Baklava

I still ask myself all the time what I want to do when I grow up. And all sorts of things come up, but the two biggest things that come to mind are TRAVEL and COOK. Who knows, maybe I can be a traveling caterer someday, cooking and baking my way around the world! But I do know that I want to do as much of the two as possible.

One of my top destinations is Greece, without a doubt. I mean, seriously, how could you not want to go there?



But it's not just the scenery that I want to experience, it's the food! (I'm sure you saw that coming). I adore Greek food, with it's sharp rich flavors and meats. But my latest favorite has become their trademark Baklava.

Baklava is simply several layers of Phyllo Dough, baked with nuts and spices, and then soaked in a sweet syrup. It sounds simple, but it is out of this world delicious. I was also pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to make. The Phyllo got a bit tricky to work with at time because it is so thin, but ultimately I felt like I was just making a bed, with about 100 sheets on it! My favorite part though was how pretty it turned out, with very little effort, I just love all of those layers!

Baklava
By Recipezaar

Ingredients

1 (16 ounce) package phyllo dough
1 lb chopped nuts
1 cup butter
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup water
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup honey

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Butter the bottoms and sides of a 9x13 inch pan.
3. Chop nuts and toss with cinnamon.
4. Set aside.
5. Unroll phyllo dough.
6. Cut whole stack in half to fit pan.
7. Cover phyllo with a dampened cloth to keep from drying out as you work.
8. Place two sheets of dough in pan, butter thoroughly.
9. Repeat until you have 8 sheets layered.
10. Sprinkle 2- 3 tablespoons of nut mixture on top.
11. Top with two sheets of dough, butter, nuts, layering as you go.
12. The top layer should be about 6- 8 sheets deep.
13. Using a sharp knife cut into diamond or square shapes all the way to the bottom of the pan.
14. You may cut into 4 long rows the make diagonal cuts.
15. Bake for about 50 minutes until baklava is golden and crisp.
16. Make sauce while baklava is baking.
17. Boil sugar and water until sugar is melted.
18. Add vanilla and honey.
19. Simmer for about 20 minutes.
20. Remove baklava from oven and immediately spoon sauce over it.
21. Let cool.
22. Serve in cupcake papers.
23. This freezes well.
24. Leave it uncovered as it gets soggy if it is wrapped up.

Chicken and Orzo Salad

I love salads, LOVE them. Especially for lunch. I think what's so great about a salad is that there are about a bazillion different ways to make them, and more often then not it's going to come out delicious. They're fresh, healthy (usually), and I always feel so good about eating one. So when I was at Williams Sonoma (my home away from home), I couldn't resist coming home with this book.

If you're a salad lover, go buy this book, seriously. I plan on making every single recipe out of it. I have fun just flipping through it. The best part about it is that every salad is fairly simple with ingredients that can be found at a normal grocery store. They also look wonderfully healthy and full of great flavor.

This is the very first salad in the book and it's delicious. Shredded chicken, orzo, grape tomatoes...but the best part was the dressing. It's so easy, pesto and vinegar, why haven't I thought of that before? It was such a filling salad and was packed with the perfect balance of flavors. A little tip on pesto, if you're going to buy it, buy the plastic tubs found in the refrigerator section. The jars that sit on the shelf tend to lose most of that strong basil flavor.

Chicken and Orzo Salad
William Sonoma Salads

Ingredients

2/3 cup pesto
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar (I used garlic flavored rice vinegar)
salt and pepper
3 tablespoon olive oil (I didn't even add it and it was fine)
3/4 lbs orzo pasta
2 1/2 cups cooked shredded chicken (this is where rotisserie chickens come in handy)
1/2 lb halved cherry tomatoes
6 oz baby spinach

Directions

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the pesto, vinegar, 1/4 tsp salt, and a pinch of pepper. Gradually whisk in the oil until smooth.

2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons of salt and the orzo. Cook, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking until the pasta is al dente, according to the package directions. Drain rinse under cold running water, and drain again. Add the orzo to the vinaigrette and toss to coat evenly.

3. Add the chicken, tomatoes and spinach to the orzo and toss gently to combine, the serve.

Strawberry Bundt Cake With Lemon Glaze

I always feel a bit like a cheater whenever I make something out of a boxed mix, especially cake. I mean, c'mon, we all do it, but I always feel that little voice in the back of my head squealing "you could be making this from scratch you lazy bum!"

That's why I'm grateful for recipes like this. It's been completely dolled up as a lovely homemade strawberry cake, swimming in sweet lemon glaze, just begging to be soaked up and licked off the plate. No one needs to know that it took about two minutes to mix up and cost about five dollars. It can be our little secret.

