Burgers & Fries

When I stumbled upon Bakerella's dessert burgers & fries, I knew I wanted to make them. Head over to Bakerella's page for detailed instructions on how to make them!

Father's Day 2009

This year for Father's Day, my sister-in-law Megan and I decided to make my dad a cake! We used box cake mix and her mom's special buttercream recipe for the icing. Everyone loved it!

Best. Cookies. Ever.

These chocolate chip cookies are seriously the best I've ever made. Do yourself a favor, and go make them. Now!

Alton Brown's "The Chewy"

Source: Food Network.com

Ingredients
2 sticks unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Hardware:
Ice cream scooper (#20 disher, to be exact)
Parchment paper
Baking sheets
Mixer

Directions
Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
Melt the butter in a heavy-bottom medium saucepan over low heat. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside.
Pour the melted butter in the mixer's work bowl. Add the sugar and brown sugar. Cream the butter and sugars on medium speed. Add the egg, yolk, 2 tablespoons milk and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Chill the dough, then scoop onto parchment-lined baking sheets, 6 cookies per sheet. Bake for 14 minutes or until golden brown, checking the cookies after 5 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet for even browning. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Homemade Bagels

Mike & I looove bagels. So I decided to make my own. This recipe from Pennies on a Platter is perfect. The bagels are soft on the insise, slighty crunchy on the outside. Yummm!

Bagels

Found on Pennies on a Platter, originally from Baking Bites

Ingredients:

1 tbsp active dry yeast

1 tbsp sugar

1 3/4 cups water, warm (100-110F)

4-5 cups bread flour (not all purpose)

1 tbsp salt1 egg, for egg wash

Optional Seasonings:

Poppy Seeds

Onion Powder

Caraway

Sesame Seeds

Kosher Salt

In a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer) combine yeast, sugar and water. Let stand for 5 minutes, then stir in flour and salt. Mix dough thoroughly until it comes together in a large ball, pulling away from the sides of the bowl. Add an additional tablespoon of flour or water, if needed.
If kneading by hand, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until very smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. If using a stand mixer, knead dough with the dough hook until elastic, about 8 minutes on a low speed. Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

When dough has risen, turn the dough out onto a very lightly floured surface and divide into 8 equal pieces (first quarters, then halves). Shape each piece into a tight ball, pinching the corners together at the bottom of the dough. When all the balls are shaped, let the dough rest for 30 minutes covered with a clean dish towel.

Once dough balls have rested, the bagel shape can be formed. Using your fingers, poke a hole through the center of each dough ball. Stretch out the dough into a ring with your fingers and be sure to make the hole a little larger than you want the finished bagel to have, as it will shrink slightly while the bagel is expanding during the baking process. Let bagels rest for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a gentle boil and preheat the oven to 400F. (I used a deep dish skillet because it’s wider.) Line a baking sheet with paper towels and another baking sheet with parchment paper sprinkled with cornmeal.

Working four at a time, drop the bagels carefully into the boiling water. Boil for 2 minutes on each side. Using a slotted spoon or strainer, transfer bagels to the paper towels to drain for a moment, then place on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat process with remaining bagels.
Brush boiled bagels with lightly beaten egg (a pastry brush is a good tool for this) and sprinkle with seasonings. Bake for 24 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack (bagel will soften slightly as it cools). Slice and toast to serve.

Buffalo Chicken Poppers

While watching Rachel Ray the other day, I noticed this recipe and it looked right up our alley. It turned out better than expected. I hope you enjoy as much as we did!!

Buffalo Chicken Poppers

Source: Rachel Ray

Ingredients:

Vegetable oil, for frying
2 1/2 cups complete pancake mix, any brand, divided
1 1/4 cups water
8 teaspoons hot sauce, divided (I used Frank's)
1 1/4 pounds chicken tenders or chicken breast cut into small bite-sized pieces
1 cup store bought, good quality refrigerated blue cheese dressing

2 scallions, finely chopped (I omitted)
1 teaspoon coarse black pepper, 1/3 palm full
Cut celery sticks, store bought

"In a deep sided skillet heat 1 1/2 inches of vegetable oil over medium heat. If you wish to test the oil, add a 1-inch cube of bread to hot oil. If it turns deep golden brown in color in a count of 40, the oil is ready.

While the oil is heating make the batter. In a wide mixing bowl combine 2 cups of the pancake mix, 1 1/4 cups water and about 6 teaspoons hot sauce. Place the remaining plain 1/2 cup pancake mix in another wide mixing bowl. Arrange the batter and the bowl of plain pancake mix near the cook top and the heating oil. Line a plate with a few sheets of paper towels and keep within reach.

Once the oil is heated and ready, toss the chicken pieces in 2 teaspoons of hot sauce then toss in the plain pancake mix, coat evenly and shake off excess. The plain dry pancake mix will help the batter stick to the chicken pieces. Add some of chicken to the batter, you are going to want to work in 3 to 4 batches coating and frying. Using a fork, toss the bites in the batter. Remove the first batch from the batter, shaking off the excess batter as you carefully add them to the hot oil. Fry for 2 minutes on the first side, or until the first side is a deep golden brown, flip and continue to fry for another 2 minutes or until deep golden brown all over. Remove from the oil and drain on the paper towel lined plate, season with salt. Repeat until all the popcorn chicken bites are fried. Serve immediately with refrigerated, good quality creamy blue cheese prepared dressing with chopped scallions and black pepper stirred into it for dipping. Garnish platter with celery sticks. "

Mmmm.... nutella :)

Nutella Croissants
adapted from Vintage Victuals

1 tube Pillsbury crescent rolls (I used reduced fat, 8 to a can)

8 tablespoons of Nutella

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside.

Open the tube of crescent rolls, and unroll and separate your triangles of dough. Place 1 tablespoon full of Nutella at the base of each triangle.

Roll the dough into a crescent shape and place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, or until golden brown.

Blog Awards!

I'm so excited. I've been given 2 awesome blog awards from fellow blogger, Vintage Victuals. Go over and check out her blog - it's got some seriously amazing food! I was given the Lemonade Award and the Your Blog is Fabulous Award because she thinks my blog is fabulous and refreshing, like lemonade! How sweet is that!!

Here are the rules:

First, add the logo in your blog.

Next, add a link to the person who gave you the award.
Then, nominate 5 other (refreshing…like lemonade) blogs of your choice.
Finally, leave a message for your nominees in their blogs, informing them about the award.

So my nominees are:

1. A Year in the Kitchen - this blog is packed full of awesome recipes along with tips and tricks to keep them low fat and low cost. She also does recipes based upon their country.

2. Good Things Catered - this has got to be a favorite blog of mine. I envy her clean home, classy meals, and love for all things good. Her other blog, is great too - Hyper Homemaker

3. Carrie's Sweet Life - first, her name is Carrie - and that's just the best! But really - her home is classic food that inspires me to get in the kitchen!
4. Food alla Puttanesca - like her blog title says, she cooks fast, cheap and easy meals - my favorites!
5. Proceed with Caution - her food is freakin' amazing. But really, check our her recipe organization post. She gets major props for that!

Go check out all these amazing blogs. They are fantastic.