I’ve never dedicated an entire post to a frosting all on its own before.  Usually the post is about a cake or cupcake primarily.  Let this be a sign to you.  You need to try this frosting.  Swiss meringue buttercream is a heavenly concoction that I only recently discovered (and now am kicking myself for not trying earlier).  It is rich, buttery (duh), and unbelievably silky smooth.  The caramel buttercream from the banana caramel cupcakes was certainly a fabulous introduction to this type of frosting, but I wanted to try a classic plain vanilla as well.

Put plainly, it is delicious.  It would be a lovely accompaniment to just about any cupcake you can think of, and can also serve as a great base recipe for other flavors of buttercream.  Simply lower the amount of vanilla extract and add in the other flavor you would like to incorporate (similar to the peppermint buttercream from these cupcakes).  I also think this would be beautiful with the seeds of a vanilla bean mixed in, and a little less vanilla extract.  Those black flecks against the beautiful white frosting would look just perfect!  If you are going for the double vanilla combo, I have three vanilla cupcake recipes that I love.  Vanilla bean cupcakes, Dorie’s perfect party cupcakes, and classic vanilla cupcakes.  And, just writing about this frosting has made me crave it so much that you’ll have to excuse me while I go make some more.

Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream
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Ingredients:
5 large egg whites
1 cup plus 2 tbsp. sugar
Pinch of salt
1 lb. (4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:
To make the frosting, combine the egg whites, sugar and salt in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water.  Heat, whisking frequently, until the mixture reaches 160° F and the sugar has dissolved.

Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.  Beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form and the mixture has cooled to room temperature, about 8 minutes.

Reduce the speed to medium and add the butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, adding more once each addition has been incorporated.  If the frosting looks soupy or curdled, continue to beat on medium-high speed until thick and smooth again, about 3-5 minutes more (don’t worry, it will come together!)  Stir in the vanilla extract and mix just until incorporated.  Tint with gel icing color as desired.

Keep buttercream at room temperature if using the same day, or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 1 month. Before using, bring to room temperature and beat with paddle attachment on low speed until smooth again, about 5 minutes.

Yield: about 5 cups

Source: adapted from Martha Stewart

Oven fries may seem like a simple side dish that just about anyone could whip up with no problem.  At least for me, this was not always true.  I have made baked oven fries many times in the past and they were always okay, but they weren’t “Oh my gosh, I love love love them” good.  A large part of this was due to the fact that they had a mushy texture.  If you’re aiming for a half decent substitute for real French fries, chances are you aren’t going for mushy.

I learned the trick of soaking your potato wedges in water before baking the fries and that definitely helped with the texture, but they still weren’t perfect.  Well, leave it to the brilliant people of Cook’s Illustrated to perfect the technique because now I have the kind of baked oven fries that I’ve been dying for.  These are so great that they have caused me to put burgers on the menu several weeks in a row, just so we could have them again.  Of course they can be eaten with more than just burgers though – and they should be!

If you’re interested in winning a free copy of this cookbook I’ve been spending so much quality time with, here’s your chance!   Leave a comment on this post with the answer to this question:  What dish or meal do you love enough to put it on your menu weekly?

The Rules: One entry per person, will ship to U.S. residents only.  Commenting will close on Saturday, February 27 at 10:00 pm, EST.  One winner will be chosen at random and announced next week.  Good luck!

I made these cookies about a month ago when I threw my girls’ night/guys’ night party.  Something about the dulce de leche just seemed a perfectly indulgent and sophisticated spin on sandwich cookies.  I knew these were going to be good, but honestly they blew me away.  The cookies themselves are so unassuming – little, flat golden brown cookies.  They don’t look like anything special at all.  But I made them a couple of days before filling them for the party, and they were in very real danger of being demolished before the day arrived.  In fact, I had to resort to letting Ben put them on a shelf I couldn’t reach (AKA the caramel corn strategy).  Sandwiched with a thin layer of dulce de leche really put them over the top.  The flavor was amazing and they looked beautiful.  The original recipe makes a huge, huge number of cookies – more than I think anyone could ever possibly need, so I have halved the recipe below.

Dulce de Leche Sandwich Cookies
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Ingredients:
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp. baking soda
Pinch of salt
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 tbsp. dulce de leche, plus more for filling (1 can)
6 tbsp. light brown sugar, packed
¼ cup sugar
1 large egg

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.  In a small mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt.  Stir with a fork to blend.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until soft and smooth.  Mix in the 6 tablespoons dulce de leche, and both the brown and white sugars.  Beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Beat in the egg, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.  (The mixture may look curdled – don’t worry.)  With the mixer on low speed, mix in the dry ingredients just until incorporated.

Spoon the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, using a heaping teaspoon of dough for each cookie and leaving 2 inches between them.  Bake for 10-12 minutes, rotating the pans from top to bottom and front to back halfway through baking time.  The cookies should be a golden honey brown with a light crust, but they will still be soft.  Remove the cookies from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for a few minutes.  Using a metal spatula, carefully transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.    Repeat with the remaining dough.

Once the cookies are completely cool, pair them up by size.  Spread the flat side of one cookie from each pair with a small amount of dulce de leche, and top with the other cookie.  Repeat with the remaining cookies.

