Garlic Curry Aioli

I served this with the sweet potato fries.  Make it up a day ahead of time.  It has a lot more flavor after it has sat overnight.  Its not a real Aioli, but it is close!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon curry

Combine all ingredients.  Refrigerate overnight.

Sweet Potato Fries

I love sweet potatoes and its that time of the year again.  I had picked some up at the grocery store to make some steak fries.  Here ya go...

Ingredients:

2 pound of sweet potatoes ( 2 large)

Salt & Pepper to Taste

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Clean the potatoes, you can choose whether or not you want the skins.  The skin is my favorite part, so I leave it on.  Cut the potatoes into large wedges.  I cut in half the long way and then slice, cut the slices in half, etc.  Cut them to the thickness and size of your liking.  Spray a 9 x 13 baking pan and add in potatoes.  Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.  Bake at 425 until tender.  Mine took about 45 minutes.

Chicken Alfredo with Peppered Bacon and Artichoke Hearts

This is an easy on the go dinner.  One night I just threw everything together and it tasted excellent!  I was a little lazy with this one, so I have also posted a recipe for Alfredo sauce.  The link is below.

Ingredients:

Alfredo Sauce - either 1 jar or use Alfredo recipe found here

3 chicken breasts, sliced and cooked in frying pan

1 can artichoke hearts, cut up

5-6 slices of bacon, peppered and baked until crispy

1 package pasta of your choice

Combine cooked chicken and Alfredo sauce, heat thoroughly and add bacon.  Let it cook for a couple of minutes and add artichoke hearts, until heated, about 5 more minutes.  Serve over pasta of your choice.

Garlic Alfredo Sauce

This is Emeril's Alfredo sauce recipe.  I had found it a couple years ago and put on a recipe card. Because of this, I don't have a link.  I did make a couple of changes to the original recipe.  Its really easy to make and has a lot of flavor

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 shallot minced

1 cup heavy cream

1 1/2 cup finely grated parmesean

1 1/2 teaspoons chopped garlic

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat, add shallots and garlic, saute until tender.  Add heavy cream and bring to a boil.  Cook until reduced, about 5 minutes.  Add Cheese and stir until thickened.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake (the best cake ever)

Original recipe found here

I have had this recipe book marked on my computer for two years now.  Everyone once and awhile I would click it, hoping that someone would make it for me someday....that never happened.  Then my birthday came around and I am doing this blog, so I decided that I would go ahead and make it for myself.  Seemed like a good enough excuse.  This is by far the BEST cake I have ever had.

I put it off for so long because it looked extremely intimidating.  Go ahead and try it next time you are making a cake.  I promise, it really isn't hard!  Remember to keep all of your ingredients organized.  That will be the most important factor in successfully completing this cake.  If you decide to try it good luck, it is worth the work!! =)

Cake Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup neutral vegetable oil

1 cup sour cream (I used light)
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs

The cake will make 9 in triple layer cake.  Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper after buttering the sides and bottom. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar.  Once sifted, whisk together.  Add oil and sour cream and blend together.  Gradually add water, then vanilla and vinegar.  Beat in eggs one at a time.  Make sure to scrape the sides and mix.

Disperse evenly into your 9 in cake pans.  Bake for around 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Once you remove from the oven, put on a wire rack and let cool.  I highly suggest freezing the cake.  It will be a lot easier to frost.  I froze mine overnight (I had a lot going on).

Ingredients for Peanut Butter Frosting:

10 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
5 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
2/3 cup smooth peanut butter

In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl often. Continue to beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.  Add the peanut butter and beat until thoroughly blended.

Frost the cake by adding a large scoop of peanut butter frosting on top of the first layer.  Spread evenly and top with a second layer.  Again add a large scoop of peanut butter frosting and spread evenly, top with final layer.  Since this is a dark cake with a light frosting, use a crumb layer for the frosting.  Spread a very thin layer around the outside and top of cake.  If crumbs get into the frosting, no big deal because you will later cover with a thicker layer of frosting.  Once the thin layer is done, use the rest of the frosting and spread evenly.

