Farewell to 2013

Hello world - what a year it has been! In recent months I have truly neglected both this blog and my other blog, so sorry. Let's just say that life has taken over and I just have not been able to keep up. But I wanted to pop in and publish one last post for 2013, which has been quite a notable year for me culinary-wise. Last month, I traveled to Las Vegas with my sweetie and had the exciting opportunity of participating as a finalist in the one and only Pillsbury Bake-Off! I was one of one-hundred lucky and talented home cooks chosen for this honor, and let me tell you, an honor it was! Alas, I did not win, but I truly had an amazing time and met lots of great people. And losing did not dissuade me - in fact, I am more encouraged than ever to pursue cooking and baking with a passion! I love it and always will. What better way to show love to my family and friend than by offering them something delicious to eat? None that I know of...

So, the above photo is of all 100 "46th Pillsbury Bake-Off" Finalists. I'm on the right side of the photo, quite near the back 'cuz I'm a tall girl, a few people in from the end... squint and you'll see me (see the lady three from the end in the back row, wearing a bright mint-green sweater? I'm just to the left and slightly in front of her. I'm wearing black under my apron). The whole Bake-Off Experience was just so incredibly exciting, and even if I never get the chance to do something like that again (but I'm gonna sure try, yes I am!), I will never forget it.

2013 was memorable for many other reasons, but I will leave this blog post at that. Welcome 2014 - let's see what you got! I'm ready!

Vegetarian Potato-Corn Chowder

Here's a simple vegetarian chowder that's an original of mine, and it's always a hit whenever I serve it. This goes great with home-made rolls (or any bread, really). Add a side salad if desired, but this comforting soup is a meal in itself. You can also add bacon, chicken or ground beef if that's your thing, but I enjoy the purity of the vegetables. Here's the recipe... dig in!

POTATO-CORN CHOWDER (vegetarian)

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium yellow onion, diced
4 large stalks celery, diced
1 large carrot, diced
6 medium red-skinned potatoes, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground pepper6 cups vegetable broth
1 can (15 ounces) corn, drained (or use fresh corn if in season)
¼ to ½ cup dehydrated potato flakes
½ cup sour cream or greek yogurt 

Heat olive oil and butter in a large heavy-bottomed soup pot. Add onion, celery, carrot, potatoes, garlic, salt & pepper. Cook and stir for three to five minutes. Add broth; stir, cover and simmer until vegetables are tender (approximately 15 to 20 minutes). Add corn. Stir in potato flakes to thicken soup as desired. Finish with sour cream or yogurt; adjust seasoning and serve warm.

Gluten-Free Oatmeal-Fruit Casserole

Hello, neighbors! So, I got THIS recipe from a friend recently, and decided to tweak it just a little. It's intended to be a breakfast dish but with the chocolate and fruit I thought we'd try it for dessert. It's surprisingly and pleasantly cake-like in the center, and the blend of nutty oats & pecans, brown sugar, chocolate, sweet bananas and tart berries make for just the right flavor balance. I recommend eating it warm out of the oven. This one's a keeper for sure, and I can't wait to try in on a cool Sunday morning sometime in the coming months! And remember, this recipe is gluten-free and also quite yummy! Enjoy. Until next time...

OATMEAL-FRUIT CASSEROLE (Gluten Free) 

2 cups gluten-free rolled oats
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup chopped pecans, divided
1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
3/4 cup raspberries, blackberries or blueberries
1 ripe banana, peeled and sliced
2 cups almond milk or coconut milk
1 large egg
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Preheat oven to 375°F and generously spray the inside of a 9-inch square baking dish with non-stick spray.

In a large bowl, mix together the oats, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, half of the pecans, and half of the chocolate chips. Spread this mixture into the prepared pan. 

In another large bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, butter and vanilla extract. Pour the milk mixture evenly over the oat mixture. Gently shake the baking dish to help the milk mixture go throughout the oats. Top with berries and banana slices, then sprinkle with remaining pecans and chocolate chips.

Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until center is set and edges are golden, Serve warm. Cover and refrigerate any left-overs.

Home-Made English Muffins

Okay, this just might be the ultimate comfort food, feel good on a Saturday morning kind of thing. They're home-made whole-wheat English Muffins, complete with fork-split nooks & crannies! Top one with a generous wedge of organic, grass-fed cultured butter (yes, I have become a butter snob!) :) and maybe even some honey or jam and you'll be in heaven. Make yourself some. You'll thank me later! 

