Dog Treats

For Christmas, I made my Sis in laws dog, Daisy some homemade treats. I made some apple-cinnamon drops, and some Peanut Butter bones. I found the recipes here: http://www.bullwrinkle.com/Assets/Recipes/Recipes.htm

I say they were a hit as Daisy enjoyed them!!!

I will def. make these for her again, they were so simple. I wonder if I can make Meow some treats too...

Christmas Baking

This past Saturday I spent most of my day baking all my Christmas goodies!!! It was a lot of fun, but made for a long day. My back was killing me by the end, but that’s not the point!! The goodies all turned out great!!! I was excited, as was my very patient taste tester husband. He enjoyed his role on Saturday!!!

I made chocolate fudge. This was my first time making fudge, and I am so happy that it turned out creamy and soft not gritty and hard! I used the recipe off the Marshmallow Cream Jar, “Fantasy Fudge” I have grown up on this very fudge and was excited to try it myself! I did omit the nuts though…I am not a nut person.

Fantasy Fudge
3 cups sugar
3/4 cup margarine
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 12-oz. (340 g) package semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 7-oz. (198 g) jar Kraft Marshmallow creme
1 cup chopped nuts
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Traditional method:Combine sugar, margarine and milk in heavy 2-1/2 quart saucepan; bring to full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Continue boiling 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring. Remove from heat, stir in chocolate till melted. Add marshmallow creme, nuts & vanilla beat till blended. Pour into greased 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Let cool and cut into 1-inch squares.Microwave method:Microwave margarine in 4-quart microwave-safe bowl on HIGH (100%) 1 minute or until melted. Add sugar and milk; mix well. Microwave on HIGH 5 minutes or until mixture begins to boil, stirring after 3 minutes. Mix well; scrape bowl. Continue microwaving on HIGH 5-1/2 minutes; stir after 3 minutes. Stir in chips until melted. Add remaining ingredients; mix well. Pour into greased 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Cool at room temperature; cut into squares. Makes 3 pounds.



Next on the list: Peppermint Bark. This was easy. I made it up. I used two bags of Ghirardelli white chocolate chips. First I melted the chocolate chips in the microwave (I was too lazy to get out a pan) I threw in a splash of peppermint extract…just a splash (then I proceeded to spill almost the entire bottle all over my counter) and a handful of crushed candy canes. I put in enough to see the candy throughout the white chocolate. I spread it out on a piece of wax paper and after it got all nice and hard I broke it into pieces. I must say it kind of melts in your mouth…yummy!


Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing. These are a must for Christmas baking! The reason: you get to make them all nice and pretty. I made candy canes and Christmas Trees. Later on in the evening I used Royal Icing to decorate them. By that point I was grateful for only making two shapes, and 3 colors! So much work. I used the Sugar Cookie Cut Out recipe from my Better Homes cookbook. And the Royal Icing recipe from the Wilton Jar of Meringue Powder. To frost the cookies I first outlined them with thicker royal icing in disposable decorating bags (I found these are so much simplier with this kind of icing). Then after that sets I added a bit of water to the icing and put it the candy bottles to “flood” the cookies. I used a toothpick to spread out the thinner icing. Then I used the thicker stuff for the detail work on top when it had set. They were so pretty!!!! I found I just needed to be patient with myself to frost the cookies.

Sugar Cookie Cut Outs (http://www.bhg.com/recipe/cookies/sugar-cookie-cutouts/)

Ingredients
· 2/3 cup butter, softened
· 3/4 cup sugar
· 1 teaspoon baking powder
· 1/4 teaspoon salt
· 1 egg
· 1 tablespoon milk
· 1 teaspoon vanilla
· 2 cups all-purpose flour
· Powdered Sugar Icing (optional)
· Decorative sprinkles and/or small candies (optional)
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed 30 seconds. Add sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping side of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg, milk, and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour. Divide dough in half. If necessary, cover and chill about 30 minutes or until dough is easy to handle.
2. On a lightly floured surface, roll half of the dough at a time until 1/4 inch thick. Using a 4-1/2- to 6-inch cookie cutter, cut dough into desired shapes. Place 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
3. Bake for 8 to 9 minutes or until edges are firm and bottoms are very lightly browned. Transfer to a wire rack; cool.

