FALLing for Apple Cake

Sorry for the delay in my posts! Work has been hectic lately with the Holidays coming up. My boyfriend and I went hiking and pumpkin picking in North Georgia last month and happened to stumble upon the Ellijay, GA, the apple capital of Georgia. We went Apple Picking at R & A Orchards and loved it. Of course, I had to find the perfect Fall Apple Cake Recipe.... Let me just say this one is delish. Happy Fall Y'all!!

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for the tube pan

3 1/2 cups flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 1/8 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 cup honey, preferably golden blossom (I used Wildflower) 

3/4 cup strongly brewed coffee, cooled

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and chopped coarsely

1 Granny Smith apple, sliced

Materials:

Large & Medium Mixing Bowls

Measuring cup/spoons

Spatula

Wooden Spoon

Sifter

Electric mixer

Bundt pan (or tube pan)

Toothpick

Cooling Rack

Preheat the oven to 350 °F and grease a 10-inch tube pan.
In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and sugar. Set aside. With an electric mixer, beat the sugar, oil, and eggs on low speed until combined. Add the honey and beat until well blended. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the coffee, beating on low speed until combined. Stir in the chopped apples by hand.
Pour the batter into the tube pan and arrange the sliced apples on top. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out easily, about 1 hour. Let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the cake from the pan and let cool. (This cake can be baked 1 day ahead.)

Corn Muffins

Y'all these corn muffins are absolutely DELICIOUS. I was beyond impressed how good the recipe was  that I found on Pinterest by the way. These are a perfect accompaniment with BBQ, Southern/Soul Food, and Low Country Food. These will be a hit for sure at any American Football Tailgate or party.

Ingredients:
2 cups yellow cornmeal
1 (9 oz) package yellow cake mix
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon miracle whip light
14 ounce can whole kernel corn (well drained)


Materials:
1 medium mixing bowl
1 large mixing bowl
Wooden spoon
Measuring cup/spoons
Muffin/cupcake tray
Cupcake liners
Whisk

Whisk together cornmeal, cake mix, baking powder, salt, and cayenne in a bowl, set aside.  Combine milk, buttermilk, oil, eggs, brown sugar, and honey in another bowl and mix well.  Add to the cornmeal mixture and gently stir-- there should be no lumps, but do not over mix.  Fold in the miracle whip and canned corn.

Let rest, covered, in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or overnight.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400 °F.  Line cupcake pan with liners. Scoop the batter into the cupcake liners, filling about 2/3 full.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean and the top is golden brown.

Gameday Dip

So my boyfriend gave me a great recipe for a dip that's to die for. It's perfect for Football (American Football) Parties and Tailgates. The best part is that this dip is very inexpensive to make. Sorry, I didn't get a good picture of it!

Ingredients:
3 frozen Cream of Spinach (microwavable frozen veggie side dish)
1 lb hot roll spicy sausage (I use Tennessee Pride)
Grated Parmesan Romano cheese, to taste

Materials:
1 medium sized casserole pan
Tablespoon
Knive


Microwave the 3 frozen cream of spinach, separately using the cook time as directed on the box.
Put one layer of cream of spinach on the bottom of the medium sized casserole pan, then put enough circles of sausage on that layer. Repeat this step for the next two layers. 
Sprinkle grated Parmesan on top. 
Cook for 20-30 minutes at 400 °F until sausage is cooked.

Serve with Pita chips.

Healthy Pasta Bake

Sorry for the late blog post-- work has been hectic lately. However, I managed to try a new recipe last week. This pretty inexpensive and fairly easy to make. This pasta bake was delicious. I recommend making this for a large group of people, unless you don't mind having a lot of leftovers.

**I used two bunches of Asparagus, which was probably a little over a pound. I cut the asparagus in halves after I steamed it in order to make it easier to eat and dish out. For the chicken, I cooked 3 chicken breast, which equaled a pound, in 4 tablespoons of Olive Oil in a Deep Frying Pan. However, I'm sure you could buy a cooked chicken and cut it up, if you needed to save some time. Feel free to add more cheese, if needed.

