Category: TASTE & CREATE

PERFECT BROWNIES

Taste and Create was started as a food event by Nicole from For the Love of Food.  The whole purpose of Taste and Create was, and has been, and continues to be to create a community of bloggers who test each others’ recipes and share links. The participants of the event are paired together and try a new recipe from one another’s blog.  My partner this month is Laura from Tasteful Diversions. I spent a lazy afternoon perusing her recipes and was intrigued by her recent brownie recipe.  Laura had adapted the recipe from Cook’s Illustrated and I opted to follow her version.  These brownies were awesome.  Hubby gave them 2 thumbs up!  I added a Mocha cream cheese frosting and they really were perfect!
 PERFECT BROWNIES 

1/3 cup Ghiradelli unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons boiling water
2 ounces Baker’s unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons safflower oil
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cup sugar
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
6 ounces dark chocolate chips (those melty ones you get in bulk to make fondue with at the grocery store) I used Whole Foods brand

  • Preheat oven to 350°. 
  • Line 13×9 pan with foil; spray lightly with cooking spray. 
  • In a large bowl, whisk cocoa and boiling water together until smooth. 
  • Add in unsweetened chocolate and continue to whisk until chocolate is melted. 
  • Whisk in melted butter and oil. (CI notes at this point that the mixture may look curdled; I have not had this issue.) 
  • Whisk in sugar. 
  • Stir in eggs, yolks, and vanilla until all ingredients are fully incorporated. 
  • Fold in chips.
  • Pour batter into prepared pan and bake at 350° 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted halfway between edge and center comes out clean. 
  • Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan on a rack for 1 1/2hrs. 
  • Using foil, remove brownies from pan and place on rack to cool another hour before serving.*

*Laura said, “Okay look, this is 2 1/2 hours of cooling time. I don’t know about you, but there is no chance in hell that fresh brownies are going to get that much alone time at my house. I usually make it about 45 minutes before I start cutting” and I wholeheartedly concur!

SNICKERDOODLES with TASTE & CREATE

Taste and Create was started as a food event by Nicole from For the Love of Food.  The whole purpose of Taste and Create was, and has been, and continues to be to create a community of bloggers who test each others’ recipes and share links. The participants of the event are paired together and try a new recipe from one another’s blog.  My partner this month is Carol from NO REASON NEEDED for our 3rd pairing. I spent another lazy afternoon perusing her recipes again and was still intrigued by her unusual recipe titles like elephant ear cookies, zippy slow cooker chili, pizza stuffed pretzels and super easy strawberry and lime ice cream but opted for a comfort favorite of ours snickerdoodles. Carol’s recipe is here.

SNICKERDOODLES
1 1/2 cups sugar + 1/4 cup sugar
1 cup butter, softened
2  eggs
2 3/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2  teaspoons ground cinnamon

  • Heat oven to 400ºF.
  • Mix 1 1/2 cups sugar, butter and eggs in large bowl. 
  • Stir in flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt.
  • Shape dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. 
  • Mix 1/4 cup sugar and the cinnamon. Roll balls in cinnamon-sugar mixture. 
  • Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
  • Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. 
  • Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.

While our recipes varied quite a bit, the result was the virtually the same in taste and completely the same in that the plate was empty in no time flat!

IT’S TASTE & CREATE TIME – SLOPPY JOES

The whole purpose of Taste and Create was, and has been, and continues to be to create a community of bloggers who test each others’ recipes and share links. The participants of the event are paired together and try a new recipe from one another’s blog.  This month my partner is Debbi from Debbie Does Dinner Healthy.  Hubby requested Sloppy Joe’s for football food so I decided to try Debbi’s recipe and compare it to my beef version to see if hubby noticed a difference.
Debbi’s Hearty Sloppy Joes
Adapted from The Life and Loves of Grumpy’s Honeybunch
3 pounds ground turkey
2 teaspoon each salt and pepper
1 cup carrots, finely diced
1 cup celery, finely diced
1 cup zucchini, finely diced
1 cup red pepper, finely diced (about 1 medium)
2 cups onion, finely diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 – 15 ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
3 tablespoon tomato paste
2/3 cup ketchup
3 tablespoon dijon mustard
1/4 cup worcestershire sauce
2/3 cup brown sugar, not packed
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

In a large pan, cook ground turkey.  When ground turkey is about half way done, add the veggie and saute along with the ground turkey.  Cook until ground turkey is done.  Drain if necessary. Season with salt and pepper as they cook.  Add the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and allow to simmer for about 10 – 15 minutes.  Serve with buns or 100 calorie Arnold Select sandwich thins. 

