Monthly Archives: January 2009

Jan29

The Immortal PB&J Sandwich with a Twist

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The Immortal PB&J Sandwich with a Twist
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GPB&J

Yes, I’ve actually lowered myself to posting about a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I guess I am proving that I am a real redneck, but hey, there are few people that dislike this good ole classic. If you have kids, PB&J are likely staples at your house. I think my son bleeds peanut butter and jelly.

I was out a little late this evening and had to feed the hypoglycemic beasts at home as quickly as possible and this sandwich fit the bill.

These sandwiches are a great twist on a classic. I hope you try it, just for the heck of it…(Sorry to all the gourmet-ers out there, you will be disappointed in this one).

Grilled Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches

What you need -

Warm a large skillet, then take your favorite bread, peanut butter and jelly and make enough sandwiches to feed your crew. Butter the outsides of the bread and grill in the skillet (just like a grilled cheese) until you achieve your desired amount of browning – my kids like it golden, my dad likes it nearly charred. Slice the grilled sandwich dust with powdered sugar and serve.

Oh, buy the way, April 2nd is National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day. Can you guess what we are having for lunch that day?

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Mmm, PB&J Warm & Melting!

Jan25

Top-Drawer Cookies

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Top-Drawer Cookies
Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Chocolate Chunk Cookies

No, I don’t mean where my kids stash their midnight snacks. I mean recipe choices that are at the top of my list. Since there are a gazillion choices for cookie recipes – namely chocolate chipped – to each his own. Soft? Fluffy? Cakey? Thin? Crispy? For me, it completely depends on my mood. I think I base my preferences more on how the cookies hold up the next day. If you work during bankers hours, chances are just whipping up a batch of cookies to serve warm at work ain’t gonna happen. Even if you make the dough ahead of time, you have to dedicate time to watching over the oven etc… So I want to make sure that my cookies are just right about 12 hours after they are cooked. Maybe even 24 hours.

So, here is my top-drawer version of the classic.

Chocolate Chip Cookies, Chunky Style

Ingredients:

  • 4½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 2 cups salted butter, softened
  • 1½ cups packed brown sugar
  • ½ cup, plus 1 tablespoon, granulated sugar
  • 2 (3.3 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
  • 2 cups bittersweet chocolate chunks (from a bar)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Sift together the flour and baking soda, set aside.

 

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Beat in the instant pudding mix until blended. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture then the chocolate. Using a cookie scoop, (or a heaping teaspoon), drop cookies on un-greased sheets.

 

Bake 10 to 12 minutes until the edges are golden brown. Cool on pan for two minutes then remove to brown paper bag to help absorb oils until cool. Store in airtight container.

 

This recipe makes a WHOLE bunch of cookies. About 7 dozen, so feel free to half the recipe. I like to bake what I need, then roll the rest into balls and freeze. Then I can pop the cookies directly in the oven anytime – as few or as many as I need!

Jan25

Fruity Cream Cheese Loaves

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Fruity Cream Cheese Loaves
Apple Cinnamon Cream Cheese Loaf

Apple Cinnamon Cream Cheese Loaf

 

Blueberry Cream Cheese Loaf

Blueberry Cream Cheese Loaf

 

I have had a particular post bookmarked on my “to bake” list for a while now and finally got the opportunity to make use of it. This wonderfully easy recipe comes from My Kitchen Snippets and this post (which has wonderful photo illustrations). I made two slight changes to her recipe for the Blueberry Loaf and I made a second loaf filled with an apple cinnamon mixture. Both loaves turned out wonderfully – and were so easy and convenient. I served them for snacks at church this morning. I will post the recipe, but you should really go to her blog and check out her other recipes too.

Both loaves turned out beautifully with a golden brown, flaky crust. It is such a great idea to use breadsticks as they are already pre-sliced perfectly making braiding the loaf a cinch.

Blueberry Cream Cheese Loaf

Ingredients :

  • 6 oz of low fat cream cheese
  • 1 egg – separated
  • 3 tbsp of powder sugar
  • 1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberry
  • 1 (11 oz) tube of bread stick dough

Glaze

  • 1/2 cup of powder sugar
  • 2 tbsp of lemon juice ( I used milk for this)

Directions:

Preheat over to 350 degrees.