Source: adapted from Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

I love when I find a new ingredient that I was previously unfamiliar with, or thought I didn’t like.  Case in point – eggplant.  I thought I didn’t like it, though I’m honestly not sure I had any basis for that feeling.  Regardless, I now know that I do like eggplant, and I feel like a new world of recipes has been opened up to me.  Eggplant parmesan was a great place to start, and now I have a list about a mile long of eggplant recipes to try.  Aside from the fact that I flat out like eggplant, I think the pretty, deep purple peel has something to do with my newfound love – what a gorgeous vegetable!

A standout on my list of recipes, baba ganoush seemed like a must-try.  I have heard of this roasted eggplant dip many times before, and decided to give it a shot.  It seemed like a nice snack food to have ready when the in-laws came over to babysit for Andrew.  By the way, I think a great way to keep babysitters coming back is to have a nice meal ready for them if they are babysitting during a mealtime.  (I also served them cranberry pecan chicken salad on honey wheat rolls, and some fun individual black and white strawberry tarts for dessert.)  This dip was enjoyed by all.  The flavor of the roasted eggplant was fantastic, and combined with the garlic and a hint of tahini, it made for a wonderfully delicious and healthy snack.  Being so easy to throw together, I’m sure we’ll be enjoying this frequently.

Baba Ganoush
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Ingredients:
2 lb. eggplants (about 2 large globe eggplants, 5 medium Italian eggplants, or 8 small Japanese eggplants)
1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp. tahini
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
Olive oil, for drizzling
Minced fresh parsley leaves

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 500˚ F.  Poke the surface of the eggplants all over with the tines of a fork to prevent the peel from bursting during roasting.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.  Set the eggplants on the baking sheet and roast, turning every 15 minutes, until the eggplants are uniformly soft when pressed with tongs (about 60 minutes for large eggplants, 50 minutes for medium, and 40 minutes for small).

Remove the eggplants from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes.  Set a colander in the sink.  Trim the top and bottom off of each eggplant.  Slit the eggplants in half lengthwise.  Use a spoon to scoop the pulp from the skins, and place the pulp in the colander (you should have about 2 cups).  Let the pulp drain for 3 minutes.

Transfer the pulp to a food processor.  Combine with the lemon juice, garlic, tahini, salt and pepper.  Process until the mixture has a coarse, choppy texture, about eight 1-second pulses.  Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper to taste.  Transfer to a serving bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap pressed onto the surface of the dip, and refrigerate until lightly chilled.  To serve, drizzle lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with minced parsley leaves.

Source: adapted from The New Best Recipe by the editors of Cook’s Illustrated

I have discussed my love of Caesar salad before.  This is nothing new.  Similar to my penchant for any double/triple chocolate overdose anything, I’ll try almost any variation of Caesar salad, and chances are I’ll be happy with it.  This isn’t the first Caesar recipe I’ve posted, and it probably won’t be the last, but I must say this is my current favorite.  I think Caesar dressings I’ve had in restaurants all lay somewhere on a spectrum.  Some are more of a lighter, oil-based dressing similar to a vinaigrette, while others are creamier (what I consider a more traditional Caesar).

This one is on the creamy side of things, with mayo taking the place of the raw eggs used in a more traditional Caesar dressing.  I’m not against using raw eggs, but I love this version because I can make a batch or two of the dressing and keep it stored in the fridge with no worries.  Making your own croutons is a must – they are so easy, and so delicious.  You can play around with the seasonings to suit your tastes.  I’m embarrassed to admit how often I used to buy the bagged Caesar salad kits, but I’m proud to say I haven’t bought one since discovering this recipe.  This will definitely help save some money in the grocery budget!  This recipe makes plenty of dressing and croutons so you have them leftover for a quick side dish, or another main dish if you add some chicken.

Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad
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Ingredients:
For the croutons:
6 slices sandwich bread (or an equivalent amount of baguette slices, about 12-15)
3 tbsp. olive oil OR 3 tbsp. butter, melted
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. dried parsley
Kosher salt

For the dressing:
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup water
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1-2 anchovies, chopped
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the salad:
Romaine lettuce
2-4 chicken breast halves
Shaved Parmesan cheese

Directions:
To make the croutons, preheat the oven to 300˚ F.  Cut the bread into 3/4-inch cubes and place in a medium-large bowl.  (Trim the crusts off if you wish – I prefer to leave them on.)  Combine the olive oil or butter, garlic powder and dried parsley in a small bowl.  Stir together to blend well.  Pour the mixture over the bread cubes and toss gently until evenly coated.

Transfer the bread cubes to a baking sheet, spreading them out into an even layer.  Sprinkle with kosher salt.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Check to see if the croutons are golden and crisp.  If not, toss lightly and bake up to 15 minutes more.  Remove from the oven and let cool.  Transfer to an airtight container until ready to use.

To make the dressing, combine the lemon juice, water, garlic, mayonnaise, Parmesan, anchovies and pepper in the bowl of a food processor or blender.  Blend until well combined and completely smooth.  Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use.

Wash and dry the lettuce leaves, removing the greener leafy portions if desired.  Chop or tear the lettuce into bite size pieces and place it in a large bowl.  Season both sides of the chicken breast halves with salt and pepper. Cook the chicken on a grill or grill pan, until golden and cooked through.  Remove the chicken pieces to a plate, tent with foil and let rest for 5 minutes.  Meanwhile, add salad dressing to the lettuce (a couple tablespoons at a time) and toss to coat.  Add more dressing as desired.  Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and slice diagonally into long pieces.

Portion the dressed salad into serving dishes.  Top with homemade croutons, grilled chicken pieces, and Parmesan shavings.  Serve immediately.

