Grilled Steak with Black Bean, Corn and Tomatoes

This is SO GOOD!  Of course the kids skipped the topping and went straight for the steak.  You know, I have always been one to respect a straight shooter, and when they come right out and say, "No way am I going to eat that black bean crap!" there is nothing I can do but nod and say, "You can say that again!!"  Because all I want is harmony folks, family harmony.  And more black bean crap for MY steak, if I'm going to be honest.....


Grilled Steak with Black Bean, Corn and Tomatoes
Recipe from SkinnyTaste

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb. flank steak
1/2 tsp. cumin
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
fresh cracked pepper to taste

For the black bean, corn and tomatoes:

3 tbsp. red onion, minced
1 tsp. olive oil
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
2 medium vine ripe tomatoes, diced
1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cups frozen corn kernels (fresh is fine)
2 tbsp. finely minced cilantro
kosher salt and fresh pepper to taste


Directions:

Season steak with the crushed garlic, cumin, salt and pepper and set aside 5-10 minutes
Combine red onions, olive oil, lime juice, salt and pepper in a medium bowl and set aside a few minutes. Add tomatoes, black beans, corn, cilantro and set aside.

Heat a clean lightly greased indoor or outdoor grill on high heat. Grill steak on high heat, 6-8 minutes on each side or until your desired degree of doneness. Let the meat rest about 5 minutes before slicing. Slice the beef into thin slices across the grain, place on a platter and top with corn, black bean and tomato salad.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream Cake

Caleb requested a chocolate chip cookie dough cake for his birthday this year, which gave me the excuse of looking through tons of recipes until I found one that I thought would be approved of by him.  The only thing I wish I would have done differently is let it harden in the freezer longer after I put it together so the ice cream wouldn't have melted so fast.  It is very rich and decadent!!


Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream Cake
Recipe from Sugar Plum


Ingredients:

Chocolate Chip Cookie Layer
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
12 ounces coarsely chopped semisweet chocolate

Chocolate Cake Layer
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon1 baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup oil
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup yogurt or sour cream

1 quart chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream, softened

Ganache
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
4 ounces coarsely chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
2 teaspoons corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:

To make the chocolate chip cookie layers, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat; continue to cook the butter, whisking frequently, until it starts to brown and foam, about 4-5 minutes. Set aside.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking soda and salt.

In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat browned butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until well combined and grainy, about 1 minute. Beat in eggs and vanilla until well combined. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually beat in flour mixture until just combined; stir in chocolate with a wooden spoon until combined. Chill dough in the refrigerator, lightly covered, for 1 hour. (You could speed up this process by placing the dough in the freezer for about 45 minutes.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour 2 (9-inch) cake pans.

To make the chocolate cake layers, in a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat together oil, butter and granulated sugar until well combined and creamy, about 1-2 minutes. Beat in egg, vanilla and yogurt until combined. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually beat in flour mixture until combined, about 1-2 minutes.

Divide batter into cake pans. Bake 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into cakes comes out with moist crumbs attached. Cool pans on wire racks for 10 minutes; run a knife around outside edges and invert onto wire racks to cool completely.

Increase oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Butter the cake pans again, and line with parchment or waxed paper circles; butter paper.

Divide cookie dough and pat evenly into pans. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely in pan before running a knife around outer edges and lifting out paper-lined cookies; remove paper.

Spread the ice cream evenly between cookie and cake layers; freeze for 10 minutes before covering with ganache. Meanwhile, to make the ganache, bring cream to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove pan from heat and stir in chocolate until melted and smooth. Cool to a good consistency before pouring over ice cream cake.

Old Fashioned Apple Crisp

 

 

 

Something that I am really passionate about is crisps, or crumbles.  I. Love. Them.  They make me so very, very happy.  Something I do not love is cobbler.  I don't want that garbage anywhere near me.  Seriously, keep it away.  But back to crisps, ahhh, crisps.   This recipe is so delicious, of course, why wouldn't it be, it's from the beloved Barefoot Contessa!  The woman knows what she's about!  Of course it wouldn't be my very best friend, Apple Crisp, without my other best friend, Talenti Tahitian Vanilla Bean Gelato.  Did I mention I gained 20 pounds the few days this beautiful number was in my home?  Speaking of Talenti, if anyone is blessed enough to have had the Carribean Coconut, please let me know, in detail, how delightful it is.  I have dreams about how amazing it must be.

