Where's The Macaroon Brownies!

There is a method to my madness you guys.  I swear there is.  I asked on Facebook how many of you like coconut.  I couldn't believe it!  I always thought most people DIDN'T like it.  You proved me wrong in a hurry.  I don't care for coconut unless it involves lotions, oil, or flavoring.  I don't enjoy the real deal.  This is how I keep from eating these things, I just make things I don't like! HA!  Genius, right?  I knew you were thinking it, it is OK to admit it. 

Anyway, when I named these all I could think of is "Where's Waldo?" when my husband asked, where the macaroon part was.  Thus, we got this name for them.  They are really so delicious, I even tasted one.  All good cooks taste their own food before they serve it.  WAIT, for the love....are you telling me if you make something you don't like, you don't TASTE it?  You just feed it to the masses?  I feel faint.  I actually loved these.  So moist and delish on the inside, soft and chewy brownie on the outside.  Perfection!

Let me tell you something that will make some of YOU faint.  Ready?  I can't type it, I am laughing to hard, because some of you FRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRREAK out over this.  Ready now?  I used a BOXED brownie mix!  You busy moms will thank me.  I figure, what the heck.  End of my story.  So go ahead, purchase your favorite brand because I KNOW you have one, you sly cat.....I know you do!  Prepare it per the package directions and set the batter aside.  You have some other work ahead of you!

MACAROON MIXTURE:
1 cup coconut
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 tbsp cornstarch
Combine all ingredients.  Form into balls.  You should get 15, you only need 12.  Feel free to bake the others off as plain macaroons.  DO NOT feel tempted to add to the others to make them all bigger.  If they are bigger the brownie batter won't cover!  Bake away my dear chefwannabe.....and just trust me.  Put them in the freezer for 15 minutes.  I can be longer, just at least 15. 

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Spray your muffin tin with non stick cooking spray, liberally.  Add 1 tbsp of batter into the bottoms of each cup.  Now, take the ball of macaroon mix, flatten it out just a wee bit and put it on top of the batter.  Don't push it down once it is in.  Make sure it has room to groove all around it so that the rest of the brownie batter can get around it.  When you have placed all of the balls, cover each with more batter.  Just keep feeling by the tablespoon until they are all filled and you can no longer see the macaroons!!

 

Bake for 30 minutes.  Let sit in the pan until completely cooled!  Carefully run a knife around the edges and they will pop right out.  If you try to do it while they are hot, they will come apart to easy.  They need to carry over cook and they are perfection!  You can do the toothpick test but not sure how accurate it will be with the macaroon centers.  The tops will be nicely firm, you will know when they are done, I have faith in you!

These will pop in your freezer nicely as well!  You can make them ahead or take one out at a time for a treat!  Let it sit 30-60 minutes on the counter and you are good to go!

Your "does NOT care for macaroons but these, are different" chefwannabe

Beef Enchiladas (Taco Inn Style)

What can I say?  I love Taco Inn.  Unless you live in Lincoln, NE or the area, you have no idea what I am talking about, but you have to trust me on this one.  I live in Omaha, and make what we call "taco runs" every month or 2.  It is an hour to get these enchiladas but who cares?  My nieces who grew up in Lincoln, and I occasionally torture each other with photos if we are on a "taco run".  Do you have a place like that?  A place you love and so you occasionally indulge and when you do it is all fireworks and rainbows?!  Once in awhile Geo will say, "Let's go somewhere for lunch we haven't been in a long time".  When I have no response, just an empty stare he will sigh and say, "You want a taco run don't you"?  THIS is why I love this man. 

Now this recipe is just crazy easy.  I even considered not writing about it, but I decided my beloved Taco Inn deserved to be written about.  I think I hit these dead on.  Or as close as I can possibly get.  I have made them before with no onion.  You all know how I feel about onions.  BUT.  This can't be recreated properly without them.   I know everyone of you are at different cooking levels, is a "to easy" recipe such a bad thing?  I serve these with some rice and chips and call it good.  I mean after all, at Taco Inn, they come alone, but we all know a side of Meat Nachos is a must. 

