Category Archives: Cook

by | August 12, 2011 · 8:08 am

{Farmer’s Market} Patty Pan Penne

Ahhh. Garden season is upon us. Sure it was fun to plant the garden and watch it grow, but it is so much more fun to reap the delicious benefits. I was delighted last week when I harvested my first four red, juicy Roma tomatoes from my garden. I’m also enjoying the fruit (or vegetables) of other people’s hard labor, aka, the farmer’s market. I adore the look of the little yellow patty pan squash. So I picked up some patty pan and leeks and got to work on what I believe is one of the most flavorful pasta dishes I have ever made.

Patty Pan Penne
1 C whole wheat penne
1 lb patty pan squash
4 Roma tomatoes, roughly chopped (or 1 large heirloom or other variety of large tomato)
2 leeks, washed and chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 C unsalted butter
sea salt
cracked black pepper
2 oz goat cheese

In a medium sauce pan, boil water. Add penne, cook al dente, about 8 minutes.

Wash and slice the ends of the patty pan squash. If they are large, you can cut them in halves or quarters. Heat a large skillet on medium high. Add butter until melted. Add garlic, saute for one minute, moving constantly to avoid burning. Add patty pan squash, season with salt and pepper. Simmer until softened, approximately 10 minutes. Add leeks, saute until soft, about 4 minutes. Add tomatoes and penne, cook for 1-2 minutes.

Remove from heat and place pasta in serving bowl. Crumble goat cheese over the top of the pasta, season with salt and pepper and toss.

These patty pan squash are nice hearty replacement to meat. If you can’t find patty pan, you can use a regular zucchini, just reduce the cooking time as regular zucchini heats through much more quickly.

I hope you enjoy! What are you making with your farmer’s market and fresh garden produce?

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by | August 10, 2011 · 8:22 am

Creamy Chicken Roll Ups

I ate these delicious bundles growing up and they have recently become a comfort food staple in our family.  The recipe uses store bought crescent rolls that are wrapped around a creamy chicken filling. They are incredibly easy to make and you can add a variety of different ingredients to jazz them up, if you would like.

Creamy Chicken Roll Ups

2 Cans Big and Fluffy Crescent Rolls
2 cups shredded chicken
1 8 oz brick of cream cheese, softened
2 Tbsp Milk
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs

Preheat your oven to 350.  In a bowl, mix together the softened cream cheese with the chicken and the milk.  Set aside.

Unroll your crescent rolls.  Place a heaping tablespoon of the mixture in the  larger end of the roll.  Fold in the corners and roll, leaving no open spaces for the filling to escape.  Place on a baking sheet.  Continue these steps until you have run out of filling.  I usually make about 8 roll ups.

Brush each roll with a small amount of water and sprinkle with seasoned bread crumbs.  Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.

I love the flavor of these just as they are, but if you would like to add a little more of a kick, try adding walnuts, chopped sun dried tomatoes or a few tablespoons of pesto.  It is hard to mess these up, so get as creative as you like!

The filling is incredibly easy to make, but I sometimes will whip up a big batch of the filling over the weekend and then will freeze it into portions that will make about 4 rolls each, just enough for my family.  Then, all I need to do is thaw the filling and grab my crescent rolls.  Can’t get any easier than that!

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by | August 8, 2011 · 8:02 am

{Haute Pie} Peanut Butter Banana Whoopie Pies

This month I’m mixing up the haute pie with whoopie pies, which of course are more cookie than pie but just as delish. Maybe because I’m peanut butter addict or maybe just be because it sounded fun, I was really feeling the classic Elvis-inspired combo of peanut butter, banana and honey this weekend. So I paired an improvised version of my mom’s banana bread with fluffy peanut butter-honey buttercream frosting to get these sweet, salty and super moist little gems. I think “The King” would approve.

Peanut Butter, Banana & Honey Whoopie Pies
Banana Cakes
2 C flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 C butter
1/4 C shortening
1/2 C brown sugar
1/2 C sugar
2 overripe bananas
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1/3 C milk
1 tsp lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350. In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder. In a glass measuring cup, measure milk and add lemon juice. Mixture will curdle slightly. In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter, shortening and sugars until fluffy. Beat in bananas and vanilla. Add eggs one at a time, beating well. Next, alternately beat in dry mixture and milk until batter is well combined.

