Friday Foodday

Happy Friday lovebugs!

Here are my favorite recipes this week.

Spiked Strawberry Lemonade
c/o The Kitchn

Ingredients
1 pound strawberries, hulled and sliced
4 cups lemonade
1 1/2 cups white rum
Ice

Directions
Muddle the strawberries in a pitcher. Stir in the lemonade and white rum. Serve in ice-filled glasses.











Pork and Vegetable Stir Fry
c/o A Taste of Home Cooking

Ingredients
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon chile garlic sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 cup chicken broth
1 12-oz package udon noodles
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
1 pound pork loin chops, sliced thin
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
1 small red bell pepper, sliced thin
1 cup shredded carrots
1 8oz bag snow or snap peas
1 teaspoon sesame oil

Directions
In a two cup measuring cup, whisk together the cornstarch, chile garlic sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce and chicken broth.

Cook the udon noodles according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Stir fry the pork, ginger and garlic until almost cooked through. Remove the pork from the wok and add the remaining tablespoon of oil. Once the oil is hot, add the onion, mushrooms, bell pepper and carrots. Stir fry for 3 to 5 minutes, until the veggies start to soften.

Pour the broth mixture over the vegetables, bring to a boil and cook for a minute more. Add the pork and snow or snap peas. Cook for another minute, then add the udon noodles and sesame oil. Toss to coat the noodles evenly with the sauce. Serve.

White Chocolate Brownies
c/o Shugary Sweets

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 package (12 oz) white chocolate chips
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 2 Tbsp sprinkles, optional

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a 9 inch square baking dish with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In a large microwave safe bowl, combine butter and white chocolate chips. Heat for one minute on high. Stir until well blended (it's okay if there are a few bits of white chocolate).
3. Add in sugar, flour, eggs, and salt. Stir just until combined (do not over stir).
4. Pour into prepared baking dish. Add sprinkles on top if desired. Bake for 30-34 minutes, top will be lightly browned. Allow to cool. Cut into squares and enjoy. Store in airtight container for up to 5 days. These are great refrigerated too!

Friday Foodday

Happy Fourth of July weekend! Here are some festive recipes for you.

American Sidecar

c/o Cosmopolitan

Ingredients

2 oz. bourbon 

1 oz. Triple Sec 

3/4 oz. lemon juice

Blue Curacao

Directions

In a shaker filled with ice, combine ingredients and shake. Strain into a sugar rimmed coupe and add a Blue Curacao float. 

Jalapeno Popper Hot Dog

c/o Country Cleaver

Ingredients

4 All Beef Hot Dogs

4 High Quality Stadium Buns

4 Tbsp butter, for toasting hot dogs

6 ounces Cream Cheese, softened

12 Frozen Jalapeno Poppers, prepared according to package directions

Jalapeno Kettle Chips, crunched up

4 Fresh Jalapeños

Directions

Prepare jalapeno poppers according to package directions. When slightly cooled, sliced into large chunks.

While the poppers are baking or frying, prepare hot dogs on a preheated grill, that has been reduced to medium-low. Grill until cooked through. While the hotdogs are grilling, on the other side of the grill, roast the fresh jalapenos until blistered on the outside and slightly soft. Remove from grill to rest.

During the last few minutes of the grilling process, butter the hot dog buns, and toast on the grill until golden brown.

To assemble::

Spread cream cheese over the toasted buns. Place the hot dogs into the buns. Top hot dog with chopped up jalapeno poppers. Top with crunched up jalapeno kettle chips.

If desired, slice up fresh roasted jalapenos for an added kick. Remove as many seeds as possible to reduce the heat.

Red, White, and Blueberry Trifle

c/o Skinnytaste

Ingredients

• 10 oz angel food cake, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 pints strawberries, sliced
• 2 pints blueberries

For the cream filling: 

• 6 tbsp fat-free sweetened condensed milk (I used Borden Eagle)
• 1 1/2 cups cold water
• 1 (4 oz) package white chocolate or cheesecake instant pudding mix 
• 12 oz frozen whipped topping, thawed 

Directions

Whisk the condensed milk and water in a bowl. Whisk in the pudding mix for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set; fold in the whipped topping.

Arrange half of the cake in the bottom of a 14-cup trifle dish. Sprinkle evenly with a layer of blueberries. Spread half of the cream mixture over the blueberries and gently spread (I piped it using a plastic bag and cut the corner off). Top with a layer of strawberries. Layer the remaining cake cubes on top of the strawberries, then add more blueberries and top with the remaining cream mixture. Finish with the remaining strawberries and blueberries, arranging them in a pretty pattern. Cover and refrigerate at least one 1 hour.

