Good Enough for Guests, but Quick and Easy Too

 

Here is a main dish that is a great weeknight meal because it is so fast and easy to throw together, but it is fancy and delicious enough that you could also serve it for guests. I've posted this one before here, but it's so good, it deserves a post of its own.

Apricot-Glazed Pork Tenderloin

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 pork tenderloins (about 12 ounces each), trimmed of excess fat
1 tbsp olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 jar (10-12 ounces) apricot jam, (about 1 cup)
1/4 cup spicy brown mustard

Directions:

Heat broiler; set rack 4 inches from heat. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Rub pork with oil; season with salt and pepper. broil 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, whisk together jam and mustard. Cook over medium heat until jam melts, 3-4 minutes; remove from heat. Transfer half to a small bowl for brushing. Cover pan to keep remaining sauce warm.

Remove pork from broiler; brush with reserved sauce. Continue broiling until pork is blackened in spots and registers 150 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 5-10 minutes more.

Cover pork loosely with foil; let rest 5 minutes before slicing. Serve drizzled with warm sauce.

Source: Martha Stewart Everyday Food recipe. You can find it here.

Notes: This took more than 10 minutes per side for me to broil. I would just broil it until it starts to brown, turn it over, and then broil that side until it starts to brown. Check it with a thermometer, or cut into it to see if it is cooked throughout and no longer pink on the inside. After I sliced the pork, I brushed each piece with the apricot mustard glaze. Seriously, this is such a good and easy main dish. We served it with green beans on the side, but have served it with asparagus in the past too.

Simple Fruit Salad

 

This is a very simple fruit salad that will brighten up any meal for your family this summer.

 

Blackberry-Cantaloupe Salad

Ingredients:

2 cups blackberries
1/2 cantaloupe, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon grated lime zest plus 1 tablespoon juice
2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh mint leaves

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except mint. Cover and let stand 30 minutes (or refrigerate up to 2 days). Stir in mint just before serving.

Source: Martha Stewart. You can find it here.

Notes: This is just a simple, delicious, refreshing summer fruit salad.

 

Breakfast For Dinner!

Well, we do this a lot, but we had another "Breakfast for Dinner" night, and as always, it was a huge success. The only drawback being that no one wanted dessert after eating this feast--especially since we had sweet breakfast choices to balance out the savory ones.

 

Amish Breakfast Casserole

Ingredients:

1 pound sliced bacon, diced
1 medium sweet onion, chopped
6 eggs, lightly beaten
4 cups frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) 4% cottage cheese
1 1/4 cups shredded Swiss cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large skillet, cook bacon and onion over medium heat until bacon is crisp; drain. In a large bowl, combine remaining ingredients; stir in bacon mixture. Transfer to a greased 13x9-inch baking dish.

Bake, uncovered, 35-40 minutes, or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting. Yield: 12 servings.

Nutrition information: 1 piece equals 273 calories, 18 g fat, 153 mg cholesterol, 477 mg sodium, 8 g carbohydrate, 18 g protein.

Source: Taste of Home. You can find it here.

Notes: I really liked the taste that the flavor that the Swiss cheese gave this casserole. Yummy stuff!

 

Overnight Country Sausage and Hash Brown Casserole

Ingredients:

1 package (16 oz) bulk hot pork sausage
10 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1 bag (20 oz) refrigerated O'Brien hash browns (about 4 1/2 cups)
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (6 oz)

Directions:

Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) baking dish with cooking spray. In 8-inch skillet, cook sausage over medium heat 5 to 7 minutes or until no longer pink; drain.

In large bowl, beat eggs, milk, Dijon mustard and pepper with whisk until mixed well. Stir in hash browns, 1 cup of the cheese and the cooked sausage. Pour mixture in baking dish; cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours, but no longer than 12 hours.

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove dish from refrigerator, uncover and top with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until center is just set. Cool 10 minutes before serving.

Source: Pillsbury. You can find it here.

Notes: Another great and easy breakfast casserole that will really hit the spot.

 

Blintz Brunch Bake

Ingredients:

2 pkg. (8 oz each) Neufchatel cheese, softened
1 container (15 oz) part skim ricotta cheese
5 eggs, divided
3/4 cup sugar, divided
2 tsp zest and 3 tbsp. juice from 1 lemon
1 cup flour
3/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/4 cup milk
1 tbsp. baking powder

Directions:

Heat oven to 325 degrees F.