WHOLE WHEAT ENGLISH MUFFINS 

1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
2 cups all purpose flour
1¼ teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons instant yeast
1¾ cups whole milk (can substitute almond milk or rice milk)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg, beaten
cornmeal for dusting

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, whisk together the flours, salt, sugar, baking soda and yeast. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and butter. Add egg and mix well.

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Using dough hook attachment, mix until the dough comes together, then continue mixing for two additional minutes. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll out to 1 inch thickness. Use a round cutter or drinking glass (approximately 3 3/4 inches) to cut the English muffins, re-rolling the dough as needed. Place the cut dough on a baking sheet dusted with cornmeal. Cover the baking sheet with a towel and allow the dough to rise for 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Use a nonstick skillet on low heat to cook the muffins for 4-5 minutes per side, until crispy and brown. After browning, place muffins back onto the cornmeal-dusted baking sheet. Finish cooking the muffins in the oven for 15 minutes.

Before serving, fork split and toast the English muffins. These will keep for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container at room temperature (but if you're like us they won't last that long!) :)

Peanut Sauce: Yum!

Had a bit of a rough day yesterday, so to cheer myself up I mixed up a noodle salad topped with my favorite peanut sauce. This sauce has a hint of ginger and red pepper which makes for a lovely sweet-spicy flavor combination. The noodle salad I made had cabbage, snow peas and cashews and was a tasty and filling vegetarian dinner. You can also add chicken or shrimp if you want some meat. Other variations and ideas can be found below the recipe. Make yourself some and let me know what you think! Enjoy...

ANGEL HAIR PASTA WITH GINGER-PEANUT SAUCE 

8 to 10 ounces Angel Hair Pasta, cooked al dente (I prefer whole-wheat pasta)
1 cup finely shredded cabbage
1 cup snow peas, rinsed, cleaned and cut in half
2 tablespoons chopped peanuts, cashews, or sesame seeds
1/3 cup peanut butter
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2/3 cup vegetable or chicken broth
small pinch red pepper flakes

Cook, drain and rinse pasta, place into a large bowl along with the cabbage, snow peas and nuts.

In a small saucepan, whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, ginger, broth, and pepper flakes. Warm gently over low flame, stirring until smooth. Pour sauce over pasta mixture; toss with tongs to combine. Top with additional chopped nuts if desired. Serve warm or cold.

VARIATIONS: Add grilled chicken or shrimp, sliced red pepper, green beans, onions, and/or other vegetables as desired.

NOTE: This peanut sauce can also be used as a dipping sauce for fresh vegetables, spring rolls, etc., or as a salad dressing.

Feeling Peachy!

Let's just say that we needed some comfort food here at my house, and we just could not wait for the weekend. Enter Peach Cobbler, warm from the oven and cozied up to a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Yep, that's right. And on a Thursday, of all nights! We are pure evil around here, or something like that. Here's the recipe... enjoy!

PEACH COBBLER 

5 to 6 cups peeled & sliced peaches

1 can (20 ounces) pineapple chunks or crushed pineapple, drained
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
zest of one lemon
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the above ingredients; place into a 9x13-inch glass baking dish that has been sprayed with non-stick spray.

TOPPING:

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Combine topping ingredients, mixing with a fork until crumbly. Spread topping over fruit. Bake for approximately 50 minutes or until fruit is bubbly and topping is golden. Serve warm with sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Chicken Enchiladas

Greetings! I had a request for my Chicken Enchilada recipe, so I thought I would post it here. This dish always gets rave reviews, and if you have any left-overs they're even better the next day. These enchiladas are made with flour tortillas, and baking them in the oven with the pan covered in foil lets the tortillas steam a bit and they turn out a little fluffy and crepe-ish, which in my book means yum! I usually make guacamole and chop some additional fresh tomatoes to serve with the enchiladas, along with a big green salad. And you can easily convert this to a vegetarian dish by omitting the chicken and adding additional vegetables, such as asparagus, yellow squash, and maybe even some sliced mushrooms (saute the mushrooms first to develop their flavor and get the excess moisture out of them). And you can also make these extra decadent by using more cheese and sour cream. Lots of possibilities with this one! Here's the recipe. Enjoy!