Ingredients:
1 lb Asparagus- Steamed
1 1b of pasta (penne, zitti, or rigatoni)
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
1 lb Chicken Breast- Cubed and Cooked
1/2 Cup Sargento 6 cheese Italian Blend
1 tablespoon of garlic, minced (feel free to add more if you like garlic)

Materials:
Large casserole pan
Measuring cup
Serrated knife
Serving spoon
Large, deep frying pan (to cook the chicken)
Tablespoon



Add all ingredients into a 9 x13 pan (or large casserole pan) and stir to combine. 
Top with Cheese and Broil for 10-12 minutes at 400°F or until cheese is golden

Killer Tomatoes

Sorry for the late blog update y'all! I have some good news. I will be posting two other recipes this week. 

The other week, I decided to make a recipe I saw on Pinterest with tomatoes that was originally intended for peppers. However, I kind of tweaked the recipe! Y'all know I get bored following exact recipes unless it's for baking, which is a different story. I used feta cheese, but goat cheese or mozzarella would work well too! I only cooked them until the cheese was golden brown and the tomatoes were soft, but I would recommend cooking them for a little bit longer until the cheese starts to melt. This would be a great item for a tailgate or football party because each person gets their own individual tomato to eat. Adjust the number of tomatoes you need to make based on the size of your party. 

**Please note that the measurements below are for each tomato, and NOT for all 3 as a whole.

Servings: 3

Ingredients:
3 medium sized heirloom tomatoes 
1 tablespoon of feta per tomato, or to taste
1-1/2 teaspoons per tomato of mixed bell pepper, diced (use 1 yellow, 1 green, and 1 red)
1-1/2 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) per tomato to coat inside and outside
Pepper, to taste per tomato
Pinch of salt per tomato

Materials:
Cutting board
Serrated knife
Sharp knife
Cookie sheet
Tin Foil
Parchment Paper

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Line a cookie sheet with tin foil and parchment paper placing the parchment paper on the top.

Wash the Tomatoes, and cut off the small bit at the bottom and a circle around the bad bit at the top. Make sure that you cut a hole deep enough at the top to fill the tomato(es) up with cheese and peppers.

Place the tomatoes on the cookie sheet lined with parchment and tin foil and pour the EVOO inside and out, coating the tomato.

Next, put half of the feta measurement on the bottom. Add the mixed bell pepper on top of the cheese.

Add the rest of the feta on top (or enough to cover the bell pepper). Top with salt and pepper.

Cook for 20 mins or until tomatoes are soft and cheese is cooked.

Salmon Salad

I have to say that Salmon is one of my favorite dishes. I was telling my boyfriend how I wanted to make some recipes that would be perfect for tailgating for Football (American Football) Season. This recipe is by Barefoot Contessa. I will have to say that the recipe takes a long time if you  cook the salmon yourself, which is what I did (you're looking at about 3 and a half hours because you have to cook, cool, and chill the salmon).  However, it is completely worth the wait. The best part is there is no mayo in this recipe, so it's really healthy.  You can eat it either on top of a salad or make it more of a gourmet sandwich using baguette bread or a nice roll.

How to cook the Salmon: 

I baked the salmon, which I coated in Extra Virgin Olive Oil and topped with sea salt and ground black pepper, in the oven at 400 °F  for 35 mins. I let it cool for 30 minutes before I cut it up into chunks (removing any skin and bones) and placed it into a large mixing bowl, which I refrigerated for an hour. 

Ingredients:

2 pounds of salmon, chilled

1 cup small- diced celery (3 stalks)

1/2 cup small- diced red onion (1 small red onion)

2 tablespoons minced fresh dill

2 tablespoons capers, drained

2 tablespoons raspberry vinegar

2 tablespoons good olive oil

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Materials:

Large mixing Bowl

Tablespoons/teaspoons

Measuring Cup

Large Wooden spoon to mix everything together

Cutting board

Serrated knife

Sharp Knife

Break the salmon into very large flakes, removing any skin and bones, and place the salmon in a bowl. Add the celery, red onion, dill, capers, raspberry vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Season, to taste.  Mix well and serve cold or at room temperature. 