Source: salad adapted from The Parsley Thief, croutons from Savory Sweet Life

The first time I made yeasted waffles, the result was a huge disappointment.  I had such high hopes.  They looked beautiful and the texture was perfect, but I couldn’t even finish one – they just tasted way off.  I still haven’t figured out why they tasted so darn bad, but it made me a little wary of trying yeasted waffles again.  Finally I was inspired to give it another go when I saw this recipe.  The idea of banana bread waffles was just too much for me to resist.  Thankfully, this recipe was a complete success.  A perfectly textured waffle with all the flavors of banana bread, drizzled with maple syrup and topped with fresh bananas.  Mixing up the majority of ingredients in the batter the night before makes for low maintenance, tasty breakfast.  Make them this weekend!

Banana Bread Waffles
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Ingredients:
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
1 cup plus 2 tbsp. warm milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1½ tsp. yeast
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
Dash of ground ginger
Dash of ground clove
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 3 whole bananas)
2 tbsp. sour cream or Greek yogurt

Directions:
In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, warm milk and vanilla extract.  Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, yeast, salt and spices.   Whisk together to blend.  Add the wet ingredients to the bowl and whisk just until smooth.  Whisk in the eggs until incorporated.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 12 hours, and up to 24 hours.

When you are ready to make the waffles, remove the batter from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.  It should be about doubled in size and there should be small bubbles on the surface.

Add the mashed bananas and sour cream or yogurt to the batter.  Whisk lightly to incorporate into the batter.  Cook in a preheated waffle maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.  Serve as desired with maple syrup and banana slices.

Source: adapted from Honey & Jam, originally from Seven Spoons

I don’t know what it’s like where you are, but here in Indiana it is just so.dang.cold every day.  Most days the only time I actually feel warm is while I’m blow-drying my hair (on the hottest setting, mind you), so I’ve really been in need of some hearty, warming soups and stews to get me through these last winter months.  This one-pot meal was a welcome addition to our menu.  With chicken, shrimp and andouille sausage, it reminded me of a deliciously chunky risotto.  I think the use of chicken thighs added a ton of flavor to this dish, so though I often try to substitute chicken breasts when possible, I think the thighs are important in this recipe.

This recipe makes good use of the food processor to significantly decrease prep time by pulsing the vegetables, rather than chopping them finely by hand.  You can certainly do it by hand if you wish, but I really appreciate any little time-saving step.  (Plus, Andrew loves to shout “GO!” before I turn on the food processor.)  Different varieties of andouille will have different levels of spiciness, so you may need to adjust your spices accordingly.  It seems the version sold at our butcher shop is on the mild side, so I seasoned with a Cajun spice blend just before serving and that did the trick.  So settle in, make some spicy jambalaya, and let’s wait out the cold together :)

Chicken and Shrimp Jambalaya
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Ingredients:
1 medium onion, trimmed and quartered
1 rib celery, cut into quarters
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and quartered
5 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tsp. vegetable oil
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
8 oz. andouille sausage, halved lengthwise and cut into ¼-inch chunks (or crumbled, if in delicate casings)
1½ cups long-grain white rice
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. fresh thyme leaves
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained (¼ cup of juice reserved)
1 cup bottled clam juice
1½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 bay leaves
1 lb. shrimp (31-40 per lb.), peeled and deveined
2 tbsp. minced fresh parsley

Directions:
Combine the onion, celery, bell pepper and garlic in the bowl of a food processor.  Pulse until chopped fine, about six 1-second pulses, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice.  Be careful not to over-process.

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add the chicken to the pot, skin-side down, and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes.  Using tongs, turn the chicken and cook until golden brown on the opposite side, about 3 minutes longer.  Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.  Lower the heat to medium and add the andouille.  Cook, stirring often, until browned, about 3 minutes.  Transfer the sausage to a paper towel-lined plate using a slotted spoon, and set aside.

Lower the heat to medium-low and add the chopped vegetables to the pan.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened, about 4 minutes.  Add the rice, salt, thyme and cayenne; cook, stirring constantly, until the rice is coated with the fat, about 1 minute.  Add the diced tomatoes, reserved tomato juice, clam juice, chicken broth, bay leaves and cooked sausage to the pot.  Stir to combine.  Remove the skin from the chicken pieces and place the chicken on the rice so that the side the skin was just removed from is now facing down.  Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and let simmer for 15 minutes.  Stir once, keeping the chicken in the same general position, and continue to simmer until the chicken is no longer pink inside, about 10 minutes more.  Transfer the chicken to a clean plate or cutting board and set aside.  Scatter the shrimp over the rice, cover, and continue to cook until the rice is fully tender and the shrimp are opaque and cooked through, about 5 minutes more.

While the shrimp are cooking, shred the chicken into thin strands.  Once the shrimp are finished cooking, discard the bay leaves, stir in the chicken and parsley, and serve immediately.

Source: The New Best Recipe from the editors of Cook’s Illustrated

Chicken noodle soup is such a classic.  I’ve been wanting to make it for a very long time, but to be honest I was a little intimidated.  This may seem strange considering that I have a slight obsession with soup, but it’s just that this is such a classic dish, I was worried whatever I made would fall short of greatness.  It seemed like a soup that could so easily be incredibly bland, and I just don’t do bland.  Bland foods were a fear of mine from childhood, and I’m still not over it.  I also didn’t want to spend hours and hours making chicken stock the old fashioned way.  I know, I know, homemade chicken stock is supposed to be great and everyone swears by it, but it honestly grosses me out a little bit (the whole chicken situation) and I was looking for a quicker option.