Royal Icing (http://www.wilton.com/recipe/Royal-Icing)

· 3 tablespoons Meringue Powder
· 4 cups (about 1 lb.) confectioners' sugar
· 6 tablespoons warm water
Makes: About 3 cups of icing.

instructions
Beat all ingredients until icing forms peaks (7-10 minutes at low speed with a heavy-duty mixer, 10-12 minutes at high speed with a hand-held mixer).
NOTE: Keep all utensils completely grease-free for proper icing consistency.
* For stiffer icing, use 1 tablespoon less water.
**When using large countertop mixer or for stiffer icing, use 1 tablespoon less water.
Thinned Royal Icing: To thin for pouring, add 1 teaspoon water per cup of royal icing. Use grease-free spoon or spatula to stir slowly. Add 1/2 teaspoon water at a time until you reach proper consistency.

Ok, so next up: Shortbread Cookies. These are by far one of my favorites!! Again I got this from Better Homes Cookbook. I rolled them into rolls, cut them in half and rolled them in colored sprinkles. Then I cut the log so I had small circle cookie!! They didn’t really expand, so they were small bite size cookies, but oh sooooo good!!!

Shortbread Cookies (http://www.bhg.com/recipe/cookies/shortbread/)

Ingredients
· 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
· 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
· 1/2 cup butter
Directions
1. In a medium bowl combine flour and sugar. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs and starts to cling. Form the mixture into a ball and knead until smooth.
2. To make shortbread wedges*, on an ungreased cookie sheet pat or roll the dough into an 8-inch circle. Make a scalloped edge. Cut circle into 16 wedges. Leave wedges in the circle. Bake in a 325 degree F oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until bottom just starts to brown and center is set. Cut circle into wedges again while warm. Cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool. Makes 16 wedges.
*Note: To make shortbread rounds, on a lightly floured surface roll dough until 1/2 inch thick. Using a 1-1/2-inch cookie cutter, cut into 24 rounds. Place 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. To make shortbread strips, on a lightly floured surface roll dough into an 8 x 6-inch rectangle about 1/2 inch thick. Using a knife, cut into twenty-four 2 x 1-inch strips Place 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.


My next project was these delicious Peanut Butter Drops. Basically they are peanut butter cookies, a reeses PB cup stuffed in the middle and a chocolate/pb glaze on top. I added some Christmas Sprinkles for some color. I got the recipe from my Mother in Law who got it from my sister in law’s neighbor, Katie. So I don’t have it to add to this blog, but one day I will. DELICIOUS!


My last item of the day was Chocolate Peppermint Biscotti. This was a favorite last year, so I had to bring it back. My friend who is Italian loved it, and she knows Biscotti!!!! I must say it’s a favorite dipped in hot chocolate!!! I found the recipe at Betty Crocker.

Chocolate Peppermint Biscotti (http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes.aspx/chocolate-peppermint-biscotti/c5d64564-1b5e-4d5a-acf5-b3d3d52f15c6)

1 1/3 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
3 eggs
3 cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup coarsely crushed hard peppermint candies
1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
Semisweet chocolate chips, if desired
Crushed hard peppermint candies, if desired

1. Heat oven to 350ºF. Lighly grease cookie sheet. Mix sugar, butter, peppermint extract and eggs in large bowl with spoon until blended. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in 1/2 cup candies and 1/2 cup chocolate chips (dough will be stiff). Divide dough in half. Shape each half into 10x2-inch rectangle on cookie sheet.
2. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool on cookie sheet 15 minutes. Cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices. Place slices, cut sides down, on cookie sheet. Bake about 15 minutes or until light brown and crisp. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.
3. Melt chocolate chips over low heat, stirring occasionally. Dip half of each biscotti into melted chocolate; sprinkle with crushed candies. Cool completely on waxed paper.


