Chocolate Peanut Butter Pudding Cake

This is to die for....or at least exceptionally good. I was surprised that you can't taste the peanut butter all that much, just a hint. I wonder what it would taste like with almond butter or something instead....just an idea.

1 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbs unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup sugar
1.5 tsp baking powder
pinch o' salt
1/2 cup whole milk or chocolate milk
2 Tbs canola, peanut or walnut oil
1 Tbs vanilla extract
1/2 cup Peanut Butter(smooth/chunky, natural/hydrogenated...however you roll...chunky gives you...well chunks)
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Topping:
3 Tbs. unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup sugar
1.5 cup boiling water

1. Coat the slow cooker with butter or cooking spray
2.In a bowl mix the dry ingredients together, then stir in milk, oil and vanilla. Once that is smooth and well mixed, add in the peanut butter, and stir in the chocolate chips. Spread evenly in the cooker.
3. Make the topping by mixing the cocoa powder and sugar then poor boiling water over it and whisk until smooth. Gently poor over the cake batter. Cover and turn the crock pot on HIGH for 2-2.25 hrs
4. Turn off slow cooker and let stand for at least 30 min.
5. eat...I hear this ice cream thing tastes good with it too.

A Quick hint, use a round cooker, oval I hear messes it up, but I could be totally wrong. I have been known to be wrong very often. Though, it isn't like your kids need more sugar on Halloween.

Japanese Curry Rice

Yep more crockpot goodness. I've wanted to add this for a while, but have been far too lazy. Let me first add this caveat, I HATE Japanese curry almost 95%+ of the time, but I LOVE this recipe. We got it from "Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook". That has been a great book. I'll try to post a desert to die for from there in a few days...but here we go.

3 medium potatos peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
3-4 medium carrots cut into bite sized chunks
1 lb. beef stew meat cut into 1 inch cubes(though I REALLY dig chicken, it may even be better than beef!)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
2 cups beef broth(chicken for chicken)
2 cups water
6 Tbsp flour(the original recipe called for 3, but it was too little)
2 Tbsp curry powder(the original recipe called for 1, but it was too little)
1 cup frozen peas thawed(optional)

cooked white rice for serving

1. Pop the potatoes in the slow cooker and than layer the carrots on top.

2. In a skillet brown the meat with some oil and transfer to the cooker. Then put the onions and garlic in the skillet with some more oil and cook until softened, add salt and pepper and cook for an additional 2 to 3 min. Put the onions and garlic in the slow cooker. Transfer broth the the skillet and bring to a boil, scrap the brown bit stuck to the pan and pour into the cooker. Covere the cooker and turn on low for 6-7 hrs.(less for the chicken)

3. Mix the flour and curry powder together then slowly add about 1/2 cup of the broth(a bit at a time, stir until smooth and then add more liquid...avoid those clumps!) Pour the flour/curry/broth mixture back into the curry and turn on high for another 30 min. Add the peas at this time if you want as well.

ladel over the rice and enjoy.

Beef Chili for a Crowd

I love fall - and I love slow cooking in the fall/winter months. I especially love chili on rice (Hawaiian style). I made this yesterday. Hearty and mmmm...good. I didn't think this was spicy - my 3 year old did but my 1 year old couldn't get enough of it. If I was making it just for my hubby and I ...I'd kick-it-up with jalapeños.

Beef Chili for a Crowd
from Cuisinart Slow Cooker Cookbook
Makes 16 one cup servings

cooking spray
2 tsp good quality olive oil
1 1/2 lb onions, peeled and finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
3 lbs lean ground beef
1/2 cup chili powder
1 1/2 Tbsp oregano
1 1/2 Tbsp cumin
1 Tbsp paprika
1 red pepper, cored, seeded, chopped
1 green pepper, cored, seeded, chopped
1 yellow pepper, cored, seeded, chopped
2 cans (14 oz) diced tomatoes, juices drained, separated
2 cans (3 oz) tomato paste, salt free
3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
3 cans (15-16 oz) beans, drained rinsed and drained again (ie. black beans, pinto beans and/or red kidney beans)

Lightly coat the interior of the ceramic pot of the Cuisinart slow cooker with cooking spray.

Heat a 12-in non-stick skillet over med-high heat and add 1 tsp olive oil; sauté onions and garlic until soft. Season with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Place in ceramic slow cooker bowl.

In the same skillet, heat another tsp of oil; cook ground beef until brown, breaking up clumps with the back of a spoon. Stir in remaining salt and pepper; chili powder; oregano, cumin and paprika; cook over low heat until spices are fragrant. Transfer meat mixture to Slow Cooker. Add sliced red, green, and yellow peppers. Stir in diced tomatoes, tomato paste and red wine vinegar.

Cover and cook on Low setting for 6 hours using timer function; Slow Cooker will automatically switch to warm.

One hour before serving, turn heat to High. Stir in beans and slow cook until heated through.

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

I am back on the Weight Watchers and am in love with this cookie recipe--only one point each, and they totally take care of the chocolate fix!


