Chocolate Molten Lava Cakes

Are you looking for an easy, but elegant dessert for Valentine's Day? One of Justin's favorite desserts to make (and eat) is Chocolate Molten Lava Cakes.  He can usually whip these up while I'm fixing dinner and we enjoy them after dinner is finished--they're that easy!


This recipe is found on food.com and is courtesy of Cupcake Princess.



Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
2 ounces semisweet chocolate
1 cup powdered sugar
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
whipped cream, for serving



Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees and grease 4 (6 ounce) ramekins, place on baking sheet. In a large
microwavable bowl microwave butter and chocolate for 1 minute or until butter is melted, stir until
chocolate is completely melted.
2. Stir in powdered sugar until well blended. Whisk in eggs and egg yolks, then stir in flour. Divide
batter between prepared ramekins. Bake for 13 to 14 minutes or until sides are firm but centers are
soft. Let stand for 1 minute.
3. Run a small knife around the cakes to loosen, invert cakes onto plates. Top with whipped cream
and serve immediatley.

Enjoy!! (Oh and Happy Valentine's Day!)

Cookies for Breakfast? Hallelujah!

I made these cookies this morning and can I just say...YUM.  I came across this recipe in the January 2012 issue of Bon Appetit. Let me just thank my dentist again for carrying that magazine. :) Not only are these tasty, full of whole grains, but super filling too!  Seriously, I ate breakfast hours ago and I am still stuffed, which almost never happens.


Anyway, without further ado:


Almond Cranberry Quinoa Cookies (Yes, Quinoa.  Trust me they're good, keep reading).


Makes about 2 dozen


1 1/2 cup of White Whole Wheat Flour
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt (if you use table/sea salt you won't need as much, more like 1/2 tsp.)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup unsalted butter, At room temperature
(I used 1/4 cup unsalted butter and 1/4 cup unrefined coconut oil--super yum!)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract (Seriously, I have never been a fan of almond extract and was honestly hesitant to buy it, but thankfully it doesn't overwhelm the other flavors in this cookie--whew!)
1 cup COOKED quinoa, cooled
1 cup old fashioned oats
1 cup dried cranberries (or cherries)
1/2 cup slivered, unsalted almonds


Preheat oven to 375 degrees


In a medium bowl whisk together the dry ingredients; set aside. In a large bowl or mixer mix together the butter, sugars, and honey until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs and extracts and mix until combined.  Turn mixer to slow and add the dry ingredients until combined.  Stir in the quinoa, oats, cranberries and almonds.


Drop by spoonfuls onto parchment lined cookie sheets and bake for 12-15 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the cooking time. (I ended up baking mine for about 10 minutes).




These cookies are soft and almost like a muffin but so much easier.  I mean seriously, do you like washing muffin tins? Because I don't!


Enjoy!


**A note about quinoa.  If you haven't heard about it before it's an ancient grain similar to rice but packed with protein.  I love it!  Just make sure to rinse it before cooking. It's a 1 to 2 ratio, quinoa to liquid, simmer until liquid is gone.  As a side dish I cook it with chicken broth, but obviously for these cookies I just used water.


Seriously, if you haven't tried it yet--do it today!

What's For Dinner? (This is a little long, sorry)

One of our new favorites found in the "Kid Friendly" section of The America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook is Chicken Quesadillas  (Seriously, if you don't have one of their cookbooks yet--Get One!  It would also make a great gift.)


This does require a little preparation, but once prepped they go together fairly quickly.  I wish that I had better pictures, but just the fact that I remembered to take them is pretty good!  Unfortunately we didn't have any cilantro the night I made these--so you won't see it pictured here.


