Chocolate Caramel Crackers

This weekend was a flurry of baking for me. I know that many people bake cookies around the Christmas holiday but this is one of the first years that I've actually participated in the tradition. I was making cookies for our church and for the base so I wanted to make a couple different kinds. (Of course, I made Bryant's award winning cookies but felt that I couldn't just stop there.)

Enter: Chocolate Caramel Crack(ers).  The blog Smitten Kitchen, who is my go-to for all things dessert and/or butter, appropriately nicknamed these Crack(ers) because these are so darn addictive.  And it's true! I was torn between "get-these-cookies-away-from-me-right-now" and "I-don't-want-to-share-these-with-anyone-else."  Let's just say it's a good thing that I promised these beforehand.

They're also incredibly simple to make -- definitely one of the easiest cookie recipes.  With just a handful of ingredients, it doesn't take too long to make these, either.

So if you happen to be doing any holiday baking, I highly recommend these.  Just keep them away from me.

Chocolate Caramel Crackers
Taken from: Smitten Kitchen
Makes 30-40

• 4 to 6 sheets matzo or approximately 40 Saltine crackers or crackers of your choice
• 1 cup (2 sticks or 8 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into a few large pieces
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• A big pinch of sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups semi- or bittersweet chocolate chips (or chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate)
• 1 cup toasted chopped almonds, pecans, walnuts or a nut of your choice (optional)
• Extra sea salt for sprinkling (optional)

-Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 11-by-17-inch baking sheet completely with foil, and then line the base of the foil with parchment paper, cut to fit.
-Line the bottom of the baking sheet with matzo or crackers, covering all parts.
-In a medium heavy-duty saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar together, and stir it over medium heat until it begins to boil. Once it has begun boiling, let it bubble for three more minutes, stirring it well. It will thicken a bit as it cooks. Remove from the heat and add the salt and vanilla, and then quickly pour it over the matzo or crackers. You’ll want to spread it quickly, as it will begin to set as soon as it is poured.
-Bake the caramel-covered crackers for 15 minutes, watching carefully as it will bubble and the corners might darken too quickly and/or burn (I just checked it every couple minutes). You can reduce the heat if you see this happening.
-Remove from oven and immediately cover with chocolate chips. Let stand five minutes, and then spread them evenly across the caramel. An offset spatula works great here. If you’re using them, sprinkle the chocolate with toasted chopped nuts and/or sea salt.
-Once completely cool (this process can be sped up by throwing the baking sheet in the fridge), break it into pieces and store it in a container. It should keep for a week (ha).

Roasted Cauliflower & Week's Meal Plan

I have to admit, it's probably a good thing that I'm sharing a vegetable dish along with this week's menu plan because this week is full of MEAT.  I've been waiting for quite a few types of meat to go on sale to use a few (highly anticipated) recipes and they finally did...all at the same time.   I actually had a hard time figuring out how to squeeze in one vegetarian meal for the week and I finally had to force myself to freeze some of the meat for another week.

This roasted cauliflower recipe is good...surprisingly good.  I actually wasn't expecting that much from this dish (I like cauliflower but don't love it) but since we like roasted vegetables, I decided to give it a try.  Let's just say it was so good that Bryant and I were actually snacking on it. (Seriously, how often do you do that?)  Bryant didn't have time to eat lunch the next day at work but somehow, he made time to eat his leftover cauliflower.


Roasted Cauliflower
Taken from: Cooking with My Kid
Serves 3 (this recipe can be easily doubled)

• 1 large head of cauliflower, cut into florets
• olive oil
• kosher salt & fresh ground pepper
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (optional; I omitted)

-Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. While chopping the cauliflower, place a baking sheet in the oven to preheat (this cuts down on the baking time if you're a little pressed for time).
-Place cauliflower in a large bowl, drizzle with olive oil, add salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Remove baking sheet from oven and quickly spread out cauliflower.
-Roasted for about 10 minutes, and then flip the florets to get them evenly browned and caramelized. Continue roasting about 10-15 more minutes.
-If desired, add pine nuts and then serve immediately or let cool to serve at room temperature.

Week's Menu Plan 

Sunday: Braised onion brisket w/ roasted vegs

Monday: Arroz con pollo

Tuesday: Sesame noodles

Wednesday: Blackened salmon with brussels sprouts

Thursday: French Dip Sandwiches (leftover from the Braised onion brisket) with salad

Friday:  Chicago style pizza (with sausage, mushrooms, peppers, onions)

Saturday:  Breaded chicken stuffed with scallions and blue cheese, served with roasted cauliflower

Poor Man's Beef Wellington

I have to say, I've never had a proper beef wellington but the idea of beef in a puff pastry...how could you go wrong?  However, you have to shell out quite a bit of money for beef tenderloin, one of the most expensive cuts of beef; enter the poor man's version of a beef wellington: a ground beef wellington.  And since I was bringing this to feed 3 hungry boys at the hospital, I just happened to have the perfect audience. 

