Debbie

Simple Turtle Cookies

I cannot resist those small paperback cookbooks that are in each grocery check out lane.  They just seem to call my name every time I am standing in line to check out.  The most recent to hit my cart is by Betty Crocker and features their boxed cake mixes and cookie mix pouches.  Some people may feel that using mixes is not “real” baking, but not me!  As much as I love “real” baking, on occasion I take help from experts like Ms. Betty Crocker. 

After a crazy work week, I was not too keen on spending a great deal of time in the kitchen, but the sweet tooth that I reside with was expecting a sweet snack!  That’s when I remembered my new cookbook and one recipe in particular that caught my eye.  All I needed was Betty Crocker double chocolate chuck cookie mix, a chocolate covered caramel candy (like Rolos) and pecan halves to create a Turtle Cookie Cup.  I really didn’t plan it this way … but I will be using my mini-muffin pan again.  I promise to put it away after this week to return at a much later
date!      (Yes Memoria,  still in the mini mode!  I have put it away for a while!)

Do not ask for volunteers to unwrap the candies ... you may end up a few short!

Let me warn you in advance … do not let anyone “volunteer” to take the wrappers off of the rolo candies or you will run into the same problem I had … not all of them made it back to me in the kitchen!   The recipe says to roll the dough into 1  1/4 inch balls and I would get 36.  Nope … only got 24.  Short of measuring the diameter of each one, I adopted the “eyeball it” method used by Rachael Ray.  So a few “lost” rolos turned out not to be a big deal after all!
 

Simple Turtle Cookie Cups

Source: Betty Crocker
Servings: 36 cookies  (only made 24 for me)
Cook time:   8 to 9 minutes

Ingredients:
1   pouch (1 1.5 oz.) Betty Crocker double chocolate chunk cookie mix
3   tablespoons vegetable oil
1   tbsp water
1   egg
36 round milk chocolate covered chewy caramels, unwrapped
36 pecan halves

Directions:
Heat the oven to 375 F.  Place miniature paper baking cups in each of the 36 mini muffin cups.  In a large bowl, stir the cookie mix, oil, water, and egg until a soft dough forms. Shape the dough into 36 (1 1/4 inch) balls. Place in the muffin cups. Bake for 8 or 9 minutes or until the edges are set. Immediately press one milk chocolate covered caramel into the center of each cookie cup. Cool for two minutes. Top with a pecan half.. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.  Remove from pans with a narrow spatula.

DEBBIE’S  BAKING  NOTES: 

• Remember I only got 24 cookie cups.
• The dough will be soft and a bit on the sticky side.  I put it in the fridge for just a few minutes to firm it up. 
• Bake only for 8 or 9 minutes … no longer.  Even with mine being bigger than the recipe calls for, they did not need extra baking time. 
• Take from the oven and IMMEDIATELY press the chocolate covered caramel into the cookie cup and place the pecan on top.  You want the to candy to melt and spread into the cookie.
• I stored the cookie cups in an airtight container.  To keep them soft, I placed a slice of bread into the container.  (My grandmother always did this and it kept these types of baked goods nice and soft.)

Simple Turtle Cups

Pepperoni Pizza Bites

If I ask my nephew what he wants for dinner,  there’ is a ninety percent chance he will say pizza.    If I had to choose a favorite pizza, it would be the Hawaiian, you know the kind with Canadian bacon, pineapple with a few jalapenos thrown on top for a hint of heat. 

So when I called Seth (he holds the Pioneer Ridge, 7^th grade, 100 meter hurdle record) last Sunday evening and said I was bringing Pepperoni Pizza Bites over for him to sample, he was only too happy to lend his taste buds to my latest cooking venture.   His first comment was that it was just like pizza …. only inside out.  He would be right!  There is pepperoni and cheese on the inside, enclosed in a “crust” and then dipped in warm pizza sauce.

I am using my mini muffin pan again this week and bringing you another recipe to justify its place in your kitchen.  I even went crazy and bought a pan that makes 24!   I have had friends who have made this recipe in a standard cupcake pan (adjust the cooking time), who swear they turn out perfect.

Pepperoni Pizza Bites

Pepperoni Pizza Bites
Adapted from Everyday

Makes 24   (I actually got exactly 24!)