Cook’s Illustrated came to the rescue big time.  They created this fantastic version of chicken noodle soup that is packed full of flavor.  This recipe calls for a combination of chicken broth and homemade chicken stock.  The stock is made with a somewhat untraditional method, using ground chicken.  I was thrilled with the final result, and was amazed by just how flavorful the soup turned out.  The wonderful broth base combined with chicken, lots of veggies and egg noodles made for an amazing final product.  I used kale instead of Swiss chard simply due to availability, and I loved the lemony bite that the kale provided.  My only dislike was the chunks of potato added to the mix.  As we all know, potatoes need salt.  Because of the way these potatoes are added to the soup and cooked, they ended up with essentially no seasoning.  I didn’t really think they contributed anything in the way of flavor and I will omit them next time.  One final bit of praise is for the ratio of chicken, veggies and noodles to broth – it was perfect.  I don’t like soups that are primarily broth with an occasional chunk of the good stuff.  This was full of the chicken, veggies, etc. and the broth helped to accentuate the flavors.

Chicken Noodle Soup
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Ingredients:
For the stock:
1 tbsp. vegetable or canola oil
1 lb. ground chicken
1 cup chopped onion
½ cup chopped carrot
½ cup chopped celery
1 qt. water
2 qt. low-sodium chicken broth
2 bay leaves
2 tsp. salt
2 bone-in, skin on chicken breast halves, cut in half crosswise

For the soup:
3 tbsp. cornstarch
¼ cup cold water
1 cup thinly sliced onion
1 cup peeled and sliced carrot
½ cup celery, cut into ½-inch pieces
1 cup (4 oz.) egg noodles
4-6 Swiss chard or kale leaves, ribs removed and torn into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
1 tbsp. minced fresh parsley

Directions:
To make the stock, heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add the ground chicken, onion, carrot and celery to the pot.  Cook for 5-10 minutes, until the chicken is no longer pink, stirring frequently.  Reduce the heat to medium-low.  Add water, broth, bay leaves, salt and chicken breasts.  Cover and cook for 30 minutes.  Remove the lid, increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil.  (If the liquid is already boiling, remove the chicken breasts immediately and proceed.)  Transfer the chicken breasts to a plate and set aside.  Continue to cook the stock for 20 minutes, adjusting the heat to maintain a gentle boil.  Pour the stock through a fine mesh strainer into a large bowl or other container.  Press on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible.  Discard the solids.  Allow the stock to settle for about 5 minutes.  Skim fat off the surface.

Return the stock to the Dutch oven.  Heat over medium-high heat.  In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and water; whisk together until a smooth slurry forms.  Stir the mixture into the stock and bring to a gentle boil.  Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook 10-15 minutes.  Add the egg noodles and continue to cook until vegetables are tender and the noodles are cooked, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, remove the skin and bones from the chicken and discard.  Shred the meat into bite-sized pieces.  Add the chicken, Swiss chard or kale, and parsley to the soup.  Cook just until heated through, about 2 minutes.  Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve.

Source: adapted from Cook’s Illustrated, December/January 2009

A while back I posted about chocolate pots de crème, such decadent and beautiful individual chocolate desserts.  One reader asked if there was a way to make them as one large dessert, family-style.  There may well be but in my mind, pots de crème are meant to be an individual dessert and I prefer them that way.  So instead I promised to post an equally decadent family-style chocolate dessert, and here it is.  This brownie pudding is guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser.  It is meant to be somewhere between a cooked brownie and pudding (hence the name), and is very much like a giant molten chocolate cake.

People, this dessert is just sinful.  It is chocolatey, rich, warm and gooey – basically, perfection.  And contributing even more to its appeal is the fact that it takes just minutes to put together, requires ingredients you probably already have on hand, and can be prepared in advance and reheated when ready to serve.  I do think serving with a scoop of ice cream is essential.  The contrast of the warm brownie pudding against the smooth, cold ice cream is heavenly.

Brownie Pudding
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Ingredients:
½ lb. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing the dish
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
¾ cup cocoa powder
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325˚ F.  Lightly butter a 2-quart oval baking dish.  Melt the 2 sticks of butter and set aside to cool.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the eggs and sugar.  Beat together on medium-high speed until thick and light yellow in color.  Meanwhile, combine the flour and cocoa powder in a medium bowl and whisk together until blended.

When the eggs and sugar are finished mixing, scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the mixing bowl.  Add the flour-cocoa powder mixture to the bowl as well.  Mix on low speed just until combined.  With the mixer still on low, slowly pour the melted butter and mix again just until combined.

Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.  Place the baking dish in a larger baking pan.  Add very hot tap water to the outer baking pan to create a water bath, coming halfway up the side of the baking dish.  Bake for 60 minutes.  The center will appear very under-baked, that is the way the dessert should be.  Allow to cool slightly before serving with ice cream.

Source: adapted from Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics by Ina Garten

If you know my blog well, then you know about Benchiladas – the creamy, cheesy chicken enchiladas that my husband loves more than just about any other food in the world.  And if you know how he feels about the Benchiladas, then you probably understand how difficult it might be to make another chicken enchilada recipe and have it be well received.  I wasn’t even sure how to tell Ben that I was making chicken enchiladas, but that they were a new kind with red sauce.  But he is so wonderful and supportive of all my cooking endeavors, he said, “Great!  Can’t wait to try them.”  And we are both SO glad we tried them.  I don’t even bother comparing them to the Benchiladas because they are different enough it’s like apples and oranges.  What I do know is we absolutely loved them, and I think it is a great thing to have two phenomenal versions of chicken enchiladas in my repertoire.

