Easy Ganache

Hello and WELCOME to my new subscribers!  It is so good to see you all, it has been a little but but I know you all understand "life".  It is all going a million miles an hour and I love it, mostly!

I wanted to share my easy ganache recipe.  It really is a basic that I should have shared long, long ago.  It is the glorious ingredient in so many things and it is the crowning glory of so many more!

I will show you in the video, how to use my ganache 3 ways.  Glazed topping, whipped frosting, and truffles!

You can double or triple this recipe depending on what you are doing and how much you need.   I ALWAYS use semi sweet chocolate chips.  Here we go!

2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

In a bowl, place your chips.  Then, either on your stove top or in the microwave, scald your heavy cream.  That means you need it to be bubbling around the outside but not boiling.  Pour it carefully over the chips, make sure they are all submerged and wait 2 minutes.  Let the heat of the cream work and then take a whisk and start mixing slowly.  You aren't looking to incorporate air, just mix the chocolate and cream together.  When it is smooth, add your vanilla.  Now.....

You can immediate dip cupcakes, or donuts, eclairs, cream puffs, etc in the ganache after letting it set about 5 to 10 more minutes.  

You can let it cool in the fridge, like over night.  Take a hand mixer to it and whip it.  You can see it changing color to a lighter brown as air incorporates and it basically transforms to the most decadent silky chocolate whipped cream you have ever been blessed enough to indulge in!  Pipe it on or spread it between cake layers, frost cakes, cupcakes, eat it with a spoon.  I would NEVER do that, but...I mean I have done it and highly recommend it!

Last of my choices is truffles.  Let it get really solid, use a small cookie scoop or spoon, roll into balls and then roll in anything...crushed chocolate candies, nuts, coconut, cocoa, powdered sugar, maybe stick a surprise in the center!

Here is a link to my video.  Make sure to subscribe, I would LOVE to have you!  

ENJOY!

Cheesy Kielbasa and Pasta Dinner

Good evening my friends!  It feels so good to bring you a new recipe last week and another one this week!  I have missed it, and all of you.

I found kielbasa at the store marked down.  1.00!  I bought a handful, ok....I bought 8,  Straight into the freezer for a good potato and kielbasa hash with a fried egg on top or something for breakfast or breakfast for dinners.  I asked you all on Facebook for your best recipes using kielbasa, and what great feedback.  I plan to give many of them a try!  I wanted to use pasta and cheese, and had never run across much of that nature so I went to work and hit this on the head, the first time and I can assure you, this might be a once a weeker in our house now!

This is a one pot show.  Everything into one hot tub and you are golden.  I even served it straight out of the pot.  Why not?  Added some crusty bread and a green salad and boom!

Feel free to trade out the can of diced tomatoes for a very large fresh tomato, diced!

1 T olive oil
1 lb kielbasa, cut into coins
1 tsp minced garlic
1- 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes (feel free to swap out one LG fresh tomato, diced)
3 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 T onion powder
16 ounces short pasta (I used rotini)
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (divided)

In a large pot, on medium heat add in your olive oil.  Let warm for a minute and add in your keilbasa and let heat through and brown for 2-3 minutes.  Add in your garlic and stir constantly for 1 minute.  Add in your chicken stock and tomatoes (with juice).  Stir in your onion powder and bring the mixture to a boil. 

When it boils, add in your pasta, stir and cover and let simmer 8-9 minutes.
 

Remove lid, stir in heavy cream and 1 cup of cheddar cheese.

Mix until combined.  Add the other cup of cheddar on top and put the lid back on.  Let sit for 3-4 minutes to melt the cheese.

I served this with some nice crostini and fresh green beans!

If you enjoy this recipe you may also enjoy:

Mexican Spaghetti
Goulash
Orecchiette and Sausage

Pumpkin Cream Pie

Ahh, the week before Thanksgiving, some of us are scrambling to finish our menus and some of us had our menus done a month ago.  Darn you organized people!

This will be our first major holiday without my mom, so we are going to enjoy it, most of my family will be here and I plan to make a couple of dishes that my mom always made.  It is going to be fun, maybe a bit sad, definitely food filled and undoubtedly a day of memory making!

