Jalapeno Poppers

 

 

The holidays can be hectic. So many people to see, so many presents to wrap, so many places to go.

But once the holidays are over, there comes that wonderful time when it’s too cold to go out and, besides, why go out when the game’s on?

When it’s football Sunday, you need something cheesy, warm and a little spicy to munch on while your team charges to the end zone.

Jalapeno poppers are a bar food favorite. The breaded and fried crust, the spicy pepper, the cool and creamy cream cheese. It’s the layers and the different notes that make poppers so craveable. Plus, they accompany a beer nicely.

Frying is messy. And it’s not the healthiest preparation. So, we’re going to simplify and healthify these poppers by baking them.

For this dish you will need:

  • Jalapenos, halved and seeded
  • 8 oz package of cream cheese at room temp.
  • A cup of mexican cheese

Start by preheating the oven to 350 and covering a cookie sheet with aluminum foil.

Half and seed your jalapenos. 

IMG_3948

In a bowl, combine the cream cheese and the cheese.

IMG_3951

Take your mixture

IMG_3952

And, with a tablespoon, fill each jalapeno half

IMG_3953

Until they are all filled and lined up on your cookie sheet.

IMG_3954

Bake for about 20 minutes.

IMG_3955

And there you have a somewhat healthier version of your favorite bar snack for your game day.

Tomato Sandwich

IMG-20140520-00100 (1)

Does anything say summer more than a juicy tomato sandwich?

Toasted whole wheat bread, crisp and refreshing iceberg lettuce, tomatoes bursting with juice and freshness and seasoned lightly with salt and black pepper, and a slice of classic American cheese.

Roasted Tomato Grilled Cheese

IMG_2492

A juicy tomato nestled in a gooey grilled cheese is one of life’s simple pleasures.

And two slices of white bread, some cheese and a tomato slice has its place.

But sometimes, you want to pump it up a bit.

And that’s where roasting tomatoes comes in.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Slice your tomatoes and place them on a foil-lined cookie sheet. Season with olive oil, salt and lots of black pepper.

IMG_2493

Roast for about 45 minutes, until the tomatoes are toasty and golden.

IMG_2494

Place the tomatoes in your food processor or blender

IMG_2495

And blend til you have a smooth spread

IMG_2496

Spread the tomato sauce on both sides of your bread

IMG_2497

layer with mozzarella and fontina

IMG_2498

and lid it.

IMG_2499

melt some butter on a skillet and place your sandwich in the pool of butter.

IMG_2500

Cook until golden brown, then flip and cook the other side.

Slice and enjoy.

IMG_2501

Orange Cranberry Scones

I posted a recipe for the scones I made for mom and grandma last mother’s day, and with mother’s day coming up again soon, I decided to revisit that recipe and put a new spin on it.

Granted, I didn’t do anything more than add in some orange juice to the dough.

But it’s enough of a tweak to give the scones a new taste and a nice burst of freshness.

Sometimes a tiny change to a recipe is all you need!.

  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 2-3 tablespoons sugar (depends on how sweet you want them)
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • pinch of salt
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • zest of one orange

Preheat the oven to 400

Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl.

IMG_2452

Add the cold butter to the dry ingredients.

IMG_0448

If you’re fancy, you can pull out your pastry cutter to combine the butter and flour mixture. If you’re lazy, you can use your food processor to blend it all. If you’re like me, you know that your hands are the best tool. I just stick my hands in and start breaking the butter up into the flour. You want to end up with pea-size bits of dough.

Make a well in the center and pour in the orange juice and the milk.

IMG_2524

stir to combine.

Sprinkle in the orange zest and the dried cranberries then mix again.

The dough will be tacky.

Form into little football shapes and place on a cookie sheet.

I got 8 scones from this recipe.

Bake for 13-15 minutes.

The perfect breakfast or mid-morning snack!

spinach salad with Dried plums and cranberries

It’s a Dreary and Drizzly day here in New York. It’s Downright chilly out and a Darn shame that it can’t just be spring already…. Daffodils in bloom, kids picking Dandelions…

Okay. I think you get it. It’s D day here at the A to Z challenge.

