A Spoonful of Sugar

Eat. Live. Be. I'm back

2011-05-23T11:10:00.000-04:00

Wow, it has been quite awhile since my last post! Life has been crazy, hectic, and on the verge of out of control for the past month, but things are finally starting to fall back into place...more on that later.

This week's ELB topic is quite appropriate, we are talking about how we have changed this up in the past 5 months. This is super easy for me because a few weeks ago I made the decision (with your support) to run the Chicago marathon! That has completely changed how I workout. I am running more often and longer distances. I have also started the P90X program...sort of. My husband and his friend are doing it pretty hardcore. I do what I can (or feel like) after I run each day. I always do the ab workouts and the upper body workouts, but often substitute the P90X cardio workouts for long runs. Oh yeah, the Yoga X, although crazy, has added another aspect of exercise to my life that I often skip.

All of these changes have kept me from getting bored with exercise, kept me motivated, and I am finally starting to feel my body get into better shape. Now if only I can SEE those results as well (I use to have nice muscular calves that I loved to show off with spring dresses, I'm hoping they will emerge again during my training :)

Anyway, those are my changes and what is new in my life. I will definitely be sharing my training with all of you and the ups and downs that come with it. My husband and I have successfully moved to Illinois (Northern burbs of Chicago) and we just love it here. There is an awesome park close by that is a gorgeous spot to run. It is on my list of things most missed when I have to move back to WV for 5 weeks. Hopefully, I can find a good safe place to run while I am there (I won't be anywhere near my hometown, so there is a lot of unknown).

Since it's ELB day, I thought I would share a healthy recipe with you that I fixed last night for dinner.

Sauteed Chicken with Tomato, Feta, and Mint

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp of olive oil

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts slightly flattened with a meat tenderizer.

flour for dredging

salt and pepper to taste

2 cups of cherry tomatoes, halved

3 cloves garlic, minced

Tbsp water

1/2 -3/4 cup feta cheese

5-6 min leaves thinly sliced

Directions:

1. Add oil to saute pan and heat until smoking. While oil is heating season chicken with salt and pepper and dredge in flour. When skillet is ready, place saute chicken on medium high for 6-8 minutes until nice and golden brown, turn chicken and reduce heat to medium. Cook several more minutes until cooked through.

2. While chicken is cooking, add garlic tomatoes and water to a small skillet on medium heat. Cook stirring often until tomatoes are soft. Add mixtures to chicken, once chicken is done cooking. Sprinkle dish with feta and mint and serve!

This is a super easy recipe, full of flavor and very healthy.

Nutritional Information (per serving including olives):

calories 340

Fat 13g

Sat Fat 2.5g

Cholesterol 150mg

Carb 11g

Protein 42g

Fiber 1g

Sodium 650mg

Cook's Notes:

* You can also add 1/2 cup of kalamata olives if you'd like. I just don't care for them so I omitted. If you do wish to use olives, add them to the skillet with the tomatoes and follow directions as usual.

Source:

Too be continued...

2011-04-21T11:27:00.000-04:00

You may be wondering where the heck I have been lately. My apologies. I know I have bee neglecting you. My husband and I are currently eyeballs deep in boxes because we are moving! In 18 days we are packing up and heading north to Chicago, the city where we fell in love :)

So, my to do list has been longer than my time to get that to do list done and has left little time for baking. Do not despair! The first boxes to be unpacked in Chicago will indeed be all my kitchen supplies and we already have a BBQ planned the weekend following the move, so yummy recipes are soon to come!

On another note, I am thinking of running the Chicago marathon. It has always been a goal of mine to run a marathon and I started training way back at the beginning of pharmacy school (which subsequently took over my life) and I never met that goal. Now that I will be able to maintain better balance in my life, I think it is time to pick up where I left off three years ago. What's better, is that I can run for a charity team! I am thinking of running for a group called "Run Chicago." They are dedicated to fighting childhood obesity among underprivliged children in IL. Being a healthcare professional who sees the affects of obesity every single day, I think this is an amazing cause.

These are my concerns....holy crap it is 26.2 miles! I'm not sure I can do that! Also, I have to meet a 1,000 fundraising goal or else I either can't run, or my own personal credit card gets charged 1000 dollars, also equally scary.

So what are your thoughts? Should I take that leap? Should I may consider running next year? Who knows!

Eat. Live. Be. Pharmacist talk

2011-04-11T21:46:00.000-04:00

This week's ELB topic is "What vitamins/minerals do you take and why?" Well...ummm....about that. I strongly believe that everyone can benefit from a multi-vitamin and that EVERY woman of child bearing age should be taking one. I pledge to start taking mine again...tomorrow. I really don't take any other vitamin/mineral. Not because I think they are bad or anything, just because I don't feel I need to supplement my diet with anything other than a multivitamin. However, since this is my area of expertise, I feel a strong sense of duty to educate my readers a bit on multivitamins and how to select the most appropriate vitamin for you. SO here are 5 things to think about:

1. Vitamins and minerals are dietary supplements, they are not quick fixes, wonder drugs, or a cure all, they simply supplement the diet!

2. If you are currently taking other medications, ask your pharmacist before you start a dietary supplement. Their can be interactions! Likewise, when giving your physician a list of medications, include any OTC products and dietary supplements in that list (you have no clue how many drug errors this could prevent).

3. When you are picking between brands of supplements always go with one that has a "USP approved" symbol on the label. These are the ONLY vitamins that have been tested for proper use (the FDA does not have an approval process for dietary supplements)

4. Take with food to help prevent upset stomach

5. If you are one who takes calcium, your body can only absorb 500mg at a time, so you may need to take care and split it into a morning and evening dose

I hope this is helpful!

Now, here are a few pictures of the birthday cakes I made for my adorable nephews over spring break :) They had a jungle themed party

Spanakopita

2011-04-05T03:00:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago, my friend Tami and I went to Pittsburgh's strip district to enjoy a morning of culinary flavor. We visited several stores, of my favorites were the butcher, the italian market, and the greek market. The Cheeses, the aromas, it was amazing! And, it inspired me to try some greek cuisine of my own. I opted to go with gyros and spanakopita.
I had never worked with filo dough before and Tami cautioned me to keep the filo covered with a wet towel at ALL times (thanks Tami!). My filo was a little sparse on the spinach (I just used leftover from another recipe) so yours should have more filling than what is shown here.
I looked at several different spanakopita recipes, there are dozens! I finally decided on one from the food network.
If you have made spanakopita before I would love if you shared your experiences, what works for you and what doesn't

Ingredients:

1/3 cup olive oil

2 pounds spinach, washed and drained

1 bunch scallions, white and green parts, chopped

1/4 cup finely chopped parsley

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 pound feta cheese, crumbled

1 to 2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

1 pound filo pastry sheets

Directions

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large saute pan, add half of the spinach and saute until spinach wilts, tossing with tongs, about 2 minutes. Remove spinach and squeeze out excess liquid, then chop roughly. Repeat with remaining spinach, using 1 more tablespoon of olive oil.

2. Pour off any liquid from the pan, and add remaining olive oil. Add scallions and saute until soft, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the spinach to the scallions, along with the parsley, salt and pepper. Cook over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, then remove from heat to cool. (This part can be done ahead and kept refrigerated).

3. Stir the feta and as much beaten egg to moisten the cooled spinach mixture.

4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush a baking sheet with some of the melted butter. Unroll the filo dough on a flat surface and keep it covered with waxed paper and a damp towel so it doesn't dry out and become brittle. Use a pastry brush to brush a sheet of filo with melted butter. Layer several layers of brushed filo (I think I did 8). Then, spread half the spinach mixture onto filo. Add several more brushed layers, remaining spinach mix and then 4-6 more layers of filo. Fold the ends of the filo under

5. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Cut into squares or triangles and Serve hot.

Adapted from: Food Network

Eat. Live. Be. Fruits and Veggies

2011-04-04T03:00:00.003-04:00

Recipe: Risotto with Fennel and Radicchio

This week, ELB bloggers are sharing tips, tricks, and recipes to help get your daily recommended amount of fruits and veggies. I love fruit..veggies are pretty good too, but I am always trying to find ways to sneak them in because seriously, who has time to prepare all those side dishes, snacks, etc. to get so many servings in every single day. So this is what I do

1. I prep snack bags of fruits/veggies at the beginning of the week that way I just have to throw them in my bag in the morning. This way I don't have to take time out of my mornings to clean and prepare a healthy snack
2. fruit smoothies are the easiest way I can think of to pack in a ton of fruits in little time. Again, I add everything but the milk the night before and throw it in the refrigerator that way it only takes 60 seconds to prepare a morning treat
3. I try to find ways to "sneak" veggies into dishes that aren't traditionally heavy on the veggies. That's what the recipe below does and the result is AMAZING!

Ingredients:
1 onion, minced
1 fennel bulb, chopped
1 Tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp minced fresh thyme
1-1/2cup farro (I couldn't find farro anywhere in morgantown so I used arborio)
2 c low sodium chicken broth
1-1/2 cup water
2 Tbsp fresh parsley
1 tsp basalmic vinegar
1/2 head thinly sliced radicchio

Directions
1. Combine onion, fennel, oil, and 1/4 tsp salt in a large saucepan. Cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until veggies are softened (10ish minutes)
2. Stir in garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant (30s)
3. Stir in farro (or arborio) and cook until lightly toasted, about two minutes. Stir in broth and water and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and continue to simmer, stirring often, until farro (or arborio) is tender, 20-25 minutes.
3. Stir in parsley, balsamic vinegar, and radicchio. and serve*

Nutritional Info per 3/4 cup

Calories: 270
Fat: 5g
Saturate fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Carbs: 54g
Protein: 9g
Fiber: 8g
Sodium: 390mg
Cook's Notes:
* Allow the risotto to cool slightly before adding radicchio or else it will wilt and brown. It will still taste fine but it won't be as sharp and it won't have that same crunch.
I also added some toasted sunflower seeds for an added crunch.

Don't forget to check out my fellow ELB bloggers today

Sarah at Cucina Bella

Cate O’Malley at Sweet Nicks

Maris at In Good Taste

Chris at Mele Cotte

Faith at Bon Appetit

Kristen at Dine and Dish

Emily at The Anderson Crew

Jenne at stop drop and blog

Joanne at Eats Well With Others

Casey at The Starnes Family

Patsy at Friends, Family and Food

Tri-Fit Mom at Tri-Fit Mom

Claire at Cooking is Medicine

Allison at Sweet Flours

Jen at NJ Epicurean

Leslie at The Hungry Housewife

Jennifer at Lick-a-Plate

Rivki at Healthy Eating for Ordinary People

Jennifer Schulz at Lick-a-plate

Denise & Lenny at Chez Us

Source:

Asparagus, healthy and delicious

2011-04-01T03:00:00.000-04:00

Photo by Meg McCluskey

I will not lie...I do NOT like asparagus! I mean, it's not like asparagus has ever done anything to me, I don't hate the stuff, but I will often pass it by without so much as a glance when I'm in the produce section of our grocery store (although, I recently noticed they have started stocking white asparagus and I am intrigued).
BUT..I try to be a diverse cook and sometimes that means cooking things you don't necessarily like or attempting to turn something "blah" into something "oh la la!"
So, I was very excited to try a new healthy asparagus recipe (is there any other type of asparagus recipe) from my Cook's Illustrated Healthy Family Cookbook.
Try it out, let me know what you think!
PS: Where you aware that asparagus makes your urine (aka pee) smell, but only ~22% of the population can actually smell the foul odor? crazy! What? You don't believe me? This is science...google it! Then facebook it and tweet it :-P

Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup gratd paremeason heese
1 shallot minced
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp EVOO
1 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Asparagus
2 bunches asparagus tough ends trimmed
1Tbsp EVOO
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

Photo by Meg McCluskey

Directions
1. For the vinaigrette combine the parmesan, shallot, lemon juice, oil, and parsley in a bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste.
2. for the asparagus position an oven rack 6 inches from the broiler element and heat the broiler. Toss the asparagus with the oil salt and pepper and arrange in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Broil asparagus until tender ad lightly browned (6 to 10 minutes) shaking the pan halfway through to turn spears.
3. Transfer the asparagus to a platter, spoon the dressing over the top, and serve.

nutritional info
calories: 90
fat: 5g
saturated Fat: 1g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Carbs: 7g
Protein: 4g
Fiber: 3g
Sodium: 130mg

Source:

Grilled Salmon with Indian flavors and Mango Chutney

2011-03-31T03:00:00.000-04:00

Photo by Meg McCluskey

My husband doesn't normally like fish, with the exception of shell fish. So, I am constantly trying to find new fish recipes that he will like, though I don't like to torture the poor boy. So, while he was out of town for business, I invited Meg over (an avid fish lover and food blog photographer). We enjoyed this yummy recipe and agreed that Justin would likely be pleased with the results. I guess we will have to wait and see!