These are what I think of as restaurant-style enchiladas, because they are so similar to the versions I’ve had when dining out.  The homemade red sauce is easy to make, and it adds a ton of flavor to this meal.  By cooking the chicken in the sauce, it becomes very tender and moist, absorbing the flavor of the sauce.  They may seem a little time intensive, and may dirty quite a few dishes, but I think it is completely worthwhile for a dinner that tastes this good.  In fact, we’ve had them twice in a month which is a very rare occurrence around here.  Give them a try, you will not be disappointed!

I don’t know about you, but as a child I was fairly indiscriminate when it came to candy.  We didn’t have candy all that often so when holidays came around, I was always very excited about all the candy I collected.  I ate my favorites first (chocolate), then some in between-ers (Nerds, Starburst, etc.) and then I might try some of the candies I already knew I didn’t like – such as the conversation hearts.  And every time, I wondered why I had put that chalky bad-tasting candy in my mouth again.  I think it’s because they are so cute, I just wanted to like them.

Well, these cookies are my solution.  All the cuteness of conversation hearts, but in the form of a delicious fun cookie! I’ve had these cookies in my head pretty much since last Valentine’s Day, and have just been waiting and waiting to make them.  I’m so happy I finally got the chance, because I had a total blast making these.  Now I have to tell you, I started out with a list of some pretty generic phrases to write on my cookies, but as I decorated, I got more and more creative (and Ben started feeding me some more humorous suggestions.)

So, if you’re a fan of The Office, I know you’ll like these.

And then we just got really ridiculous, as seen above.  Inspired by everything from Paris Hilton to Twilight, the ridiculous phrases were more fun to come up with than the traditional ones.  We were literally doubled over with laughter by the time I was finished.  But, I think the silly hearts have their place too.  After all, real conversation come with quite a few odd phrases.  ”Don’t tell”, “Email me”, “Goodbye”, “Gotcha” to name a few.  I packaged my cookies up in boxes for friends and they were a huge hit.

Want to make your own conversation hearts?  Use my favorite sugar cookie recipe, and this tutorial on royal icing as a guide. Enjoy!

Don’t get me wrong – I looooooove chocolate mousse.  I’m not even going to go into that right now, that’s another story for another time.  But, for the sake of variety, this strawberry mousse is another wonderful dessert option.  It is fresh, light, fruity and not only is it delicious, it’s the perfect color for Valentine’s day!  Don’t be scared of the ricotta in the mix.  It is a healthier option for keeping the mousse creamy instead using heavy cream or something similar.  I think it helped mellow out the sweetness a bit, but I couldn’t pick out the flavor on its own (I was definitely skeptical about this before trying it.)  And because I don’t think you can ever have too much strawberry, I have edited the recipe below to include chunks of fresh berries folded into the mousse before chilling and serving.  I didn’t do that this time around, but I definitely will next time because I think it will really take the berry flavor to the next level.

Strawberry Mousse
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Ingredients:
2 cups whole strawberries, rinsed and hulled
1 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
2½ tbsp. water
1¼ tsp. unflavored gelatin
1 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
1/3 cup egg whites
Pinch of salt
¼ cup sugar
1-1½ cups fresh strawberries, rinsed, hulled and chopped
Additional fresh whole strawberries, for garnish

Directions:
Add the 2 cups whole strawberries to a blender or food processor.  Puree until well blended and smooth.  Transfer the puree to a saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until the puree has reduced, about 5-8 minutes.  Strain the heated puree through a fine mesh sieve to remove the seeds.  Measure out ¾ cup of the strained puree.  Stir in the lemon juice, cover, and chill in the refrigerator to at least room temperature.

Place the water in a small bowl.  Sprinkle the gelatin over the top and set aside to let the gelatin soften, at least 5 minutes.

Return the strawberry puree to the blender or food processor along with the ricotta.  Heat the water-gelatin mixture in the microwave for 15 seconds, and stir to dissolve the gelatin.  Add the mixture to the strawberry puree.  Blend the mixture for 1 minute, until completely smooth and well combined, scraping down the sides as necessary.  Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl.

In a heatproof bowl (I use my mixer bowl to dirty one less dish) set over a pot of simmering water, whisk together the egg whites, salt, and sugar.  Heat the mixture, whisking frequently, until it reaches 160˚ F on an instant-read thermometer and the sugar has dissolved.

Transfer the egg white mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.  Beat on medium-high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form and the bowl is no longer warm.  Add one third of the beaten egg whites to the strawberry mixture.  Fold in gently to lighten.  Add the rest of the beaten egg whites and fold in gently until well incorporated and no streaks remain.  Fold in the chopped fresh strawberries.  Divide the mixture evenly between serving dishes.  Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator until firm, at least 1 hour.  Garnish with fresh strawberries before serving.

Source: adapted from Piece of Cake, originally from Perfect Light Desserts by Nick Malgeiri

Even though we are very much into the spirit of Valentine’s Day, we’re not so much into the going out for dinner and paying too much for a meal I could have made easily at home.  Plus, for me so much of the fun is in the planning and preparation of a nice meal.  I always look forward to coming up with a special meal to celebrate the occasion.  Homemade pasta is certainly an impressive entree that is not nearly as difficult as many people think.  Even filled and shaped pastas like this heart-shaped ravioli are easy and fun to make.  (On that note, are there readers that would be interested in a homemade pasta tutorial?)