O.k. enough chit-chat--here's the info:


Ingredients:


2 Tablespoons canola oil
1 small red onion (when it comes to onion I always use about half of what the recipe calls for)
1 large red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped fine
3 ounces white mushrooms, brushed clean, trimmed and chopped fine
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 cup shredded cooked chicken breast (if needed you could used canned chicken here)
1/3 cup minced fresh cilantro
4 teaspoons fresh lime juice
Salt and pepper
4 (8in) whole wheat flour tortillas (We use our favorite Tortilla Land uncooked tortillas from Costco--they're not whole wheat but I'm not too worried about it).
1 cup shredded 50 percent light cheddar cheese (about 4 oz)--(We just use our favorite Tillamook Cheddar Cheese, not light--but again I'm not too worried about it).
Lime wedges for serving
**Optional Substitute 1 cup canned black beans, mashed, for the cooked chicken--or just use both like we do!

Here's all the ingredients prepped and ready to go.  If you want to save prep time--buy cheese pre-shredded and look for chopped onions and peppers in the grocery store.  Or, if you have a food processor you could chop the veggies in a matter of seconds.  If I know I need cooked chicken for a recipe, then I try to plan a dinner with baked chicken breasts earlier in the week and just bake extra chicken for meals like this.

1. Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms and cook until softened and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. (If you have one you could also add a jalapeno pepper here, seeded and chopped fine). Stir in the garlic and chili powder and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

While the peppers are cooking I start cooking our tortillas--Are you hungry yet?

2. Stir in the cooked chicken and cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Off the heat, stir in the cilantro and lime juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. 

This is when we add the black beans too.  Stir to combine and heat through. Then if you don't have a separate grill for assembling the tortillas, transfer the filling to a separate bowl.

If you follow the recipe the next steps are:

3. Wipe the skillet clean with paper towels, return to medium heat and heat until hot, about 2 minutes. Lay the tortillas in the skillet, one at a time, and cook until softened and lightly toasted on both sides, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate and cover with a clean towel to keep warm.

4. To assemble the quesadillas spread 2/3 cup of the filling over half of each tortilla, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of the cheese over the filling, fold into a half-moon shape, and press lightly to flatten. (Obviously I stray from the recipe at this point--with 6 people in our family and a big griddle I make 2 full quesadillas at a time. I usually sprinkle a little cheese on the tortilla; Cover with the filling and then sprinkle a little more cheese on top of the filling. Then top with another tortilla).

Back to the Original Recipe

5. Working with two quesadillas at a time, brush one side of each with 1/2 teaspoon more oil, and arrange in the skillet, oiled-side down. Cook over medium heat until crisp and well browned on the first side, 1 to 2 minutes.

6. Brush the top of each quesadilla with 1/2 teaspoon more oil, flip them over, and continue to cook until crisp and well browned on the second side, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Transfer the quesadillas to a cutting board and repeat with the remaining two quesadillas and 2 teaspoons oil. Serve with lime wedges.

YUM!

Nutrition Info (if you follow the original recipe) Per Quesadilla: Cal 360; Fat 16 g; Sat. Fat 3.5g; Chol 40 mg; Carb 29g; Protein 23g; Fiber 3g; Sodium 230mg

Enjoy!

Happy Birthday to My Best Friend

I've always been a sucker for those dimples!  You are amazing.  I'm grateful to be your wife.  Each year our life together just gets better and better.  Here's to another wonderful year filled with amazing opportunities!  I love you.




We celebrated with a quiet evening at home and one of our new favorite desserts--Dirt!

This is so easy to make and is so yummy.  It's chocolate pudding made as directed, stirred together with 8oz. + of whipped cream and layered with crushed Oreo's.  The worms are just for fun.  The kids love them, but Justin and I prefer our dirt without them.  Enjoy!

Chocolate Cloud Cake

One of our favorite wedding presents--well maybe it's just one of my favorites, was a cookbook.  "Classic Home Desserts," by Richard Sax. 

It is fabulous!  Everything I've made from this book is tasty.  Not only that, these recipes have been collected from all over the world and have great history and stories to go with them.  It's one of those cookbooks you could sit down and read cover to cover. 

Anyway, I've mentioned this recipe a few times on our blog so for your baking pleasure I give you:  Chocolate Cloud Cake

As much as I'd like to take credit for this picture, I didn't take it.  It's straight from the cookbook.