Marinade

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 1/2 teaspoons table salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Chutney

1 mango cut into 1/2-inch dice

3 tablespoons lemon juice from 1 small lemon

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Grilled Salmon

 Vegetable oil for grill grate

4  salmon fillets (center-cut), each 6 to 7 ounces and 1 1/2 inches thick

 Ground black pepper

Photo by Meg McCluskey

Instructions

1. For marinade: Mix vegetable oil, gingerroot, ground cumin, ground coriander, salt, and cayenne pepper together in shallow bowl; set aside.

2. For chutney: Mix mango, lemon juice, and cilantro in small bowl; set aside.

3. Marinate salmon for 20 minutes or longer. Using a grill plate, oil plate well with EVOO

4. Generously sprinkle each side of fillets with pepper. Place fillets skin side down on grill plate; grill 2 to 3 minutes. Flip fillets gently with long-handled tongs or spatula; grill until fillets are opaque throughout, yet translucent at very center when checked with point of paring knife, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to serving platter and serve with mango chutney.

Photo by Meg McCluskey

Cook’s notes: You can also doe this recipe on an outside grill obviously. Charcol is best. Using a medium-high heat allows for a crispy crust without burning. Spread coals in single layer to make medium-hot fire (judge by holding outstretched hand 5 inches above coals for 4 seconds; if you cannot make it the full 4 seconds, fire is too hot). Position grill grate over fire and rub cooking area of grate with oil-dipped paper towel wad

Source: Cooks Illustrated

Red Velvet Cupcakes for Jaden

2011-03-30T03:00:00.001-04:00

Ever wonder what makes red velvet cake red? Traditionally it was beetroot along with a chemical reaction of baking soda and vinegar, which brings out the red anthocyanin in the cocoa also found in a red velvet cake recipe. However, this does not give the "betty crocker red" often found with box mixes. solution: red food coloring :-P
I made these little treats for my friend Leann's baby shower. Her baby boy, Jaden, finally got to come home after a long journey in the NICU after a premature delivery. It was a great evening with her closest friends and I thought these cupcakes would be a fun addition to the festivities.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups cake flour not self-rising

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups canola oil

2 large eggs

1/4 cup red food coloring

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup buttermilk

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons white vinegar

Photo by Meg McCluskey

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line mini baking tins

2. In a medium bowl, whisk cake flour, salt, and cocoa; set aside.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the

sugar and oil, and beat on medium speed until well combined. Add eggs, one at a

time, beating well after each addition. Add food coloring and vanilla, and beat until

well combined. Add flour mixture, alternating with buttermilk, scraping the sides of

the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.

4. In a small bowl, mix baking soda and vinegar until combined. Add to batter, and beat for 10 seconds.

5. Fill cupcake tins 2/3 full with batter

6. Bake until a cake tester inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool in the pans for 5 minutes. Remove from the pans, and return to the rack to cool completely.

Adapted from:

Chicken Marsala...oh yeah!

2011-03-29T03:00:00.002-04:00

Before I ventured to Colorado for spring break, my mom and I spent some time together in MyKitchen, I mean it's not MY kitchen, but its MyKitchen....confused? or have you already clicked on the link?
As you can see (if you were a good reader and clicked on the link), my kitchen is an awesome resource for local food lovers, novice cooks, or just someone looking for a fun family gathering, birthday party, or girls night out. Chef Chris Hall offers a ton of classes from a tour of Julia Child's classics, to sushi making, to the class we took: "Light, Fast, and Delicious."
If you live in the area, I HIGHLY recommend signing up for a class. The atmosphere is relaxed and fun. Chef Hall is a great instructor and starts the course off with a quick run down of the kitchen and an overview of the several recipes you can make throughout the night. Then, its off to the races..so to speak. Each person (we worked in pairs) chooses what recipes they want to make and then Chef Hall answers any questions and assists with any uncertainties in technique. He also offers a ton of valuable tips a long the way. Needless to say, my mom and I greatly enjoyed our time and we have both used recipes that we learned since the lesson. When I saw chicken marsala on the list of recipes we could make I immediately doubled started it, leaned into my mom and said, "let's make this first." and so we did! It was intoxicatingly delicious..I mean OMG amazing! Ok, I will stop babbling and start sharing

Ingredients
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 Tbsp butter
1/2 c Chicken broth
1/2 cup marsala wine
10 oz cremini mushrooms (any mushroom will do really)
1 large shallot
all purpose flour for dusting
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1. Slice breasts horizontally and season with salt and pepper
2. Dredge dried breast halves in all purpose flour
3. Saute chicken in hot butter about 3-4 minutes each side until browned and remove from pan
4. Add sliced mushrooms, shallot and a little salt. Brown, about 3 minutes
5. Mix together 1 Tbsp all purpose flour, chicken broth, and wine. Take any juices from plate with chicken and add al to pan. Scrape the pan and reduce mixture by half over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
6. take a few moments to indulge in the delicious aroma now circulating in your kitchen
7. Add chicken back to skillet and heat through
8. Transfer everything to a serve dish and enjoy!

Ok, now that you have seen this delicious recipe, go back to the top of the page, click on a link, sign up for a class and as Chef Hall says, "cook with wild abandon!"

Source:
Chef Chris Hall

Eat. Live. Be. and I'm back

2011-03-28T20:04:00.001-04:00

Greetings friends,

Well...needless to say, the blog has been stagnant for a few days. My husband and I spent my week of spring break in Colorado visiting family. Unfortunately, he had a lot of work to do, but I had a lot of relaxing to catch up on. It was great! I hit the slopes, conquered a few black diamonds and some "baby moguls." I was ridiculously pumped. I also spent a lot of time reading and playing sims 3.

My twin nephews, Simon and Levi, turned one on Thursday (they are so adorable). We had a birthday party for them on Saturday and, of course, aunt Sarah had to make their cakes...yes I said cakes. Stay tuned to see them on the blog soon (aka, once mommy sends me some pics).

Ok, now that you know what I have been doing while away from cyberspace. Let's get own to business. Today's ELB topic is our go to lunch. This one is tough for me, because out of all the meal categories: appetizers, breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, snacks, etc. Lunch is the one I neglect the most BY FAR! Normally, I wake up, shower, get ready for class, fix breakfast for the husband and I and then rush out the door as not to be late. On the days that I do dragged by butt out of bed a few minutes early, I try to take advantage of the extra time and fix myself a yummy sandwich with deli meats, cheese, and whole wheat bread. I also normally pack a veggie or fruit, and a 100 calorie pack snack (normally yogurt covered pretzels) and sometimes I top it off with 100 calorie chocolate mousse from JELLO. Sadly, 70% of the time, I leave my lunch sitting on the counter top, and I realize that sad fact about 15 minutes into my commute. They really need to make a drug for short term memory impairment!

Anyway, I know it's not much, but I truly do suck at lunch. Hopefully my fellow bloggers have some suggestions for you! Check them out :)

Sarah at Cucina Bella

Cate O’Malley at Sweet Nicks

Maris at In Good Taste

Chris at Mele Cotte

Faith at Bon Appetit

Kristen at Dine and Dish

Emily at The Anderson Crew

Jenne at stop drop and blog

Joanne at Eats Well With Others

Casey at The Starnes Family

Patsy at Friends, Family and Food

Tri-Fit Mom at Tri-Fit Mom

Claire at Cooking is Medicine

Allison at Sweet Flours

Jen at NJ Epicurean

Leslie at The Hungry Housewife

Jennifer at Lick-a-Plate

Rivki at Healthy Eating for Ordinary People

Jennifer Schulz at Lick-a-plate

Denise & Lenny at Chez Us

Guinness and Baileys Cupcakes

2011-03-17T03:00:00.003-04:00

Happy St. Patty's day! Folks, let me tell ya, it doesn't get more Irish than this, and to be quite honest, it doesn't get much more decedent. These cupcakes are luxurious. As in, I have ate one a day for the past 3 delicious days. Get the picture?
I actually made these cupcakes for one of Justin's very special co-workers. I hope she likes them! What's more, is that Justin was flying to Chicago this weekend and did not feel confident in his ability to get iced cupcakes to Chicago in one piece. So whatever did we do? I taught him to ice cupcakes! He is going to kill me when he realizes I posted this on the internet, but it is a testimony to how much he loves me and how he is willing to maintain my good baking reputation. I am one lucky girl!
Any who, back to the cupcakes. These babies are magical! The Guinness adds such a subtle flavor and makes the chocolate more rich an delicious. The baileys is an undertone to the ganache, but it really comes to life in the frosting. Combine them all together and well...you are just going to have to make them yourself to full appreciate these babies.

Ingredients: 

For the Guinness chocolate cupcakes: 

1 cup Guinness (I used Draught)

16 tbsp. unsalted butter

¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups sugar 

1½ tsp. baking soda

¾ tsp. salt 

2 large eggs 

²/₃ cup sour cream

For the Bailey’s ganache filling: 

8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped  (I used ghirardelli 60% cacao)

²/₃ cup heavy cream 

2 tbsp. butter, at room temperature 

2 tsp. Bailey’s Irish cream

For the Bailey’s buttercream frosting: 8

tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature 

3-4 cups confectioners’ sugar 

4-8 tbsp. Bailey’s Irish cream

Directions: 

To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350° F. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners. Combine Guinness and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until butter is metled. Wisk in the cocoa powder until smooth. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the eggs and sour cream to blend. Add the stout-butter mixture and beat just to combine. Mix in the dry ingredients on low speed just until incorporated. Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners, filling them about ²/₃ to ¾ full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 17 minutes. Allow to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the ganache filling, place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until simmering, then pour it over the chocolate. Let sit for one minute and then whisk until smooth. If the chocolate is not completely melted, place the bowl over a double boiler or give it a very short burst in the microwave (15-20 seconds). Add the butter and Bailey’s and stir until combined.

Set aside to let the ganache cool until it is thick enough to be piped. Meanwhile, cut out a portion from the center of the cupcake using a small paring knife. Once the ganache has reached the correct consistency, transfer it to a piping bag fitted with a wide tip and pipe it into the cupcakes. Do this quickly or the ganache will set

To make the frosting, place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Gradually add the powdered sugar until it is all incorporated. Mix in the Bailey’s until smooth. Add more if necessary until the frosting has reached a good consistency for piping or spreading. Frost the cupcakes as desired.