Friday Foodday

Happy Friday lovebugs,
Here are my favorite recipes this week.

Bloody Maria
c/o Fogged in Lounge

Ingredients

• 32 oz tomato juice 
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 Tbs cacao
• 1 tsp ground cayenne
• 1 tsp ground chipotle
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground true cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 clove garlic, crushed

Directions
Gradually incorporate dry ingredients with a little of the tomato juice at a time until smooth enough to stir with the remaining liquid. Add lime and garlic. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

My preferred tomato juice, Knudsen, has some lemon in it to begin with, so you may want to add more lime for snap. For the cacao, it’s worth finding the dark, smoky, complex Valrhona. And I’m thinking a half teaspoon of cloves wouldn’t hurt a thing.

Reposado tequila is nice with this. But it’s a grownup drink on its own without the spirits, so if you have a Virgin Maria in your party, she won’t feel left out.

Avocado BLT Pasta Salad
c/o Emily Bites

Ingredients

• 8 oz uncooked pasta (I used cavatappi)
• 8 slices center cut bacon
• 6 oz of avocado, mashed (for me 6 ounces was the weight of one avocado after removing the skin and pit)
• 1 ½ teaspoons lemon juice
• ¼ cup low fat mayonnaise (I used Hellmann’s)
• 1 ½ teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 cup chopped cherry tomatoes (I sliced mine into quarters)
• 2 cups shredded or thinly sliced romaine or green leaf lettuce

Directions

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions and drain. Rinse the pasta in a colander under cold water until the pasta is cooled and drain. Transfer the pasta to a large mixing bowl.
2. Cook the bacon according to package directions and drain and cool on paper towels. Slice or crumble the bacon into small pieces.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine the mashed avocado and the lemon juice and stir until thoroughly combined. Add the mayonnaise, vinegar, salt and garlic powder and stir until well combined and creamy. Add this avocado dressing to the pasta in your large mixing bowl and then stir until the pasta is coated.
4. Add the crumbled bacon, chopped tomatoes and shredded lettuce to the coated pasta and toss to combine. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Sugared Pretzel Cookies

c/o Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients

1 large egg, hard-boiled and cooled
10 tablespoons (140 grams or 1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (80 grams) granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract (this is halved from the original)
1 cup (125 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (45 grams) rye flour (medium or white will work)
1 large egg white, lightly beaten with 1 teaspoon water
4 teaspoons turbinado or clear sanding sugar

Directions

Place butter, sugar and salt in the bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Crack egg and peel shell. Separate yolk from white; add white to your next sandwich or egg salad. Press yolk through fine-mesh strainer and into mixer bowl with other ingredients. Beat mixture on medium speed until light and fluffy, scraping down sides of bowl and beater with spatula as needed. Add vanilla, mix until combined. Add flours and mix at low speed until just combined. Using rubber spatula or your hands, reach into bowl and knead dough a few times into a cohesive mass.

Divide dough in half; place each half on a square of parchment paper. Form each into a log about 6 inches long (it will be about 1 3/4 inches in diameter) and wrap tightly with parchment, twisting ends to seal. Chill logs for 30 minutes, until semi-firm. (If you chill them longer, you’ll want to warm them up a bit or it’s difficult to work them into pretzel shapes.)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. 

Slice 1/4-inch off first chilled log and roll slice into a ball in the palm of your hands; this softens the dough. On a counter, roll ball into a 6-inch rope. Pick up each end of rope and fold turn it into the center, pressing it into a pretzel shape. Transfer to baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, placing cookies one inch apart on prepared sheets.

Brush each pretzel cookie with egg white wash, then sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake cookies until they have golden brown edges, about 13 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven but let firm up on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring cookies to cooling racks.

Friday Foodday

Happy Friday!

Here are my favorite recipes this week.

Bridal Shower Sangria

c/o The Kitchn

Ingredients

1 (750-milliliter) bottle prosecco, cava, or other dry white sparkling wine, chilled
1 1/2 cups St. Germain Elderflower liqueur, chilled
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries
1 1/2 cups seltzer or club soda, chilled
Ice

Directions

Combine the prosecco, St. Germain, lemon juice, and raspberries in a large pitcher. Top with the sparkling water. Pour into glasses with or without ice.