I had asked you the other day what kind of pies you would like to see in "MILE HIGH" form.  The usual suspects appeared, chocolate, coconut, etc.  I asked because I was dreaming about this mile high pumpkin cream pie.  While I admit, pumpkin pie is NOT my favorite thing about Thanksgiving, I do eat a piece.  It is practically unAmerican not to.  I put on twice as much whipped cream as their is pie and enjoy every bite.  I thought to myself, "self.....why can't you put the cream with the pumpkin, almost like the lime and the coconut and cut out the middle man"?  What makes MY mile high pies, mile high?  The filling, AND the slightly sweetened, hint of vanilla fresh whipped cream.  I don't care much for meringue on a pie, in fact, to be honest, I don't care for pie in general.  If a pie goes in the oven, I almost never would eat it.  If it has to be chilled, or contains the words, "French" and "Silk", I will wrestle small children to get a piece.  Pie has just never been my "thing".  I suppose I can blame it on the fact that I dislike fruit tremendously and almost all pies are fruit filled.  BINGO!

So while this may not technically be MILE HIGH, if you double the filling, it can be.  And I would be thrilled if you did that, or double the whipped cream, mount that stuff up so high you can lick the top while standing!  Go ahead, DO IT!!

With that said, get this made, put it in your freezer, and take it out Thanksgiving morning.  Done.  Ahead.  YES!

Crust:
40 Nilla Wafers
10 graham cracker squares
1 stick of butter (1/2 cup) melted
4 T white granulated sugar

Get our your food processor, toss in everything except your butter.  and pulverize!  You want almost a sand consistency.  Add in the butter and let it go until the mixture is that of wet sand and will stick together if you squeeze some in your hand.

Press into a deep(ish) 9 inch pie plate.  Using a measuring cup or a flat bottom drinking glass, press it into the bottom and side.  Refrigerate for 30 min to 1 hr.

FILLING:
1, 16oz (approx) can of PURE PUMPKIN (not Pumpkin Pie Filling)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 oz. softened cream cheese
2. 3.4 oz boxes of instant vanilla pudding
1 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

In your standing mixer add in pumpkin, cinnamon, powdered sugar, vanilla and softened cream cheese.  Mix until combined.  Add in instant vanilla pudding and heavy whipping cream and whip on high until it becomes thickened and creamy.  (It will set up more in the fridge, but whip it long enough please, probably a good 3-4 minutes at least)  Pour into your crust and refrigerate 2 hours before topping with fresh whipped cream!

Sweetened Whipping Cream:
2 cups heavy cream
3-4 T powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Whip all ingredients until stiff peaks form.  Spread or pipe on to the pie.  Refrigerate until time to serve or freeze for 1 hour, and wrap well to stay frozen until the morning before serving!

ENJOY!

Cheesy Chicken Gnocchi

 So....as my husband and I sit in a popular Italian chain restaurant, eating soup and bread sticks like tomorrow may never come, he says to me, "OMG, you need to make this soup into a casserole or a real "dish".  And that my friends is how this happy accident began.

.....Fast forward 2 days, he keeps asking me to make this.  Admittedly I have 2 packages of gnocchi in the cupboard.  I have everything else I need to create his own personal heaven.  I decide that today is THE day.  I turned on my fave music, put on some lipstick and off I went.  End result? Complete FAIL!   However, that is now how this story ends.  While it was a complete fail as far as a copycat, sort of, not really version of the soup, it turned out to be a pan of cheesy, chickeny, gnocchi-ee goodness and I do not for one second feel bad that it "didn't turn out".  I feel so "unbad" I am sharing it with you!

This will feed a crowd, and I can't imagine anyone not liking it.  If you groove on making your own gnocchi, get on with your bad self, I purchased mine.  If you make it, make sure to tag me on Instagram or Twitter!!  Snapchat me!!


2 pkg. gnocchi (mine were 17.5 oz. each)
4 T. butter
2 large chicken breasts, cut into small cubes or pieces
1 cup shredded carrots
1/3 cup flour
2 cups chicken stock
3/4 cup heavy cream (or half and half)
1 T. dried parsley
1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a large pot, melt your butter.  and add your chicken and carrots.  Cook over medium-high heat until chicken is cooked all the way through.  Add in flour and stir well, let it cook for about 1 minute.  Add in chicken stock, while still on medium high heat, bring to a boil, stirring constantly, when it has begun to thicken add in heavy cream, parsley, and all of your grated cheeses.