In a bowl combined soft cream cheese, powder sugar and egg yolk. Mix until well combined.

Remove breadstick dough from the tube, unroll it and separate the dough and you will have two rectangles. Join the dough up by placing both dough rectangles horizontally on a lightly greased baking sheet. Press the steam together. Spread cream cheese mixture onto the centre of the dough. Sprinkle the blueberry on top of the cream cheese. Separate the dough perforations up to the cheese mixture (You might need a scissors for this) Slightly pull and stretch the dough strips. Start from the top and bring and braid dough strip to cover the filling. Make sure to tuck and seal both ends of the loaf.

Beat the egg white and brush it all over the loaf, (I sprinkled sugar on top too). Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool the loaf.

Combine the powdered sugar and lemon juice (or milk). Whisk until smooth. Drizzle all over the cool loaf before serving.

For the Cinnamon Apple, I used pie filling (mixed w/sugar and cinnamon) instead of the blueberries and cut the apple pieces very small. I didn’t measure, I used layered the top of the cream cheese with apples.

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Beautiful Braids!

Jan25

Nine Inch Bacon Cheeseburger?

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Nine Inch Bacon Cheeseburger?
Burger Pie

Burger Pie

This is by far the biggest cheeseburger I have ever made… ok, it’s not a beef patty with a bun, lettuce, tomato, onion, cheese and bacon – but it sure tastes like one. It could be called “lazy burger”, or “redneck burger”. Today, I didn’t care. I was tired, fighting a head cold and listening to hungry people complain. Better, I had all seven ingredients to make a hearty lunch. Thank you Bisquick for the recipe…I adapted it slightly, if you want the original recipe, go here. I served a home tossed Caesar salad for the side. (There was not a drop left of either!)

Bacon Cheeseburger Pie

(aka Impossibly easy Cheeseburger Pie from Bisquick)

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 1 packet onion soup mix
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (2% milk)
  • 1/2 cup Bisquick Heart Smart Mix
  • 1 cup milk (skim)
  • 2 eggs
  • Bacon Pieces (I used Oscar Meyer Real Bacon Bits)
  • Ketchup (optional)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 9″ pie pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Brown the ground beef with the soup mix in a skillet. Layer in bottom of pie pan and top with cheese. Stir the Bisquick, Milk and eggs until blended and pour into the pie pan. Sprinkle bacon pieces over top of pie and swirl ketchup over the top. Bake in the oven for 20 – 25 minutes, or until lightly browned and set in the middle. Remove and let stand about two minutes then slice and serve.

Note: I didn’t have regular Bisquick or an onion, so I compromised. No one knew – it was still great. I also thought the bacon and ketchup made a “prettier top”.

Jan21

Sauce, Pepperoni, Cheese & Two Slices of Bread

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Sauce, Pepperoni, Cheese & Two Slices of Bread
Pizza Sandwich

Pizza Sandwich

A little butter and a hot skillet will make this ingredient combination a quick , warm, comfort and come back for more sandwich. When I resort to this sandwich, it means that grocery day is very soon… enough that I am scraping the barrel to make dinner. My pantry is sadly void. Basically, this a souped up grilled cheese sandwich, but it very kid compatible.

It is a great hot sandwich that can easily be adapted to ones taste and/or available ingredients. I even make a version for my lactose intolerant dad…

Grilled Pizza Sandwiches

Ingredients: 

  • Sliced bread – I use fresh baked Italian
  • Pizza Sauce
  • Sliced Pepperoni
  • Mozzarella Cheese (I use lactose free for my dad’s)
  • Butter, or butter spray
  • Non stick cooking spray

Directions:

Heat skillet and butter one side of each bread slice. Place bread, butter side down and top with some pizza sauce. Layer with some cheese, then pepperoni and more cheese. Top with a little more pizza sauce then other slice of bread – buttered side out. Carefully flip sandwich to grill both sides and cook until cheese is melted – hint: use thinly shredded cheese to speed melting time.

Slice and serve with additional pizza sauce (if desired).

Like I said – you can easily adjust the ingredients and “toppings” to your taste. Additional seasoning are optional – my family never asks.

