Mailbag Wednesday

Some great surprises in the mail today! We've been shopping around for a place that would develop some of our digital cameras photographs and finally settled on Costco since we are already members. They were $0.17 a picture with free shipping so we couldnt pass that up. We are quite satisfied with the results! Very clear and crisp printings.

After spying a couple deals at Overstock.com one of the cookbooks I ordered arrived today. Small-Batch Baking has had some good reviews and I am very excited to delve in and see what we can create!

Since I stopped at a local farmers market and found some nice fresh produce this afternoon dinner tonight was Fire-roasted tomato soup with Swiss grilled cheese sandwiches. Very comforting combination. We used asaigo cheese to top off the soup.

Tuesday

After spending some time roaming Costco this morning waiting for an appointment with the physical therapy clinic for my shoulder I arrived back home and decided to go for a quick dip in the pool. Ahh - so refreshing! How do people live in this heat without a pool?!


Now that we're back inside in the nice air-conditioning it was time for some baking! I usually try to make something for Jeff to bring to work on Wednesdays. Today it was Peanut Butter-Nutella brownies simply made in a big 'ol glass bowl and my trusty wooden spoon. We tend to like our brownies pretty fudgy so these came out just right - a tad underbaked so the edges are not too dry.


Keeping with the new recipe theme for the week tonight's dinner was Cavatappi in a Gruyere and sharp white cheddar cheese sauce. I topped the mixture with whole wheat panko breadcrumbs. Homemade garlic breadsticks accompanied the meal.

Chocolate Monday

Happy Fourth of July!!


We headed over the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa and watched one of Food Network's Challenges being taped. Today the theme was Chocolate Fantasy. It was such fun being able to see what happens behind the seens. Click here to see some of the photo's that we took today!

In the afternoon with some spare time I baked a loaf of Graham cracker brown bread. The smell from the oven was wonderful - coming in from taking a walk the sweet molasses and nutmeg scent filled the house.



Tonight for dinner we went with simplicity while still having a new dish. It took a little longer to put together than anticipated since we do not have a large grill. We had to do some of the dinner in batches but, shown below is Grilled adobo rubbed pork chops with Yukon and Sweet potato packets.
The pork was still a little pink inside - just right for us.

Turkey Burgers with Peanut Sauce

Turkey Burgers with Peanut Sauce(Adapted from CL)

Sauce -
2 tablespoons natural peanut butter
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
1 teaspoon water
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced

For the burger -
1/2 cup finely chopped green onions
1 tablespoon chile paste with garlic
2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pound ground turkey

4 burger rolls
1 cup alfalfa sprouts

To prepare sauce, combine first 6 ingredients, stirring with a whisk until smooth.

Preheat grill.

In a large bowl, combine the green onions, chili paste, ginger, soy sauce, salt and turkey. Mix until evenly distributed. Divide into 4 equal portions, shaping each into a round patty.

Cook on the grill for about 4 minutes on each side or until done. Place rolls, cut sides down, on grill for 1 minute or until toasted. Place 1 patty on bottom half of each roll; top each serving with about 1 tablespoon sauce, 1/4 cup sprouts and top half of roll.

Nutty Sunday

How do I start the day for Jeff? Its sunday.. you know what that means right?
Mickey Eggs of course!

After preparing the menu for the week we went to our grocery stores this morning and stopped at one of our favorite stores called Trader Joe's. Great prices and some foods that we tend not to be able to find in other places. Somehow these new nuts ended up in my basket - I wonder who put them there? We've never had these before and are looking forward to trying them.


Spike made sure to keep busy (yea... right) while we were out with his new toy seen below. I will have to remember to somehow sneak that into the bag before the next vet visit. I'm sure he would just love that! Hee hee!



Tomorrow we are off to the Food Network's Chocolate Fantasy Challenge at the JW Marriot. Hopefully we will be able to bring back some great pictures - I sure hope that it will be air conditioned. Otherwise there will be a lot of melted chocolate to go around!

This evening we are going to finally catch up and finish the series of Lord of the Rings with Return of the King. Took us long enough!

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bars

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bars

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
6 tablespoons butter, melted
6 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
5 ounces milk chocolate and peanut butter swirl chips, divided
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 325

In a medium bowl, mash together graham cracker crumbs, butter and 2 tablespoons sugar with a fork. Save 1 cup of this mixture and reserve for topping. Pour remaining mixture into the bottom of an 8" square baking dish and press down to form a crust. Sprinkle a heaping 1/4 cup chips over the top.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar, flour and vanilla extrac . Add eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth. Pour in the baking pan. Sprinkle with reserved crumb topping and remaining chips.