Divide into 2 containers for 2 meals.  Freeze one for another quick and easy meal.  When ready to eat, thaw completely and either warm on stovetop, slow cooker or in microwave.   6 huge servings per container. 

Total calories = 3062 calories for whole batch
12 servings = 255 calories without bun per serving**

While Debbi’s recipe tasted great yo me, hubby said he could tell the difference (what is it with guys and their beef?)  Next time I’ll try half turkey, half beef and see if he notices a difference.

Here’s my beef recipe:


These are always a crowd pleaser.
HOMEMADE SLOPPY JOES
1 tablespoon extra light olive oil
1 1/2 pound beef
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic, jar
salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoon Montreal steak seasoning
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
2 tablespoons sun-dried tomato pesto
1 15 ounce can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon Better than Bouillon beef base

  • Heat olive oil and add ground beef.
  • Generously salt and pepper.
  • Brown beef, onion and garlic. Drain.
  • Add brown sugar, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, steak seasoning and beef base. Cook for 5 minutes.
  • Add tomato paste and tomato sauce.
  • Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.
  • Serve on fresh baked buns.

TASTE & CREATE ~ MY GREEN MOUTH ~ HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE PUDDING

The whole purpose of Taste and Create was, and has been, and continues to be to create a community of bloggers who test each others’ recipes and share links. The participants of the event are paired together and try a new recipe from one another’s blog.

This month is a special 3 year anniversary where we are showcasing desserts.  I was paired with MY GREEN MOUTH, who is a relatively new blogger (so it made it easy to choose a dessert – I love chocolate!) and is dedicated to cooking green.
Homemade Chocolate Pudding
1/2 cup organic granulated sugar
4 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 organic eggs (I used Eggland’s best)
6 ounces chopped or shaved chocolate 
4 cups organic milk
2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
2 teaspoon vanilla extract 
Her recipe is an adaptation of a classic recipe from the superb Ms. Betty Crocker! I halved her recipe and had plenty! 
  • In a large pot, mix the sugar, cornstarch, salt and eggs together thoroughly. 
  • Slowly whisk in the milk.
  • Whisk in the instant coffee.
  • Add the chocolate. I used about 2 oz. bittersweet, 2 oz. milk chocolate, and 2 oz. dark chocolate. If you use unsweetened chocolate, double the sugar. But I use regular eating chocolate. And I believe a blend makes the flavor deeper and more multi-faceted.
  • Cook on a low or medium heat until the mixture boils, stirring constantly. Boil for 2 minutes.
  • Whisk in the vanilla extract.
  • Take off the heat, allow to cool. Once cool, put into glasses or a container to store in the refrigerator.

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TASTE & CREATE ~ NO REASON NEEDED ~ EGG SALAD & DEVILED EGGS

The whole purpose of Taste and Create was, and has been, and continues to be to create a community of bloggers who test each others’ recipes and share links. The participants of the event are paired together and try a new recipe from one another’s blog.
My partner this month is Carol from NO REASON NEEDED. I spent another rainy afternoon (so much rain this year) perusing her recipes again and was still intrigued by her unusual recipe titles like elephant ear cookies, zippy slow cooker chili, pizza stuffed pretzels and super easy strawberry and lime ice cream but opted for a comfort favorite of our family Simply Deviled egg salad.  I wish I could tell you that we had some left for tonight, but alas they were so good that there are none left. 

I marbled the eggs for effect since it was a fun family meal. 


one time use Seasoning Mix     to make it in bulk

2 teaspoon dried chives            2/3 cup (150 ml) 
1/4 teaspoon onion powder       1 Tbsp. (15 ml) 
1/4 teaspoon celery salt           1 Tbsp. (15 ml) 
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard         1 Tbsp. (15 ml) 
pinch paprika                          1 tsp. (5 ml)
pinch black pepper                   1 tsp. (5 ml) 
pinch cayenne                         ½ tsp. (2 ml) 
Simply Delicious Egg Salad 
5 hard-cooked large eggs, peeled
Seasoning Mix (recipe above)
3 Tablespoons mayonnaise or salad dressing
  • Chop eggs in medium bowl using pastry blender or fork. 
  • Stir in single seasoning mix or 2.5 tsp./12 ml bulk seasoning mix and mayonnaise. 
  • Stir in add-ins, if desired such as minced fresh herbs, finely chopped onion, celery, pickles or sun-dried tomatoes, or bacon bits. 
  • Serve on lettuce leaf, or use as a sandwich filling or cracker spread.
Makes 1.5 cups