Source: Annies Eats

Guinness Batter Onion Rings

2011-03-16T03:00:00.003-04:00

Part 2 of 3...oh yeah baby, Guinness battered onion rings! These things are delicious! If you have a mini deep fryer it makes things so much easier, if you don't , no big deal, just use a large skillet. The nice stout taste of the guinness makes these onion rings very memorable.

Ingredients:
4 cups vegetable oil, for frying

2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 (12-ounce) bottle Guinness, at room temperature
1 large sweet/yellow onion, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch thick rings

Directions:
1. In a deep stockpot or deep-fryer, preheat oil to 360 degrees F. 
2.  Place 1/2 cup of the flour and the cayenne pepper in a resealable plastic bag and set aside.  In a medium mixing bowl, combine the remaining flour, the baking powder, cornstarch, salt, and white pepper. Whisk in Guinness until smooth. 
3. Slice onion into rings. Place the onion rings in the bag containing the flour mixture and toss to coat well. Working in batches, transfer the floured onion rings to the beer batter, making sure that each ring is thoroughly coated with the batter. Remove the rings from the batter and allow excess batter to drip off from the onion rings and immediately place in the preheated oil.
4. Fry, in batches, until golden brown, turning rings as needed, about 2 to 3 minutes per batch. Remove the onion rings, place on a paper towel-lined plate, and season with salt. Repeat with remaining onion rings. Serve hot.

So you are wondering to yourself, "what is the last recipe?" Well...we don't call it Sarah's Sweet Creations for nothing :)

Source: Emeril Lagasse of the food network

Irish Grilled Cheese

2011-03-15T03:00:00.001-04:00

Today is day 1 of an all-things-Irish food trilogy. I discovered this delicious recipe last year when I hosted a St. Patrick's day party, they were a huge hit, and I mean huge. I still have a classmate who occasionally reminds me of their deliciousness (and requests a repeat performance of course). When you read the recipe, one glaring ingredient catches your eye...pickles! You are just going to have to take a leap of faith here and trust me, I won't let you down!
The pickle along with the delicious flavor of the irish cheese are just out of this world delicious. The only thing I would change in the future is a substitution of regular bread for a good hearty Irish bread (unfortunately that is not easy to come by in WV, maybe next year).

Ingredients:
6 Tbsp, softened butter

 2 Tbsp. Parsley 

2 Tbsp. Scallions 

2 Tbsp. Chives

 8 Slices white bread 

8 slices of Irish cheddar cheese (whatever brand you prefer) 

8 Bread and butter pickles (sandwich slices)
Directions
Chop parsley, scallions, and chives, and add them to the 6 Tbsp. of butter. Spread the mixture on 4 slices white bread. Place bread, butter side down, on warmed skillet. Top each piece of bread with 2 slices of both Irish cheddar cheese and bread and butter pickles. Spread butter on 4 remaining bread slices and place (butter side up) on top of sandwiches. If desired (I normally omit), spread the remaining herb butter on the warm sandwiches. Slice into quarters, then press the cut sides in more chopped herbs (normally omit as well, no one likes parsley in their teeth!)

Now, stop by your local grocery store on your way home from work and grab a delicious Irish cheese, channel your inner leprechaun and enjoy!

Sneak peak for tomorrow....

Cook's Notes: I normally use Kerrygold Dubliner cheese and ask the deli to slice it for me. It is a huge time saver!

Source: foodnetwork

Eat. Live. Be. How to keep the motivation going

2011-03-14T03:00:00.007-04:00

This week ELB bloggers are talking about how they keep motivated as winter drags on and schedules fill up. I'm not going to lie, it has gotten progressively harder to stay motivated with my health goals, especially with all the stress of pharmacy school. What has been my solution? Well, healthier cooking (I know what you are thinking, and no I don't eat EVERYTHING I bake on this blog ;) I give a lot of it away). The second thing I have started doing is set up running dates. It is exponentially easier to stay motivated when you have a friend, her adorable baby, and an enthusiastic dog waiting for you! So, in a nut shell:

   - it is very hard to stay motivated, so think outside the box.
   Try something you haven't done yet this year
   - buddy systems are great in pretty much any situation,
   exercise is no exception
   - don't beat yourself up if you aren't right on schedule. Life
   happens, roll with the punches and just keep swimming!

Now, on a foodie note: I have two recipes for you today, a recipe from the America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook (as promised) and a repeat recipe to celebrate pi day, one of two holidays I will be celebrating on the blog this week (hint: the other one involves Guinness, Baileys, and 3 delicious recipes)

First for the healthy recipe:
I made fish this week for Justin and I and I tried mashed sweet potatoes for the first time. They were so delicious! I mixed them in my kitchen aid because I don't have a hand masher (on my wish list) and I think they turned out great!

Ingredients:
2 lbs. sweet potatoes peeled and sliced 1/2 inch thick
1/3 cup of water (I know it doesn't seem like a lot)
1 tsp minced fresh thyme
1 tsp sugar
salt and pepper
6 Tbsp half-and-half, warmed
1 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Directions:
1. Combine sweet potatoes, water, thyme, sugar, and 1/2 tsp salt in large saucepan. Cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes fall apart when poked with a fork and all the liquid has been absorbed, 25-30 minutes
2. Mash potatoes until just a few small lumps remain, think add half and half and the butter. Season with S&P to taste and serve!

Nutritional information: (per 2/3c)
calories - 170
fat - 3.5g
saturated fat - 2.5g
cholesterol - 10mg
carbs - 32g
protein - 3g
Fiber - 5g
sodium - 280mg

Source

And now on to pi day! Pi is a mathematical symbol equal to 3.14. When I was in high school, our Calculus teacher, Mrs. Grimes, would have a pi day celebration on the 14th of March. We would make t-shirts and have pi eating contests! It was sooo fun! Mrs. Grimes inspired my love of math and for that I thank her (especially every MWF when I am sitting in kinetics class). Anyway, I didn't realize until late last night that today was pi day, so I am inserting a picture of a pervious pie I have shared in the past. This pi is re-post worthy, trust me. So, just click on the picture to see the recipe for this cranberry apple pie

After reading this ridiculously long post, go refill your coffee and check out what my fellow ELB bloggers have going on

Sarah at Cucina Bella

Cate O’Malley at Sweet Nicks

Maris at In Good Taste

Chris at Mele Cotte

Faith at Bon Appetit

Kristen at Dine and Dish

Emily at The Anderson Crew

Jenne at stop drop and blog

Joanne at Eats Well With Others

Casey at The Starnes Family

Patsy at Friends, Family and Food

Tri-Fit Mom at Tri-Fit Mom

Claire at Cooking is Medicine

Allison at Sweet Flours

Jen at NJ Epicurean

Leslie at The Hungry Housewife

Jennifer at Lick-a-Plate

Rivki at Healthy Eating for Ordinary People

Jennifer Schulz at Lick-a-plate

Denise & Lenny at Chez Us

Oreo Cupcakes

2011-03-09T03:00:00.000-05:00

If you love Oreos, or even just like Oreos occasionally, this cupcake recipe hits the spot. The light whipped cream frosting compliments the cookie crunch of the cupcakes perfectly. Kids and adults alike will eat these up, so you may want to make a double batch!

Ingredients
2-1/2 cups white flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 cup butter, room temperature
1-1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
8 oreo cookies, chopped/crushed*

Frosting:
1 cup whipping cream
3 Tbsp powdered sugar
10 crushed oreo cookies

Directions
1. preheat oven to 325 and line cupcake tins
2. in a bowl sift flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda
3. Cream butter and sugar in electric mixer on medium fitted with paddle attachment until light and fluffy
4. Reduce mixing speed to low and add eggs one at a time, allowing each egg to fully incorporate into mixture
5. Gradually add the dry ingredients and the Oreos until batter is smooth
6. Fill cupcake linters 2/3 full and bake 20-25 minutes.
7. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack
8. To prepare the frosting simply add whipping cream and powdered sugar to electric mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Beat on medium high until fluffy.
9. Gently fold in oreos.
10. Dollop icing onto cupcakes and enjoy!

Baker's Notes
* Rather than fussing with trying to chop the Oreos with a knife, I put them in a zip lock bag and smashed them with my fists, letting out all my week's frustrations in the process :)

Source:

Mardi Gras and King Cake!

2011-03-08T03:00:00.001-05:00

Photo by Meg McCluskey

Happy Fat Tuesday! To celebrate this fun occasion, I am doing a tribute post to Mardi Gras and the delicious King cake tradition that is part of this joyous New Orleans celebration.
Every year my Friend Meg (also Chief photographer of Sarah's Sweet Creations) receives a king cake from Haydel's Bakery, sent by her parents. This year, I got to experience king cake for the first time...mmmmm. Thank you Meg's parents!
Apparently, each cake has a plastic baby inside. The person who cuts the slice with the baby is "king for a day" and is also in charge of hosting the next Mardi Gras party (or something along those lines).
There is so much history to Mardi Gras it is unbelievable! The parades, the beads, the Mardi Gras king, it just goes on and on. Today, I will help share a bit of that history by giving you a king cake recipe to try!

Ingredients

Pastry:
1 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
2/3 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Filling:
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2/3 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup melted butter

Frosting:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon water

Photo by Meg McCluskey

Directions

1. Scald milk, remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup of butter. Allow mixture to cool to room temperature. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in the warm water with 1 tablespoon of the white sugar. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.

2. When yeast mixture is bubbling, add the cooled milk mixture. Whisk in the eggs. Stir in the remaining white sugar, salt and nutmeg. Beat the flour into the milk/egg mixture 1 cup at a time. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 2 hours. When risen, punch down and divide dough in half.
4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease 2 cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
5. To Make Filling: Combine the brown sugar, ground cinnamon, chopped pecans, 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup raisins. Pour 1/2 cup melted butter over the cinnamon mixture and mix until crumbly.
6. Roll dough halves out into large rectangles (approximately 10x16 inches or so). Sprinkle the filling evenly over the dough and roll up each half tightly like a jelly roll, beginning at the wide side. Bring the ends of each roll together to form 2 oval shaped rings. Place each ring on a prepared cookie sheet. With scissors make cuts 1/3 of the way through the rings at 1 inch intervals. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
7. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Push the doll into the bottom of the cake. Frost while warm with the confectioners' sugar blended with 1 to 2 tablespoons of water.*

Baker’s Notes

*Frosting can either be divided and died the green, purple, and yellow colors of Mardi Gras, or you can purchase sprinkles to decorate your king cake.

Source: Allrecipes

Eat. Live. Be. Recommended Reading

2011-03-07T03:00:00.002-05:00

This week's ELB topic is recommended reading. We are charged with the task of sharing the resources we are using to help attain our goals. In the past, when I get into my health kicks, I turn to my trusty Barnes and Noble or Amazon and look for a healthy cookbook. My sophomore year it was "The Healthy College Cookbook." Last year it was "Cooking Healthy for Two (or just you). Both are great cookbooks; however, I always felt that the recipes, while healthy, were a bit lackluster. Yes, I want to be healthier. No, I do NOT want to eat what tastes like cardboard or Styrofoam. But when America's Test Kitchen came out with their own healthy cookbook, I knew that if any healthy cookbook was going to satisfy my need for health and flavor it would have to be this one. My feelings were confirmed when Annie did a review post and giveaway on her blog a few weeks back.

Unfortunately, this blog topic comes a week too early. As a previously mentioned, I have been swamped with school and have hardly had time to crack open my new addition to the collection. I will however share a few cool features of the cookbook that I am extremely excited about.

First, the cookbook has 800 recipes! Awesome! What's better is that a lot of the recipes have multiple variations to the original, which is a nice way to add variety to a "favorite."
Also, important to any healthy cookbook, the nutrition facts are listed for each recipe and some recipes "Makeover Spotlights"compare classic recipes and then the tested healthier version in ingredients, fat, calories, etc. so cool!
Finally, several of the recipes are marked with a symbol to denote that they can be made in 30 minutes or less. Healthy and quick cooking. what more could you ask for!