Stir to combine,remove from heat and let sit.

Bring another large pot of water to boil.  Follow the direction on your package of gnocchi.  If you are making them homemade, you are a better person than me, so you will know how to cook them!  When the water boils, chuck them in and the second they float they are done.  Make sure to get these out right away.  They will be going in the oven for a very short time and you don't need them overcooking.

So as I was saying, when they are done, use a slotted spoon or spider and scoop them out, let them drain and toss them in the pot with the sauce!  Get them all in, gently stir to combine and pour into a greased 9x13 casserole dish or pan.  Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, then turn to broil and let it get golden brown on top!  That cheese and butter get a little crusty and it is heaven!!

Enjoy friends!

Chicken and Biscuits

Hello again!  I have been so busy, working on crafting for a couple of big shows coming up and not spending as much time in the kitchen as I need or like to.  That will be changing soon!  I promise!

I was at my son and daughter in laws the other day and decided I would test a new recipe on them.  It was a hit and among the moans and groans my grandson blurts out, "NONNA, dat mell dood"!  It was priceless.  I can't believe he and his sister will soon be 2.  I don't know where the time goes!  Wait, yes I do, it has OBVIOUSLY been walking all over my face, because what else would be leaving all of these new lines?

ANYWAY.... with the arrival of fall, is the arrival of comfort food.  It is almost like that fact that it is fall makes it OK to indulge regularly.  At least semi-regularly.  No excuse needed, it is just fall, it is what is done in the fall.  The gym?  No, that is for spring and summer.  Fall is for comfort food!

Enjoy this as much as my family did and I hope someone in your life hollers at you and says, "MMMM, da melll DOOD"!

1 T olive oil
1 T butter
3 lg chicken breasts, cubed. uncooked
1/4 tsp poultry seasoning
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp salt
2 cups diced carrot
2 cups chopped celery
1 cup finely chopped onion
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup half and half or heavy cream
1 can of 8 over sized buttermilk biscuits

In a large pot add in your butter and oil.  When the butter has melted add in the chicken, poultry seasoning, onion powder and salt.  Stir often and cook until chicken is cooked all the way through.  This will depend on the size of your chunks of chicken but I would guess 5-7 minutes.  When it is done, remove from the pot, leaving all of the liquid behind.

Now add in your carrots, celery and onion.  Saute for about 4-5 minutes, until they are tender crisp.  We aren't going for mush, we want a little bite to them veggies, but we want to cook them so they are a bit more tender.

When they are at your desired level of tender crisp, add in flour, and stir, coating the veggies for about 1 minute.  Now add in chicken stock and cream/or half and half.  Stir to get the flour dissolved, add the chicken back in,  and bring to a boil, let simmer heavily until your mixture begins to thicken.

Pour into a greased or sprayed 9x13 pan and place your refrigerator biscuits on top.  Bake according to biscuit directions.  Let sit 5 minutes before serving.

ENJOY!

Banana Cupcakes with Whipped Peanut Butter Ganache

Let me start by thanking Melissa Whitefoot, for requesting this recipe.  It is my goal to make as many kinds of cupcakes in this, my birthday month as possible.  So make sure to get your requests or ideas in, because it may be YOUR idea that I make next!!   Let me also, tell you, how difficult this actually was.  Seriously, it doesn't seem like it should have been but, trust me, it was!  I think they turned out perfect in the end and isn't that what matters?  Let me tell you of my debacle!

This recipe was supposed to be up a couple of days ago.  However, each attempt at this, kept turning out more like a muffin or bready.  Though the flavor was great, I was disappointed with each try because, well, I wanted cupcakes, not bread and not muffins!

Then, I got a call from my sister Peg.  She is my fellow cake mix addict, and friends, after our conversation I decided to "turn tot he mix".  After 4 tries, and pounds of bananas, and more muffins than I knew what to do with, I thought, let me just go "there".   I mean it was already a CAKE mix.  How could this turn out bad?  And why was I beating myself up so much for "resorting" to a box mix when I am loud and proud about how I have 10 in my pantry at any given time?!?  I made a decision, at that moment, that no matter what I did, I couldn't mess this one up.  And boy was I right.  Perfection.  The perfect flavor combo if you enjoy these flavors, one doesn't outweigh the other, and well, just trust me.