3/4 cup flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup whole milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
4 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
4 ounces pepperoni, cut into small cubes (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup pizza sauce  (I buy the 8 oz cans of pizza sauce)
2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil (optional)

Preheat oven to 375^o.  Grease a 24-cup mini muffin pan.  In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder; whisk in the milk and egg.  Stir in the mozzarella and pepperoni; let stand for 10 minutes.

Stir the batter and divide among the mini-muffin cups.  Bake until puffed and golden, 20 to 25 minutes.  (Watch them close.  I have found that all mini muffin cups are not created equal.  My new pan has smaller cups than my old one.)

Microwave the pizza sauce until warmed through, then stir in 1 Tablespoon basil.  Sprinkle the puffs with the remaining 1 Tablespoon basil.  Serve the puffs with the pizza sauce for dipping.

Look at all the pepperoni in the batter!

Pepperoni Pizza Bites

NOTES FROM DEBBIE:

• Anytime I bake, I like the egg and milk to be at  room temperature.
• For this recipe I prefer the finely shredded cheese.
• MORE PEPPERONI … Seth recommends a little bit more.
• I am going to experiment with adding a little “pizza type” seasoning to the batter. Maybe something like a bit of oregano and onion powder.
• Take help from the store …. buy the canned pizza sauce.
• I made a double batch and divided the second batch into snack size portions and froze them.  Now that I am the proud owner of an upright freezer, I am forging blind into the foreign world of “freezing” food.   I will let you know how they hold up when defrosted and re-heated.
• My future batchs will be different flavors …. definitely Hawaiian or maybe spicy sausage with onion and black olives and pepperjack cheese.   Let me know what flavor combinations you try!

Cherry Tassies

What are tassies?  Tassies – pronounced tas-eez – are defined as cups or small goblets.   In this case, bright red, long-stemmed maraschino cherries are perched in tender pastry cups …  mini muffin pan cups! 

I love maraschino cherries.   To this day, the first bite of my banana split is the cherry I pluck from the top.  Who knew that they could be baked into a butter pastry, flavored with vanilla and almond and crushed cherry candy.  The crushed candy adds little flavor bursts to each bite without making them overly sweet.

Cherry Tassies

Cherry Tassies
Adapted from a recipe by Better Homes and Gardens
Makes 48

Ingredients:
Nonstick cooking spray
1-1/4   cups butter, softened to room temperature
2-1/4   cups powdered sugar
1     teaspoon baking powder
1/2  teaspoon salt
1/2  teaspoon almond extract
1  1/2   teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg  (room temperature)
2-1/2   cups all-purpose flour
1/3   cup finely crushed cherry flavored candies
48 red maraschino cherries or liquor-flavored maraschino cherries with stems, drained

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.   Liberally coat the mini muffin pan with nonstick spray; set aside.  In large mixing bowl beat butter on medium to high for 30 seconds.  Gradually beat in 1-1/2 cups of the powdered sugar, the baking powder and salt.   Beat in almond extract, vanilla extract and the egg.  Beat in as much of the flour as you can; stir in remaining flour and candies.
2. Place remaining 3/4 cup powdered sugar in a shallow dish. Shape dough in 1-inch balls; roll in powdered sugar. Press each ball into the bottom and sides of prepared muffin cups.
3. Place cherry, stem side up, in each cup (cherry will not fill the cup).  Bake about 12 minutes or until pastry is browned.  Sprinkle with coarse sugar.  Cool 10 minutes in pan.  Use a small sharp knife to loosen tassies from cups.  Transfer to rack to cool completely.
4. To store: Place tassies in a covered airtight container.  Store at room temperature up to 24 hours or refrigerate up to 3 days.  Return to room temperature before serving.  Makes about 48 tassies.