Caramelized Brussel Sprouts

Last week, I decided to try something new. I was sick of eating my usual vegetables, so I thought outside the box a little bit. I was at the grocery store and saw some local brussel sprouts that were just delivered to the store that day. Of course, I bought them. After all, buying fresh and local produce is very important to me. 

Since I've been so busy lately, I've decided to update my blog weekly. If I have more time during certain weeks, I will upload more recipes.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)

6-8 brussel sprouts, cleaned, cut in half, and steamed in microwave for 2 minutes

2-3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar

Materials:

Large, deep frying pan

Large microwavable dish

Wooden spoon or Tongs 

Tablespoon

Clean brussel sprouts. Before cutting them in half, chop off most of the hard bit at the end. Slice brussel sprouts in half, and steam in a large microwavable dish with a little bit of water on the bottom for 2 mins on high in the microwave.

While the brussel sprouts are steaming, place EVOO in a large, deep frying pan on the stove cooking on medium heat. Let oil get really hot before putting brussel sprouts in.  

When Brussel sprouts are done cooking in microwave, drain water, and place brussel sprouts in frying pan. Pour Balsalmic vinegar over brussel sprouts and stir. Flip after 7 minutes and continue cooking for another 7 minutes. Brussel sprouts are done when almost black in color on both sides. Balsamic should be thick and stick to the brussel sprouts.  Enjoy!

Parmesan Asparagus

The other night I wanted to make something different instead of having steamed Asparagus. I decided to jazz up my dish a bit by adding a few ingredients. This is a pretty easy side dish recipe that's great to make for even a weekday meal.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2-3 teaspoons of grated Parmesan
1 bunch of Asparagus (bottoms removed), steamed

Materials:
Medium sized Corning Ware Dish with glass lid
Tablespoon
Teaspoon
*Frying Pan (optional)

Either sauté the asparagus in a frying pan with Extra Virgin Olive Oil. or cook asparagus in corning ware (add a little bit of water to the bottom) in microwave for 2-4 minutes depending on thickness. 

If you cook them in the microwave, cook until tips are tender and drain water. Then add Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

If you cook them in a frying pan, remove from heat when tips are tender and place asparagus in corning ware.

Finally, add parmesan. Don't add Parmesan when asparagus is piping hot. Let it cool for a minute, then add parmesan. 

Cover with lid until you serve.

Chocolate Walnut Biscotti

This is the recipe I know my parents have been patiently waiting on simply because it is that awesome. My dad says it is the best cookie he's ever eaten in his life. That's no joke folks, and that's coming from the cookie monster himself (my father).

Ingredients:
2 cups unbleached flour (King Arthur preferred)
1/2 cup cocoa powder (Hershey's preferred)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 stick unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs, sightly beaten
1 teaspoon orange extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
confectioners' sugar

Materials:
Medium/small mixing bowl
Large Mixing bowl
Cookie pan/Cookie sheet
Electric Mixer
Whisk
Long, small, saw-like knife

Preheat oven to 350 °F.
Butter and flour a large cookie pan.
In a small bowl, using a wire whisk, mix flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar.
Add eggs, orange extract, and vanilla.
Stir flour mixture into bowl with egg mixture into bowl with egg mixture to form a stiff dough. Add chocolate chips
Remove dough from mixer, and using a floured board gently knead walnuts (I add in the mixer not by hand) into the dough. If dough is too soft to handle, add more flour.
Cut dough into 3 parts.  Place all 3 pieces into one baking sheet.
With floured hands, form 3 long log shapes, slightly flattening each one with hands (By keeping the shapes long, cookies will cook well inside and will cut easily.)
Sprinkle tops with a generous amount of confectioners' sugar.
Bake for 25-30 minutes on middle rack of oven.
Removing baking sheet from oven and cool cookies for 5 minutes.
Remove to a cutting board and cut the loaves diagonally into 1/2 inch slices while still warm. You will need a long, small, saw-like knife.  Work quickly or the cookies will break.
Return cookies, cut side down to ungreased baking sheet and bake in 350°F oven until crisp (about 10 minutes).
Remove from oven and cool biscotti completely.
Store airtight.  Cookies will stay fresh at least 2 weeks, they also freeze well.

