Salted Chocolate Toffee Pretzel Bark

Mmmmm. . .Salted Chocolate Toffee Pretzel Bark has to be the best thing that's happened to my taste buds in a long time!  This treat was served at our church's Christmas Coffee on Monday night, along with cheesecake with homemade chutney toppings and gingersnaps cookies.  Once I tasted the bark, the other desserts had little appeal. The combination of dark chocolate, toffee flavor, and sea salt is amazing - practically addictive!  And the recipe is easy to make!  Great for gift-giving, too.  

INGREDIENTS:
About 8 ounces (half of a 1-pound bag) mini pretzels, broken into smaller pieces, more or less to cover the pan
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 cups (one 12-ounce bag) semisweet chocolate chips
Sea salt

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line an 11X17-inch rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Cover the bottom of the pan in a layer of broken mini pretzels. Set aside.

In a small or medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter and brown sugar. When the mixture starts to gently simmer and bubble, let it cook for 3 minutes without stirring. Immediately pour the hot caramel mixture over the pretzels in a back and forth motion to cover most of the pretzels (a few empty/dry spots are fine as the caramel will fuse together during baking).

Bake for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and place the pan on a cooling rack. Immediately sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over the top of the hot caramel and pretzels. Let the chocolate chips sit for 2-3 minutes until they melt. Use an offset spatula or rubber spatula to gently spread the melted chocolate over the toffee. Lightly sprinkle with sea salt.

Let the toffee cool completely at room temperature then refrigerate if needed to help the chocolate set up. Break the toffee into pieces and try not to eat the whole batch.

Stovetop Sweet Potatoes with Maple and Creme Fraiche

Thanksgiving wouldn't be the same without a sweet potato dish, so I searched my cookbooks for a recipe that would be tasty but not too involved.  When I saw "stovetop" in the title, I decided this would be the one!  Then I looked at the list of ingredients and saw "creme fraiche."  I didn't what that was or where I would find it.  I asked Ashlea, and she said she could get it at Trader Joe's.  She even made a special stop in Kansas City on her trip out here to buy it for me.  What a daughter!  Ashlea and I ended up preparing this together. . .sort of.  I started it, and she finished up, adding extra spices to her taste. That's how she cooks.  We even had some homemade pure maple syrup from Michigan to use - delicious!  (Note:  we use ground cinnamon rather than crushing cinnamon sticks.)

2 cinnamon sticks, broken

1/4 cup sugar

3 tablespoons butter

1 cup pecan halves

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 (15 oz.) cans candied yams or sweet potatoes in syrup, drained

1/4 cup butter, softened

2 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 cup creme fraiche

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

1 teaspoon maple extract or vanilla extract

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Grind the cinnamon sticks to a fine powder in a coffee grinder; set aside.  Cook sugar and 3 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium high heat 3 minutes or until melted and golden.  Add pecans, and cook 2 minutes until pecans are toasted and glazed, stirring frequently.  Stir in cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon salt.  Spread pecans on wax paper, and set aside to cool.

Combine sweet potatoes, 1/4 cup butter, ginger, 1 teaspoon salt, and nutmeg in a large bowl.  Beat at low speed with a hand mixer 1 minute; beat at high speed 2 minutes.  Gently fold creme fraiche, maple syrup, extract, and balsamic vinegar into sweet potatoes.  Transfer to a saucepan.  Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat.  Simmer, covered, 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Spoon potatoes into a serving dish, and sprinkle with glazed pecans.  8 - 10 servings.  

Dutch Brownies

Joel and I were delighted to have family members visit us in our new home on Sunday afternoon.  I was thankful that we had the kitchen functional, so I could prepare some Broccoli Cheese Soup and Dutch Brownies for an easy evening meal.  A friend recently gave me this brownie recipe, and, oh, is it ever good!  I'm a big fan of almond extract, and this cake-like brownie really delivers on flavor! 

Dutch Brownies

4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1/2 t. salt
1 cup butter
2 cups flour
2 t. almond extract

Mix ingredients and pour into a greased 9 x 13 pan.  Sprinkle with slivered or sliced almonds and sugar.  Bake at 325 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes.  

Veggie Salsa

I had this salsa last week at a party, and I absolutely love it!  It was served with tortilla chips, but I'm sure it could be use in a variety of ways.  