 

 

Old Fashioned Apple Crisp

Recipe from The Food Network

 

Ingredients:

 

5 pounds McIntosh apples(I used Honeycrisp) (I'm a rebel)

Grated zest of 1 orange

Grated zest of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

 

For the topping:

 

1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup oatmeal

1/2 pound cold unsalted butter, diced (My esteemed friend Trevlyn, who first told me about this delicious recipe, says she justs melts the butter to make it easier.  I'm trying that next time, Trevlyn can do no wrong.)

 

Directions:

 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9 by 14 by 2-inch oval baking dish.  Peel, core, and cut the apples into large wedges. Combine the apples with the zests, juices, sugar, and spices. Pour into the dish.  To make the topping, combine the flour, sugars, salt, oatmeal, and cold butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until the mixture is crumbly and the butter is the size of peas. Scatter evenly over the apples.  Place the crisp on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour until the top is brown and the apples are bubbly. Serve warm. If you have any sanity whatsoever you will serve it with vanilla ice cream.



 

Chocolate Mousse Pie

The kids requested a chocolate pie for Thanksgiving, and I was very happy to oblige them!!  This was was super easy and so delicious!!


Chocolate Mousse Pie
Recipe from Very Best Baking


Ingredients:

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1/3 cup baking cocoa

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup butter, melted

2 3/4 cups (16 oz.) semi sweet chocolate chips, divided

2 cups heavy whipping cream, divided

2 teaspoons powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

Preheat oven to 350° F.  Combine graham cracker crumbs, cocoa and granulated sugar in 9-inch pie plate. Stir in butter until moistened; press onto bottom and up side of pie plate.  Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle 1/2 cup morsels over bottom of hot crust; let stand for 10 minutes or until all morsels are shiny. Spread chocolate over bottom and up side of crust. Cool to room temperature.  Microwave  2 cups morsels and 3/4 cup cream in large, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on HIGH (100%) power for 1 minute; STIR. The morsels may retain some of their original shape. If necessary, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring just until morsels are melted. Cool to room temperature.  Beat remaining cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract in chilled small mixer bowl until soft peaks form. Fold 2 cups whipped cream into chocolate mixture. Spoon into crust; swirl top. Garnish with remaining whipped cream. Refrigerate until firm.  Microwave  remaining 1/4 cup morsels in heavy-duty plastic bag on HIGH (100%) power for about 30 seconds; knead until smooth. Cut tiny corner from bag; squeeze to drizzle chocolate over pie. Llet stand a few minutes before serving.  (I didn't do this very last part, we were in too big of a hurry to eat it!!)

Chicken Corn Chowder

I saw this recipe on the blog 71 Toes last week and knew immediately that I had to make it.  I am so glad I did, it is delicious.  I made a few little changes according to my tastes, you can click through to her original recipe if you would rather make it according to her recipe. So cheesy, so yummy, I love it!!

Chicken Corn Chowder
Recipe adapted from 71Toes

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. olive oil
1 chopped onion
2 cloves crushed garlic
2 large cans chicken broth
1 c. milk or cream
2 pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 cups of frozen corn
1 cup of salsa
1 can (8 oz.) of tomato sauce
1 can black beans (rinsed and drained)
2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
avocado (optional)
tortilla chips (optional)
shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

Directions:

Sauté onion and garlic in 2 tbs. olive oil, add broth, milk or cream, cream cheese, corn, salsa, beans, chicken, chili powder and cumin and bring it all to a boil. Add salt and pepper to taste.   Add the cilantro at the very end of cooking.  Garnish with avocado, chips and shredded cheese if you like.  (I like).  (I really like). 

Knock You Naked Brownies

These were eaten too fast to take a picture.  Just trust me, they are delicious!!  Click through to the link for pictures.


Knock You Naked Brownies
Recipe from The Pioneer Woman


Ingredients:

1 stick butter, melted, plus more for greasing

All-purpose flour, for dusting

1/3 plus 1/2 cup evaporated milk

One 18.5-ounce box German chocolate cake mix (I use Duncan Hines)

1 cup finely chopped pecans

60 caramels, unwrapped

1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted

 

Directions:

 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour a 9X9 baking pan.  Begin by pouring 1/3 cup evaporated milk into a bowl with the cake mix. Add the melted butter and the chopped pecans. Mix the ingredients together; it'll be pretty thick!  Divide the dough in half down the middle. Press half of it into the bottom of the prepared pan to make the first brownie layer. Bake until slightly set, 8 to 10 minutes. Then remove from the oven and set aside.

While the brownie layer is baking, in a double boiler (or glass bowl set over a bowl of simmering water) combine the caramels and the remaining 1/2 cup evaporated milk. Stir occasionally until the caramels are totally melted and the mixture is smooth. Pour the caramel mixture over the first baked layer, spreading so it's evenly distributed. Sprinkle the chocolate chips all over the top.