Beat Neufchatel, ricotta, 2 eggs, 1/4 cup sugar, lemon zest, and juice in large bowl with mixer until blended.

Whisk remaining eggs, sugar, flour, butter, milk, and baking powder in separate bowl until blended. Spread 1/3 of the batter onto bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray; cover with Neufchatel mixture, then remaining batter.

Bake 45 minutes, or until center is set.

Recipe notes: If baking in a 13x9-inch metal baking pan, increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Sprinkle with powdered sugar just before serving, if desired.

Makes 12-16 servings (depending on how large you would like to cut the pieces).

Source: Kraft recipes. You can find it here. We also originally posted this recipe on our blog here.

Notes: As I mentioned above, I initially served this warm and that was all wrong for this dish. I also mentioned that the original recipe doesn't specify what temperature to serve it at, but it is much better at room temperature or chilled. Be sure to have a group to serve this for because you don't want to feel guilty after eating the whole pan by yourself!

This time, we served it with sliced strawberries on top as well as the powdered sugar. Delicious!

Dutch Baby Pancake

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

3 large eggs

3/4 cup whole milk

1/2 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup, plus 1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a medium cast-iron or ovenproof nonstick skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat; set aside.

In a blender, combine eggs, milk, flour, salt, vanilla, and 1/4 cup sugar. Blend until foamy, about 1 minute. pour batter into skillet; bake until pancake is puffed and lightly browned, about 20 minutes.

Working quickly, dot pancake with 1 tablespoon butter, and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar and lemon juice. Slice into wedges, and serve immediately.

Source: Martha Stewart Everyday Food, March 2009. You can find it here. We love this one so much that we have also already posted it on our blog here and here.

Notes: This is really similar to a German pancake. However, this one has sugar inside and on top of it, so you can serve it as-is. No need to add syrup or any other toppings (or you still can, if you like!).

Yeasty Waffles

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cup(s) whole milk (at room temperature)
1/2 cup(s) unsalted butter (melted, plus more melted butter for the waffle iron)
2 1/2 cup(s) sifted all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon(s) (from 2 envelopes) active dry yeast (at room temperature)
2 large eggs
2 teaspoon(s) agave nectar or honey
1 teaspoon salt
Syrup, for serving

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the milk, 1/2 cup melted butter, flour, yeast, eggs, agave, and salt, and whisk until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand until the batter is very puffy, about 2 hours at room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Preheat a waffle iron and brush it with melted butter. Gently stir the batter to deflate it. For each batch, fill the waffle iron about two-thirds full (the batter will spread and rise); brush the waffle iron with melted butter as needed.

Cook the waffles until golden and crisp. Transfer the waffles immediately from the iron to plates, or keep them warm in the oven. Serve the waffles with syrup, fresh fruit, and softened butter.

Source: Food and Wine. You can find it here.

Notes: Regrettably, I did not get a picture of these! What a pity! I will have to make them again soon and add a picture. These were fantastic. So tasty and such an amazing texture.

I Love Using Just One Pot!

 

I love that there are so many recipes floating around these days that require only one pot. It makes things so much easier. Plus, these dinners are usually so fast! I'm a big fan. Here's another great one that I found.

One-Pot Pasta

Ingredients:

1 (16 oz.) pkg. penne pasta
2 stalks broccoli, cut into florets
2-3 minced garlic cloves, or 1-2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
1-3 lemons
Salt and pepper, to taste
Shredded Parmesan cheese, to taste

Directions:

Boil penne 6 minutes less than al dente; add broccoli florets, and cook until penne is al dente.

In measuring cup with spout, combine garlic cloves, olive oil, zest from one lemon, and juice from 1-3 lemons (depending on how lemony you want the flavor to be), and salt and pepper to taste.

When pasta is done, drain and return to the pot. Toss with the olive oil/lemon juice mixture until well-coated. Stir in some Parmesan and sprinkle additional Parmesan on top of the pasta to serve.

Source: Everyday Food, October 2008. You can find it here.

Notes: I like one-pot dinners so much, we actually have a tag for them so you can look at all of them at once. This was so good. I like things on the lemony side, so I used the zest of one lemon and the juice of three. This tasted so fresh and it really hit the spot. Besides that, it was so quick and easy! (We have another tag for quick and easy recipes too!).