Use a cookie scoop to scoop even size balls of batter onto a cookie sheet. For smaller pies, only fill scoop half way with batter. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Peanut Butter-Honey Frosting
1/2 C butter, softened
2 1/4 C powdered sugar
1/2 C peanut butter
3 tsp honey
1 Tbsp half & half

In a large bowl, beat together butter and powdered sugar until creamy. Beat in peanut butter until smooth and well combined. Beat in honey. Spread frosting onto bottom of one banana pie and top with second pie.


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by | August 3, 2011 · 9:49 am

Coconut Ice Cream Boulders with Hot Fudge Sauce

Summer is the perfect time to host outdoor dinner parties, but not the perfect time to turn on your oven.  Meals on the grill are a no brainer, but dessert can be a little trickier.  This is my go to summer dessert.  The coconut covered ice cream balls and fudge can be made in advance.  All you need to do is plate the ice cream, heat up the fudge and pour on top.



Coconut Ice Cream Boulders with Hot Fudge Sauce

1 gallon vanilla ice cream
4 cups sweetened coconut
velvety hot fudge sauce
whipped cream and strawberries for garnish

Begin by toasting your coconut either in a pan on your stove or in the oven spread out on a baking sheet.  Cook it very slowly on a low heat (or about 300 degrees) and check often to ensure it doesn’t burn.  Remove from pan when it is lightly brown and toasted.

Scoop out about 1 cup of ice cream with an ice cream scoop.  Mold it into a ball using your hands – think making a snow ball without mittens – it is cold!  Place your finished ice cream balls in the freezer to harden.  Make 6 balls, or as many as you need.

Once they have had a chance to harden, remove them from the freezer and roll in the toasted coconut.  Completely coat each ice cream ball and put back in the freezer.  I like to place each one in an individual baggie or wrap it in saran wrap.

Now, whip up some of the velvety hot fudge sauce and try not to eat it all before your guests arrive.  If you are making the fudge in advance, store it in the fridge and then just reheat when you are ready to use.

Place each Ice Cream Ball on a plate and smother with the hot fudge.

Garnish with a strawberry and whipped cream.

Coconut not your thing?  Try rolling the ice cream in your favorite crushed candy bar or toasted and chopped pecans.  Get as creative as you like with this simple recipe!

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by | August 1, 2011 · 8:05 am

Salmon Burgers with Chipotle Mayo

The hubs is in the peak of summer fishing season, which means salmon and trout are abundant at our house. Most of the time we end up grilling or baking our fish, which is easy, tasty and healthy but since I’ve only got days to weeks (please let it be days!) left of semi-guilt-free eating I’m going to indulge a bit.

These salmon patties are based on a crab cake recipe, which gives them the same rich flavors. You could probably bake them to make them a bit healthier but I haven’t tried it yet.  I serve them with chipotle mayo – which I could (and do) eat on just about anything!crab cake style salmon patty

Salmon Patty Burgers with Chipotle Mayo

adapted from America’s Test Kitchen
3/4 lb salmon, skinned, de-boned and chopped into small cubes
1/4 C mayo
3-4 Tbsp panko breadcrumbs
1 1/2 tsp Old Bay seasoning
3 green onions, chopped
handful of parsley, finely chopped
salt
pepper
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 C flour
1 C panko breadcrumbs + 2 tsp Old Bay
vegetable oil

Remove any bones or skin from salmon filets and chop into small cubes. Do not use a food processor as it will turn the salmon to mush. A fine chop will help the patties stay together and still keep the texture you want. Add to a medium bowl. Gently mix in green onions, mayo and bread crumbs and combine until salmon cubes are well coated. Mix in Old Bay, parsley, salt and pepper until spices are worked through mixture. Form mixture into hamburger-sized patties, about 1/3-1/2 inch thick.

Create a breading station with a shallow bowl, containing beaten eggs, and two plates. Pour flour onto one plate and breadcrumbs onto the second. Season breadcrumbs with extra Old Bay, salt and pepper. Carefully dip each patty in flour, then egg wash, then breadcrumbs and transfer to a clean plate. In a cast iron pan or deep skillet, add a thin layer of vegetable oil. Oil should not be any deeper than about 1/3 the thickness of your patties. Heat oil until hot. Test by flicking a small bit of water in it – hot oil will bubble and pop. Turn down to med-high heat and cook for about 4-6 minutes per side, or until salmon is cooked through to an opaque pale pink color.  Remove patties from oil and pat off excess oil with paper towels.  Serve immediately.

