Nutella Tartlets

I thought it was such a cute and fun idea of her making Star Wars characters topping for her Star Wars fanatic dad!

Stuck in the house for two consecutive days due to snowstorm...other than painting, my Sweetpea and I have been baking like crazy!  At the same time, hubby is out of town and we always surprise him with a dessert as our "welcome home" gesture, although Sweetpea would always go the extra mile of making him homemade cards and little arts and crafts (she's good at it...I'm not!  And God bless her heart for being so thoughtful) but I'd rather stick to what's in the kitchen.  Brainstorming for the perfect dessert for this guy was a challenge because we can only work with what we have in hand (remember, we're stuck!) and it has to be with chocolate or Nutella (that's a huge deal!).  So after gathering all potential ingredients this Nutella Tartlets came to mind.  We thought they were so adorable that she even made them a "Star Wars" (hubby's fave) theme toppings out of black paper and toothpicks (told ya' this girl is so creative)!  And the best part, they were so good that we both scraped leftovers from the bowl, HA!


6 store-bought frozen mini tart shells, thawed
1cup half and half
1 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 cup Nutella (add more or less to your liking)
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Chopped roasted hazelnuts or any nuts you have (we use peanuts)
Pinch of salt


Pre-bake your tartlets according to package direction.  Set aside.
In a bowl, whisk cornstarch and 1/2 cup of cream until incorporated.  On a small sauce pan add the rest of the cream, vanilla extract, Nutella and salt.  Then add cornstarch mixture into the pan and put
on stove top  and heat it up, stirring gently until it boils.  Continue stirring until sauce thickens, about
2 minutes.  Turn off heat, pour Nutella sauce on each tart shells all the way up.  Garnish with nuts.  Put in the fridge for an hour or so until firm.  Serve and enjoy!


Yield: 6 mini tartlets

Jesus' Birthday Cake (Nutella Cheesecake)

It's a tradition in our family every Christmas day to have a birthday cake for Jesus because He is the reason for this season.  We've decided every year we can change up the flavor of the cake as long as we stay true to the meaning and significance of it.  This year, we made Nutella Cheesecake.  You can get the recipe at http://www.nigella.com/recipes/view/nutella-cheesecake and added our own twist which is adding shaved white chocolate and cherries on top... oh, so good!  This cake represents the following...

* The shape of the cake is round to represent the world into which Jesus was born.
* The bottom (inner) layer is black to represent the sin in us, which is why Jesus came to the earth.
* The red coloring is Jesus' blood that was shed on the cross for our sin.
* The pure white frosting is the purity and righteousness of Christ.
* The red candle (not shown on picture) represents Jesus who came into the dark world to bring light and truth to all who are willing to receive it.

• 10 oz graham crackers
• 5 tablespoons soft unsalted butter
• 1 x 13 oz jar Nutella (at room temperature)
• ¾ cup chopped toasted hazelnuts
• 1 lb cream cheese (at room temperature)
• ½ cup confectioners' sugar (sifted) 
  

  Method

• Break the digestives into the bowl of a processor, add the butter and a 15ml tablespoon of Nutella, and blitz until it starts to clump. Add 25g/3 tablespoons of the hazelnuts and continue to pulse until you have a damp, sandy mixture.
• Tip into a 23cm/9inch round springform and press into the base either using your hands or the back of a spoon. Place in the fridge to chill.
• Beat the cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until smooth and then add the remaining Nutella to the cream cheese mixture, and continue beating until combined.
• Take the springform out of the fridge and carefully smooth the Nutella mixture over the base. Scatter the remaining chopped hazelnuts on top to cover and place the tin in the fridge for at least four hours or overnight. Serve straight from the fridge for best results.