NOTES FROM DEBBIE: 

• Make sure you liberally spray the mini muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.   I use the kind that has flour added.
• I ground 20 cherry life saver candies in a small food processor to make the 1/3 cup.
• I used my stand mixer and had no difficulty mixing in all the flour and candies.  I did not have to mix anything by hand.
• The recipe says it makes 48 tassies.   I was able to make 36.  I rolled the dough into a little bigger than 1 inch balls.
• After you roll the dough ball in powdered sugar, press it into the bottom and up the sides of the mini muffin cup.  I was able to find a shot glass that fit perfectly into the mini muffin cup.  When I pressed it into the dough ball there was just enough room for the dough to travel up the wall of the mini muffin cup.  If you are unable to find an object that fits the cup, press into place with your fingers
  

  Cherry Tassies

• Do not be concerned … the cherry will not fill the cup!  I did gently press each cherry into the dough at the bottom of the cup in an attempt to make the stem stand as straight up as possible.
  

  Cherry Tassies

• I baked the tassies for exactly 12 minutes.  Immediately upon removal from the oven, I sprinkled each top with a coarse sanding sugar.  This adds a nice “glitz” to the tassies.  I used the Wilton brand, White Sparkling Sugar. 
• Cool the tassies in the pan, on a rack, for 10 minutes.  During this time I gently rotated each tassie in the pan to loosen it.  I had no problem removing the tassies.  Use a sharp knife to help you begin to lift them out of the pan. 
• If you would like to make “Tipsy Tasssies” find whisky-flavored cherries, labeled Tipsy Cherries.  Sometimes these are found in the gourmet sections of a grocery store.
  

  Cherry Tassies

My Cuisinart Electric Pressure Cooker.

GONE ARE THE DAYS OF THE SPITTING, HISSING POT.

 I am just loving the newest addition to my kitchen repertoire … an electric pressure cooker!   Ron Merlin of the blog The Merlin Menu  inspired me to overcome my fears of this  (I thought) “dangerous” cooking method.   (Click over to his blog … he has a great giveaway!  Entries open til April 25th.)  Never in a million years would I have envisioned myself loving this style of cooking.   Maybe it’s the “tramatic” childhood memories of my Mother using one and telling us we could not play in the kitchen or run or jump because we might disturb the little metal thingie bouncing on top of the pressure cooker and cause the house to blow up.  Mom, if you’re reading this and shaking your head in disbelief at the story I am telling,  just ask Denise (my sister), she remembers the same thing!  

Pressure cookers have a brand new image and are sleek, modern and safe.  Reading the directions before firing up this appliance, in my opinion, is critical to understanding how to properly and safely use your pressure cooker.  You will have a better understanding of just how your cooker works, maximum limits for different foods and why it is crucial to have the right amount of liquid in the cooker at all times. 

As Ron said … Today, we are tackling an American Sunday staple … the Pot Roast.  Generally a cheaper cut of meat is used and it requires a long cooking time to break down and tenderize.  

For my pressure cooker meal I used a 3 pound chuck roast.  (3 pounds is the maximum recommended for my cooker – read the directions)  I was able to sear the meat in the cooker, remove it and set to sauté for the onions.  I’m all about less dishes to wash!  In FORTY-FIVE minutes you will have a tender, juicy roast with perfectly cooked vegetables, not to mention some of the best gravy you’ve ever had.  

Some of the best pot roast I have ever made.

Pressure Cooker Pot Roast
adapted from a recipe of Ron Merlin
The Merlin Menu 

2 tablespoons olive oil
1     3 lb chuck roast
1 large sweet onion, roughly chopped
1 package brown gravy mix
1 package ranch dressing mix
1 package Italian dressing mix
1 can beef broth
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1 beef bouillon cube
salt and pepper to taste
12 small red potatoes, halved
3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
2 bay leaves

 Turn heat under Pressure Cooker to medium and add olive oil. Sprinkle roast on all sides with salt and pepper. Place into cooker and brown all over, about 5 minutes per side.

Add onion, gravy mix, ranch dressing mix and Italian mix , beef broth, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, and beef bouillon cube all over the roast in the cooker. No need to stir, the pressure cooker will distribute everything just fine. Turn heat to high, let liquids come to a boil, and then seal the pressure cooker. Wait until a steady stream of steam is being emitted, and immediately turn to medium low, and begin timing 30 minutes from this point.

 After 30 minutes of a steady stream of steam from the cooker, remove from heat and run cold water over the cooker until pressure recedes. Open cooker, and add bay leaves, carrots and potatoes to the liquid surrounding the roast.

