Roasted Red Pepper, Sausage, & Asparagus Egg Bake

Holy cow!  It's December?  The 10th, you say?  How did that happen?  I don't know.  What I do know, however, is that nothing beats an egg bake for breakfast.  (Except, perhaps, for these.)  So, in honor of December whizzing by (or maybe just because I like eggs...), here is:

Roasted Red Pepper, Sausage, & Asparagus Egg Bake

Enough slices of baguette or crusty french bread to line the bottom of a casserole dish (about 6)

1 lb. ground sweet Italian sausage

1/2 bunch of slim asaparagus stalks, trimmed and cut into 1 - 1 1/2" pieces

1 1/2 c. grated Italian blend cheeses (parmesan, pecorino romano, fontina...)

3/4 c. diced and drained roasted red peppers (from 12 oz. jar)

6 large eggs

1 c. half and half

1 c. milk

salt and pepper

1) Place baguette slices in bottom of greased casserole.

2) Heat skillet over medium-high heat, add sausage.  Saute until cooked through, about 7 minutes.  Meanwhile, parboil asparagus, about 3 min.

3) In a medium bowl, combine asparagus, sausage, 1 c. cheese, and peppers.  Spread sausage mixture on top of the baguette slices.

4) Whisk eggs in a medium bowl.  Whisk in half and half, milk, and salt & pepper.  Pour over sausage mixture.  Sprinkle remaining 1/2 c. cheese over the eggs.

5) Refrigerate overnight or bake immediately at 425 for 50-55 minutes.

ENJOY!

**We enjoyed our egg bake with leftover mashed potato patties.  (Whisk one egg into leftover mashed potatoes.  Season with garlic, rosemary, sage, salt & pepper.  Form into patties and fry in melted butter over medium high heat.  Let cook completely on the bottom before attempting to flip them.  Flip back and forth a few times to heat completely.  Amazingly delicious for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.)

Thanksgiving - The Sequel

If you love Thanksgiving like I love Thanksgiving, then you know that it's ok, nay, encouraged to enjoy Thanksgiving flavors at other times during the year.  Here is a wonderful and amazing link for some Thanksgiving-esque foods.  Visit. Read. Drool. Make. Eat. Enjoy!

Cookie Bars & A [Somewhat] Related Story

Let me tell you a story.  I once had a roommate.  A wonderful, beautiful roommate.  Her name was Emily.  We became great friends.  We enjoyed dancing around in our living room; cleaning our kitchen with our Swiffer Wet Jet; watching episodes of Grey's Anatomy; and having discussions over a mixing bowl of brownie batter.  In those days, the brownies were out of a box.  There is nothing wrong with a good ol' boxed brownie mix, but if we had known that the recipe I'm about to share with you existed, we may never have stuck a spoon into boxed brownie batter ever again.  As many of you know, I have a new roommate.  His name is Dan.  He married me in June of 2009.  We occasionally dance around our living room; we use our Swiffer Wet Jet, but we don't have any inside jokes about it; we generally prefer TV comedies to medical dramas; and Dan has a serious thing for peanut butter and chocolate.  This is awesome because I, too, have a serious thing for peanut butter and chocolate.  What's that?  You don't?  Get out of my blog.  Seriously, doesn't everyone love peanut butter and chocolate?  This is why they make Reese's Peanut Butter Chips.  And that is where my story truly begins.  On the back of the bag of Reese's Peanut Butter Chips is a recipe for Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies.  I stirred up a batch last night.  I'm lazy when it comes to cookies, though, and I don't enjoy making 12 at a time.  So instead of scooping the dough into cookies, I spread the dough in a bar pan and made cookie bars.  Oh yes.  Ohhhh yesssss.

Want one? Of course you do.  Here's how you can accomplish chocolate, peanut butter bliss:

Beat 1-1/4 c. softened butter and 2 c. sugar until fluffy.  Add 2 eggs and 2 t. vanilla.  Beat well.

In a small bowl, mix 2 c. flour, 3/4 c. cocoa powder, 1 t. baking soda, and 1/2 t. salt.  Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture.  Stir in one package of Reese's Peanut Butter Chips.