Additional information - for vegetarians make sure the cream cheese does not contain rennet


Recipe Courtesy:  Nigella Lawson

Hot Chocolate

This time of the year when the weather drops low and the coldness exerts, my family loves sipping on hot chocolate any time of the day.  Did I tell you we are chocolate lovers hot, cold or room temperature?  Yep, we are :).  I find ourselves indulging hot chocolate every day....so I thought, why not make them from scratch?  This way, I know what ingredients are in it and enjoying it guilt-free.  This is very easy, simple and best of all, it's all natural and amazingly delectable!  Not to brag but it tastes better than what's out there.  So convenient to make, all you have to do is drop one chocolate ball in a cup of milk, heat it up for a minute or two,  enjoy!


2 cups semi-sweet chocolate
1 cup half and half (skinnier version) or heavy cream (if you prefer creamier)
pinch of salt
Organic milk (I use 2%)
reddi whip for garnish, optional
small marshmallows for garnsih, optional
chocolate shavings for garnish, optional
small cupcake liners
small cupcake tin

Mix chocolate, salt and half & half in a microwavable bowl.  Heat up for 1 minute or so until melted, stir.   Scoop about 1 heaping tablespoon of chocolate mixture (about a golf ball size) and put on each of paper cups.  Put in the freezer for about an hour or until hard and transfer it to a ziplock bag and freeze.

When use:
Take one chocolate ball and put in a plate and microwave for 10 seconds to loosen chocolate from the paper cup.  Drop chocolate in a cup of milk and microwave for 1 minute.  Stir.  Then microwave for another 30 seconds to 1 minute.  Stir until chocolate has completely melted, garnish with marshmallows, reddi whip and chocolate shavings. Enjoy!

To Die For Pot Roast

Fall has just arrived!  I loooooove everything about fall from nature's beautiful change of colors, the comfort foods, hot cocoa, cozy and cuddly weather, fall festivities (farm and orchard trips, apple picking, yay!) and let's not forget fashion, as well (cardigans, light jackets, jeans and boots....oh my!).  As you can tell, fall is my kind of weather...my kind of style... and has my kind of comfort foods.  There's something about it that excites me!
I have been dying to make this pot roast for the longest time and just waited for the right moment, right time to make it.  Today, the weather seems cooperating with me as it's kind of cool out there already....so, I figured today is the day for this mouth-watering deliciousness plated and accessorized just the way hubby would eat his pot roast (smothered over pasta which in my case would be rice as most of you know I eat rice with everything, ha!...and a steamed corn in a cob on the side, yum!).

1 (4-5 lb) beef roast
1 (1 1/4 ounce) package brown gravy mix, dry
1 (1 1/4 ounce) package dried Italian salad seasoning (I use half only, personal preference)
1 (1 1/4 ounce) package ranch dressing mix, dry
1/2 cup water
3 big carrots, chopped (optional)
3 long sticks celery, chopped (optional)

Place beef roast in crock pot. Mix the dried mixes together in a bowl and sprinkle over the roast.  Drop chopped carrots and celery around, and pour water around the roast.  Cook on low for 7-9 hours.  Enjoy!


Yield:  8 servings
Recipe Courtesy:  Food.com, by yooper

Banh Mi

Here's something I've never made before, Banh Mi!  It's a Vietnamese sandwich loaded with meat (shrimp, beef or chicken which in this case I use pork), veggies and its unique and flavorful homemade sauce.  Once in a while, I give my dear hubby the privilege to choose the kind of dish or food I should offer/make for him since in our household, weekday dishes are my responsibility and the weekends are his, giving "mama" a chance to sit back, relax and be served:)).  So, he chose Banh Mi!  Oh boy, what's wifey gonna do...so Banh Mi it is!  Thank goodness it turned out scrumptiously good!!!

1 french baguette, cut lengthwise (divide into 4 servings)
1 pound pork loin, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 teaspoons light brown sugar
salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons finely chopped onions
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon sesame seed oil

Mix all ingredients and let it marinade for an hour or longer.
Pan-fry meat (both sides) in a medium heat until brown, doing in batches.  Do not overcrowd them. 