Yield: about 36 cookies

Dijon Mashed Potatoes

On Saturday, I realized that I didn't have milk in my fridge to make mash potatoes. All I had was butter,  dijon mustard, and white wine. Feel free to add a little bit of milk. Y'all these mashed potatoes were fantastic. I served them with Halibut and Parmesan covered Asparagus. 

Servings: 3-4

Ingredients:
3 large Russet potatoes, peeled, cut in halves and boil until they are soft (and you are able to stick fork in it)
3-1/2 teaspoons of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of butter (or smart butter)
2 tablespoons of white wine


Materials:
Large pot or sauce pan
Teaspoon
Potato peeler 
Sharp knife
Tablespoon
Large serving bowl
Potato masher or electric mixer

Peel potatoes. Cut them in halves. Place them in large pot or sauce pan and bring to a boil on medium high- high heat. Once they start to boil continue cooking until potatoes are soft and you are able to stick a fork in them about 15 mins.

Remove from heat and drain water. Then add dijon, butter, and white wine. Mix throughly. Serve.

Tzatziki

I read an article about how good cucumbers are for you, so I decided to make my favorite cucumber side dish/sauce: Tzatziki. I looked at a lot of recipes, but decided to make my own recipe up that was healthier (I don't like sour cream). I topped chicken gyros with my Tzatziki sauce. You could also serve pita chips or pita bread with Tzatziki and make it more of an appetizer. 

Ingredients: 
1 large cucumber chopped and diced (make sure it's long too)
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 oz greek yogurt (I used 0% Fage)
Dill, chopped
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves chopped (or 1 teaspoon of chopped garlic out of jar)







Materials:
Cutting board
Serrated knife
Medium mixing bowl
Tablespoon
Teaspoon

Combine all ingredients in a bowl.  Mix well. Chill in refrigerator for 30 mins. Serve.

Watermelon Salad

I apologize for not updating my blog this week. I thought today I would do an easy, seasonal recipe. I originally got the idea from Pinterest or Whole Foods (I forget which one), but I never followed their recipe when making this dish. Right now, I have craved everything with watermelon simply because mid to the end of July is when the best watermelons come out. Instead of having salad (with leafy greens/lettuce) for dinner the other night, I used this salad in place of my regular boring salad.

Servings: 1

Ingredients: 
1 cup of cubed watermelon
a drizzle of balsamic (not a lot just enough to coat the watermelon)
1 teaspoon of feta

Materials:
1 medium mixing bowl
Spoon
Cutting board
Serrated knife

After cutting watermelon into cubes, place in medium mixing bowl.
Add a drizzle of balsamic (just enough to coat the watermelon). Mix well.
Add feta.
Serve chilled.

Bobby Flay's Red Wine Sangria

One of my favorite drinks in the summer is Sangria. I find that it's so refreshing after a long day of work.  I found the best Sangria recipe. I divided all of the measurements in half because I wasn't hosting a big party.

Ingredients:
2 bottles of red Spanish table wine (Merlot, Red wine blends, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir)
1 cup brandy
1/2 cup triple sec
1 cup orange juice
1 cup pomegranate juice
1/2 cup simple syrup, or more to taste (equal parts sugar and water, heated until sugar dissolves, cooled)
Orange slices
Apple Slices
Blackberries
Pomegranate seeds (if in season)



Materials:
Large pitcher
Serrated knife
Cutting board
Small sauce pan
Measuring cups/spoons

Mix all ingredients together and let stand in a tightly sealed container or pitcher for at least 24 hours in the refrigerator before serving.