Jan19

Bourbon Chicken (without Bourbon)

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Bourbon Chicken (without Bourbon)
bourbon-chicken-3-copy

Bourbon Chicken

 This is one of the many “gotta try” recipes I have bookmarked at Blog Chef.net by Bobby.  My whole family enjoys Asian dishes and I have plenty of choices on her blog. I almost talked myself out of making this dish… mainly because it involved frying and I hate the smell that frying in the house leaves… but I am SO glad I did. My husband said this was the best Bourbon Chicken dish that he’s ever had… (We have a few mall food court dishes that we frequent… but this is better, and less expensive.)

I served the chicken over long grain rice that I cooked in broth instead of water. Using broth keeps the “customers” from asking for extra salt and butter. I also steamed some vegetables in my recently purchased food steamer – which I LOVE. Other than the frying (which I used peanut oil) this was a very nutritious meal. It was pretty easy and straightforward too.

Oh, and I am curious too as to why this is called Bourbon…since there is no liquor in it… Maybe it’s from Bourbon Street in New Orleans… don’t know… too tired to care…

Bourbon Chicken

adapted from Blog Chef

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast cut into chunks
  • Corn starch
  • Peanut Oil

For the sauce:

  • 1 garlic clove, minced (I didn’t have any, but I used some garlic salt)
  • 1/4 teaspoon ginger
  • 3/4 teaspoon red pepper (I went real light on this)
  • 1/4 cup apple juice
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/3 cup soy sauce

Directions:

Cube chicken and dust with cornstarch. In large skillet brown the chicken in hot oil then remove and drain. (I didn’t use the same skillet for the sauce).

Combine the sauce ingredients in large skillet or wok. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add chicken. Simmer for ten minutes and serve over rice with sauce.

Jan17

Blondies by Betty

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Blondies by Betty
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Blondies by Betty

 

Bring on the box! Yes, I proudly used another cake mix to make dessert. This recipe comes from the Late Spring 2007 edition of  Betty Crocker Super Moist Cakes magazine. I have five of their Cake Mix recipe magazines. Though I really enjoy baking from scratch, quite equally to the creations that come from a box.

These bars are quite wonderful. Scrumptious in fact. Addicting. They are easy to make. Any time that I have made these they have been highly enjoyed and the recipe has been requested often. I make no changes, it doesn’t need any.

White Chocolate Macadamia-Caramel Bars

  • 1 box Betty Crocker SuperMoist yellow cake mix
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup butterscotch caramel topping (from 17-oz. jar), heated
  • 1 package (18 oz.) Pillsbury Ready to Bake! Big Deluxe Classics refrigerated white chunk macadamia nut cookies

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, beat cake mix, oil, water and eggs until smooth. Spread into ungreased 13 x 9 inch pan. (I recommend using glass, it bakes the crust better)

Bake crust 18 to 22 minutes or until top is golden brown. Remove from oven and drizzle over crust. Crumble cookies over the crust.

Bake 18 to 23 minutes longer, or until golden brown. Cool completely, cut and serve.Yield 48 bars (130 calories each :) )

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Really Big Name (but worth every word) Blondies

Jan17

Alton Brown’s French Toast

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Alton Brown’s French Toast
Alton Brown's French Toast

Alton Brown's French Toast

It is COLD here in Florida. I think our low last night was in the 20′s, making it very hard to get out of a nice warm bed. Reluctantly I did, and headed to the kitchen to make breakfast. Saturday is the day I like to prepare a nice breakfast, as opposed to the less time consuming toast and jelly that school mornings entail. I wanted to do some type of french toast. I recently saw a recipe for french toast waffles on Baking Bites, but all I have is a Belgium maker, and a regular waffle maker is recommended. So I set out to find another recipe that was different than your everyday recipe.

Enter, Alton Brown. I have always been pleased with my version of french toast, but I do have to say that I never cared for the soggy center. So I was excited about trying this method. Basically, you prepare your classic french toast, but once it is cooked, you place it in a 375 degree oven for 5 minutes, which helps firm the toast up. I followed his recipe to a tee and enjoyed the results. I will certainly use this method from now on. I will spare myself the extra typing – here is the link to AB’s recipe.