Coffee Liqueur Souffle

What says I love you more than a souffle? Perhaps a coffee liqueur souffle on Valentine's Day!
I have been wanting to make a souffle ever since I saw Whitney perfect one on MasterChef, I found a recipe and of course I altered it slightly. This was a fun experience, it's easy to do it just requires multiple tasks at the same time, which can be achieved if you read the recipe thoroughly beforehand to get yourself familiar with what will be happening next. Also, the tricky part for me was the last step, our oven is at least 30 years old and has no internal light and the temperature tends to be off and so it was difficult for me to leave the souffles in the oven without being able to see through the oven door to make sure everything was rising correctly etc, but I made it through and for the most part they turned out great.

Serving size: 4 souffle ramekins

Ingredients:
1 tbsp butter, for ramekins
white sugar for dusting
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup white sugar, divided
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
3/4 cup milk
4 egg yolks
4 egg whites
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup coffee liqueur or the liqueur of your choice
2 tbsp semisweet chocolate chips, melted (optional)
1/2 cup fresh fruit, like raspberries or strawberries for garnish (optional)

Optional strawberry sauce:
1/2 cup strawberries and1 tbsp powdered sugar blended together in food processor

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Thoroughly grease the the bottom and sides of four ramekins with the tablespoon of butter. Coat with sugar, tipping out any excess. If desired, place a raspberry or strawberry and/or a drizzle of chocolate or strawberry sauce as a "surprise" at the bottom of each cup.

3. Combine the cocoa powder, cornstarch, and a tablespoon of the sugar; set aside. Mix the butter and flour to form a paste; set aside. Lightly whisk one egg yolk in a larger heatproof bowl; set aside.

4. Heat the milk to the boiling point in a heavy saucepan; stirring often to prevent burn. Whisk in the flour-butter mixture until it melts.

5. Gradually pour the hot milk into the egg yolk in a steady stream, whisking constantly.
6. Return the mixture to the saucepan and bring the custard to a simmer over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or spatula. Cook and stir the custard until it thickens, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat, stirring occasionally to keep it smooth.
7. Combine the three remaining egg yolks with the vanilla, liqueur, and the sugar-cocoa-cornstarch mixture. Whisk in the warm custard, cover, and set aside. (The custard can be made ahead of time up to this point and refrigerated for a day before proceeding with the recipe.)

8. About 35 minutes before serving, whip the egg whites until they are thick and foamy and have quadrupled in volume. Gradually mix in the remaining 3 tablespoons of the sugar, whipping until the egg whites are stiff but not dry.

9. Fold 1/3 of the meringue into the custard to lighten it, using a whisk or rubber spatula. Fold in the remaining meringue.

10. Immediately transfer the souffle batter into the prepared ramekins, making a smooth mound slightly above the rim of each ramekin. (If you have a piping bag, you may pipe the mixture into the ramekins.) Bake at once in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the souffles have risen and the edges are set (do not open the oven before time is up).

11. Serve hot almost immediately, with fruit sauce and fresh fruit or chocolate sauce to garnish, if desired.

recipe adapted from: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Chocolate-Liqueur-Souffles/Detail.aspx

Steamed Lobster Tail

I don't understand why anyone would go to a restaurant to get their lobster fix, it is so easy to make at home and not only that but much much easier on your wallet.

Ingredients:
1 tbsp sea salt
2 lobster tails, defrosted
water

1/2 cup clarified butter, melted for dipping

Directions:
1. Pour 1 cup of water into the bottom of a steam pan and add the salt
2. Bring the water to a boil
3. Place the tails on a steaming rack placed inside the pan and cover with a lid. Steam the tails for about 7 or 8 minutes. You will know your tails are fully cooked when your tails have turned red and have curled up.

4. Remove the tails from the steamer. Remove the shell by using kitchen sheers to cut a straight line down the middle of one side of the shell. Remove and serve alongside some clarified butter for dipping, enjoy!

Twice Baked Potatoes

Nick prepared these for our Valentine's Day feast, they are the perfect side to some hearty steak.