I plan to do a follow up post with a few of my favorite recipes from the book, so stay tuned!

Sundried Tomato and Parmesan Bread

2011-03-04T09:11:00.002-05:00

This week has been hectic to say the least. Not much cooking or baking has gone on in the Rogers household this week; however, I plan to remedy that this weekend...stay tuned :)
I have received several comments on my homemade bread recipe over the past couple weeks so I thought I would share a delicious variation of that recipe. It is only two extra steps and the results are AMAZING!!!

Ingredients:
1 grapefruit size ball of dough from original bread recipe
1 jar of sun-dried tomatoes
1/2-3/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese
olive oil for brushing

Directions:
1.Allow the dough to sit for 10-20 minutes so that it is easier to work with.

2. Roll the dough into a rectangle and brush lightly with olive oil
3. Drain oil for tomatoes and coarsely chop

4. spread tomatoes over rolled out bread dough and cover with grated parmesan
5. Roll dough lengthwise into a log
6. Preheat oven to 450.
7. allow dough to rise for 30 -40 minutes covered with a tea towel

8. Cut slashes diagonally in the top of the bread
9. Bake for 25-30 minutes (my oven is hot so I normally bake it for 20 to 25)
10. Receive mucho saludos!

Source:

Spinach and Bacon Quiche with Swiss Cheese

2011-03-01T08:10:00.001-05:00

Before I share with you this delicious quiche recipe, I want to give a special thanks everyone who donated to the WVU Children's Hospital Dance Marathon. Your support is so greatly appreciated! My team, WVU School of Pharmacy, was able to raise 820 dollars for the Children's Hospital! Woot woot! We couldn't have done it without all :)

Now back, to this delicious looking quiche. Last week our Church small group decided to make brinner - breakfast for dinner! Brinner is the perfect excuse to fuss over your favorite breakfast dishes that you normally don't have time for during your busy morning routine. I mean whoever invented this idea is GENIUS!
My contribute to our small group brinner was a quiche. I love making quiche's because it is simple, delicious, and you can make sooooo many different variations depending on what is in your pantry or crisper drawer. Last week I had some left over spinach and bacon, hence the spinach and bacon quiche!

Ingredients:
6 large eggs beaten
1-1/2 cup heavy cream
2 cups fresh baby spinach (you can chop if desired, but I just took the stems off)
1/2 - 1lb bacon, cooked and crumbled
1-1/2 cups shredded swiss cheese
1 pie crust

directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375. Fit pie crust to pie plate or tart pan
2. layer crust with spinach, bacon, and cheese.
3. In a food processor or blender, mix eggs and cream
4. Pour egg mixture into pie crust, covering filling
5. Place in oven for 35 minutes until nice a golden brown on top. The quiche will be quite inflated, but will reduce in size once it cools slightly.
6. Serve warm

Source: Food Network

Eat. Live. Be. Lets Talk Portions

2011-02-28T09:14:00.004-05:00

One very important aspect of living a healthy life is portion control. This task is compounded when the waiter or waitress at your favorite restaurant brings you a huge plate of which three people could partake and all would easily get full! Here are a few tricks I use to keep from eating 7 servings of grains in one sitting (not to say I don't still do that on occasion, just that I am now aware!)

1. If eating out, ask your server to box half of your dinner to go BEFORE he/she serves the meal. This way you will only eat half of the portion that is given to you right off the bat. I guarantee, unless you ordered a light fish, this will still fill you up and you have lunch for tomorrow!
2. I live to cook with portion sized dishes. I have shared with you the Le Creuset mini cocottes on my four cheese macaroni post cooking or baking in small dishes forces my husband and I to eat only what is in the dish. Another great perk is no leftovers!
3. When I am eating salad, I always dip the salad into the dressing. You will be shocked how much less dressing you need rather than dousing your salad with dressing.
4. Finally, here is a list that puts things into proportion. If you ever find yourself wondering how much of something you should eat, just look at your hand!

   - your two hands cupped together = one health portion of veggies
   - your fits = one healthy portion of fruits and grains
   - your hand cupped = one to two ounces of snack food such as pretzels or nuts
   - your palm = 3 ounces of poultry, meat, or fish
   - your entire thumb = one ounce of meat or cheese
   - your thumb tip = a typical serving size for salad dressing
   - your finger tip = a tsp. the amount of sweetener to add to tea or cream to add to coffee
So, next time you are out to eat, or fixing dinner, just let your hand be your guide to making smart portion choices!

Now, hope on over to some of my fellow ELB blogger's sites to see what they have to say about portions

Sarah at Cucina Bella

Cate O’Malley at Sweet Nicks

Maris at In Good Taste

Chris at Mele Cotte

Faith at Bon Appetit

Kristen at Dine and Dish

Emily at The Anderson Crew

Jenne at stop drop and blog

Joanne at Eats Well With Others

Casey at The Starnes Family

Patsy at Friends, Family and Food

Tri-Fit Mom at Tri-Fit Mom

Claire at Cooking is Medicine

Allison at Sweet Flours

Jen at NJ Epicurean

Leslie at The Hungry Housewife

Jennifer at Lick-a-Plate

Rivki at Healthy Eating for Ordinary People

Jennifer Schulz at Lick-a-plate

Denise & Lenny at Chez Us

Source: WeightWatchers

West Virginia University Children's Hospital

2011-02-23T03:00:00.004-05:00

Today's blog is not food related, but before you navigate away to another of your favorite food blogs, please consider giving 2 minutes of your time.
I am participating in a dance marathon this weekend. It is very similar to relay for life, except you dance all night instead of walking. It gives everyone an opportunity to show off their mad dance moves, of which I have none :)
All proceeds go directly to WVU Children's hospital. I have personally worked at and been affected by the children's hospital. It is an amazing organization that saves and touches countless lives every single year. They need your help to keep making miracles happen. So if you have a few bucks to spare, please consider clicking HERE and donating. Every dollar matters. Every dollar helps to make another child's future just a little bit brighter and their dreams a bit more attainable. The event is this Saturday, so that gives you 3 days to help changes the lives of numerous children :)
You can also go to this link and look for dance marathons in your area! What fun, right?

And since we are talking about children....I just had to show you a picture of my adorable nephews! They are turning one next month!

Levi on the left and Simon on the right

They are just the cutest!

Southern Fried Chicken

2011-02-22T03:00:00.002-05:00

Several months ago, a reader asked if I had a good recipe for Southern Fried Chicken. Believe it or not, I did not! However, I felt it was the perfect opportunity to come up with my own southern fried chicken recipe. Unfortunately, I could not find KFC's secret blend of spices, but I think this chicken comes close. I have a mini deep fryer (thanks to the Balsan family!) which makes this recipe a breeze, but no worries, a frying pan will work just as well.

Before I share my recipe, first lets go over a few tips on making fried chicken:
1. Regardless of what recipe you use, place the chicken pieces in buttermilk overnight, this will hep make them nice and juicy

2. Never use a fork when transferring the chicken, use tongs. This will prevent juices from needlessly escaping the chicken during cooking and keep it from drying out

3. Always always use peanut oil for frying, it makes the chicken taste better and has a higher smoking
temperature (no need for the smoke detector to go off half way through your frying)
4. Finally, if you have a mini deep fryer definitely use it, but reduce the cook time by half

Ingredients

2 cups of buttermilk (or enough to cover and marinade the chicken)

1 large egg
½ cup milk (2%, skim, whatever works
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning (I actually used Lawry's, but you can use whatever you like)
2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 Tbsp garlic salt
2 teaspoon paprika
2 ½ lbs chicken pieces
Peanut oil

Directions

Let chicken marinade overnight in buttermilk. Remove the pieces of chicken and place on a paper towel (do not pat dry). Blend the egg with the milk. Mix the dry ingredients together and dip the chicken in this mixture, then the egg and milk mixture. Dip the chicken in the dry mixture once more. Fry at 325 degrees for 13-15 minutes on each side or until golden brown.

Eat. Live. Be. Favorite Grab-n-Go Snack

2011-02-21T03:00:00.001-05:00

This week's ELB topic is "favorite Grab-n-go Snack" I have quite a few of these, but first:

Days exercised this week: big fat zero
Weight change: down 2lbs from last week (I attribute that to stress, massive amounts of caffine, and sleep deprivation)

Needless to say it has been an awful week. Week one of the two worst weeks of the semester (boo!) So please forgive me if the blog is lacking this week! Any who, hopping off the soap box now and back to healthy snacks.
My number one favorite healthy grab and go snack is this:

This cheese is only 35 calories per individual wedge and they are delicious on carrots or reduced fat wheat things or triscuits. I take this snack to school once or twice a week and it always helps me get through the day without grabbing a fatty candy bar or premade mini pizza from the school cafeteria.
Another of my favorite snacks is the Nabisco's yogurt covered pretzels

They are so ridiculously addictive! Again, they have protein and carbs which makes you feel fuller, longer and they are such tasty morsels.

I'm not going to lie. I really don't have a good grab and go recipe for you this week. I mean, granola bars are probably the best I can think of; however, I had A) no time to make granola bars and B) no cognitive function left after this week to take sweet pics and write a blog post. However, it is absolutely on my to do list (along with some gluten free snacks). So stay tuned in the coming weeks and ELB posts for some quick and tasty treats!

Now it's your turn. What are your favorite snacks? What about for road trips? How do you keep from eating McDonalds every 200 miles on a road trip?

As always, check out these lovely blogs for other great healthy snack ideas!

Sarah at Cucina Bella

Cate O’Malley at Sweet Nicks

Maris at In Good Taste

Chris at Mele Cotte

Faith at Bon Appetit

Kristen at Dine and Dish

Emily at The Anderson Crew

Jenne at stop drop and blog

Joanne at Eats Well With Others

Casey at The Starnes Family

Patsy at Friends, Family and Food

Tri-Fit Mom at Tri-Fit Mom

Claire at Cooking is Medicine

Allison at Sweet Flours

Jen at NJ Epicurean

Leslie at The Hungry Housewife

Jennifer at Lick-a-Plate

Rivki at Healthy Eating for Ordinary People

Jennifer Schulz at Lick-a-plate

Denise & Lenny at Chez Us

Irish Cream Dark Chocolate Mousse

2011-02-17T03:00:00.001-05:00

Photo by Meg McCluskey

Ever since Justin and I got back from Ireland, we have loved all things Irish just a little more than we use to. Irish beer, Irish whiskey, Irish breakfast, Irish bread. You name, we love it :) I'm even wearing green as a write this post! :)
Anyway, I stumbled upon this recipe for Irish cream chocolate mousse and I knew it was destiny because for Christmas, I got these adorable mini truffle dessert cups. So obviously, it goes without saying that I just HAD to make this yummy dessert. I really had no choice in the matter ;)
So, remember how I mentioned that I am horrible about always being one ingredient short? And my husband always has to run out and get me something to complete dinner or dessert? Well, this recipe was no different. I forgot the whipping cream, which is kind of a big deal when you are making a mousse. So Justin ran out to the store, but they were out of whipping cream. All they had was half-and-half. So, I thought to myself, ok I can do this. I can make whipped cream out of half-and-half. I'm sure someone has done it before. So, I go to google and low and behold and wealth of knowledge about making whipped cream from half-and-half. The best advice I got was to get the milk as col as possible and then whip it on super high speed. So. that is exactly what I did! I got nothing. I mean, I got sweet foamy milk, but it was far from whipped cream. So, I succumb to that evil little voice that said "just use store bought whipped cream!" I know what you're thinking. Your eye brows are raised and you are reading this post with great skepticism. But ya know what. It tasted sooo good that I can confidently admit my whipped cream defeat and still share with you a delicious recipe ;)

Ingredients
4 oz dark chocolate, chopped (or chips)
3 eggs separated
1 Tbsp Irish Cream Liqueur
1 cup of whipped cream

Directions
Melt chocolate in a sauce pan over low heat (or in a microwave using 10 second increments). Allow to cool slightly. In a bowl, beat the egg yolks and stir in the melted chocolate and Irish Cream. Fold in 1/2 cup of the whipped cream.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, whip the egg whites until stiff. Fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Pour the mousse into serving glasses and garnish with remaining whipped cream.

