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!

Friday Foodday

Happy Friday!
Here are my favorite recipes this week.

Rhubarb Collins
c/o Epicurious

Ingredients

• 1 (4 ounce) stalk rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 1/2 -inch pieces (about 3/4 cup total) or 3/4 cup frozen rhubarb chunks
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 ounces gin
• 1 ounce lemon juice
• 2 to 4 ounces Champagne or soda water, chilled

Directions

1. In a small pot, combine the rhubarb and sugar with 3/4 cup water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to moderately low and simmer until slightly thickened and bright pink in color, about 20 minutes. Let the syrup cool then pour through a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl. Press down gently and discard the solids. DO AHEAD: The rhubarb simple syrup can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
2. In a cocktail shaker, combine 1 ounce of the rhubarb simple syrup with the gin and lemon juice. Fill the shaker with ice and shake vigorously until completely mixed, about 20 seconds. Strain into a highball glass and top with Champagne or soda water.

Skillet Chicken in Tomato Chipotle Sauce with Avocado Crema

c/o Skinnytaste

Ingredients

2 (1 pound total) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon cumin

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Olive oil spray

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/2 small onion, sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup tomato sauce

1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth

1 tablespoon chipotle pepper in adobo

Juice of ½ lime

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

• AVOCADO SAUCE

1/4 cup low fat sour cream

1 ounce avocado

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves

½ small jalapeno pepper, seeds and membrane removed

1 small garlic clove

1 tablespoon lime juice

1/8 tsp kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

1  tablespoon water, as needed

Directions

Place the chicken breast halves between 2 pieces of plastic wrap or parchment and lightly pound to even thickness.  Season both sides with ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper.

Heat large non-stick skillet over medium high heat.  Spray with olive oil spray, add chicken breasts and brown each side, 2 minutes each.  Remove chicken from pan and set aside on a plate.

Reduce heat to medium, add oil and onions and sauté, scraping brown bits with a wooden spoon, about 3 minutes or until onions are tender.  Add garlic and sauté 30 seconds more.  Add tomato sauce, chicken broth, ½ teaspoon salt, cumin, chipotle pepper and adobo sauce, stir and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium low, return chicken to pan, cover and cook 8 to 10 minutes more or until chicken is cooked through. Add lime juice.

Meanwhile, to make the avocado sauce combine all sauce ingredients in a small blender and process until smooth and uniform in color.

To serve: Top each chicken breast half with tomato sauce mixture, avocado sauce and garnish with cilantro.

The Browniest Cookie

c/o Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients

1/2 cup (4 ounces or 115 grams) unsalted butter
4 ounces (115 grams) unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup (190 grams) dark or light brown sugar
2 tablespoons (25 grams) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea or table salt
1/2 cup (45 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder, any kind will work
1 cup (130 grams) all-purpose flour
2/3 cup (115 grams) chocolate chips or bitter- or semisweet chocolate, chopped into chunks

Directions

Melt butter and unsweetened chocolate together — you can do this on the stove over very low heat, stirring constantly, in a double-boiler or in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each — and taking the chocolate out when it’s almost, but not fully, melted. Off the heat, stir until it is. 

Whisk sugars into melted butter and chocolate, then eggs, one at a time, then vanilla. Whisk in baking soda and salt. If your cocoa powder is lumpy, sift it right onto the surface of the batter, other wise, just add it to the bowl. Add flour, too, and then stir until just combined. Add chips or chocolate chunks and stir until combined.

Place bowl in the fridge for about 30 minutes, and up to a few days. Shorter than 30 minutes, you can bake it right away but they keep better shape once chilled and are easier to scoop. Longer than 30 minutes, they become difficult to scoop, but you can let them warm up slightly before you do.

Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). 

Scoop into about 1 1/2- to 2-tablespoon sized mounds and space evenly on parchment- or nonstick baking mat-lined baking sheets, allowing room for them to spread a little. Bake for 11 to 12 minutes, at which point they will still definitely look underbaked, but you should take them out if a fudgy-centered cookie is your goal. (Of course it is!) Let set on baking sheets for a few minutes before carefully transferring to a rack to cool the rest of the way before eating.

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.

Bee's Breakfast
c/o Imbibe Magazine

Ingredients
2 oz. gin
3/4 oz. fresh lemon juice
3/4 oz. honey syrup (3:1)
5 fresh raspberries
1 tsp. Greek yogurt (2%)

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a shaker tin and muddle. Add ice and shake to chill, then strain into a glass filled with crushed ice and garnish.

