From the Oven - Baked Lamb Shanks

HAPPY NEW YEAR

One of my goals this year is to allow myself more opportunities to enjoy the people, places, & things I love...like food!

A while ago Russell's mom brought us a couple of lamb shanks; but we hadn't found time time to cook it until things slowed down for the holidays.

When it came time to look for a fail-proof recipe to treat my lamb shanks, I turned to the place that I have learned not to doubt: America's Test Kitchen. I have always loved America's Test Kitchen because it is scientific & it is their job to takes out all of the guess-work for the home cook. Unfortunately, there was not a recipe for lamb shanks there...@ least not 1 that I can get without providing my credit card information.

Next I turned the search over to my good friend Google (it beats Bing...I've tested it) & the result was overwhelming. Most of the recipes call for a large dutch oven - which I don't have - & for braising the lamb shanks in a good amount of liquid at a high oven temperature for 3-4 hours. The only recipe that was different was one from Jamie Oliver which called for minimal equipment, lower oven temperature, & a shorter cooking time. Can anyone say perfect?

The Prep List...
   2 lamb shanks (~3 pounds total)
   4 sprigs of fresh rosemary
   3 sprigs of fresh thyme
   8 fresh sage leaves
   3 tablespoons butter, slightly softened
   1 large carrot
   0.5 yellow onion
   1 leek, well rinsed
   6 cloves garlic, unpeeled
   6 ounces white wine
   Olive oil
   Salt + Black pepper

Step-by-step Instructions...   
   Roughly chop up the leaves of 2 sprigs of rosemary, all 3 sprigs of thyme, & 4 of the sage leaves
   Thoroughly combine the chopped herb with the softened butter
   Using a small knife, separate the meat of each lamb shank from the bone, creating pockets
   Evenly distribute the herb butter into the pockets on the lamb shanks, set aside
   Peel the carrot and dice into small pieces; Thinly slice the onion and the leek
   Tear out 2 pieces of foil (about 10x12) and divide the vegetable & the garlic cloves onto each
   Oil the lamb shanks, season with salt & pepper, & place 1 on each pile of vegetables (bone sticking up)
   Place 1 whole sprig of rosemary & 2 sage leaves on top of each lamb shank
   Gather the foil & pour in the white wine; close it tightly around the bone to form 2 packets
   Place the packets onto a baking sheet & bake at 350F for 2.5 hours

Makes 2 servings

The result was tasty but a little too oily. The lamb shanks were tender & flavorful thanks to the pockets of herb butter. While we certainly enjoyed the animal protein, the vegetables on the bottom were even more delicious. The onion & leek were extremely tender & sweet, & the carrots were not the least bit crunchy or grassy...just the way I like them. We ate the dish with rice (poor planning) but it would also go well with rice pilaf, creamy polenta, mashed potatoes, or even mashed cauliflower!

From the Oven - Chocolate Cupcake with Raspberry Buttercream Frosting

The week before my GRE there was some serious cramming.  I was doing practice problems during my lunch break @ work; I was studying on the bus; & for a couple of nights, I would do practice tests...often starting at 9pm & finishing at 11:30pm.

Since I couldn't go to sleep immediately after all that studying, I found myself watching episodes of DC Cupcakes on the tiny screen of my iPhone.  I have always loved cupcakes & - before it closed - my absolutely favorite cupcakery is Everything Frosted in New York's Chinatown.  But as much as I love eating cupcakes, I have never tried to make them; I think the frosting scared me away.  Watching all those episodes of DC Cupcakes really inspired me & with the GRE now officially in my rearview mirror, it's time to give it a whirl.

Not your average cupcake recipe, but the frosting is pretty standard...
   For the chocolate'y cupcakes
      0.3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
      0.5 teaspoon baking soda
      0.5 cup boiling water
      0.25 cup unsalted butter, melted
      0.15 cup vegetable (or neutral) oil
      1 cup granulated sugar
      0.75 teaspoon vanilla extract
      0.5 teaspoon salt
      1 egg + 1 egg yolk
      0.25 cup heavy cream
      1 cup all-purpose flour
   For the farm fresh frosting
      1 cup unsalted butter, softened
      2 pints fresh raspberries
      0.5 teaspoon vanilla extract
      Pinch of salt
      2 cups powdered sugar (more/less depending on the desired consistency)

Now to put it all together...
     Whisk together the cocoa powder & the baking soda in a heat proof bowl
     Add the cocoa powder mixture to the boiling water & stir until the bubbling subsides
     In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together melted butter, oil, sugar, vanilla, & salt
     Add the egg & egg yolk 1 @ a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition
     Add in the chocolate mixture & blend until fulling incorporated
     Add in the heavy cream, blend, & then slowly stir in the flour
     Evenly portion the batter into a lined cupcake pan (~ 2/3 full)
     Bake at 350F for 17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean
     Once baked, remove cupcakes from the pan & let cool completely on a wire rack
     In a small sauce pan, cook down the raspberries
     Strain raspberries through a fine-mesh sieve & return liquid to the stove; reduce until thick
     Once the raspberry liquid has reduced to about 0.5 cup, let cool for 15 minutes
     In a large mixing bowl, combine softened butter, vanilla, salt,  & raspberry sauce
     Cream the ingredients with an electric mixture until well combined
     Add in powdered sugar 0.5 cup at a time until the proper consistency is reached
     Put frosting into a piping bag & decorate cupcakes as desired

