Brownie Pudding

I have been putting off trying this recipe. It didn't look great to me. I thought the texture would be too soft almost like a creme brulee. I was totally mistaken! I made this on Friday evening. Fridays are my long run days and I usually eat what I want afterwards. I halved this recipe since I didn't want 8 servings. I could not believe how delicious this was. I baked it in the water bath and let it cool to room temp. I sampled it a couple hours later. I could not stop eating it. I even ate a serving for breakfast the next day. It was that GOOD! I know that others enjoyed this amazing dessert too. It was crunchy on top and then soft and gooey inside. Tia of Southern, Eh? chose Brownie Pudding. You can find Ina’s recipe here or in Barefoot Contessa’s latest book, Back to Basics. Thanks Tia for the amazing recipe choice. This is one of my new favorites recipes. Next time I will make this for a dinner party so there won't be any leftovers.

Blueberry Crumb Cake

{Sorry I am without a camera this week so my posts won't have any pictures.}
This week Sihan of Befuddlement chose Blueberry Crumb Cake for Tuesdays With Dorie. This looked so amazing to me! I had to make this the night before since it takes 50-55 minutes to bake. I made the recipe with my daughter. She is quite the helper in the kitchen. She was in charge of the crumb topping and getting it evenly distributed over the cake. I have always loved this type of dessert. The crumb topping was an added bonus! I made it to share with my Women's Bibles Study. I found fresh berries at the store and followed the directions exactly. I am hoping it will taste as good as it looks. It baked up perfectly and is cooling on the counter.

P.S. My Son woke up sick with Strep Throat this morning. I dropped off my Crumb cake at the Women's group and never tasted it. I will have to make this again on a weekend and enjoy fresh from the oven.

Picadillo in PIta Bread

I came across this recipe while cleaning out my recipe file today. It brought back memories of when my Mom would make this growing up. She always served this with pita bread, sour cream and avocado slices. I don't know anything about where the recipe came from but this is what I found out about picadillo. Picadillo is a dish mainly consisting of ground beef typically found in Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Cuba[1], Mexico, and other Latin American countries. I did have to cook my mixture for closer to 30 minutes to get all of the liquid out. Mark and I both really enjoyed this unique dinner. Our daughter liked it too. The spice combination made it very good.

1 pd ground beef

1 garlic clove crushed

1 onion chopped

1 apple peeled, cored and sliced

1/4 beef broth

1 T balsamic vinegar

1 can tomato sauce ( I used a large can)

1 ts salt

1 ts cumin

1/2 ts cinnamon

1/4 cup raisins

1/3 cup sliced almonds

3 pita pockets

sour cream and avocado on side

Cook beef, garlic and onion. Brown and then drain fat. Stir in apple, vinegar, beef broth, tomato sauce and spices. Cook 15-30 minutes to reduce and eliminate liquid. Stir in raisins and almonds. Fill each pita 1/2 full and add garnish.

TFF Chicken Pot Pie

I have been wanting to try this recipe for Chicken Pot Pie for awhile. It is a great comfort recipeand when you have a sick family it seems to "help" everyone start to feel better. Kind of like a good Chicken Soup does. We made a few changes to Tyler's basic recipe. I didn't have any Parmesan so I added a combo of Jack and Cheddar to the top of the pie. I made a mini pie and then also a larger pie for the family. We really enjoyed this. We loved the chunks of chicken and vegetables all baked together. Our family is better now and looking forward to trying another one of Tyler's recipes next week. You can check out everyone else's recipes at http://tylerflorencefridays.blogspot.com/