Source: Allrecipes

If you want to make your own whipped cream you can follow this recipe:
In the bowl on an electric mixture fitted with a whisk attachment, beat 1 cup of whipping cream until stiff peaks are about to form. Add in 1 tsp. of vanilla extract and 1 Tbsp. confectioners sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form. Do Not over beat!

Soup-A-Palooza

2011-02-16T03:00:00.000-05:00

This week, Dine and Dish along with Tidymom are hosting an awesome blogging event called Soup-A-Palooza. Bloggers all across the web are sharing their favorite soups, chilis, and chowders, how cool is that? This event is sponsored by Bush’s Beans, Hip Hostess, Pillsbury and Westminster Crackers.
I have included a link to my Zuppa Toscana because it is one of my very favorite soups even when the weather is 58 degrees outside and I am jumping for joy at the first signs of spring! Just click on the photo to be redirected to the recipe.

So now you have the soup, but you need the bread too! No problemo. Click on the picture below to link to my easy peasy lemon squeasy homemade bread recipe :)

Do you want to join in on the fun? Come join Soup-a-Palooza at TidyMom and Dine and Dishsponsored by Bush’s Beans, Hip Hostess, Pillsbury and Westminster Crackers”

The sponsors have provided tons of awesome prizes and you can have a change to win by linking up. So hop on over to one of the links above and start sharing those yummy soup recipes!

Crab Ravioli with a Pesto Alfredo Sauce

2011-02-15T03:00:00.001-05:00

Photo by Meg McCluskey

Last year I attended a pharmacy conference in St. Louis with friends. While there, we ate at the Old Spaghetti Factory. I had the most delicious crab stuffed ravioli. Ever since that beautiful autumn day in October, I have been dying to make some of my own. I finally got around to it this month, and I have been kicking myself for not doing it sooner!
This was my first experience with homemade pasta, and let me tell you something: making your own pasta is not the labor intensive, unattainable task that it is sometimes thought to be. It probably took an extra 30 minutes to make it myself and next time I'm sure it will be faster since I know what I'm doing. The nice part is that you can make the ravioli and freeze it to cut down on the day of prep time. Long story short, you really need to try this recipe. You won't regret it one bit!

Ingredients for the pasta (Source: Annies Eats)
1½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surfaces
1½ cups semolina flour*
½ tsp. salt
4 large eggs
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. water, plus more as needed

Ingredients for Stuffing (Adapted from Food Network)
2 oz unsalted butter
2 cloves of garlic
2 Tbsp. chopped shallots
16 oz of cooked crab meat (I used snowcrab)
2 oz Cognac
2 oz ricotta
salt and pepper to taste
1 egg white slightly beaten

Ingredients for Pesto Alfredo Sauce (Source: epicurious)
1 cup of fresh basil leaves

1/2 cup pine nuts

2 cloves of garlic

1/3 cup olive oil

1 cup grated parmesan

1 cup of whipping cream

Directions:
Combine the flours and salt in a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, creating a well in the center. Crack the eggs into the well. Using a mixer or by hand, slowly mix, incorporating the flour into the egg mixture a little bit at a time.

Once you have a dry, shaggy dough, mix in the olive oil and water and knead by hand until the dough is fairly smooth and homogenous. Divide the dough into four portions and cover with a damp towel. Let rest for 20 minutes (you can prepare your stuffing during this 20 minutes). At this point, proceed with thinning and cutting as desired, depending on equipment available. I used a hand crank pasta roller. Set roller on the next to thinnest setting, flattened each ball of dough just enough to run it through the roller (keep all dough covered with a moist towel when not working with it directly). Run the dough through the roller twice, folding it in thirds lengthwise between each thinning. Then change the roller to its thinnest setting and run the dough through once more.

Photo by Meg McCluskey
While the dough is resting, prepare your stuffing. In a large saute pan, add the butter and melt. Add the garlic and shallots and saute until golden brown. Add crab, and chives and saute 2 to 3 minutes. Add Cognac and reduce for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and cool for 30 minutes. Add the ricotta and mix well. To assembly the ravioli, lay one sheet of dough on your lightly floured work surface, using a teaspoon, add dollops of the filling to the sheet based on the size of the ravioli you want.

Photo by Meg McCluskey
Next, place another sheet of pasta dough on top of the filling and stretch it gently to each corner of the underlying sheet and press to seal. Then, using a pastry wheel, cut around your mounds of filling being sure that each ravioli is sealed.

Cook the noodles in a large pot of boiling water for 3-5 minutes. Drain well coat with sauce (see below) and serve immediately.

To make the sauce, in a food processor add basil, pine nuts, and garlic and process until finely chopped. Add the olive oil and process until smooth. Mix in ½ of the parmesan (you can put pesto in a jar and store for 2-3 days at this point). In a saucepan, add whipping cream and bring to a boil, stirring to avoid scalding. Add in pesto preparation and whisk to combine. Add remaining ½ cup of parmesan and coat pasta immediately.

Cook's Notes:
* If you don't have semonlina flour you can use all purpose; however, I really advise against it. The semonlina flour makes the pasta more, well, "pasta like" and less bread like. It also gives it a smoother texture and is easier to work with by far!
** You can also shape the ravioli using a ravioli cutter as shown below.

Eat. Live. Be. Ask the Experts

2011-02-14T03:00:00.001-05:00

This week for ELB, we are asking the experts about all things healthy. I have been thinking about this post for several weeks, and I am very excited to share with you today.
As many of you know, Jack Lalanne, the godfather of fitness, passed away January 23, 2011. The Friday before he past away I was very privileged to complete an email interview with him. I was stunned when I heard the news of his death on Monday morning and I feel a sense of responsibility to share some of his final pieces of advice for all of you.

1. You’re often called the godfather of fitness, a status that speaks volumes about your motivation and discipline. What’s your secret for remaining so dedicated to fitness and staying in shape?

Answer: I work at it every day and put excuses not to out of my mind. Ever since I was 15 and discovered the path to good health I began training my body through exercise and proper nutrition. I gave up the things I knew were bad for me and concentrated on the ones that were good. I discovered the more I worked out the better I felt and I loved that feeling. That is why I’m in my 96^th year going for 100 with all my might. Remember, exercise is King, nutrition is Queen, put them

together and you have a kingdom.

2. How important is strength training to a healthy lifestyle? What advice can you give to men and women who are new to strength training?

Answer: There are many ways to build muscle in the gym. Some people lift for pure strength, while others lift for stamina and muscle tone. I believe you need to work all 640 muscles in your body so my regimen consists of working everything. I workout everyday, and every other day I tradeoff with upper body then lower body work. I am also a big fan of water exercises so I spend at least ½ hour in the pool everyday.

3. What steps do you take to help prevent injuries during exercise?

Answer: Make haste slowly especially if you are new to the gym. Weights can be your friend and give you a fine sculptured body, but they can also be your enemy if not used properly. If you are new to this get a pro to train you or take a class where you can learn proper technique. Also remember to check with your doctor if you are starting a new exercise program especially if you are working through an injury or have other physical problems.

4. I started using your juicer when my parents bought one when I was in high school. It’s a great way to give your body the nutrients it needs. Why are fruits and veggies so important to one’s diet and how can juicing help people ensure they get enough of them?

Answer: Your body is a human machine, if you put good things in, good things will happen. Would you take a high performance automobile and put water in the gas tank? Of course not, the car would

sputter and the motor would die. Would you get your dog up in the morning and give him a cigarette, a donut and a cup of coffee? Heck no, you’d kill the dog! That is why fresh juice is so important to the body. It has the natural nutrients needed to replenish the ones burned during a workout. A soft drink can’t accomplish that, and many of these new so-called caffeinated energy drinks cannot either. By juicing and drinking the fresh squeezed juice immediately after its created, you are benefiting from the freshest and fastest way to get the best nutrients into your body to supplement that workout or just get the day started.

5. What advice or motivation can you offer to those revolution warriors who are trying to make 2011 the year they reach their health goals?

Answer: Stick to your goals and above all exercise and eat right. Anything

is better than nothing. If you can’t pull yourself away from that TV, sit in your chair and stand up

10 times. Grab a towel, stretch it with your arms and pull it back and forth and up and down. Your

still watching that TV but your getting something out of it. Don’t be sedentary! Do something,

and do it consistently. Remember, Anything In Life Is Possible, If You Make It Happen!!

Shortly after Jack's death, his family emailed me and said if I wanted to do something to remember Jack, just exercise an extra hour. It would make him very happy and it is what he wanted for everyone. So, I encourage all of you reading to do just that in member of such a great man.

Since it is valentine's day, I thought I would share a few pictures of some valentine's day orders I worked on over the weekend! I hope you enjoy and have a great valentine's day.

Sweet Heart Sugar Cookies! I just love these things :)
I used the same cookie and frosting recipe as the super bowl cookies

I made these for my husband's coworkers. Very geeky, I know, but seriously they are so funny!

Pepper loves valentine's day too!
Actually, its really the streamers that he is all about.

I posted this recipe Friday night. Turns out a lot of people found them delicious and wanted to share with their sweetie

Photo by Meg McCluskey
This box of "chocolates" is actually a box of mini decorated cupcakes. I got the idea from "Hello Cupcake."
The fortune cookie in the middle is a personal touch for the recipient :)

Strawberry Bliss Cupcakes

2011-02-11T03:00:00.000-05:00

Creative photograph by Meg McCluskey

When Meg took this picture it was a cold bitter day that was preceded by a glimpse of spring, hence the inspiration of the picture :) I just love it!
I think these cupcakes are a great way to start the weekend. They are the perfect indulgent. I found this recipe on Annie's Eats a few weeks ago and have been waiting for an excuse to make them. Girls night with my best friend Char was the perfect excuse!
Before Char and I decided to be doctors and pharmacists, we use to get together ever Tuesday a cook dinner together. I loved to cook and Char loved to experiment with me, it was the perfect combination. So it was great to get together again and reminisce about when we use to have lives..haha
On a side note, I had a cupcake for breakfast the morning after we made them and they tasted so much better than when they were first baked! Just and FYI ;)

Ingredients for the cupcakes:
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup cake flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2¼ cups sugar
1½ tsp. vanilla extract
3 large eggs plus 1 large egg white
1 cup milk
2½ cups finely chopped fresh strawberries*

1M Wilton Tip

Ingredients for the frosting:
1½ cups fresh strawberries (8 oz.), rinsed, hulled and coarsely chopped*
4 large egg whites
1¼ cups sugar
3 sticks (1½ cups) unsalted butter, at room temperature

Directions:
To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners. In a medium bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder and salt; whisk to blend.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter, sugar and vanilla. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs and egg white one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Reduce the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in two additions alternating with the milk. Gently fold in the chopped strawberries with a spatula.
Fill each paper liner about ¾-full. Bake until light golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25-28 minutes (20 minutes for my oven), rotating the pans halfway through baking. Allow to cool in the pans a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting, place the strawberries in a food processor or blender. Puree until completely smooth. Combine the egg whites and sugar 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 and the bowl is cool to touch (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. You may have to stop and scrap down the bowl occasionally. If the frosting looks soupy or curdled, continue to beat on medium-high speed until thick and smooth again, about 3-5 minutes more. I promise, you will freak up, but I also promise it will come together.
Blend in the strawberry puree until smooth and completely incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a decorative tip with the frosting. (I used a a 1M tip for the crazy ribbons, 2D for the swirl and flower) Frost cooled cupcakes as desired, and garnish with fresh berries or berry slices if desired.