Makes 12 cupcakes

Separately, the cake was moist although the edges were slightly dry. The frosting tasted great but it wasn't very fluffy because I was afraid to add too much powdered sugar...it was so sweet already.  Together, however, the chocolate flavor pretty much covered up the raspberry entirely; maybe additional sugar in the frosting would have helped?  If I am being honest, I did a horrendous job frosting the cupcakes.  My original intention was to do a simple swirl but the piping bag tip I have is way too small & so I had to go around & around the cupcake...thus creating what kind of looks like a pile of turd!  I am not trying to be gross since this is a food blog but look @ the picture & tell me I'm wrong.

All in all, I would say this 1st attempt was a semi-success.  Next on the list are a Nutella cupcake with chocolate buttercream frosting & an angle food cupcake with strawberry whipped cream frosting.  But before I start on these next attempts I am going to spend some time learning how to properly make frosting & how to properly frost cupcakes.

From the Oven - Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes

You know that saying about how when there are too many coincidences it's no longer a coincidence?

Well it was a coincidence that:

1. I found a really interesting chocolate cake recipe on Pinterest that I was dying to try.
2. There is Baileys that's been sitting in my fridge for way too long.
3. Russell has a new food-related toy that I gave him for his birthday that he has yet to try out.
4. We need to get beer for the house.
5. St. Patrick's Day is just around the corner!

With all these coincidences in front of me, I had no other choice but to use them to my favor...& make them into not a coincidence.

I had to substitute a couple of the ingredients...
     4 ounces all-purpose flour
     0.6 teaspoon baking soda
     0.25 teaspoon salt
     1.5 ounces all natural cocoa
     5 ounces sugar
     0.5 cup hot chocolate
     4 ounces butter
     0.75 cup Guinness
     1 egg
     0.5 teaspoon vanilla extract

Then it's melt, dump, & stir...
     In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, & salt
     In a pot, heat the cocoa, butter, sugar, & hot chocolate until the butter is melted; cook for 10 minutes
     To the chocolate mixture add in the Baileys, whisk in the egg, & then add in the vanilla
     Slowly sift the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mix everything together until well incorporated
     Pour the batter into a cupcake tin already lined with wrappers
     Bake at 320F for 30 minutes
     Remove cupcakes & put them on a wire rack until they are cooled completely

Makes 12 cupcakes

Theses cupcakes are so good!  I honestly think these are the best things I've ever made out of an oven.  The cupcakes were moist, chocolatey, not too sweet, & end with just a hint of bitterness from the Guinness.  I think the flavors would have been much more balanced if I had used coffee instead of hot chocolate but I didn't have any coffee in the house.  Never did I envision a day when there would be no coffee in my house.  Ugh!  To complete the cupcakes I topped them with a Baileys whipped cream.  I must admit that I didn't make the whipped cream; nor was it made using conventional methods.  The truth is, Russell made the topping by combining heavy whipping cream & Baileys in his fancy siphon food whipper & then aerosolized it by adding in nitrous oxide (N₂O).  The whipped cream tasted really strong so I might do a café au lait frosting next time instead.

I wasn't sure what to these cupcakes because someone once told me that Irish car bomb is an offense name.  S/he didn't tell me why & I never figured it out; I still haven't figured it out.  Also, I didn't think this was truly really an Irish car bomb since it lacked the Jameson whiskey.  I want to try & include the whiskey into the recipe next time to accurately represent the drink I've named it after.  Maybe I should half the coffee & replace it with the Jameson.  Or Maybe I should just go with all Jameson!

From the Oven - Fluffy Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ever since I got a Pinterest account months ago, I have been seeing this one pin for fluffy & chewy chocolate chip cookies repeatedly.  Since I was in the mood to make some CCCs & didn't want to make our usual America's Test Kitchen recipe - too labor intensive - I thought I would give this popular recipe a try.

They say the trick lies with the cornstarch...
     0.75 cup unsalted butter, softened
     0.75 cup light brown sugar
     0.25 cup granulated sugar
     1 egg
     2 teaspoons vanilla extract
     2 cups all-purpose flour
     2 teaspoons cornstarch
     1 teaspoon baking soda
     0.25 teaspoon salt
     1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

Just dump, stir, & scoop...
     In a medium mixing bowl, cream together butter & both sugars until really light & fluffy
     Add in the egg & vanilla extract & blend
     Add in flour, cornstarch, baking soda, & salt into the mixture; mix everything together gently
     Mix in the chocolate chips
     Scoop the dough with a tablespoon & place them onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper
     Bake at 350F for 10 minutes

