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.

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 Friday!

Here are my favorite recipes this week. 

Scotch Collins
c/o Fogged in Lounge

Ingredients

• 2 oz blended scotch (Johnnie Walker Black Label)
• 1/2 oz lemon juice
• 1 tsp rich simple syrup
• soda to fill

Directions

Stir all but soda with ice, and strain into an ice-filled collins glass. Fill with cold soda. Lemon garnish.

Layered Chicken Enchilada Bake

c/o Emily Bites

Ingredients

• 2 (10 oz) cans red enchilada sauce, divided
• 9 (6 inch) yellow corn tortillas (I use Mission Extra Thin Yellow Corn Tortillas)
• 1 (16 oz) can fat free refried beans
• 4 teaspoons canola oil
• 1 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chopped into small bite-sized pieces (about ½”)
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 cup drained and rinsed canned black beans
• ¾ cup frozen corn kernels
• 6 oz 50% light sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350. Lightly mist a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray. Drizzle about 1/3 cup of the enchilada sauce across the bottom of the dish and spread around with the back of a spoon to lightly coat the bottom of the dish. Arrange 4 ½ of the tortillas across the bottom of the dish to cover the majority of the space (my arrangement is pictured above). Use a spatula to spread the refried beans evenly across the tortillas, forming an even layer across the whole dish. Set aside.
2. In a large skillet or saute pan, bring the oil to medium heat. Add the chopped chicken and diced onion and stir to coat in the oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and the onions are softened (6-10 minutes). Drain the liquid from the pan if necessary. Add all the remaining enchilada sauce, the black beans and the corn and stir together. Remove from heat.
3. Spoon about half of the chicken and sauce mixture evenly across the top of the refried bean layer in the casserole dish. Sprinkle about half of the cheddar cheese evenly across as well. Arrange the remaining 4 ½ tortillas in a similar style to step 1 (I did the same but flipped the layout so any small missing spots from layer 1 would be covered and vice versa). Spoon the remaining chicken and sauce mixture evenly across the newly laid tortillas. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Cut into 8 pieces and serve.

Double Chocolate Creme Brûlée

c/o Country Cleaver

Ingredients

• 2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream
• 6 Egg Yolks
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 1 Tbsp High Quality Cocoa Powder
• 4 ounces Finely Chopped Semi Sweet Chocolate
• 2 tsp Vanilla Bean Extract
• 4-6 teaspoons of Turbinado or Demerara Sugar*

Directions

Place the oven rack on the lower-middle rack, and preheat oven to 300 degrees. Fill a small saucepan with water and bring it to a boil.

Place cream, and sugar into a different, medium sized saucepan and bring the mixture to a rolling simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. While the mixture is heating up, crack the eggs and separate the yolks from the whites. Discard the whites or use them for another recipe. Whisk the eggs in a bowl until they are light and fluffy yellow.

When the cream is simmering, turn off the heat, and remove the cream from the stove. Stir in the vanilla extract, chopped chocolate, and cocoa powder. Stir the mixture until the chopped chocolate has melted completely. Return to the heat if there are a few chunks that just won’t melt.

Slowly pour 1/2 cup of the cream mixture into the egg yolks while whisking them continuously to temper the eggs. Repeat this process until you have whisked in all the cream mixture. Distribute amongst the ramekins. Place the filled ramekins into a 13×9 inch baking pan, and place them into the oven. With the boiling water you prepared earlier, gently pour the water into the bottom of the 13×9 inch pan, until it reaches about 2/3 of the way up the sides of the ramekins. Gently push the rack into the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the temperature of the custard reaches 175 degrees.

Gently remove the ramekins from the oven and place them on a wire rack to cool for at least one hour. Cover with plastic wrap and place the custards into the fridge to chill for at least 3 hours. Blot away any condensation with a paper towel prior to torching the sugar on top and serving.

Torch the top of the creme brulees until the sugar melts and becomes crispy and caramel colored. Serve immediately.

Friday Foodday

Happy Friday! Here are my favorite recipes this week. 