1 red pepper 
1 yellow pepper
1 orange pepper
1 green pepper
1/4 cup red onion
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
1 can white corn, rinsed and drained

Finely chop peppers and onion, then add black beans, black-eyed peas, and white corn.  Mix together the following ingredients and pour over vegetables:

3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup sugar
1/8 cup oil
1 t. paprika

Cast Iron Cooking

In the 35 years that I've been cooking, I never thought I wanted a cast iron skillet, until recently when I noticed that Pioneer Woman likes to use them for certain recipes.  I mentioned this to a friend in our local Love to Cook Club, and she immediately said she would give me one of hers. I thought, "Sure!  I don't mind getting a hand-me-down skillet."  I was so touched, though, when Pam presented me with a cast iron skillet that belonged to her grandmother.  She estimates that it is almost 100 years old!  Pam was also kind enough to this "cast iron newbie" to provide instructions on how to season the skillet, along with several recipes to get me started.  And today was the day!  After the seasoning, I decided to make Upside-Down Caramelized Apple Cake.  I wish you all could taste the combination of the caramel, roasted pecans, and apples!  So yummy!  

If you have a favorite food that you especially like to cook in a cast iron skillet, please let me know by leaving a comment below.  How about fried chicken?  



Upside-Down Caramelized Apple Cake

Ingredients:

1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch thick slices
1 T. lemon juice
2 t. vanilla extract, divided
3/4 t. cinnamon, divided
1/2 cup butter, softened and divided
2 t. brandy
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
2 large eggs, separated
3/4 cup milk 
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups all-purpose baking mix
1/8 t. nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 8 to 10 minutes until toasted and fragrant, stirring after 5 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 375 degrees.

Toss apple slices with lemon juice, 1 t. vanilla extract, and 1/2 t. cinnamon.

Melt 1/4 cup butter in a 10-inch cast iron skillet over low heat.  Remove from heat; stir in brandy.  Sprinkle with brown sugar.

Sprinkle pecans over brown sugar mixture.  Spread apples over the pecans.

Beat 1/2 cup granulated sugar and remaining 1/4 cup butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended.  Add egg yolks, 1 at at time, beating just until blended after each addition.  Add milk, sour cream, and remaining 1 t. vanilla, beating just until blended.  

Whisk together baking mix, nutmeg, and remaining 1/4 t. cinnamon in a medium bowl.  Add mixture to butter mixture, beating just until blended.

Beat egg whites in a large bowl at high speed until soft speaks form.  Gradually beat in remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar until stiff peaks form.  Fold into batter.  Spread batter over apples in skillet.

Bake at 375 degrees for 50 to 55 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted halfway into center of cake comes out clean.  Cool in skillet on a wire rack for 10 minutes.  Carefully run a knife around edge of cake to loosen.  Invert cake onto a serving plate, replacing any topping that sticks to skillet. 

The cake fresh out of the oven

Gooey goodness!  

Crash Taters

Here's an easy and delicious way to enhance red skin potatoes.  I even found the potatoes in a microwavable steaming bag in the produce section, so the cooking time was cut in half and no pan was required!  That's a good thing.  

Ingredients:

12 or so whole new potatoes
3 T. olive oil or butter
minced rosemary or other herb of choice
salt and pepper to taste

Cook potatoes in saucepan (or microwave) until fork tender.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and use a potato masher to criss-cross mash each potato.  Drizzle the potatoes with olive oil or melted butter, then sprinkle with salt, pepper, and minced herbs.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the potatoes are golden brown and crispy.  (Shredded cheddar cheese could also be added to the top of potatoes.)

Note: original recipe from The Pioneer Woman Cooks:  Food From My Frontier

Rum Banana Bread

This week's new recipe, rum banana bread, is just a tweak of a common food.  Ashlea suggested the recipe after she made it, and since I have some rum left over from making Bananas Foster, I thought I'd try it.  Ashlea was right. . .this bread is delicious!  It has just a hint of rum, and the sour cream makes the loaf very moist.  

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 eggs
3 teaspoons rum
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed banana (approximately 4)

Directions:  Preheat oven to 350°F. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs and beat until light. Add rum, sour cream and almond extract. Mix in mashed bananas. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in separate bowl. Pour wet mixture into dry mixture and combine. Bake for 1 hour or longer, depending on size of loaf pan.

Hint:  Toasted banana bread with butter is amazing. . .even without the rum. ;)  Try it sometime!