Applesauce Inspired

 

 

This was one of those recipes that I had marked to try for a very long time...and for one reason or another, it just kept getting put off. Now, I wish I had tried it sooner. Try this one...and don't put it off!

Applesauce Cake

Ingredients:

1/2 cup vegetable oil, plus more for cake pan
3 large apples, peeled, cored, quartered, and cut into chunks
1/2 cup light-brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Confectioners' sugar (optional), for serving

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil an 8-inch round cake pan. In a medium saucepan, bring apples and 1/4 cup water to a simmer over high. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook until apples are very tender, 12 minutes. Mash apples with a whisk, stirring to dry mixture slightly, 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Whisk brown sugar into apples, then oil. Whisk in eggs, then flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Transfer batter to ban and bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack 20 minutes. Invert and let cake cool on rck. To serve, dust top with confectioners' sugar, if desired.

Recipe notes: This recipe makes great muffins, as well. Simply reduce the baking time to 15 minutes.

Source: Martha Stewart, Everyday Food magazine, April 2010 issue. I can't actually find this online anymore. There is another applesauce cake recipe on the Martha Stewart website, but it isn't this one. I will have to hunt some more, and if I find it, I will post the link.

Notes: This was slightly time-consuming, but not intense or difficult, so it is definitely worth the extra time. This cake is SO moist! I need to try this in muffin form, as suggested as an alternative for the recipe. Definitely a keeper.

 

Above: Yummy without powdered sugar...

 

Above: Yummy with powdered sugar too! 

Above: Check out those delicious chunks of apple!

Repeat!

 

I made this one awhile back, but I just made it again this week (because I didn't know what I wanted to make for dinner, and I happened to have all of the ingredients for this on hand) and it was just so good that I thought I would post it again (especially since I took new pictures and remembered the parsley this time).

Creamy Pasta with Crispy Salami

Ingredients:

3 eggs
1 cup grated Parmesan
4 ounces salami
Olive oil
3 crushed garlic cloves
3/4 pound spaghetti
Salt and pepper
Chopped parsley

Directions:

Whisk together eggs and Parmesan in a large bowl.  Cut salami into 1/2 inch strips.  Heat a skillet over medium-high, then coat with olive oil.  Cook salami and garlic until salami is crisp.  Cook spaghetti, before draining, reserve 1 cup pasta water.  Add hot pasta to egg mixture, along with garlic and half the salami.  Toss, adding enough pasta water to coat pasta in a creamy sauce.  Season with salt and pepper, if needed.  Serve topped with a sprinkle of parsley and remaining salami.

Source: Martha Stewart, Everyday Food. You can find it here.

Notes: This is a fun variation on pasta carbonara.  If you don't have salami, you can go the traditional route and use bacon instead.

Oh, and I must strongly suggest that you use freshly ground pepper in this dish.  It makes all the difference!

I cooked a whole pound of pasta.  Last time, I forgot the parsley. This time, I remembered. :) It just makes it look so much prettier!

Slow Cooker to the Rescue!

 

Oh, busy days. Why does it seem like you are becoming more frequent? Thank goodness for slow cookers on days like those. Here is a great new recipe I found.

Slow-Cooked Tex-Mex Chicken and Beans

Ingredients:

1 cup dried pinto beans, rinsed
1 jar (11 ounces) mild or medium salsa (1 1/2 cups)
2 tablespoons chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup water
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 8) (see notes below)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper (ribs and seeds removed), chopped
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream, for serving
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, for serving

Directions:

In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, stir together beans, salsa, chiles, flour, and 1 cup water. Season chicken with salt and pepper; arrange on top of bean mixture. Scatter onion and bell pepper on top of chicken.

Cover and cook on low heat for 8 hours. (Do not open lid or stir.)

Remove chicken from stew; shred into large pieces and return to stew. Serve topped with sour cream and cilantro.

Oven method: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Follow step 1, using a 5-quart Dutch oven or large pot, substituting 2 cans (15 ounces each) pinto beans, drained and rinsed, for dried beans, and increasing water to 2 cups. Cover pot and bring to a simmer on top of the stove. Transfer to oven, and cook until chicken is tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Proceed with step 3.

Source: Martha Stewart, Everyday Food, November 2007. You can find the recipe here.