Condiment Fillings:
1 big carrot, shredded
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/2 small red onion, sliced thinly
handful of cilantro leaves
1 cucumber, thinly sliced

In a bowl, mix shredded carrot and rice vinegar.  Set aside and let it soak.

Sauce:

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 tablespoons non-fat yogurt or kefir cream (I prefer to use kefir for probiotic boost)

1 teaspoon fish sauce

juice of half a lime, freshly squeezed

a splash of sriracha or your favorite hot sauce (optional)

How to assemble:
Open warm baguette in half (serving pieces), spread the mayo sauce at the bottom part.  Arrange the following in order...sliced cucumber, cooked meat, sliced onions, drained shredded carrot, topped with cilantro leaves, then add the top part of baguette.  Enjoy with your favorite chips on the side!

Breakfast Sandwich

A good day always starts with a good breakfast.  Okay, I have to confess that I'm in looooove with this breakfast sandwich!!!  Did I tell you that I always look forward to Saturday mornings because of this?...well, other than spending quality time with the family, of course.  It's my dear hubby's breakfast specialty which he owns the kitchen on weekends, by the way.  I thank the Lord for a man not just knows how to cook but can cook good!!! :)

4 serving size individual ciabatta bread or a loaf and cut into serving pieces

Asiago cheese, cut in thin slices

4 eggs

4 slices bacon or more, we prefer Nitrate-Free bacon

Olive oil spray or Pam

Salt and pepper, to taste

Bake bread according to package direction.  Cook bacon in the microwave until crispy (we prefer this way to eliminate fats and for the crunchier texture), set aside.  Heat skillet on medium heat sprayed with olive oil spray or Pam, until hot.  Crack eggs on the skillet and cook until halfway through (seasoned with salt and pepper), flip the eggs over and add sliced cheese on top and cook for few minutes more until eggs are well done and cheese are soft and melted.

Assembly:

Cut ciabatta bread in half.  Lay the bottom part on the plate topped with egg and cheese, add bacon and cover with the other half of bread.  We always serve this with freshly squeezed orange juice...it's a beautiful match made in heaven!  Enjoy!

Whey And Cream Cheese

Making whey and cream cheese is so much easier than I thought.  All you need is some plain milk kefir (which I prefer) or a store-bought plain yogurt.  I use my whey for my homemade probiotic lemonade and I use the cream cheese for any recipes that calls for it.  



2 cups milk kefir (I use homemade, unflavored)
1 coffee filter (big enough to fit the kefir)
plastic strainer
1 deep medium-size bowl
Saran wrap or paper towel

Position the plastic strainer with coffee filter on it on the bowl making sure there's enough room at the bottom of the bowl for drippings. Pour milk kefir into the strainer, let it drip. Cover with Saran wrap or paper towel. Place it in the fridge overnight. The next day, you'll have instant whey (liquid) and the top part is cream cheese.  Keep them separately in tight containers at the fridge, they will last for months to use.

Tomato Salad with Balsamic Dressing

Guess, what day it is??  That's right,  it's "Farmer's Market" day!  This salad recipe ingredients are few of the veggies we love to get.  Beyond being colorful, luscious and healthy there's nothing like the freshness of it.  From its farms to our table... bon appetit!

1 1/2 pint any mix grape tomatoes
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced (or more to your liking)
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and fresh ground black pepper
Baby Lettuce, cut in chunks

Halve the tomatoes and add them to a large ziplock bag.  Add the sliced onions, olive oil, balsamic, parsley, sugar, garlic and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Seal the bag, gently mix everything in it, then get all the air out and seal again.  Place into the fridge until ready to use.
Divide the baby lettuce in 4 salad bowls and divide the tomato mixture including its dressing on top of each bowl.  Serve!



Yield:  4 Servings

Kahlua Mudslide

Sometimes we just need to sit back, relax and enjoy this!  You can make it kid-friendly by omitting the alcohol, just drizzle scoops of ice cream with some chocolate syrup, whip topping, a cherry and voila!... made my little Sweetpea's day even sweeter!