Bake for about 20 to 30 minutes or until the center is set. Remove and place on a wire rack to cool completely. Place in the refrigerator until well chilled before cutting.

Chicken, Red Potato, and Asparagus salad with Toasted Almonds

Chicken, Red Potato, and Asparagus salad with Toasted Almonds(Adapted from CL)

1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley
2 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
1 tablespoon extravirgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
--------------------------
1 pound small red potatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound trimmed asparagus
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
2 tablespoons chopped red onion
10 ounces baby salad greens
1/4 cup sliced toasted almonds

For the dressing - whisk together the first 8 ingredients in a small bowl.

In a large saucepan, add red potatoes and cover with water. Add 1 teaspoon salt to pan and bring to a boil. Simmer 10 minutes or until almost tender. Add asparagus, and cook an additional 2-4 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain and rinse with cold water.

Quarter potatoes into a large bowl and add asparagus, chicken, onion, and greens. Drizzle with dressing; toss gently to coat. Sprinkle with almonds.

Just found the recipe? Click here to see where we talked about it!

Pistachio and Carrot Cake Cookies

Pistachio and Carrot Cake Cookies

6 tablespoons butter, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup grated carrots
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup coarsley chopped unsalted pistachios, toasted

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla, mixing well.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Gradually add to creamed mixture until blended. Stir in carrots, raisins and pistachios.

Refrigerate dough for about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 325

Using a tablespoon cookie scoop, drop dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment or a silpat. Place them about 2 inches apart. With lightly wet fingertips, press down gently to flatten the dough. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned and cookies are set. Cool for 2 minutes on baking sheets and then move to a rack to cool completely.

Makes about 28 cookies

Deep Dish Chocolate-Peanut Butter Marshmallow Pizza

Deep Dish Chocolate-Peanut Butter Marshmallow Pizza(Adapted from One Smart Cookie)

One batch of Chocolate Sugar Cookie Dough
1/4 cup raspberry jam
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup peanut butter chips, coarsely chopped
3 cups mini marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350

Lightly coat a 9" springform pan with cooking spray. Break the cookie dough up into chunks and scatter them in the bottom. Press the dough over the bottom and about half an inch up the sides. With a fork, prick the bottom several times. Bake until set, about 12 minutes.

Immedietly cover the bottom crust with the jam. Scatter both chips over the jam. Top evenly with the marshmallows and return to the oven. Bake for about 10 minutes, until the marshmallows have expanded and have a slight golden color. Remove from the oven to a wire rack and carefully remove the sides of the springform. Let cool compeletly and then cut into wedges.

Typical Saturday

Another steamy day in Phoenix. We spent most of our morning out and about. We ended up going to petsmart to get another dog food dish as we cannot have one dog jealous of the other... Spike and Max seem to be happy now! Another reason we were out today is we've been trying to find a coushin for our new wood chaise lounge but have not had much luck. We did find one at a local pool supply store but their color selection was not what we are looking for. World Market was a fun store to stop at today as they had a couple of ingredients I've been searching for (Lyle's Golden Syrup) but couldnt find a local source. Fun store to just wander around and browse.

Here's the dog food dish that Max the puppy could not live without.


Dinner tonight was pretty much the same we have every saturday night. Chicken salads - exciting huh?!



Back to finish watching Live8 for the rest of the night. They had some great shows throughout the day. Its too bad MTV had to mess up a few of them with their VJ's or taking breaks in the middle of great songs. The Pink Floyd set was exceptionally good!

Walnut and Rosemary Loaves

Walnut and Rosemary Loaves(Adapted from CL)

2 cups warm milk between 100-110 degrees
1/4 cup warm water between 100-110 degrees
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 teaspoons salt
5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
4 1/2 teaspoons dry yeast
1 cup chopped walnuts
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh rosemary
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten

In a large bowl, whisk together milk, water, sugar, butter and yeast. Stir in yeast to dissolve and let stand 5 minutes. Add 2 cups flour to yeast mixture, stirring with a whisk. Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 15 minutes.

Add 2 1/2 cups flour, salt, walnuts, rosemary, and 1 egg, stirring with a whisk. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for about 8-10 minutes, adding enough of remaining flour, 1/4 cup at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands.

Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 400

Punch dough down and turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half, shaping each portion into a round. Place loaves on a baking sheet dusted with cornmeal. Cover and let rise 30 minutes or until doubled in size.