Ingredients:
4 russet potatoes, skin washed and poked with a fork

2 tbsp butter, room temperature
2 tbsp sour cream (optional)
1 cup of milk
Garlic powder, garlic salt, and ground black peppercorn to taste

2 tbsp of green onions

1 cup cheddar cheese, grated

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
2. Place the potatoes in the oven and bake for 1 hour

3. Remove the potatoes from the oven. Slice them in half lengthwise. Spoon out the insides of the potatoes, trying your best to keep the skin in tact. Place all the potato insides in a separate bowl.
4. Add the butter, optional sour cream, milk, and spices and whisk the potatoes to combine well. Add the green onions and stir together well to form mashed potatoes.
5. Spoon out the mashed potatoes into the skins of the potatoes, making sure each skin is completely filled with mashies.
6. Top off the stuffed potatoes with some cheddar cheese.
7. Place potatoes back in the oven and bake for another 15 minutes until the cheese has fully melted.
8. Serve along side your favorite meal. Enjoy!

Valentine's Day

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!

One thing Nick and I have learned over the years for V-Day is that it is better to stay in on Valentine's day and prepare your own fancy meal at home. Not only does this save you money due to increased prices on this Hallmark holiday but because if the food is prepared by you it will be catered to your liking. If you want to save money on your next Valentines but still manage to impress the loved one in your life then try creating this perfect Valentine's Day menu.

2 5oz lobster tails: $5.99 each
2 filet mignon steaks: $5 each
bag of potatoes: $1.50
1/2 pound of cremini mushrooms: $1
green onions: $0.50
1 onion: $0.25
flour, eggs, cocoa powder etc.: $5
A romantic, delicious, and impressive Valentine's dinner at home: Priceless


Our meal consisted of steamed lobster tails, mushroom and onion filet mignon, and twice baked potatoes, we finished off with some delicious coffee liqueur chocolate souffle. Yummmm

x0x0x0

Lemon Bars

I love lemon treats. So when I was asked to make a dessert for Valentine's Day service, I thought I would go against the grain and not make something chocolaty. The only problem was that everyone else had the same idea in mind. We ended up having 3 versions of lemon bars and nothing chocolaty, oh well. This recipe is from my friend Megan. She is my amazing baker friend and these are the best lemon bars.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened to room temp

2 lemons, juiced
4 eggs
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
sprinkle of powdered sugar

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Mix together 1.5 cups flour, powdered sugar and butter until crumbly.

3. Press crumbles into an ungreased 8x8” pan so as to create a crust.

4. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Do NOT brown.
5. Mix remaining flour and sugar together in a bowl to create a paste. Whisk in the eggs and the lemon juice and combine well.

6. Pour mix over the hot baked crust and return to the oven for another 20-25 minutes, until middle is mostly set.

7. Let it cool for at least an hour, then sprinkle the top with some powdered sugar.
8. Cut into bars or squares and enjoy!

Roasted Potatoes and Veggies

One of my most favorite side dishes is some roasted potatoes and veggies. It is something easy to make that can be prepared alongside just about any dish. I always try to have a bag of potatoes on hand in my household and so these can be made at any moment with any veggies I may have available in my fridgel. The picture above includes brussel sprouts, yummy.

Ingredients:
4-6 potatoes, chopped into 1 inch squared pieces
1-2 onions, chopped into 1 inch pieces
2 tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
garlic salt and pepper to taste (feel free to add your favorite seasoning)
Include any veggies of your choice cut into bite size pieces (my most favorite veggies to include are zucchini and broccoli).

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 13 baking dish.
2. In a big bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix together well so that every vegetable is coated in olive oil and seasoning.
3. Bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes, until a fork can puncture the potatoes easily. Flip ingredients midway through cooking time. Serve with any meal, enjoy!

Snickerdoodles

I was sick of making chocolate chip cookies and so I decided to make some Snickerdoodles. This recipe is absolutely perfect, I highly recommend that you give it a try.

Ingredients:

3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter
2 cups white sugar
2 eggs 1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons brown sugar

Directions:
1. Sift together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt, set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Stir in the eggs, milk, vanilla and almond extracts.
3. Gradually stir in the dry ingredients until fully incorporated. Cover bowl and chill for 1 to 2 hours.
4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
5. In a shallow bowl or saucer, stir together the remaining brown sugar, white sugar and cinnamon.
6. Roll the chilled dough into 1 inch balls, then roll the balls in the sugar mixture.
7. Place cookies 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets.
8. Bake for about 8 minutes in the preheated oven, until cookies begin to brown at the edges. Remove from baking sheets to cool on wire racks. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Tanyas-Snickerdoodles/Detail.aspx

Enchiladas Verdes

Enchiladas are easy to make they are just a tad time consuming, but they are always worth it.