Broccoli and Bacon Chicken Alfredo Linguine

c/o Closet Cooking

Ingredients

• 8 ounces linguine (gluten-free for gluten-free)
• 4 slices bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 pound boneless and skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
• 1 cup parmigiano reggiano (parmesan), grated
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups broccoli florets, cooked
• 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped

Directions

1. Start cooking the linguine as directed on the package.
2. Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large pan over medium heat before setting aside on paper towels to drain.
3. Heat the oil and melt the butter in the pan over medium-high heat, add the chicken and cook, browning on both sides, about 3-6 minutes per side, before setting aside to cool and slice.
4. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about a minute, before adding the chicken broth and deglazing the pan by scraping any brown bits from the bottom with a spoon while the broth simmers.
5. Add the cream and cheese and simmer until the sauce has thickened a bit and the cheese has melted before seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Mix the cooked and drained pasta, bacon, chicken, broccoli and parsley and enjoy!

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookie Bars

c/o Buns in My Oven

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 cups creamy peanut buttr
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cups raspberry jam
• 2/3 cups salted peanuts, coarsely chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9×13 baking dish with parchment paper, grease and flour parchment paper.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light yellow. Beat in vanilla, eggs, and peanut butter on low speed until everything is combined.
3. In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Slowly add the flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture. Mix just until combined.
4. Spread half of the dough in the bottom of the prepared pan. Spread jam evenly over the top of the dough. Use your hands to make large balls of dough with the remaining half of dough, then flatten them out and place them over the jam. The dough will spread a bit in the oven, so it’s okay if there are bare spots. Sprinkle with the chopped peanuts and bake for 45 minutes.
5. Cool completely before cutting into squares and serving.

Friday Foodday

Happy Friday lovebugs,

Here are my favorite recipes this week.

Rosewater Manhattan

c/o Country Cleaver

Ingredients

1 cup Sugar, for simple syrup

1 cup Water, for simple syrup

1/4 tsp Nielsen-Massey Rose Water, for simple syrup

1/4 tsp Nielsen-Massey Vanilla Extract, for simple syrup

Angostura Bitters

3 Ounces Whisky

Jarred Bing Cherry or Maraschino Cherries

Sliced Oranges

Ice

Directions

In a saucepan, combine water and sugar. Bring the mixture to a simmer so the sugar dissolves completely, about five minutes. Stir occasionally. Remove from the heat and place in the fridge to cool. When cool, stir in the Nielsen-Massey rose water and vanilla extracts. Set aside.

In a cocktail shaker, fill with ice, add in 1/2 ounce rose water simple syrup, 3 ounces whiskey, and three dashes of bitters. Add in one slice of orange and one cherry. Top shaker, and shake vigorously. Pour cocktail into glasses. Top with additional slice of orange, and cherry. Serve immediately.

Turkey Enchilada Stuffed Poblanos Rellenos

c/o Skinnytaste

Ingredients

For the poblanos:

• 4 large fresh poblano chiles
• 1 1/4 cups homemade enchilada sauce
• 1/2 cup Colby-Jack shredded cheese blend
• cilantro sprigs or chopped scallions, for garnish

For the turkey:

• 12 oz 93% lean ground turkey
• 1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1/2 medium tomato, chopped
• 1/4 cup bell pepper, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp cilantro
• 2 oz canned tomato sauce
• kosher salt
• fresh ground pepper
• 3/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1/8 tsp oregano
• 1 bay leaf

Directions

To roast the peppers:

1. Lay the poblano peppers on a work surface so they sit flat naturally without rolling.
2. Using a small, sharp knife, cut a lengthwise slit along one side of each of the poblano peppers, then make a small cross-wise slit along the top to create a T-shaped slit, careful not to cut the stem off. Carefully cut out and remove the core, then scoop out the seeds.
3. Using tongs, roast the poblano chiles over an open flame such as the grill, broiler or stovetop, turning often until the skin is completely blistered.
4. Transfer to a plastic bag (or place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap) and let steam for 10 to 15 minutes to loosen the skins. Once they are cool enough to handle, use a butter knife to scrape away the charred skins and discard, careful not to tear the peppers.
5. Set the roasted poblanos aside.
6. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
7. Pour 1-1/4 cups of the sauce into the bottom of a 9 x 12-inch casserole dish.

