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. 

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.

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 lovebugs,

Here are my favorite recipes this week.

Whispers of the Port

c/o Fogged in Lounge

Ingredients

• 3/4 oz bourbon
• 3/4 oz port
• 3/4 oz sherry (Amontillado)

Directions

Stir with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Lemon twist.

White Chicken Chili

c/o Buns in My Oven

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 sweet onion, diced
• 12 ounces canned green chiles, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 package Hurst's Beans Great Northern Beans with Ham Seasoning
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• cilantro, for serving

Directions

1. Melt the butter in a large dutch oven or stock pot over medium heat. Once melted, add the onion and continue cooking until softened, about 3 minutes.
2. Add the chiles and garlic to the onions and cook for 2 minutes more, stirring often.
3. Rinse and sort through the beans and discard any debris. Add beans to the pot of onions along with the chicken broth.
4. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cover the pan and let cook for 2 hours, checking occasionally to be sure there is still enough liquid in the pot to cook the beans. Add additional broth as needed.
5. After two hours, check beans for tenderness. Continue cooking until beans are as tender as you'd like. Once tender, add the shredded chicken, milk, cumin, salt, pepper, and packet of ham seasoning from the package of beans to the pot and stir well.
6. Return to a simmer and continue cooking, without the lid, until some liquid has evaporated and the chili has thickened up to your liking.
7. Serve topped with fresh cilantro.

Strawberry Banana Frozen Yogurt Bites

c/o Emily Bites

Ingredients

• 24 Nilla Wafers
• 2 (5.3 oz each) containers of nonfat Strawberry Banana or Strawberry Greek yogurt
• ½ cup diced fresh banana
• ½ cup diced fresh strawberries
• 24 fresh strawberry slices for garnish (about 8 berries total)

Directions

1. Place paper liners into each cup of a 24-cup mini-muffin tin. Push a wafer, rounded-side down, into the bottom of each liner.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the two containers of yogurt with the bananas and diced strawberries and stir together until well combined. Spoon the yogurt mixture evenly over top of the wafers in each liner cup to fill. Place a strawberry slice on top of the yogurt mixture in each cup and place the whole tray in the freezer for at least 3 hours. Serve frozen.

Friday Foodday

Happy Friday lovebugs!

Here are my favorite recipes this week. 

Mr. Rosewater

c/o Fogged in Lounge

Ingredients

• 2 oz cognac
• 1/2 oz lemon juice
• 1/4 oz grenadine
• 1/8 tsp rosewater
• 1 1/2 oz soda

Directions

Shake all except soda with ice cubes. Strain into a double old fashioned. Add soda and fresh ice cubes.

Jalapeno Popper Dip Flatbread

c/o Buns in My Oven

Ingredients

• 8 Stonefire Mini Naan, fresh or frozen
• 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, grated
• 2 tablespooons powdered Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1/4 -1/2 cup diced jarred jalapeno peppers
• 8 slices bacon, fried crisp
• extra jalapeno slices for topping, as desired

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place the naan on two large baking sheets.
3. Add the cheeses, mayonnaise, and diced jalapenos to a medium bowl and stir well to combine.
4. Spread the mixture over the naan.
5. Finely dice the bacon and sprinkle over the naan.
6. Top with extra slices of jalapeno, as desired.
7. Bake for 8 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

White Chocolate Cranberry Poke Cupcakes

c/o Shugary Sweets

Ingredients

FOR THE CUPCAKE:

• 1 package (2 layer cake size) white cake mix
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 package (3oz) JELL-O Cranberry Flavor Gelatin

FOR THE FROSTING:

• 1 1/2 package (6oz total) Baker's White Chocolate bars
• 1 package (8oz) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 cup powdered sugar

FOR THE CRANBERRIES:

• 3 cup granulated sugar, divided
• 2 cup water
• 2 cup fresh cranberries

Directions

1. For the cranberries, combine 2 cup of the sugar with water in a small saucepan. Heat over low heat, and stir until sugar dissolves. Do not bring to a boil. Remove from heat as soon as sugar is dissolved. In a large bowl, add cranberries. Top with sugar syrup and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
2. After it has soaked for at least 8 hours, drain off syrup completely and allow to sit in strainer for at least 15 minutes. Pour remaining 1 cup sugar in a large ziploc bag, add cranberries and shake. Empty contents of bag onto a wire rack (with foil underneath to catch the mess). Let cranberries dry for at least an hour. Store in refrigerator until ready to garnish cupcakes.
3. For the cupcakes, bake cake mix according to package for 24 cupcakes. Pierce tops of cupcakes immediately after cooking.
4. Combine boiling water with JELL-O gelatin, stir until dissolved. Spoon gently over cupcakes, allowing to sink into fork holes. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.
5. For the frosting, melt chocolate according to package directions. Beat cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl for about 4-5 minutes, until fluffy. Add melted chocolate, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Beat for another 2-3 minutes until fluffy.
6. Pipe onto cupcakes and garnish with sugared cranberries. ENJOY!