Devilishly Good Devilled Eggs 
10 hard-cooked large eggs, peeled
Seasoning Mix (recipe above)
1/3 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
  • Cut eggs in half lengthwise. 
  • Scoop out yolks into medium bowl; mash with fork. 
  • Stir in single seasoning mix or 2.5 tsp./12 ml bulk seasoning mix and mayonnaise. 
  • Spoon filling into egg white halves. 
  • Top with garnish, if desired such as fresh herbs, paprika, small cooked shrimp, bacon bits, sliced pickles or olives.
Makes 20 devilled eggs

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Asian Style Latke

Taste and Create was started as a food event by Nicole from For the Love of Food. This is the 2nd time I’ve participated in Taste and Create and I don’t plan on stopping soon. I enjoy meeting new bloggers, especially foodies.
The whole purpose of Taste and Create was, and has been, and continues to be to create a community of bloggers who test each others’ recipes and share links. The participants of the event are paired together and try a new recipe from one another’s blog.
My partner this month is Stephanie over at 52 Kitchen Adventures who has some wonderful recipes.  I love anyone who will pair bacon and chocolate together as she did with these cupcakes. Honestly I wanted to make those cupcakes, but I have already made the caramelized chocolate covered bacon and decided to venture deeper into her list and fell in love with the Asian Style Latkes.  I have made my own latkes or potato pancakes for years, but love the flavors that Stephanie’s recipe adds to the mix.
Stephanie wrote, “At my local farmer’s market, there is stand dedicated to Asian produce. I’ve found some interesting vegetables there, and the other week I saw what looked like ginormous white carrots (reminiscent of Bunnicula, the vampire rabbit who sucks the juice out of vegetables). It turned out to be daikon. Daikon literally means “large root” in Japanese, which is pretty accurate. It has a flavor similar to smaller radishes, but is slightly sweet. It’s pretty low in calories and has a high Vitamin C content.” and she could have been writing about my new local farm fresh produce market in my temporary home town.
She found that daikons are used in a dim sum dish called turnip cake which is a pan fried cake of shredded daikon with dried shrimp, mushrooms and Chinese sausage. I agree that the original recipe sounds great, but agree with her recipe changes which resulted  in a latke make of shredded daikon and potato. The Chinese five spice gives the latkes a deliciously savory and sweet flavor.  Hubby loves turnips and asked that next time I include turnips.

 ASIAN LATKES
  • 2 large daikons
  • 6 white potatoes
  • 1 bunch of green onions
  • 1 egg
  • 1/3 C breadcrumbs (we used panko)
  • 1 t Chinese five spice
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • Olive oil
Grate the daikons and potatoes. Place grated pieces into a clean, dry towel and twist and squeeze out moisture over the sink. Keep squeezing and twisting the towel until no more liquid comes out. Place dry gratings into a large bowl.  I didn’t have anyone around to help with pictures so I offer you Stephanie’s picture for demonstration.
Sliver the green part of the green onions and reserve for garnish. Chop the white part of the green onions and add to the bowl of daikon and potatoes, along with the egg, breadcrumbs, and seasonings. Thoroughly mix together with your hands, then form flattened balls (these can be any size you want, just make sure they are all uniform in size so they cook evenly).
Fill a large sauce pan 1/4″ deep with olive oil. Heat over medium-high heat until very hot (when a piece of bread browns in 10 seconds, it’s ready). Carefully place the latkes into the pan, leaving a couple of inches in between them. Turn them after 7-10 minutes, or when browned on the bottom. Cook another 7-10 minutes, or until both sides are browned. Garnish with green onion slivers and serve with sour cream or applesauce.

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TASTE & CREATE ~ A BOLDER TABLE ~ RASPBERRY CHOCOLATE CHIP ICE CREAM

Taste and Create was started as a food event by Nicole from For the Love of Food. This is the 2nd time I’ve participated in Taste and Create and I don’t plan on stopping soon. I enjoy meeting new bloggers, especially foodies.
The whole purpose of Taste and Create was, and has been, and continues to be to create a community of bloggers who test each others’ recipes and share links. The participants of the event are paired together and try a new recipe from one another’s blog.