Strawberry Bundt Cake with Lemon Glaze
By Recipezaar

Ingredients

Cake
1 (18 1/4 ounce) box strawberry cake mix (Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup water
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons sour cream (heaping tablespoons)
2/3 cup strawberry (either fresh strawberries pulsed a few times with food processor or strawberry pie filling drained w)
1 dash cooking spray (Bakers Joy works best)

Lemon Glaze
1 3/4 cups powdered confectioners' sugar (or 2 cups if thicker texture desired)
5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray Bundt or tube pan with Bakers Joy (or spray two 8" pans with cooking spray to make layer cake).

2.Blend together cake mix, oil, water, eggs, and sour cream in large bowl on low speed for 1 minute then medium high speed for 2 minutes.

3.Pulse strawberries a few times until chopped (be careful not to puree them) then stir those into batter by hand then pour batter into Bundt pan (or round pans).

4.Bake for 35-40 minutes for bundt pan until done (bake 30 min for round pans). Remove from oven & let cool in pans on wire rack for 15 minutes before removing from pan.

5.Cool completely then glaze by combining the powdered sugar & lemon juice - whisk together until creamy then drizzle over top and sides of cake.

Chocolate Bundles with Chocolate Sauce

This dessert totally reminds me of my daughter. She is as girly as a four year old girl can be. She once told me that she didn't need makeup because her face is still too fancy! She loves to twirl in pink fluffy skirts and pretty shoes. The best day of her life is when she gets her hair done or nails painted. And her favorite Disney princess is...all of them!


So the reason this dessert reminds me of her is because it's what I would consider a "fancy" dessert. Buttery puff pastry wrapped around oozy chocolate and peanut butter in a shape that resembles a little handbag. It's then adorned in whipped cream, chocolate ganache and strawberries. As Fancy Nancy would say, Magnifique!


But, here's the real kicker to these precious little treats, they take about five minutes to make, and require only a few simple ingredients. There is no trick to them, no intricate technique or unattainable ingredient. In fact, I kind of just threw them together, I was in a hurry! The perfect dessert, good enough for all of us princesses!

Chocolate Bundles with Chocolate Sauce
By Paula Deen

Ingredients

For the bundles:
•1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
•2 eggs
•1 teaspoon whipping cream
•8 chocolate drops (recommended: Hershey's kisses)
•8 miniature chocolate candy bars (I used Reeses mini cups)
For the chocolate sauce:
•1/2 cup heavy cream
•4 ounces milk chocolate, broken into small pieces
•Sweetened whipped cream, optional
•Fresh strawberries, sliced, for garnish
•Mint sprigs, for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

For the bundles:
Allow the puff pastry to thaw, covered, for 30 minutes at room temperature. When it is pliable, unfold puff pastry and cut the sheet into 4 squares

Beat the eggs and cream together to create an egg wash. Brush the entire surface of each pastry square with egg wash. In the center of each pastry square, place 2 chocolate drops and 2 miniature candy bars. Pull the corners of each square up around the chocolate, and twist the top of the dough clockwise to complete the "bundle." Brush the exteriors of the chocolate bundles with more egg wash.


Place the bundles on the cookie sheet. Bake for about 35 minutes, until golden brown.

For the chocolate sauce:
In a small saucepan bring the heavy cream to a boil. Place the chocolate pieces in a bowl and pour hot cream over the top. Whisk until the sauce is smooth.


Puddle the chocolate sauce on each plate and place a bundle on top. Top with whipped cream and additional chocolate sauce, if desired. Serve the bundles garnished with strawberry slices and mint sprigs.

I made these to share with my foodie friends Alissa and Sara. In return Sara shared with us her delicious pasta with sage and browned butter. Alissa brought along an incredible watermelon salsa, both dishes I could not keep my fork out of! Be sure to keep an eye on their blogs for the recipes!

Roast Beef Finger Sandwiches with Herb Cream

Don't let the simple look of these little sandwiches fool you, they pack a powerful punch!

About two years ago, when my little food blog was but an infant and I wasn't sure if I was going to catch the food blogging bug or not, I posted this appetizer recipe. I had gotten the idea from a Cooking Light magazine, and they were so good that for the past two years I've never completely gotten them out of my head.