Pomegranate Grapefruit Paloma
c/o Smitten Kitchen

Directions

• 2 thin slices or small wedges grapefruit
• Kosher salt for rim, if desired
• 2 tablespoons grapefruit juice
• 2 tablespoons pomegranate juice
• 1 teaspoon honey, sugar or agave
• 1/4 cup white tequila
• About 3 medium-sized ice cubes
• 1/4 cup club soda or seltzer

Directions

If you'd like to salt the rim of you glass, put a little kosher salt on a small plate. Swipe the rim of your glass with a wedge of grapefruit (or a wedge from the emptied grapefruit you've just juiced) and place the damp rim in the salt, twisting to coat it.

Place both juices and honey or sugar in the bottom of your glass and use a long spoon to stir it until combined, and/or until the sugar has dissolved. Add tequila, stir to combine. Add ice then club soda or seltzer. Garnish with additional grapefruit slices and pomegranate arils. Repeat as needed.

Apricot Rum Glazed Ham

c/o Skinnytaste

Directions

1 (6 to 8 pounds) Hickory smoked fully cooked spiral cut ham

3 tablespoons apricot preserves

3 tablespoons dark rum

Ingredients

Preheat the oven to 325F.

Place the ham on a rack in a roasting pan with 1 cup water and bake on the lower rack for 1 hour.

While ham bakes make the glaze by combining the preserves and rum in a small saucepan, cook medium heat and whisk until it gets bubbly, about 5 to 8 minutes.

After an hour, remove the ham from the oven and brush with the glaze. Return the ham to the oven and cook about another 50 to 60 minutes.

Brown Butter Sea Salt Butterscotch Bars

c/o Country Cleaver

Ingredients

2 cups Oats

1 1/4 cup Flour

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 tsp Salt

3/4 cup Butterscotch Chips +1/4 cup for Drizzle

1 cup Unsalted Butter, browned and cooled

1 cup Brown Sugar +2 Tbsp for Drizzle

1 Egg

2 tsp Vanilla Extract

1/2 tsp Sea Salt for Drizzle

1 Tbsp Milk for Drizzle

1 cup Walnuts, chopped *optional*

Directions

In a medium saucepan or skillet, heat over medium heat and brown butter. Allow to cool slightly - or place in fridge unti the butter sets, about 20 minutes. Prepare other ingredients while cooling.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13x9 inch baking dish with non stick spray, then line with parchment paper, and spray again with non stick spray to adhere to the bottom of the pan.

In a bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In another bowl, whisk together egg, vanilla, and brown sugar. Pour in the flour/oat mixture and combine. Add in butterscotch chips, and chopped walnuts.

Pour mixture into the baking dish, press in to evenly distribute through the dish. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs on it. When done, set on a cooling rack.

For glaze, in a microwave safe bowl or cup, melt together remaining butterscotch chips, brown sugar, and milk. Heat in increments to ensure the butterscotch chips do not scorch. Stir to form a glaze. Drizzle over the top of the cooling bars. Sprinkle with sea salt. Cool completely, then slice and serve.

Friday Foodday

Happy Friday! Here are my favorite recipes this week.

FM
c/o Fogged in Lounge

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 oz gold Barbados rum
• 3/4 oz white crème de cacao
• 2 oz grapefruit juice
• 1 oz lime juice
• 2 – 3 dashes grapefruit bitters

Directions

Shake with ice cubes and strain into a double old fashioned. Fresh ice to fill. Grapefruit twist.

Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells
c/o Shugary Sweets

Ingredients

• 1 box (12 oz) jumbo pasta shells, cooked (about 40 shells)
• 1 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
• 1 1/2 cups broccoli florets, diced
• 6 oz cream cheese, softened
• 3 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 jars alfredo sauce

Directions

1. Cook pasta shells according to package to al dente. Drain and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine cooked, shredded chicken with broccoli, cream cheese, garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined.
3. Using a 2 Tbsp cookie scoop, fill each pasta shell with a scoop of chicken mixture.
4. In a large baking dish, pour one jar of alfredo sauce in the bottom of the dish. Add a single layer of pasta shells. Drizzle remaining jar of alfredo sauce over the top and sprinkle with parmesan and mozzarella cheese. Cover dish with foil.
5. Bake in a 350°F oven for 40 minutes. Remove foil and return to oven for an additional 5-10 minutes until cheese is melted on top!