2 shots Kahlua Coffee Liqueur

1 shot Irish Cream Liqueur (Baileys)

1 shot vodka

2 cups Vanilla Ice Cream

1 cup ice cubes

Organic chocolate syrup, to drizzle

Whip Cream

Cherries, to garnish

In a blender mix ice cubes, Ice Cream, Kahlua, Baileys and vodka until smooth.  Drizzle the bottom and sides of a dessert glass with chocolate syrup.  Pour blended ice cream into the glasses, drizzle with whip topping and garnish top with a cherry.  Enjoy!

Yield:  2 servings

Probiotic Lemonade

Summer time is here and one of the drinks my family love to quench thirst from heat is lemonade. It's cold and refreshing with a little bit of sweetness and tanginess to it.  The only downside is the amount of sugar added in it.  But who cares...right?  Well, not until I discovered this recipe and decided to give it a try.  To my surprise, it's super easy and not only tastes great but it's super healthy, too due to its boost of probiotic added making us indulging it without guilt.  It's so healthy that I let my daughter drink to her heart's content... seriously, no limits!

Juice of 10 lemons or limes
¾ cup sugar or sucanat (I use organic light brown sugar)
1 cup of whey (I use recipe 1 below)
2.5 to 3 quarts of filtered water
gallon size jar


Pour the sugar into the gallon size glass jar and add just enough hot water to dissolve the sugar.
Add lemon juice and fill the jar about ¾ full with filtered water.
Make sure the liquid is at room temp and add the whey.
Cover tightly and let sit on the counter for 2-3 days. The longer it sits, the less sugar in the final product.
After 2-3 days, keep in fridge and drink 4-6 ounces per day. The flavor will continue to develop in the fridge.
Since the sugar ferments out, it is rather tart. Add a couple drops of stevia if it is too tart for you!


Whey and Cream Cheese Recipe 1 (the recipe I use):

2 cups milk kefir (I use homemade, unflavored)
1 coffee filter (big enough to fit the kefir)
plastic strainer
1 deep medium-size bowl
Saran wrap or paper towel

Position the plastic strainer with coffee filter on it on the bowl making sure there's enough room at the bottom of the bowl for drippings. Pour milk kefir into the strainer, let it drip. Cover with Saran wrap or paper towel. Place it in the fridge overnight. The next day, you'll have instant whey (liquid) and the top part is cream cheese.  Keep them separately in tight containers at the fridge, they will last for months to use.

Whey and Cream Cheese Recipe 2:

One 32-ounce container of full fat organic PLAIN yogurt
Cheesecloth or thin dish towel
medium-size bowl
string or rubber bands

Pour the yogurt into cheesecloth or thin towel. You can pour the whole container, or just use half if you don't need much whey. Make sure the towel is thin, as it will absorb too much of the whey if it is a very absorbent towel.
Pull the ends of the towel up and secure with string or a rubber band.
Tie the towel with yogurt in it to a cabinet handle above the bowl.
Leave it alone overnight to drip.
In the morning, if the dripping has stopped, pour the liquid in the bowl (this is the whey... yay!) into a glass jar and store in the fridge for up to six months.
The "yogurt" left in the towel is actually cream cheese now. Put in its own container and use as you would store bought cream cheese.
Use the whey for homemade salsas, sauerkraut, fermented veggies or pickles and more.

 

Yield: 8 glasses
Recipe Courtesy: Wellness Mama

Bacon and Egg Pizza

Sweetpea and I made this breakfast pizza for her Papa one morning.  Perfect for his post morning Joplin Fun Run which he, by the way, won 1st place in his age category and 3rd place overall...so proud of him!  Yes, like I said before pizza is one of his favorite foods and to offer him this during breakfast is something rather out of the ordinary, topped with bacon and egg... I mean, how can you go wrong with that?  Needless to say, it was a little piece of heaven on his plate!