So amigos, let us move into the important part of this recipe.  The MAKING.  Oh and let me tell you, without sounding to "Steel Magnolia's" on you...these freeze beautifully.  As I typed that, I said it with a southern accent in my head, just so ya know.  I love having things I can pop out of the freezer on a night when my kitchen vibes are weak!

For 12-15 Enchiladas you will need:
2 lbs ground beef
1/2 onion diced fine (do a little bit of extra if you want to top your enchiladas with raw diced onion)
2 cans of  RED enchilada sauce
6 inch corn tortillas
1 pkg taco seasoning
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Brown hamburger and onion together. Mix the taco seasoning packet into 1 cup of water, then pour over the browned hamburger. 
Heat your corn tortillas in the oven or in the microwave, you need them very warm (almost hot) to make them pliable enough. 
On a cookie sheet, lay down a shell, cover half of it in your hamburger mixture and fold in half.  Repeat this until all of your hamburger is used.  Arrange on a cookie sheet or in a baking pan.  Cover with red enchilada sauce and cheese.  Bake for 10-15 minutes.  Remove and serve!

Your "why is it that it is STILL better to get it from Taco Inn"chefwannabe

Crab Cheese Wontons

The sun is shining so bright today.  You know Mother Nature has one hand on her hip, and using the other hand to point and laugh, right?  Because it is cold as crap outside, but from inside you think it might be ok for shorts and flip flops.  You put said items on to go to the store and people look at you funny.  I mean if you DID it, they would look at you funny.  WHAT?  Ok, so yea, I DID.  They are all dressed up like Eskimos.  Pfftttt.

Anyway, I FINALLY got this recipe.  I know you can find these recipes anywhere, but the right amount of this and that, is an art, and my friend Leng is on it.  She made these for us so long ago, back when we were friends in Jersey!  She and her husband and family live back in Vegas, we are back in Nebraska, so I knew my only immediate chance of getting them again was a Facebook email and making them myself!  Thankfully Facebook had taken its meds that day and the email was delivered.  When I saw how easy this was I couldn't believe it.  Easy AND awesome. You know how we feel in our family about Chinese food.  I mean seriously, we should just change our last name to like, hmm, I wonder what the Asian version of "Smith" is.  Seriously when I just said that the first name that came to mind was "Long Duck Dong".  A complete 80's teen.  Did anyone else want to BE Molly Ringwald?  Anyone else want to marry JAKE RYAN? Sorry, off topic.

Anyway, so do you call these crab cheese wontons or crab rangoon.  I always called them crab cheese wontons when they were from a real Chinese restaurant and crab rangoon when they were mall Chinese.  What do you call them? 

Here is Leng's recipe for,  Crab Cheese Wontons,.  Thanks so much for letting me share Leng!! I did add an extra ingredient on accident, grabbed the wrong bottle but loved it so gonna through it in!

1 pkg wonton wrappers
1/4 cup crab meat FINELY chopped (real or fake!)
4 ounces softened cream cheese
1 tsp worchestire sauce
1/2 tsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1-2 green onions,  minced
1/4 tsp sriracha (or any hot sauce) OPTIONAL

Combine softened cream cheese, worchestire, soy sauce, garlic powder, green onion and hot sauce.  Fill your wontons with 1/2 tsp of the mixture in the center and fold however, you like them folded.  Just make sure to run water around all the edges so it seals well and no cheese leaks out. Prepare all wontons before frying!!

Now prepare your oil  I use peanut oil.  Put 3-4 inches in a heavy medium sauce pan.  Heat oil to 350 degrees.  Make sure to fry only a few at a time so you don't overcrowd.  This should make between 22-28 wontons.  (I think, LOL)  I did double fry a few of mine just see the difference.  I fried them, let them cool, and then fried a second time.  Was ok but not worth the time.  Drain on paper towels, or newspapers!  Sprinkle with salt when they come out if you wish!!  I would do it though!  I mean I DID do it. You know what I mean.

 

Use your favorite dipping sauce OR, don't use any at all!  Word to the wise, only make as many as you will need or eat, they aren't as good reheated!  I guess you could REfry them, but.....you get what I am saying!

Your "more Chinese takeout recipes than you can stand"chefwannabe

 

PS. If you don't groove on CRAB cheese wontons, try my regular FRIED WONTONS!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Muffins!