Enjoy these yummy, festive Recipes!! I hope they bring you as much joy as they have me!!! Merry Christmas! (Pictures will be coming soon...I hope!)

Candy Cane Cake

Ryan got me a new bundt pan for Christmas!! I couldn't wait to try it, so with company coming over for dinner last night I decided to put it to good use. I found this yummy reciepe on Betty Crocker.

Cake
1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® white cake mix
Water, vegetable oil and egg whites called for on cake mix box
1/2 teaspoon red food color
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

White Icing
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk or water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla, if desired

Decoration
Crushed candy canes or crushed hard peppermint candies, if desired

1.Heat oven to 325°F. Generously grease and flour 12-cup fluted tube cake pan. Make cake batter as directed on box. Pour about 2 cups batter into pan. Into small bowl, pour about 3/4 cup batter; stir in food color and peppermint extract. Carefully pour pink batter over white batter in pan. Carefully pour remaining white batter over pink batter.
2.Bake as directed on box or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Turn pan upside down onto cooling rack or heatproof serving plate; remove pan. Cool cake completely, about 1 hour.
3.In small bowl, mix icing ingredients. If necessary, stir in additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until smooth and spreadable. Spread icing over cake. Sprinkle top with crushed candy. Store loosely covered

http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes.aspx/candy-cane-cake/852a3d2d-48a7-47ae-8313-9f749bd8cb24

Peanut Butter Choc. Chip Brownies

For a co-workers birthday, I decided to make these yummy peanut butter chocolate chip brownies…and believe it or not, they are only 125 calories, which is nice for those watching their weight (for me, it’s watching it go straight to my hips….).

Well I found the recipe on cooking light’s website. Here is the link: http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=223313 (I also used their picture)


Here is the recipe too:
Ingredients
• Cooking spray
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate minichips
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg white
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°.
Coat bottom of an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray (do not coat sides of pan).
Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, chocolate chips, soda, and salt in a bowl.
Combine sugars and remaining ingredients in a bowl; stir until well-blended. Add flour mixture, stirring just until blended. Spread batter in bottom of prepared pan. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out almost clean. Cool on a wire rack.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Last night I was in the mood for chocolate. Chocolate Cake, lathered in a rich peanut butter frosting.

So I made some Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes. They are rich and yummy. I used the peanut butter frosting recipe from Annie's Eats(http://annies-eats.com)who got it on the Food Network (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/chocolate-cupcakes-and-peanut-butter-icing-recipe/index.html) I omitted the Heavy cream and just used milk until I got the correct consistency. I added some shaved chocolate to the top. The pictures are ones I made before, only with reeses on top. Both are filled with the frosting inside. YUMMY!

I want to eat one right now.

Baby Shower Goodies

I hosted my Sis-in-Laws baby shower last Saturday. I was going for the sports theme, which is the theme of my nephew's nursery. I was going to make this cake for the shower, but I was sick the entire week before, so I knew it wouldn't be the best idea for me to attempt the masterpiece I was hoping to create.

BUT! I did make some sugar cookies that were shaped like footballs and baseballs for favors. I used Wilton's Royal icing recipe. It's basically Powdered Sugar, Meringe Powder and water. I don't know the amounts, I got the recipe with the meringe powder. After reading Bake at 350's blog (http://bakeat350.blogspot.com/), I was inspired to try the "flooding" technique with these cookies. I have attempted it bfore, but not to this capacity. Two and half hours later, a double batch of royal icing, running out of icing (the red is the fake in a tube stuff...which I hate but I had no more powdered sugar for more icing) and several ziploc bags later, my cookies were done. For being only my second or third attempt at Royal icing, I was pretty happy with the outcome.