I did things a bit different this time and turned these into finger sandwiches instead of toasts, which is how they originally appear in the recipe. For toppings I used roast beef, Gorgonzola cheese, salami and a mixture arugula and spinach. But what really makes these babies pop is the sauce you use to coat both pieces of bread. It's a very simple mixture of sour cream, mayo, Worcestershire, garlic and herbs, but the taste is so unique and unforgettable, and absolutely perfect for a whole variety of different toppings. I'm already planning on making myself a nice little panini with the stuff tomorrow! These little sandwiches are perfect for parties, baby or bridal showers, or just those quiet moments when your kids are napping. Hope you enjoy!

Finger Sandwiches with Herb Cream
Adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients

1 loaf soft white or sour dough bread
1 package deli thin sliced roast beef (or preferred meat), cut to fit size of sandwich
1 package salami, cut to fit sandwich
1/2 cup Gorgonzola
handful of spinach and arugula

Herb Cream:
2/3 cup fat-free sour cream
2 TB minced fresh chives
2 TB low-fat mayo
1 1/2 TB chopped fresh thyme (I used dried and it was fine)
1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove minced

Directions

Stack bread on top of each other, about four high. Slice in half, and then trim off all crust. To assemble sandwiches, spread herb cream on each slice of bread. Add all ingredients to one slice of bread, and top with the second. Press gently on sandwich and secure with toothpick if desired. The bread will dry out quickly, so keep covered as much as possible until serving.

CEiMB: Whole Wheat Pancakes with Nutty Toppings

Ellie Krieger impresses again! As I've mentioned several times in the past, I'm not a breakfast person. I've tried, I really have, but I just can't seem to get excited about it. Except for bacon. I really. really. love bacon...

...

Woah, sorry, where was I?

Anyway, because I'm not a breakfast lover, I thought it would be good for me to make these and try something that I would not normally make, especially for dinner, or should I say brinner! They were delicious! I loved the soft sweet apple chunks in the pancakes, but the nutty topping makes them out of this world. It consists of almonds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds and wheat germ. I will tell you though, you really have to like nuts if you're going to enjoy the topping. After all the toasting, the nutty flavor is strong, and oh so yummy in that pure maple syrup. Check out the recipe here.

Thanks to Nicole at Dishin' for hosting. We loved them!

A Night of Meat (and Potatoes)

(I'm the short one with glasses!)

A few Saturdays ago I ran a 5K with a few of my friends. It's become a bit of a tradition that we started last year, and hopefully with every year my time will improve. The weather could not have been more beautiful and we had a great time, there's nothing like starting your day then with a good run. I can see how people get addicted to this running business.

So after the race, we did what any good food lover would do, cooked about ten pounds of ribs and ate them with our friends!

Ah ribs, truly God's gift to the carnivore. Is there a more succulent meat on this earth?

Ribs are surprisingly easy to prepare. The trick is just giving them enough time to cook low and slow. Whether you rub, sauce, or grill is up to you!

But what I really want to talk about are these bacon smashed potatoes. I had found a recipe in my Taste of Home magazine, glanced over it, misunderstood it, and now I like my version better! You can use red or russet potatoes (I like red). Boil them until they are tender enough to smash. Put them in a casserole pan.

And them smash the crap out of them.

I then drenched them in Italian Dressing, then sprinkled a generous helping of chopped crispy bacon, chopped parsley and shredded cheddar cheese. Bake them uncovered at 400 for about fifteen minutes, or until potatoes are heated through and cheese is melted or bubbly. These will disappear fast, I guarantee it!


I also served my all time favorite baked beans ala Paula Deen. Packed with things like crushed pineapple, molasses and french onions, these could practically pass for a dessert. Check out the recipe here.


The pictures might not be so great, but as evident by the big plate of bones, everyone was left completely satisfied! A very fun day (and night) indeed.

For My Mom

I talk about my mom a lot on this blog, but without her I probably wouldn't be near as interested in food and cooking as I am. I honestly can't remember a time in my childhood that she didn't have a delicious home cooked meal prepared for us to enjoy around the table. And now that I am a mother, who has plenty of nights of frozen pizzas and cereal, I understand how hard she must have worked to do that. I only hope that I can pass what she taught me to my kids, with the same love and devotion that she showed me. I love you mom!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

Sweet and Sour Chicken

My church has a tutoring program that they hold every Thursday nights. Teenage kids from the area come in, eat dinner and receive help with their school work from volunteers. I've been out of school a bit too long now to be much good with tutoring (especially when it comes to math, yikes!), but I have no problem cooking meals. So when I was recently asked to help out with the dinners, I thought about it for half and second, and happily agreed.

One of the fun parts about making dinners for tutoring is that it presents some fun challenges. How to make a healthy, delicious meal for a crowd, on a budget. Filet Mignon and Lobster night are definitely out, but I think it's going to be a lot of fun coming up with good dinners at low cost.