Ingredients

4  slices bacon, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces 
Cornmeal, for dusting
1  Pizza Dough, divided into 4 pieces, or
1  Whole-Wheat Pizza Dough, divided into 4 pieces
1 tablespoon plus 1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil 
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan 
4  large eggs
2  small scallions, thinly sliced
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Preparation

1. Place oven rack on lowest shelf. If you have a stone, place it on rack. Preheat oven to 550°F, or your oven’s highest temperature, for 45 minutes.
2. Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until still soft but beginning to crisp at edges, 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
3. Generously dust a 14-inch-wide pizza peel with cornmeal. Flatten a dough ball on top. Using lightly floured fingers or a floured rolling pin, stretch dough into a 6- to 7-inch round. (Make sure crust slides around easily on peel. Add more cornmeal under pizza if necessary. ) Brush 1 tsp. oil over crust.
4. Sprinkle 1 Tbsp. mozzarella, then a quarter of bacon, another 1 Tbsp. mozzarella and 1½ tsp. Parmesan over crust. Gently crack an egg over center of pizza.
5. Carefully slide pizza onto stone, using a spatula to ease pizza onto stone without spilling egg. Bake until crust is slightly charred on top and golden on bottom (lift an edge to check), cheese has melted and egg white is cooked but yolk is still jiggly, about 6 1/2 minutes. While pizza is cooking, make 3 more using remaining ingredients. Bake remaining pizzas. Using peel, transfer pizzas to individual plates. Sprinkle with scallions and pepper, then serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings

Recipe Courtesy: Yahoo Food

Buffalo Chicken Salad

In our family, spending quality time together is a top priority.  Due to the busyness of schedule on weekdays, we look forward to the weekends when we can bond and relax, and most of the time we tend to travel out of town. We love exploring new places. And being the foodies that we are, we love exploring new foods, too- that means dieting is not an option ...so on weekdays we try to eat a much healthier food, and this recipe is one of them!

2 (8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons cayenne pepper hot sauce (or other hot sauce), plus more to taste
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 hearts Romaine, cut into 1-inch strips (about 8 cups)
4 celery stalks, thinly sliced
2 carrots, coarsely grated
2 scallions, green part only, sliced
1/2 cup Blue Cheese Dressing (we use organic Ranch dressing since my hubby is not a big fan of blue cheese)

Preheat the broiler. Put the chicken between 2 sheets of waxed paper and pound with a mallet or hammer so the chicken is an even thickness of about 3/4-inch, then cut the chicken crosswise into 1/2-inch strips. In a large bowl, combine the hot sauce and the oil, add chicken and toss until the chicken is well coated. Arrange the chicken on a baking sheet and broil until it is cooked through, about 4 to 6 minutes, turning once.

In a large bowl combine the Romaine, celery, shredded carrots and scallions. Toss with the dressing. Divide the greens between 4 plates, top with the chicken. Serve with extra hot sauce.

Yield: 4 servings

Recipe Courtesy: Ellie Krieger, Foodnetwork

Crispy Buffalo Wings

In our household eating healthy is a priority.  These chicken wings taste finger-licken' delish, minus the fat...well, most of it.  Yes, it's crispy and yummy just like the deep-fried version.  But the good thing about it, it's steamed and baked to perfection!  Hubby and little Sweetpea always beg me to make these....how can I say NO, when I love them myself!


Ingredients

5 pounds chicken wings, tips removed, drumettes and flats separated
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 small clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup hot pepper sauce (I use Frank's)


In a medium bowl, mix butter, cayenne pepper, black pepper, salt and garlic.  Let stand for 5 minutes.  Whisk in hot sauce; keep warm.

This is a very crucial step to get that crunchy, deep-fried texture:
Place a 6-quart saucepan with a steamer basket and 1 inch of water in the bottom, over high heat, cover and bring to boil.  Place the wings into the steamer basket, cover, reduce the heat to medium and steam for 10 minutes.  Remove the wings from the basket and carefully pat dry.  Lay the wings out on a cooling rack set in a half sheet pan lined with paper towels and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Replace the paper towels with parchment paper.  Roast on the middle rack of the oven for 20 minutes.  Turn the wings over and cook another 20 minutes or until meat is cooked through and the skin is golden brown.