 Place cooker back on stove and bring to high heat and a boil. Seal cooker with cover, wait until it’s emitting a steady stream of steam, turn to medium low and time for 15 more minutes to continue cooking the roast and cooking the carrots and potatoes perfectly.

 After 15 minutes, remove from heat, and let cool down naturally. Remove cover.

 If the “gravy” is too thin, remove the roast and vegetables, and stir in 2 tablespoons corn starch dissolved in 4 tablespoons water,  over medium heat until gravy thickens.   Let roast rest on a cutting board for 15 minutes, and slice and serve with potatoes, carrots and gravy.

 Note from Debbie:  Ron cooks with a stove-top pressure cooker … mine is electric.   Both types produce a wonderful end result.  I love some of the special features on my electric pressure cooker:  automatically starts the timing when the pressure is reached, can sear and sauté right in the unit and when the pre-set cook time is reached it automatically turns the unit to the warm holding temperature.  I found it very easy to adapt the stove-top cooker directions to my electric one.  

Sear the meat in the pressure cooker.

Looks good ... has a nice sear. Now in to the onions.

Set the pressure cooker to "saute" and add the onions.

To the onions add broth, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, garlic and bouillon cube.

Add the dry gravy, ranch and Italian dressing mixes. I took Ron at his word and resisted the urge to stir everything together! Add the roast back to the pot and fire up the pressure cooker.

The result ... a "fall-apart" tender, juicy roast.

Chocolate Cake Doughnuts with Mocha Glaze and Creamy, Crispy Doughnuts with Vanilla Bean Glaze

DESIGNER DOUGHNUTS … the New Cupcake?

In case you haven’t heard … gourmet style doughnuts are to 2010 what cupcakes were for 2009!  The doughnut’s somewhat dull, predictable reputation has undergone a complete makeover from glazed and jelly filled to become the latest trend in the pastry scene.  Artisan and “designer” doughnuts are popping up at local Farmer’s Markets, specialized bakeries and are even being featured on menus in the “white tablecloth” kind of restaurants.  Purveyors of designer donuts have elevated these humble rings of fried dough to a heavenly status.

Dreamy Donuts ran a contest, Australia’s Next Top Donut and the creative winner “designed” a cherry bite doughnut.  This ring of pastry has dark chocolate, coconut and cherries and is drizzled with more dark chocolate!   In the US, the trend has gone even more extreme with flavor combinations like pomegranate thyme, bing cherry balsamic, iced mint mojito and lemon chamomile crème.   One creative baker in Chicago is even adding grape jam to her peanut butter and jelly doughnuts.

So fellow  Bakers, join me in shouting  “Move over cutesy cupcakes … Doughnuts are staging a comeback!”

CHOCOLATE CAKE DOUGHNUTS with MOCHA GLAZE
adapted from a recipe from Dianna’s Desserts
makes 16,  3 inch doughnuts

Ingredients:
2   1/2   cups all-purpose flour
1  cup  unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa
2  teaspoons baking powder
1/2   teaspoon salt
4  large eggs
1  1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/3  cup buttermilk
3  tablespoons butter, melted
vegetable oil for frying  (I used canola oil.)
Mocha glaze (recipe follows)

Instructions:
1.)  In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, buttermilk and melted butter.  Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until well blended.  (I mixed this dough with a wooden spoon.  The dough will be stiff and sticky.) Chill at least 1 hour, up to 3 hours.

2.)  Once chilled, scrape the dough onto a well floured surface.  (The dough can be a bit sticky.  The secret is to use only as much flour as necessary to make the dough easy to handle.) Flour your hands and pat the dough until it is about 1/2 inch thick.  Use a  3 inch cookie cutter to cut your doughnut and a 1  inch to make the hole in the center.  (In the pictures you will see that I used a piping tip that was 1 inch to make the center hole!) You can pat the scraps together and cut again.  (I got 15 doughnuts from this recipe.) Place doughnuts on a floured baking sheet to await frying!