My partner this month is Megan from A BOLDER TABLE.  She has a ton of healthy and yummy recipes over there to choose from and after I narrowed it down to the Caprese Salad or Raspberry Chocolate Chip Ice Cream I then let hubby decide. In getting ready for the Memorial Day Weekend he thought I should try her Raspberry Chocolate Chip Ice Cream and see if it was really that easy.  Yep, it was and super flavorful and refreshing and just plain yummy! Now if you’ll excuse me I need to go make enough to feed the masses!


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Taste & Create, Anyone?

Min here, just doing a plug for my friend Nicole, the creator of the Taste & Create food blog event and fellow food blogger at For the Love of Food. Nicole’s been bogged down in housing construction, subsisting in a 400 square foot apartment with barely a kitchen, so in the meantime I’ve been hosting T&C.
Taste & Create is a fantastic event in which food bloggers are randomly paired off, tasked with choosing and preparing any of their partner’s recipes–and then blogging about it, of course. To read more about it, go to How It Works.
Do YOU want to play?
If you’d like to participate this month, please email me at cowgirlmin07 [at] gmail [dot] com by May 9th. I’ll send out partner assignments by the 11th, and submissions will be due on the Taste & Create website by May 24th.
That’s all there is to it. Usually we have a variety of participants from all around the world, and it’s a ton of fun to meet new friends and discover new ingredients!
Hope you’ll join us!

TASTE & CREATE ~ No Reason Needed & CHICKEN POT PIE

Taste and Create was started as a food event by Nicole from For the Love of Food. This is the 2nd time I’ve participated in Taste and Create and I don’t plan on stopping soon. I enjoy meeting new bloggers, especially foodies.

The whole purpose of Taste and Create was, and has been, and continues to be to create a community of bloggers who test each others’ recipes and share links. The participants of the event are paired together and try a new recipe from one another’s blog.


My partner this month is Carol from NO REASON NEEDED. I spent yesterday, a rainy Sunday afternoon perusing her recipes and was intrigued by her unusual recipe titles like elephant ear cookies, zippy slow cooker chili, pizza stuffed pretzels and super easy strawberry and lime ice cream when I zeroed in on a comfort favorite of mine chicken pot pie. So that was tonight’s dinner.

When I was a child, Swanson frozen pot pies were a favorite of my mom’s to serve in a pinch. I have to admit that as a child I loved them, but as my taste buds matured I started searching for a replacement recipe, a HOMEMADE replacement recipe.

I love my chicken pot pie recipe, but am always looking for new and better or even just different recipe so thought I’d try hers. On a bonus note that I didn’t at first notice, Carol made this recipe last October 2009 as a part of Taste & Create when she was partnered with Natalie, from What`s for Supper? So LOL I guess we’re doubling trying this recipe.


CHICKEN POT PIE
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves – cubed
1 cup sliced carrots
1 potato cut into cubes (as per Natalie’s suggestion)
1 cup frozen green peas (I used FRESH)
1/2 cup sliced celery 1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt (CAROL omitted, but I left it in)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper (Carol omitted, but I used white pepper)
1/4 teaspoon celery seed (Carol used celery salt and I omitted)
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
2/3 cup milk
2 (9 inch) unbaked pie crusts (I used my own HOMEMADE recipe and only the top crust)

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees
  • In a saucepan, combine chicken, carrots, peas, and celery. Add water to cover and boil for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain and set aside.
  • In the saucepan over medium heat, cook onions in butter until soft and translucent.
  • Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and celery seed.
  • Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until thick. Remove from heat and set aside.
  • Place the chicken mixture in bottom pie crust.
  • Pour hot liquid mixture over.
  • Cover with top crust, seal edges, and cut away excess dough.
  • Make several small slits in the top to allow steam to escape. (I also like to decorate the tops – have to use those pricey Pampered Chef tools somewhere!)
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes (Carol cooked hers for 50 minutes and I made mine as small individuals so was able to use Natalie’s timeframe), or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Carol mentions that Natalie mentioned:

  • brushing the top of the pie with egg to make it golden brown
  • making two pies (allowing you to eat one and freeze one for later) “….I just plop the uncooked pie in the freezer and wrap it well in plastic and tin foil. When I am ready to cook it, I just take it from the freezer to the preheated oven and possibly cook it a little longer than I normally would!”