Halloween Goodies

I realize that Halloween was a few weeks ago now, but I made some fun cupcakes I wanted to share! I had planned to make the pumpkin ones for both Ryan and I to take to work, but the first batch didn't rise enough, so I made the pretty orange with sprinkles. Then teh next night I made more cupcakes that did rise enough to look like pumpkins, so I made those too!

Cookie Extravaganza!!!

A couple of weeks ago one of my co-workers asked me to make some cookies for his son who is at the Naval Academy. So I took on the challenge. My friend suggested a couple of types, I decided to make all of them.

I sent his son two dozen football shaped sugar cookies topped with Royal Icing (I finally got the flooding to work). 2 Dozen each Peanut Butter, Chocolate Chip and Oatmeal Raisin. Then I added a batch of mini brownies. Phew...it was a big task, but I did enjoy myself.

I say my first "baking job" was a big hit!! I got word that some of the guys at the Academy thouroughly enjoyed the cookies!! I am so glad.

Next job: cake and cookies for my Sis in Laws shower!!! Then! I get to decorate cupcakes for my friends wedding in March! My dream of becoming a baker is starting to happen!!! Now, if I could just do it full time!

Pork Chops with Apple-Cherry Stuffing

When I found this recipe on Betty Crocker (http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes.aspx/slow-cooker-pork-chops-with-apple-cherry-stuffing?modalclose=1) I couldn't wait to try it! It sounded DELICIOUS! And I could use my crock pot for it!!!

We were a bit disappointed. The cherry flavor was very overpowering and made the rest of the meal a bit tart. I think if I make this again (which I will, because the concept would be delicious with some modifications) I would reduce the chicken broth to maybe half a cup or 3/4, the stuffing was a bit soggy. I would remove the cherries all together, maybe even the apples. I realize then that it's just stuffing and pork then, but I imagine that would be yummy. I would also reduce the cook time. By the time I got home from work, it was cooking for about six hours. The stuffing was mushy but the pork was extremely tender, that it just fell apart into the stuffing. That was yummy. I had very thin pork chops so that could explain the not needing to cook for so long.

All in all, this meal wasn't that bad. I would just make changes for sure.

*photo from Betty Crocker, which looks nothing like my dish did!

Chicken 'n' Biscuits

I found this great recipe at Taste of Home. It's for Alfredo Chicken and Biscuits, and it was a hit with Ryan and I. I did lighten it up a bit to be more WW friendly. Alfredo sauce is high in Calories, so as usual I used the lighter version (which is what I keep on hand) and I used the reduced fat Bisquick mix (I swear I cannot tell the difference...). I imagine if I had used fat free milk instead of 2% that would lighten it up as well. All in all, a new favorite in our house, and I imagine we will be having more of this yummy dish this fall and winter!!

Here is the recipe: http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Alfredo-Chicken--n--Biscuits


Alfredo Chicken 'n' Biscuits
TIME: Prep: 20 min. Bake: 20 min.
Ingredients:

* 2 cups chopped fresh broccoli
* 1-1/2 cups sliced fresh carrots
* 1 cup chopped onion
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 2 cups cubed cooked chicken
* 1 carton (10 ounces) refrigerated Alfredo sauce
* 1 cup biscuit/baking mix
* 1/3 cup milk
* 1/4 teaspoon dill weed

Directions:
In a large skillet, saute the broccoli, carrots and onion in oil until crisp-tender. Stir in chicken and Alfredo sauce; heat through. Transfer to a lightly greased 8-in. square baking dish.
In a small bowl, combine the baking mix, milk and dill just until moistened. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto chicken mixture.
Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 18-22 minutes or until bubbly and biscuits are golden brown. Yield: 4 servings.

* Picture is from Taste of Home :)

A Restaurant In Review

Saturday night I surprised Ryan with dinner at El Gaucho in Bellevue Washington. I had never been, but Ryan had gone once and always told me how wonderful it was.

