will only serve it at room temp from now on.  I think the flavors were muted by the chill.  I’ve reflected these changes below.  Enjoy!

Angel Hair Pasta Salad with Tomato and Basil
Ingredients:
1 lb. angel hair pasta, broken in half before cooking
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup  shredded mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
3-4 vine-ripened tomatoes, seeded and chopped
handful of fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips
1/4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted and chopped

Directions:
Cook pasta in salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente.  Drain well.  Transfer to a serving bowl.  While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Saute the garlic until sizzling and golden, stirring frequently (a few minutes).  Be careful not to burn the garlic.  Pour the garlic and oil over the warm pasta and toss well.  Add all of the mozzarella cheese and about half of the Parmesan.  Sprinkle a teaspoon or so of the kosher salt on top and season with freshly ground black pepper.  Mix well.  Let the noodles cool slightly.  Just before serving, top the noodles with the chopped tomatoes, basil, toasted pine nuts and remaining Parmesan cheese.  Very lightly toss being careful not to let all the toppings go to the bottom.  Serve.

Source: adapted from My Kitchen Cafe

My pal Chelle and I decided to bake something together again, and it was my turn to pick.  In celebration of her former nut allergy being completely gone, I decided this would be the ultimate treat for her (and me too, of course.)  We both love Oreos and peanut butter, and of course the peanut butter-chocolate combo is hard to resist.  This consists of an Oreo crust filled with a light, rich peanut butter mousse, topped with chocolate ganache and chopped roasted peanuts – it’s every bit as delicious as it sounds!  I was a bit worried that the peanut butter flavor would be too strong, but the mousse is lightened up nicely with the whipped cream and confectioners’ sugar.

Originally I had intended to make this in mini-springform pans but then couldn’t find all of them, so I just made the full-size.  I tasted a piece and sent it off to work with Ben where, I am told, it was a real hit.  The only change I made was to increase the amount of Oreo crust by about a third.  Some Tuesdays With Dorie members warned me that the original amount might not be sufficient and they were correct.  I have altered the recipe below to reflect my changes.  This is sure to be a hit with just about anyone and if it is not, I would check for a pulse.

I love making bread so much, I don’t think I’ll ever tire of trying new bread recipes.  Of course I have several old standbys that I make over and over again, like my regular wheat bread or white sandwich bread.  But I love trying new recipes because, after all, that is how I found my standbys in the first place.  Now don’t get me wrong, I LOVE my normal wheat bread, but this bread is great because it’s sort of like a hybrid between wheat and white.  It is wheat, but it doesn’t really taste quite so – well, healthy.  This is great as toast, for a sandwich with deli meat or my personal favorite, a grilled cheese.  Give it a try!  I bet you’ll love it too.

Light Wheat Bread
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups (11.25 oz.) unbleached bread flour
1 1/2 cups (6.75 oz.) whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tbsp. (0.75 oz.) granulated sugar or honey
1 1/2 tsp. (0.38 oz.) salt
3 tbsp. (1 oz.) nonfat dry milk
1 1/2 tsp. (0.17 oz.) instant yeast
2 tbsp. (1 oz.) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups (10 oz.) water, at room temperature 

Directions:
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the bread flour, whole wheat flour, sugar, salt, nonfat dry milk, and yeast.  Add the butter, honey (if using), and water.  Mix on low speed just until a dough forms.  If there is still flour in the bottom of the bowl dribble in additional water.  The dough should feel soft and supple.

Switch to the dough hook and knead on low speed.  Add more flour if needed to make a firm, supple dough that is slightly tacky but not sticky.  Knead for about 7-8 minutes (10 minutes by hand).  Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough ball to the bowl, turning once to coat.  Cover with plastic wrap.  Allow to rise at room temperature for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the dough doubles in size.

Remove the dough from the bowl and transfer it to a lightly floured surface.  Press it by hand into a rectangle about 3/4 inch thick, 6 inches wide, and 8-10 inches long.  Form it into a loaf by working from the short side of the dough, rolling up the length of the dough one section at a time, pinching the crease with each rotation to strengthen the surface tension.  It will spread wider as you roll it.  Pinch the final seam closed.  Place the loaf in a lightly oiled loaf pan and press down so that the dough touches the pan on all sides.  Mist the top with spray oil and cover loosely with plastic wrap.

Proof at room temperature for 60 to 90 minutes or until the dough crests above the lip of the pan.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and place a rack in the middle position.  Bake the loaf for 30 minutes.  Rotate the pan 180 degrees for even baking and continue baking for 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the oven.  The finished loaf should register 190 degrees F in the center, be golden brown on the top and sides, and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.  

When the bread is finished baking, remove it immediately from the loaf pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool for at least 1 hour, preferably 2, before slicing and serving. 