Spread batter into a bar pan.  (If you don't live in the midwest, you might call this a "jelly-roll pan".) It would be prudent of you to try *at least* a few spoonfuls of the dough.  You never know, something could have gone terribly awry in your baking process... ;)  Your roommates/friends/neighbors/significant others might like to try a few spoonfuls of the dough as well.  I'm just sayin'...

Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.  The goal here is to underbake them slightly so that they stay incredibly chewy.  Chewy = awesome.

I dare you not to try these.

ENJOY!!

Crispy, Herby Chicken & Braised Brussel Sprouts

What I had for dinner last night:

Crispy, herby chicken with Trader Joe's Harvest Grains Blend and braised brussel sprouts.  But I don't like brussel sprouts, you say.  Wrong! I reply.  You DO like brussel sprouts.  Check it out:

BRAISED BRUSSEL SPROUTS

2 T. olive oil

1 T. butter

1 medium onion, chopped

1 pint brussel sprouts, sliced or shredded

1 t. allspice

1 T. sage

1 c. chicken stock

1) Melt olive oil and butter in saucepan.  Saute onions for about 5-6 minutes or until translucent.  Add brussel sprouts, allspice, sage, and salt & pepper to taste.  Toss.

2) Add stock.  Bring to a bubble.  Reduce and simmer for about 15 minutes.  If you are feeling like a rascal, stir in a handful of chopped radicchio in the last 2-3 minutes of cooking - it will add color and crunch to your side dish. 

CRISPY, HERBY CHICKEN

4 chicken cutlets, pounded to quarter-inch thickness

2 T. olive oil

1/4 c. white wine

1 T. lemon juice

1/2 c. bread crumbs (unseasoned)

1 t. oregano

1 t. parsley

1 t. paprika

3 cloves garlic, grated

1/4 c. parmesan

1) Preheat oven to 400.

2) Grease baking dish.  Set up two dipping stations.  In one bowl combine olive oil, white wine, and lemon juice.  In the second bowl combine bread crumbs, oregano, parsley, paprika, garlic, and parmesan.

3) Dip each chicken cutlet into liquids and then into the bread crumb mixture.  Make sure that each cutlet is completely covered in the bread crumbs. Place coated chicken into the baking dish. Sprinkle remaining bread crumb mixture over the chicken.

4) Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink, but still juicy.

ENJOY!!



Swedish Meatballs

Sometimes in life you come across a recipe that looks like a joke.  With ingredients like sour cream, grape jelly, gingersnap cookies, and dill pickles your recipe looks like something that two fifth-grade boys concocted as a dare.  Ladies and gentlemen, I bring you SWEDISH MEATBALLS! 

Swedish Meatballs

1 lb. ground beef

1/2 lb. ground pork
4 T. butter, divided

1 egg

2 slices torn bread soaked briefly in 1/4 c. milk and squeezed of all excess liquid

1 t. allspice

1 medium onion, chopped

2 T. flour

1 c. chicken stock

1 c. beef stock

5 gingersnap cookies, finely ground

2 T. grape jelly

2 T. sour cream

1 lb. no-yolk egg noodles

4 T. dried parsley

6 dill pickle chips, diced

1. Combine meats, egg, milk-soaked bread, and allspice in mixing bowl.

2.  Melt 2 T. butter in large saucepan.  Add onion and cook until tender.  Sprinkle flour over the pan and stir to incorporate.

3. Whisk in chicken stock and beef stock.  Stir in ground gingersnaps (I grind mine in a coffee grinder...) Bring to a bubble to thicken.  Stir in sour cream and grape jelly.

4. Form meat mixture into walnut-sized balls.  (I use a cookie dough scoop...)  Drop meatballs into pan of gravy.  Bring sauce to a light simmer and let meatballs cook - about 10 minutes.  Stir occasionally.  You will want to wait longer than you think (3-4 minutes) before stirring for the first time - you want to allow meatballs to cook on the bottom or they will fall apart when you move them. (Also, I apologize for the ghastliness of this photo...)

5. Cook egg noodles according to package.  Drain.

6.  Toss cooked noodles with 2 T. butter, dried parsley, and chopped dill pickles.  Serve gravy and meatballs over noodles.  I didn't have a chance to take a picture of the plated finished product - I was too hungry :)

Enjoy!