Makes about 30 cookies

I have made these cookies twice & they turned out good both times.  The first time, I used an electric mixer for all the steps & the cookie dough felt a little dry.  The cookies were fine but it was difficult to scoop.  The second time I made these, I only used an electric mixer to cream the butter & sugar & used a rubber spatula for the rest of the steps.  This time, the cookie dough was more pliable & it spread out a bit more in the oven.  These cookies are not meant to flatten out very much so if they do, it might mean the cookie dough was a little too warm before going into the oven.  Try refrigerating the dough for 20 minutes to firm everything up first.  Also, it helps to make sure that the butter is softened but not too soft.  When it comes to texture, these cookies delivered on the promise & were chewy & fluffy without feeling like it wasn't cooked all the way through.  In terms of flavor, these were nice & not too sweet.  Mine had a weird after taste to them that only I tasted (I asked Russell & my parents; they all said no) which I suspect might have to do with my really old corn starch & baking soda that has been sitting in my cupboard, exposed.  I wish things like baking soda, baking powder, & corn starch would come in resealable packages or come in much smaller quantities because it takes forever to go through one of those things!  But I digress...

I feel that I am @ a cross roads.  While I like these cookies for their texture, they lack that flavor that gets evoked in my mind when someone says "chocolate chip cookies."  Perhaps I will try to substitute cornstarch into my go to CCC recipe & see what happens.  But first I have to go get some new corn starch.

From the Oven - Cinnamon Sugar Donut Muffins

About a month ago I made mini cinnamon sugar coffee cakes that were tasty but were dry.  I wasn't sure if it was the recipe or the super powerful motor of my Ninja food processor that made them that way, so I found this similar recipe on Baked Perfection to could see if the results would be any different.  Another way I could have done this was use the same recipe but make it without using the Ninja...but where is the fun in that?

Pretty similar ingredients with a few extra things...
     2 cups all-purpose flour (you can substitute with 1 cup of whole wheat flour)
     1 tablespoon baking powder
     0.5 tablespoon baking soda
     2 eggs
     1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
     1 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt
     0.67 cup brown sugar
     4 tablespoons oil (I used grape seed oil)
     1 teaspoon vanilla extract
   For the topping:
     4 tablespoons butter
     0.25 cup granulated sugar
     1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

And let the experiment begin...
     In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, & cinnamon
     In another large bowl, mix together the eggs, yogurt, sugar, oil, & vanilla
     Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients; mix just until everything is moistened
     Divide the batter into a greased muffin pan & bake @ 400F for 12-15 minutes
     Melt the butter over low heat & mix the sugar & cinnamon in a small bowl
     When the muffins are still hot, dip them into the melted butter & then into the cinnamon sugar

Makes 12 muffins

I ended up messing up the experiment because I didn't use the Ninja for the entire process; I only used it to mix together the wet ingredients.  Anyhow, these muffins were much fluffier than the other recipe & they were very buttery.  I am going to stick with this recipe & repeat this experiment again; this time really using the Ninja all the way through.  Stay tuned.

From the Oven - Vegetables Pizza with Homemade Pesto

We try to do @ least 1 vegetarian dinner per week but it almost always ends up being some kind of pasta.  To change it up a little bit, I went with a pizza for this week's meatless night.  But I make pizza quite a bit & I don't want to use the same old toppings...what now?  Just as I was scratching my head over this question, a voice spoke to me & said "What about zucchini & tomato?  And some onion?"  No, I wasn't going crazy & hearing things in my head; it was Russell talking.  Zucchini & tomato, huh?  Sounds Mediterranean.  How about a homemade pesto instead of a tomato sauce? Maybe use feta instead of mozzarella?  Oh wait...Russell doesn't eat feta, blurgh!

Never have I done so much for a pizza...
   For the pesto:
     2 cups basil leaves, packed
     3 cloves garlic
     0.25 cup pine nuts
     0.5 cup extra virgin olive oil
     0.5 cup pecorino romano, grated
     Salt & pepper to taste
   For the pizza:
     1 package prepared pizza dough
     2 roma tomatoes, sliced
     1 medium zucchini, sliced
     1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
     0.75 cup shredded mozzarella
      0.25 cup pecorino romano, grated

But @ least it wasn't too complicated...
     In a food processor, chop up the basil leaves
     Add in the garlic, pine nuts, & half the olive oil; blend until it turns into a paste
     Add in the rest of the oil, season with salt & pepper, & blend until smooth
     Mix in the cheese & set aside
     Sauté the onion over medium-low heat until soft; then sauté the zucchini slices until they are soft
     Roll out the pizza dough & spread the pesto evenly on top, keeping away form the edges
     Sprinkle mozzarella over the pesto & lay down the tomato & zucchini slices
     Spread the caramelized onion on top & grate pecorino romano all over
     Bake at 450F for 10 minutes

Makes 1 cup of pesto & 1 10-inch pizza

I stretched the dough out too thin in the middle so it kind of made a mess.  I can never get this part right because when the middle is the right thickness, the edges are too thick.  And when the edges are the right thickness, the middle has hole.  Ugh!  I also used way too much olive oil for my pesto (0.67 cup - what the recipe called for) & completely forgot to mix it with the pecorino cheese.  As a result, the pizza got a bit soggy & the excess oil spilled out of my cookie sheet & dripped down to the bottom of my oven.  Smoke alert!  Alas, the flavors of the pesto was fresh & had a good kick from the garlic.  The pizza was delicious & the sweetness of the onion & zucchini held up nicely against the tartness of the tomato & the sharpness of the pecorino.  I know I talked about not wanting a pizza stone in my previous post(s) but I think I need one if my crusts are always turning out undercooked & not crisp.  Is there any way I can get around this giant slab of stone situation??