Creamy Salsa Verde Skillet

c/o Closet Cooking

Ingredients

• 1 pound tomatillos, peeled and washed
• 2 jalapeno peppers, sliced in half and seeded
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 pound boneless and skinless chicken breasts
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup sour cream (or heavy cream)
• 1 lime, juice and zest
• 1/2 cup cilantro
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Roast the tomatillos and jalapenos under the broiler (or medium-high heat in a cast iron skillet) until charred, about 10 minutes, before pureeing in a blender or food processor.
2. Heat the oil in a heavy bottom skillet over medium-high heat, add the chicken and cook until lightly golden brown on both sides, about 3-5 minutes per side, before setting aside.
3. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 3-5 minutes before adding the garlic and cooking until fragrant, about minute.
4. Add the chicken broth and deglaze the pan by scraping up the brown bits form the bottom of the pan with a spoon.
5. Add the pureed tomatillos and jalapenos and chicken and simmer for 5 minutes.
6. Add the sour cream, lime juice and cilantro before seasoning with salt and pepper to taste, removing from heat and enjoying.

Five Ingredient Chocolate Cheesecake Cups

c/o Skinny Taste

Ingredients

1 oz (1 square) semisweet baking chocolate, plus 1/8 oz shavings (Bakers) 

4 oz Philly 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened room temperature

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup light sour cream

1 large egg, room temperature

Directions

Preheat oen to 225F. Line a mini muffin pan with mini cups or mini muffin liners.

Melt 1 oz chocolate in the microwave in 30 seconds increments, stirring in between until chocolate has melted, about 1 1/2 minutes total.

In a bowl, using a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar, then add the sour cream and beat until smooth.

With a spoon, fold in egg (always folding under) and the melted chocolate and stir until smooth.

Spoon 2 tbsp in each cup. Bake 50 minutes, then turn the oven off and let the cheesecakes sit in the oven 30 minutes longer. Remove from oven and let cool completely before serving (2 hours or overnight in the fridge).

Shave the remaining chocolate and sprinkle over the top before serving.

Friday Foodday

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

Pomegranate Grapefruit Paloma
c/o Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients

• 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
• A few pomegranate arils (for garnish)
• 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.

Cauliflower Fried Rice
c/o Skinny Taste

Ingredients

1 medium head (about 24 oz) cauliflower, rinsed

1 tbsp sesame oil

2 egg whites

1 large egg

pinch of salt

cooking spray

1/2 small onion, diced fine

1/2 cup frozen peas and carrots

2 garlic cloves, minced

5 scallions, diced, whites and greens separated

3 tbsp soy sauce, or more to taste

Directions

Remove the core and let the cauliflower dry completely.

Coarsely chop into florets, then place half of the cauliflower in a food processor and pulse until the cauliflower is small and has the texture of rice or couscous – don’t over process or it will get mushy. Set aside and repeat with the remaining cauliflower.

Combine egg and egg whites in a small bowl and beat with a fork. Season with salt.

Heat a large saute pan or wok over medium heat and spray with oil.

Add the eggs and cook, turning a few times until set; set aside.

Add the sesame oil and saute onions, scallion whites, peas and carrots and garlic about 3 to 4 minutes, or until soft.Raise the heat to medium-high.

Add the cauliflower “rice” to the saute pan along with soy sauce. Mix, cover and cook approximately 5 to 6 minutes, stirring frequently, until the cauliflower is slightly crispy on the outside but tender on the inside.

 Add the egg then remove from heat and mix in scallion greens.

Oreo Peppermint Cookies
c/o A Taste of Home Cooking

Ingredients
1 box yellow cake mix 
1 stick butter, melted 
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
8 Oreo cookies, crushed into pieces
1 package Andes mints, crushed (or 1 cup Andes Peppermint Crunch pieces) 
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

Combine the cake mix, melted butter, egg, and extracts in a large bowl. Using a hand mixer, beat until a soft dough forms. Add the softened cream cheese and beat in gently until combined. Stir in the Oreos, peppermint pieces and chocolate chips. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes.

Using a 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop, divide the dough into 36 balls. 

Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 9 minutes. These didn't spread at all, so I was able to fit 8 dough balls on each sheet. The cookies will be very soft and look under done. Let them sit on the hot cookie sheet for 2 minutes, then gently remove them with a spatula to a cooling rack. Very gently tap the tops of the cookies with the bottom of the spatula to even out the tops. Let them sit until completely cool. Store in an airtight container.