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.

Strawberry-Mango Salsa

This salsa is the perfect accompaniment and topper for fish, such as cod. It is so festive and seasonal for Spring and Summer.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup strawberries, finely diced
3/4 cup mangos, finely diced
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
6 basil leaves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon  sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper


Materials:
Large Mixing bowl
Cutting board 
Sharp Knives

Combine all ingredients & allow to sit in refrigerator for a few hours, covered.

***Use a little less than 1/4 of a cup of red onion***