The ground beef wellington was so good, too! You can make one large wellington or 4 individual ones (I even cut the individual ones in half).  First of all, it's just an impressive presentation of a golden brown crust and the smell just fills the room.  Bryant actually commented that tastes a little like a Shepard's pie in a flaky crust (it was from Jamie's Food revolution cookbook by Jamie Olivier, a native Brit).  While the ground beef wellington was great just the way it was, I'd like to tweak it next time by increasing the vegetables a bit and perhaps try serving it with some kind of sauce (maybe a spicy sauce?). I actually served it all on it's own but I think it would be good with a salad or (my next post) roasted cauliflower.

I have a feeling Bryant will be asking for this again...

Ground Beef Wellington
Taken from: Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution
Serves 4-6 (or 3 really hungry boys)
If your puff pastry is in the freezer, make sure to defrost it by sticking the 2 sheets in the refrigerator the night before.

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, peeled and diced
• 1-2 carrot, peeled and diced
• 1-2 stalk celery, diced
• 1-2 potato, peeled and diced
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 4-8 fresh mushrooms, chopped
• 4 twigs fresh rosemary, leaves pulled off the stems and chopped (I had to use two large pinches of dried rosemary)
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 egg, beaten together in a small bowl
• 3/4 - 1 pound ground beef (make sure to use at least 90% as the fat will actually drain onto the baking sheet!)
• salt and pepper to taste
• a bit of flour
• 2 sheets puff pastry, defrosted if frozen

-Preheat the oven to 350 F. In a large skillet on medium low, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic, onion, carrot, celery, potato, mushroom and rosemary. Cook, stirring, about 8-10 minutes. Add the frozen peas and stir for about a minute more.  Place this mixture in a large bowl and set it aside for a few minutes to cool a bit.
-To the large bowl with the vegetable mixture, add the ground beef, half the beaten egg and salt and pepper. Use your hands to mix it well.
-On a floured surface, roll out the puff pastry. You can put the two sheets on top of each other and roll out one big rectangle (about 14×16″) and make a large Beef Wellington or cut that into 4 smaller rectangles to make 4 smaller ones.
-Place 1/4 of the ground beef mix onto the long seam of each rectangle, brush the outside long edges with some beaten egg and roll up lengthwise, pinching the edges together to seal. Put on a large cookie pan, seam side down.  Repeat for each. (I actually had enough leftovers for a 5th.)
-Brush the tops with the rest of the egg and bake for an hour at 350 F.

Mexican Pulled Chicken & Week's Menu Plan

Since we had Thanksgiving a little late this year so my sister could join us, I was able to use Thursday and Friday for prepping all things Thanksgiving.  However, I had also promised to bring Bryant and his co-workers dinner for Friday.  Since I was busy making cranberry relish, sweet potato casserole, pie dough, gravy, etc, etc, I didn't have much time to make an elaborate or complicated meal.  So I just sauteed some onions and dumped frozen chicken breast (I remove the fat and portion chicken breast before freezing it) and a few other ingredients into the slow cooker and cooked on low for 8 hours.  The result was surprisingly moist chicken that was great for burritos (and we used the leftovers in quesadillas the next day).

I highly recommend this recipe if you have time to throw the ingredients together in the morning to make an effortless meal that night.  Plus, when you serve it tons of extras - we had lettuce, cheddar cheese, black beans, guacamole, homemade salsa, and tortillas - it not only tastes great but it also looks like you worked a lot harder than you did!

Mexican Pulled Chicken
Taken from: Handle the Heat (great in burritos, tacos, quesadillas, etc)
Serves 4-6

• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 heaping teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• salt and pepper
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I used 1 1/2 pounds)
• 1 cup salsa (homemade is better but jarred is fine for a quick dinner!)
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 lime, juiced

-In a nonstick skillet, bring to a medium heat and add olive oil. Add onion, cumin, chili powder and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Cook onion, stirring regularly until it starts to soften (about 5 minutes). Add half a cup of chicken stock.
-Add skillet mixture to slow cooker.  Add chicken, salsa and the rest of the chicken stock.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
-Shred chicken in slow cooker with two forks (it should be tender enough to easily shred).  Continue cooking for 15 minutes or more or low. Add lime juice to chicken. Taste and adjust seasonings.


Week's Menu Plan

 Monday: Grilled Mahi Mahi with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce and quinoa

Tuesday: Thai chicken soup

Wednesday:  turkey mole

Thursday: Rice and Bean Casserole

Friday: Penne with Italian sausage & bell peppers

Saturday: ground beef wellington

Teriyaki Chicken & Caribbean Chicken Salad

Is is appropriate to have a completely un-related Thanksgiving post on Thanksgiving Day? It is when you are celebrating Thanksgiving two days later! So while everyone else is in the throes of turkey roasting/potato mashing/pie baking, I'm just starting the Thanksgiving process today by making the easy things ahead of time (pie crust, cranberry relish, etc).