And this gray day could really use a punch of color and brightness.

So, I painted my nails hot pink (I’m obsessed with my new Julep subscription)

And decided to mix up a delicious salad.

Now salads can be boring.

If everything is all one note, same texture, then you’re just going to feel like a bunny munching on greens. No offense to bunnies. Easter Bunny, if you’re reading, I’ll leave you some carrots in exchange for some robin’s eggs.

But if you’re having a salad for lunch, you want it to be interesting enough that you won’t be at the vending machine getting a Snickers bar, and satisfying enough that you’re not rummaging around for a bag of pretzels at 3 o’clock.

Lately I’ve been really into adding dried fruit to my greens. It adds a nice chew, a hint of sweetness and a new texture.

Here’s my spinach

IMG_2482

I added some marinated artichokes for some fat and some zing

IMG_2483

next some dried cranberries and dried plums (yes, prunes. sounds so much better to say dried plums though, no?)

IMG_2484

Some sunflower seeds for crunch and protein to keep me full

IMG_2485

A simple dressing of sunflower oil (to pick up on the sunflower seeds) and champagne vinegar and voila!

An interesting, delicious and filling salad

 

IMG_2490

BLT Salad

 

IMG_1457

My fiance just got his wisdom teeth out.

Which means he’s on the applesauce and mashed potato diet.

I feel horrible. But, at the same time, I’m hungry. And I can chew. So mashed potatoes and applesauce are just not going to cut it for me.

But I also don’t really feel like cooking just for me. When I lived alone I never really cooked, not because I couldn’t cook, but because it seemed like such a lot of work to make a meal just for myself.

But from that time alone, I’ve come up with some satisfying meals that involve just the smallest amount of cooking. This is one of them.

I love big salads for dinner. But sometimes you need a little meat tossed in there to make it really feel like a meal. Usually I go the route of the prosciutto salad dressing, but I was in the mood for something with a little more to it.

I liked the idea of prosciutto, but I wanted something a little smokier, something more like bacon.

And so, a BLT salad.

I love BLTs, but sometimes you just aren’t in the mood for a sandwich. Don’t brush aside the meal, but instead think about deconstructing it and assembling it in a bowl.

For this salad you will need:

  • Bacon
  • Lettuce
  • Tomato
  • Avocado
  • (and any other bits you like added to your BLT)

For the dressing, I’m making a champagne vinaigrette. But again, use whatever you like.

My dressing is a tablespoon of good, spicy mustard, a tablespoon of champagne vinegar, two tablespoons of olive oil and some freshly ground black pepper, tossed in a mason jar, then shaken (lid on) to combine.

IMG_1453

From there it’s just a matter of slicing up your veggies and your bacon

IMG_1455

Tossing in a bowl and topping with dressing.

IMG_1456

I’m aware it’s slightly mean to make bacon and fill the apartment with the intoxicating aroma when your other half can’t eat, but I’ve made promises to make him all of his favorites as soon as he’s better.

That makes it okay.

Right?

I’m Tellin Helen You ate the Cinnamon Rolls!

IMG_1526

The Irish Coffee was a good way to kick off the snow day.

But this winter storm calls for something even better.

Grandma Helen’s Cinnamon Rolls.

I may have told you about my grandma Helen before, so if I have, I apologize. But she was such a great woman that she deserves a repeat story.

My dad is one of 6 kids – 2 girls and 4 boys. And there is a wide age range between with the first 3 being born about a year apart from one another and then the fourth following after about 8 years. Which means that when my parents were dating at 17, my dad’s youngest brother was 7.

My grandmother had no dishwasher. And no driver’s license.

But she cooked and baked. A lot.

When she passed away and we held her wake, the funeral home was filled to the max with kids from the neighborhood who used to come over for dinner or snacks or family parties. She basically fed the whole neighborhood at some point. Pies, stews, spitzad, pepperoni and string beans, and a whole list of things. Thursday night spaghetti night would find my aunt’ college friends piled into the kitchen.

