Saturday, September 11, 2010

Double Chocolate Pudding: Delicious but Challenging



Ingredients

  • Custard layer:
  • 1/4  cup  sugar
  • 1/4  cup  egg substitute
  • 1  cup  plus 2 tablespoons evaporated fat-free milk
  • 1 1/2  ounces  semisweet baking chocolate (such as Hershey's), chopped
  • Cooking spray

  • Cake layer:
  • 3  ounces  dark-chocolate candy bar (such as Hershey's), chopped
  • 1/3  cup  sugar
  • 1/3  cup  egg substitute
  • 1/4  cup  applesauce
  • 6  tablespoons  frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed

Preparation

Preheat oven to 325°.
To prepare custard layer, combine 1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 cup egg substitute, stirring well with a whisk. Cook the milk in a small, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat to 180° or until tiny bubbles form around edge (do not boil). Remove from heat; add semisweet chocolate, stirring until chocolate melts. Gradually add hot milk mixture to sugar mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk.
Pour the hot milk mixture into 6 (4-ounce) ramekins or custard cups coated with cooking spray. Place ramekins in a baking pan; add hot water to pan to a depth of 1 inch. Bake at 325° for 30 minutes or until almost set. Remove from oven; cool in pan 30 minutes. Remove ramekins from pan; drain water.
To prepare cake layer, place dark chocolate in a small glass bowl. Microwave at high 2 minutes or until almost melted; stir after 1 minute. Set aside. Beat 1/3 cup sugar and 1/3 cup egg substitute with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 5 minutes). Add dark chocolate and applesauce; beat until well blended. Pour evenly over the custard layer. Place ramekins in baking pan; add hot water to pan to a depth of 1 inch. Bake at 325° for 20 minutes. Remove ramekins from pan. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon whipped topping.

Friday, September 10, 2010

Get out of the Friendzone: Step 1: Get Her Sick. Step 2: This



Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1/2 cup chopped celery
  • 4 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can vegetable broth
  • 1/2 pound chopped cooked chicken breast
  • 1 1/2 cups egg noodles
  • 1 cup sliced carrots
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions

  1. In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter. Cook onion and celery in butter until just tender, 5 minutes. Pour in chicken and vegetable broths and stir in chicken, noodles, carrots, basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes before serving.

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Easy-to-Make Pancakes: Start Cooking Women Breakfast


Ingredients

4 cups unbleached flour
1 cup white sugar
1/4 cup powdered sugar
3 tablespoons baking powder
1 tablespoon salt
1 cup powdered milk
4 eggs
1/2 cup butter, melted
4 cups brewed coffee (weak)
2 tablespoons vanilla extract

Preparation method

1. In large mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, powdered sugar, baking powder and salt, then set aside.
2. In separate bowl, blend powdered milk, eggs, butter, coffee and vanilla.
3. Pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients and blend well.
4. Using 1/3 cup measuring cup, pour batter onto griddle and cook cakes until they have numerous bubbles in wet batter then flip and cook until golden brown.

Monday, September 6, 2010

Cookies with 4 Ingredients? Fuck yeah. This one is NOT a recipe for fire.

 

 

Ingredients:

Servings:

30
cookies

Directions:

Prep Time: 5 mins
Total Time: 15 mins
  1. 1 Preheat oven to 350°.
  2. 2 Stir (by hand) dry cake mix, oil and eggs in a large bowl until dough forms.
  3. 3 Dust hands with confectioners' sugar and shape dough into 1" balls.
  4. 4 Roll balls in confectioners' sugar and place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
  5. 5 Bake for 8-10 minutes or until center is JUST SET.
  6. 6 Remove from pans after a minute or so and cool on wire racks.
  7. 7 *My Notes*:.
  8. 8 I have tried these with several different cake mix brands. They all come out good, but the Betty Crocker does come out the best.
  9. 9 I was having a problem with my cookies flattening while baking. This usually happens with the generic cake mix brands. You can play with your oven temp and try them on 375 to keep them from spreading. Adding more oil than called for will also cause the cookies to spread -- I wouldn't suggest it, they really don't need extra oil.
  10. 10 Another way to keep them nice and thick and to get the most "crinkled" or "crackled" look is to make them bigger. When I roll them at about 1.5 inches they look prettier.
  11. 11 And my best tip: My confectioners' sugar was consistently being absorbed by the dough. The last time I baked them, I rolled them into balls without rolling in the sugar and let them "dry" for a few minutes. Then I rolled them in sugar and baked. These came out with a nice coating of sugar that didn't disappear.

Sunday, September 5, 2010

Fancy, Easy Sicilian Spaghetti: Impress People



Ingredients

  • 1 pound spaghetti
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 (2 ounce) can anchovy fillets, chopped
  • 1 cup fine bread crumbs
  • 1 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • ground black pepper to taste
  • 4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

  1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
  2. Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat and add garlic and anchovies to cook for about 2 minutes; stir constantly.
  3. Stir in breadcrumbs and turn off heat. Add parsley and black ground pepper; mix together.
  4. Toss anchovy sauce with hot pasta and sprinkle with cheese; serve.