To make the turkey:

1. Meanwhile, brown the ground turkey on medium heat in large sauté pan and season with salt and pepper. Use a wooden spoon to break the meat up into small pieces.
2. Add the chopped onions, garlic, pepper, tomato and cilantro and continue cooking on a low heat.
3. Add cumin, oregano, bay leaves, and more salt if needed. Add tomato sauce and 1/4 cup of water and mix well, reduce heat to low and simmer covered about 15 minutes.
4. Carefully stuff about 1/2 cup of the turkey mixture into each poblano pepper.
5. Place the peppers seam side up over the sauce in the baking dish and top each with 2 tbsp of cheese.
6. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake in the oven until hot and bubbly, about 30 minutes.
7. Serve hot topped with cilantro or scallions on top.

Strawberry Summer Cake

c/o Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons (85 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for pie plate
• 1 1/2 cups (188 grams) all-purpose flour (can swap 3/4 cup or 94 grams all-purpose flour with 3/4 cup or 75 grams of barley flour, see Note)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 1 cup (200 grams) plus 2 tablespoons (25 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup (118 ml) milk
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
• 1 pound (450 grams) strawberries, hulled and halved

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter a 10-inch pie pan or 9-inch deep-dish pie pan (what I used). This cake does not work in a standard 9-inch pie pan; it will overflow. Big apologies to anyone who learned the hard way! This cake would work, however, in a 9- or 10-inch springform or cake pan. The 10-inch would make a thinner cake than pictured.

Whisk flour or flours, baking powder and salt together in a small bowl. In a larger bowl, beat butter and 1 cup sugar until pale and fluffy with an electric mixer, about 3 minutes. Mix in egg, milk and vanilla until just combined. Add dry mixture gradually, mixing until just smooth.

Pour into prepared pie plate. Arrange strawberries, cut side down, on top of batter, as closely as possible in a single layer (though I had to overlap a few to get them all in). Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons sugar over berries.

Bake cake for 10 minutes then reduce oven temperature to 325°F and bake cake until golden brown and a tester comes out free of wet batter, about 50 minutes to 60 minutes. (Gooey strawberries on the tester are a given.) Let cool in pan on a rack. Cut into wedges. Serve with lightly whipped cream.

Friday Foodday

Happy first Friday in June! Here are my favorite recipes this week. 

Basil Cucumber Gin Cooler
c/o Skinnytaste

Ingredients

2-inch piece of cucumber, peeled and chopped

1 tsp grated lemon zest

2 fresh basil leaves

1 tsp agave nectar

1 1/2 oz gin

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

ice cubes

splash of seltzer

1 thin slice lemon, for garnish

1 thin slice cucumber, for garnish

Directions

In a cocktail shaker, muddle the chopped cucumber, lemon zest, basil and agave.

Add the gin, lemon juice and ice cubes and stir 10 seconds.

Strain the mixture into a rocks glass filled with ice cubes and top with seltzer.

Garnish with lemon and cucumber and serve.

Monterey Chicken Spaghetti
c/o Buns in My Oven

Ingredients

• 6 oz. spaghetti, broken into 3 pieces
• 1 cup shredded or diced cooked chicken
• 1 egg
• 1 cup sour cream
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 cups grated monterey jack
• 10 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and drained well
• 3 ounce can french fried onions

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick spray.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the spaghetti according to package instructions. Drain and add to a large mixing bowl.
3. Add the chicken, egg, sour cream, garlic powder, cheese, spinach, and half of the onions to the bowl and stir well to combine.
4. Pour into prepared baking dish and top with the remaining onions.
5. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
6. Remove the foil and bake for 5 minutes more.
7. Serve immediately.

Mud Hen Bars

c/o Shugary Sweets

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup shortening (I used Crisco butter flavored shortening)
• 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, whole
• 2 large eggs, separated
• 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
• 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips
• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 13x9 baking dish with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the shortening, butter, and sugar until creamy. Beat in the whole egg, and the two egg YOLKS.
3. Slowly add in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Combine until fully blended.
4. Pour batter into prepared baking dish. Top with marshmallows and chocolate chips.
5. In a separate clean and dry mixing bowl, beat the two egg whites until stiff. Fold in the brown sugar and pour over the stop of the bars. Spread gently, making sure it touches the sides of the pan (this will help it rise during baking, and not shrink).
6. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the meringue on top is lightly browned. Remove from oven and cool completely.
7. Cut into bars and enjoy. We prefer to keep these chilled in the refrigerator, they taste great cold!