Serving size: 9 by 13 pan (6-8)

Ingredients:
1 large pack of Corn tortillas (24-36)
1 tbsp oil
2 onions, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1-2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped (you can use more or less jalapenos depending on your spice tolerance)--you could also use a can of chopped jalapenos
1 can of chopped green chilies
1 bunch of cilantro, chopped (leaves only)
1-2 cups cooked and shredded chicken
1 large can of green enchilada sauce
1 jar of salsa verde
lots of shredded mexican cheese


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
1. Heat the oil to medium heat in a large skillet. Add the onions, bell pepper, jalapenos, green chilies, and cilantro. Saute until onions become tender, about 5-10 minutes. Lower heat if anything begins to brown.
2. Meanwhile, fry your tortillas in oil so that when you roll them they don’t fall apart.
3. Add chicken to skillet and mix into the chili mixture so that the chicken soaks up the flavors of the green chilies. Only allow everything to cook together about 2 minutes, then remove from heat and set aside.
4. Pour the enchilada green sauce in to a bowl. Place the cheese in a bowl.
5. Then take each individual tortilla, one at a time. Dunk the tortilla in the enchilada sauce, lie it down in the pan, fill it with some of the chicken mixture and some of the cheese, then roll it up and place in the 9 by 13 pan, being sure to either use another dipped tortilla to surround the enclosure or use the regular tortilla and keep the shell closed by pointing the opening towards the pan.
6. repeat until the pan is completely stuffed full of filled tortillas.
7. Take all of the leftover enchilada sauce and pour it over the top of the enchiladas. Sprinkle more cheese on top of that and then sprinkle some thick salsa verde on top of the cheese. Finish it off by garnishing the top of the enchiladas with some fresh cilantro leaves.
8. Bake in the oven for 30-45 minutes until the cheese is bubbly. Serve and enjoy!

Rice Noodle Stir Fry

I bought some tofu the other day and I thought it would be fun to see if I could make a delicious meal with it. I made this tofu stir fry with rice noodles and although it turned out pretty good, I would have to say that tofu is not for me. I think it would be better if maybe it was more of a soup and I didn't have to chew the tofu, so yeah for me this dish would've been much better without the tofu. So include tofu if you like it or eliminate it if you don't because the noodles and stir fry veggies were perfect on their own.

Ingredients:
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp minced garlic
1-2 onions, chopped (I used 1 red onion and 1/2 white onion)
1 cup chopped cremini mushrooms
1 8-12 oz package of rice noodles (I used the flat skinny kind)
1 tbsp chili paste (more or less depending on your spice tolerance)
1 tbsp Hoisin sauce
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 cup chopped broccoli
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup green snap peas
1 lb package of extra firm tofu, chopped into bite size squares (optional)

Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a wok to medium heat. Add the garlic and onions and saute until tender, about 5-10 minutes. Reduce heat if onions begin to burn.
2. Meanwhile, cook your rice noodles and set aside.
3. Add the mushrooms to garlic onion mix. Saute, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the chili paste, Hoisin, and broth. Stir until all ingredients are combined within the wok.
5. Add the broccoli, carrots, and snap peas. Mix all together and cook/steam with the lid on for about 5-10 minutes until those veggies meet your favorite consistency. I like mine cooked pretty well.
6. (If you are not using tofu then skip step 6 and 7) Meanwhile, in a separate skillet. Remove some of the liquid from the wok and put into the skillet. Heat the skillet to medium heat. Add the tofu and cook on each side so that the tofu gets a grilled texture to it. Do not overcook.
7. Add the tofu to the wok and combine ingredients, being careful to not mush the tofu.
8. Add the cooked rice noodles to the wok and combine everything so that all the ingredients are spread around evenly. Serve and enjoy!

Pico de Gallo

This is the ultimate Mexican side, whether it's for on top of your tacos; inside your burritos; mixed in with some rice; or paired with your favorite tortilla chips, this truly is the simplest yummiest side to any Mexican dish.