Fried Cheese Sticks: Delicious. Actually try this one, guys



Ingredients

  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 1/2 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
  • 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup cornstarch
  • 1 quart oil for deep frying
  • 1 (16 ounce) package mozzarella cheese sticks

Directions

  1. In a small bowl, mix the eggs and water.
  2. Mix the bread crumbs and garlic salt in a medium bowl. In a medium bowl, blend the flour and cornstarch.
  3. In a large heavy saucepan, heat the oil to 365 degrees F (185 degrees C).
  4. One at a time, coat each mozzarella stick in the flour mixture, then the egg mixture, then in the bread crumbs and finally into the oil. Fry until golden brown, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat and drain on paper towels.

Friday, September 3, 2010

Macaroni and Cheese: the Right Way



Ingredients

  • 7 ounces macaroni
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
  •  
  • 1 cup dry bread crumbs
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
  2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add macaroni pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
  3. In a 3 quart saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and stir in flour. Cook for about 1 minute, until smooth and bubbly; stirring occasionally. Mix in milk, cream cheese, salt, pepper, and Dijon mustard. Continue cooking until sauce is thickened. Add cooked macaroni and Cheddar cheese.
  4. Pour into 2 quart casserole dish. In small bowl mix together bread crumbs, butter and parsley; spread over macaroni and cheese. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown and heated through.

Grilled Pizza: The Fantasy Revealed



Make the Dough

Use your favorite crust recipe. Divide the dough into two or more pieces and shape into balls for individual-sized pizzas. Set the dough aside to proof while you prepare your toppings.

Tip: if you have a heavy-duty mixer or bread machine, double the recipe. Divide and shape the dough, and freeze each portion in a plastic freezer bag greased with about a tablespoon of olive oil.

Assemble Your Toppings

With grilled pizza, the crust is the star. Choose a few simple ingredients that can showcase the smoky flavor and crispy crust. Or go for minimalism: top the grilled bread with a brushing of good olive oil, a sprinkling of coarse salt, and bit of chopped fresh herbs.
Suggested bases: marinara, pesto, flavored olive oil, barbeque sauce, guacamole, salsa verde
Suggested cheeses: mozzarella, fresh mozzarella, ricotta, goat cheese, Parmesan, Gorgonzola
Ideas for toppings: grilled vegetables, prosciutto and fresh figs, salami, chicken, fresh herbs, fresh arugula, toasted pine nuts, olives or capers, caramelized onions, roasted garlic

Grill the Crust

Prepare the grill for high heat.

Dust a baking sheet, a peel, or a plate with flour or cornmeal so the dough won't stick.

Shape the dough into rounds, either stretching it by hand or using a rolling pin. Each round should be no more than ¼ inch thick. You can stack the rounds by layering waxed paper, parchment, or a clean well-floured kitchen towel in between the individual crusts.
When the coals are hot, have all of your toppings ready near the grill.

The easiest method for grilling pizza is to par-bake the crust: grill one side just long enough to firm up the crust so you can move it easily. By taking it off the heat, you can take your time arranging the toppings and are less likely to burn the bottom of the pizza.
Begin by placing one dough round on the grill.
  • You can oil the grill's grate, but it's not necessary; once the crust has set, after about three minutes, it should be easy to pull off the heat with tongs, a spatula, or your fingers.
  • Don't worry if it droops a little through the grate--it'll firm up fast.
  • After two to three minutes, give it a little tug--it should move easily. If it sticks, give it another minute or so.
  • When the crust is set, remove it from the heat and transfer it to a plate or peel; flip it over so the "done" side is up, and add the toppings.
  • Repeat the process with the rest of the dough rounds.
  • If this is a group effort, friends and family can start topping the pizzas while you grill the crusts.

Grill Your Pizzas


Grill the topped pizzas until the cheese melts and the toppings are heated through. Depending upon the heat of the grill and the size of your pies, this can take two to 10 minutes (if your grill has cooled dramatically, you might need to cover it with a lid to finish the cooking).

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Diabetes is only a step away...Make Cinnabon at home!



Ingredients

  • 1 cup warm milk (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
  • 2 eggs, room temperature
  • 1/3 cup margarine, melted
  • 4 1/2 cups bread flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast
  •  
  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/3 cup butter, softened
  •  
  • 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions

  1. Place ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select dough cycle; press Start.
  2. After the dough has doubled in size turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, cover and let rest for 10 minutes. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon.
  3. Roll dough into a 16x21 inch rectangle. Spread dough with 1/3 cup butter and sprinkle evenly with sugar/cinnamon mixture. Roll up dough and cut into 12 rolls. Place rolls in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking pan. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
  4. Bake rolls in preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes. While rolls are baking, beat together cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract and salt. Spread frosting on warm rolls before serving.

Burgers, Just in Time for Labor Day

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds lean ground beef
  • 1 (1 ounce) package ranch dressing mix
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 3/4 cup crushed saltine crackers
  • 1 onion, chopped

Directions

  1. Preheat the grill for high heat.
  2. In a bowl, mix the ground beef, ranch dressing mix, egg, crushed crackers, and onion. Form into hamburger patties.
  3. Lightly oil the grill grate. Place patties on the grill, and cook 5 minutes per side, or until well done.