 

Ingredients for Chocolate Peanut Butter Glaze:

8 ounces seimsweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 cup half-and-half

In the top of d double boiler or in a bowl set over simmering water, combine the chocolate, peanut butter, and corn syrup. Cook, whisking often, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat and whisk in the half-and-half, beating until smooth. Use while still warm.  I let mine cool a little bit to thicken up so it wouldn't run right off the cake.

Pour into the middle of the top of a cake.  Use a knife to help force the glaze off the side a little bit.

Chicken Marsala

This is a recipe that I received from my mother-in-law and have made a couple of changes.  When I first started making it, I did not like Chicken Marsala at all, after adding more mushrooms(my favorite) I have come to like it a little bit more.  I really had no choice as this is my husband favorite dinner.

Ingredients:
3-4 chicken breasts
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon parsley

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (you can also use a mixture of basil and oregano)
Salt & Pepper
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 12 oz bottle of Marsala Cooking Wine
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons flour
about 3 cups mushrooms sliced (the amount is up to you, I use more like 4 cups)

Pound out chicken breasts and cut in half.  Mix flour, parsley, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper in a shallow round dish.  Dip and cover each piece of chicken breast with mixture.  Add olive oil to a frying pan on medium heat.  Once heated, add each piece of chicken breast.  Let this cook on each side for about 7 to 10 minutes, until browned.  The chicken should be fairly thin and will not take long to cook.  Add Marsala Wine and let it cook down, about 10 to 15 minutes.  Add mushrooms and cover for about 8 minutes.  Mix water and 3 tbsp. flour, slowly mix into frying pan, whisking as you pour to avoid lumps.  Stir until the sauce thickens.  Serve over mashed potatoes.

Cilantro Lime Sour Cream

I bought this Cilantro Lime mix at Williams-Sonoma and decided to try it with sour cream.  It has since turned into my favorite sour cream and I used it continuously throughout the summer.  I suggest only making what you are going to eat at one time, it only stays in the fridge for a day or so and then the lime juice starts to separate.  It is great with nachos, enchiladas, baked potatoes, pretty much anything you would top with sour cream.

Ingredients:
1 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons Cilantro Lime rub from Williams Sonoma

1 teaspoon Siracha hot sauce (Tabasco is fine also)
1 teaspoon lime juice
1 teaspoon chopped garlic or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Combine all ingredients and serve with your favorite dish!

Split Pea with Ham

Original recipe found here

 Split pea is my favorite soup.  Fall is coming, so I found it appropriate to cook a pot.  Enjoy this recipe!  I am not a big fan of ham on the bone, so I cut it off the frozen ham hawk I had.  Please feel free to throw in a ham hawk if desired.

Ingredients:

1 (16 oz.) pkg. dried green split peas, rinsed

2 cups diced ham

3 carrots, peeled and sliced

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 ribs of celery plus leaves, chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 bay leaf

2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes

Salt & Pepper to taste

6 cups hot water

Layer ingredients in slow cooker in the order given; pour in water. Do not stir ingredients. Cover and cook on HIGH 4 to 5 hours or on low 8 to 10 hours until peas are very soft. Remove bay leaf. Mash peas to thicken more, if desired.  Freezes well.

Chinese Chicken Salad

 

This is a really easy dinner to make and only takes as long as broiling your chicken breasts!  I broiled mine the night before and heated up quickly in the microwave.

Ingredients:

2 Chicken Breasts, broiled

1 small package of lettuce,  use the mixture that includes carrots and cabbage

1 package of top ramen, crushed up, save packet for dressing

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup balsamic vingear

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 cup craisins

Combine oil, vinegar, sugar and packet from top ramen.  Once you have mixed together, toss with lettuce.  Put salad on each plate and top with sliced chicken, broken top ramen and craisins.  Serve immediately!

Potato Salad

This is what I know to be a basic potato salad recipe.  Its easy to make and stays for a couple days in the fridge.