"This flourless cake is crammed with chocolate (use only the best) and rich with butter and will fall slightly as it cools.  The center is filled with softly whipped cream and sprinkled with cocoa powder--intensity, then relief in each bite." ~Richard Sax

~ Makes one 8-inch single-layer cake; serves 8 to 12

CAKE
        8 ounces best-quality bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
         (Confession--many times I've just used chocolate chips)
        1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, softened
        6 large eggs; 2 whole, 4 separated
        1 cup sugar
        2 tablespoons cognac or Grand Marnier (optional)
           Grated zest of 1 orange (optional)

WHIPPED CREAM TOPPING
        1 1/2 cups heavy cream, well chilled
        3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
        1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Unsweetened cocoa powder, for sprinkling

1. CAKE: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan with a round of wax paper; do not butter the pan.  Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in a bowl set over hot water. (Or like I do--in the microwave. :))  Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter until melted; set aside.

2. In a bowl, whisk the 2 whole eggs and the 4 egg yolks with 1/2 cup of the sugar just until blended.  Whisk in the warm chocolate mixture.  Whisk in the optional cognac or Grand Marnier and the optional orange zest. (I've never used either one, but I think the next time I make this I will try the orange).

3. In another bowl, with an electric mixture, beat the 4 egg whites until foamy.  Gradually add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and beat until the whites form soft mounds that hold their shape but are not quite stiff.  Stir about 1/4 beaten egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it; gently fold in the remaning whites.  Pour the batter into the pan; smooth the top.

4. Bake until the top of the cake is puffed and cracked and the center is no longer wobbly, usually 35 to 40 minutes.  Do not overbake.

5. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack; the cake will sink as it cools, forming a crater with high sides.

6. WHIPPED CREAM TOPPING: At serving time, whip the cream with the confectioners' sugar and vanilla until not quite stiff.  With a spatula, carefully fill the crater of the cake with the whipped cream, pushing it gently to the edges.  Dust the top lightly with cocoa powder.  Run the tip of a knife around the edges of the cake; carefully remove the sides of the pan and serve.

I'm in the Mood for Chocolate

Hot Chocolate that is!!  It's that time of year when the evenings are a little chilly and tonight we made some to go with our dessert.  Here is our favorite way to make it:

1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup sugar
4 1/2 cups milk, divided

1).  Stir chocolate chips, sugar, and 1/2 cup milk in medium saucepan over medium heat until chocolate and sugar are melted.

2).  Add remaining 3 1/2 cups of milk and heat to desired temperature.

3).  Mix everything with a handmixer at low-medium speed to combine completely.

Serves 4

Options:  Add 1/2 tsp. +/- peppermint extract or other flavoring

        ***For those who prefer non-dairy, I have also made this with almond milk, or a combination of almond milk and coconut milk--(honestly I can't remember if this was the thick, canned kind, or the ready-to-drink kind that you find near the rice/almond/soy milk in your local supermarket either one I'm sure will be fine)--It tasted like an almond joy candy bar--Fabulous!

Enjoy!

Bread Recipe

My favorite bread recipe comes from the back of the King Arthur Whole Wheat Flour Bag, (the brown and red one).  Most of the time King Arthur flour is just too expensive, (even though it's quality is fabulous)!  Lately I've been using the Kroger brand White Whole Wheat flour and the bread is delicious.  I truly believe that the type of flour you use influences how well your bread turns out.  But it's not the only factor that determines good bread.  There are other things like yeast-flour ratios, humidity, high altitude, how long you knead the dough, etc.  When I had the tools I would make 4 loaves at a time.  This recipe is for one loaf.

2 1/2 teaspoon yeast

1 1/3 cups warm water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup honey
Approximately 3 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup powdered milk
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
(1/4 cup flax meal)--this is not part of the original recipe but if I have it I like to put it into the bread.

More often then not, I make this by hand so this is the way I make it.  You may find that a different technique works better for you.

1.  Run the hot tap water until it steams.  Measure your water and pour into a large mixing bowl.  Add the oil, honey, and salt.

2.  Add around a cup of flour and mix for about 30 seconds.  (This can be done in a large stand up mixer, or with a small hand mixer, or just a wire whisk, etc.)