Notes: The dried pinto beans gave this such a good flavor (almost a baked bean, barbecued flavor). I used four boneless, skinless chicken breasts in place of the chicken thighs.

Reimagining a Recipe

You may or may not like tuna noodle casserole in its classic form, but I know I liked this tuna casserole that I made awhile back.

Here is a way of looking at tuna casserole in a different way.

Creamy Shells with Tuna and Spinach

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced small
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
4 cups whole milk
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 hamburger bun, torn into large pieces (I used a couple of slices of white bread)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and excess liquid squeezed out
2 cans (6 ounces each) light tuna in water, drained and flaked (see notes below)
6 ounces jumbo pasta shells (about 20), cooked according to package instructions

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium pot, heat oil over medium-high. Add onion and cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Gradually add milk, whicking constantly, and cook until slightly thickened and bubbling, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and let sauce cool slightly.

In a food processor, combine bun, Parmesan, Italian seasoning, and red-pepper flakes. Process until fine crumbs form. Transfer half the mixture to a large bowl and combine with spinach, tuna, and half the sauce; season with salt and pepper. Fill each shell with 2 heaping tablespoons spinach mixture and place in a 9x13-inch baking dish. Top with remaining sauce and breadcrumb mixture. Bake until sauce is bubbling and breadcrumbs are golden, about 20 minutes.

Recipe Note: Toss together a salad to go along with this. In a large bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon each red-wine vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning. Season with coarse salt and ground pepper. Add 3/4 head iceberg lettuce, chopped, and 1 tomato, cut into wedges. Toss to combine.

Source: Martha Stewart website. You can find it here.

Notes: I really liked this. In the future, however, I think I might try it with fresh chopped spinach instead of the frozen. Also, if you don't like tuna, you could definitely substitute canned chicken. I really liked the flavor of this. I wish it had a little more sauce though--not enough to double the sauce recipe...just a little bit more. Also, I think I would have put 3/4 of the breadcrumb mixture and mixed it into the tuna spinach mixture and put the remaining 1/4 mixture on top of the shells. I had a ton of breadcrumbs remaining to sprinkle on top. I ended up throwing half of the remaining mixture out because otherwise, the breadcrumbs would have dried up the sauce, whereas they would have added even more flavor and texture to the shell filling. So, I will definitely make this again (and I really want to try it with chicken and fresh spinach), but I would slightly change a few things (as noted) the next time around.

Something a Little Different for the Slow Cooker

Do you know what is irritating? When you have everything but one ingredient for a recipe, so you go to the store for that ingredient...and then you forget to use it in the recipe. Ha ha! That's what I did with this recipe. I bought golden raisins because it was the only thing I was missing...and then I forgot to use them. I really liked it and thought it tasted good, but I thought, "This might be missing something..." I realized what it was missing the next day. I added the raisins to the leftovers, and it was very nice.


What I learned is that this dish is great with the raisins, but if you leave them out, it won't be the end of the world either. Ha ha! Besides, I love golden raisins. They will make a good snack for me.

Spiced Chicken Stew with Carrots

Ingredients:

2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch lengths
8 skinless chicken thighs (about 2 1/2 pounds total) or 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted, if desired
Chicken broth, optional (see notes below)
Additional salt and pepper, to taste
Couscous, for serving (optional)

Directions:

Place carrots in slow cooker. In a bowl, toss together chicken, garlic, cinnamon, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; add to slow cooker. Cover, and cook on high, 4 hours (or on low, 8 hours), adding raisins 15 minutes before cooking is done.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer chicken and carrots to a dish (remove cinnamon stick); top with cilantro and almonds. Season cooking liquid with salt and pepper; spoon over chicken. Serve with couscous, if desired.

Alternate method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Use a 5-quart Dutch oven or ovenproof pot with a tight-fitting lid, adding 1 cup water. Cover, and bake until chicken is tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Proceed with the second step of the recipe.

Source: Martha Stewart Everyday Food, March 2009. You can find it here.

Notes: I like to have a lot of sauce and this doesn't really create that much liquid. So, I would suggest adding one can of chicken broth, or 1 to 2 cups of water (and perhaps a cube or two of chicken bouillon). This was very simple to throw together, and a very nice change of pace for a slow cooker meal.

Season each portion with salt and pepper to your taste.

 

Above: Don't forget the raisins! Ha ha!