Next, on a clean surface or a sheet of waxed paper, press the remaining dough into a square shape slightly smaller than the baking pan. Carefully set it on top of the chocolate chips. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let the brownies cool to room temperature. Cover the pan and refrigerate the brownies for several hours to allow them to set.

When you're ready to serve them sprinkle generously with the powdered sugar and cut them into large rectangles before removing from the pan.

Baked Pumpkin Donuts

I was inspired by a friends facebook post to finally pull out the donut pans that have been sitting in my cupboard for 6 months and make something delicious.  Pumpkin has been hitting pinterest hard the past few weeks, and luckily I had pinned a pumpkin donut recipe recently that I was anxious to try.  These donuts are fantastic!!  Moist (I hate that word), sweet and so, so good.  I doubled the recipe to use up a large can of pumpkin; most of them I just put the cinnamon sugar on top but some of them I put a glaze on just for kicks, and then the last batch I added mini chocolate chips to them.  If you don't have a donut pan these can also be made into muffins, just lengthen the cooking time.  I got my donut pans at Ross for dirt cheap, they are also reasonable on amazon.  Happy eating!!



Baked Pumpkin Donuts
Recipe from King Arthur Flour

Ingredients:

1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups pumpkin purée (canned pumpkin)
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, or 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon plus a heaping 1/4 teaspoon each ground nutmeg and ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Directions:

Beat everything together until smooth.  Add 1 3/4 cups + 2 tablespoons (8 ounces)  flour, stirring just until smooth.  Lightly grease two standard donut pans.   If you don’t have doughnut pans, you can bake these in a couple of standard muffin tins; they just won’t be doughnuts.  Fill the wells of the doughnut pans about 3/4 full, using a scant 1/4 cup of batter in each well.  Bake the doughnuts for 15 to 18 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of one comes out clean.   If you’re making muffins, they’ll need to bake for 23 to 25 minutes.  Remove the doughnuts from the oven, and after about 5 minutes, loosen their edges, and transfer them to a rack to cool.  While the doughnuts are still warm (but no longer fragile), gently shake them in a bag with cinnamon sugar.   If you’ve made muffins, sprinkle their tops heavily with the spiced sugar of your choice. 

Peach Julius

Our peach tree has the most enormous, beautiful peaches this year.

Evidence:

It is bigger than her hand!!

I've been looking for lots and lots of peach recipes and knew I had to make this as soon as I saw it.  I sure have a thing for Orange Julius' so a Peach one could only be better!!!  Oh my, it is.  It is so, so good!!

 

 

 

Peach Julius

Recipe from Around My Family Table

 



4 ripe peaches, peeled and cut
1/2 cup of milk
1/2 cup of orange juice
1 tsp vanilla
1-2 tbls honey (optional, depends on the ripeness/sweetness of the peaches)
a couple handfuls of ice

 

 

Put everything in blender and blend until smooth and frothy. Serves 2 adults and one child.

 

Black Bean Vegetable Soup

 

 

So, about 3 weeks ago Thom unfortunately watched a youtube video that showed some really horrible things that happen when cows are slaughtered, how pigs and chicken are raised for the slaughter and maybe veal -   I'm not sure.  All I know is he was TRAUMATIZED.  He tried to explain it to me but after the first sentence I was all "Uh uh!   No no no no no no no!!!!!"  It's going to be awhile before he will be able to eat meat again I guess, so in the mean time I have been trying to come up with some yummy meatless meals.  This is really hard for me, because in a normal week, I think we eat meat 6 out of 7 days!!  I found a recipe for black bean soup and played around with it.  I love the result!  It has a delicious smoky flavor from the cumin, and just the right amount of vegetables.  I know I will be making this one regularly this winter!!

Black Bean Vegetable Soup
Recipe from Kathee Clifford


Ingredients:
1 tbsp. olive oil

1/2 onion, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

2 carrots, chopped

2 potatoes, chopped

1 tsp. chili powder

2 tsp. ground cumin

4 cups vegetable or chicken stock

2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup frozen corn

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

1/4 tsp. salt

1 (14.5 ounce) can mexican style stewed tomatoes

 

Directions:

In large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat; cook onion, garlic, and carrots, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until onion is softened. Add chili powder and cumin; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add stock, 1 can of the beans, potatoes, corn, and pepper; bring to boil.           

Meanwhile, in food processor or blender, puree together tomatoes and remaining can of beans; add to pot. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes or until carrots and potatoes are tender.

Easy Italian Chicken

This is a great Sunday meal!  Put everything in the pan, take a nap, when you wake up dinner is ready!!  Obviously, I don't have very many green beans, but since I'm the only person who is going to eat them, I didn't see the point of cooking up a ton of them.  My kids are potato eaters, so I made a ton of those instead.  I think next time I make this, I will cut the potatoes smaller, so they don't take as long to cook, but other than that I thought this was an easy, delicious meal!!