From the Oven - Mini Cinnamon Sugar Coffee Cakes

The Boyfriend got me a Ninja kitchen system for Christmas.  If you know, the Ninja is not just a blender & food processor but it can also be used to make cake batters & dough.  Even though the informercials look really impressive, I wanted to test out the machine for myself to see if it really delivers on what it promises.  It just so happened that I have an easy coffee cake recipe that I've been meaning to try.  What better time than to do it now?

These should all be in the pantry/fridge already...
     1.75 cups all-purpose flour
     1.5 teaspoons baking powder
     0.5 teaspoon salt
     1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
     0.3 cup canola oil
     0.75 cup granulated sugar
     1 egg
     0.75 cup milk
     0.25 cup unsalted butter
     1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
     0.3 cup granulated sugar

It's as easy as 1-2-3...
     In a big bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, salt, & cinnamon
     In another big bowl, whisk together oil, sugar, egg, & milk until it looks homogeneous
     Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet mixture; mix until the batter is smooth
     Grease a muffin pan really well using butter, oil, or cooking spray
     Grease up a spoon & scope batter into the muffin pan, filling up about half way
     Bake at 350F for 15 minutes
     While the muffins are still hot, remove them from the pan & put onto a wire rack
     Melt the butter in a pan over low heat or in the microwave & mix the cinnamon with the sugar
     Dip hot muffins into the  butter & roll them in the cinnamon sugar until they are evenly coated
     Place them on a wire rack & let them cool down completely

Makes 12 servings

The flavor is nice & slightly reminds me of an old-fashion donut.  The texture was a little doughier than I thought it would be but it might have to do with the fact that I over mixed the batter.  As a matter of fact, my dad took 1 bite and said "it's so dry!"  Well, thanks a lot Daddy.  When it comes to using the Ninja system to make the batter, it wasn't exactly easier than using a hand mixer but it was a lot faster since the machine is really powerful (without being too loud).  Unfortunately, I think the power may be a bad thing for a batter like this since it was really easy to overdo it.  The biggest negative I have of the Ninja is that it was kind of a pain to clean around the nooks & crannies.  I am going to attempt a similar recipe using the Ninja again to see if it comes out the same; and if it doesn't, then maybe the problem stemmed from the recipe after all & not the machine.

Weekend Dinner - Spinach & Mushroom Lasagna Roll-ups

A few months ago, I made lasagna with a homemade turkey meat sauce.  As a result of that recipe, I have had a box of semi-used lasagna noodles in my cupboard ever since.  To use up this box of noodles somehow, I started browsing the internet for recipes.  Turns out, there is this thing out there called lasagna roll-up which is like a regular lasagna but comes in self-contain packages.  Great, that's a good idea; but what fillings am I going to use?  The meat sauce last time was good but I do not want to make it again; I just scrubbed down my stove to return it to its original glory!  Besides, we've had so much meat this past week with Christmas.  So after some more browsing, I found a recipe that seems both tasty & easy to do.

To make 8 lasagna roll ups...
     2.5 cups mushrooms, diced small
     4 cloves garlic, minced
     6 ounces baby spinach, chopped
     8 lasagna noodles
     10 ounces whole milk ricotta
     1 egg
     0.2 cups grated Parmesan
     2 cups pre-made tomato pasta sauce
     1.5 cups low-moisture mozzarella cheese, grated
     Salt & pepper to taste

This shouldn't take too long...
     Cook the lasagna noodles 1 minute less than the package instructions
     While the noodles are cooking, sauté vegetables until the water is released; season with salt/pepper
     In a bowl, combine together egg, ricotta, & parmesan cheese
     Lay cooked noodles on a flat surface & spread on a thin coat of the cheese mixture
     Top off each noodle with a layer of the vegetables & roll them up carefully
     Arrange the lasagna rolls in a single layer in a shallow baking dish
     Cover the lasagna rolls with a coating of tomato sauce & sprinkle with mozzarella cheese
     Bake at 350F for 25 minutes

The end product was pretty good & it took a lot less time in the oven than a traditional lasagna.  It was was also definitely much easier serving out the individual roll-ups than trying to cut out rectangular pieces.  I used the Trader Joe's tomato basil marinara sauce & it was too sweet for my liking.  Are all pre-made tomato sauces so sweet?  I bought a block of mozzarella & tried to grate it with my Microplane but I guess it was too soft a cheese to grate.  It worked, but it took a lot longer & a lot more work to get just enough cheese to cover the top.  From now on, I am either going to use a box grater or buy shredded mozzarella & call it a day.