Source: adapted from Smitten Kitchen, originally from The Bread Baker’s Apprentice by Peter Reinhart

Oh my, you have GOT to try this sandwich!  I made these for dinner weeks ago and I still haven’t been able to stop thinking about how awesome they were.  Definitely more than just your average meatball sub.   This is a pretty quick dinner – just mix up the meatball mixture, cook on a grill pan and assemble the sandwiches.  That’s it!  I suppose technically the sandwiches I made were not true “po’ boys” because I used hoagie rolls rather than soft French baguettes, but I am not so concerned with authenticity when they taste this fantastic using what I had on hand.

I almost considered skipping the sauce that dresses these but decided to give it a try at least once.  I’m so glad I did, because I think that was an important part of the flavor.  We loved it!  I did omit the dill pickle from the sauce because I didn’t have any on hand, but I will try adding it next time.  These will most definitely become a frequent part of our dinner rotation – yum!

Spicy Pork Po’Boys
Ingredients:
For the meatballs:
1 1/2 lbs. ground pork (I used closer to 1 lb. and got about 3 sandwiches out of it)
1 1/2 tsp. paprika
1 1/4 tsp. dried thyme
3/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
3/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

For the sauce:
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1 1/2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 medium kosher dill pickles, finely chopped
1/2 small shallot, minced

For the sandwiches:
4 (8-inch) soft baguettes, split (or hoagie rolls)
Shredded iceberg lettuce
2 tomatoes, thinly sliced
Hot sauce

Directions:
In a large bowl combine the ground pork and all of the spices for the meatballs.  Mix thoroughly using your hands until the mixture is well combined.  Form the pork into 12 half-inch thick patties.  Preheat a grill pan over medium to medium-high heat.  Grill the patties, turning once, about 8 minutes total, until cooked through.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine the ingredients for the sauce.  Season with salt and pepper.  Mix well and spread the sauce onto the split baguettes.

Place pork patties on each baguette and top with lettuce, tomato and a few splashes of hot sauce.  Close the sandwiches and serve. 

Source: adapted from Liz’s Cooking Blog

Now that April is here and my insane schedule has begun, I have plenty of wonderful recipes saved up to share with you all.  The biggest problem now is just deciding which to post when, because they are all delicious and I love them!  Of course, it was pretty much no contest when this cake was added to the mix.  Say hello to my new favorite cake.  This cake is far better than any super-duper chocolatey restaurant cake I have ever tried.  With a brownie base, chocolate mousse layer, chocolate cake layer, and then a thick covering of chocolate ganache, no other cake really stands a chance.  Each component was delicious on its own but combined to make something truly spectacular.  

I have wanted to make this for months, but really wanted to make it for someone who would truly appreciate it.  Recently a friend and fellow choc-aholic had a birthday and I knew that this would  be the perfect cake for her.  Not only did she love it, but so did the rest of my family, including even my dad who claims he isn’t much of a chocolate fan.  With nearly 2 pounds of chocolate you might consider feeling guilty, but this cake is so good that any little twinges of guilt were easily silenced with another bite of cake :)  This earns even more points with me because I love multiple-step desserts that require some assembly.  I made one minor change concerning the method of assembly and lining the pan with parchment, but otherwise this is not too difficult – it just takes some time.  I made this over a couple of days and it worked out well.  But you NEED to try this.  There is no question.  Get thee to the kitchen and make this, now!

Chocolate Overdose Cake
Ingredients:
For the brownie base:
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. cake flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped fine
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
1 1/8 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract

For the chocolate mousse filling:
6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, broken into 1/2-oz. pieces
1 7/8 cups heavy cream
1 tbsp. sugar

For the chocolate cake:
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/8 cup Dutch-processed cocoa
1/4 cup hot water
7/8 cup sugar, divided
7/8 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, soft

For the ganache:
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
18 oz. semisweet chocolate, broken into 1/2-oz. pieces 

Directions:
To make the brownie base, line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with a round of parchment paper and spray the sides with nonstick cooking spray.  Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.  In a medium bowl, combine the cake flour, salt and baking powder.  Stir with a fork to mix.  Melt the chocolate and butter in a large heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of almost-simmering water, stirring occasionally, until smooth.

When the chocolate mixture is completely smooth, remove the bowl from the saucepan and gradually whisk in the sugar.  Add the eggs one at a time, whisking after each addition until thoroughly combined.  Whisk in vanilla.  Add in the flour mixture in two additions, folding with a rubber spatula until completely homogenous.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth with a spatula.  Set aside, prepare the cake batter, and bake the two layers at the same time.

To make the cake, line the bottom of a 9-inch round cake pan with a round of parchment paper.  Grease and flour the sides of the pan.  Combine the chocolate, cocoa and hot water in a medium heatproof bowl; set the bowl over a saucepan containing 1-inch of simmering water and stir with a rubber spatula until chocolate is melted, about 2 minutes.  (Note: at this point, my mixture was pretty thick and I thought I had ruined it, but mixing in the sugar was like magic and it made it smooth and liquidy again.)  Add 1/4 cup of sugar to the chocolate mixture and stir until thick and glossy, 1 to 2 minutes.  Remove bowl from heat and set aside to cool.