Ingredients:

6-7 medium sized russet potatoes, boiled untilfirm, not soft

1 can large olive, sliced

3 stalks celery,chopped

4 hard boiled eggs, chopped

1 1/2 cups mayonaise

1/2 cup yellow mustard

2-3 pickles chopped, I used dill, feel free to use sweet if that's what you like

Salt and Pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients.  Try to fold in together opposed to stirring.  This will help to avoid mashing up the potatoes.  Serve with paprika sprinkled on top.

BBQ Chicken Skewers

This is one of my favorite recipes.  It's an easy marinade with a lot of flavor.  Summers over, so instead of grilling, use in a stir fry.  Feel free to mix in green bell peppers and onion.

Ingredients:
3-4 chicken breasts, cubed

1/2 cup pear juice (mine came from the baby food isle)

1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon Sriracha chili sauce (more if you want to spice it up a little bit)

Combine all ingredients and marinate chicken, 1 hour if left out, 4 hours if refrigerated.  Place wooden skewers in water to avoid burning on barbecue.  Pack cubed chicken onto skewers.  Don't cram it together!  Leave them a little bit loose, the chicken will expand as it cooks.  Place on the barbecue for about 15 minutes, or until firm.

Spanish Casserole

This is my favorite dinner.  I know it doesn't look the greatest, but its a casserole.  It tastes amazing!

Ingredients:

2-3 chicken breasts (depending on how much you want), cooked and cut into cubes

1 package Rice A Roni Spanish Rice cooked according to directions

1 small can of mild or hot enchilada sauce

1 cup sour cream

1/2 can black beans

1 small can or corn

1/2 oinion chopped

2 teaspoons chopped cilantro

2 handfuls of tortilla chips, crushed

Cook rice as directed and mix all ingredients together and place in a 9 x 13" pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake until it bubbles along the edges.

Stuffed Shells

Original recipe found here

I found this recipe on another blog.  It is super easy to make and excellent!  I cooked my shells the night before and put in tupperware until I was ready to stuff.  This would be a great meal to make ahead of time, just add the sauce and cheese when you are ready to bake.

Ingredients:
Half box of large pasta shells (about 20)
1 container ricotta cheese, 15 oz
1 teaspoon garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons basil
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 jar tomato based pasta sauce
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Boil shells as per package directions. Drain and make sure they don’t stick to each other.
Mix together the ricotta, Parmesan, garlic, salt, pepper, basil, and egg.
Stuff your shells, maybe about a tablespoon per shell. Use up all the filling for about 20-24 shells.
Place shells in a 9×13 baking dish, drizzle with pasta sauce, then sprinkle the top with mozzarella cheese.
Bake in 350 degree oven until hot and bubbly, about 25-30 minutes

 

White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Original recipe found here

Ingredients:

6 ounces White Chocolate Chips
1/4 cup Whipping Cream
1 cup Butter -- Cut In Pieces
1 cup Powdered Sugar

Microwave white chocolate and cream in medium bowl on high for 1 1/2 minutes until chocolate is almost melted, stirring halfway through heating time. Stir until white chocolate is completely melted. Cool to room temperature. Beat butter and sugar gradually into cooled mixture on high speed until light and fluffy.

Pumpkin Cupcakes with White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Original recipe found here

Here is my first fall baking experience!  I love baking with pumpkin.  These cupcakes are amazing.  The cupcake and frosting really balance each other out.  Feel free to use whatever frosting you want.  I wanted to try something new.  Thank you to my husband for the cupcake papers and toppers.

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, sift before measuring

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 1/3 cups sugar

2 eggs, beaten until frothy

1 cup mashed cooked or canned pumpkin

3/4 cup milk

3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg into a bowl. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy; beat in eggs. Blend in mashed pumpkin. Stir in the sifted dry ingredients alternately with the milk, blending until batter is smooth after each addition; stir in chopped walnuts or pecans. Spoon batter into well-greased and floured or paper-lined muffin pan cups. Fill about 2/3 full. Bake at 375° for 25 minutes, or until a wooden pick or cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.