So while this meal probably isn't for Thanksgiving, definitely save it for another day.  This teriyaki chicken is so good and is actually even better great on top of the Caribbean Chicken Salad.

I actually found the Caribbean Chicken Salad first and just couldn't wait to make it.  However, it called for a store-bought teriyaki marinade; I definitely didn't want to buy a marinade (which not only is expensive but probably is chock full of extra sugar and other unnecessary ingredients) so I found my own recipe. This recipe caught my idea because it got high marks from about 2,00 reviews on Allrecipes.com.  It was also surprisingly easy to make - just dump a few ingredients in a saucepan and simmer to make the marinade, then cook chicken breast for about 20-30 minutes.

So whether you make this teriyaki chicken all on its own or as a great addition to the Caribbean Chicken Salad, enjoy!

Teriyaki Chicken
Taken from: AllRecipes
Serves 4

• 1-1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1-1/2 teaspoons cold water
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger, minced (used ground ginger as a substitute)
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 4-6 skinless chicken breasts (I cut my chicken in half lengthwise; this makes the chicken pieces thinner and cuts down on the cooking time)

-In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the cornstarch, cold water, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger and ground black pepper. Let simmer, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens and bubbles.(You can make this ahead of time and refrigerate.)
-Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
-In a 9x13 inch baking dish, cover bottom with aluminum foil (for easy cleanup) and then spray with cooking spray. Add chicken pieces and then brush chicken with half the sauce.
-Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Turn pieces over, and brush with more sauce.  Bake for another approximately 10 minutes, until no longer pink and juices run clear. Brush with sauce every 10 minutes during cooking. (If you are making the Caribbean Chicken salad, assemble the salad while the chicken cooks.)

Caribbean Chicken Salad
Taken from: AllRecipes
Serves 4

• Teriyaki chicken (see recipe above)
• Pico de gallo or salsa
• 1/8 cup Dijon mustard
• 1/8 cup honey
• 1 tablespoons reserved pineapple juice (or you can use white sugar)
• 1-1/2 teaspoons canola oil
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon lime juice
• 3/4 pound mixed salad greens (I used baby spinach and romaine)
• 1/2 of 8 ounce can pineapple chunks, drained (reserve juices)
• 2 cups corn tortilla chips

-In a small bowl, mix the mustard, honey, sugar, oil, vinegar, and lime juice. Cover dressing, and refrigerate.
Preheat the grill for high heat.
-Arrange mixed salad greens on plates. Spoon some of the salsa over each salad, and sprinkle with 1/4 of the pineapple chunks. Break tortilla chips into large chunks, and sprinkle over salads. Lay some of the grilled chicken strips on each salad. Finally, drizzle dressing over each salad, and serve.

Cream of (Roasted) Tomato Soup

This tomato soup is perfect for the cold nights that we've been having the last few days (although perhaps I just got wimpier since we've moved to California). And it was even better serving it with grilled cheese sandwiches and a cabbage salad. (We might have including crispy bacon inside our grilled cheese. I like to call it our almost non-meat meal.)

I couldn't decide whether to call this roasted tomato soup or cream of tomato soup, so why not combine the two?  Roasting whole peeled canned tomatoes (I did this ahead of time), stirring in a spice or two, adding just a touch of cream and whisky...whew!  We pureed half of the soup in the blender which made a very creamy texture but kept nice chunks of tomato.  I also lightened this recipe and we didn't miss the extra butter/cream/etc. 

Cream of Roasted Tomato Soup
Taken from: Smitten Kitchen
Serves 4-6

• 2 (28-ounce) cans whole tomatoes packed in juice, drained, juices reserved
• 1 1/2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup of large minced shallots, about 4 (I used minced onion instead)
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• Pinch ground allspice (you can substitute equal parts cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, black pepper or omit entirely)
• 2 tablespoon all-purpose or white whole wheat flour
• 1 3/4 cups chicken stock, homemade or canned low-sodium
• 1/4 cup heavy cream (I used fat free half-and-half)
• 1 tablespoon brandy, dry sherry, whiskey (optional)
• Salt and ground pepper 

