Friday Foodday

Oh man, I don't know about you but this week was a slow one.  I'm looking forward to the weekend and hopefully making some people smile.

Want your recipe featured for Friday Foodday? Email me!

Grilled Pepper Cheese Sandwich
c/o Annie

Ingredients

For Pepper Cheese Spread: 12 ounces extra sharp cheddar cheese, 6 ounces roasted piquillo peppers, 4 cloves garlic, 1/2 cup good prepared mayonnaise 

For the sandwich: 2 slices good sandwich bread, 1 tablespoon butter (give or take)

Directions

• Break the cheese into large chunks and put it in the bowl of your food processor. Pulse until mixture resembles coarse gravel.
• Add peppers and garlic to food processor. Process until mixture is finely chopped.
• Add mayonnaise, and process until the mixture is smooth. Put into a container for refrigerator storage.
• Lightly butter both sides of the bread and preheat a cast iron skillet.
• Place two slices of bread in the skillet and heat until lightly toasted. Turn over bread.
• Spread about 1/3 c. cheese mixture onto one of the toasted bread surfaces. Place other slice of bread onto the cheese, toasted side facing cheese.
• Cook sandwich, turning, until exterior is toasted and cheese is melty.

Cookie Dessert Pizza

c/o Annie Bakes

Ingredients

1 tube sugar cookie dough

1- 8 ounce cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup sugar

fruit of choice

toffee chips

caramel sauce

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Roll cookie dough onto a pizza pan or a cookie sheet.  Bake for 10-12 minutes.  Let cool.  Mix together cream cheese, brown sugar, canilla and sugar.  Spread over cooled cookie dough.  Then top with your favorite fruit, toffee chips, and drizzle with caramel.

Spiced Chipotle Honey Chicken with Sweet Potatoes

c/o Stephanie Cooks

Ingredients

4 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
3 Tbs olive oil
4 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbs honey, plus more for drizzling
1 Tbs apple cider vinegar
1 1/4 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 lbs)
chopped cilantro, for garnish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Place the sweet potatoes in a medium bowl.

In a small bowl, mix together 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, chipotles, garlic, honey, vinegar, salt, cumin, and cinnamon.  Mix the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil with 2 teaspoons of the paste.  Toss with the sweet potatoes.

Scatter the potatoes on the bottom of a roasting pan, and bake 15 minutes.  Meanwhile, rub the chicken breasts with the remaining paste.

Stir the potatoes.  Carefully place the chicken on top of the sweet potatoes, and continue to roast until the chicken is just cooked through (registers 165 on an instant read thermometer), about 15-20 minutes longer

Divide the potatoes and chicken evenly among serving plates and drizzle with remaining honey and garnish with cilantro.

Vegetable Fritters

c/o Stephanie Cooks

Ingredients

1 cup(s) all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp sugar
1 large egg(s), beaten
1/2 cup(s) buttermilk
1 medium sweet red pepper(s), cored, seeded and quartered
6 medium mushroom(s), trimmed and coarsely chopped
1 small onion(s), trimmed and quartered
1 Tbsp chives, minced
2 large egg white(s), beaten until stiff
1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste 

Directions

In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda and sugar.

In a small bowl, stir together egg and buttermilk. Stir into flour mixture.

By hand or in a food processor, mince together pepper, mushrooms, onion and chives; add to flour mixture. Gently fold in egg whites. Season to taste.

Warm a large, nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Drop fritters by heaping tablespoons onto skillet, allowing an inch between fritters. Cook 3 to 5 minutes on one side, flip and cook until cooked through, about 2 to 3 minutes more. Yields about 5 fritters per serving.

Friday Foodday

It's Friday y'all!!! I'm so excited.  Mostly because I zero plans and sometimes that's just what you need for a fabulous weekend.


Enjoy the recipes- and remember if you want to be featured, shoot me an email with your delicious creation!


Pralines
c/o Jet Setting Divas

Ingredients
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 cups of pecans
2 tbsp of butter


Directions
Mix sugar and milk in a heavy 2-quart saucepan
Bring to boil over medium heat (stirring occasionally)until mixture forms a thick syrup.
Add pecans and butter and continue to cook & stir
let cool for 10 minutes.
Use a tablespoon to quickly drop rounded balls onto sheet wax paper
Allow to cool

Should make about 20 pralines! Courtesy of my mother's cookbook!