A Taste of Fall....Pumpkin Bread

Lately, I've been wanting or craving everything to do with Fall: College Football (American Football), Riding Boots (which may include Cowboy Boots if you live in the Southern Region of the United States), Scarves, Leggings, Hayrides, Halloween, Pumpkins, and Pumpkin Spice flavors in cooking. Lucky for us, Fall is right around the corner, which is why I'm going to have you one step ahead of the game for your tailgate, Halloween party, Thanksgiving meal, or Fall outing. Today's recipe will be for Pumpkin Bread. 

Be sure to check back on Thursday for my Sangria Recipe.

Yields: 1 large loaf or 4 mini loaves

Ingredients: 

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (fresh)

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 cup canned pure pumpkin

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2/3 cup buttermilk

Materials:

Large Mixing Bowl

Medium Mixing Bowl

Electric Mixer

Whisk

Spatula 

Measuring Cups/Spoons

Tooth Pick

Cooling Rack

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Butter a 9x5x3 in. loaf pan or 4 mini loaf pans.

Whisk flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, salt, & baking soda in medium bowl to blend.

Using an electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Gradually add 1 cup of sugar, beating until blended.

Beat in eggs, 1 at a time.

Beat in pumpkin, then vanilla.

Beat in dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk starting and ending with the buttermilk.

Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about an hour 10 mins for large loaf and 24-36 mins for mini loaves.

Bruschetta (Can Be Breadless As Well)

Last night, I decided to make Breadless Bruschetta or as my Dad liked to call it "Tomato Salad." I mixed it up and used a large Heirloom Tomato instead of the typical large, red Tomato.  My Boyfriend and I ate it as a salad to our meal (which was cheeseburgers by the way). I used really fresh ingredients, which made it taste even better. Feel free to add thinly sliced, toasted Baguette bread topped with my bruschetta recipe below if you want. However, it tastes just as good without the bread if you want to stay away from the carbs or have a gluten allergy.

Serving Size: 2-3 servings

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 large heirloom tomato (or 1 large red tomato) diced

5 basil leaves

2 tablespoons Parmesan Romano Cheese

Materials:

Medium mixing bowl

Cutting board

Sharp Knife (serrated)

Tablespoon

Mix all together in a bowl and serve. 

Potatoes à la Cameron

I felt like I needed some "potato variety" in my diet besides the typical mash potatoes and maybe healthy home cooked fries as a treat every now and then. One night, I felt like making something different. I rummaged through my fridge to see what ingredients I had, and went from there. These potatoes were so delicious that I debated keeping this recipe a secret. Feel free to add another teaspoon of dijon mustard, if you feel the need to. 

Servings: 1-2 

Ingredients:

1 potato diced with skin on

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

Splash of EVOO 

Pepper & salt to taste

3 teaspoons (or to taste) of Parmesan Romano grated cheese

Materials:

Mixing bowl

Teaspoon

Tablespoon

Parchment paper

Cookie sheet

Cover a sheet with a layer of parchment paper.

Combine all ingredients in large mixing bowl.

Place potatoes on parchment paper.

Cook at 425° F for 8 minutes then flip the potatoes and continue cooking for 8 mins.

Apple & Brie Melt

Sick of eating a regular, boring, grilled cheese on white or wheat bread with either American or cheddar cheese? Well, I have a better grilled cheese that's more appealing to the palette-- an Apple & Brie Melt... or as I like to say, "Gourmet Grilled Cheese." The only thing I felt was missing to my meal was a white wine tasting. The secret is to slice the apple into very thin slices. I used french baguette bread because it complements the cheese and granny smith apple better than regular bread.

*Slice the apple thinner than I did in the picture. The picture below was the first time I made this delicious gourmet grilled cheese. I forgot to take a picture the last time I made it with thin slices of apple. Sorry y'all!

Ingredients:

1 large Granny Smith apple, sliced into very thin slices

4-6 oz of Brie

1 loaf of French baguette bread (Ciabatta would work well too)

Butter, for pan

Yields: 2-3 sandwiches

Materials:

Cutting board

Small sharp knife (I call mine a fruit knife)

Butter knife or cheese knife to cut brie with

Frying Pan 

Spatula

Serrated knife

Slice Granny Smith Apple and brie into thin slices.

Slice a piece of baguette open on one slide and place brie and apple slices on bread. Make sure there is enough to cover the sandwich. 