From the Oven - Garlic Portobello Pizza

Ever since we discovered pre-made pizza doughs from Trader Joe's, we have had pizza night almost once a week.  Tonight, we wanted something vegetarian but were worried about not feeling fulfilled.  So the creative half piped up & said "what about portobello?"  Hmm...interesting.  To keep things even more interesting, I set out to execute this pizza without any guidance what-so-ever.  The end result was not great, but it's passable enough that I don't feel embarrassed sharing an original recipe.

Ingredient list...
     1 package of pre-made pizza dough (or use your favorite recipe)
     0.25 cup  pizza sauce
     1 cup low-moisture mozzarella cheese, sliced thinly
     6 cloves garlic, sliced
     2 large portobello caps, cut into strips
     0.5 cup olive oil
     Salt & black pepper to taste

The SOP (standard operating procedures)...
     In a large bowl, coat portobello strips in olive oil, salt & pepper
     Over high heat, sauté the portobello strips until soft; set aside to let cool
     Over low heat, sauté garlic slices in some olive oil until they are soft; let cool
     Roll out the pizza dough & spread out a thin layer of pizza sauce
     Line the entire pizza with mozzarella slices & sprinkle on the garlic slices
     Arrange the portobello strips so they are away from the edges
     Bake at 450F for 8 minutes

The portobello mushroom is so meaty I thought I was having either chicken or (very tender) steak on the pizza.  I also sautéed some shallots with the garlic but that did not taste good.  Other than portobello, other types of mushrooms can also be used but the key is to cook them first to remove all of that moisture; or else, the pizza will end up soggy & gross.  I am considering getting a pizza stone because no matter what I do, I just can't get the pizza crust to turn out golden brown & crispy like it should be.  But is it worth the investment?  Is it worth the weight?

Weekend Dinner - Turkey Lasagna

I don't go out much on weekends anymore...actually I never did go out a lot on weekends, but I digress.  So instead, I cook dishes that are more complicated & too time consuming for a week night after coming home from work.  I don't know what made me want to make a lasagna since I haven't made one since sophomore year in college & it sucked.  Maybe it was the 2 for 1 lasagna noodle sale @ Safeway.  Maybe it was the random pack of ground turkey I found in the back of my freezer.

The ingredients list is long but it's easy to find in just a few section of the store...
    11/2 pounds ground turkey
     1/2 onion, minced
     2 cloves garlic, crushed
     28oz (1 can) crushed tomatoes
     12oz (2 cans) tomato paste
     13oz (2 cans) tomato sauce
     1/2 cup water
     12 lasagna noodles
     16oz (1 tub) ricotta cheese
     1 egg
     3/4 pound mozzarella, sliced
     3/4 cup grated parmesan
     11/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
     1/2 teaspoon oregano
     Salt & black pepper to taste

There are a lot of steps, but it's worth it in the end...
     In a large pot, cook the ground turkey, onion, & garlic until the meat is browned
     Add in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, & water
     Season the sauce with Italian seasoning, oregano, & salt/pepper
     Cover the pot & let the sauce simmer for 90 minutes, stirring occasionally
     Cook the lasagna noodles for 2 minutes less than the instructed time
     In a bowl, mix the ricotta cheese with the egg
     Assemble the lasagna in a 9x13 baking dish in the following layers:
          11/2 cups meat sauce
          6 lasagna noodles, overlapping lengthwise
          1/2 of the ricotta cheese mixture
          1/2 of the mozzarella slices
          11/2 cups meat sauce
          1/4 cup parmesan cheese
          6 lasagna noodles, overlapping lengthwise
          The rest of the ricotta cheese mixture
          The rest of the mozzarella slices
          The rest of the meat sauce
          The rest of the parmesan cheese
     Spray a piece of foil with non-stick spray & cover the baking dish
     Bake the lasagna at 375F for 25 minutes covered & 25 minutes uncovered
     Let cool for 15 minutes before serving

I used crushed tomatoes & tomato sauce that already had some seasoning in it to help boost the flavor since I didn't get the dried basil or the fennel seeds.  But for some reason, the dish was still too sweet for our liking.  Be prepared for some serious stove cleaning after making this recipe because no matter how low you turn down the heat, the tomato sauce will splatter everywhere when you try to stir it every-so-often.  Oh and watch your fingers too because the sauce will get you & that does not feel good.

Tasty Time - Pillsbury Orange Sweet Rolls with Icing

As the holiday season fast approaches, there are plenty of commercials advertising Pillsbury products.  I think I've had some of the cookies before when I was younger but nothing since then.  After seeing that commercial where a little boy is in the kitchen with his mom & sister & he's saying "2 inches apart, Becky, 2 inches," I was seriously tempted to see what this whole ready-to-bake pastry is about.  And with a sale of $1.11, it's like the universe is telling me I should do it.