We have been fortunate enough to go out to some very nice dinners, Portland City Grill, The Carnelian Room in San Francisco, and now at El Gaucho. It was definitely one of the best dining experiences I have ever had. The service was phenomenal. You actually felt like the server really cared about you and what you wanted. And I will say, even though it was my first time eating Fillet Mignon, it was hands down the best steak I have ever had.

The whole meal was an experience. It was delicious, and very enjoyable. We had cocktails before the meal. Caesar salad made table side, steak, amazing mashed potatoes, and banana's foster to end the night.

We will definitely be going to El Gaucho again. YUMMY!

An Hour with a Baker

Last night I was able to visit a very well known bakery in the Portland area. I did this on my mission to find out if baking is right for me, as a career.

I gained a lot of great insight. She quickly shared with me all the not so pretty things about working in a bakery. The hours. The time on your feet. The physical pain. The working conditions. But I also got to see a lot of the fun side of it. The giant bags of sugar. The details on a wedding cake. The yummy smells.

We talked a lot about schools, great chefs and what I can do to be a better baker.

While it wasn't all I had hoped it to be, I am glad I went. It was nice to get a bigger picture of the life as a baker. And it helped me have a better idea of what I want to do. The really encouraging moment came when she told me that she has met a lot of people who pursue baking as a career then she realizes that they are not so great, but she thinks based on what I had told her, and the fact I wanted to know the reality that it is something I could do.

So maybe I will. Maybe I will become a baker.

Happy Meal Time

I found these adorable cupcakes on Bakerella's blog: (http://www.bakerella.blogspot.com/) so I decided to try them for our family camping trip this past weekend. Here they are from start to finish:

First I made some fries out of sugar cookies.


I rolled them out and cut them into fry shapes.


If they turn out like steak fries like mine did, cut them while they are warm!


Add some sugar to the final product, and your fries are ready to go.


Then I made a batch of brownies. I would bake these on a cookie sheet next time in order to get more "patties"


Cutting the patties.


Hamburgers!!




Then I made some yellow cupcakes.


Cut the cupcake in half and add the brownie. Iadded some frosting to hold them together since I was traveling with them.


Adding some ketchup, mustard and lettuce, just made colored frosting.



Yummy.


I just used a toothpick and white frosting to make the sesame seeds. You could use real ones, I just didn't have any.





One Happy Meal to go please!

Skewered Beef

Last night for dinner I made "Skewered Beef". It was quite tasty, although I do have to give Ryan some credit, since he grilled it for me. The only thing I would do differently is let the beef marinate longer than the recipe suggests.

Here is the recipe: http://www.thenest.com/Recipes/45858/detailview.aspx?id=45858&type=7&pageIndex=2

Skewered Beef
Ingredients
1 pound tender beef, such as rib-eye or filet mignon, cut into thin 2-inch-long strips
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
5 or 6 green onions, cut into 2-inch lengths (see note)
1 package rice cake sticks

Preparation
Soak the short (5- or 6-inch) bamboo skewers in cold water for at least 30 minutes.

Put the beef in a medium bowl, add the soy sauce, garlic, sesame oil, sugar, and black pepper, and toss to combine, making sure all the beef is coated with the marinade. Let sit for at least 20 minutes.

Using 2 parallel skewers, thread the beef, green onions, and rice cakes alternately on the sticks.

Prepare a medium-hot coal fire or preheat a gas grill to medium. Grill the skewers until the meat is browned on both sides and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes on each side.

Note: Cut the green onions just a bit shorter than the length of meat, since the meat will shrink during cooking. If you don't want to bother with a grill, you can also sauté these in an oiled large skillet.

* Photo from thenest.com

A little bit o'lime

Last night for dinner I decided I was going to be a bit creative with my cooking. Usually I am all about the recipes...but last night it was just me and my brain.