Spaghetti Bread

My "new recipe of the week" plan is going to be sporadic for a while due to our upcoming move to Kansas.  However, I want to share a new recipe that I had the pleasure of eating last weekend while we were in Florida visiting Tyler and Baillie - spaghetti bread.  For some time, the two raved about the dish, so I was excited that Baillie prepared it for us!  Who would have thought spaghetti inside bread would be so delicious!
  

Ingredients:

1 Loaf Rhodes™ Bread Dough or 12 Rhodes™ Dinner Rolls, thawed to room temperature
6 ounces spaghetti, cooked
1 cup thick spaghetti sauce
8 ounces mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 egg white, beaten
Parmesan cheese
parsley flakes

Directions:

Spray counter lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Roll loaf or combined dinner rolls into a 12x16-inch rectangle. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest 10-15 minutes. Cook spaghetti according to package instructions. Drain and let cool slightly. Remove wrap from dough. Place spaghetti lengthwise in a 4-inch strip down center of dough. Top with sauce and cheese cubes. Make cuts 1 1/2-inches apart on long sides of dough to within 1/2-inch of filling. Begin braid by folding top and bottom strips toward filling. Then braid strips left over right, right over left. Finish by pulling last strip over and tucking under braid. Lift braid with both hands and place on a large, sprayed baking sheet. Brush with egg white and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and parsley. Bake at 350°F 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly and slice to serve.

Chicken Georgia

This week's new recipe comes from one of my Paula Deen cookbooks.  By the way, have you heard that she's lost thirty pounds?  Good for her!  I just hope that doesn't affect her recipes.  Is there such a thing as southern cooking "lite"?  


Georgia Chicken is another dish that doesn't take a lot of ingredients, prep, or cooking time.  We were able to sit down to a delicious meal within one hour of arriving home from work. . .and that's important to those of us who are accustomed to eating by six o'clock.  I know, we'd never make it in the big city. ;)


Ingredients:


4 T. (1/2 stick) butter
4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
2 T. minced shallots
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
4 ounces grated mozzarella cheese


Melt butter over medium heat.  Add mushrooms and shallots and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Cook 10 minutes.  Add chicken and cook 10 minutes on each side, or until tender.  Transfer chicken to platter and sprinkle with grated cheese.  Top with mushroom mixture. Cover and let stand 5 minutes or until cheese melts.  


Note:  I removed the mushrooms and shallots from the pan before cooking the chicken, then returned them to the pan toward the end of the chicken cooking time.  

Meatloaf: It's Comfort Food!

I've been on a casual quest for the ultimate meatloaf recipe for a long time, so every time I see a recipe from a reliable source, I'm tempted to give it a go.  I've always loved good meatloaf (admittedly, there are some really bad versions out there); served with creamy mashed potatoes and green beans, that meal is hard to beat as down home comfort food.  I've never quite decided if I like meatloaf better hot out of the oven or as a cold sandwich the next day, so I'm thankful I get both!  


Over the weekend I made Pioneer Woman's meatloaf recipe, with one minor change to the sauce.  Joel and I both gave it a thumbs up, but we decided the flavor didn't surpass our favorite meatloaf recipe. . .the one I discovered some years ago in Taste of Home.  It lives up to it's name - Best Meat Loaf - and I especially like its sauce.  I am posting both recipes for you to compare.  And if you have a recipe that I must try, please leave it in the comments box.

PIONEER WOMAN MEATLOAF

1 cup milk
6 bread slices
2 pounds ground beef
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 t. salt
1/4 t. seasoned salt, such as Lawry's
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 to 1/2 cup minced flat-leaf parsley
4 eggs, beaten
3 to 12 thin bacon slices

tomato gravy:

1 1/2 cups ketchup
6 T. brown sugar
1 t. dry mustard
dash or two of hot sauce (I substituted Worcestershire sauce.)

Preheat the oven to 350. Pour the milk over the bread and allow it to soak in for several minutes. Place the ground beef, milk-soaked bread, Parmesan cheese, salt, seasoned salt, black pepper, and parsley in a large mixing bowl.  Pour in the eggs.  Mix the ingredients until well combined.  Form the mixture into a loaf on a foil-lined broiler pan.  Lay bacon slices over the top, tucking them underneath the meatloaf.  Next, make the tomato gravy:  pour the ketchup into a small mixing bowl.  Add the brown sugar and dry mustard, and splash in the hot sauce.  Stir the mixture until well combined.  Pour one-third of the tomato gravy over the top of the meatloaf.  Bake for 45 minutes, then pour another one-third of the remaining gravy over the meatloaf.  Bake for an additional 15 minutes.  Serve with the remaining tomato gravy on the side as a dipping sauce.