Remove the wings from the oven and transfer to the bowl and toss with the sauce.  Serve immediately.



Recipe adaptations:

Hot Sauce:  Yahoo! Food
Preparation: Food Network, Alton Brown

Mongolian Beef

Wow, it's my first time making Mongolian Beef from scratch... fantastic!!!  One of our favorite Chinese food chains is Pei Wei.  This dish is one of my favorites from them.  Unfortunately, we don't have that restaurant in Joplin.  Out of this cravings, this recipe came to birth.  Actually, it was little Sweetpea's idea to have Chinese food.  Once in a while, I give her the pleasure of choosing our meal, anything I'm capable of making at home.  And it sure was an excellent choice from her :)


1 pound sirloin or flank steak, diagonally cut in thin strips
2 bunches green onions, sliced in 2 inches
2 medium size organic carrots, thinly sliced in sticks (about 2 inches)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ginger, grated
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup cornstarch
salt to taste
2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed (or more to your taste)
1/2 cup vegetable oil


Mix beef with cornstarch in a bowl and set aside for few minutes, making sure the cornstarch is fully soaked on the beef.

Heat oil in a wok and fry beef in batches making sure not to overcrowd them, until edges become crispy and start to brown, about 2 minutes.  Set beef aside, and pour remaining oil out of the wok except 2 tablespoons.  Add ginger and garlic into the wok until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add soy sauce, water and sugar, let it boil and gently scraping the bottom of the pan at the same time to loosen  bits and pieces.  Let it simmer for few minutes until sauce has thickened and slightly reduced.  Add carrots, stir and cook for about 2 minutes.  Add green onions and stir until somewhat soft (we like ours a little crispy), about 1 minute.  Take off from heat.  Serve hot with steamed rice.  Enjoy!

Jesus' Birthday Cake (Chocolate Fudge Layer Cake)

It's a tradition in our family every Christmas day to have a birthday cake for Jesus because He is the reason for this season.  This is something we started last year.  We've decided every year we can change up the flavor of the cake as long as we stay true to the meaning and significance of it.  This year, we made Chocolate Fudge Layer Cake with few modifications.  This cake represents the following...

* The shape of the cake is round to represent the world into which Jesus was born.
* The bottom (inner) layer is black to represent the sin in us, which is why Jesus came to the earth.
* The red coloring is Jesus' blood that was shed on the cross for our sin.
* The pure white frosting is the purity and righteousness of Christ.
* The red candle (not shown on picture) represents Jesus who came into the dark world to bring light and truth to all who are willing to receive it.

Ingredients

1 package (2 oz.) Baker's semi-sweet chocolate
1 package (6 oz. each) Baker's white chocolate (in this recipe I use white chocolate)
1 package (2 layer size) chocolate cake mix
1 package (3.9 oz) Jell-O chocolate instant pudding
4 eggs
1 cup Breakstone's or Knudsen Greek-style sour cream and non-fat yogurt
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup water
1 tub (8 oz.) Cool Whip whipped topping.  Do not thaw.
2 tablespoons Planter's sliced almonds
small jar of Maraschino cherries (garnish)
red candle (garnish)
red sprinkles (optional)

HEAT oven to 350°F.

CHOP 2 oz. chocolate. Beat cake mix, dry pudding mix, eggs, sour cream, oil and water in large bowl with mixer until blended. Stir in chopped chocolate. Pour into 2 (9-inch) round pans sprayed with cooking spray.

BAKE 30 to 35 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 min. Loosen cakes from sides of pans. Invert onto wire racks; gently remove pans. Cool cakes completely.

MICROWAVE COOL WHIP and remaining chocolate in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1-1/2 min. or until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring after 1 min. Let stand 15 min. to thicken.