I sometimes get so confused about muffins.  I mean......  Ok.  Some are so sweet I think they SHOULD be cupcakes.  They just don't have frosting, most of the time.  I have some muffins here that do have white chocolate drizzled on top.  But I mean, how do you KNOW?  I feel like it I am asking how you know someone you are dating is THE ONE.  How do you know it IS a MUFFIN?  For some reason, as a kid, I always though muffins had to be dry, and they had to have oats in them.  Yes, that was my prerequisite for being labeled a "muffin".  Only old people ate them too.  Oh the things we think when we are kids.  Normally I would blame my moms cooking but I don't recall her ever making muffins! (no offense ma, I swear)

I must admit I have created some great muffins.  You should check them out.  Well my husband created the Blueberries and Cream Muffins but, other than that.  There is no bad time for one.  Breakfast, brunch, lunch, snack, dinner, and in this case dessert even!!  I don't know if a recipe could be any easier.  Through stuff in the bowl, mix and bake.  Right?  These muffins taste like the softest, chewiest chocolate chip cookie you have ever eaten.  I am just warning you , don't think you will stop at just one.  No, really, I am serious.  In fact I noticed they LOOKED a little plaine Jane, humdrum and boring.  These babies pack a flavor and texture you won't soon forget.  I promise!

You will notice an odd ingredient, or not so odd, just different.  It is the Nestle's Media Crema Table Cream.  Here is a photo of it.  You will find it either in the Mexican Food aisle at your store, OR near the evaporated and sweetened condensed milk.

 

I sent my hubs to the store last week and in his quest to buy one thing he found this and brought me like 5 cans.  I finally opened one and it is so thick, I actually think I now have an equivalent to "thickened cream" that my Aussie friends talk about!  I used it in these muffins and holy chocolate chips batman..........

Chocolate Chip Cookie Muffins (best EVER)
1 1/4 cups AP flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tsps baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 -7.6 ounce can of Nestle Media Crema (found near the evaporated and sweetened condensed milk)
1 egg
1 cup milk chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  Spray a muffin tin with nonstick spray.  I find liners hard to remove from muffins alot so just forget about those babies!  I put them in liners when they come out for serving.  If you are using a stand mixer, just use that bowl.  Otherwise in a large bowl add in flour, white sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Mix to combine.  Then add in oil, crema, and egg.  Again mix just until combine, don't over mix!  Pour in chocolate chips and give it one more mix!

Bake for 16=18 minutes.  17 minutes was perfect for mine. 

This will make 12 regular muffins.  Make sure to cool COMPLETELY before removing from pan. 

I hope you try these bites of heaven.  I am serious, this is completely unbiased...HA!  I have NEVER tasted chocolate chip muffins this good. 

Ok, done bragging

Your "youngest child syndrome never stops"chefwannabe

P.S.  Before you even ask, YES you COULD replace the Media Crema with milk, 1/2 cup.  But it won't be nearly as amazing and it is cheap to buy.  You could possibly find it in the Mexican food aisle at your grocery store as well!

Creme Brulee

Hey guys!

I know that I am early on this Valentine's Day thing but I know some of you like to plan.  I will be alone on Valentine's Day this year.  So nothing to really plan. (gimme some awwwwwww's)

In case some of you do not know what creme brulee is...  It is a custard dessert, made in individual servings and when it has baked and chilled, then brought out to room temp, it is topped with sugar (I prefer flavored or just plain white granulated) and using a torch you heat the sugar until it turns brown, not burns, and creates a shell on top.  It is hard and crispy, but not hard to eat because it is so thin.  It is heaven.  Pure heaven.  Well, if you ask me anyway.  This recipe is from my beloved Better Homes and Gardens cookbook.  It is really pretty much the going recipe however. 