Chipotle Mayo
1/4 tsp chipotle powder or 1-2 minced chipotle peppers in adobo
3/4 C mayo
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp lime juice
pinch kosher salt

For chipotle mayo, in a small bowl mix mayo, chipotle powder or minced peppers, garlic, lime juice and salt. Add more chipotle or lime to taste to adjust heat level.

chipotle mayo

Serve patties with a spread of chipotle mayo and lettuce on buns. Serve additional mayo for dipping if desired.

salmon burger

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by | July 29, 2011 · 8:28 am

Asian Broccoli Slaw with Chicken & Peanut Sauce

When the humidity rises and the summer heat has you sneaking away to stick your head in the freezer, the thought of heating up the house cooking becomes totally unappealing. That’s when salads transform from a healthy lunch option into a cool dinnertime oasis. This one is slightly adapted from a family recipe of fellow blogger Colleen from Flee Fly Flown. Her original recipe is just as good but since I am rarely able to follow a recipe as is, I put my own twists on it. You can serve it either as a crunchy side dish or add protein to make it a more substantial main dish, like I’ve done here.
asian slaw with chicken and peanut sauce
Asian Broccoli Slaw
1 bag broccoli coleslaw
3 stalks celery, chopped
3-4 green onions, chopped
1/2 C slivered almonds or 1 C dry-roasted peanuts
chow mein noodles
1 pkg dry ramen noodles, broken into small chunks
1/2 C vegetable oil
1/4 C sugar
1/3 C white vinegar
1 tsp soy sauce
1/2 packet ramen seasoning
grilled chicken breasts* (shrimp and tofu would also be good!)
Thai Peanut Sauce*
*optional

In a large bowl, combine broccoli slaw, chopped celery and chopped green onions. Toss in almonds or peanuts, chow mein noodles and broken ramen noodles. Separately, whisk together oil, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce and ramen seasoning. If serving immediately, pour dressing over slaw mixture and fold in to coat evenly. If you’re serving at a later time, store dressing separately and mix just before serving so that the slaw doesn’t get soggy.

If serving as a main dish, set slaw aside and combine ingredients for peanut sauce in a small saucepan. Meanwhile use the grill or a grill pan to cook meat. Dress individual portions with Thai Peanut Sauce.
asian broccoli slaw

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by | July 27, 2011 · 8:29 am

Sweet Pork

My neighbor is from the west coast and raves about a restaurant called Cafe Rio.  She told me they have the most amazing sweet pork and I was desperate to try it, but there isn’t a Cafe Rio anywhere close to Wisconsin.   I did a quick search and found tons of knock-off recipes, all of which contained the same ingredients: pork, Coke, green chilies, enchilada sauce and brown sugar.  I have no idea what the Cafe Rio sweet pork tastes like, but I was pretty sure if I used all of these ingredients I would come up with a pretty awesome dish  So, I made it a couple times, tweaking the amounts each time, until I found just the right flavor combination.  I have no idea if this is what the Cafe Rio Sweet Pork tastes like, but all I know is this recipe is delicious!

Sweet Pork

2 pound pork shoulder
Salt and pepper for seasoning
1 can regular Coke
1/4 c. water
1 can diced green chilies
3/4 (10oz) can red enchilada sauce (I use medium, but add whatever your preference is!)
3/4 cup brown sugar

Season the pork shoulder with salt and pepper and place in your slow cooker. Add ½ can of coke and water and cook on low for about 8 hours. Remove pork from crock pot and shred the meat. Dump any drippings left in the crock pot and wipe it clean.

In a blender, blend the other 1/2 can of Coke, chilies, enchilada sauce and ¾ cup of brown sugar. Place your sauce in the crock pot with your shredded pork.  Add some extra Coke if your sauce is too thick.  Cook on low for another 2 hours to allow the meat to soak up the sauce.

You can eat this on a bun with coleslaw for a tasty sandwich, over greens to give your salad an extra kick, or, my favorite, grilled up in a quesadilla with cheese and corn salsa.

This recipe also makes quite a bit of meat.  I like to portion it out and freeze it in large ziplock bags.  It reheats wonderfully!