Thai Chicken Soup

My dear, loyal readers,

Do you like delicious things? Spicy things? AMAZING things? Soup?  Say yes, please, just say yes.

Let me introduce you to Thai Chicken Soup.

Thai Chicken Soup says, Hello! Make me tonight for dinner!

THAI CHICKEN SOUP

2 T. olive oil

1 T. Thai red curry paste

3 T. curry powder

4 c. chicken stock

1 (14 oz.) can coconut milk

1 (2") piece of ginger, peeled

2 c. shredded chicken

2 t. brown sugar

2 small limes, juiced

1 T. Hoisin sauce

2 c. chopped vegetables (Use whatever you have on hand.  I used red bell pepper, celery, onion, & carrot)

2 T. chopped fresh cilantro

2 c. cooked white rice

1) Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.  Add curry paste and curry powder and cook quickly for about 30 seconds. 

2) Add stock, coconut milk, & ginger.  Bring to a boil.  Add chicken and vegetables.  Cover and reduce heat.  Let simmer about 15 minutes.  Add sugar, lime juice, Hoisin sauce.  Turn up heat and cook until vegetables are cooked, but still crunchy - about 5 minutes.

3) Stir in cilantro and cooked rice.   Pour into bowls and garnish with more cilantro.  Serve with warm naan or wheat crackers.

ENJOY!



Fudgy Liquory Yum-ness

Sometimes, there are only three words: Fudgy. Liquory. Yumness.

If you have a "La Madeleine" restaurant near you, you should go there now.  NOW!

That is a shot glass filled with layers of chocolate mousse and booze-soaked chocolate cake.

It had me at hello.

Enjoy your weekend!

Nutmeg Cupcakes

My husband is in the Twin Cities.  I am in Duluth.  When left to my own devices, I have a few traditions: I watch bad chick flicks, I order 2-fisted burrito bowls from Burrito Union, I stay up too late and sleep in too late, and I bake.  Yesterday I made these:

Delicious.

I don't remember where (who?) the recipe came from, but here it is:

Nutmeg Cupcakes with Caramel Icing

CUPCAKES

3 eggs

1/2 c. butter, softened

1 1/2 c. white sugar

1 c. buttermilk (or 1 T. lemon juice in 1 c. milk)

1 t. vanilla

2 c. all-purpose flour

1 t. baking powder

1 t. baking soda

2 t. ground nutmeg

1/4 t. salt

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.  Line cupcake tin with cupcake papers.

2. In a small bowl beat eggs well.  In a large bowl, cream butter and white sugar until light and fluffy.  Mix in the beaten eggs and stir until well combined.

3. Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground nutmeg and salt.  Add the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk combined with the vanilla to the creamed mixture in three parts, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. 

4. Using a 1/4 c. measuring cup, spoon batter into the cupcake liners.  Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes.  Let cakes cool and then ice.

CARAMEL ICING

1/2 c. packed brown sugar

3 T. half and half

1/4 c. butter

1 1/2 c. powdered sugar

1. In a medium saucepan, heat brown sugar, cream and butter until it boils.  Let boil for about 2 minutes and then remove from heat.  Let cool.  Stir in powdered sugar and beat til smooth.  Add more cream or powdered sugar as needed to reach desired consistency.

ENJOY!



RECAP!

In honor of "wordless Wednesday", here is a little glimpse at what I've been eating:

Fresh Lake Superior Lake Trout

with lemon, sage & pepper

Spaghetti & Meatball Risotto with fresh basil

Buffalo Chicken Flatbread

Chicken Parmesan Meatballs

Donut Muffins

I woke up this morning with only two things on my mind: my blog and a warm donut muffin.  Donut muffin? you ask.  It's a delightful little concoction that I have read about on this fabulous blog.  I woke up this morning needing one.  Or 12.  They are baking in the oven now.  I will post pictures once I have had my donut muffin fix.  I can't stop saying it: donut muffin, donut muffin, donut muffin, donutmuffin, donutmuffin, donutmuffin, donutmuffindonutmuffindfosdpodgmufisdfiug....