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TASTE & CREATE ~ One Little Corner of the World & POULET SAUTE AUX HERBES de PROVENCE and SOUPE A L’OIGNON AU FROMAGE

I stumbled upon TATSE & CREATE last month and couldn’t wait to participate this month. I was paired with Katie from One Little Corner of the World. The object is to scour their blog and find an appealing recipe to try. While reading Katie’s blog I ran across her fun group effort to create a Julia Child evening. I’m trying her POULET SAUTE AUX HERBES de PROVENCE and SOUPE A L’OIGNON AU FROMAGE from her post Julia Child, Dinner and friends. Her description of the meal reminded me of the progressive dinners we did as girl scouts – I always loved those meals sooooooooooo much. I also enjoyed Katie’s description of their trials and tribulations as they pain stakingly worked through Julia’s recipes.

Being a foodie I wanted to see the Julie & Julia movie really bad. Hubby took me to see it for my birthday last year. I really enjoyed it, Meryl Strep especially. Meryl played a fantastic Julia. I laughed until I cried. 

Meryl Streep as Julia Child in “Julie & Julia”. (Photo~Sony Pictures)
“Fat gives things flavor”–Julia Child.
SOUPE A L’OIGNON AU FROMAGE (French Onion Soup)
6 large onions (about 5 pounds), sliced thin
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 quarts beef broth (preferably homemade)
1 cup white wine
twelve 1/2-inch-thick slices of French bread, toasted
3/4 pound coarsely grated Gruyère
8 slices French bread (about 1 inch thick)
**Out of habit I grabbed some garlic which was not in the original recipe, but made a superb addition!
  • In a large kettle cook the onions in the butter over moderate heat, stirring frequently, for 40 minutes, or until they are golden brown.
  • Sprinkle the onions with the flour and sugar and cook the mixture, stirring, for 3 minutes.
  • Add the broth slowly, stir the soup constantly until it comes to a boil, and simmer it, covered, for 20 minutes.
  • Season the soup with salt and pepper.
  • Put 2 slices of the toast in each of 6 heated soup bowls, top each toast with 1 tablespoon of the Gruyère, and pour the soup over the toasts.

POULET SAUTE’ AUX HERBES DE PROVENCE
Chicken:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 3 to 3 1/2-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces, rinsed, patted dry
1 teaspoon dried thyme or savory
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds, ground in spice mill or with mortar and pestle
3 unpeeled garlic cloves
2/3 cup dry white wine or 1/2 cup dry white vermouth

Sauce:
2 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon dry white wine or dry white vermouth
2 to 3 tablespoons butter, cut into 1-inch cubes (optional)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, fresh fennel fronds, or fresh parsley (optional)

For chicken: 

  • Melt butter in large wide pot over medium-high heat.
  • Working in batches, if necessary, add chicken pieces and cook only until golden, turning occasionally, about 8 minutes per batch.
  • Transfer chicken breast pieces to plate.
  • Sprinkle remaining chicken pieces in pot with half each of thyme, basil, and fennel seeds, then salt and pepper.
  • Add garlic to pot.
  • Cover pot; reduce heat to medium and cook 8 to 9 minutes.
  • Sprinkle chicken breasts with remaining thyme, basil, and fennel seeds, then salt and pepper.
  • Return breast pieces to pot; baste chicken with butter in pot.
  • Cover and cook until chicken is cooked through, turning and basting occasionally, about 15 minutes.
  • Transfer to hot platter; cover.
  • Remove peel from garlic cloves; mash garlic with spoon or fork in same pot.
  • Add 2/3 cup wine to juices in pot; boil until liquid is reduced to 3/4 cup, occasionally scraping bottom of pan, about 8 minutes.
  • Pour reduced pan juices into measuring cup and reserve for sauce.

For sauce: 

  • Off heat, whisk egg yolks in heavy small saucepan until beginning to thicken.
  • Whisk in lemon juice and 1 tablespoon wine.
  • Gradually whisk reserved pan juices into eggs, 1 teaspoon at a time.
  • Set sauce over very low heat and whisk constantly until warm and slightly thickened, 3 to 4 minutes.
  • If desired, whisk in butter, 1 piece at a time.
  • Remove from heat.
  • Stir in herbs, if desired.
  • Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.
  • Spoon sauce over chicken and serve.
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