I have been making this particular ravioli filling for quite a while, and it is always a winner at our house.  You could certainly use any combination of cheeses that appeals to you.  I’m of the opinion that four cheese anything is going to be delicious :)  Homemade pasta sauce is definitely the way to go here, but I haven’t found one I am completely in love with just yet.  I do have a couple of prime contenders that I plan to try soon, and I will share “the one” as soon as I find it.  The recipe below will yield quite a lot of ravioli (exact amount will vary just depending on the size you make them).  I halved it for our family of three.  Enjoy!

Four Cheese Ravioli
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Ingredients:
½ cup part-skim ricotta
½ cup shredded mozzarella
½ cup shredded fontina
½ cup shredded parmesan
1 clove garlic, finely minced
¼ tsp. dried oregano
¼ tsp. dried basil
¼ tsp. dried parsley
¼ tsp. salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 batch fresh homemade pasta
Marinara sauce, for serving

Directions:
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the ricotta, mozzarella, fontina, parmesan, garlic, and spices.  Mix well to blend.  Roll out homemade pasta into long, thin sheets.  To make heart-shaped ravioli, use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out pasta shapes.  Place about 2 teaspoons of filling in the middle of  half of the heart shapes, leaving a clear edge around the perimeter.  Dip a finger in water and lightly brush around the edges of a heart topped with the filling.  Place one of the remaining pasta hearts on top and press the edges of the pasta shapes together to seal around the filling, being careful to press out any excess air.  Repeat with the remaining dough shapes.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.  Cook the ravioli until al dente, about 5 minutes.  Serve in warmed bowls with marinara sauce.

Source: adapted from Good Things Catered

Finally, the post so many have been waiting for!  I first made these truffles over a year ago for the truffle tray at my holiday party.  I think most flavors of truffles are bound to be a hit, but these were the clear favorite.  Now I’m not completely in love with real cookie dough as so many people seem to be.  Sure, it tastes good, but I much prefer the finished product any day.  I’m sure part of that has to do with the presence of raw eggs in cookie dough.  These are the perfect solution for me because they taste exactly like raw cookie dough, but contain no raw eggs so they are completely safe to eat.  The recipe makes a lot of truffles, but it’s okay because I have found that friends are more than happy to take a bag or box of them home.  I think these would be a wonderful treat for any time of the year, but they are also very suitable as a sweet treat for your Valentine :)

Cookie Dough Truffles
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Ingredients:
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
2¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
1½ lb. semisweet (or bittersweet) chocolate, coarsely chopped
Mini chocolate chips (for garnish)

Directions:
Combine the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and cream on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Beat in the flour, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla until incorporated and smooth.  Stir in the chocolate chips.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the mixture has firmed up enough to form balls.

Shape the chilled cookie dough mixture into 1-1½ inch balls.  Place on a baking sheet lined with wax paper.  Cover loosely, transfer the pan to the freezer and chill for 1-2 hours.

When ready to dip the truffles, melt the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water.  Dip each chilled truffle, one at a time, coating in chocolate and shaking gently to remove the excess.  (If at any point during dipping, the cookie dough balls become too soft, return to the freezer to chill for 30 minutes.)  Transfer to a wax-paper lined surface.  If using mini chocolate chips for garnish, sprinkle on top quickly after dipping each truffle before the chocolate sets.  Once all the truffles have been dipped, store them in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Source: adapted from My Kitchen Cafe, originally from Taste of Home

I know there are lots of cynics out there who dislike Valentine’s Day because it is a so-called “Hallmark holiday”.  That may very well be, but I think it’s always a nice thing to celebrate and spend a little extra time with your sweetie.  Plus, I’m a hopeless romantic.  My favorite colors are red and pink, so let’s face it – this holiday was made for me.  Because this is my blog and I LOVE Valentine’s Day (pun intended), I will be featuring Valentine-inspired or related recipes this week.  And, if there is one that I must urge you to try, this is the one.

What’s not to love?  For starters, it’s a sandwich cookie – but not just any sandwich cookie.  A super cute, heart-shaped red one that tastes just like delicious red velvet cake but in a smaller, more portable form.  Yay!  Honestly, I found these pretty much irresistible and had to give most of them away because I kept finding reasons to eat them for breakfast ;)  You could make them regular round whoopie pies, but the heart shape is so fun and really very easy.  I took some photos during the process to show what I did.  One tip I have for sandwich cookies in general is to pipe the filling rather than spread it on with a knife.  It makes for a much cleaner looking finished product not to mention it makes less of a mess in the kitchen.  Go make these right now (and send one my way)!

Red Velvet Whoopie Pies
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For the cookies:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. cocoa powder
½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 oz. red food coloring

Ingredients:

For the frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese
5 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2½ cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375˚ F.

Using a heart template cut out from card stock, trace evenly spaced hearts onto pieces of parchment paper sized to fit two cookie sheets.  Place the parchment on the cookie sheets so that the side you have drawn on is facing down; set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and brown sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Beat in the egg until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.  Blend in the vanilla.  With the mixer on low speed, beat in about a third of the dry ingredients, followed by half of the buttermilk, beating each addition just until incorporated.  Repeat so that all the buttermilk has been added and then mix in the final third of dry ingredients.  Do not overbeat.  Blend in the food coloring.