Source: Martha Stewart's Cupcakes per Annie's Eats

Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes

2011-02-10T03:00:00.000-05:00

After yesterday's post, you are probably thinking to yourself, "Man, I really need a great dessert to go with my Coq au Vin for dinner tonight, but I don't have a ton of time to spend on it." Whatever shall you do?!?! Well that's easy. You should make molten chocolate lava cakes! Yes you heard me. This special little treats that just make your happy meter go up a few notches just thinking about are so quick and simple that you can make them WHILE you are preparing the Coq au Vin, pop them in the oven as soon as dinner is served, and once dinner is done you will have hot, luscious, melt on your plate not in your hand, personalized lava cakes.
Now, I must tell you. There are two ways to make these cakes. The easy way and the more delicious way. I am going to share with you the easy way first because I understand not everybody just LVOES spending tons of time in the kitchen; however, I if you want to try out the more delicious way just read the baker's note at the bottom of this post ;)

Ingredients
4 oz Ghirardelli 60% Cacao chocolate chips
1/2 cup unsalted butter cut into pieces
2 large whole eggs
2 large egg yolks
1/3 cup granulated white sugar
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup cake flour

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400. Prepare ramekins by spraying them with pam. Set aside
2. Bring a small pot of water to boil. Place chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and put it over the boiling water to melt. Stir continuously to prevent scorching. You can also do this step in the microwave, just melt the chocolate at 20 second increments and stir in between to prevent burning the chocolate.
3. In a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combined whole eggs, egg yolks, vanilla, and sugar whisking together for 5 minutes on medium-high speed.
4. Reduce speed and fold chocolate mixture and flour into the bowl just until combined.
5. Distribute batter evenly among ramekins. Place in the oven for 10-12 minutes. The centers will still be gooey.*

Baker's Note:
* I recommend you do a test cake first to make sure you have the timing right for the lava deliciousness
** If you want to add an extra step and guarantee a nice rich center follow the directions below:
Before you begin mixing the cake batter place 2 oz of the Ghirardelli 60% cacao and 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream in a heatproof bowl. Place over a simmer pot of water and stir until melted. (I do not recommend you do this step in the microwave as the milk can quickly scorch and ruin the mixture). Once the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is combined, place in refrigerator for 15 minutes or until hardened.
Now, after you have prepared the cake mixture and have distributed the mixture between the ramekins, take the ganache mixture out of the refrigerator and form it into 6 small balls. Place on ball in the center of each ramekin. Bake for 10-12 minutes and enjoy!

Source:

Coq au Vin

2011-02-09T03:00:00.002-05:00

This Christmas my parents bought me Julia Child's cookbook, "Mastering the Art of French Cooking." I LOVE IT! So many delicious ingredients, and recipes. I simply cannot stop reading it! While Justin and I were in London, we went to a cozy little restaurant and I ordered Coq au Vin. It was amazing. No, wait. It was beyond amazing, it makes my mouth water justing thinking about it while I write this post. Needless to say, as soon as we got home I whipped out my cookbook, looked up the recipe and headed out to the grocery store.
The recipe turned out to be absolutely delicious. I was rather nervous in the beginning, mainly because you have to catch a pan of grease, cognac, and chicken on fire, but that actually went surprisingly well! I still to this date have not burned the house down ;) Unfortunately, I have no picture of the beautiful flaming pan because the hubby was more concerned with escape routes and smothering tactics to worry about snapping an awesome photo. Men!
I hope you will all venture out of your comfort zone as I did and make this dish because it is absolutely breath taking. My biggest caution is to buy a good brand of burgundy. It will make ALL the difference!

Ingredients:
3-4oz bacon cut into pieces
4 Tbsp butter + 3 Tbsp for sauteing onions and mushrooms
3 lbs cut up chicken (boneless, skinless)
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 cup cognac
3 cups of burgundy*
1-2 cups chicken broth
1/2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 cloves garlic mashed
1/4 tsp thyme
1 bay leaf
12-24 pearl onions
1/2 lb sauteed mushrooms
3 Tbsp flour

Directions
1. Simmer bacon pieces in small pot of water. Rinse in cold water and pat dry.
2. Saute the bacon slowly in 2 Tbsp of the hot butter in a medium-sized pot or casserole dish until it is very lightly browned. Set aside
3. Dry chicken and brown it in the hot fat from the pot.
4. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. return the bacon to the pot. Cover and cook slowly for 10 minutes, turning the chicken once.
5. Uncover, and pour in cognac. Averting your face (and crossing your fingers!) ignite the cognac with a lighted match. Shake the pot back and forth for several seconds until the flames subside. I promise they WILL subside although it may not seem like it at first.
6. Pour wine into pot. Add just enough chicken broth to cover the chicken. Stir in the tomato paste, garlic, and herbs. Bring to a simme and cover. Allow to simmer for 25-30 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside.
7. While the chicken is cooking prepare onions by adding 1-1/2 Tbsp butter and 1-1/2 Tbsp oil to a skillet. Heat the butter and oiling until bubbling. Add the onions and saute over moderate heat for about 10 minutes. Then place them in a small baking dish lined with foil and put them in oven preheated to 350 for 45 minutes.
8. Next Saute the mushrooms by adding 1-1/2 Tbsp butter and 1-1/2 Tbsp oil to the same skillet. Add mushrooms and saute several minutes.
9. After you have removed the chicken from pot, skim off as much fat as possible. Then raise heat and boil rapidly reducing the liquid to about 2 cups.
10. Blend the remaining 2 Tbsp of butter with flour until a smooth paste is formed. Beat the paste into the hot liquid with a whisk, stirring for a minute or two. The sauce should be thick enough to coat a spoon lightly.
10. Arrange chicken on a serving dish (or individual plates). smother with mushrooms and onions and baste with sauce.

This dish is excellent with garlic mashed potatoes, which is convenient because I just so happen to be addicted to mashed potatoes and look for any excuse I can to make them :)

Cook's Note:
You can also use Beaujolais, Cotes du Rhone, or Chianti

Source:

Eat. Live. Be

2011-02-08T03:00:00.006-05:00

Recipe: Fattoush

This week's ELB topic is "Rut Rescue 101." So everyone is sharing 3-5 tips on how to get out of a healthy-goal rut. I am going to share my tips, but first I must make a confession. Ruts are what KEEP me from my health goals. So please do not take this as the be all end all of rut advice.

Ok here is my weekly ELB progress report:
Days Exercise: 1
Cardio: 1
Strength: 1
Weight Change: - 1.0lbs

"How to get out of a Rut" by Sarah

1. Go swimming: Yes, I know it is February; however, swimming (even during the cold months) is a very different type of exercise that many people also discount. I also find it to be very peaceful in relaxing. No ipods in the pools, and no workout videos either. Its just you, the water, and your thoughts. How awesome! So, anytime I am in a workout rut and having trouble getting motivated to exercise, I go swimming. I feel completely refreshed afterwards and re-energized to finish out (or start) the week strong.

2. Make a workout date: As you can see here there is a theme. My ruts consist of "no exericse ruts." So, another thing I do is make an exercise date. These workouts aren't so much about maximal caloric reduction, but more about spending time with a friend and catching up. That way, not only are you still getting a good workout, but you get social benefit as well. Who doesn't love girl time at the gym. It's a great multi-tasking tip for everyone's busy schedule. Plus it's way healthier than girl time at Starbucks, Coldstone, or the local martini bar (ok, the martini bar is still a good option, just workout before hand ;)

3. Try a new healthy recipe: This one is a given right? I mean it's a blog about cooking and baking, how could I NOT include this tip? Seriously though, I often get in a rut of eating a healthy breakfast, a well balance dinner, but a horrible lunch. And when I say horrible, I mean HORRIBLE. Like McDonald's on the way home from class horrible. Gross! So, I fix that by coming up with new salads to make. All vegetarian salads, chicken salads, or new ethnic salads like the one below! (great lead in don't you think?)

Anyway, this is a salad that my friend Katie has been begging me to make for her. I tried it out this weekend and OH MY GOODNESS. I am in love. I'm pretty sure I could eat this salad all week long! This salad is my motivation to drive past McDonald's rather than through McDonalds. I hope you enjoy :) Don't forget to scroll to the bottom of the page for links to my partners in ELB

Ingredients
3 whole wheat pita pocket breads, cut into strips about 3/4 inch wide
4 cloves of garlic chopped or put through a garlic press1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice, about 2 large lemons (my husband doesn't like overpowering lemon taste so I used a scant 1/2 cup)
1 tsp. powdered Sumac
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 bag Romaine lettuce
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onion
2 diced tomatoes, drained
1 diced cucumber
1/2 - 3/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint leaves (I love mint so I used 3/4 cup)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley (again, my husband doesn't like overpowering parsley so I was conservative with my 1/2 cup)
optional ingredients: chopped green pepper or radishes (some recipes call for these, but I don't like either, use 1/2 cup for each if desired)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400. Cut pita into strips and place on bake sheet. Cook for 8-10 minutes (watch carefully as not to burn the pita)

2. Meanwhile, in a mortar and pestle (or bowl with a big spoon) add salt and garlic. Mash into paste

3. Next, juice lemons and add to garlic paste.

4. Add sumac and then whisk in olive oil and refrigerate.*

5. Dice tomatoes, cucumber, and chop mint and parsley. Add to romaine lettuce and toss well.

6. Once pita is toasted, break into pieces and add to salad.

7. If you are serving the salad now, add dressing, toss and let sit for 5 minutes; however, if you will be eating it throughout the week, just add dressing to individual servings.

Adapted from: Kalyn's Kitchen (a great blog for healthy low glycemic foods!)

Cook's Notes:
* If you have a jar with a lid, you can add all the ingredients for the dressing and then shake well. This is actually more convenient if you are going to use it multiple times rather than all in one sitting because you can shake the dressing before each use.
Dressing can be stored in refrigerator for one week.

Sarah at Cucina Bella

Cate O’Malley at Sweet Nicks

Maris at In Good Taste

Chris at Mele Cotte

Faith at Bon Appetit

Kristen at Dine and Dish

Emily at The Anderson Crew

Jenne at stop drop and blog

Joanne at Eats Well With Others

Casey at The Starnes Family

Patsy at Friends, Family and Food

Tri-Fit Mom at Tri-Fit Mom

Claire at Cooking is Medicine

Allison at Sweet Flours

Jen at NJ Epicurean

Leslie at The Hungry Housewife

Jennifer at Lick-a-Plate

Rivki at Healthy Eating for Ordinary People

Jennifer Schulz at Lick-a-plate

Denise & Lenny at Chez Us

Super Bowl Cookies

2011-02-07T03:00:00.083-05:00

And the winner is.....

Photo by Meg McCluskey

I know it is Eat. Live. Be. day; however, I am postponing that discussion until tomorrow en-light of the Super bowl 45 winners! This weekend I decided it was time to channel my inner cookie decorator and attempt to make super bowl cookies. The Green Bay cookies turned out much better than the Steelers cookies (SORRY steelers fans). I didn't realize that the blue, yellow, and red diamonds go all the way to the edge of the logo until I completed the last cookie. Oops! Otherwise, it wasn't too bad for my first attempt. Practice makes perfect, and I have plenty of practice to do, but I was excited to finally attempt the gorgeous cookies I see on Bake at 350 all the time. The cookie and royal icing recipes are both from her site and let me tell you, those cookies are AMAZING!!!! I am pretty sure, no I am certain that I will never use another sugar cookie recipe again. Not only do I love almond, but I love that I don't have to let the dough refrigerate for hours (or overnight) before I can bake them. Five minutes in the freezer and you are ready to go!