BEST MEATLOAF


2 pounds ground beef or chuck
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped sweet red pepper
1/3 cup chopped green pepper
3 T. minced fresh parsley
3 garlic gloves, minced
1 1/4 t. chili powder
1 1/4 t. dried sage
1 1/4 t. salt
1 t. pepper
3/4 cup milk
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
2/3 cups dry bread crumbs
4 bacon strips


Sauce:


1/4 cup chopped canned tomatoes
1/4 cup ketchup
2 T. brown sugar
1 t. salt
1 t. dry mustard
1/2 t. pepper


In a large bowl, combine the first 10 ingredients. Combine the milk, eggs, and Worcestershire sauce; mix into the beef mixture.  Add crumbs.  Grease a large sheet of foil.  Place bacon on foil. Mold meat mixture into a loaf and place over bacon.  Seal foil tightly around loaf.  Refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.  Place wrapped loaf on a baking sheet .  Bake at 350 for 1 hour.  Open foil; drain juices.  Combine sauce ingredients and spoon over loaf.  Bake, uncovered, 30 minutes longer.

Beer-Braised Pot Roast

What am I to do when I find a bottle of Guinness in the pantry and we're not beer drinkers?  Cook with it!  I could have made a loaf of beer bread, but I found a recipe for beer-braised pot roast in my recipe folder that looked quite tasty.  A good pot roast is a wonderful comfort food, especially if it is accompanied by potatoes and gravy. . .lots of gravy.  No potatoes in this recipe, but it still hit the spot. 
I don't know if I'll be making this recipe again, though, unless the "gremlin" happens to deposit another bottle of beer in my pantry. ;)

Ingredients:

1 chuck roast, 2 to 3 lbs.
salt and pepper to taste
3 T. vegetable or olive oil
2 large onions, peeled and sliced thick
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 or 2 cans beer
1/2 t. rosemary leaves

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Season the meat with salt and pepper.  Sear the meat on both sides until nice and brown.  Remove the meat from the pan and lower the temperature to medium heat.  Cook the onions and garlic until beginning to brown.  Pour in the beer and rosemary leaves.  Add more salt if desired.  Add the meat to the Dutch oven and cover with lid.  Cook in oven for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until the meat is fork tender and falling apart.  Shred the meat with fork.  Serve with juice and onions over the top.  

Bananas Foster

The other day, Joel and I were discussing when we first became aware of the delectable flavor of Bananas Foster.  We think it was about five years ago when Cracker Barrel featured their version as a summer special. One bite and we were so hooked that we went there regularly throughout the summer just to order dessert!  Cracker Barrel's twist was to top toasted banana bread with vanilla ice cream and banana rum sauce - yum! Bananas Foster quickly became one of my most favorite desserts, surpassing cheesecake and vying for first place with creme brulee.  That's ironic because I actually loathe plain bananas, but cook them with some butter, dark brown sugar, whipping cream, and pecans, and the flavor is amazing! 

Since my new Pioneer Woman cookbook has a recipe for Bananas Foster, I decided it was high time that I learn to make it!  And you know, it was quick and easy.  But the next time I make the dessert, I'm going add the toasted banana bread.  Then it will be even more amazing!


Ingredients:


1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 bananas , sliced diagonally into thick slices
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup dark rum
dash of cinnamon
vanilla ice cream


Melt the butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat.  Add the brown sugar.  Stir together and continue cooking for a couple minutes.  Pour in the cream and stir it until combined.  Peel the bananas and slice them on the bias inside the peel.  Drop the banana slices into the skillet.  Add the chopped pecans and stir.  Next, stir in the rum, then carefully use a long match to ignite the rum.  Let the fire burn and go out.  This should only take about 30 seconds.  Stir in the dash of cinnamon.  Spoon the sauce over the ice cream. 