Just a note, though I did use a half of a teaspoon of banana extract you do not NEED it.  If you can get it, I would say, go for it, I find mine actually at my Asian grocery store, but, you don't have to have it.  Don't use vanilla, just let the banana that you use give you the flavor you need.  Also, when you mash your banana, leave some chunks, it leave little pockets of banana goodness that pureeing them would just mess all up. 

Let's get on with this!  I am going to give you the ganache recipe first, as you will need to let it come to room temperature and then refrigerate. 

12 ounces peanut butter chips  (not regular peanut butter friends, you need CHIPS)
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 T. butter

Place your chips into a bowl.  Set aside.  In a small pot, place  your heavy cream and watch for it to create some bubbles on the outside.  You don't want to boil it, just "scald" it.  Pour it over the chips, without stirring or disrupting them, let it sit for 30 seconds.  After 30 seconds, begin to mix with a whisk.  Whisk until the peanut butter chips are melted, add in the butter and whisk until incorporated.  Set aside.

1 yellow cake mix
1/2 tsp. banana extract or essence
3 bananas just crushed up with a fork. (leave some chunks)

Preheat oven to suggested temperature on the box.  Prepare according to package directions adding in the extract and the bananas.  Don't worry about the size of your bananas just make sure they are nice and ripe and sweet!  Line your cupcake tin with papers.  This will make exactly 24 cupcakes.  Bake for 24-28 minutes.  You need a few extra minutes with the extra moisture from the bananas.  Take out and let cool completely.

Now place your ganache in your stand mixer or in a bowl if using a hand mixer.

 Now whip that ganache....(Every ounce of me wanted to say, whip it, whip it real good).  Anyway whip until the color lightens, it becomes large in volume and it has the texture of almost a whipped cream.  This will be just enough icing for 24 cupcakes.  Don't use a ton or it will over power the mild banana flavor!!

Leave them plain or garnish with some sprinkles or decorations!!

Dig in and trust me when I tell you, if the combo of peanut butter and banana is your thing, make someone hide them from you.  They are moist and pure sunshine in your mouth!

ENJOY!

3 Minute, 3 Ingredient Strawberry Mousse

You guys, I just love Valentine's Day.  I know YOU know, but in case someone new is reading I want them to know, that I love it too!  I am blessed with a marriage where I am married to my best friend!  He is such a teddy bear, AND my hottie!!  Love is a blessing, marriage is a gift, and truly have been blessed and gifted with both.   Anyhoodle, this recipe is easy, and can be made by even the most inexperienced cook.  3 minutes, no joke.  We will also be cooking IN on Valentine's day, because to me, nothing says I love you like filling the tummy of the one or ones you love most with his/her favorite things.  Food is love, we all know that!

This is kind of just a simple fake out mousse.  It is actually almost the same filling I make for my Mile High Banana Cream Pie recipe.  I just adjusted it a bit to be a bit more of the consistency and flavor I was looking for.  Obviously for my holiday dessert I wanted it pink.  I could not find instant strawberry or cherry pudding.  I wanted to keep it at 3 ingredients though so I I didn't want to use vanilla and have to color it and flavor it.  So, what I DID find was by Royal, and it is Greek Yogurt Pudding Mix.

I have never seen it before, but I found it, and I don't like yogurt for the record.  I mean, I won't TOUCH yogurt, but this tastes amazing and really just tastes like pudding flavor to me.  I did end up adding a couple of drops of food coloring, since it isn't really pink, but that is completely optional.  So is the course sugar sprinkled on top but, that crunch with the creaminess of the mousse, make perfection.  Just sayin...

So if you want vanilla or chocolate, or any other pudding flavor you can find, go for it.  That will be perfect too.  So technically 3 ingredients and shouldn't take more than 3 minutes, and you in fact, can eat it directly after preparing, no need to chill. 