Chicken Pot Pie Recipe courtesy of Tyler Florence

Prep Time:
15 min
Inactive Prep Time:
hr min
Cook Time:
1 hr 20 min
Level:
Easy
Serves:
4 servings
Ingredients
Chicken Broth:
1 whole chicken, 3 pounds
1 gallon cool water
2 carrots, cut in 2-inch pieces
2 celery stalks, cut in 2-inch pieces
1 onion, halved
1 head garlic, halved horizontally
2 turnips, halved
4 fresh thyme sprigs
2 fresh rosemary sprigs
1 bay leaf
Pot Pie:
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 carrots, cut in 1/2-inch circles
1 bag frozen or fresh pearl onions, see note
1 box frozen or fresh peas, see note
Leaves from 4 fresh parsley sprigs
2 frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed
1 egg mixed with 3 tablespoons water
1/4 cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano
Directions: Put the chicken in a large stockpot and cover with 1 gallon of cool water. Add the vegetables and herbs and bring the pot up to a boil over medium-high heat. Skim well; then simmer, uncovered, for 45 minutes, skimming frequently as the oil rises to the surface. What we're doing here is not only cooking the chicken but also creating the base sauce for the pot pie. Remove the chicken to a platter to cool. Continue to cook down the chicken broth for another 15 minutes to condense the flavor; you should have about 8 cups when you're finished. Using a colander, strain the chicken broth into another pot and discard the solids. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred the meat and discard the skin and bones. Wipe out the stockpot and put it back on the stovetop over medium heat. Melt the butter and then whisk in the flour to form a paste. This is a roux, which will act as a thickener. Now, gradually pour in 8 cups of the chicken broth, whisking the entire time to prevent lumps. Whisk and simmer for 10 minutes to cook out the starchy taste of the flour and thicken the broth; it should look like cream of chicken soup. Season with salt and pepper. Fold in the shredded chicken, carrots, pearl onions, peas, and parsley. Stir to combine and turn off the heat. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lay the thawed puff pastry sheets on a lightly floured, cool surface. Invert individual crocks on the pastry sheet and, using a sharp knife, cut circles around the outside of the bowls, slightly larger than the bowl itself. Fill the crocks 3/4 of the way with the chicken mixture, making sure each serving has a nice amount of chicken, vegetables, and broth. Carefully cap each crock with a pastry circle, pressing the dough around the rim to form a seal. Lightly beat the egg with 3 tablespoons of water to make an egg wash and brush some on the pastry. Sprinkle the pastry with the Parmigiano. Set the crocks on a cookie sheet and transfer to the oven. Bake for 20 minutes, until puffed and golden. Notes: If using fresh pearl onions, blanch for 2 minutes in salted boiling water; then pinch the skins off -- if using frozen, run under cool water for 2 minutes to thaw. If using fresh peas, blanch for 2 minutes in salted boiling water--if using frozen, run under cool water for 2 minutes to thaw.

French Yogurt Cake for TWD

Liliana of My Cookbook Addiction chose this weeks recipe for the French Yogurt Cake with Marmalade Glaze. This is a great recipe and requires one bowl! I had trouble finding Lemon Marmalade so I made my own version of it with lemons and tangerines. I poured it over the warm cake and let it all soak in. WOW! I couldn't believe how tasty this was and how simple as well. My Baking cookbook is starting to "show" that I have been using it. I have never made so many recipes out of one cookbook before. It is really fun to try recipes that I would normally pass over. It is even better when we enjoy them. Thanks Liliana for the simple cake! I would like to try this again warm out of the oven.

Spring is here?

Today was one of the nicest days we have had this year. It was sunny and warm! It hit almost 60 today. Mark and I took the kids and dog on a hike today. I love Spring and am so excited that it is just around the corner. I am getting really close to my marathon in Nashville and need to get more outdoor running in. I love being able to run at the gym when it is freezing outside but nothing beats running outside. My sister is coming in 2 weeks and I can't wait to hit the trails with her. She shares allot of the same passions that I do. We always have a blast running and cooking together! I tried a new recipe tonight from Cuisine at Home. It was so good that I wanted to share the recipe. I served this with fried egg and rice noodles.