The Meatballs are Back

I know I went crazy a couple of months ago and made a ton of different kinds of meatballs, but what can I say? My youngest son just keeps asking me for meatballs when I say, "What should I make for dinner?" Besides, there are so many different kinds of meatballs out there!

Beef Stroganoff Meatballs

Ingredients:

Coarse salt and pepper
3/4 pound spaghetti
1/2 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
1/2 cup whole milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large shallots, diced small
1 pound ground beef chuck (80 percent lean)
1 pound mushrooms, such as button or cremini, trimmed and sliced 1/2-inch thick
1 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill, divided

Directions:

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions. Reserve 2 1/2 cups pasta water; drain.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine breadcrumbs, milk, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. In a large heavy pot, melt butter over medium. Add shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; transfer 1/4 cup shallots to breadcrumb mixture, along with beef and stir until just combined (do not overmix). Form into 1-inch balls and place, 1 inch apart, on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until browned and cooked through, about 2 minutes, turning halfway through.

Add mushrooms to pot with remaining shallots and cook, stirring, over medium, until mushrooms are softened, 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add reserved pasta water, scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon, and bring to a rapid simmer. Cook until liquid is reduced by half, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream and 2 tablespoons dill. Add meatballs and toss to coat. Divide pasta among four bowls and top with meatballs, sauce, and remaining 2 tablespoons dill.

Source: Martha Stewart, Everyday Food, October 2012. You can find it here.

Notes: My grocery store didn't have any fresh dill, so I used parsley instead. This was so good. Really easy to make, quick to throw together, and really tasty.

Freeze Ahead

My sister, Laurie, sent me a bunch of recipes that she made and froze prior to the birth of her second baby. I am slowly, but surely, making and photographing them. Here is one of them. It was super yummy and survived despite the fact that I misread the bake time and baked it waaaay longer than it was supposed to be. It still turned out great though!

Tamale Pies

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds ground dark-meat turkey
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 minced jalapeno chiles (seeds and ribs removed for less heat, if desired)
1 tablespoon ground cumin
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
4 cups fresh (from 6 ears) or thawed frozen corn kernels
Cornmeal Crust (recipe below)
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (4 ounces)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Make filling: Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. In two batches, brown turkey, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining tablespoon oil to skillet. Cook onion, jalapeno, and cumin, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes; season with 2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Return turkey to pan; stir in tomatoes and corn until combined.

Make crust. Pour 1/8 of the crust (1/4 cup) into the bottom of each of eight 10- to 12-ounce ramekins. Smooth tops with a spoon; cool 5 minutes. Top each with turkey filling, dividing evenly; sprinkle with cheese.

Bake on a rimmed baking sheet until filling is bubbling and cheese is melted, about 30 minutes.

Freezing instructions:

To freeze this dish, do not add cheese in step 3. Let pies cool completely; do not bake. Cover tightly with plastic wrap; freeze up to 3 months.

To cook small pies from frozen: Remove plastic wrap from frozen pies, and cover with foil; bake 45 minutes. Remove foil, top with cheese, and bake 30 minutes more.

To cook large pies: Defrost overnight in refrigerator. Sprinkle with cheese; bake, uncovered, 45-60 minutes.

Serves 8.

Source: Martha Stewart. You can find the recipe here.

Notes: I don't have 10- to 12-ounce ramekins. I only have 4- and 6-ounce ramekins. I also opted to make some of it in a 9-inch pie plate. I would say you could make this in two 9-inch pie plates and cut it into wedges for serving.

Cornmeal Crust

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
2 teaspoons coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
4 tablespoons butter

Directions:

Whisk cornmeal with 1 1/2 cups cold water.

In a medium saucepan, bring 2 1/2 cups water, salt, and pepper to a boil.

Gradually stir in cornmeal mixture. Reduce heat; simmer, stirring often, until very thick, 4 to 5 minutes.

Remove from heat;stir in butter until melted.

Source: Martha Stewart Everyday Food, September 2004. You can find it here.

The Last of the Eggnog...or Is It?

  

Ahhh, eggnog. Why are you only available a few months of the year? I will share a great recipe that uses store-bought eggnog. Then, I will show you how you can make a very easy version at home if you are craving eggnog in January...or July!