Whisk flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.  Combine buttermilk and vanilla in a small bowl.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the eggs and yolks on medium-low speed until combined, about 10 seconds.  Add remaining sugar, increase speed to high, and whisk until fluffy and lightened in color, 2 to 3 minutes.  Replace whisk with paddle attachment.

Add the cooled chocolate mixture to the egg/sugar mixture and mix on medium speed until thoroughly incorporated, 30-45 seconds, pausing to scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula as needed.  Add softened butter one tablespoon at a time, mixing about 10 seconds after each addition.  Add about one third of the flour mixture followed by half of the buttermilk mixture, mixing until incorporated after each addition (about 15 seconds).  Repeat using half of remaining flour mixture and all of remaining buttermilk mixture (batter may appear separated).  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add remaining flour mixture; mix at medium-low speed until batter is thoroughly combined, about 15 seconds.  Remove bowl from mixer and fold batter once or twice with rubber spatula to incorporate any remaining flour.  Pour into prepared pan; smooth batter to edges of pan with an offset spatula. 

Bake the brownie and cake layers at the same time: the brownie for 25-30 minutes and the cake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of each comes out clean.  Transfer the pans to a wire cooling rack.  Allow the brownie to cool completely in the pan.  Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then invert onto the wire rack and allow to cool completely.

Once the brownie layer has cooled, run a knife around the edges to separate it from the pan.  Remove the sides of the springform but leave the brownie layer on the springform base.  Form a ring of parchment paper around the brownie layer and extending up the sides of the springform pan – reclose the springform so that the parchment is fitted tightly to the sides. 

To make the chocolate mousse filling, place a stand mixer bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer or fridge.  Heat 1-inch of water in the bottom half of a double boiler over medium heat.  Place the semisweet chocolate in the top half of the double boiler.  Tightly cover the top with plastic wrap and allow to heat for 8-10 minutes.  Remove from the heat and stir until smooth.  Transfer the melted chocolate to a stainless steel bowl and set aside until needed. 

Place heavy cream and sugar in the well-chilled bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the chilled whisk attachment.  Whisk on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 1 1/2 minutes.  Remove the bowl from the mixer.  By hand, whisk to combine 1/4 of the whipped cream into the melted chocolate until smooth and completely incorporated.  Add the combined whipped cream and chocolate to the remaining whipped cream and use a rubber spatula to fold together. 

Spread the mousse over the top of the brownie base evenly.  Use an offset spatula to smooth the top.  Place the cooled cake round over the mousse, pressing down lightly.  Chill for at least 1 hour.

To make the ganache, heat the heavy cream and the butter in a saucepan over medium high heat.  Bring to a boil.  Place the semisweet chocolate in a 3-quart stainless steel bowl.  Pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes.  Stir until smooth.  Chill 1 cup of ganache for 1 hour.  Allow the remaining ganache to come to room temperature (about 40 minutes).

Remove the springform ring and parchment collar from the assembled cake.  Carefully transfer the cake to a serving platter, removing the springform base and parchment round.  Use a spatula to smooth the room temperature ganache over the cake top and sides, covering evenly.

Place the chilled ganache in a pastry bag fitted with a shell tip and pipe a shell border around the base of the cake.  Pipe 12-16 rosettes around the top of the cake to indicate servings.  Serve chilled and store leftovers in the fridge.  Cut the cake with a hot, dry knife.

Source: adapted from Confections of a Foodie Bride

The second I saw this recipe, I knew I would love it.  I love every ingredient – black beans (oh, how I love them), chicken, red pepper, onion, garlic, cilantro – yes, please!  I could have kicked myself for not thinking of it on my own.  Not only is it delicious, but it is quickly thrown together and pretty darn healthy too.  All things I love in a dinner!  I made several adaptations from the original recipe, including significantly reducing the amount of chicken broth added.  I wanted a nice thick stew after all, not a vat of broth with some chunks floating in it.  I ended up with just the right consistency but you can certainly play with the amount of liquid to suit your own tastes.  I will be making this often!

Black Bean, Chicken and Red Pepper Stew
Ingredients:
2 tbsp. olive oil, divided
2-3 chicken breasts, cut up into chunks
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 (12 oz.) jar roasted red peppers, chopped (or fresh roasted peppers)
1 (4 oz.) can diced green chiles
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 tbsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions:
In a large Dutch oven or stockpot, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add chicken pieces and cook, stirring, until browned and cooked through.  Transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon and set aside.  Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil.  Add the onion to the pot and saute until tender, about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.  Mix in the black beans, diced tomatoes, red peppers, green chiles, chicken broth, cumin, and cayenne.  Return the chicken to the pot.  Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.  Allow to simmer uncovered for 45 minutes.  When finished, remove from the heat, season with salt and pepper and stir in fresh cilantro.

Source: adapted from Kalyn’s Kitchen