3.)  Fill your deep fryer, electric frying pan, wok or frying pan with oil.  Make sure you do not overfill the type of fryer or pan you are using.  (I used an electric frying pan.) Heat oil to approximately 375 degrees.  Place one doughnut at a time onto a spatula and gently place into the oil.  It will fry a bit and slide right off the spatula into the oil.  Do not over crowd your pan as it will lower the oil temperature.  I fried 3 at a time.  Fry the dough, turning once, until puffy and cooked through.  (I found that 2 and 1/2 minutes on each side was perfect for me.  I suggest you fry only only one doughnut at first and “sacrifice” it to check that your doughnut is cooked through.  It is a bit difficult to tell when a chocolate doughnut is done!  You cannot go by the color, you must actually check for “doneness”.)

4.)  When the doughnuts are just cool enough to handle, but still quite warm, dip the top into a warm glaze.  Next, dip immediately into a topping such as sprinkles or nuts.  Place on a rack so the excess glaze can drip.  Let stand until the glaze sets.

Chocolate Cake Doughnut dough ... ready to cover and chill.

Dough has been patted to 1/2 inch thickness and cut to doughnut shape.

Ready to fry!

Place one doughnut ring onto a spatula and gently place in the oil. The dough will begin to fry and slide right off the spatula!

"Sacrifice" the first doughnut you fry! Cut it in half to test for "doneness". Adjust the frying time as necessary.

Fried, glazed and dipped in sprinkles. Almost ready to eat!

CRISPY and CREAMY DOUGHNUTS
adapted from a recipe submitted by Kelly on allrecipes.com
makes 18 doughnuts

Ingredients:

2   (.25 ounce) envelopes active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees)
1   1/2 cups lukewarm milk
1/2  cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/3 cup shortening
5 cups all-purpose flour
vegetable oil for frying   (I use canola oil.)

1/3 cup butter
2 cups confectioners sugar
1  1/2 teaspoons vanilla  (I substitited with vanilla bean paste in the same amount.)
4 tablespoons hot water or as needed

Dough has been mixed and its ready to cover and let double in size.

The dough is ready when you touch it and the indention remains.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and roll to 1/2 inch thickness.

Cut doughnut shape with floured cutters. Let doughnuts sit out, loosely covered and rise again until double in size.

Ready to eat!

I substituted vanilla bean paste for the vanilla extract in the glaze. In this picture you can really see the beautiful specks of vanilla bean seed in the glaze.

Game Day Pretzels

A pretzel is a heavenly delight that comes soft and chewy or crunchy and crispy, shaped in various forms and salted by the gods themselves.    

I had no idea that the simple pretzels had so much history.  It seems that there are numerous accounts on the origin of this looped treat.  Most of them agree that they have religious backgrounds and were first served by monks.  One story has an Italian monk using the strips of baked dough, twisted to resemble the arms crossing the chest, as a reward to children who studied their prayers.  He called them ‘pretiola’ meaning little rewards.  In Germany, it is thought that pretzels were the invention of desperate bakers.  It is suspected that the German pretzel was the result of a ban of heathen baking traditions in the form of sun wheels. The German term ‘brezel’ is said to have Latin origins and was a medieval term for bracelet.   

As to why some pretzels are hard and crunchy while other are soft, it is said that one night a baker fell asleep while baking a batch and all the moisture was cooked out of them – hence the hard pretzel.  Well, I did not fall asleep while baking mine and they turned out great … soft and chewy with little crunchy “cheese skirts”.  Because these are not boiled, they tend to be more bread like.  This recipe offers lots of opportunity to swap out certain ingredients for others of your choice.  If sharp cheddar is not to your liking but something spicy is, try a pepper jack with red chili powder.   My 13 year old nephew has placed a request for pepperoni to be added to my next batch!   These pretzels are best served warm or the day you baked them.  But like pizza heated up the day after, they may be a bit chewy but none the less good to eat! 

I may never beat Helen Hoff’s (a world champion pretzel twister) record of twisting 57 in a minute, but I did roll a respectable pretzel.  Now it’s your turn.    

Game Day Pretzels

Guy’s Knot for Nuthin, Everything Pretzel
Adapted from a recipe by Guy Fieri  
Makes 12  

Ingredients   

• 1 1/2 cups warm water, 110 degrees F
• 2 packages active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus 1/2 cup for work surface
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper  (I used chipotle pepper.)
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic  (I used garlic powder)
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 2 eggs  (one for dough and one for egg wash)
• 3 cups grated sharp Cheddar  (use your favorite)
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1/2  Tablespoon poppy seeds to sprinkle on top
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt to sprinkle on top

Directions  
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.   