Transfer the batter to a pastry bag fitted with a large plain round tip.  Pipe the batter onto the parchment paper using the heart tracings as a guide.  Bake 7-9 minutes or until the tops are set, rotating the baking sheets halfway through.  Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets at least 10 minutes, until they can be easily transferred to a cooling rack.  Repeat with any remaining batter.  Allow cookies to cool completely before proceeding.

To make the cream cheese frosting, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat the cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed until well combined and smooth, about 2-3 minutes.  Mix in the vanilla extract.  Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar until totally incorporated, increase the speed and then beat until smooth.

Transfer the frosting to a clean pastry bag fitted with a plain, round tip.  Pair the cookies up by shape and size.  (You can make this as easy or as difficult as you would like.  I’m kind of anal about it, so it takes me a while :) )

Flip one cookie of each pair over so that the flat side is facing up.

Pipe frosting onto the flat-sided cookie of each pair, leaving the edges clear.  Sandwich the cookies together so the flat sides are facing each other and press gently to help the filling reach the edges.  To store, refrigerate in an airtight container.

Source: cookies adapted from Dinner and Dessert, originally from Better Homes & Gardens, December 2008; frosting frosting adapted from Confections of a Foodie Bride

Those who have been reading for a while may remember that we moved into a new house about four months ago.  We’ve been slowly getting settled in, and I am happy to say it feels very much like home.  I know a lot of readers wanted to see the kitchen so, here you go!  I’m posting a couple of pictures here, but you can head over to CafeMom to read a little feature about my blog, family, and kitchen to see more!

Our new kitchen is about twice the size of the old one, with about 10,000 times more counter space (maybe a slight exaggeration…)

The gigantic island – my love!  For someone who cooks and bakes as much as me, I don’t think it would be an exaggeration to say this has been life-changing :)

I used some canvas prints of my favorite food shots to brighten up the wall I face while I’m cooking.  I still have one more full blank wall though…

I love sharing delicious food with you all.  Thanks for reading!

These are a wonderful appetizer or snack for so many reasons.  For one, they have a filling flavored like chicken enchiladas – ’nuff said.  Additionally, they are incredibly quick and easy to make, and are served cold or at room temperature.  This is important when throwing a party because you don’t want to plan a menu including tons of foods that need to be served warm or prepped at the last minute.  And as an added bonus, the end pieces don’t look quite nice enough to serve to guests, meaning you have a little pre-party snack :)  I think they would really look best with a green or red-colored tortilla for more of a contrast with the filling, but the colorful selection available at my store were all flavors that didn’t exactly “go” so I chose salsa-flavored tortillas.  Not the prettiest, but probably the best tasting.  Enjoy!

Chicken Enchilada Dip Roll-Ups
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Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, Mexican blend, pepper jack, etc.)
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
2 tsp. chili powder
½ tsp. cumin
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
Salt, to taste
Handful of cilantro, chopped
3 green onions, chopped
10 oz. can diced tomatoes with green chiles, drained well
4-6 8-inch tortillas

Directions:
Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper.  Cook in a skillet over medium-high heat until lightly browned and cooked through.  Transfer to a plate and let cool.

In the meantime, combine all of the remaining ingredients except tortillas in a large mixing bowl.  Mix until well blended.  Once the chicken is cool, transfer to a cutting board and chop or shred into small pieces.  Add the chicken to the filling mixture and stir well to incorporate.

Spread a thin layer of the filling mixture over a tortilla, leaving a small border clear around the edge.  Roll the tortilla up tightly into a spiral.  Place the rolled up tortilla on a cutting board and use a sharp knife to cut into 1- to 1½-inch thick segments.  Transfer to a serving platter and serve chilled or at room temperature.

Source: adapted from Sing for Your Supper, originally from Come On Over Cookbook1 from Gooseberry Patch

A few months ago I was contacted by the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board about participating in the launch of their Macaroni & Cheese blog in celebration of National Cheese Lover’s Day.   Hello!?  Of course I was interested!  How could I resist such an offer?  I have always loved cheese, and most of my favorite foods are very cheesy.  And, one of those foods just happens to be macaroni and cheese.  Many food bloggers have been involved to compile 30 days worth of mac and cheese, and each has developed a recipe featuring a different cheese.

I was happy when I learned that my featured cheese would be Colby jack, because it is our standard in the house for snacking and such.  I knew immediately that I wanted to attempt a spicy variation of mac and cheese, and Colby jack fit well into that plan.  I typically prefer to use more than one type of cheese in the cheese sauce for the sake of variety and more depth of flavor.  This time around I decided to use mostly Colby jack, with some pepper jack for spice and sharp cheddar as well.  To add to the spiciness of the dish, I sautéed a mixture of finely chopped jalapeno pepper, roasted red pepper, and onion, and mixed this into the sauce before baking.  Finally, I mixed some cayenne pepper into both the cheese sauce itself and the bread crumb topping for an added kick.

I was absolutely thrilled with how this turned out.  In fact, I think it’s my new favorite mac and cheese.  I’ll always love a traditional version as well, but I think the added spice of this one just makes it more appealing to me.  The cheese sauce was creamy and the vegetables added great flavor, but thanks to fine chopping and sautéing there were not noticeable chunks affecting the texture of the dish.  Overall I would call this mild-moderately spicy, which is what I was going for.  Our whole family loved it.  It was also delicious reheated as leftovers later!  The amount of spice can be easily adapted to suit your preference by adding more or less jalapeno and cayenne pepper.