Braised Short Ribs
c/o Annie

Ingredients

• 5 pounds beef short ribs, bone on 
• Kosher salt 
• Freshly ground black pepper (I like a coarse grind) 
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 
• 1 large onion chopped 
• 1 carrot, peeled and chopped 
• 1 celery rib, chopped 
• 2 garlic cloves, skin left on 
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar 
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 
• 1 tablespoon tamarind concentrate (comes in a jar; slightly thicker than ketchup) or paste (comes in a block)
• 2 fresh (or dry) bay leaves 
• 1/2 cup Madeira 
• 1 cup red wine
• 2 to 3 cups chicken broth
• 
  
• Directions
• Heat the oven to 225 degrees. Season the short ribs with salt and pepper. Heat a large heavy Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the oil, then the short ribs (add them in batches, if necessary) and brown on all sides. Transfer the ribs to a plate as they finish browning. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat.
  2. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic to the pot, reduce the heat to medium, and cook until the vegetables are soft and all the browned bits in the base of the pot have been loosened. Put the short ribs (and any juices that have collected on the plate) back in the pot.
  3. Add the light brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, tamarind paste, and bay leaves. Pour in the Madeira and red wine. Add enough chicken broth to just cover the ribs. Bring the liquid to a boil, then cover the pot and transfer to the oven.
  4. Braise the shortribs until they are very tender when pierced with a fork, about 4 hours (longer if the short ribs are big). Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shortribs to a plate. Let the cooking liquid settle; spoon off as much fat as possible (ideally, you'd do this over the course of two days and would, at this point, put the liquid in the fridge overnight and peel off the layer of fat in the morning). Set the pot on the stove over medium high heat. Bring the cooking liquid to a boil and reduce to a syrupy consistency.
  5. Lay a short rib or two in each of 4 wide shallow bowls. Spoon over a little sauce. Serve proudly.
  Meatballs and Noodles in a Cream Sauce
  c/o M&SJ+C
  
  Ingredients
  1 pound ground beef (85% or so)
  1 package garlic and herb Boursin cheese
  Salt and pepper
  Vegetable oil
  1 onion, chopped fine
  2 tablespoons all purpose flour
  3 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
  8 ounces egg noodles
  1/4 cup white wine
  1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives
  Directions
  Combine beef, 5 tablespoons Boursin cheese, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl and knead gently until combined. Form mixture into 1 inch meatballs. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook meatballs until well browned all over, about 5 minutes. Transfer meatballs to plate and pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from pan.
  
  Cook onion in reserved fat until browned, about 6-8 minutes. Stir in flour and cook until golden, about 1 minute. Add broth, noodles, and wine and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to med-low, and cook, stirring often, until pasta begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Add meatballs and simmer, covered, until meatballs are cooked through and noodles are al dente, about 4 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in remaining Boursin cheese and chives. Season with salt and pepper.
  Cake Batter Cookies
  c/o Stephanie Cooks
  
  Ingredients
  1 (18.25 oz.) box cake mix
  1 tsp. baking powder
  2 eggs
  1/2 cup vegetable oil
  1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  Directions
  1- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  2-In a medium bowl, stir together the cake mix and baking powder. Add eggs and oil, then mix until well blended. (It was a bit crumbly for me so I used my hands to really mix it well- it's not as smooth as typical dough.)
   3-Stir in chocolate chips, or your choice of additions. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto cookie sheets.
  4- Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven.  Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
  
  
  Be fabulous today!

Friday Foodday

Hey there lovebugs! Its the best day of the week: Friday Foodday.

Remember if you want to include your recipe just email, comment or tweet it to me!

Tortellini Bake (adapted from Taste of Home's Tortellini Marinara)

c/o Matt & Sarah J

• 1 package (9 oz.) refrigerated cheese tortellini (I use Buitoni whole-wheat three-cheese tortellini)
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 container (15 oz.) refrigerated marinara sauce (again, Buitoni)
• 1 can (14 oz.) diced Italian tomatoes
• 3/4 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 3/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Italian-mix cheese

Cook tortellini according to package directions.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in marinara sauce, tomatoes, and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
Drain tortellini. Add tortellini and sauce mixture to oven-safe dish and top with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 5-10 minutes, or until cheese has melted.

Sausage Balls

c/o Southern in the City
One of the easiest recipes in the world and so delicious.

2 cups bisquick
1 lb sausage
1 lb shredded cheese

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl combine the sausage, bisquick and cheese. Form into small balls and place on baking sheets. Bake for 10 minutes until golden brown.

Les Petits Chefs do Healthy Mac and Cheese

c/o EatLiveTravelWrite

You can either serve this macaroni unbaked so it’s loose, gooey, and silky, or bake it under the

broiler for a few minutes before serving to give it a crispy, golden topping. You could even try adding a grated hard-boiled egg or cooked prawns, but I like the simple style, as here.

Ingredients ½ a head of cauliflower 8oz. Cheddar cheese 4oz. Parmesan cheese A small bunch of fresh Italian parsley (I forgot to bring this in…) Sea salt 1lb. dried macaroni (elbows) 1cup crème fraîche or sour cream

To prepare your pasta: Remove the outer green leaves from the cauliflower and discard. Slice the end off the cauliflower stalk and cut the head into small florets. Halve the thick stalk lengthways, then slice thinly. Grate the Cheddar and Parmesan into a large heatproof bowl. Finely chop the parsley stalks and leaves.