Ingredients:
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 bunch of cilantro leaves, finely chopped
1/2 small red onion, chopped
1/2 white onion, chopped
2 jalapeno, seeded and chopped*
*you can add more or less jalapenos depending on your spice tolerance

Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients.
2. Use accordingly, enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Blondies

I wanted to bake something different, not just another cookie and even though these blondies are very similar to cookies it was nice to not have to separate them into separate cookie shapes. Plus these have a different taste. I would say this recipe is like a hybrid of a chocolate chip cookie and a brownie...very good.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, melted & cooled
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

Directions:
1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line a 13 by 9 inch baking pan with two pieces of foil. Spray the foil-lined pan with nonstick cooking spray.
3. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl; set aside.
4. Whisk the melted butter and brown sugar together in a medium bowl until combined. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well.
5. Using a rubber spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the egg mixture until just combined. Do not over-mix. Fold in the chocolate chips and the nuts and turn the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with a rubber spatula.
6. Bake until the top is shiny and cracked and feels firm to the touch, 22 to 25 minutes. Place the pan on a rack and cool completely. Cut into bars and enjoy!

Recipe adapted from http://joelens.blogspot.com/2008/05/blondies-have-so-much-fun.html

Pesto Panini

A simple yet delectable choice for any meal is a panini. Paninis are so easy to make and you don't even need that many ingredients to make it turn out delicious. This panini recipe includes our favorite sauce, pesto.

Ingredients per one panini:

2 slices of sourdough bread
1 tsp of room temperature butter
garlic salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp pesto
2 tbsp cooked chicken meat, I use canned chicken
4 slices of cheddar cheese, enough to cover a slice of bread.

Directions:
1. Turn on panini maker or personal grill.
2. While panini maker is warming up, spread butter on one side of each piece of bread and then sprinkle the buttered sides with with garlic salt and pepper.
3. Combine the pesto and chicken together and blend well.
3.Place the cheese and pesto chicken mix in between the two slices of bread, buttered sides on the outside of the sandwich.
4. Place sandwich on panini maker until cheese is melted and bread is toasty brown.
5. Remove from panini maker, cut in half and enjoy!

Bread Pudding

We had some leftover stale bread and I didn't want to throw it away because I knew I could find something to make with it and here it is, thanks Megan

Ingredients:
6 slices day-old bread
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
4 eggs, beaten
2 cups milk
3/4 cup white sugar
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Break bread into small pieces into an 8 inch square baking pan. Drizzle melted butter or margarine over bread. If desired, sprinkle with raisins.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, combine eggs, milk, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla. Beat until well mixed. Pour over bread, and lightly push down with a fork until bread is covered and soaking up the egg mixture.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until the top springs back when lightly tapped.
5. Serve hot and enjoy!

Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken

I had bought a whole chicken on sale at the market and since slow cooker recipes are the best, I found this recipe to make. Like usual, I altered the original recipe and in the end even though the chicken turned out perfect I found that the lemons made the potatoes too lemony. The recipe I posted below has half the amount of lemons that I used and I think that is necessary if you are going to add potatoes to the crock pot like I did. If you go sans potatoes then feel free to use as many lemons as you would like.

Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 whole chicken (3 pounds)
½ cup dry white wine
1 white onion, coarsely chopped
1 yellow onion, coarsely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
4 potatoes, largely chopped (optional)
¼ cup, chopped green onions
1 lemon, sliced and divided (can be edited for your liking)
1 tbsp dried thyme
cracked pepper and garlic salt to taste
1 tbsp fresh parsley leaves, minced


Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a large skillet to medium heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and then place the chicken in the skillet to brown the sides of the chicken.
2. Meanwhile, place the wine, onions, garlic, potatoes, green onions, half of the sliced lemon, thyme, parsley, and the cracked pepper and garlic salt into the crock pot. Combine all together so that everything is coated in the wine and other seasonings.
3. Place the other half of the sliced lemon into the cavity of the chicken.
4. Place the whole chicken, breast side down, on top of the lemon onion potato mixture in the crock pot.
5. Cover and cook on Low for 6 hours, or for 3 hours on High. Chicken is done when the legs move easily in their sockets and the internal temperature of the breast has reached 160 degrees F.
6. Serve warm with onions and potatoes on the side. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from http:// allrecipes.com/Recipe/Slow-Cooker-Lemon-and-Thyme-Chicken/Detail.aspx

Turkey Lettuce Wraps

I had some leftover turkey meat from my Sloppy Joe's the other night and so I decided to make some lettuce wraps. My most favorite lettuce wraps are from cheesecake factory and are made with chicken tenders, I opted for something different but it resulted in something equally as tasty.