Check out the Macaroni and Cheese Blog for the rest of the 30 days of mac and cheese entries.  I can’t wait to see all the wonderful variations – and of course, try many of them!

Spicy Mac and Cheese
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Ingredients:
4 cups pasta shapes (I like cavatappi)
1/3 cup onion, finely chopped
1/3 cup roasted red pepper (jarred or home roasted), finely chopped
1-2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely minced
6½ tbsp. butter, divided
4 tbsp. all-purpose flour
2½ cups milk
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
¼ tsp. onion powder
¼ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. ground black pepper
8 oz. colby jack cheese, shredded
4 oz. pepper jack cheese, shredded
4 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
4 oz. baguette or crusty Italian bread, torn into large chunks

Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to boil.  When the water boils, cook the pasta according to the package directions.  In the meantime, melt ½ tablespoon of butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the onion, red pepper and jalapeno to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally until fragrant and tender, about 5-7 minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat.  Once the butter is completely melted, whisk in the flour.  Cook the mixture, whisking constantly, until it turns a light golden brown color and begins to foam, about 2 minutes.  (Be careful not to burn!)  Whisk in the milk until well blended.  Cook the mixture, whisking or stirring frequently, until it begins to bubble and thicken, about 5 minutes.  Reduce the heat to medium-low.  Whisk in the spices.  Add the cheeses to the mixture and whisk until completely melted and well incorporated.  Remove the mixture from the heat.

Preheat the oven to 375° F.  Grease a 2-quart casserole dish.  Return the drained pasta to the large pot.  Add in the cooked vegetables and the cheese sauce, and mix until well blended.  Transfer the mixture to the prepared casserole dish.

Use a food processor to pulse the bread into coarse crumbs.  Transfer the crumbs to a small bowl.  Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and toss with the bread crumbs.  (I also mixed in a dash of cayenne pepper.)  Sprinkle the crumb mixture in an even layer on top of the pasta.  Bake for 25 minutes, or until the mixture is heated through and the topping is golden brown.  Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving.

Source: Annie’s Eats original

Full Disclosure: I received compensation from the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board for my groceries and the time spent on this project.

This seemed such a perfect “man food” when I first saw it, and I knew it would be a hit at our party.  I did not anticipate that I would be unable to keep my own paws off of it.  Truly, this stuff is addictive!    With only four ingredients, it is one of the easiest recipes I can think of.  You can definitely control the level of heat with your choice of ingredients.  If you want it really spicy, get “hot” sausage, “hot” diced tomatoes with green chiles, and use a lot of hot sauce.  You could also mix in some cayenne pepper and/or jalapeno for an added kick.  Make it for your Super Bowl party, it’s sure to be a crowd pleaser!

Spicy Sausage Dip
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Ingredients:
1 (16 oz.) package spicy/zesty sausage
1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes with green chiles, undrained
2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese
Hot sauce, to taste

Directions:
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the crumbled sausage until browned.  Drain off any excess fat.  Reduce the heat to medium and mix in the tomatoes, cream cheese, and hot sauce.  Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture is warmed through and the ingredients are well blended.  Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.  Serve warm.

Source: My Baking Addiction

Say hello to one of the most brilliant snack foods of all time – the pizza bite.  So many foods become even more fun when they are made mini, and I think this proves that pizza is no exception.  The first time I ever made these, they were a big hit and devoured in no time.  I’ve been looking for a reason to make them again ever since, and they seemed to fit perfectly with the girls’ night/guys’ night theme.  They are sure to be a hit at just about any gathering, but seem really ideal for the Super Bowl coming up!

They are incredibly easy to make.  Start out with a chunk of pizza dough, and just wrap it around your choice of topping – or in this case, filling.  (Of course you can use any pizza dough you like, but if you haven’t already, I urge you to try this one – it’s my favorite!)  I like to fill them with a cube of mozzarella cheese and a couple slices of pepperoni.  I normally don’t really eat pepperoni, but I really like it in these.  It reminds me a lot of these cheese and pepperoni-filled breadsticks one of the bars served in college – amazing!  As for dipping sauces, I go with this classic pizza sauce.  Ranch dressing would be good too, if that’s your thing.  Really though, these are so good on their own I don’t think a dipping sauce is necessary.  I have found that a half recipe of the pizza dough (enough for one pizza) is just the right amount for one pan of these bites (about 20-24 bites).  If you want them to be identical in size, you can use a kitchen scale to make sure you use the same amount of dough for each.  I just rip a small hunk of dough off and try to stay consistent with the size.

Pizza Bites
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Ingredients:
½ batch pizza dough (enough for 1 pizza)
4 oz. mozzarella cheese, cubed (about 20-24 pieces)
Sliced pepperoni

For topping:
Olive oil
Italian seasoning
Grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400˚ F.  Lightly grease a 9-inch pie plate or cake pan.  Divide the pizza dough into 20-24 roughly equal sized pieces.  Take one of the dough pieces, top with a cube of cheese and a slice or two of pepperoni.  Pull the edges of the dough around the fillings and pinch closed.  Place seam-side down in the baking dish.  Repeat with the remaining dough pieces.

Lightly brush the tops of the dough balls with olive oil.  Sprinkle with Italian seasoning and grated Parmesan cheese.  Bake for 20 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.  Serve warm, with dipping sauce as desired.

Source: inspired by Chaos in the Kitchen