Basic Egg Rolls
Makes: 10 Egg Rolls
Total Time: 40 Minutes
Rating: Intermediate
Combine; Set Aside:
1 cup pork loin, julienned
1 T. dry sherry
1 t. dark sesame oil
1 t. sugar
1/4 t. kosher salt
Stir-Fry in 1 T. Peanut Oil; Remove:
1 1/2 cups cole slaw mix
2 scallions, white and green parts, thin bias slices
Stir-Fry in 1 T. Peanut Oil:
2 t. fresh ginger, minced
1 t. garlic, minced
Reserved pork mixture
Mix Together:
2 T. low-sodium soy sauce
1 T. water
2 t. cornstarch
Add; Heat Through and Chill:
Stir-fried vegetables
Fill and Roll:
10 spring roll wrappers
Seal with:
1 egg, beaten
toast in peanut oil
Related Recipes:Ginger-Soy Dipping SauceSweet Cilantro Dipping SauceHot Chinese MustardPlum Dipping Sauce
Combine pork loin, sherry, sesame oil, sugar, and salt in a bowl; set aside.Stir-fry cabbage and scallions in 1 tablespoon oil in pan until they wilt, 2–3 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside. Stir-fry ginger and garlic in last tablespoon of oil for 5 seconds. Add pork mixture; stir until opaque, 2 minutes. Mix soy sauce, water, and cornstarch together in a small bowl. Add cooked vegetables, and then soy sauce mixture to pork stir-fry. Heat through. Spread the filling out evenly on a baking sheet so vegetables stop cooking quickly and remain crisp. Let it chill in the refrigerator for 5–10 minutes. The filling must be cool before rolling or the wrappers will turn soggy.Fill each spring roll with 1/3 cup filling onto the wrapper. Form the filling into a cylinder about 1 x 3". Roll the bottom edge over the filling; use your hands to tightly tuck the corner over the filling. Seal the outer edges of the wrapper by brushing with beaten egg using a pastry brush. Fold corners of the wrapper towards the center, keeping sides at right angles to the bottom. Brush the top edge with egg, then continue to roll toward the top—keep it very tight. Heat oil on medium high to 375°. Drop a scallion in the oil. If it dances furiously without burning, the oil is ready. Using tongs, carefully put 3 egg rolls into the oil. Fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Don’t get them too dark—they continue to cook even out of oil. Flip egg rolls over, and fry other side until golden. Drain on paper towels. Serve immediately with dipping sauces.
Continue to roll toward the top—keep it very tight. The egg roll should look like a neat cylinder enclosed in a tight wrapper.
http://www.cuisineathome.com/
I also made the chili oil for dipping. It was quite hot!

Chicken Picatta

I was not going to pass up trying this weeks recipe for Barefoot Bloggers' blog.. Lindsey of Noodle Nights and Muffin Mornings chose Chicken Piccata. It was a lightly breaded chicken breast served with a very lemony sauce. We loved it except for the amount of lemon. It was a little too much for our family. I wasn't sure how thin to pound the chicken. I used plastic wrap since I didn't have any parchment paper on hand. I served this with a nice green salad and couscous with tomatoes, garbanzo beans, roasted garlic and more parsley. I wanted to add some capers but my husband does not like them. Nest time I will only use 1 lemon and add a little extra wine. I love Ina's recipes and always enjoy trying something new. Thanks Lindsey for choosing this recipe.

Disney World Family Fun

My favorite view of the castle

Main Street

The Magic Kingdom

lovely weather for jumping waves

In Melbourne, Florida

We just spent the last week in Florida at Disney World. They have amazing specials for military families right now. We also got a chance to spend time at Sea World. What a great week it was for all of us. It even was warm enough to play in the water on Friday. By the end of the week the kids were asking for the roller coasters esp. Space Mountain.

Now we are back to the real world of laundry, homework and I even did my long run today. It is always sad when vacation is over but we get to go to Nashville next month for the marathon : -)