STACK cake layers on plate, filling and frosting with COOL WHIP mixture. Sprinkle with nuts around it, garnish with cherries on top and a candle.

kraft kitchens tips

VARIATION

Prepare using 1 pkg. (1.4 oz.) JELL-O Chocolate Fat Free Sugar Free Instant Pudding, BREAKSTONE'S Reduced Fat or KNUDSEN Light Sour Cream, and COOL WHIP LITE Whipped Topping.

MAKE AHEAD

The fudge-like texture of this cake improves when it is stored overnight in the refrigerator.

HOW TO STORE

Keep refrigerated.   

Recipe Inspiration: Kraft

Baguette Magiques (Chocolate-Covered Breadsticks)

As we were vacationing in Disneyland Paris, France, we saw a Princess Recipe book at the Disney Store.  Who knew, right?!  Didn't know princesses actually cook in real life!  Well, being the foodie that we are, we took the book all the way home to Missouri.  Flipping through the pages, I realized it was written in French, but thank goodness we have our own translator no other than my French hubby!

"Baguette Magiques" is the first recipe that we tried.  They were very easy and fun to make.  Little Sweetpea took them to school for her "show and tell" and shared with her classmates- and they love them!  During their Christmas Party, we made them again only this time we changed some ingredients to commemorate the festivity.  Instead of using breadsticks we use pretzel sticks, and changed the colors of the sprinkles to red, white and green.  It's so versatile that you can play around, suits to any occasion and just have fun with it.

Chocolate covered breadsticks that Sweetpea took to school for "Show and Tell"

Chocolate covered pretzel sticks that Sweetpea took to her school Christmas party!

Ingredients

20 breadsticks or pretzel sticks, or more
150 grams (5.3 oz) dark, semi-sweet or white chocolate
Sprinkles (any colors or shapes), the idea is to have fun


Put chocolate in a microwavable bowl and microwave for 1 minute.  Stir in wooden spoon, then heat 30 seconds more if you need to.  One at a time, dip and roll bread stick in the melted chocolate to cover half of it.  Lay chocolate covered bread stick on a parchment paper and drizzle the sprinkles around it by carefully rotating it.  Repeat the process.  Let it cool on a parchment paper.  Enjoy!


Recipe Courtesy: La Cuisine des Princesses

Caldo De Res (Beef Soup)

Caldo De Res is a traditional Mexican dish, very comforting and hearty.  For me, it's best served in cold, fall-like or wintry days.  I did not know much about this dish until I saw a post from a friend on facebook.  It was during one very cold day, while I was wearing my pj's curled up on the couch trying to get toasty in front of the fireplace, looking at the picture of Caldo de Res made me salivate as I could have just imagined the warmth and wonderful aroma of the soup thinking, "It could have been nice if I have one right now."  Weather in the Midwest continues to drop as winter is fast approaching, and instead of going to my usual "route" of making some soups and hearty dishes (i.e. Stew, Sinigang or Pot Roast), I decided to try a new one this time.  Needless to say, I got inspired to make the dish (Caldo De Res) even though I have not tried nor tasted one before but just the looks of it made me curious.  I tell ya', the picture doesn't do justice...this dish is a sure keeper and boy, was I glad I braved to make it because the whole family loved it!

Ingredients

2-3 pounds beef shank, bone-in beef chuck or beef ribs, cut into serving sizes
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
3 red potatoes, quartered
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 fresh corn in a cob, chopped
1/2 medium head cabbage, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tomato, quartered
  salt to taste
2 cans beef broth or stock
5 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 fresh limes (optional)

 
In a large pot over high heat, cover beef ribs with beef broth and add some water (about 3 cups) depending on the amount of your meat.  Sprinkle with salt and add onions, tomatoes and garlic.  Let it boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour.  Uncover and skim off the foam and grease.  Add the rest of the ingredients except cabbage and 1 tablespoon of cilantro.  Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.  Add cabbage, cover and simmer for another 30 minutes, until the meat is cooked and tender.  Adjust seasoning (add salt if you have to), turn the heat off.   Serve hot in a bowl, served with lime wedges (optional) and sprinkle with the remaining cilantro.  In our house, we pair it with tortilla chips but some people pair it with hot sauce and warm corn tortillas.  Enjoy!