Melt a few tablespoons of butter in pan on low heat. 

Place sandwich in pan and continue cooking on low. Flip every now and then until grilled, and cheese is melted. (I push the bread down with my spatula a few times so the cheese will melt and the sandwich won't be as hard to eat)

"Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake... It's Not Even My Birthday"

"Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake... It's Not Even My Birthday."  I was just listening to Rihanna's song "Birthday Cake," and realized I haven't posted a recipe on my blog today. Today's recipe is Martha Stewart's Yellow Cake with Dark Chocolate Ganache Icing. I made this cake and icing for my boyfriend's 28th birthday. I decorated the sides with dark chocolate chips and had enough left to spell out "28" in the center of the cake.


Tip: Don't leave the cakes in the pan for too long, or you will have trouble getting them out. I learned this one the hard way because I went to go do last minute errands and shop the after Christmas sales, and I left the cake in the cake pans on the cooling rack. As a result, I had to remake the top layer since the bottom of the cake stuck to the pan. I didn't line my pans with parchment because I had high quality cake pans.  I suggest cutting a circular piece of parchment to line the cake pans.

Martha Stewart's Yellow Cake

Yield: 3 cups
Batter: For 1 8 in cake
Bake time: 45-50 mins







Ingredients:
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter softened, plus more for pan/parchment
1-1/3 cups cake flour sifted, plus more for pan/parchment
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs 
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 pinch of salt
1/2 cup milk

Materials:
Parchment Paper 
Cooling Rack
Electric Mixer
Large Mixing Bowl
Medium Mixing Bowl
Toothpick 
Measuring cups/spoons
Sifter

Preheat oven to 325°F.
Butter 8 in. cake pan, line the bottom with a round of parchment and butter & flour pan/parchment.
In a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light in color and fluffy, about 5 mins. 
Add vanilla extract and beat until combined.
Add eggs one at a time, beating until incorporated.
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt three times.
Add to egg mixture in 3 additions alternating with milk, starting and ending with flour.
Pour batter into pan & bake until the top is golden brown, and a tester inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes.
Cool in pan for 10-30 minutes.
Turn out onto a wire rack, remove paper and cool completely.

**Make Cake Recipe twice or double ingredients to save time.


Dark Chocolate Ganache Icing

Yield: 3-1/2 cups

Ingredients:
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 pound bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped

Materials:
Measuring cups/spoons
Wooden spoon
Whisk
Large saucepan
Cake knife to spread icing (flat knife that's not sharp. Like a cheese knife but longer and flatter)
Spoon to spread icing on cake

In a large saucepan, bring 2 cups heavy cream, 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, & 1/8 teaspoon salt to a boil.
Remove from heat; add 1 pound bittersweet chocolate roughly chopped (I used bittersweet chocolate chips, which works well too), and let stand without stirring for a minute.
Whisk just until combined.
Refrigerate, stirring occasionally until spreadable, about 1 hour.

** Ganache gets hard when left out when you are icing the cake. Constantly stir icing, so it won't solidify.

Shopping at Your Local Farmers Market

Why should you shop at a local Farmers Market? Simply because you can get fresh, local produce (most of which is organic) for a reasonable price. Organic is good for you because the fruits and veggies aren't sprayed with a ton of chemicals as opposed to regular produce. You may be charged more, but I always notice that the taste tends to be better.

Here are some shopping tips to take into consideration:

1) Don't leave the house without CASH. 90% of all vendors will only accept cash. I usually bring about $50.00 in cash which is more than plenty of money to buy what I want. The Farmers Market I go to also sells food from local dive-ins, coffee houses, wood-fired pizza, and more in the Atlanta area.

2) Always bring a canvas bag or a bag that is reinforced at the bottom. I brought one of those reusable grocery bags to the market today, and it ripped at the bottom because all of my produce weighed it down. I wish I had brought a bag that was strong and reinforced with support at the bottom of the bag.