Lemon Blueberry Pancakes

For years now, if we had hot breakfasts on the weekends, it's been because Joel cooked.  He especially loves to make pancakes, waffles, and French toast.  But this morning, I took over the range to make this week's new recipe.  Joel assisted by cooking the bacon and giving advice.  He's good at that, too. ;)

The recipe is in Pioneer Woman's new cookbook, and it's sure to become a regular with us.  Each bite was bursting with the lemon and blueberry flavors - I didn't even notice the syrup!  One note:  I had to add more cake flour, because the batter was too runny, so I would suggest initially cutting back on the amount of evaporated milk, then add more if needed.  The recipe made about eighteen regular-sized pancakes.  

Ingredients:

Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 1/2 cups evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon cake flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 heaping tablespoon baking powder
3 tablespoons sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 heaping cup blueberries 
2 tablespoons butter, melted, plus extra butter for serving
Syrup for serving
 
Directions:

Zest the lemon and set aside.  Squeeze the lemon juice into the evaporated milk.  Stir and let the mixture sit for a few minutes to thicken.  In a large bowl, combine the cake flour and salt.  Add the baking powder and sugar. Crack an egg into the evaporated milk/lemon mixture and add the vanilla.  Add the lemon zest to the evaporated milk mixture and stir to combine.  Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring it gently with a fork as your pour it in. Be careful not to over mix.  Fold in the blueberries.  The batter should be slightly pourable.  Stir in the melted butter.  

Heat a heavy griddle or skillet over medium-low heat and add 2 tablespoons butter to the pan.  Use 1/4 cup measure to drop the batter in the pan.  Cook on both sides until golden brown.    

Drum Corps Chop Suey

I got this week's recipe at last month's Love to Cook Club and made it for dinner last night.  It was quick and easy enough. . .I liked that part. . .but I was underwhelmed with the flavor.  Maybe it was the fact that I couldn't find the Pioneer brand pork gravy mix and had to use the McCormick brand, or maybe I should have used more soy sauce (I used one tablespoon.)  Though others might find this recipe tasty, it probably won't be a repeat for us.  Sorry, Art.

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef
small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 14 oz. can Chop Suey vegetables, drained
1 envelope Pioneer brand pork gravy mix
1 - 2 tablespoon soy sauce
4 cups prepared rice

Brown the beef and onion.  Add garlic and vegetables and heat.  Prepare gravy according to the package directions and add to beef mixture.  Stir to mix.  Serve over prepared rice.  

Citrus Butter Cookies

This week's new recipe was inspired by a recipe Ashlea shared on Facebook this week.  She baked Lime Butter Cookies (linked) and said that, besides being amazing, the recipe is ridiculously simple.  Ashlea is a recipe tamperer, so she added a little ginger and almond extract flavoring.  Almond extract is always good in my book!

I could have made that recipe, but I remembered that Pioneer Woman has a recipe for Citrus Butter Cookies in her new cookbook.  This recipe contains zest and juice from oranges, lemons, and limes. . .not JUST limes as in Ashlea's recipe. . .providing enhanced citrus flavor. 

Not that there's any competition between us or anything. ;)

Ingredients:

2 large eggs
4 sticks, (1 pound) salted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons orange, lemon, and lime zest (1 T. each)
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons orange, lemon, and/or lime juice (2 T. total)


Icing:


3 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons combined orange, lemon, and lime zest
juice of 1/2 lime
juice of 1/2 lemon
dash of salt
extra zest for decorating 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Separate the eggs.  Set aside one of the egg whites for the icing.  Using a mixer, cream the butter and sugar until combined.  Add the egg yolks and mix until combined.  Add the 3 tablespoons of citrus zest.
Then add the flour and mix until just combined.  Next, add the 2 tablespoons of citrus juice (your choice) and mix the dough until it comes together.  Scoop out heaping teaspoons of dough, then roll them into balls between your hands.  Place them on a cookie sheet.  Bake them for 12 to 13 minutes, or until they're not quite starting to turn brown.  Remove them from the oven but keep them on the cookie sheet for 3 to 4 minutes.  Use a spatula to move them to a cooking rack and cool them completely.


To make the icing, combine 1 egg white with the rest of the icing ingredients (except the extra zest for sprinkling).  Whisk thoroughly until combined, add either more powdered sugar or more juice until it reaches a pourable but still thick consistency.  Drizzle the icing across the cookies in several lines, then repeat in the other direction.  Sprinkle them with extra zest before the icing sets.  Yield:  About 4 dozen 2 inch cookies. 