To cook your pasta: Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and all your cauliflower and cook according to the macaroni-package instructions. Place the bowl of cheese over the saucepan and add the crème fraîche. Carefully stir every so often until the cheese is smooth and melted. If the water boils up beneath the bowl, just turn the heat down slightly. Add all the chopped parsley to the melted cheese and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Carefully remove the bowl of cheese using a towel or oven gloves and put aside. Drain the macaroni in a colander over a bowl, reserving the cooking water. Return the pasta to the pan, pour in the melted cheese, and stir. It should have a lovely, silky consistency, but if it’s too thick for you, add a splash of your cooking water to thin it out a bit.

At this point you can either serve the macaroni as is, or finish it under the broiler to make it crispy and golden on top. To do this, preheat your broiler to a medium to high heat. Transfer to a baking dish. Place under the broiler until golden and bubbling.

Pumpkin Cranberry Walnut Bread with Honey Vanilla Cream cheese Frosting

c/o Annie

Ingredients:

For Pumpkin Bread

1 Box mix for Pumpkin Bread/muffins (I used Trader Joes)

½ cup of finely chopped walnuts

½ cup of dried cranberries

1 teaspoon of Vanilla

For the Icing:

1 (6 ounce) package of Philadelphia Cream cheese

¼ cup of Honey (Clover or something light)

¼ cup of Sugar

1 teaspoon of vanilla

(optional) ¼ cup of chopped Walnuts and ¼ cup of honey for decoration

1) Compile all the ingredients for your box mix and follow directions. Make batter and fold in ½ cup of chopped walnuts and ½ cup of dried cranberries. Bake.

2) For frosting: Let the cream cheese sit at room temperature while pumpkin bread bakes. Combine cream cheese with honey, vanilla and sugar and combine until smooth and slightly fluffy.

3) Let bread cool completely and spread a thin layer of frosting on top of the cooled bread. Let sit for 10 minutes (this is called the crumb layer because it shields the rest of your icing from looking “crumby”). Once set, put the reminder of the icing and ¼ of chopped walnuts and drizzle honey on top.

4) ENJOY with friends!

Friday Foodday

Guys! Great news! It's Friday Foodday! Wooohooo!!!

I hope you all have wonderful weekends planned. Mine will be full of recruitment for my old sorority at GW, one last Nats game and making the BF sweat it out with me while we move some of my stuff to the storage unit. Enjoy the sunshine and try out some of these great recipes!

If you want to recommend a recipe, please do! Email me, comment below or tweet me with the recipe!

Mac 'N Cheese Pie

What You Need

1 pkg. (14 oz.) KRAFT Deluxe Macaroni & Cheese Dinner

2 cups small broccoli florets

4 Eggs

1 pkg. (6 oz.) OSCAR MAYER Smoked Ham, chopped

1/2 cup KRAFT Shredded Cheddar & Monterrey Jack Cheeses

HEAT oven to 350°F.

COOK Macaroni in large saucepan as directed on package, adding broccoli to the boiling water for the last 2 min.; drain.

BEAT eggs in small bowl; stir in Cheese Sauce. Add to Macaroni mixture with ham; mix well. Spoon into 9-inch pie plate sprayed with cooking spray; top with shredded cheese.

BAKE 30 min. or until macaroni mixture is set in center and top is golden brown.

cheesecake-marbled brownies

c/o Annie

Brownie batter
1 stick (1/2 cup or 4 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup all-purpose flour

Cheesecake batter
8 ounces cream cheese, well softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 large egg yolk
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Plus
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Make brownie batter: Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan. Heat butter and chocolate in a 3-quart heavy saucepan — though I did mine double-boiler style, placing the mixing bowl I was using over simmering water, thereby creating one less dirty dish and melting the chocolate more gently — over moderately low heat, whisking occasionally, just until melted. Remove from heat and whisk in sugar, eggs, vanilla, and a pinch of salt until well combined. Whisk in flour until just combined and spread in baking pan.

Make cheesecake batter: Whisk together cheesecake batter ingredients in a small bowl until smooth. Dollop over brownie batter, then swirl in with a knife or spatula.

Sprinkle chocolate chips over cheesecake/brownie batter swirl. Although it might be more logical to just mix them into the cheesecake batter (and feel free to do this, it will have no ill-effect) I thought it might interrupt the swirl-ability of it.

Bake brownies: Bake until edges are slightly puffed and center is just set, about 35 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Bake

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1 clove fresh garlic, minced
1/4 lb diced ham
1 Cups cooked shredded chicken breast
1.5 Tablespoons butter
1/8 Cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
1 2/3 cups of chicken broth
2 Cups cooked rice of choice
1/4 Cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 Cup shredded mozzarella

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat oil into a large 5 qt rimmed skillet over medium heat. Saute onion and bell pepper until softened, about 5 minutes.

Stir in garlic, ham and chicken. Cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Melt butter then stir in flour, salt and pepper until combined.

Slowly stir in chicken broth until well combined. Stir in cooked rice then transfer to a baking dish.

Top with cheddar and mozzarella cheeses. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Cover the dish with foil the last 10 minutes for oozing cheese.