Combine 1 tablespoon milk and 1 egg, stirring with a whisk. Gently brush over loaves. Make 3 diagonal cuts 1/4-inch deep across top of each loaf using a sharp knife.

Place loaves in oven and immedietly reduce oven temperature to 375. Bake 40 minutes or until bottom of each loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Let stand at least 20 minutes before slicing.

Soba-Edamame Salad with Flank Steak

Soba-Edamame Salad with Flank Steak(Adapted from CL)

2 quarts water
12 ounces uncooked soba
2 cups frozen shelled edamame , thawed
2 cups cooked Flank Steak, thinly sliced
1 cup shredded carrot
1 cup sliced green onions
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt

Bring 2 quarts water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add soba; cook 4 minutes. Add edamame; cook 2 minutes or until soba is done. Drain and rinse with cold water. Place soba mixture in a large bowl. Add Flank Steak, carrot, and onions; toss well to combine.

Combine vinegar and remaining ingredients, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle over soba mixture; toss gently to coat. Cover and chill.

Perfect Sugar Cookies

Perfect Sugar Cookies

6 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract

In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt until completely combined.

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at at time, then mix in vanilla and almond extracts.

Add flour, 2 cups at a time, until the dough combines and the flour is incorporated.

Split dough into 3 or 4 sections and immediately roll out between two pieces of parchment paper. Stack doughs and place in the refrigerator before cutting for a couple hours.

Preheat oven to 350

Remove dough sheets from the refrigerator and cut into shapes. Transfer to baking sheets and bake for 8-10 minutes, just until the edges turn a light brown. Reroll the scraps between the leftover parchment paper and continue cutting out shapes - if the dough gets too soft - place in the freezer or refrigerator for a couple minutes.

Royal Icing

Royal Icing

2 1/2 Tablespoons of meringue powder
3 ounces warm water
1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar
1 pound confectioners' sugar, sifted (may need up to an additional 1/2 cup if you want super stiff icing)


Pour in the warm water and meringue powder in the bowl of an electric mixer.

Combine the water and powder in the bowl until frothy with a fork or small whisk. Add the cream of tartar and mix to combine.

Spoon the powdered sugar into the bowl and mix on low speed using the paddle attachment. Mix until the icing is very stiff and thick. This will take at least 5 minutes, but I usually let it go for almost 8-10.

Use as is for for outlines or gingerbread houses - thin before coloring using tablespoons of warm water until it flows like cake batter - just enough to flood the top of the cookie but not thin enough to run over the edges.

Spaghetti Pie

Spaghetti Pie(Adapted from CL)

1 pound ground sirloin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 -15 ounce can tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1/2 cups chopped green onions
2 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 cups cooked whole wheat spaghetti
4 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese
2 ounces fresh grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350

In large skillet over medium heat, cook sirlion until browned, stirring to crumble. Drain and return to pan. Stir in salt, pepper, cayenne, basil, oregano and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.

In a medium bowl, combine sour cream, onions, and cream cheese.

Place spaghetti in a 2 1/2 quart casserole dish coated with cooking spray.

Spoon sour cream mixture over spaghetti and spread evenly. Place the ground sirlion mixture on top. Sprinkle with cheeses and bake, covered, for 25 minutes.

Uncover and bake 5 minutes or until cheese is bubbly. Let sit for about 10 minutes before serving.

Layered Peppermint Crunch Bark

Layered Peppermint Crunch Bark(Adapted from Bon Appetit)

17 ounces high quality white chocolate, finely chopped
6 ounces peppermint candy canes, crushed
7 ounces high quality bittersweet chocolate
5 1/2 tablespoons whipping cream
3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract

Turn large baking sheet bottom side up. Cover securely with foil. Mark 12x9-inch rectangle on foil. Stir white chocolate in metal bowl set over saucepan of barely simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water) until chocolate is melted and smooth and candy thermometer registers 110 degrees (chocolate will feel warm to touch). Remove from over water. Pour 2/3 cup melted white chocolate onto rectangle on foil. Using icing spatula, spread chocolate to fill rectangle. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup crushed peppermints. Chill until set, about 15 minutes.

Stir bittersweet chocolate, cream and peppermint extract in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat until just melted and smooth. Cool to barely lukewarm, about 5 minutes. Pour bittersweet chocolate mixture in long lines over white chocolate rectangle. Using icing spatula, spread bittersweet chocolate in even layer. Refrigerate until very cold and firm, about 25 minutes.