3.  Add the yeast.  cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 10 minutes to activate the yeast.

4.  After 10 minutes, add the dried milk and flax if using.  I never measure the flour--instead I just add about a cup at a time and keep mixing until the dough is formed.  If you're using a standing mixer it's usually until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl, but will still sort of "stick" to the bottom.  My big mixer died so I start with a small hand mixer until the dough gets too thick.  Then I just dump it out onto a clean counter and add/mix the flour by hand.  I know that I've added enough flour when the dough is moist and my hand sort of "sticks" to it, but I can easily pull my hand away without taking any dough with it.

5.  Using a large bowl, (you can use the one you mixed the dough in if you want).  Either generously spray the bowl with a non-stick cooking spray, or spread a thin layer of vegetable oil around the bowl, or grease the bowl with vegetable shortening--your choice.  Then place the dough in the bowl, turning it a few times to coat the dough.  Generally what I like to do is turn the oven on for only a minute, while I'm greasing the bowl, just to warm it up.

6.  Place the dough in the oven and cover once again with a clean dish towel and let rise for an hour to an hour and a half, (or longer) until the dough has doubled in bulk.  When it's rounded over the top of the bowl then I know it's done.

7.  What I do next is spread a little oil, or shortening on the counter.  Then I dump the dough out onto the counter and punch it down.  Roll it into a log and divide into loaves, (if making more than one).

8.  Place the loaves into a greased bread pan(s) and press down flat into the pan, until the dough fills the corners and it's level on the top.  I've found that this helps with air bubbles and gives the loaves a more uniform shape.

9.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.  Loosely cover the loaf(ves) with foil and continue to bake for 17-20 more minutes.  Remove the bread from pan(s) and place on a cooling rack.  I usually rub/spread some butter on the tops.  Cool completely before wrapping and storing.

I hope that this makes sense.  Please let me know if you have any questions.  I've found that yes, this takes some time, but to me it's worth it to provide healthy bread for my family and it costs a lot less!  A 5lb bag of flour usually costs less than or right around $3 and it will make 4 loaves of bread!  You really can't beat the savings.

ENJOY!

A New Favorite

Our Family Loves BRC's (Bean, Rice, Cheese) Burritos.  Everyone loves the taste and I love how easy they are to put together.  Not too long ago I checked out The Biggest Loser Jump Start Guide.  It had all of these great recipes in it, including one for black bean burritos.  I know what you're thinking--do you really need a recipe for burritos?!  However, since we've started making them this way it has become a new favorite.  I like it because we get a little more veggies in there with peppers and tomatoes that the kids weren't getting when we just used canned refried beans.  So here is the recipe for one of our new favorites:

Black Bean Burritos
(you can use pinto beans if you don't like black beans)

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 cup canned tomatoes, or 1 cup tomato sauce
**If we have them, I just chop up fresh tomatoes
   I also use different peppers, orange, yellow, red, whatever you like or have on hand.
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
**O.k. my tastebuds prefer a little less onion and a little more garlic, so that's how we do it.
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon salt + additional to taste
1 cup fat-free, low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
**O.k. one more change, I just use the chicken broth I like; the Pacific Foods Brand
3 cups cooked black beans or 2 (15 ounce cans) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Ground black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon red chile flakes (optional)

Add the olive oil to a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat.  Add the onion and bell pepper and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft.  Add the tomatoes, garlic, bay leaf, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and 1 teaspoon salt, and simmer for about 3 minutes.

Carefully add the broth and beans.  Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring regularly, until the mixture is thickened and most of the broth has evaporated.  Remove from the heat and discard the bay leaf.  Stir in the vinegar and cilantro.  Season to taste with salt, black pepper, and chile flakes, if desired.

Just add to your burrito with any other ingredients, rice, cheese, salsa, etc.  Our kids didn't even notice that there were peppers and tomatoes in these.  They just raved at how yummy they were.
Enjoy!

O.k., I know I should include a picture, but I don't have one.  Hopefully you will try it anyway!