I promise not to wait quite so long before my next post.  Readers, it is fair to say that I am back!



Coconut Macaroons

In case you were worried about where I have been or what I have been up to since my last post, I am here to allay your many concerns: I am in the Twin Cities!  (You were worried, right?!)  Visiting family, seeing friends, having lunch dates, seeing a flash mob.... You know, the usual.  (Don't know what a flash mob is? Click here.)  I'm not here to tell you about flash mobs though.  I am dropping in to tell you that if you are in Minneapolis, you should run (not walk) to the

The Salty Tart bakery is in the Midtown Global Market on Lake Street.

You can eat these:

Those, dear friends, are coconut macaroons.  They are warm, buttery, and chewy.  Are you not yet sold?  You can have them dipped in dark chocolate.  If you are still not sold, you are probably a robot - please power down.  Seriously, I had one and it moved me to tears. 

I could probably make these....stay tuned!

Sauce Aïoli

Happy Friday the 13th to all of you!  In honor of such a superstitious day, I am going to talk about the garlicky goodness that is Sauce Aïoli.  This is a french-style dipping sauce that is, essentially, garlic and olive oil.  It's amazing.  It will keep vampires at bay. (Take THAT, Kristen Stewart!  She's a vampire by now, right?)  It's also hard work, not gonna lie to you.  You will get one heck of an arm work-out by making this, but it's totally worth it and you can reward yourself later with a leftover cupcake.

SAUCE AÏOLI

1 thick slice french bread, crust removed

(I used one half of a Thomas-brand bagel and scooped out the soft part)

3 T. milk

6 cloves garlic, grated

(Grating the garlic is a super short-cut.  Traditionally, you would take the whole clove and crush it into paste using a mortar & pestle)

1 large egg yolk

1 1/2 c. olive oil

1/2 lemon, juiced

Soak the soft bread in milk for about 5 minutes.  Then lift out bread and squeeze out as much milk as possible.  You will be left with a really unappetizing lump of doughy mush.

Mix wet dough with grated garlic using the tines of a fork.

Using some serious muscle, whisk in your egg yolk to the bread/garlic mash-up.

Now comes the fun part.

Add olive oil one drop at a time.  Go slow.  Fully incorporate each small part of oil before adding more.  Start out still using the fork.  Really mash it all in.  It's important to go slowly.  If you add too much oil at the beginning, the sauce can separate.  That means that your sauce will look all curdled and nasty.  When the sauce becomes creamy, you can start going a little faster with the oil additions and can switch to a whisk.  After all of your olive oil has been added, squeeze in the juice of one lemon and whisk to incorporate.

Aïoli is really good as a dip for sweet potato fries.

Toss sweet potato strips with about 2 T. olive oil and a hefty pinch of coarse salt.  Bake at 425°F for about 15-20 minutes, or until crispy.

Aïoli is also delicious when added to ground turkey to make burgers. 

Add about 1 T. sauce to 1 lb. ground turkey.  Season with 2 t. chipotle pepper flakes, handful chopped peanuts (about 1/4 c.), and a couple handfuls of shredded asiago. 

ENJOY!!

Butterscotch Rolls

Coming off of a birthday high over here. Holy crazy cow! Birthdays = delicious food(s). I've said it before and I'll say it again: I've never had a BAD birthday dinner.  As you may have seen in yesterday's post, yesterday was my husband's birthday.  We had these for breakfast:

 and turkey burgers and sweet potato fries with home-made aioli for dinner.

Today = the start of my non-birthday food diet. 

BUTTERSCOTCH ROLLS

1 c. chopped nuts of your choice

(I like hazelnuts, but pecans or walnuts would do equally well)

8-12 quality frozen bread rolls

1 pkg. non-instant butterscotch pudding

1 stick margarine, melted

1/2 c. brown sugar

1) Sprinkle nuts on the bottom of your pan.  Place frozen rolls on top of the nuts.

2) Sprinkle dry pudding on top of rolls.  Melt your margarine in a small bowl and whisk in brown sugar to create a thick sauce.  Pour sauce over the pudding mix.