CHICKEN ENCHILADAS 

2 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 small can diced green chilies, drained
1 cup prepared tomato salsa, any variety
1 can (15 oz) whole-kernel corn, drained
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
2 medium Roma tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup sour cream (light or fat free also works fine)
Salt and pepper to taste
½ teaspoon garlic salt
½ teaspoon chili powder
¾ cup shredded cheddar/jack cheese
8 to 10 flour tortillas, either white or whole-wheat (8-inch size)
½ cup water or milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet, cook chicken together with the onions, chili peppers and salsa. Remove chicken and shred or cut into small pieces, then return chicken to pan. Add corn, beans, tomatoes, sour cream and spices. Stir until smooth and heated through. Spray a 9x13-inch glass pan with non-stick spray; set aside. Remove tortillas from package; wrap in a clean towel and heat in microwave oven for about 30 seconds or until soft.

Assemble the enchiladas: Place a small amount of the chicken filling lengthwise down the center of tortilla, top with just a little shredded cheese, roll tightly and place in prepared baking pan. Repeat with remaining tortillas. After all tortillas are filled, you should have some filling (mostly the liquid saucy part) left over. Thin this remaining sauce with the water or milk. You should also have some shredded cheese left over – save this for topping the enchiladas after they are baked. Pour sauce over the enchiladas, using a knife or fork to work the sauce down between the enchiladas. Cover pan with foil and bake for 30 to 40 minutes. Remove foil, top with remaining cheese, and return to oven for five minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve hot.

Made It!

...And I made it to the Finals! Thank you to all who voted for my recipe, Balsamic Chicken Cranberry Panzanella. The 46th Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest will be held this coming November in Las Vegas, and I will be one of the 100 finalists competing for the million dollar prize! Oh, I am so excited and I can't wait! This is big. Wowza!

Pillsbury Bake-off: I'm a Semifinalist!

Yes, it's true, and I am so excited! You can log onto bakeoff.com through noon central time and vote for my recipe. The top 33 vote-getters get to go to the actual Bake-Off contest this November in Las Vegas! Winning this would be completely life-changing for me. Please vote! Thanks!
 
My recipe is BALSAMIC CHICKEN CRANBERRY PANZANELLA. Here's a photo, and you can get the recipe on the BakeOff.com website. Go vote now! :-)

D&S Wedding

 After many years of dating, all the pieces and circumstances of life finally fell into place and my good friend D married her sweetheart S this past fall. Oh was this a happy couple and a beautiful day!! 

D asked me to make her wedding cake and prepare side dishes for her dinner buffet. Everything was put together on rather short notice but it ended up being an awesome event and everyone had a great time! The couple's love of Hawaii inspired a bit of a tropical theme for the day. Food included two kinds of grilled meats, curry rice, several side salads, and a large assortment of fresh fruit. The cake was a moist and delightful pineapple-coconut, with some other goodies on the side (chocolate & lemon bundt cakes and krispy kreme donut holes - yum!) for the non-coconut lovers in the crowd. Here are some photos of the cake, taken by D's awesome daughter. Thanks friends for letting me be a part of your special day! Until next time...

Carrot Ginger Soup

Well. It's been a long time since I've posted a recipe. Life is busy, and while I have not been here lately that does not mean that I've not been cooking! This winter has been an especially chilly one here in NorCal, and we've been eating lots of soup. Ah, nothing warms the body and soul quite like a pot of delicious and hearty home-made soup. Yummm. Here's a new one that we tried a couple of weeks ago. The carrots are sweet, the potatoes add body, and the ginger adds that special something to make this an extra tasty dish. Enjoy!

CARROT GINGER SOUP

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, finely diced
1 tablespoon ginger, peeled and grated
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
8 to 10 medium carrots, peeled and diced
salt and pepper to taste
four cups vegetable stock or chicken broth

Place a large soup pot over medium heat. Add oil and butter. When butter is melted, add garlic and ginger. Saute for three or four minutes. Add potatoes, carrots, salt and pepper. Stir and continue cooking for about five more minutes. Add broth, stir and cover pot. Let simmer until vegetables are very tender. Using an immersion blender, puree soup until smooth. Adjust seasoning as needed and serve. Garnish with sour cream or yogurt if desired.