In a glass measuring cup, add the warm water and the yeast. If you have a digital read thermometer check to make sure the temperature is about 110 degrees.  Stir and let sit for 10 minutes.   

In a food processor fitted with a dough blade, add the dry ingredients and the Parmesan cheese.  Pulse together 3 times at 5 second intervals.   This gives it a good mix.  Add 1 egg and the warm water/yeast mixture.   Pulse for 10 second intervals until the dough comes together.  (This happens quickly.  If the dough “looks” too moist add a bit more flour and pulse again.)  

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead.

  Turn your dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead 10 to 12 times, adding a little flour, if sticky.  Shape into a ball and cut the dough in half.   (I found this dough to be a dream to work with!)

Divide into to even sections.

  Roll out 1 piece of dough to a 12 by 17-inch rectangle.  It will be about a 1/4-inch thick.   

Ready to add the cheese.

Sprinkle 3/4 cup of the Cheddar in the middle third of the dough (short way).  Fold 1/3 of the dough over, and sprinkle with 3/4 cup of the Cheddar.  Fold the last third over and pinch the edges closed.  (It is kind of like a 3-fold brochure.)  

Step 1: Cheese down the middle third of the dough.

Step 2: Fold one edge over and put a layer of cheese.

Step 3: Fold remaining dough over the cheese and pinch the edges.

 Roll with a rolling pin to form an 11 by 15-inch rectangle.  Cut into 1 1/2-inch lengthwise strips (6 strips per half of dough.)  Pinch the cut edges together and then roll into cigar shape.  Form into a pretzel shape and put on a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat. Repeat with the second ball of dough.  

Rolled out again and sliced into 1 1/2 inch strips.

Form the strips of dough into a cigar shape.

Twisting Technique Step 1: Cross ends

Twisting Techinque Step 2: Twist the ends once.

Twisting Technique Step 3: Bring end up and press them into the top pretzel edge. Shape the pretzel.

Beat the remaining egg and the milk in a small bowl.  Next, brush the formed pretzels with the egg/milk mixture and sprinkle with the salt and poppy seeds.   Be creative with your toppings … you can try granulated garlic salt, sesame seeds … the choices are endless!   

Twisted, washed with egg & milk mixture and toppings added.

Bake until nicely browned, about 16 to 18 minutes.  I found that 17 to 18 minutes worked for me.  Remove from the oven to a wire rack.  Serve warm or room temperature.

Just out of the oven ... look at the crunchy "cheese skirts".

This close up shows the melted cheese on the outside of the pretzel.

Turkey Chili

TURKEY CHILI

“Healthified” … it may not be a real word, but I believe it accurately describes this recipe and my year twenty ten goal to make healthier Food choices.  It does not mean that I promise to cook ONLY healthy foods (I still have to have chocolate and such things now and again), but rather I am going to make better choices … eat better food by creating “healthified” versions of my favorite recipes.  

I wanted to cook something substantial, something meaty and satisfying … Chili seemed to be the perfect dish to make over.  Ground turkey proved to be the best substitution for ground beef.  If you are a chili die-hard and find using turkey sacrilegious, a better choice for you might be 93/7 ground beef.  It will cost you a few more of your food budget dollars, but will be a better overall food choice.  I have to take a moment here and share with you a family chili story that has stuck with me.  Years ago, my mother was on Weight Watchers, she was preparing WW chili … now I know I was just a kid, but I was smart enough to know that green beans and tomato sauce was not my idea of chili!  My point is that food substitutions do not have to be that drastic! 

Read the labels on the canned goods before you toss them in your grocery cart.  Be aware of the fat content, salt content, know what you are buying.  Is there a better food choice sitting on the shelf that you missed?  It is small things like this that can aid you in your quest to drop a few pounds. I am not a weight loss expert by any means, but I have had some experience in losing weight.   When you create “healthified” versions of your favorite recipes load them up with ingredients that are good for you.  “Healthified” food can be fun and tasty.