Note:  The icing recipe made more than I needed for criss-cross drizzling, therefore I frosted the cookies.  Why drizzle when you can slather?  :)

Almond Cupcakes With Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting: New Recipe of the Week

I don't know if anyone has noticed that I haven't posted a "new recipe of the week" for a couple weeks.  That doesn't mean I haven't tried new recipes, just that I didn't think they were quite worthy of blog posts. Well, this week's recipe is definitely worth sharing!  I wanted to make a special cupcake recipe for my boss' birthday, so I did a search for a salted caramel cupcake.  I looked at several before I settled on Almond Cupcake with Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting.  The combination of almond and salted caramel flavors sounded too good to pass by. 


Cake Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 t. baking powder
1 cup sugar
1/2 butter, softened
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla extract
1 t. almond extract
3/4 cup milk

Frosting Ingredients:

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup whipping cream, or as needed
1 pinch salt
6 tablespoons butter, softened
2 - 3 cups powdered sugar 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line cupcake pan with paper liners.   Whisk together the flour and baking powder.

In a mixing bowl, cream together the sugar and 1/2 cup butter until well blended.  Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until thoroughly combined, and stir in the vanilla and almond extracts.  Gradually beat in the flour mixture, alternating with the milk, in several additions.  Spoon the batter into the prepared cupcake cups, about 2/3 full.

Bake the cupcakes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.

To make caramel, place the brown sugar, 1/2 cup butter, corn syrup, and vanilla in a large saucepan over medium heat, and bring the mixture to a boil.  Reduce heat, and simmer until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes;  remove from heat and allow to cool to warm temperature.  Add the cream, a little at a time, until the caramel has the consistency of honey.  Mix in the pinch of salt.  Allow to cool to room temperature.


Beat the 6 T. butter with powdered sugar in a bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until the mixture is fluffy; slowly add and beat in the caramel, a little bit at a time until the frosting is smooth.  (You may not need to use all the caramel in making the frosting.)  After frosting cupcakes, sprinkle with sea salt.


Pictured below: The development department decorated Kim's office on the sly with a "50 and Fabulous" theme and gathered for the birthday cupcakes this afternoon.  

Seared Scallops with Beans and Spinach: New Recipe of the Week

The more I use my Cook This, Not That cookbook, the more I like it.  The authors' premise was to simulate restaurant dishes but with considerably fewer calories and less fat content, without sacrificing flavor.  This evening I made the recipe, Seared Scallops with White Beans and Spinach, a tasty and fairly easy meal to make.  The one downside of this recipe is that scallops are pricey, so I don't know how often I would make this dish.  But tonight, Joel and I were treated to the wonderful flavor combination of the souped-up beans, spinach, and seafood. Note: the key to properly cooking scallops is to make sure they are very dry.  After rinsing them, keep patting them with paper towels until most of the moisture has been removed. 


You will need:


2 strips of bacon - I added extra at Joel's request  :)
1/2 red onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
28 oz. can white beans, rinsed and drained 
4 cups baby spinach
1 lb. large sea scallops
salt and pepper to taste
1 T. butter
juice of one lemon (or according to taste)


Heat a medium saucepan over low heat.  Cook the bacon until it has begun to crisp.  Add the onion and garlic; sauté until the onion is soft and translucent, 2 to 3 minutes.  Add the white beans and spinach and simmer until the beans are hot and the spinach is wilted.  Keep warm. (I covered the pan to help the spinach wilt.)

Heat a large cast iron skillet sauté pan over medium-high heat.  Blot the scallops dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper on both sides.  Add the butter and the scallops to the pan and sear the scallops on both sides for about three minutes per side or until deeply caramelized. 

Before serving, add the lemon juice to the beans.  I only used about 1 T. lemon juice and it was plenty for our taste.  Season with salt and pepper. Divide the beans on 3 or 4 plates and top with scallops.
  

Shrimp and Grits: New Recipe of the Week

Ok. . . now I'm a believer.  Grits aren't as bad as the name suggests.  I never ever wanted to try them, because they look like cream of wheat, and I know that's bad stuff!  At least it was when I was a kid.  

About a month ago, we had a breakfast-themed fellowship meal at church, and one couple brought a crock pot full of grits.  I passed over them, because "I don't do grits."  Later, the couple mentioned that they were going to have shrimp and grits that evening with the leftovers.  Shrimp and grits!?!  I'd never heard of such a bizarre combination!  They assured me it was a great dish, and they must know what they're talking about, because, after all, these two prepare recipes with names that I can't even pronounce! 