Regardless, this dessert makes an appearance every Valentine's Day.  I make it a few other random times of the year but always on Valentines Day.  It is a completely sexy dessert, you know you can just picture a commerical with someone eating a bit reeeaaaaaaaallllyyyy slooowwwww.  Yea it is that kind of dessert.  Creamy custardy (is that a word?), inside and a hard and crunchy sugar shell on top! YUM!!  This can really be flavored any way you want.  Vanilla is traditional, but how about orange zest, or rum, or Grand Marnier, coconut, amaretto......the options are endless, (I just don't recommend Mad Dog)

Here is what you will need:
4 ramekins (oven proof!)
1 3/4 cups heavy cream (can use half and half)
5 egg yolks lightly beaten
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 cup granulated sugar (reserve for the tops)



Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.  In a small heavy saucepan heat cream over medium heat until just bubbly.  Remove from heat and set aside. 

In a seperate bowl combine egg yolks, 1/3 cup sugar, vanilla and salt.  Whisk until just combined.  Slowly whisk hot liquid into mixture.  Divide into 4 ramekins (6 oz).  Place into a 9x13 baking dish and then fill the dish with boiling water until it comes up the ramekins half way. 

Bake 30-40 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean.  The centers will still be jiggly!! Remove from water bath and put them on a cooling rack until they come to room temp, then cover and chill for 1-8 hours. 

Let stand at room temp for 20 minutes before serving.  Sprinkle sugar on top and using a small kitchen torch, heat the sugar until it turns brown.  DO NOT BURN it, just caramelize it! Let it cool and eat!

I hope you enjoy this as much as we do.  It is so easy to make at home, just do it!!!

 

Your "creme brulee is bringing sexy back"chefwannabe

Roasted Leg of Lamb, Simmerman style.

 Can I tell how much I dislike lpreparing lamb?   I don't dislike it, if I don't have to cook it.  But let me explain why I can't eat it if I have prepared it.  The texture of the skin on a leg of lamb, feel much like cutting human skin to me.  OK.  Gross, I know.  But, has that ever stopped me before?  I seriously can't believe I just wrote that, but, my bigger concern is you all wondering how I know what cutting human flesh is like. (if you could hear how hard I am laughing, I think out of nervousness). I just can't prepare it, and then have to eat it.  I will eat it from a restaurant, no problem.  But there are a few other misconceptions about lamb I want to set straight.  Well, according to me anyway.

"You must eat lamb with mint of some sort".  Not in my world.  In my world mint is to cover up the flavor of a poorly prepared roast.   I had lamb the first time years ago and it tasted "dirty" to me.  After I met my husband the lamb lover,  I took some tips from him, and learned to roast this to perfection.  We don't use traditional items, mint or rosemary.  We do however use TONS of garlic!  I guarantee your lamb will be perfect every single time, full of flavor, and moist!!  The flavor will be amazing and you will wonder how you ever didn't like it before.  So for the sake of my undying love for my hubby, (and son, who always requested leg of lamb for his birthday meal) I bring you, a lovely roast leg of lamb

You can prepare this lamb as per the directions, put it in a large Ziploc or cover tightly and let sit in your fridge for up to 24 hours.  I did not marinate mine, and it was still incredible.  So if you are a "do ahead" kinda person, you have the option.   Purchase a leg of lamb, bone IN as big or small as you need it.  Lamb is expensive right now.  I happened to hit a 50% off sale using my member card at this grocery store I loathe.  That is an entirely different blog.

You will need:
1 bone in leg of lamb
1 head of garlic, separated, peeled and left whole (12-15 cloves)
2 tbsp dried Italian seasoning
1 tbsp dried basil
olive oil
salt and pepper

You will preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place lamb into a large baking pan or roaster.  Taking a knife, cut deep slits all over the outside.  Make as many slits as you have pieces of garlic.  (feel free to use even more garlic if you like).  After you have placed your garlic, drizzle about 3-4 tbsps of olive oil all over.  Take your dried spices and sprinkle or rub into the meat all over.  Salt and pepper as much or as little as you prefer.  Oh yea,  I believe I used about 15-20. It should look like this....

Cover with foil, and roast until your internal temp is 140-150.  We like ours pretty med-rare so I roasted it to 140 degrees.  Perfection.  It took approx 2.5 hours for a 7 lb leg of lamb but make sure to use your meat thermometer, that is the only way to make sure it is cooked to a safe, and preferred temperature!  I removed my foil about 30 minutes before I took it out.  Let it rest a good 15-20 minutes before slicing!

Here is what we got when we pulled it out...(I made a big one and didn't even have a big enough platter so plastic it was!)