I made cilantro lime chicken!! It was yummy! I marinaded the chicken in lime juice all day (I used a fresh lime and squirted half of it on the chicken) then I added some cilantro. When I got home I started the grill. I put some fresh lime juice on the chicken, and some fresh cilantro and BBQ'd away. It was so moist and flavorful. The lime was just enough and you can taste the hint of cilantro, I will make this again!

Then, I used a recipe from Weight Watchers, it is a Watermelon Salsa. It went perfect with some lime flavored tortilla chips. I omitted the jalapeno, because I don't like them. So it was more sweet than spicy, but I really liked it, Ryan not so much (only because he doesn't like 98% of the ingredients!).

Here is the recipe: http://www.weightwatchers.com/food/rcp/index.aspx?recipeid=115391

Watermelon Salsa

4 cup(s) watermelon, seedless, chopped into small pieces
1 cup(s) cucumber(s), seedless, chopped into small pieces
1/2 cup(s) scallion(s), chopped into small pieces (green and white parts)
1/2 large yellow pepper(s), chopped into small pieces
1 large jalapeno pepper(s), seeded, finely minced (do not touch seeds with bare hands)
1 1/2 tbsp cilantro, fresh, minced
1 1/2 tbsp mint leaves, fresh, minced
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp fresh lime juice

Instructions
Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl. Serve at room temperature or chilled. Yields about 1/2 cup per serving.

Notes
If you plan to make this recipe ahead of time, chop up and toss together the watermelon, vegetables and herbs, but wait to combine them with the sugar, olive oil and lime juice until just before serving.


* Picture from Weight Watchers

Betty goes GF!

Betty Crocker is a household name. From cook books, to cake mixes and cookies. Many women I know (including myself) own a Betty Cookbook, and for many it's their favorite.

As many of you know my mom has been diagnosed with Celiac's disease which is an allergy to gluten (or wheat). So I am very aware when see any foods that are Gluten Free. I do whatever I can to support my mom, and encourage her.

I had heard the Betty Crocker was releasing a line of GF mixes, cookies, cakes and brownies. I was quickly excited by this because I figured, it's Betty so they have to be good, and inexpensive.

Last night as I was walking through Safeway to get a few things, and I ended up on the baking aisle (shocking, I know) and there in front of me were these boxes that screamed at me "GLUTEN FREE"!! I couldn't contain my excitement and I immediately called my mom to share my excitement! "Guess what I am looking at??? Betty Crocker Gluten Free cake mixes!!!!" She was excited too.

Now, I cannot vouch for the flavor of these just yet, but the cost wasn't too bad. It is more than your traditional cake mixes, but still less than many of the GF mixes I have found.

I might just have to make a cake this weekend...or next when my mom is here for a visit!

Lemon Bars

I have been craving lemon bars. I have never made them from scratch, usually I just use the box mix stuff....but I found a Weight Watchers recipe and thought I would try it. I had to half the recipe, but they turned out great none the less. They are only 3 points each!

Lemon Bars
Ingredients

1 1/3 cup(s) all-purpose flour
5 tbsp packed light brown sugar
8 tbsp unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 large egg(s)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup(s) powdered sugar, divided
3/4 cup(s) fresh lemon juice
2 tsp lemon zest

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F.


To make crust, mix flour and light brown sugar using a food processor until fully incorporated. Toss butter into flour mixture and pulse to combine using short bursts of power until butter is cut into tiny pea-sized pieces and dough appears lumpy. Sprinkle crust mixture onto an ungreased 13 X 9 X 2-inch baking pan as evenly as possible; press down with a spatula to create a packed surface. Place crust in middle of oven and bake until golden, about 20 minutes.


Meanwhile, to make lemon topping, beat eggs in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until well blended. Add vanilla extract and 3/4 cup of powdered sugar; mix well. Add lemon juice and remaining powdered sugar; mix until powdered sugar is completely dissolved and then add zest.