So, the other day while I was looking for this week's new recipe in my Cook This, Not That cookbook, I noticed a recipe for shrimp and grits!  The picture looked yummy, and the grits looked more like mashed potatoes than cream of wheat.  I thought, "I can do this!"  


I made the recipe for supper last night, and it was really delicious!  And it was fairly quick and uncomplicated, a plus for a weeknight meal.  We'll definitely be having this meal again.  I've got a whole box of instant grits to use up!  ;)


Shrimp and Grits


1 T. canola oil
1 cup diced cooked kielbasa sausage
4 scallions, whites and greens separated, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 t. cayenne pepper
1/2 cup quick-cooking grits
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese


Heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet or saute pan over medium-high heat until lightly smoking.  Add the kielbasa; cook for a few minutes, until lightly browned. Add the scallion whites, garlic, and mushrooms.  Cook until the mushrooms are lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes.


Add the shrimp and continue cooking until the shrimp are just pink and firm to the touch.  Stir in the broth and cook for another 3 minutes, until the liquid has reduced by half and the shrimp are cooked all the way through.  Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne.


While the shrimp are cooking, cook the grits according to the package instructions.  When they're thick and creamy, add the cheese and season with salt and pepper.  Divide the grits and shrimp among 4 bowls and garnish with the scallions greens. 

Lime Cupcakes: New Recipe of the Week

I came away from our visit to Sue and Esther's American Tea Room inspired to more frequently enjoy a good cup of tea, as well as the delicacies that make a cup of tea into an "event."  I picked up the newest issue of Tea Time magazine, loaded with recipes suitable for tea parties. . .or private consumption, as the case may be.  The recipes in this magazine should keep me busy for quite some time. My first selection was Lime Cupcakes, scrumptious and not difficult to make.  


Warning:  the ingredient list is not for the faint of heart.  ;)


Lime Cupcakes


1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1/4 cup thawed frozen limeade concentrate
1 T. fresh lime zest
1/2 t. vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 recipe Lime Icing (below)


Preheat over to 350 degrees.  Line 2 (12 - well) muffin pans with paper liners. Set aside.  In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar at medium-high speed with an electric mixer until fluffy.  Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add limeade, lime zest, and vanilla, beating well.  Set aside.  In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture.  Divide batter evenly among prepared wells of muffin pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cupcake comes out clean, 18 to 22 minutes.  Remove from pans. Cool completely on wire rack.  Place Lime Icing in a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip.  Pipe icing onto tops of cupcakes. 


Lime Icing


1 cup unsalted butter, softened
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup thawed frozen limeade concentrate
1/2 cup heavy cream


In a large bowl, beat butter at medium-high speed with an electric mixer until fluffy.  Add confectioners' sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add limeade concentrate, beating well.  Gradually add cream, beating until smooth.  

Rolled Round Steak: New Recipe of the Week

This week's recipe comes from a cookbook that belonged to my grandmother:  A Century of Cooking, published in 1973 by the Ada Lutheran Church in Courtland, Kansas.  I love this old cookbook for its down-home recipes, many of which reflect the Swedish and Danish heritage in that area of Kansas.  It's filled with food reminiscent of my childhood, back when people were more interested in rich flavor than calories and cholesterol.


The recipe I chose for this week is rolled round steak.  The combination of beef, bacon, and dill pickle was intriguing, and Joel loves dill pickles, so I thought this would be a hit with him - it was.  One change I would make would be to use tenderized cube steaks.  I had some difficulty rolling my 1/2 inch thick round steak.  I also think I would cut down on the water, so that the sauce wouldn't be so thin.  


Side note:  On the same page is a recipe for brisket submitted by a Lucille Engwall, and I just noticed that the recipe is identical to the brisket recipe in Pioneer Woman's cookbook. It's funny to realize that THE BEST brisket recipe has been in my kitchen all this time!  


Rolled Round Steak


1 1/2 lbs. round steak, well-pounded
1 cup catsup
3 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 cup hot water
bacon, thinly sliced
dill pickle spears


Cut the steak into strips 2 inches wide and about 5 inches long.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Place a stick of dill pickle on a steak strip and roll.  Wrap a strip of bacon around the roll and fasten with a toothpick.  Roll in Flour with salt and pepper, then brown well.  Place rolls in a baking dish. Mix catsup, water, and Worcestershire sauce and poor over meat rolls.  Bake one hour or until tender at 325 degrees.