 

So there it is.  I know what you are thinking there is no way it can be juicy when I have cut all those slits in it.  It is, they are all on top, no juice runs out the bottom and it is so juicy you can SEE it in the cover photo!  No mint, no dirty taste, simply a masterpiece! HA! The Simmermans way to a beautiful roasted, garlictabulous roast leg of lamb!  Forget about the human flesh thing and just enjoy! xoxo

 

Your "still SLIGHTLY unsure about lamb in general" chefwannabe

 



 



 



 

 

 

 

Easy Angel Food Cake with a Pink Moscato Icing!

You know what is coming up, don't you?  Of course you do, VALENTINE'S DAY!  As a single friend of mine calls it, "Singles Awareness Day"!  Regardless of if your Valentine is a boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, wife, son, daughter, whoever it is, just celebrate a day of loving the ones in your life!  Wait.......hold up.  Do NOT celebrate your love for your children with this cake. 

 

I was at the grocery store last week and popped over to the liquor section to pick up my husbands guilty pleasure, "MD 20/20", yeah, I know...keeping it classy.  Anyway, to make my trip even more full of class and hoity toityness, I eyed a 10.00 bottle of sparkling pink moscato.  My eye is always drawn to pink things, especially pink things I can consume. 

A week passes and I have still not popped the cork on this baby.  So Saturday, the Internet went down for 3 hours during the evening hours.  What better thing to do than have some drinks right?  It was sparkling, bubbly, sweet goodness!!  I decided it had to become something for Valentine's Day.  And this is how the cake was born.  I decided with Moscato in the icing, the cake had to be plain, but amazing.  I am lover of angel food and so it was.  I found my favorite angel food recipe, and made it.  I will share it with you.  This dessert is so easy and though I know everyone loves decadent beautiful desserts to feed your lovey dovey on VD  (wow, that was awkward)  sometimes there is only time for something quick.  What you don't use in the recipe you can drink so it serves double duty! 

My darling, adorable, and cutie patootie husband loved this.  I would change only ONE thing.  I actually thought about not posting this because there was something I would do different next time but then decided it was good to post something I would change.  It happens to everyone and the change is cosmetic mostly anyway.  I would add fancy dollops of whipped cream on the top with a strawberry in each one.  So if you make this, and you do that on top, take a photo and post it on my face book page so I can see!!!

Here is the angel food cake recipe I have been using for years, it is easy and SO delish, it is from cooks.com!

You will need:
1 1/2 cups egg whites (this was 12 large eggs for me.  SAVE your yolks for something else!)
1 1/4 sifted cake flour (I always use plain AP flour)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cream of tarter
2 tsp vanilla
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

In your stand mixer bowl or large bowl (if using a hand mixer) separate eggs, whites into your bowl and let stand at room temp for 15 minutes.

Sift flour with 3/4 cup sugar, sift 3 times and set aside.

Beat egg whites on medium speed with salt and cream of tartar.  Gradually beat in remaining sugar, 3 tablespoons at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat at high speed until eggs for soft peaks.  Turn up the speed and add in vanilla.

Add in flour mixture 1/4 at a time, mixing on low for 3 seconds after each addition or until mixture is completely blended.

Using a rubber scraper, gently push better into an ungreased 10" tube pan.  Cut through the batter twice with a knife to level center and remove any air pockets. 

Bake on the lower rack of your oven for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick is inserted and comes out clean of wet batter.

Invert pan over a bottle to cool.  Let cool completely, about 2 hours.  After it is cool, flip the cake pan back over and run a knife carefully around the edges to free it from the pan.  Invert unto a plate, you might need to reach in and help it, but it will come out!

Pink Moscato Drizzle:
1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
3 tbsp sparkling moscato
pink food coloring (optional)

Using a whisk or electric hand mixer combine until smooth.  Carefully pour around the top of the cake until it begins to drip down the sides!  Let stand for 15-30 minutes before serving!

Remember, I said, if I did it again I would pipe dollop's of whipped cream with a strawberry in the middle, so there was one in the middle of each cut piece!

Enjoy and make sure you love the moscato you are using, because you definitely taste it!  Delish!

Your "moscato lovin" chefwannabe