We went for the Orange Sweet Rolls since it is out of the ordinary.  The long cylindrical canister contains 7 sweet rolls & a small thing of orange flavored frosting.  The canister itself was kind of hard to open but that's probably because I had never done it before.  The baking process was easy enough & it took just 9 minutes for the sweet rolls to come out golden brown. There was virtually no clean up since I used a piece of parchment paper on top of the cookie sheet.

Now on to the taste.  The rolls themselves were pretty small - about 2 inches in diameter - but the texture was pretty good.  We opted to use the frosting only to regret it after the first bite.  To me, the frosting was super sweet & reminded me of a cheap, generic imitation of Tang.  To him, it tasted like orange Tums.  Aside from the artificial sweetness, we really couldn't taste anything else.

I can definitely see why something like this appeals to kids & the convenience really cannot be beat.  But for people like us who don't often eat cinnamon rolls, I would definitely recommend spending the time & the effort to just make them from scratch.  And hey, all that work will likely make me not want to have any more cinnamon rolls for a good while.

Quick & Easy - Lemon Butter Salmon

It's hard to keep a full fridge & freezer when 50% of your household in on a restricted diet.  As a result, our freezer was left with only steaks & ribs for a good number of weeks.  Now that we're back to 100% eating capacity, first thing was load up @ Costco & second thing was to eat something that didn't live on land for the first time in 6 weeks!  I found this recipe on Pinterest - as I always do - but it seems to originate from a fishing website...in Scotland.

It just takes a handful of stuff that's probably already in the kitchen...
     2 salmon filets, about 6oz each
     2 tablespoons unsalted butter
     1 lemon, zest & juice
     Salt & pepper to taste

And it's just a few quick steps before heading into the oven...
     Rinse & dry the salmon filets really well
     Melt the butter in the microwave (30 seconds is plenty)
     Let the butter cool slightly & mix it with the lemon zest, lemon juice, & salt/pepper
     Make a tray with foil by folding up the edges so it just fits the 2 filets
     Pour the lemon butter evenly over the filets
     Bake at 400F for 7 minutes

If you don't like too much lemon with your fish, use half the amount of zest & juice.  I used the amount of the full recipe because the Boyfriend isn't really a fan of the finned oceanic species.  I finished up the meal with some roasted Brussels sprouts which were also super easy to make & tasted really great with the bright citrusy flavors of the fish.

Weekend Dinner - Tuna Casserole

I wasn't exposed to my first casserole dish until I moved to the United States @ age 12; I think it was a green bean casserole that time.  I didn't understand why people would want to throw a bunch of stuff into a glass plate & then stick it into the oven for an hour.  Dude, it's beans!  They cook in like 10 minutes!  And why the heck would you cook beans with cream soup?!?  The concept of a casserole befuddled me & I wasn't exposed to it again until a couple of years ago the Boyfriend made me tuna casserole.  While still confused about the whole deal, I was hooked.

We don't make this dish very often since he doesn't really like canned tuna, but we do it sometimes when we want something that we can make a big batch of in very little time & not have to stand over it as it is cooking (maybe that's the motivation behind a casserole?).

The ingredients are simple...

     3 cups medium shell pasta

     10 ounces canned tuna in water, drain & flake

     1 can Cream of Mushroom soup

     3/4 cup water

     11/2 cup frozen vegetables

     Salt & pepper to taste

The steps are even simpler...

     Cook the shell pasta according to the instructions on the package

     In a baking dish, combine tuna, Cream of Mushroom soup, water, salt & pepper

     Once the pasta is cooked, drain it & add it to the baking dish

     Add in the frozen vegetables & mix everything together

     Bake at 350F for 1 hour, uncovered

And there it is.  A great way to add some texture to this otherwise soft dish is to crunch up some potato chips & add it on top; I particularly like using barbecue flavored chips. The top of the pasta gets a little dry from the oven which makes me think I should cover the dish for most of the hour.  But would that make the dish more soupy?  Or maybe I should use more water? 

From the Oven - Gingerbread Muffins

We love Arizemendi Bakery; especially the Corn cherry scone (for me) & the Ginger cup (for him).  Unfortunately, they haven't had the Ginger cup for the last few times that's we've been there.  So inspired, he asked for gingerbread muffins.  I found this recipe on Epicurious & adapted it using some of the reviews that people wrote in.

Start out with...
     23/4 cups all-purpose flour
     21/2 teaspoons baking soda
     11/2 teaspoons cinnamon
     1/2 teaspoon salt
     1/2 cup butter, softened
     1/2 cup light brown sugar
     2 eggs
     3/4 cup mild-flavored molasses
     3 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
     11/3 cup milk

Then you...
     In a big bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon & salt
     In a bigger bowl, cream together butter & brown sugar
     Add in the eggs & beat until incorporated
     Add in molasses & ginger; mix until incorporated
     Add in half of the dry ingredients & mix well
     Add in the rest of the dry ingredients & mix well
     With the electric mixer on low, gradually add in the milk until everything is together
     Pour the batter into a prepared muffin pan; bake at 350F for 25 minutes

I don't have a real muffin pan so I made mini muffins using a cupcake pan (bake for 17 minutes) instead.  The muffins are light & fluffy & don't hit you over the head with ginger flavor.  But if ginger is what you like, feel free to add more.  Note: if using dried ginger instead, reduce the amount by half since it is more potent than fresh ginger.