Eggnog Tres Leches Cake

Ingredients:

1 package white cake mix (regular size)

1 1/3 cups water

2 tablespoons canola oil

3 egg whites

2 cups eggnog

1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup 2 percent milk

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, water, oil, and egg whites; beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. Pour into a greased and floured 13x9-inch baking pan.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Using a skewer, poke holes in cake 1-inch apart.

In a large bowl, combine the eggnog, sweetened condensed milk, and 2 percent milk. Pour a scant 3/4 cup mixture over cake; let stand for 20-30 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Repeat four times. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

In a large bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add sugar; beat until soft peaks form. Spread over cake. Sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg. Refrigerate leftovers.

Yield: 15 servings.

Nutritional information: 1 piece equals 394 calories, 19 g fat, 62 mg cholesterol, 309 mg sodium, 51 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 6 g protein.

Source: Taste of Home. You can find it here.

Ice Cream Eggnog

Ingredients:

Vanilla ice cream (amount depends on the number of servings you wish to make)
Milk, to achieve desired thickness
Rum extract, to taste
Nutmeg, to taste
Yellow food coloring, optional

Directions:

Place vanilla ice cream and milk in a blender (the amounts you use are dependent on how many servings you wish to make, and how thick you would like your eggnog to be). Flavor with rum extract and nutmeg to your taste.

Sprinkle with additional nutmeg, if desired.

Serve immediately.

Source: I was inspired by this recipe that I found in an Everyday Food magazine.

Notes: The ice cream helps you achieve a texture similar to that of store-bought eggnog. You can use any kind of milk you would like (skim, whole, half-and-half, etc.). You can make it thick (using less milk) if you want more of an eggnog shake. Or you can use more milk to achieve more of an eggnog thickness.

I would suggest starting out with about 1 teaspoon of rum flavoring, and 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg and then adjusting this to your taste. I used more than 1 teaspoon of rum flavoring.

You can use yellow food coloring to make your eggnog look more like the store-bought variety, or you can keep it white. It's up to you!

 

Above: Ice cream eggnog (without yellow food coloring)

 

Above: Ice cream eggnog with a little yellow food coloring.

This really tastes just like store-bought eggnog. If you have a serious craving for eggnog when none can be found in the store, this easy recipe is for you.

Christmas Candy: Part 2

 

If you can believe it, I had even more candy recipes that I wanted to make this year. However, I ran out of time, calories, and people to give candy to! Ah well, there is always next year.

 

Cream Cheese Mints

Ingredients:

4 ounces softened cream cheese
1 tablespoon softened butter
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon mint extract
4 cups powdered sugar
Food coloring, optional
Granulated sugar or color sprinkles, optional

Directions:

Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with aluminum foil or waxed paper.

Place the softened cream cheese, butter, corn syrup, and mint extract in the large bowl of a stand mixer (alternately, a hand mixer can be used). Beat until the mixture is smooth and homogenous.

With the mixer on low, gradually add the powdered sugar and mix until the candy is well-combined. Taste the candy and adjust the flavoring to suit your taste. If you want to make different colors of mints, divide the candy into separate bowls and work the desired coloring into the portions of candy.

Using a spoon, scoop walnut-sized balls of candy and roll it between your palms into a ball. Roll the ball in granulated sugar or colored sprinkles. Place the ball on the prepared baking sheet, and use the palm of your hand or the bottom of a glass to flatten the ball into a patty. If desired, you can instead press down on the mint with the tines of a fork to create a pretty cross-hatching pattern on the mint. Repeat with remaining candy until all the mints are formed.

Alternately, you can mold this candy by pressing small ball of the mint mixture into candy molds. After you have firmly pressed the candy into the mold, quickly pop it out and repeat with remaining candy.

Store mints in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. These mints are good straight from the refrigerator, or at room temperature.

Recipe notes: These candies make perfect favors for baby or bridal showers, weddings, and holiday parties. They can be decorated to suit any color scheme, and also work well as a molded candy. This recipe yields approximately 4 dozen 1" mint patties.

Source: I found these on the About.com website. You can find them here.

Chocolate Coconut Haystacks

Ingredients:

Sweetened flaked/shredded coconut
Chocolate (milk chocolate, semi-sweet, or dark--your preference)

Directions:

Toast the coconut. This can be done in the oven (at 300 degrees for about 20 minutes), a toaster oven, the stove-top (over medium heat, stirring frequently), or the microwave (cooked at 15 second intervals and stirred between each cooking time).