I hope you enjoy this, and make it for your Valentine's day IN! xoxo

1 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup milk
1 3.4 ounce box of Greek Yogurt Pudding (or you can use any flavor, I just wanted strawberry)
food coloring IF needed

In a medium mixing bowl, add in heavy whipping cream. (or your stand mixer bowl) Whip until soft peaks form.  Add in pudding mix and continue to beat for 1 minutes.  Add in milk, and beat until combined.  Now you may find you want slightly more milk, but this is the perfect consistency to me of what mousse should be!  This makes about 4, 3/4 cup servings.  So heck, maybe we should just call this a "just for 2"!! No, put it in 4 ramekins or bowls (or one big bowl), our self esteem won't suffer so much if we eat 2 small helpings, perhaps, an hour apart or so.  Right?

Strawberries, Moscato, and Cream Cake

WARNING: I have been playing with cake mixes again.  I know this will displease some of you and others will be ecstatic.  Either way, don't let this recipe out of your sight or mind until you make it!

Love is in the air!  I love Valentine's Day.  Not because I need a special day to express my love for my husband or anyone I love, but because I like having a special day to do it up even more than ever!  I know many who loathe Valentine's Day.  But who needs to be IN love, can't you celebrate the love of kids, family, friends, etc?  I love to spread the mushy love stuff around!!

That being said, this cake, besides being DE-lish, is perfect for celebrating Valentine's Day with your kids or families.  It will definitely feed more than 2, and it is perfect for the occasion!  I do everything heart shaped on Valentine's Day, you would think I would outgrow that stuff, but nope, never, EVER going to outgrow it! 

This cake looks beautiful, maybe even slightly complicated but it isn't at all, that is the great part.  You are really going to make someone think you worked like crazy, when you barely did much work at all!  I would not make this cake ahead.  I would make it the day of serving.  You want it all as fresh as possible.  I also did not sweeten my strawberries, with the condensed milk and sweetened whipped cream, it is sweet enough that teeny bit of tartness is delightful.

Give it a try, and be careful, I might keep playing with cake mixes!

Here is what you will need:
Strawberry Cake Mix
2 tbsp. red sprinkles
Pink Moscato Wine (I like Barefoot)
14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 pint fresh strawberries, sliced

Preheat your oven to temperature recommended according the pan size you are using.  I used 2 heart shaped pans to make this layered effect, but you are more than welcome to use a plain 9x13, it will work out just as beautifully.  I promise!  Make sure whatever pans you use, spray with nonstick cooking spray well, and if using 2 shaped pans, line the bottom with parchment paper. 

Mix up you cake mix according to package directions EXCEPT when it calls for water, substitute that with the pink Moscato.  Add red sprinkles into your batter and mix.  

No this is NOT a sponsored post, I simply only will use Pillsbury for a strawberry cake mix!

Now pour into your pan(s) and bake for the recommended time.  Remove from the oven and let sit 10 minutes.  Using a large for, (I used a meat fork) poke holes all over the cake(s).  Now if you are doing one cake, pour the condensed milk over the top or divide, half over one cake and the other half over the other.  Let sit for 20 minutes. 

At this point place your cold heavy cream, vanilla and powdered sugar in a large bowl or stand mixer and whip until you achieve stiff peaks.  From here on out, it will depend on what kind of cake you are making as to what you will do next. 

For a 9x13, spread whipping cream on top of the cake, sprinkle around your sliced strawberries, cover and refrigerate until serving.

 

For a layered cake, place one cake on your cake plate of choice.  Top with 1/2 of whipped cream mixture.  Place second cake on top, cover the top with the rest of the whipped cream and top with strawberries. 
NOTE: You can use double the strawberries and add them to the first layer on top of the whipping cream as well. 

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Enjoy and feel the love in the air!

Three Meat Quiche

Good Morning......err... wait, evening! HA!  Eggs, sausage, etc, had me thinking morning, but in reality, this can be eaten anytime!  This is my first quiche, ever.  It is true, I have never made a quiche.  Why not you ask?  No idea, none at all, just haven't. 

This was a request of my husband.  And how about this, I have him thinking like a food blogger/food stylist.  He asked me to not put the bacon inside but make the top a lattice work of bacon.  Genius.  He is adorable and he never ceases to throw out ideas for me.  I love that he is so supportive, I am grateful and blessed.  He is a meat man, so I made this a 3 meat quiche.  I mean, it is basically a savory custard, what have I been so afraid of?  I feel so silly!  This is EASILY made ahead if you are expecting company.  And how about lunch with a salad?!  Soup and some quiche, YES!