Easy Italian Chicken


Ingredients:

3 large chicken breasts, cut into halves
8-10 red potatoes, quartered (depending on the size of the potato I would cut these smaller next time)
a bunch of fresh green beans
1 packet Good Seasons Italian dressing mix
1/2 cup butter, melted

Place chicken in the middle of a 9x13 pan. Place potatoes on one side and green beans on the other. Sprinkle dressing mix over everything in the pan. Drizzle melted butter over the top. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour at 350.  (I had to cook this longer because the potatoes weren't done).

Orange Chicken and Veggies

Today I was in the mood for something not too heavy, some veggies, and of course, my beloved rice.  I would serve rice every single day if I thought Thom would go for it!  This recipe fit the bill perfectly and bonus - everybody loved it!!  Of course, most of the fam didn't eat the vegetables but I'm no nitpicker.  That is a battle I'm not choosing; they will eventually learn to love them, like I did!  And if they don't, then they will be really unhealthy.  Anyway!  This is good, make it!!


Orange Chicken and Veggies
Recipe from Jamie Cooks It up!

4 chicken breasts

3/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. olive oil
5 large carrots (I am bummed because I forgot to add these)
1 onion
2 bell peppers (red, green or orange...you choose)
6 stalks celery
salt and pepper to taste

Sauce:

3/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 tsp. ginger
2 tsp. rice vinegar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. sesame oil
pinch red pepper flakes (I added two pinches and it still wasn't hot enough for us)
2 tbsp. corn starch
1 cup chicken broth

Cut the chicken breasts up into 2 inch cubes. Combine the flour and the 1/4 t salt in a small bowl. Throw the chicken around in it until all of the pieces are covered.

Heat up a large skillet. When it's hot add 1 tbsp. oil and throw your floured chicken into it. Cook your chicken until it is golden all over. (About 10 minutes)  While your chicken is cooking up, chop up your veggies. Make sure they are about the same size. When your chicken is pretty and golden, take it out of the pan and place it on a plate.  Add another tbsp. of oil into the hot skillet. Add your veggies and cook over medium high heat until crisp tender...about another 10 minutes.  While your veggies cook add all sauce ingredients to a medium sized sauce pan. Whisk them together until they are all combined nicely. Bring to a boil. Once it boils it should thicken up.   When your veggies are crisp tender add your thickened sauce and chicken into the pan. Stir it all around and there you have it.  (I personally kept everything seperate, so you could take as much chicken, veggies or sauce as you wanted.)  Serve over rice.

Spaghetti with Garlic, Olive Oil and Red Pepper

Sometimes I just want a simple meal.  This recipe looked so good to me, I couldn't wait to try it.  I was worried that it would be too plain for Thom, but he loved it.  I wanted to eat about 5 helpings but I exercised some self control.  I sauteed some shrimp in garlic and butter and put it on top of Thom's pasta.  I think next time I make it I would like to saute some veggies and maybe pancetta to add to it.  Then watch out, its 5 helpings time!!

Spaghetti with Garlic, Olive Oil and Red Pepper
Recipe adapted from Yum Sugar

Ingredients:

7 ounces of spaghetti
2 large or 3 small garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons of chili pepper flakes
1/4 to 1/3 cup of extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
Freshly grated pecorino romano cheese to taste (this made it SO GOOD)

Directions:

Cook spaghetti according to the directions on the package, until it is al dente.  Strain spaghetti and place in a large serving dish.  Add minced garlic, chili pepper flakes, olive oil, salt, and pepper, and mix together well.  Serve warm or at room temperature.  Just before serving, top with pecorino romano cheese.

Making it Work

Sometimes your big dinner ambitions don't work out, but you can't give up.  Just make it work somehow!  Tonight I was looking forward to making chicken taquitos.  I tried about 5 times rolling different tortillas up, but they kept falling apart into a million pieces.  Frustration!!  I was about to give up and say "Let's grab some take out!"  when I decided I would see what happened if I tried to make them into tacos instead.   I didn't think it would work, but for whatever reason, they didn't fall apart!  So I fried up a bunch of tacos, and holy yum, I'm pretty sure they were better than the taquitos would have been!  Oh yeah, I'm definitely sure!  I crammed mine full of fresh salsa and avocado slices - taco heaven.  No recipe, I just shredded chicken and seasoned it with salt, pepper, garlic and cumin.  Put some on a tortilla, folded it and fried those babies up in some hot oil.  Delicious!!