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by | July 22, 2011 · 8:20 am

{Haute Pie} White Chocolate Key Lime

There is almost no dessert in the world that I like better than Key Lime Pie. I discovered this recipe a few years back and love using it as a go-to for a cool summer dessert. In these days of heat domes and sweltering conditions, it is the perfect no-bake option. The addition of the white chocolate adds just a little bit of smoothness to offset the tart lime flavor.

White Chocolate Key Lime Pie

1 C whipping cream
1 12 oz bag white chocolate morsels
1 TBSP sour cream
1/3 C key lime juice
Zest of one lime
one pre-packaged graham cracker crust
sliced limes and canned whipped cream for garnish

On the stove, heat whipping cream and morsels on medium heat, stirring continuously until melted, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add sour cream, key lime juice and lime zest. Stir well until smooth. Pour mixture into pie crust, cover and refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight. Garnish with dollops of whipped cream and lime slices.

*Note from pictures: apparently whipped cream melts when it is 100 degrees outside. 

Stay cool!

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by | July 21, 2011 · 8:24 am

Creamy Chicken Taquitos

Every once in awhile I come across a recipe that is so good, it instantly gets put into my monthly rotation.  This chicken Taquitos recipe adapted from Our Best Bites is just that kind of recipe.  It is seriously good and quite easy to make, but the best part is that these little, baked taquitos can be doubled and frozen so you can eat them any time of day with almost no effort.

The chicken taquitos are filled with a delicious creamy chicken mixture and then baked up to crispy perfection.  I serve them with a sauce of equal parts mashed avocado and sour cream.

Creamy Chicken Taquitos

3 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup green salsa
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
3 Tbsp chopped cilantro
2 cups shredded, cooked chicken
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese (or pepper jack if you prefer more of a kick!)

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.  Line a cooking sheet with tin foil or a silpan and set aside.

Mix the softened cream cheese with the salsa, lime juice, seasonings, cilantro, shredded chicken and cheese.  Stir until well combined.  Now you are ready to fill your tortillas.  The tortillas I buy are very soft and usually don’t crack.  If you are having a problem with this, just microwave them for a couple seconds each in order to get them to a nice pliable consistency.

Take your tortillas and place a small amount of the filling (2-3 tsps) in a line a little off center.

Roll the tortilla up completely and place it seam side down on your prepared cookie sheet.

Continue until you run out of filling.

Spray each taquito with a mist of cooking spray or olive oil from an olive oil mister and sprinkle with kosher salt.  Bake for 15-20 minute or until the they are crispy and lightly brown.  Dip in cool, creamy ranch dressing, guacamole or sour cream.

If you prefer to freeze the taquitos for another time, place them in a freezer safe bag after you roll each taquito up, but before you spray them with the cooking spray.  Then when you are ready to eat, just take them out of the freezer, pop them on a cookie sheet, spray them and sprinkle some salt on them.  Bake at 425 for about 20-23 minutes.  No need to thaw!

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by | July 15, 2011 · 8:42 am

Dirt Cake

When we decided to throw Katie a “Garden Party” baby shower, I instantly knew that I wanted to make mini dirt cakes – one of my favorite childhood desserts!  There are a few dirt cake recipes floating around online.  Some use just pudding, others use cream cheese and cool whip, and some are simply made with whipped cream.  I decided to go with my mom’s recipe which is the richest variety that I could find.  It combines butter, cream cheese, vanilla pudding and cool whip to create a dessert that is incredibly decadent.

Dirt Cake

2 small packages vanilla pudding
3 cups of milk
1  8oz brick of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
12 oz tub Cool Whip
1 package Oreo cookies, crushed (or nilla wafers if you are not a chocolate lover and prefer “sand” cake)

Mix the vanilla pudding packets with 3 cups of milk and whisk until thick.  Set aside.  In a separate bowl, mix the softened cream cheese with the softened butter.  Then, add the powdered sugar and mix with an electric mixer until well blended.  Add the butter mixture into the pudding and blend until combined.  Finally, stir in the cool whip, being careful not to over mix.

Layer the pudding mixture with your crushed Oreos in serving bowl you are using.  Just be sure you have enough Oreos at the end to make the top of your cake look like dirt!

For Katie’s shower, I used mini ball glass jars for presentation.  But you can be as creative as you would like!  As a child, I used to eat it out of mini buckets with fake flowers or small terracotta planters.  And don’t forget to add gummy worms if you are serving this to kids!

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