3) Cover with a clean dish towel and leave on your counter overnight.  In the morning, preheat your oven to 350°F and then bake for 25 minutes.  Or until they look like this:

4) It will be hard to do, but you must let them cool for about 5 minutes.  Then invert them on to a serving tray.

5) Break apart. Eat. Then have seconds.

Enjoy!!

Birthday Cupcakes

There's nothing like a birthday to give you the excuse to bring out the cannister of sugar.  Boy do I love birthdays.  No, dear readers, it is not MY birthday, it is my husband's birthday! Happy birthday, husband.  In honor of his 26th birthday and because I am finding myself more and more smitten with Smitten Kitchen, I whipped up a batch of Root Beer Float Cupcakes.  (Recipe here!)

You begin by heating the root beer (I used Virgils, but any kind made with cane sugar should work), cocoa powder, and butter together over medium heat.  Then you whisk in the white sugar and the brown sugar after the butter has melted.

Remove from heat and let cool.  Meanwhile, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.  In another bowl, whisk eggs until just beaten and then add that to the cooled chocolate mixture.  Fold flour mixture into the chocolate/egg mixture.  Result will be lumpy, but that's ok.  You don't want to overbeat this....DO NOT USE YOUR STAND MIXER!!  Using a 1/4 c. measuring cup, fill cupcake papers.

Bake at 350°F for 15-17 minutes or until tester inserted comes out clean.  (A toothpick works for this if you don't have a tester...)

Also from Smitten Kitchen, comes the frosting.  I used her Seven-Minute Frosting recipe which is exactly as easy as it sounds.  And as delicious as it looks. 

Well, friends, it's been fun, but I have to go eat a cupcake.

And then it's on to dinner.  The birthday boy has requested spicy turkey burgers with sweet potato fries and homemade aioli.  Stay tuned!

Green Thumb

My kitchen bucket list is full.  Tonight's dinner will be steaks on the grill with caprese salad.  The weekend will include things like sweet corn and pork tenderloin and pimiento cheeseburgers.  The weather is nice and we are on a grilling kick. 

Because I have a lack of new recipes to share with you, I am going to brag about the fruits of my labor.  (Herbs of my labor?!)  This summer, I planted my own herbs and have actually kept them alive long enough to use them.  One noted exception would be my sweet basil.  Although, the basil's demise might have more to do with the neighbor boys using their squirt guns on my plants and less to do with my wannabe-green thumb.  Without further adieu, my herbs.

Lemon Thyme

Thai Basil

Flat Leaf Parsley

Sage

Cilantro

Aren't you amazed by how green my thumb is?  Stay tuned for things I will do with these herbs. 

Jalapeno Poppers

I know, I know. I haven't posted anything new in quite some time. It's summertime, people, and you all know how I love summertime. Have you been busy in the kitchen? you ask. No, friends, I have not,  is my reply. I have been jumping from cabin to cabin and eating delicious foods that other people have made for me. Favorites include: roasted chicken and grilled vegetables; spicy turkey burgers with sweet potato fries and homemade aioli; and rosemary garlic chicken burgers with farmstand sweet corn. Don't worry, my dear radio audience, those have all been added to my kitchen bucket list. Last evening did find me, once again, back in my cozy, little kitchen. I had a hankering for jalapeno poppers that wouldn't quit. So I made some. And then I had a beer. On my patio.  Isn't life grand?!

Jalapeno Poppers

serves 3-4

4 ripe jalapenos - get the fattest ones you can find

1/3 c. reduced fat cream cheese

2 handfuls (about 1/4 c.) shredded sharp cheddar cheese

3 pieces of deli pancetta, diced

1) Cut pancetta into bite-sized pieces and put in a pan over medium-low heat until crispy.

2) Rinse jalapenos.  Slice length-wise and scoop out all of the seeds and cut out some of the ribbing.  Place hollow side up on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

3) Mix together the cream cheese and the shredded cheese.  Spoon cheese mixture into jalapeno halves.  Top with crispy pancetta bits. (Your beer should be started by now...)

4) Place poppers in a preheated, 350°F oven for 10 minutes or until the cheese is all melty.  You can eat them almost immediately upon removal from oven.

Enjoy!!