3) When you arrive at the market, the first thing you want to do is check out all of the vendors before you buy something. I know in the past, I never used to do this until I realized that some vendors sold produce that looked better than others. Trust me, you'll regret it if you don't.

4) Some Farmers Markets will have Cheese, Honey, Pickles, Charcuterie, and Bakery vendors. I would definitely check them out if yours has them. The Farmers Market I go to in Grant Park in Atlanta, GA has all of these. I have bought some great things from these vendors. Georgia Honey was my favorite. The old wives tale is a spoonful of local honey a day will help you build immunity against allergies in the area. The markets that will generally offer options other than produce are usually community run as opposed to city or state run.

5) My motto: buy local, fresh, and organic. Always buy LOCAL (or REGIONAL). Not only are you supporting the farmers in your community, but you are getting the crops that grow best in your area. I took a course in Horticulture, and I learned that it is benefit to buy local produce because the crops are usually fresher when they reach your grocery store. Every May (for the past 2 years), I have gone strawberry picking at local farms that offer U-pick Strawberries. Not only were they the best Strawberries I've EVER eaten, but also the freshest.

6) Always ask if it's organic. Like I've previously mentioned,  not only does it the taste better, but it's better for you. A lot of vendors will have signs up about what produce is organic, so you don't have to ask.

The Modern Greek Version Of Caprese Salad

Last night, I decided to make as I like to call a "Modern Greek Caprese Salad." Originally, I wasn't planning on cooking anything, but I decided to make up a recipe with ingredients I already had in my fridge. Plus, I used the excuse of "I need to use the tomato before I go away on vacation or it will go bad." Yes, that really happened. If you're a healthy eater, love salads, and/or Greek food, you will absolutely LOVE this recipe. My boyfriend raved all night about how good this recipe was. The best part is, it is so easy to make.

Servings: about 3

Ingredients:
1 large heirloom tomato, diced
1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil (aka EVOO)
3 teaspoons feta
Pepper, to taste

Materials:
Small mixing bowl
Teaspoon
Tablespoon

Combine Tomato, EVOO, and Feta in a small mixing bowl.  Stir. Mix in Pepper. Enjoy. Make sure to serve cold/room temperature. Enjoy!

Panera's Stove Top Mac N' Cheese

This will be my last post till next Sunday, since I am going out of town on holiday for July 4th. Sunday I will be posting about "Shopping at Your Local Farmers' Market" so don't miss out.

Who doesn't love a good Macaroni and Cheese? I think it was my go to food when I was little. I'm pretty sure I made it a food group.... and no I'm not kidding-- that's how much I ate it. Panera serves a mac n' cheese that's to die for. It's made with white cheddar and white american cheese, which is very flavorful and delicious. I found a recipe that is a copy cat recipe. Trust me, you won't be disappointed when you make it.

Ingredients:
16 oz (1 lb) pipette pasta or other small pasta shapes
1/3 cup all purpose flour
4 oz white american cheese chopped or torn into pieces
2 teaspoons-1 teaspoon dijon mustard (adjust to taste)
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce (like Frank's)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2-1/2 cups milk, heavy cream, or half & half
8 oz extra sharp white Vermont cheddar, shredded
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Materials:
Large stock pot
4 quart sauce pan
Wooden spoon
Cheese Shredder 
Measuring cups/spoons
Serving spoon

1) In a large stock pot, cook pasta according to package directions, drain well.
2) While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a 4 quart sauce pan over medium heat.  When the butter has melted & has started to bubble, whisk in the flour, cook for 1-1/2  minutes whisking constantly.  Gradually whisk in the milk until no lumps remain.  Reduce to medium-low & cook  milk mixture, whisking frequently, until it thickens & bubbles, about 8 mins.
3)Remove saucepan from the heat & by the handful, stir in the cheese allowing all of the cheese to melt into the sauce before adding more.  Stir in the mustard, salt, & hot sauce.  Return the saucepan to the heat & stir in the pasta.  Be sure to stir up the sauce from the bottom of the saucepan & thoroughly coat all of the pasta with sauce.  Cook for 1-2 minutes over medium-low heat until heated through.  Serve hot in bowls with spoons.