Friday Foodday

Happy Friday lovebugs!

I am headed to California to a wedding today and I can't wait to celebrate with some close friends. But for now, here are my favorite recipes this week. 

Blackberry Manhattan
c/o Fogged in Lounge

Ingredients

• 2 oz bourbon (Buffalo Trace)
• 1/2 oz sweet vermouth (Dolin)
• 1 barspoon blackberry brandy (Leopold Bros blackberry liqueur)
• 1 dash Fee Bros Old Fashion Aromatic Bitters
• Lemon twist

Directions

Sort of a fuller, rounder Manhattan on the front, the blackberry comes in subtly as the drink develops, reminiscent of those blackberry or currant fruit gums I loved as a kid. A fine way to kick off the season.

Loaded Mac and Cheese

c/o Lemon Tree Dwelling

Ingredients

• 3 c. elbow macaroni
• 4 Tbsp. butter
• ½ c. flour
• ½ tsp. dry mustard
• 1½ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. pepper
• 6 c. milk
• 1 lb. shredded cheddar or cheddar jack cheese

Topping

• ½ c. panko bread crumbs
• 2 Tbsp. butter, melted
• ½ package bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 2 Tbsp. minced chives
• sour cream

Directions

1. Cook macaroni according to package instructions.
2. In a large saucepan, melt butter.
3. Stir in flour, mustard powder, salt and pepper.
4. Remove from heat and gradually stir in milk.
5. Return to heat; cook over medium-high heat until thickened, stirring constantly.
6. Add cheese and stir until it begins to melt.
7. Mix cheese mixture with cooked macaroni; pour into greased 9x13 inch casserole dish.
8. Combine bread crumbs and melted butter; sprinkle over mac & cheese.
9. Bake at 350 degrees 15 minutes or until bubbly.
10. Remove from oven; top with crumbled bacon, chives, and sour cream.

Apple Cider Caramels

c/o Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients

4 cups (945 ml) apple cider
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons flaky sea salt, such as Maldon, or less of a finer one
8 tablespoons (115 grams or 1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (110 grams) packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup (80 ml) heavy cream
Neutral oil for the knife

Directions

Boil the apple cider in a 3- to- 4- quart saucepan over high heat until it is reduced to a dark, thick syrup, between 1/3 and 1/2 cup in volume. This takes about 35 to 40 minutes on my stove. Stir occasionally.

Meanwhile, get your other ingredients in order, because you won’t have time to spare once the candy is cooking. Line the bottom and sides of an 8- inch straight- sided square metal baking pan with 2 long sheets of crisscrossed parchment. Set it aside. Stir the cinnamon and flaky salt together in a small dish.

Once you are finished reducing the apple cider, remove it from the heat and stir in the butter, sugars, and heavy cream. Return the pot to medium- high heat with a candy thermometer attached to the side, and let it boil until the thermometer reads 252 degrees, only about 5 minutes. Keep a close eye on it.

(Don’t have a candy or deep- fry thermometer? Have a bowl of very cold water ready, and cook the caramel until a tiny spoonful dropped into the water becomes firm, chewy, and able to be plied into a ball.)

Immediately remove caramel from heat, add the cinnamon- salt mixture, and give the caramel several stirs to distribute it evenly. Pour caramel into the prepared pan. Let it sit until cool and firm—about 2 hours, though it goes faster in the fridge. Once caramel is firm, use your parchment paper sling to transfer the block to a cutting board. Use a well- oiled knife, oiling it after each cut (trust me!), to cut the caramel into 1-by-1-inch squares. Wrap each one in a 4-inch square of waxed paper, twisting the sides to close. Caramels will be somewhat on the soft side at room temperature, and chewy/firm from the fridge.

Do ahead: Caramels keep, in an airtight container at room temperature, for two weeks, but really, good luck with that.