There are just a couple of things that need to be done ahead.  You need a pie crust, you can either buy one or use my recipe which is perfection, you can find  it here.  You need to blind bake the crust.   I baked mine at 425 for 12 minutes.  You need the pie crust to be baked so it will hold your custard filling and not get soggy!

While you have that in the oven, use 1lb, thick cut bacon and lattice it on parchment paper laid on a baking sheet.  (see photo) Bake it for 20-30 minutes, same temp as the shell, until it is crispy.  Remove from the oven and let it sit to cool so you can pat off the extra fat.  I can trimmed mine, so when I was ready it would fit perfect on top.  The trimmings you ask?  Cooks treat, duh!  Lower oven to 350 now!

Ingredients:
4 eggs
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 cup diced bacon
1/2 lb. ground breakfast sausage, browned and drained
1 lb. thick cut bacon
1 pie crust

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  In cooled crust, add in browned sausage and diced ham.  Spread evenly like this...

In a bowl whisk together eggs, heavy cream, and parmesan cheese.  Pour over the meat in the pie crust.  Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until set.  You should be able to insert a knife and have it come out clean.  Let it sit for 10 minutes.  Lay your latticed bacon that you have patted dry of extra grease over the top. 

 

 

ENJOY!!

 



 

Creamy Tomato Soup

I have an announcement people!  It is finally the season where eating soup is socially acceptable.  I mean, it could be 105 outside and I would be eating soup but I said it was "socially acceptable" now.  Thank goodness, I get tired of my closet soup eating in the summer months!  Constantly I hear, "How can you eat soup when it is SO HOT outside"?  I ask in return, "How can you drink a cold glass of water when it is SO COLD outside"?  Same diff peeps.  I digress........

This is one of my favorites and I will be the first to admit, I am a Campbell's Tomato Soup fan.  Yes, yes I am.  However, if I can make it myself, with no chemicals and all that ick, why not?  Will it stop me from keeping cans of it in my pantry, no, will it make me want it this way when I have what I need on hand, definitely.  I made this a huge pot, and we had some for lunch today and we might have it for dinner tonight, I don't care, I LOVE it!

Here is a Simmerman family tip.  Do you love grilled cheese with tomato soup?  Make your grilled cheese, make sure it browns maybe a bit further than you would normally take it.  Now let it cool a couple of minutes, cut into cubes.  Yes, that is right, cubes, then float those babies like croutons in your tomato soup.  Can I get a "HELL YEAH"?!?!  Sorry for the language, sometimes, I can't control it. 

So here we go with the easiest, but so yummy creamy tomato soup.  Now, even though you are using crushed tomatoes, I STILL take the time to stick my immersion blender in the soup and give it  a whiz up.  You don't have to by any means or you could use your blender.  I think it just adds a touch more silkiness to it. 

You will need:
28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes
1 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
2 tsp. salt (or to taste)
2 cups half and half
3/4 cup heavy cream
black pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a pot.  Let this simmer for 20 minutes, with the lid partially off, stirring occasionally to make sure nothing is burning.  Serve with some golden brown grilled cheese, crackers or just by itself!!

Enjoy!

Homestyle Creamed Corn



Hello friends!  How are your gardens?  Anyone have amazing farm markets?  Actually any farmers market is amazing, isn't it?  I told you I was on a farmer's market kick!  If we go to the work to grow all of this produce, we must have great recipes to use them on, right?

 I must admit, (hanging my head) I kind of dig creamed corn in a can.  Don't judge.   However, I had never tried to make it homemade.  Oh for heaven's sake, homemade creamed corn is an entirely different bird people!  I don't do fancy and hard, you all know that.  I am a real woman with a real family, and I blog, what we eat, we eat what I blog.  Plain and simple.  I knew if I could make some amazing creamed corn, I would be a rock star.   This was so thick, and so delicious and such a huge beginners luck dish!  I usually have to test a recipe a few times, to get it just how I want it.  I got the "do NOT mess with this one" vibe after eating it the first time.    So you are getting this one straight off of my stove! 