Last week I lucked out seeing as I had just made this meal the Sunday before, and had a ton of leftover ingredients. My mom used to make this for us, and it was one of my favorite dishes. The chicken is lightly breaded and bakes in a sweet and tangy sweet and sour sauce that is insanely easy to make, with ingredients you probably already have. It's also very versatile, you can forget the breading if you want a lighter version. You can also use whatever cut of chicken you like, and rather then baking it, you can throw it in your crockpot for a hands-off dinner. I love eating the chicken, but my very favorite part is pouring the sauce over the rice and scooping it into my mouth, so yummy! Nothing like a meal that takes you home!

Sweet and Sour Chicken
Courtesy of my Awesome Mom!

Ingredients

1 lb of chicken (cut of your choice, but I do recommend boneless)
2 eggs
1 cup flour
1 tablespoon seasoned salt
olive oil for cooking
SAUCE:
3 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup vinegar (just white distilled vinegar)
1/4 cup pineapple juice

Directions

1. Beat eggs and place in pie pan or bowl. Combine flour and seasoned salt and also place in bowl or pie pan. Dip chicken in beaten egg, roll in flour mixture. Brown in olive oil, about three minutes on each side, chicken does not have to be cooked through. Place in casserole dish, or crockpot.

2. Whisk together sauce ingredients. Pour over chicken and either bake at 350 for 45 minutes, or cook on low for 7 hours, until chicken is cooked through. Serve with rice.


What is your favorite meal to feed a crowd? Any tips for cooking on a budget?

Key Lime Bars

Any Dexter fans in the house? Gosh I love that show, it's got all the elements I love in entertainment, humor, romance, mystery, serial killers, I can't get enough!

But another thing I like about Dexter is that it's based in Miami, and every once and a while they'll throw bits and pieces in about the culture and the food! One particular episode highlighted the Key Lime Pie and a woman's search to find the perfect one. In it she mentioned that it needed sweetened condensed milk to make it the best. Well, after that I became obsessed, must. make. key lime. pie!


I didn't make an actual pie, but I did find a recipe for some great Key Lime Bars to take to a party. They were delicious, tart, creamy and I do have to agree with the character on Dexter, the sweetened condensed milk did make them great!

Key Lime Bars
Adapted from Recipezaar

Ingredients

5 ounces animal graham crackers
3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1 pinch table salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 tablespoon grated lime zest, minced
1 pinch table salt
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 large egg yolk
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
3/4 cup shredded sweetened coconut, toasted until golden and crisp (I didn't do this, but I have no doubt it would be delicious!)

Directions

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325°.

2. Cut about 12" length extra-wide heavy duty foil; fold cut edges back to form 7 1/2" width. With folded sides facing down, fir foil securely into bottom and up sides of 8" square baking pan, allowing excess to overhang pan sides. Spray foil with nonstick cooking spray.

3. In work bowl of food processor, pulse graham crackers until broken down, about ten 1 second pulses; process crumbs until evenly fine, about 10 seconds (you should have about 1 1/4 cups crumbs). Add brown sugar and salt; process to combine, ten to twelve 1 second pulses (if large sugar clumps remain, break them apart with fingers). Drizzle butter over crumbs and pulse until crumbs are evenly moistened with butter, about ten 1 second pulses.

4. Press crumbs evenly and firmly into bottom of prepared pan. Bake until deep golden brown, 18-20 minutes. Cool on wire rack while making filling. Do not turn off oven.

5. While crust cools, in medium bowl, stir cream cheese, zest, and salt with rubber spatula until softened, creamy, and thoroughly combined. Add sweetened condensed milk and whisk vigorously until incorporated and no lumps of cream cheese remain; whisk in egg yolk. Add lime juice and whisk gently until incorporated (mixture will thicken slightly).

6. Pour filling into crust; spread to corners and smooth surface with rubber spatula. Bake until set and edges begin to pull away slightly from sides, 15-20 minutes. Cool on wire rack to room temperature, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Cover with foil and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 2 hours.

7. Loosen edges with paring knife and lift bars from baking pan using foil extensions; cut bars into 16 squares. Sprinkle with toasted with toasted coconut and serve. Can refrigerate for up to 2 days, crust will soften slightly. Let refrigerated bars stand at room temperature about 15 minutes before serving.

8.Can make triple citrus bars using 1 1/2 teaspoons each of grated lime zest, lemon zest, and orange zest (mince zest after measuring), and using 6 tbsp lime juice, 1 tbsp lemon juice, and 1 tablespoons orange juice.