Ingredients:
1 tbsp peanut oil
1/3 cup green onions, chopped

1/3 cup red onions, chopped

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tbsp ginger, freshly grated

1/2 cup mushrooms, chopped
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp sake wine

1 tbsp hoisin sauce

1 3oz can of water chestnuts, drained and chopped
1/2 cup bean sprouts
1/3 cup carrots, shredded

1 tsp of crushed red pepper

1 tbsp fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

Chopped roasted peanuts, to sprinkle on top

1/2 cup cucumber, chopped and set aside
1 head of lettuce, each leaf individually removed and separated

Dipping Sauce:
1 tbsp hoisin sauce
1 tbsp sriracha sauce
1 tsp peanut oil

Directions:
1. Heat up the oil to medium heat in a large skillet. Add onions, garlic, ginger, and mushrooms. Saute for 10 minutes until onions are tender.
2. Add the turkey meat to the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes until mostly cooked. Make sure to break meat apart with your spatula while meat cooks.
3. Add the soy sauce, hoisin, and wine to turkey skillet. Stir to cover everything evenly and bring to a boil and continue to cook until turkey is thoroughly cooked.

4. Add the water chestnuts, bean sprouts, carrots, red pepper and cilantro to turkey mixture. Cook on medium for another 5 minutes, making sure to combine ingredients.
5. Place turkey mix in a serving bowl and sprinkle with peanuts.
6. Serve by placing a spoonful of mixture in a lettuce leaf, top off with dipping sauce and cucumbers and enjoy!

Sloppy Joe's

We had Nicks family over for lunch the other day, so I had to make something simple with few vegetables, since his father and his brother's don't like them. I decided on making sloppy joe's from scratch, they turned out great and we topped them with some special pickled jalapenos for the perfect kick.

Serving size: 8

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 red onion, finely chopped
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 4oz cans of diced green chilies
2 tbsp minced garlic
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground turkey
1/2 cup BBQ sauce
2 14oz cans diced tomatoes
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 2.5oz can tomato paste

2 tbsp of spicy brown mustard

2 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp each of onion powder, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper

8 buns, toasted

Directions:
1. Warm the oil in a large saute pan. Add the onions, chilies, and garlic. Saute for 5-10 minutes until onions are tender.
2. Add the ground beef and ground turkey to the saute pan to cook. Make sure to separate the meat with a spatula as it cooks. Cook thoroughly, about 10 minutes.
3. Pour onion meat mixture into a large saucepan. Add remaining ingredients (BBQ sauce, diced tomatoes, ketchup, vinegar, tomato paste, spicy brown mustard, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper) to saucepan and combine well.
4. Bring entire mixture to a boil and then simmer for another 20 minutes.
5. Place a spoonful of sloppy joe mix between a toasted bun and enjoy!

Apple and Cheese Stuffed Chicken

Nick made this for us for dinner the other night, it was surprisingly delicious. I would've never guessed cheddar cheese and apples as a good cooked mixture, but apparently it is.


Serving Size: 2

Ingredients:

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, flattened (or 1 large one)
1/2 cup green apples, chopped
2 tbsp cheddar cheese, grated
1 tbsp bread crumbs
1 tsp Italian seasoning
4 toothpicks
1 tbsp butter
1/4 cup rice wine or dry white wine
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 tsp corn starch

Directions:
1. Combine apple, cheese, Italian seasoning, and bread crumbs. Set aside.
2. Flatten chicken breasts between two sheets of wax paper to 1/4 inch thickness. Divide apple mixture between the two chicken breasts, and roll up each breast. Secure with toothpicks.
3. Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Brown stuffed chicken breasts on each side. Add wine and water and any remaining apple mixture to skillet. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes until chicken is no longer pink.
4. Transfer chicken to serving platter. Add corn starch to remaining juices in pan. Cook and stir consistently until thickened.
5. Plate the chicken and pour sauce over top. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Recipe adapted from: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Apple-Stuffed-Chicken-Breast/Detail.aspx