Korean Beef

Looking for something quick and easy for dinner?  This one doesn't disappoint.  There are days that I don't feel like being enslaved in the kitchen, and just want something quick to throw together right before family comes home for dinner.  This recipe's ingredients are something we usually stock up in our pantry or freezer already (we call it the "basics").  It doesn't take very long to make this dish and the flavor is amazing.  My dear hubby devoured it like crazy!  He even suggested of using it as a filling for "lettuce wraps" which I think it's brilliant!  Definitely, will be using lettuce instead of rice next time for a change.


Ingredients

1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 cup brown sugar (I use 1/4 cup instead, to cut back on sugar)
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2-1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (depending on how spicy you like it)
salt and pepper
1 bunch of green onions, diced
Rice, cooked
Sweet peas, steamed (optional)


Heat a large skillet over medium heat and brown hamburger with garlic in the sesame oil.  Drain most of the fat and add brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger, salt and pepper and red peppers.  Simmer for a few minutes to blend the flavors.  Serve over steamed rice and top with green onions, and steamed peas on the side.


Recipe courtesy:  Six Sisters' Stuff

Chocolate Berry Crisp

Who says you have to give up taste over nutrition when you can enjoy the best of both worlds from this delectable, chocolaty, berry dessert!  When my husband was training for the Chicago Marathon, this was his favorite recovery dessert.  The good news about training for a marathon is that it does leave you with a bit more caloric wiggle room for slightly indulgent treats. This chocolate berry crisp still has plenty of good-for-you nutritional value, including fiber from oats and inflammation reducing antioxidants from the berries and chocolate.  Runner or not, everyone can enjoy it including myself and Sweetpea.   And as some of you know, in our family we incorporate chocolate in our food whenever possible.  After all, they're good for ya'!

2 bags (12 oz. each) frozen mixed berries, such as strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries, thawed and drained, or 5 cups fresh berries

2 to 3 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons honey

1 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup toasted wheat germ

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup chopped almonds

1/3 cup dark or bittersweet chocolate chips

Vanilla ice cream

chocolate syrup, preferably Ghirardelli brand (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  In a bowl, mix the berries and cornstarch.  (If using thawed frozen fruit, use the higher amount of cornstarch.)  Pour the fruit into an 8"x8" glass baking dish.

In a small bowl, combine the honey, oats, wheat germ, brown sugar, cinnamon, and almonds.  Spread over the berry mixture.  Bake for 30 minutes.

Remove the dish from the oven and top evenly with the chocolate chips.  Return the dish to the oven and bake for 10 minutes, or until the chocolate is melter.  Serve warm topped with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream, drizzle some chocolate syrup (if using).  Enjoy!

Recipe courtesy The Runner's World Cookbook, as reported in October 2013 Runner's World.

Slow Cooker Italian Roast Beef Sandwiches

With or without barbecue sauce (it's your choice), this roast beef sandwiches are delicious.  Super easy and yummy.  When I have a super hectic days ahead of me, this is one of my go-to recipes where I can just put everything in the crockpot and forget about it until dinnertime comes.  And of course, you'll never be able to escape from the wonderful aroma that will create in the house.  Enjoy!


4 pounds beef roast
1 (12 oz.) bottle balsamic vinaigrette dressing
1 envelope onion soup mix
Italian seasoning, to taste
buns or rolls

*I usually cut the recipe in half for my tiny family :)

Directions:
Spray slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Place roast in the bottom of slow cooker.  In a mixing bowl, combine dressing, soup mix and Italian seasoning.  Pour over roast and place lid on slow cooker.  Cook on low for 8-10 hours.  After cooking, remove roast from slow cooker, shred and place back in juices.  Serve on rolls or buns.


Recipe Courtesy:  Six Sisters' Stuff