I am notorious for taking veggies and making them as unhealthy as possible.  Corn isn't so great for us anyway, so I don't feel bad with this one.  I can tell this is a new staple side for big meals for us from now one!  I hope you enjoy it, it is so easy, and very worth the 10 minutes of time it takes!

1 T butter
1/4 cup FINELY chopped red bell pepper
2 tbsp. flour
1 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 cups corn (use it off the cob, or thawed out frozen corn, takes about 6-8 ears)
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper

In a cast iron (or any skillet you choose), melt your butter.  When it is melted add in your bell pepper and sauté for a couple of minutes.  Add in the corn, and stir.  Sprinkle in the flour and stir and let it cook for a minute.  When the flour is incorporated, add in milk, cream, salt and pepper.  Stir to combine.  IF you are using fresh corn off the cob, let simmer on LOW, for 15-20 minutes and then let sit, for 10 minutes.  If you are using frozen corn that you have thawed out, simmer for 10 minutes and let sit for 10 minutes.  It will thicken GORGEOUSLY and the taste is..........perfection.

ACK!  Even my husband LOVED it!

Enjoy!

Butter Pecan Ice Cream

Is winter an odd time to be writing and posting recipes for ice cream?  Oh well.  I had a reader tell me that more ice cream is consumed in the winter than the summer.  I don't need proof, I am going to believe it because it is convenient for me. HA!

 

Remember Bess, my lunch buddy at our favorite Chinese restaurant?  Well, we have another lunch friend in our posse as well, her name is Dee!  She is one of those ladies, you just love being around, she is happy, positive, loving, caring, kind...I could go on and on.  She has a beautiful family and we all love our lunch visits!  On my birthday Dee brought me the cutest ice cream serving dishes shaped like cones!  I decided I had to do a recipe for her favorite ice cream which she informed me was Butter Pecan.  (I always used to think Butter Pecan was for the over 80 crowd) I am obviously wrong! HAHA!  I wanted to use this darling set for a photo as soon as I could because I LOVE it!  Thanks Dee, for your friendship, your kindness and pure goodness you bring to our lives!

Note: The ice cream cones, had to take a background position due to photographing the ice cream on an almost 70 degree day in FEB, and it melting REPEATEDLY on me.  Nothing more can be said.  Grrrr!

This is an easy recipe.  It is so rich, but oh so delightful.  This recipe will make exactly 1 quart of ice cream. 

1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
1 14ounce can, sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup melted butter

In a bowl, whip your heavy cream to stiff peaks.  Set aside.  In another bowl combine, condensed milk, brown sugar, pecans and cooled melted butter.  Using a hand mixer combine thoroughly.  Using a spatula cold the heavy cream into the sweetened condensed milk mixture.  When all is combine, put into a plastic container with a lid and freeze for at least 6 hours.  Overnight would make it even better. 

As you can see by my photo, I couldn't wait any longer.  And with the heat on, it got a little melty, but you know what???  Ice cream is supposed to drip, right?! teehee

Enjoy this, maybe even on a piece of PIE! OOHHH!!

Ho Ho Cake

Do you have ANY idea how juvenile my husband and I can be?  Oh, yea, we can be.  We just do it in the privacy of our own home!   Can you imagine the names we came up with for this cake?  I could get into detail but I will spare you the ridiculousness. 

I had never made a cake roll and it has been just screaming at me to do!  So here it is, the first one ever, that I have done.  I know a traditional HOHO or SWISS CAKE ROLL probably doesn't use a milk chocolate ganache, but can I just tell you how AH-MAZEBALLS it was on this cake?  Notice I use the past tense, because this baby was shared, and devoured!  I wanted to just experiment and give this a go, and low and behold, it was so easy.  You may get discouraged by the length of the directions.  It is a few more steps, but NOT at all hard in any way.  Just prep work to make it turn out as lovely as you had hoped! 

You can choose to just dust it with powdered sugar or cocoa.  You could eve just drizzle it with some chocolate or leave it plain.  That is all in your hands, you decide, but my HOHO Cake had to be as close to the read deal as I could get!  Now get to it!!

CAKE:
4 eggs
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
3 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Sift together flour and cocoa powder into a bowl.  Set aside.  In a heat safe bowl whisk together eggs and sugar until combined.  Place over a pot of water water and whisk until it begins to warm the mixture.  Switch to an electric mixer and continue to beat constantly until it has tripled in volume (or close to it!)  Remove from the heat, and gently fold in the flour/cocoa mixture. 