Photo by Meg McCluskey

Ingredients for Vanilla-Almond Sugar Cookies

3 c unbleached, all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 c sugar
2 sticks (salted) butter, cold
1 egg
3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp pure almond extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350.
Combine the flour and baking powder, set aside. Cream the sugar and butter. Add the egg and extracts and mix. Gradually add the flour mixture and beat just until combined, scraping down the bowl, especially the bottom.
The dough will be crumbly, so knead it together with your hands as you scoop it out of the bowl for rolling.
Roll onto a floured surface and cut into shapes. Place on parchment lined baking sheets, freeze the cut outs on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before baking and then bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool on cookie sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.

Ingredients for Royal Icing

4 TBSP meringue powder
scant 1/2 c. water
1 lb. powdered sugar
1/2 - 1 tsp light corn syrup
few drops clear extract (optional)

Directions

I wanted to add this picture to show you what a "scant cup" is

Combine the meringue powder and water. With the paddle attachment of an electric mixer, beat until combined and foamy.

ift in the powdered sugar and beat on low to combine. Bridget of Bake at 350 warned "Do NOT skip the sifting!" So I did not skip the sifting.

Add in the corn syrup and extract if desired.

Increase speed to med-high/high and beat for about 5 minutes, just until the icing is glossy and stiff peaks form.

Cover with plastic wrap touching the icing or divide and color using gel paste food colorings.

If you are going to be filling in the cookies or shapes you make within the cookies, you will need flood icing. To make flood icing add very small amounts of water to the current icing you have and mix with a spatula. Continue to add water until the frosting is running and makes ribbons when you lift the spatula. The ribbons should sink back into the icing by the count of one-one thousand, two. Does that make sense? I forgot to take a picture of the final consistency, so go here, to see one.

So to make the Steeler cookies I first outlines them with the gray

Then I filled in the outline with white flood icing

Photo by Meg McCluskey

Finally, I used black, yellow, red, and blue outline icing to finish the logo

For the Packer's cookies

I outlined the cookies in yellow. Then made the "G" with white outline icing and filled it in with white flood icing.

Photo by Meg McCluskey

Then I used green flood icing to fill in all around the "G" logo

It is definitely not "Bake at 350 worthy," but hopefully with some practice I will eventually get to that level. Special thanks to Bridget for inspiring my creation!

Recipe Source: Bake at 350

Chicken and Shrimp Risotto with Caramelized Onions

2011-02-04T03:00:00.002-05:00

This recipe was inspired by a similar recipe on one of my favorite blogs, Annies-Eats. I decided not to try her recipe exactly, since I can give it to you here, so I attempted a different recipe and decided to compare the two. It was fabulous! The three main differences between the recipes are as follows:

-Annie's recipe has less of a chicken flavor and more herb essence than this recipe simply because this recipe doesn't use the parsley and chives that her recipe calls for
-My recipe requires a very specific wine, which gives it a unique flavor. I enjoy experimenting with different wines and this one, Madeira, is an excellent wine to put in your cooking arsenal.
- Annie's recipe dilute the chicken broth with water, which would be better if you want to add shrimp or some other seafood to the risotto
- My recipe is the "old fashion" way of cooking risotto (slowly adding liquid in small portions) Annie's is a newer quicker way; however, their is still a time commitment to both due to the caramelized onions

The good news is that both are delicious so you won't go wrong regardless of which one you choose!

Ingredients
1⁄2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 sweet white onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup Madeira wine, at room temperature*
9 to 10 cups chicken stock
3 cups Arborio or Carnaroli rice
2 cups chopped cooked chicken (see Note)
2 Tbs. unsalted butter
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions

1. In a large, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, warm 1/4 cup of the olive oil. Add the onions and sauté until the onions turn golden brown, about 15 minutes. Add the Madeira and deglaze the pan, stirring to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom. Cook until the liquid is reduced by half.

2. Meanwhile, in a saucepan over medium heat, bring the stock to a gentle simmer and maintain over low heat. Add 1 cup of the simmering stock to the onion mixture and continue to cook over medium-high heat until the liquid has reduced and the mixture is quite thick, about 15 minutes more. Set aside.
3. While the onions simmer, in another large, heavy saucepan over medium heat, warm the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil. Add the rice and stir until each grain is well coated with oil and translucent with a white dot in the center, about 3 minutes.
4. Add the simmering stock a ladleful at a time, stirring frequently after each addition. Wait until the stock is almost completely absorbed (but the rice is never dry on top) before adding the next ladleful.
5. When the rice is tender to the bite but slightly firm in the center and looks creamy, after about 20 minutes, stir in the chicken. Cook to heat through, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter, caramelized onion mixture. Serve immediately

Adapted from: Williams-Sonoma

Cook's Notes:

* You can substitute Marsala wine if you don't have Madeira

** I also added shrimp to my dish. I liked the addition, but the chicken flavor somewhat overwhelmed the shrimp.

Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-02-03T03:00:00.005-05:00

So, I went on a cookie frenzy this weekend. I just wanted to make dozens of cookies with a lot of chocolate. My favorite of the weekend are these mint chocolate chip cookies. They are super easy to make as well. So, if you have unexpected guests or your kids come home from school saying they need two dozen cookies to take to class the next day, these are the cookies for you!

Ingredients
2/3 cups butter softened
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
1/2 cup dark chocolate cocoa*
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 bag (10oz) of Hershey's mint Chocolate Chips

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 and prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper
2. Cream butter and sugar for 2-3 minutes. Add egg and vanilla; beat well until combined
3. Sift together flour, baking soda, cocoa, and salt and slowly add to egg mixture.
4. Stir in mixed chocolate chips and drop spoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets
5. Bake for 8-9 minutes, remove from oven and allow to cool.

Baker's Notes:
* You can use regular cocoa if you want, I just think the dark chocolate is more compatible with the strong mint flavor

Super Bowl Shuffle Chili

2011-02-02T03:00:00.000-05:00

Well, my Chicago Bears didn't make it to the Super Bowl, sadly. However, the Steelers did! So, Justin and I are throwing a party (I am always looking for an excuse to cook and bake!) I will be making my delicious chili. I'm not going to lie, this chili has won contests, ok ok, it won 1 contest. Anyway, Justin loves it, my bff Char loves it, pretty much its a crowd pleaser :) I have named it the Super Bowl Shuffle Chili in honor of my Bears, who will someday go to the big game (hopefully without Cutler...seriously, the guy is a whiny little baby). Any who, I hope you try it and enjoy!

Ingredients
1 lb ground turkey
1 green pepper diced
2 stalks of celery chopped
1 medium onion diced
3 gloves of garlic, minced
2 cans of beans, drained (I normally use red beans but you can use whatever you like)
2 cans (12-14oz) diced tomatoes, drained
1 can (48oz) tomato juice
spices to taste: chili powder, parsely, basil (I normally do a 2:1:1 ratio of these three spices)
1 bag of chili cheese fritos
cheddar cheese and sour cream for topping

Directions
Brown turkey in pot. Add celery to turkey and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Next add green pepper and continue to cook for an additional 2 minutes. Add onions to pot and cook until translucent. Finally add garlic and stir constantly to prevent garlic from burning.

Add beans, diced tomatoes, and tomato juice. Stir until well combined. Add spcices and mix well.

Bring chili to a simmer, cover and allow to cook for 45-60 minutes or until consistency is right.
Place a handful (1/2 cup) of chili cheese fritos in the bottom of cheese chili bowl. Top with chili, sour cream and cheese as desired. Super bowl shuffle over to your TV and eat while cheering on your favorite football team! Da bears, da bears, da bears, da bears!

Note:
When I make this chili, I do everything on one pot so there is much less clean up!

Source: ME!

Paella

2011-02-01T03:00:00.002-05:00

So I decided to be adventurous this week and attempt a dish I have only eaten once! Actually, Justin pushed me to be adventurous by begging that I make paella for dinner this week. My only issue with making dishes that I am not super familiar with is that I have no bench mark to compare it to! Anyway, I sucked it up and headed to the kitchen. It actually was not that difficult to make and the only thing I would do differently is probably add less saffron next time. Justin loved it, but it was too saffrony for me. Next time I am going to try a paella seasoning from Spices Inc. Also, I highly recommend making the soccarat in step 6, it is what paella is known for!

Ingredients
1 lb large peeled deveined shrimp
8-9 cloves of garlic pressed through a garlic press or minced by hand
1 lb boneless, skinless thighs cut into bite sizes strips
1 red bell pepper seeded and cut into strips
8 oz spanish chorizo, cut 1/2 thick
1 medium onion chopped fine
2 cups arborio
3 cups of low sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/2 tsp. saffron threads crumbled
1 bay leaf
1 dozen mussels scrubbed and debearded
1/2 cup thawed peas
2 tsp chopped fresh parsley
1 lemon cut into wedges for serving

Directions
1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position; heat oven to 350 degrees. Toss shrimp, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1 tablespoon oil, and 1 teaspoon garlic in medium bowl; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper; set aside.
2. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until skin begins to blister and turn spotty black, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer peppers to small plate and set aside.
3. Add 1teaspoon oil to now-empty Dutch oven; heat oil until shimmering but not smoking. Add chicken pieces in single layer; cook, without moving pieces, until browned, about 3 minutes. Turn pieces and brown on second side, about 3 minutes longer; transfer chicken to medium bowl. Reduce heat to medium and add chorizo to pot; cook, stirring frequently, until deeply browned and fat begins to render, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer chorizo to bowl with chicken and set aside.
4. Add enough oil to fat in Dutch oven to equal 2 tablespoons; heat over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 3 minutes; stir in remaining garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes; cook until mixture begins to darken and thicken slightly, about 3 minutes. Stir in rice and cook until grains are well coated with tomato mixture, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in chicken broth, wine, saffron, bay, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Return chicken and chorizo to pot, increase heat to medium-high and bring to boil, uncovered, stirring occasionally. Cover pot and transfer to oven; cook until rice absorbs almost all liquid, about 15 minutes. Remove pot from oven (close oven door to retain heat). Uncover pot; scatter shrimp over rice, insert mussels hinged side down into rice (so they stand upright), arrange bell pepper strips in pinwheel pattern, and scatter peas over top. Cover and return to oven; cook until shrimp are opaque and mussels have opened, 10 to 12 minutes.
5. Optional: If soccarat (see note) is desired, set Dutch oven, uncovered, over medium-high heat about 5 minutes, rotating pot 180 degrees after about 2 minutes for even browning.
6. For soccarat (the yummy crusty pieces at the bottom of the pan) let pan sit, uncovered for 5 minutes, rotation 180 degrees every couple of minutes. 7. Let paella stand, covered, about 5 minutes. Discard any mussels that have not opened and bay leaf, if it can be easily removed. Sprinkle with parsley and serve, passing lemon wedges separately

Source: Cooks Illustrated

Eat. Live. Be. My Favorite Healthy Change

2011-01-31T03:00:00.004-05:00

Weight Change: gained 0.5 lbs

Days Exercised: 1

Cardio workouts: 1

strength workouts: 1

So, I didn't do so hot this week as far as exercise is concerned; however, I was very conscious of making healthy food choices, which leads into this weeks Eat. Live. Be. topics, "What is your favorite healthy change."