Quick & Easy - Parmesan Roasted Asparagus

The boyfriend was going to be late coming home so I was tasked with making dinner.  For me, I can make a quick dinner by grilling a chicken breast & pair it with a nice green salad.  But since I was cooking for another person, I should at least try to make something a little bit more put together.

Having had mostly land animals the week before & 2 nights of eating out, I really wanted something that was on the lighter side but would still be fulfilling - what with him eating as much as a family of 4. I had planned on making salmon & pasta already, but I didn't figure what vegetables to cook until right as I got home.

I got this recipe from PickyCook but I think the original one came from Ina Garten.  Anyway, this is super easy & takes only about 20 minutes.

All it takes is 6 ingredients (or 5 depending)...

     1 package of asparagus, about 15-20 stalks

     1/4 cup grapeseed oil or olive oil

     1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

     Salt & black pepper

     Paprika (optional)

In a oven safe dish...

     Evenly lay out trimmed asparagus* in 1 layer

     Drizzle with oil & season fairly aggressively with the salt & black pepper

     If you want, sprinkle in a small amount of paprika

     Toss everything together to ensure even coating & lay out the asparagus again

     Roast in a 400F oven for 15 minutes

     Remove the dish from the oven, sprinkle parmesan all over & watch it melt

The asparagus is tender & the tips are a little bit crispy.  Even though there is quite a bit of oil, it does not feel heavy whatsoever.  The paprika gives a little bit of heat at the end of each bite without making anything spicy so it just adds another layer of flavor.  This was super easy to make & I can easily see it paired with steak, chicken, or even a nice rack of lamb.

Nothing Homemade - Basil Prosciutto Pizza

Friends of ours recently posted pictures of a pizza that they made using frozen dough from Whole Foods.  Inspired, we tried our hand @ making our own version using ingredients (mostly) from Trader Joe's.

Throw into the shopping basket...

     1 package of Trader Joe's pizza dough

     1 package of Trader Joe's mozzarella cheese

     1 package of Stockmeyer sliced prosciutto

     1 jar of Classico traditional pizza sauce

     1 small bunch of fresh basil

And then throw everything together like this...

     Stretch or roll out the pizza dough into the desired thickness

     Spread an even layer of pizza sauce over the dough, leaving a 1/2 inch rim

     Sprinkle small slices of mozzarella cheese all over the pizza

     Lay down entire slices of prosciutto across the pizza

     Over the pizza with some more mozzarella cheese

     Roll up a few leaves of basil & cut them into thin strips; sprinkle over top

     Bake at 450F for 10 minutes

     

The pizza turned out well except the crust didn't get crispy & it wasn't even in thickness throughout.  The whole slices of prosciutto was not a great idea because it made cutting the pizza into slices sort of difficult; but that can also be a problem with the knife.  Also, I would suggest putting on the basil near the end or after the pizza is done baking.  In summary, this was a easy, fairly healthy, & delicious dinner that was put together in less than 30 minutes from start to finish.

Weekend Dinner - Cajun'esque Panko Crusted Cod

I am a huge salt'water fish lover; but the Boyfriend...not so much.  So to get him to not only eat but actually enjoy some fish, I had to get a little creative.  I found the original recipe on Group Recipes which used Halibut but I don't see why I couldn't experiment with cod instead.  The end result was really, really, spicy so I am reducing the amount of peppers used in the recipe that follows.


To make this recipe, you'll have to get...
     2 medium cod filets
     3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
     1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
     1/4 teaspoon salt
     1/4 teaspoon black pepper
     3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
     1/2 tablespoon Cajun seasoning*
     3 tablespoons olive oil

And then all you have to do is...
     Thoroughly dry the filets making sure all the liquid is out
     In a plate, combine the flour with the cayenne pepper
     In another plate, combine the panko & the Cajun seasoning
     Dredge the filets in the olive, the flour, & then the panko (you have to press hard)
     Put the filets onto a foil-lined cookie sheet & bake at 350F for 15 minutes

The fish comes out really moist & perfectly cooked with a crispy crust on top.  The bottom crust was a little soggy but that's to be expected as it sat touching another surface completely.  What can I do to get that bottom crust crispy too?!?  We had our filets with some rice & veggies but you can eat it with pasta or even with a little bit of a cucumber salad which can help alleviate some of the heat.

* Homemade Cajun seasoning: combine in a bowl: 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground oregano, 1/4 teaspoon paprika, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, & 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.

From the Oven - No Fat Banana Bread

If you read my banana cake recipe, you know that I have a pet peeve about yellow bananas.  Well it just so happened that this time around, I had some more yellow (actually they were more black) bananas around my apartment.  Not really satisfied with my previous attempt of baking banana goodies, I thought it best to go back to the basics & use a vegan banana bread recipe that I have tried before with great success; a recipe that my college roomie shared with  me.