Easy Glazed Chocolate Cake Donuts

c/o Country Cleaver

Ingredients

Chocolate Cake Donuts:

• 1/3 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• 1 cup Sugar
• 1 cup Flour
• 3/4 tsp Baking Powder
• 3/4 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 whole Egg
• 1/2 cup Milk
• 1/3 cup Water
• 1/4 cup Vegetable Oil
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Vanilla Bean Glaze:

• 1 cup Powdered Sugar
• 1/4 cup Milk
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
• Pinch Salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In another bowl, whisk together the water, egg, milk, vegetable oil and vanilla extract. Combine the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients, folding together until just combined and smooth.

Spray a doughnuts baking pan with non-stick spray. Fill the donut cavities with batter. Bake the donuts for about 11-12 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the donuts comes out clean. Let them rest in the pan for one minute, before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the glaze, whisk together all the glaze ingredients into a small bowl. Dip the tops of each cooled chocolate cake donut into the glaze. Once the glaze is set, serve.

Friday Foodday

Happy Friday! 
Here are my favorite recipes this week.

Gramps' Rum Old Fashioned
c/o The Kitchn

Ingredients
Ice
2 ounces añejo rum
1/4 ounce black pepper syrup, such as Blank Slate Kitchen's
3 dashes orange bitters
1 dash Angostura bitters
Orange twist or peel, for garnish

Directions

Fill a mixing glass with ice. Add the rum, black pepper syrup, orange bitters, and Angostura bitters. Stir until well-chilled, about 15 seconds. Strain into a rocks or old fashioned glass filled with ice. Garnish with an orange peel or twist.

Lentil Soup

c/o Buns in My Oven

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 sweet onion, diced
• 6 carrots, cut into rounds
• 4 stalks celery, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 ounces fresh green beans, cut in half
• 14 ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes
• 1 package (15.5 ounces) Hurst's Beans Garlic and Herb Lentils
• 8 cups chicken broth
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Melt the butter in a large stock pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery to the pot and cook for 5 minutes.
2. Stir in the garlic and green beans and cook for 1 more minute.
3. Add the fire roasted tomatoes to the pan with the chicken broth.
4. Rinse and sort through the lentils. Add to the pan along with the seasoning packet and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce to a simmer and cover the pot. Cook for 1 hour 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired.

Samoas Moose Munch

c/o Country Cleaver

Ingredients

• 2 bags Popcorn, popped – use buttered or plain
• 1/2 cup Butter
• 1 cup Brown Sugar
• 1/4 cup Corn Syrup
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 2 tsp Vanilla
• 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 1/2 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips, melted
• 2 tsp Coconut Oil
• 1 box Samoas Girl Scout Cookies, roughtly chopped
• 1/2 cup Shredded Coconut, toasted

Directions

Heat oven to 250 degrees. Prepare microwave popcorn according to directions.

In a sauce pan, melt butter. Whisk in sugar, corn syrup, and salt and bring to a boil. Let the mixture caramelize, boiling for about five minutes or until it turns golden brown. Remove from the heat. Whisk in the vanilla and the baking soda.

Pour popcorn into a VERY large bowl, and pour the caramel over the top. Using a spoon – the carmel is molten hot – combine the carmel and mix the popcorn. Spread the popcorn over two large lined cookie sheets. Line with parchment or silicone mats. Place in the oven for 30-45 minutes, toss and rotate the popcorn every 15 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let the popcorn cool for at least 1 hour.

While cooling, melt the chocolate and the coconut oil together to get a smooth, “drizzly” consistency, and drizzle over the top of the cooled caramel popcorn.

Sprinkle the toasted coconut and chopped Samoas over the warm chocolate so it sticks. Let the chocolate rest until cooled. Break popcorn into bite sized chunks and devour.