Melt the chocolate either in a double-boiler or in the microwave (at 30 second intervals, stirred between each cooking time).

Once the chocolate is melted and smooth, pour the coconut into the chocolate and stir until the coconut is coated completely. Drop by spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper or aluminum foil. Refrigerate until the chocolate is completely set.

Source: This came from my wonderful chocolate loving grandpa! It was originally posted here.

Notes: I didn't offer ingredient amounts because it depends on how much you want to make. But it is about a 50/50 ratio. So, for example, 1/2 cup of toasted coconut and 1/2 cup of melted chocolate. Just enough for the coconut to become evenly coated.

Five Pounds of Chocolate Fudge

Ingredients:

2 (12-ounce) packages semisweet chocolate morsels
1 cup butter or margarine
1 (7-ounce) jar marshmallow cream
4 1/2 cups sugar
1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
Butter or margarine
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans, toasted, optional

Directions:

Combine first 3 ingredients in a large mixing bowl; set aside.

Combine sugar and evaporated milk in a buttered Dutch oven.

Cook sugar mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture reaches soft ball stage, or candy thermometer registers 234°; pour over chocolate mixture. Beat at high speed with an electric mixer or with a wooden spoon until mixture thickens and begins to lose its gloss. Stir in vanilla and chopped pecans, if using.

Spread into a buttered 15x10-inch jelly roll pan. Cover and chill until firm. Cut into 1-inch squares. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Yield: Makes 96 pieces.

Source: Southern Living, June 2008. You can find it here.

Notes: This is just a good, classic chocolate fudge recipe. I made mine without nuts because of my son's allergies. It's a good way to make a lot of treats for a crowd!

Penuche Fudge (Mexican/Spanish Caramel Fudge)

Ingredients:

Vegetable oil cooking spray
1 can (5 oz) evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
5 ounces (1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 ounces toasted walnuts, chopped (1 cup), optional

Directions:

Coat a 5x10-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Line with plastic wrap, leaving a 2-inch overhang on 2 sides.

Bring evaporated milk, brown sugar, butter, and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring frequently, until mixture registers 236 degrees on a candy thermometer, about 25 minutes.

Transfer to a mixer bowl, and beat in confectioners' sugar on low speed. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Increase speed to medium, and beat until mixture is thickened and smooth, 2 to 4 minutes. Reduce speed to low, and add vanilla and walnuts, if using.

Spread mixture in pan, smoothing top. Refrigerate, uncovered, until firm, about 25 minutes. Unmold fudge using plastic overhang, and discard plastic. Cut into 18 pieces.

Source: Martha Stewart Living, December 2008. You can find it here.

Notes: I made two changes to this recipe. First, I doubled it and poured it into an 8x8-inch square pan instead of a 5x10-inch loaf pan. Second, I skipped the nuts because of my son's nut allergy. If you follow the recipe as written below, you will get about 18 pieces of penuche (very generous-sized pieces of penuche. You can cut them into smaller pieces, and still have a good-sized piece of fudge).

Easy Chocolate Fudge with Pretzels

Ingredients:

Nonstick cooking spray
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3 cups semisweet chocolate chips (16 ounces)
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 1/2 cups roughly chopped miniature pretzels

Directions:

Coat an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides.

Place butter, chocolate chips, condensed milk, vanilla, and salt in a medium heatproof bowl set over (not in) a pot of barely simmering water. Stir occasionally until chocolate just melts and mixture is combined and warm, but not hot, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 2 cups pretzels. Transfer mixture to pan and smooth top; press 1/2 cup pretzels on top. Refrigerate until set, 2 hours (or up to overnight, wrapped). Using parchment, lift fudge from pan and cut into 36 squares.

Recipe notes: You can use nuts, trail mix, your favorite chopped candy, or crushed cookies in place of the pretzels.

Source: Everyday Food, July/August 2011. You can find it here.

Notes: The only thing I would change is that I would use 2 cups of pretzels instead of 2 1/2 cups. I would mix in 1 1/2 cups into the fudge and top the fudge with the remaining half cup. Also, just a word of warning, this fudge needs longer than 2 hours to set up before cutting into squares (at least my batch did). I would say to refrigerate it for 4 hours (or up to overnight, wrapped). This was good stuff! The pretzels were a nice way to add crunch to the fudge without using nuts.