As soon as crust is finished, remove from oven and reduce oven temperature to 300°F. Immediately pour lemon mixture over hot crust. Bake completely, about 30 minutes; cool, and cut into 24 bars. Yields 1 bar per serving.
Notes
The crust must be HOT when you pour on the lemon mixture.

You’ll need approximately three lemons to yield the amount of juice and zest in this recipe.

You can increase the lemon flavor of these bars by adding more zest or eliminate the zest altogether for a less tart taste. You can also change the flavor completely by subbing fresh lime juice and zest for the lemon.

* Photo and recipe courtesy of Weightwatchers.com

BBQ Chicken Salad

Last night for dinner I was planning on grilling some chicken that had been marinating in BBQ Sauce all day. But because it was soooo hot I didn't want to use the grill. So I cooked the chicken on the stove.

I really didn't want just plain BBQ Chicken. So I added it to some lettuce. Then I caramelized some onions (cooking them with a bit of butter)and threw them in. Then I cut up a tortilla into small strips and sprinkled them with some EVOO and salt and set them under the broiler until crispy.

The salad turned out delicious! I added some low fat ranch to mine and Ryan added some fat free Italian to his and we both enjoyed the refreshing summer salad. We will definitely be having this one again!

Claim Jumper

Ryan and I wanted to eat out this weekend. We had planned to just do appetizers, or dessert and maybe a drink. We ended up at Claim Jumper. I was excited to eat there, we hadn't been there in almost two years. We began looking through the menu. Then we found the nutrition facts section. Great! We can figure out the points. Sweet.

Not. Their calories are off the chart high! They have this famous cake that was like 6 layers thick...three thousand calories!!!! For one slice! There was nothing really (besides some vegetables and some things like that) that were below 5 or 6 hundred calories. The average dish was about a thousand calories.

We decided that Claim Jumper was not the place for us, or anyone on Weight Watchers. I settled for the small order of wings (like 500+ calories) and Ryan had the kids fish. We were so surprised when we looked at the nutirtion facts, and well, disappointed.

http://www.claimjumper.com/hypertext/nutritionalfacts.aspx

Sage Pork Chops

Last night for dinner I made Martha Stewards Sage Pork Chops, they were delicious!!I used a Pinot Gris (or a Pinot Blanc) for the white wine and it worked well (it was the only white I had that wasn't too sweet-like a Riesling or Gewurztraminer). We had a glass of wine and a side of rice to go with it. We both really liked this meal. I would have liked to try the Parmesan Rice that Martha has, but I didn't have the recipe. Brown rice worked fine with some of the sauce drizzled on top. YUMMY!

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/sage-pork-chops?autonomy_kw=Sage%20Pork%20Chops&rsc=header_1

Ingredients
* 4 boneless pork loin chops (6 ounces each)
* Coarse salt and ground pepper
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 tablespoon butter
* 1 medium shallot, minced
* 1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage or 1/4 teaspoon dried
* 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
* 1/2 cup dry white wine

Directions
1. Season pork generously with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat oil and butter over medium; add pork. Cook until browned and opaque throughout, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate, and cover loosely with aluminum foil to keep warm.
2. Make sauce: Add shallot to skillet; cook over medium, stirring until softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add sage, thyme, and wine. Simmer until sauce is reduced to about 1/3 cup, 2 to 3 minutes; stir in any accumulated juices from plate with meat. Transfer chops to plates, drizzle with sauce, and serve with Parmesan Rice.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Biscotti

My co-worker loves biscotti. I made some at Christmas that were chocolate peppermint and she enjoyed them. Today is her last day, so I decided as a goodbye I would make her chocolate peanut butter biscotti! What a hit!!

I used this recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/peanut-butter-and-chocolate-biscotti-recipe/index.html. I used normal peanut butter as opposed to "natural" as the recipe calls for. I would also use less peanuts. I melted some chocolate chips and drizzled them on the top, as well as some peanut butter.

They turned out really well. This is a pretty easy recipe, you just have to make sure they get crispy enough...but not too done!