Prep your pan, a 12x16 jelly roll/cookie sheet pan.  Spray with nonstick spray, lay a piece of parchment on the bottom to cover the entire bottom and then spray again.  Spoon mixture into the pan and smooth until even.  Bake for 7-9 minutes or until the cake springs back in the center when slightly pushed in.  Remove and let cool 5 minutes.

While it is cooling, lay out on your counter or table a lint free dish towel.  Dust with cocoa powder and flip the cake out until the towel.  Carefully roll the cake up in the towel.  Flip the end of the towel over the end of the cake and roll.  Leave in the towel and refrigerate for 1 hour. 

FILLING:
1 3/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Whip with a stand mixer or electric hand mixer until stiff peaks.  I like to over beat it just a few seconds.  I like super stiff peaks!

ASSEMBLY:
Remove cake from the fridge and roll out carefully on the counter.  It is OK if it won't flatten all the way.  That means it won't crack when you roll it back up! YEAH for you!  Spread the whipped cream all over leaving about a 1/2 inch border all around.  (you may have some cream leftover, just keep it to serve along side!). 

Now roll the cake back up using the towel to help push it along.  Place it on a platter seam side down and prepare your ganache!

GANACHE:
2 cups milk chocolate chips
1 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp. butter

Warm heavy cream until fairly hot.  Put chocolate chips in a bowl and pour the hot cream over the top.  Add butter and vanilla let it sit for 1 minutes.  Whisk until all ingredients are combined and the chocolate is melted. 

Place cake on a piece of parchment paper (I used foil) or cooling racks.  Pick up carefully and dip each end in the ganache and let it drip off.  When both ends have been dipped, place the cake back on the racks and slowly spoon over the ganache until it is all covered. 

If you have extra ganache you can do two coats, let the first one set in the refrigerator first.  OR, you can let it cool, whip it with your beaters and have the best frosting for cupcakes, EVER!

It is not difficult, just a few steps to this fantastic, DELISH, GIANT, HO HO cake!  Enjoy!

BETTER than IKEA, Swedish Meatballs

.....even the ugly deserve love.  You know sometimes food is just not photogenic.  So, if you have eaten Swedish meatballs you know what they look like and you are going to just be nice.  NOTHING makes Swedish meatballs look pretty.  Nothing.

That being said, we were recently home, in South Jersey.  This obviously warranted a trip to a store I used to visit at least twice a month, Ikea.  I don't know how I am surviving without an Ikea where I am, but I am, barely.  I shopped until my husband dropped at the cafe, for his traditional snack, Swedish Meatballs.  We indulged and reminisced and I promised him when we got home I would do my best to make meatballs that taste just like Ikea's.  When he hate these meatballs he said they didn't quite taste like Ikea's, they were BETTER!  WOOHOO!  Better than Ikea Swedish Meatballs?!  That is EXACTLY what I am calling this post now!

These are super easy and super cool for a large crowd.  They are happiest in a crock pot.  Yes, I said it.  Don't dwell on it.  This makes a large batch but as I often tell you, these are easily frozen and reheated for later meals.  Do NOT forget the mashed potatoes or egg noodles, I made both.  I mean isn't life about choices?!

Meatballs:
2 lbs ground beef
1 lb ground pork
2/3 cup bread crumbs
2 eggs
3 tbsp. milk
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.  Make into meatballs using a cookie scoop or just eyeball it.  I got 75 meatballs.  Place on to parchment lined cookie sheets and bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes.

While that is cooking, it is time to make the cream sauce.

5 cups beef stock
6 tbsps. flour
6 tbsps. butter
1 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp. parsley (fresh or dried)

In a medium sauce pan melt butter and add in flour, whisk to combine and let cook about 30 seconds to 1 minute.  Add in beef stock while whisking, let come to a simmer and begin to thicken.  Add in heavy cream and whisk often, let simmer 5-7 minutes.  Sprinkle with parsley before serving!

Place all ingredients into a crock pot and cook on high for 3-4 hours. 

ENJOY!!

Your "Ikea for you, and Ikea for me" Chefwannabe