Searching through old Facebook messages, I finally found the link to the original recipe after a good while.  *Click*.... Error 404 Page Not Found. NOOO!  What?!?  How can that be?!?

OK, so that was a dramatization of what actually happened but that doesn't mean I was any less disappointed about the disappearance of this delicious recipe.  But the show must go on - & I had to get rid of these bananas - so I searched around for a similar recipe & found this on Pinterest.

So to make a banana bread that doesn't have any fat, it will take...

     2 cups all-purpose flour

     1 teaspoon baking soda

     1/4 teaspoon salt

     1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

     1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce

     3/4 cup agave nectar (or honey)

     3 bananas, mashed

And you would have to...

     Combine flour, baking soda, salt, & cinnamon together in a bowl

     Combine apple sauce, agave, & mashed bananas in another bowl

     Add the wet ingredients to the dry & combine until everything just comes together

     Bake in a prepared loaf pan @ 375F for 30 minutes uncovered

     After 30 minutes, cover the pan with foil & bake for 20 more minutes

The picture is kind of blurry but the loaf turned out pretty decent...that was, until I took a bite.  It doesn't taste bad; actually it tastes pretty good.  But the texture was...well...interesting; it is kind of dense, thick, & makes you want to smack it in between your tongue/roof of your mouth.  I can't say his is a faulty recipe & I can't say that my substitution of agave nectar for the honey messed things up; but I can say that the lack of fat might have something to do with it.

*Sigh*...why are things that are bad for you always make things taste better?!?

From the Oven - Booze Cake 之 Leopard Khalua Cake

The boyfriend's aunt makes this cake every time there is a family gathering.  Since we don't see her very often & we couldn't possibly ask her to bake us the cake all the time, we decided to see if we could recreate this delectable treat for ourselves.  I searched through a bunch of recipes & almost all of them use boxed cake mix & instant chocolate pudding; finally I found this one on a blog.

The chocolate'y yummy goodness comes from...

     13/4 cups all-purpose flour

     1/2 cup corn starch

     1/3 cup dry milk powder

     6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

     1 tablespoon baking powder

     1 teaspoon salt

     2 cups granulated sugar

     1/4 cup (1/2 stick) softened unsalted butter

     3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons canola oil

     3/4 cup low-fat milk

     1 tablespoon vanilla extract

     4 large eggs @ room temperature

     1/2 cup Kahlua

All you gotta do is...

     Sift together all the dry ingredients & the sugar in a really big bowl

     Add in the butter, oil, milk, & vanilla & beat until the whole thing is smooth

     Add in the eggs and mix just until incorporated

     Add in the Kahlua & mix until just combined

     Pour batter into a prepared bunt pan & bake @ 350F for 45 minutes

After taking it out of the oven, let it cool inside of the pan for 30 minutes; flip it over onto a plate & Ta Da!!  I added chocolate chips to the recipe since that's how his aunt makes it.  But as I suspected, the batter was too thin & all the chips sunk to the bottom of the pan (top of the cake), giving it this spotty appearance; hence the name leopard Khalua cake.  Another thing I found helpful was to check the cake every 5 minutes after it's been in the oven for 25 minutes.  Take the cake out once a toothpick going into the center comes out with some wet crumbs.  I waited until the cake came out practically dry in the center (what the recipe says) & while the bottom of the cake was still moist, the center & the top got to be a bit dry.

From the Oven - Booze Cake 之 Rum Cake

I remember a few years ago my uncle & his family went on a cruise to the Caribbean Islands.  When they returned they brought with them several rum cakes that were moist, sort of rum'y, but not alcohol'y @ all.  Trying to revisit that flavor without having to hop on a cruise, I bought myself a bunt pan & went to work.


You will need to invest in...
     11/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, softened
     11/2 cups granulated sugar
     3 eggs
     1 egg yolk
     2 teaspoons vanilla extract
     2 tablespoons lemon zest (~1 lemon)
     3/4 cup dark rum
     3 cups all-purpose flour
     2 teaspoon baking powder
     1/2 teaspoon baking soda
     1/8 teaspoon salt
     1 cup heavy whipping cream

The procedure is simple...
     In a really large bowl, cream together the butter & sugar until light & fluffy
     Add in eggs, egg yolk, & vanilla; blend until well mixed
     Add in lemon zest & mix well
     Gradually add in dark rum & mix until well incorporated
     In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, & salt
     Add the dry ingredients & the whipping cream to the wet ingredients alternately
          Make sure you begin & end with the adding of the flour mixture
     Pour batter into prepared bunt pan & bake at 350F for 60 minutes
          Or until a toothpick comes out clean

And there you have it!  The original recipe calls for pouring a rum syrup over the cake after it comes out of the oven but I found that to be too alcohol'y & actually burnt the throat a bit.  The cake itself turned out not to be really rum'y @ all & it was not able to transport me to the Caribbean; but it was really moist & flavorful so yay!