What a yummy morning treat!


Ingredients

* 10 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons)
* 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
* 3 large eggs
* 1 1/4 cups sugar
* 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
* 1/2 cup smooth natural peanut butter, room temperature
* 1 1/4 cups dry roasted peanuts
* 1 1/4 cups chopped dark chocolate or chocolate chunks (about 6 ounces)

Directions

Position racks evenly in the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Melt the butter over medium heat, swirling the pan occasionally. Continue to cook until the butter browns and gets a nutty aroma, about 5 minutes. Let cool slightly.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl.

Beat the eggs in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until light and pale yellow, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the sugar while beating. Then slowly add the butter and vanilla until evenly mixed, about 30 seconds more. Add the peanut butter and mix until combined.

While mixing slowly, add the dry ingredients to the wet, in 2 additions, mixing just until absorbed. Fold in the peanuts and chocolate pieces.

Divide the dough evenly into thirds, and put each portion in the center of a baking sheet. Shape the dough with slightly wet hands into logs about 2-inches wide and 15 inches long. Bake until set and brown around the edges, about 25 to 30 minutes. (For even baking take care to rotate the pans-- top to bottom and front to back--about half way though.) Cool logs on the baking sheets for about 10 minutes.

Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Carefully transfer the logs to a cutting board. Cut logs crosswise, with a long serrated knife at about a 45 degree angle, into 1/2-inch thick cookies. Place cookies cut side down on the baking sheets. Bake until crisp, about 8 minutes. Flip the cookies over and bake until golden brown, about 8 minutes more. Cool biscotti on the baking sheets. Serve.

Store cookies in a tightly sealed container for up to 3 days.

Peaches and Blueberries

I love to bake. And I usually try and bake once a week. This weeks attempt: Peach and Blueberry Cobbler (by the way the picture is not of my food...but it looks just like it). I had a few peaches in the fridge that when I ate one, I thought it was a bit tart, so I needed to bake them. Ryan loves blueberries, so I found this Weight Watcher friendly recipe for Peach Blueberry Cobbler. I didn't eat any, but I know it was good, because it didn't last!!! Here is the recipe that I used:
http://www.angelfire.com/journal/wwrecipes/peachand.htm

1 cup low-fat biscuit and baking mix

1/2 cup regular oats

1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/3 cup chilled reduced-calorie stick margarine, cut into small pieces

4 cups frozen sliced peaches

2 cups frozen blueberries

1/4 cup granulated sugar



1. Preheat over to 350º. 2. Combine first 4 ingredients in a bowl; cut in margarine with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal (I did this part in my food processor). Set aside. 3. Combine peaches and blueberries in a 2-quart casserole; sprinkle with 1/4 cup sugar. Sprinkle oat mixture evenly over fruit. Bake at 350 º for 45 minutes or until bubbly.

Mmm Cheese

My Co-worker and I were just talking about cheese. Now, I am not a big cheese fan, but there is one cheese that I love. I can eat a lot of it...even if it makes me sick, I just keep eating it. It's amazing.

You should really try it, that is if you want to pay a little more for cheese.

It is Tillamook's Vintage White Extra Sharp Cheddar. You won't be disappointed, well unless you don't like cheese.

Baking Tools

I love to bake. I have a few tools that I love to use when I am baking.

I love my new cherry pitter. I can actually do four with mine, with two different size options. There is an attached tray to hold the juice and pits to save a mess. It makes cherry pie so much eaiser!

I love my pastry chopper/scrapper. I use it for herbs, pie crusts, you name it! It's a beautiful thing.

I love my apple corer. Ryan likes this gadget more than me, but it sure is helpful with apple pies!


I love my cookie scoops. I have 3 sizes now. They are great for well, cookies. And cupcakes. And muffins.

I love my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. My favorite. And it's def. seen some better days.

And my favorite baking tool...my super duper heavy duty all time amazing, Kitchen Aid Mixer. LOVE IT!