Friday Foodday

Happy Friday! Here are my favorite recipes this week.

Fizzy Citrus & Beer Pitcher Cocktail
The Kitchn

Ingredients
2 Meyer lemons
1/4 cup + 1/3 cup granulated sugar, divided 
1 (25-ounce/750-milliliter) bottle lambic beer
1 (25-ounce/750-milliliter) bottle dry cider

Directions

For the Meyer lemon sugar for rimming the glasses: Preheat the oven to 200°F. Zest one of the Meyer lemons, preferably with a fine-toothed zester like a Microplane. Pulse the lemon zest in a mini food processor with 1/4 cup granulated sugar for about 15 seconds to release the zest's natural oils.

Pour the sugar onto a small rimmed baking sheet and shake gently to spread the sugar out evenly across the pan. Place the pan in the oven and turn the oven off. Let the sugar dry in the oven for 30 minutes.

Pour the sugar into a shallow bowl for rimming the glasses. Leftover sugar can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 month.

For the Meyer lemon simple syrup: Juice the Meyer lemons, including the one you zested for the sugar. You should have about 1/4 cup juice.

Whisk 1/3 cup granulated sugar together with 1/3 cup water in a small saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the liquid comes to a simmer and the sugar is fully dissolved. Pour the syrup into a heat-safe bowl and cool to room temperature. Once cool, stir in the Meyer lemon juice. This syrup can be stored in a lidded jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

For the cocktails: For each cocktail, wet the rim of a Champagne flute or coupe with a damp paper towel, then dip into the sugar.

To make a batch cocktail: Combine the lambic, cider, and citrus-infused simple syrup in a pitcher. Stir gently to combine.

Chicken Parmesan Mac and Cheese

c/o Country Cleaver

Ingredients

3 cups (12 ounces)

• rotini pasta, uncooked

2

• boneless, skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced

 

• salt and pepper

7 tablespoons

• butter, divided

2 tablespoons

• olive oil, divided

1/4 cup

• all-purpose flour

2 cups

• milk

2 cups (10 ounces)

• Wisconsin mozzarella cheese, shredded

1 1/2 cups

• marinara sauce

1 cup

• Panko bread crumbs

1/2 cup (2 ounces)

• Wisconsin parmesan cheese, shredded

1/4 cup

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Bring large pot of salted water to boil and cook rotini according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 to 3/4 cup of the pasta water before draining. Drain pasta and lightly rinse with cool water to stop cooking process. Set aside.

Meanwhile, heat large saucepan over medium heat. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper on both sides. Add 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil to pan. Heat until bubbling heavily; add half the chicken slices in single layer and sauté until deep golden brown on one side. Flip; cook other side until golden brown, about 2 minutes each side. Repeat until slices have been cooked. Set aside. 

Melt 4 tablespoons butter in large pot over medium heat. Sprinkle in flour; whisk to form a paste. When bubbly and golden brown, slowly whisk in milk, stirring constantly until mixture simmers. Remove from heat. Add 2 heaping cups shredded mozzarella; stir until melted. Mix in pasta. If mixture is too thick, add some of reserved pasta water. Stir in chicken.

Pour half the mac and cheese into buttered single serving dishes or 9x13-inch baking dish. Distribute half the marinara sauce evenly over the top. Layer with remaining macaroni and cheese and marinara sauce. 

In small bowl, melt remaining butter. Stir in bread crumbs and parmesan. Sprinkle crumbs over macaroni. Bake 10-15 minutes for single servings or 15-20 minutes for larger portions, until crumbs are golden brown and the macaroni is heated through. Garnish with basil.

Mississippi Mud Cake

c/o Love Bakes Good Cakes

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 1 box (15.25 oz.) Devil's food cake mix
• ½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 1½ cups buttermilk
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 jar (7 oz.) marshmallow creme
• 1 cup toasted pecans, for topping

For the frosting:

• ½ cup (1 stick) butter
• 4 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
• ⅓ cup milk
• 4 cups powdered sugar

Directions

For the cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, melted butter, buttermilk, eggs and vanilla with a hand-held mixer on medium speed until well combined, stopping the mixer to scrape down the sides of the bowl once. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

3. Bake cake for 40-45 minutes, or until it tests done when a toothpick is inserted near the center. Remove cake from oven and immediately spread the marshmallow creme over the cake.

4. Prepare the chocolate frosting.

For the frosting:

1. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat until melted. Whisk in the cocoa powder and milk. Stirring constantly, bring the mixture just to a boil; immediately remove from the heat and whisk in the powdered sugar until thickened and smooth.

2. Pour the hot frosting over the marshmallow layer and carefully spread the frosting to the edges. Sprinkle the pecans over the top of the cake. Let cake cool completely before serving.

Friday Foodday

Happy Friday! 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.

One Skillet Chicken Alfredo Pasta

c/o The Kitchn

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Kosher or coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon minced garlic

4 cups chicken broth, preferably low-sodium

1 pound penne rigate or ziti pasta 

1 1/2 cups heavy (whipping) cream or half-and-half, warmed

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions

Cut the chicken breasts into 1-inch pieces. Season with salt and pepper. Melt the butter in a very large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, in batches if necessary, and sauté until nicely browned on the outside, but still a bit pink inside, about 4 minutes (the pieces don’t have to be browned on all sides; two sides is fine). Remove the chicken and set aside on a plate.

Do not clean the pan! Those brown bits on the bottom of the pan are going to add flavor to the sauce. Add the garlic to the pan and sauté over medium heat until you can smell it, 30 seconds.

Turn the heat to high, add the chicken broth, and scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen up all of those delicious caramelized bits. Bring to a simmer, lower to medium heat, and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the pasta, stir well, and simmer until the pasta starts to soften, about 8 minutes.

Stir in the warm cream or half-and-half and the browned chicken with any juices that have accumulated on the plate. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender, most of the liquid has been absorbed, and the chicken is cooked through, about 4 minutes more.

Stir in the Parmesan until well incorporated, taste, and adjust the seasonings if needed. You can continue with the next step or see the Recipe Notes below for add-in suggestions.

Transfer the mixture to a serving bowl and sprinkle with the parsley, if desired. Serve hot and pass extra Parmesan at the table.

Easy Apple Cake

c/o Love Bakes Good Cakes

Ingredients

• 1 box (18.25 oz.) yellow cake mix
• 1 can (21 oz.) apple pie filling
• 4 eggs
• Sweetened Whipped Cream (optional)
• Cinnamon (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients with an electric mixer until thoroughly combined. The mixer will help break up the apple pieces. Pour into the prepared dish.

3. Bake 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center tests clean. Allow cake to cool slightly before serving.

Serve with sweetened whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon, if desired.

*Just a note about this recipe - You will NOT need the ingredients listed on the cake mix box. Just use the cake mix, pie filling and eggs.