-THIS STEP CAN BE DONE AHEAD OF TIME: Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 450°F. Lined rimmed baking sheet with foil. With fingers, carefully open whole tomatoes over strainer set in bowl and push out seeds, allowing juices to fall through strainer into bowl. Spread seeded tomatoes in single layer on foil. Sprinkle evenly with brown sugar. Bake until all liquid has evaporated and tomatoes begin to color, about 30 minutes. Let tomatoes cool slightly, then peel them off foil; transfer to small bowl and set aside.
-Heat butter and olive oil over medium heat in large saucepan until foaming. Add shallots/onions, tomato paste and allspice. Cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until shallots are softened, 7 to 10 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, until thoroughly combined, about 30 seconds. Gradually add chicken stock, whisking constantly to combine; stir in reserved tomato juice and roasted tomatoes. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, to blend flavors, about 10 minutes (this is an excellent time to make the grilled cheese sandwiches!)
-Pour half to 3/4 of the mixture to blender and puree until smooth. Place pureed mixture back into saucepan with remaining soup. Add cream and warm over low heat until hot, about 3 minutes. Off heat, stir in brandy and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately. (Soup can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Warm over low heat until hot; do not boil.)

Blazin' Buffalo Chicken Calzones & Menu Plan

As promised, here is the chicken calzones recipe.  These went over very well at the hospital this weekend: spicy, a nice amount of melted cheese and a crispy crust.  The recipe said it served 4 but as I was dividing out the buffalo chicken, I was worried it wouldn't really be enough. However, it worked out perfectly - it was definitely enough to go around. Not only are they really satisfying, they're also really easy to make. If you don't have time to make your own pizza dough, you can always find dough at a grocery store (or use this incredibly quick no-rise dough recipe).

Before our meal, Bryant had told his co-worker Greg what I was making.  By the time I got to the hospital, Greg had given them a much more colorful name, something to the effect of Blazin' Ragin' Wild Western Buffalo Bill Chicken Calzones. So here you have it: the recipe for Blazin' Ragin' Wild Western Buffalo Bill Chicken Calzones.

I've also included our week's menu plan.As you can see, we'll be celebrating Thanksgiving two days later than the official day. My sister is coming to visit for our Thanksgiving weekend and we are so excited to celebrate Thanksgiving with her! This will also be my first year cooking the Thanksgiving meal and I am really excited for it.  I can't wait to try this new slow cooker stuffing recipe and attempt to make Carolyn's delicious pecan pie. We loved a brined turkey breast recipe I had made a couple months ago so that will appear again (Who says turkey has to be once a year?).  To round it out, we'll also be having cranberry relish, green beans (both classic Thanksgiving dishes for my side of the family) and sweet potato casserole (courtesy of Bryant's side).  Finally, since I hate pumpkin pie but actually really like all other pumpkin dishes, our nod to this famous dessert will be to have pumpkin bread (with a cinnamon pecan swirl) in the morning.

Blazin' Ragin' Wild Western Buffalo Bill Chicken Calzones
Taken from: Healthy Food for Living
Serves: 4

• 1 whole wheat pizza dough, at room temperature (I used this recipe made ahead of time but if you're pressed for time, use this one)
• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tbsp hot sauce (add more if desired)
• 1/4 cup tomato sauce
• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1/4 cup sliced green onion

-Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
-Make pizza dough (this can be made up to a day ahead of time). If made ahead and refrigerated, set on counter to bring to room temperature.
-Make blue cheese sauce.
-Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
-Season chicken with salt and pepper, add to heated pan, and cook until done, about 5 minutes per side. Remove chicken from pan and set aside to cool. Once cool enough to handle, cut chicken into bite-sized pieces. Reduce stove heat to low.
-Melt butter in the skillet and stir in Worcestershire, hot sauce, and tomato sauce. Stir to combine and remove from heat. Add the cooked chicken to the buffalo sauce, and stir to coat evenly.
-Divide pizza dough into four equal portions. Roll each out into a circle on a lightly floured surface.
-Working with one dough circle at a time, spoon 1/4 of the chicken onto one half of the circle. Top with 1/4 cup shredded cheddar and 1 tablespoon sliced green onion. Drape other half of the dough circle up and over the filling, and pinch edges together to seal the dough.
-Repeat with remaining three dough circles. Transfer calzones to 2 baking sheets or preheated pizza stone (sprinkle the baking sheet/pizza stone with cornmeal). Using the tines of a fork, pierce the top of each calzone a few times to let steam out while cooking.
-Place calzones into the oven, and cook for 10-12 minutes. Let calzones sit at room temperature for a few minutes. Serve with the blue cheese-yogurt dip and extra hot sauce.

Week's Menu Plan

Monday:  grilled cheese & tomato soup and Napa cabbage salad

Tuesday: Grilled Mahi-Mahi with Cilantro Pesto with roasted cauliflower and wild rice

Wednesday: Caribbean Salad  

Thursday: pumpkin bread for breakfast, Maely's chili for dinner

Friday: Mexican pulled chicken with nutella blondies

Saturday (Thanksgiving observed!): brined turkey breast, slow cooker stuffing, Carolyn's sweet potato casserole, green beans, cranberry sauce, Carolyn's pecan pie