TURKEY CHILI

1 and ½   pounds of ground turkey  (ground turkey breast is 99% fat free)
1 large onion, diced
1   14.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes  (I use fire roasted for greater flavor)
1 and ½  cups of tomato sauce
3  Tablespoons of diced green chilis from the can , optional  (I use the whole 4 oz can with juice)
2  Teaspoons of chili powder  (I use one Tablespoon as I like it a bit spicy)
1  Teaspoon cumin  (I use 2 Teaspoons)
1  15 ounce can of beans drained  (Use the kind you like … I used Great White Northern)
Salt and pepper to taste. 

DIRECTIONS:
Brown the turkey and the onion. 

Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, green chilis, chili powder and cumin.  Let this mixture simmer for at least 15 minutes.  (I prefer to simmer 30- 45 minutes.)  Taste and then salt and pepper to taste.  If you would like more spice fell free to add the spices of your choice.  This is a basic recipe that you can enhance to fit your personal taste.  ( I do add a bit of onion powder and garlic powder.)  Add the beans in just before serving and let them warm through.

I like to garnish with fat free sour cream, chopped green onion and a bit of fat free cheddar cheese.

Turkey Chili

A double batch of Caramel Croissant Pudding

This week’s theme at   I Heart Cooking Clubs   is Resolutions.

One of my Culinary Resolutions is to be more thrifty!

Nigella believes that some of the best recipes come from the thrifty refusal to throw anything away.  This dish is best when made with croissants that are a few days old.  You know, the ones you might have thrown away, because really what can you do with 2 stale croissants?   CARAMEL CROISSANT PUDDING … thats what!

All ready to make Caramel Croissant Pudding.

Ingredients

• 2 stale croissants  (I would use 3 large croissants.)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/2 cup heavy cream   (Room temperature a must!)
• 2 tablespoons bourbon   (I used Frangelico Liqueur)
• 1/2 cup whole milk   (Room temperature a must!)
• 2 eggs, beaten    (Room temperature is best.)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Tear the croissants into bite size pieces and put in a small 2 cup capacity baking dish.  Nigella used an oval cast iron pan.   (I made a double batch and used a quart size Rachael Ray baking dish … hope Nigella is ok with that!)

Put the sugar and water into your saucepan.  Swirl around to help dissolve the sugar before putting the saucepan on the stove over medium to high heat. Caramelize the sugar and water mixture.  Let it bubble away until it reaches a deep amber colour; this will take 3 to 5 minutes.  (I used medium-high heat and it took longer than 3 to 5 minutes.  Watch it closely.)

Take the pan off the heat and add the cream – ignoring all spluttering – followed by the bourbon and milk. Whisk to mix, then still whisking add the beaten eggs. Pour this quickly over the croissants and leave to steep for 10 minutes. 
IMPORTANT NOTE:   Stream in the cream very slowly while you whisk.  Do the same with the bourbon and milk.

Place in the preheated oven for 20 minutes and prepare to swoon.  (I made a double batch and it baked about 30 minutes.   When making a single recipe I would check and make sure it is set to your liking … if not bake a bit longer.)

Nigella's Caramel Croissant Pudding is outstanding. It is not overly sweet and I find that very appealing. Next time I may sprinkle my croissants with a bit of cinnamon for some additional flavor.

Nigella's Hasselback Potatoes

This Week’s Challenge:
SMALL  PLATES

You know the old saying… So, break out the dip! Dig out those saucers and mini-plates that you don’t use often enough. And maybe even try something new…something you toyed with tasting, but didn’t want to eat it all yourself. Call them what you will…tapas, mezze, pupus (I especially like this one), hors-d’oeuvre, smorrebrod, zakouski, canapé, appetizer…what SMALL PLATES will you dazzle with this week?

So I chose Hasselback Potatoes !!!! 

I used small to medium Klondike Goldust (yellow flesh) potatoes.

Tip for easy slicing of potatoes: Take a thin slice from the bottom of each potato so they will sit flat on your cutting board. This makes the slicing of the layers much easier and safer. Place a chopstick on each side of the potato and with a very sharp thin bladed knife, carefully make slices into the potato about 1/8 inch apart. The chopsticks will not allow you to slice all the way to the bottom!

The olive oil and butter has been heated to sizzling in the baking dish and the potatoes have been coated with this mixture. Each potato received a sprinkling of coarse salt.

Each potato is about 4 to 5 bites! I served with a parsley-sour cream.