Rewarm remaining white chocolate in bowl set over barely simmering water to 110°F. Working quickly, pour white chocolate over firm bittersweet chocolate layer; spread to cover. Immediately sprinkle with remaining crushed peppermints. Chill just until firm, about 20 minutes. If you let the bark go much longer than this - it will be very hard to cut neatly.

Lift foil with bark onto work surface; trim edges. Cut bark crosswise into 2-inch-wide strips. Using metal spatula, slide bark off foil and onto work surface. Cut each strip crosswise into 3 sections and each section diagonally into 2 triangles. You can also just break into large chunks and enjoy!

Chocolate-Cranberry and Pistachio Biscotti

Chocolate-Cranberry and Pistachio Biscotti

2 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup Dutch-processed unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
1 tablespoon hot water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
3/4 cup coarsely chopped unsalted pistachio nuts
3/4 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a large baking sheet with cooking spray or parchment paper.

In large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.

In medium bowl, dissolve espresso powder in hot water. Whisk in vanilla, eggs, egg whites and chocolate. Add to flour mixture with pistachio nuts and dried cranberries. With wooden spoon, work wet ingredients into dry mixture just until combined. The dough should be tacky, but not overly sticky.

Divide dough in half. With lightly floured hands, shape dough halves into 2 logs about 14" long.
Place the logs 3 inches apart on the prepared pan. With your palm press down to slightly flatten them.

Bake 30 minutes or until firm to touch; let cool on baking sheet on wire rack for 7-10 minutes.
With serrated knife, cut logs diagonally into 1/2-in. thick slices. Place slices back on baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes, until dry, turning over after 7 minutes. Let cool completely.

Linzer Cookies

Linzer Cookies(Adapted from CLBB)

3 1/3 cups very finely ground almonds - 358 grams
3 1/3 cups unsifted cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 1/2 cups butter,softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
raspberry jam and/or nutella
confectioners' sugar

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg.

In a large mixer bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in egg, egg yolk, lemon rind and vanilla - beat well.

Blend in the nuts.

Add the flour, a cup or so at a time until completely combined.

Split dough into 2 sections and immedietly roll out to about 1/4" thickness between two pieces of parchment paper. Stack doughs and place in the refrigerator before cutting for a couple hours or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350

Remove the first dough from the refrigerator and remove the top layer of parchment. Cut dough With a 2-inch round cookie cutter and do as many circles as you can. Carefully remove and place on baking sheets. Reroll scraps between parchment paper and refrigerate.

Repeat with other half of the dough, cutting out an equal number of 2-inch circles as from the first batch. Place on ungreased cookie sheets. With a 3/4 inch cookie cutter, cut out center of each of the second batch of cookies. Use any scraps of dough for second rolling. Roll scraps of dough out for second rolling; cut out equal number of solid circles and circles with open centers.

Bake for 12 minutes, or until edges of cookies are golden. Remove cookie sheets from oven; let stand 1 minute. Remove cookies to wire racks and cool completely.

Sift powdered sugar over the tops of all the cookies that have a cut-out center.

Spread each of the solid cookies with a layer of jam or nutella. Top each with cut-out cookie; carefully press together to adhear the cookies together.

Tomato Goat Cheese Strata

Tomato Goat Cheese Strata(Adapted from CL)

1 cup milk
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
5 large egg whites
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 cups thinly sliced onion
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes with italian seasonings
8 ounces cubed day-old sourdough bread
3 ounces crumbled goat cheese

Preheat oven to 450

In a medium bowl, whisk together the first 4 ingredients.

Heat oil in a large cast-iron over high heat. Add onion and saute about 2 minutes. Add sage and garlic, cook for 1 minute. Add pepper and tomatoes, stirring well. Bring to a boil and cook 1 minute. Stir the bread cubes into tomato mixture and top with goat cheese. Pour egg mixture over tomato mixture - this will fill the pan almost to the top.

Carefully place pan in oven and bake for 25 minutes or until egg is set. Let stand 5 minutes.

Serves 4

Cinnamon Fudge

Cinnamon Fudge(Adapted from BBCL - Val)

3 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup butter
2/3 cup evaporated milk
10 ounces cinnamon chips
7 ounces marshmallow creme
2 teaspoons vanilla

Line a 9X13" pan with foil then coat with cooking spray.

In a heavy bottom 3 quart sauce pan, combine sugar, butter, and milk. Bring to a rolling boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Keep stirring and boil for 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in the cinnamon chips until melted. Add marshmallow creme and vanilla then beat until blended.

Carefully pour mixture into the prepared dish. Let cool to room temperature then gently lift out of the pan and place on a cutting board. Cut into squares.