But Monday night. Monday night football to be exact, was about cinnamon rolls.

I’m not going to lie, I’ve been intimidated by this recipe for some time. Yeast. Letting dough rise. Making a caramel sauce?

Yikes!

But it actually isn’t that bad. And it is totally worth the wait.

Before I get started, a note on the name. My dad and his siblings used to say to each other “I’m tellin’ Helen!” whenever one or the other did something bad. Eating these cinnamon rolls is not in any way a bad thing. But eating them all and not saving any for a family member is definitely a bad thing!

So be sure to share.

Or I’m telling Helen you hate the cinnamon rolls.

For this recipe you will need:

  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup margarine, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup scalded milk
  • 1 package dry yeast
  • 1/2 cup warm water
  • 3 and 3/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 egg, room temperature
  • extra margarine for greasing the dough
  • 2 tablespoons melted butter for brushing the dough
  • cinnamon
  • brown sugar
For the glaze:
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 6 tablespoons margarine
  • 4 tablespoons hot water
Okay. To get started combine sugar, salt, margarine and scalded milk in a large bowl.
Scalded milk is milk heated to just before boiling.
It will look something like this – bubbles at the edges and a slight skin on the top.

IMG_1525

IMG_1502

IMG_1503

IMG_1506

Dissolve the yeast in a half cup of warm water

IMG_1504

When the yeast mix is lukewarm, add it, half the flour and the egg to the sugar, margarine and milk mixture.

IMG_1507

Continue to stir and incorporate the flour until all of it has been added.

Turn the dough ball out onto a floured surface and knead for a few minutes.

IMG_1508

Grease the dough ball with margarine, then place back in the bowl, covered with a towel in a warm place.

IMG_1510

Let the dough rest and rise for 1 and a half hours.

It will double in size.

IMG_1512

Then, punch the dough down, cover and let sit for another 15 minutes. It will rise a bit again.

IMG_1513

Now we are ready to get rolling! Preheat the oven to 350.

Flour your work surface. The Itty Bitty kitchen does not have enough counter space to roll out dough, so we use our table.

IMG_1514

Roll out the dough into a rough rectangle. We’re going to roll it up like a jelly roll so you want it to be fairly thin.

IMG_1518

Brush the dough with melted butter and sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. Be generous.

IMG_1519

Starting at one ed, carefully roll it up.

IMG_1521

Leave the dough to sit for a minute while we make the glaze.

In a sauce pan, heat one cup of brown sugar and four tablespoons of hot water, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.

IMG_1516

Add 6 tablespoons of margarine and stir until melted.

IMG_1517

Pour this sauce into the bottom of a greased 9×13 baking tray.

IMG_1520

Stay with me on this one.

Slice the cinnamon roll log up – I got 16 rolls out of this dough – and place the slice rolls in the tray on top of the sauce.

IMG_1522

Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. The rolls will absorb the glaze and will puff up.

IMG_1526

Let them sit for about 5 minutes so the glaze sets up on the rolls.

Flip.

Marvel at the ooey-gooey cinnamon deliciousness.

IMG_1524

Stormchaser – Irish Coffee

Well, the city got hit by winter storm Hercules.

It’s cold.

It’s windy.

And the streets are a big slushy mess.

It’s the perfect day for Irish coffee!

Irish coffee is one of those drinks that bars and restaurants will charge you a ridiculous amount for. You will be walking around, cold and tired, and you will see a warm and snug Irish pub, beckoning to you with freshly brewed coffee and a shot of whiskey.

Well, guess what? That’s all it is, so man up. Buy a bottle of Jameson and brew up some coffee.

IMG_1494

 

Jameson

IMG_1495

Milk

IMG_1496

Coffee

IMG_1497

Whipped Cream

IMG_1498

Cinnamon

IMG_1499

Slainte!

 

 

IMG_1500