Other than the awesome "runner's high" I get when running, my favorite healthy change is breakfast! Normally, I would always eat a bowl of cereal for breakfast right before I left for school, but it always seemed that I was hungry again by 10am! So then, I would just eat junk from the Health Sciences cafe and my "healthy cherrios breakfast" was null and void.

So, I decided to start adding some protein and fruit to my breakfast in the form of greek yogurt with fruit and granola. I got on my greek yogurt kick while we were on vacation in London earlier this month. I actually had never given greek yogurt a thought before then, but I found myself just craving it every morning! What's better is that greek yogurt is healthier than regular yogurt in many regards.

Greek yogurt has less sugar, more protein, and more probiotics! Less sugar is obviously a good thing, the high protein content is going to make you feel fuller for longer, and probiotics help aid in digestion!

My personal favorite greek yogurt brands are chobani, both the vanilla and honey flavor, and Dannon-vanilla. So what better recipes to share than homemade greek yogurt and granola?

I haven't yet tried this recipe, but here is a link for making your own homemade greek yogurt! How cool is that? All of Lauren's recipes are delicious, and I am sure this one will be no different.

Granola Ingredients

3 cups rolled oats

1 cup slivered almonds

3/4 cup shredded sweet coconut

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp dark brown sugar

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp maple syrup

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup vegetable oil

3/4 tsp salt

1 cup dried cranberries

Directions

Preheat oven to 250. In a large bowl combine oats, nuts, coconut and brown sugar. In a separate bowl, combine maple syrup, honey, and salt. Add wet mixture to dry mixture and pour onto two baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to achieve an even color. Remove and transfer to a large bowl. Add dried cranberries and mix until evenly distributed. Enjoy!

Adapt from: Alton Brown

As always, check out my other partners in health!

Sarah at Cucina Bella

Cate O’Malley at Sweet Nicks

Maris at In Good Taste

Chris at Mele Cotte

Faith at Bon Appetit

Kristen at Dine and Dish

Emily at The Anderson Crew

Jenne at stop drop and blog

Joanne at Eats Well With Others

Casey at The Starnes Family

Patsy at Friends, Family and Food

Tri-Fit Mom at Tri-Fit Mom

Claire at Cooking is Medicine

Allison at Sweet Flours

Jen at NJ Epicurean

Leslie at The Hungry Housewife

Jennifer at Lick-a-Plate

Rivki at Healthy Eating for Ordinary People

Jennifer Schulz at Lick-a-plate

Denise & Lenny at Chez Us

Seafood Chowder

2011-01-28T03:00:00.002-05:00

Today is a short post because this recipe is a very simple and very quick recipe. What's more to say? It is the perfect one pot meal for a busy week night, not to mention that it is so delicious. I normally make my Red Lobster biscuits to go with the chowder.
I honestly always keep all the ingredients for this chowder in my pantry, just incase we happen to have unexpected dinner guest, its perfect. I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion diced
2 cloves garlic minced
1 can condensed cream of potato
1 can condensed cream of celery
1/2 cup of milk
1 tsp dried dill weed
1/2 lb shrimp
2 fish fillets (I normally use cod or halibut)

Directions:
1. In a pot heat olive oil over medium heat and add onions. Saute onions until translucent. Next add minced garlic and stir constantly as not to burn.
2. Mix cream of potato, cream of celery, and milk to the pot. Stir until evenly combined.
3. Add fish and shrimp (both should be at least partially thawed) to mixture and top with dill weed. Bring chowder to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and let simmer for 5 minutes.

Adapted from: Campbell's

Ginger Peach Muffins

2011-01-27T03:00:00.002-05:00

Over the Christmas holiday, I acquired several new cookbooks! One of which, was through a giveaway on Smith Bites. They were giving away several cookbooks and allowed the winners to pick which one they wanted. Of the four books, "Desserts for Today," "Perfect One Dish Dinners," "Good to the Grain," and "Gluten-free Girl and the Chef." Although I secretly wanted all of the cookbooks, "Good to the Grain" discusses a topic that I am not familiar with in the kitchen: cooking with multiple different types of grain. This cookbook has so many delicious recipes that incorporate grains that I didn't even know existed, like oat flour! These Ginger Peach Muffins immediately caught my eye, and I thought it would make for delicious breakfast muffins on a cold winter day when you are craving fresh fruity goodness!

Ingredients
Butter to grease the tins
2 Tbsp plus 1 Tsp grated fresh ginger (do not substitute ground ginger in this recipe)

For Peach Topping
1 large or 2 small peaches (ripe but still firm)
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 Tbsp honey

Dry Mix
1 cup oat flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp kosher salt

Wet mix
3 oz (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
3/4 cup whole milk (I just used the 2% I had on hand)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 egg
3 Tbsp finely chopped crystallized ginger

Directions
1. Place rack in the middle of oven and preheat to 350. Grease tins with butter
2. Grate the ginger into a large bowl.

3. For the topping, halve the peach, remove the pit, and slice the halves into 1/4 inch thick slices. Add the butter, honey and 1 teaspoon of grated ginger to a medium-size skillet over a medium flame to melt the mixture. Cook until the syrup beings to bubble, about 2 minutes. Add the peaches, toss the pan to coat them and set aside.
4. Sift dry ingredients into a large bowl. Pour any ingredients that don't sift into the bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the bowl with the grated ginger and whisk until thoroughly combined. Using a spatula, mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently combine.
5. Scoop the batter into 9 muffin cups, using a spoon or an ice cream scoop. The batter should be slightly mounded above the edge. Toss the pan of peaches to coat them with the pan of peaches to coat them with the pan juices. Lay one slice of peach over each of the muffins, tucking a second slice partway into the batter.

6. Bake for 24-28 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. The muffins are ready to come out when they smell nutty, their bottoms are golden in color (twist a muffin out of the pan to check*), and the edges of the peaches are caramelized. Take the tin out of the oven, twist each muffin out and place it on its side in the cup to cool. This ensures that the muffin stays crusty instead of getting soggy. **

Baker's notes:
* I had to actually take the muffins out of the oven and let them cool for a few minutes before they were firm enough for me to twist out and check the bottoms without crumbling.
** These muffins are best eaten the same they are made. They can also be kept in an airtight container for up to 2 days, or frozen and reheated.

Source:

Peanut Butter Toffee Cookies

2011-01-26T03:00:00.003-05:00

Kristen, from Dine and Dish, shared a delicious toffee cookie recipe a few weeks ago. As soon as my husband saw her blog post he said "ooo, you should make those!" So, I set out for the store in search of Health English Toffee Bits. When I got home, I noticed that the recipe on the back of the package was for peanut butter toffee cookies. Knowing my husband's love for all things peanut butter, I decided to try them out for our small group meeting this evening.
I decided to jazz them up a bit with some drizzle action. I drizzled some of the cookies with caramel and chocolate, some with just caramel, and I left just a few plain. They were a HUGE hit. Not only with my husband, but everyone at small group loved them. The next day Justin asked "Do you think you could make those again...today?" haha. Definitely a keeper!

Ingredients
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1-1/2 cup baked light brown sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 egg
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp bakng soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 bag health milk chocolate toffee bits

Optional
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup melting chocolate

Directions
1. Heat oven to 375
2. Beat shortening, peanut butter, brown sugar, milk and vanilla in large bowl until well blended. Add egg; beat just until blended. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture. Reserve 1/2 cup of toffee bits. Stir the remaining toffee bits into the batter.
3. Drop by heaping teaspoons about 2 inches apart onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. top each cookie with reserved toffee bits. Bake 7-8 minutes or until set. Cool 2 minutes.
4. While cookies are cooling add 1/4 cup butter to small sauce pan and melt. Then add brown sugar and whipping cream. Stir constantly until mixture comes to a boil. Immediately drizzle cookies. Finally, melt chocolate and drizzle over cookies as well. Allow drizzle to set.

Cherry Cheesecake for Joe!

2011-01-25T03:00:00.002-05:00

Photo by Meg McCluskey

Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Joe! This Saturday my friend's husband, Joe, celebrated his 35th birthday! Joe and Leann are very special people in our loves, and I was honored when Leann asked me to make his birthday cake!
Joe and Leann have been blessed with two beautiful children. Zach, and their most recent addition, Jaden. Jaden is an ultra premie, and his mommy has her own blog where she shares their journey. It has been a struggle for all involved, but everyday God gives them more blessings and Jaden gets bigger and stronger, and dare I say even cuter! Leann is an amazing writer, and she is great a capture the entire experience!
Anyway, so needless to say, Leann is a little busy to be spending the day in the kitchen making Joe's birthday cheesecake. Lucky for her, I bake every now and then ;)
When I asked Leann specifics about what Joe liked in a cheesecake, I discovered that he likes cherry flavor, but doesn't really like cherries. He "is fine" with whipped cream, but not store bought (no big deal, I never use store bought). So, I decided to make a new york style cheesecake with cherry syrup incorporated into the cheesecake. Not only will using the syrup capture that cherry flavor that he loves, but it will give me a great excuse to make pretty patterns on top of the cheesecake. Score!!!

Graham Cracker Crust
8 graham crackers (broken into rough pieces and processed in food processor until uniformly fine)
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
5 Tbsp unslated butter, melted, plus 1 Tbsp melted butter for greasing pan

Filling
2-1/2 lbs cream cheese, cut into small pieces and left to soften for 30 minutes
1/8 tsp salt
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar (10-1/2 oz)
1/3 cup sour cream (2-1/2 oz)
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp vanilla extract
2 large egg yolks
6 whole large eggs
1 can cherry topping

Instructions
1. For the crust: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Combine graham cracker crumbs and sugar in medium bowl; add 5 Tbsp melted butter and toss with fork until evenly moistened. Brush bottom and sides of 9 inch springform pan with most of remaining melted butter, making sure to leave enough to brush pan in step 3. Empty crumbs into spingform pan and press evenly into pan bottom.

bake until fragrant and beginning to brown around edges, about 13 minutes. Cool on wire rack while making filling.
2. For the cheesecake filling: increase oven temperature to 500 degrees. IN standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat cream cheese at medium-low speed to break up and soften slightly, about 1 minute. Scrape beater and bottom and sides of bowl well with rubber spatula; add salt and about half of sugar and beat at medium-low speed until combined about 1 minute. Scrape bowl; beat in remaining sugar until combined about 1 minute. Scrape bowl; add sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla, and beat at low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape bowl; add yolks and beat at medium-low speed until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute. Scrape bowl; add whole eggs two at a time, beating until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute, and scraping bowl between additions.

4. Seperate cherries from syrup. Add syrup to pipping bag fitted with a round tip (I used a 230).
3. Brush sides of springform pan with remaining melted butter. Set springform pan on rimmed baking sheet (to catch any spills if springform pan leaks). Pour 1/2 of filling into cooled crust. Pipe several straight lines across the cake.

Then place a toothpick perpendicular to the lines and run the toothpick through quickly. Repeat several times.

Fill the pan with the remainder of the filling and repeat the cherry piping and design. Bake 10 minutes; without opening oven door, reduce oven temperature to 200 degrees and continue to bake until instant-read themometer inserted into center of cheesecake registers about 150 degrees, about 1-1/2 hours. Transfer cake to wire rack and cool 5 minutes; run paring knife between cake and side of springform pan. Cool until barely warm, 2-1/2 to 3 hours. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, at least 3 hours (Cake can be refrigerated up to 4 days.)
4. To unmold cheesecake, remove sides to pan. Slide thin metal spatula between crust and pan bottom to loosen, then slide cake onto serving plate. Let cheesecake stand at room temperature about 30 minutes, then cut into wedges and serve.

Photo by Meg McCluskey

Source: Cook's Illustrated