2 egg whites
1/4 c margerine
1/8 t salt
1/4 t baking soda
1/3 c cocoa
1/2 c sugar
1 c flour
1/2 c brown sugar, packed
1/3 c mini choc chips

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.

Beat butter and brown sugar with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy; gradually add granulated sugar, beating well. Add cocoa and egg whites, beating well. Gradually add flour mixture, beating until blended. Stir in chocolate minichips.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 11⁄2 inches apart onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes. Cool on pans 2 minutes or until firm. Remove cookies from pans; cool completely on wire racks. Yield: 40 cookies (serving size: 1 cookie).

Roasted Vegetable Meat Loaf with Balsamic Glaze

I love balsamic vinegar...and this sauce is so delish!

Before the glaze - how pretty

Made this a couple weeks ago - it is YUMMY! I have never been a meat loaf fan - because...it just seems blech (too much meat)... BUT this...with the roasted veggies and balsamic glaze...this is more my style. I also added sauteed mushrooms and I didn't use lamb... lamb freaks me out.

Roasted Vegetable Meat Loaf with Balsamic Glaze Recipe courtesy Bobby Flay 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 large zucchini, finely diced 1 red bell pepper, finely diced 1 yellow pepper, finely diced 1 yellow onion, finely diced Salt and freshly ground black pepper 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes 2 large eggs, lightly beaten 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves 1/2 pound ground pork 1/2 pound ground veal 1 pound ground beef chuck 1 cup panko (Japanese) bread crumbs 1/2 cup freshly grated Romano 1 1/2 cups ketchup, divided 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegarPreheat oven to 425 degrees F. Heat the oil in a large saute pan over high heat. Add the zucchini, peppers, onion and salt and pepper, to taste, and cook until almost soft, 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and 1/4 teaspoon the red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds. Set aside to cool. Whisk together the eggs and herbs in a large bowl. Add the meat, bread crumbs, cheese, 1/2 cup of the ketchup and 2 tablespoons of the balsamic vinegar and the vegetables and mix until just combined. Mold the meatloaf on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Whisk together the remaining ketchup and balsamic vinegar in a small bowl then brush the mixture over the entire loaf. Bake the meatloaf for approximately 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Remove from the oven and let rest 10 minutes before slicing.

Episode#: BT0203
Copyright © 2006 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved

Fruited Ham Slice (Crockpot)

Food snobs will turn up their nose at this dish because of one certain ingredient--fruit cocktail. But for Gen Xers who grew up believing fruit cocktail helped us meet our daily recommended fruit requirements, this dish is an amusing and yummy nod to earlier times. Definitely a dish for a sweet tooth.

1-1½-pound fully cooked ham slice, 1”-thick
8-10 whole cloves
Prepared mustard
1-pound can fruit cocktail, drained, with 1 cup syrup reserved
½ cup brown sugar, firmly packed

Stud (gotta loves recipes that start with that word) edges of ham slice with cloves. Spread top with mustard. Place ham slice in slow cooker. In a bowl, mix together fruit cocktail, 1 cup syrup, and brown sugar. Spoon over ham. Cover and cook on low 3-4 hours, or until ham is heated through but not drying out. (Note: instead of fruit cocktail use 2 cups of any of the following: canned pineapple chunks, sliced peaches, apricot halves)

Chocolate Frosting

This is the best chocolate frosting I have ever had. I got it from one of my favorite cook books, Chocolate From the Cake Mix Doctor. It makes enough to frost a 2 or 3 layer cake, or a bunch of cupcakes and some to eat with a spoon

8 T (1 stick) butter, cut into pieces, and melted in the micro
2/3 C unsweetened cocoa powder
3 C powdered sugar
1/3 C sour cream
1 t vanilla extract

Place melted butter in large mixing bowl. Add cocoa and whisk until smooth. Add powdered sugar and sour cream, continuously whisking or blending. Add vanilla. Beat until fluffy.


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Salmon in Lemon Brodetto with Pea Puree

Made this last night for Kalea's first day of preschool. Our friends, the Jones' had invited us over for dinner a month ago and made this dish. It was a hit - the girls loved the fish and the pea puree. Pea puree may sound unappetizing but it's DELISH!

We also had beautiful red potatoes - Candice's recipe.

Candice's YUMMY red potatoes

Wash them
Boil them - until tender but not soft
Halve them
Toss them in olive oil, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning.
Then pan fry them, white flesh side down, in olive oil - until the white side is golden brown.
Flip them and fry them on the skin side too.
(these are seriously addictive)

Salmon in Lemon Brodetto with Pea Puree
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 15 min
Yield: 4 servings


Lemon Brodetto:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 shallot, diced
2 lemons, juiced
1 lemon, zested
2 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves

Pea Puree:
2 cups frozen peas, thawed (about 10 ounces)
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
1 clove garlic
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Salmon:
1/4 cup olive oil
4 (4 to 6-ounce) pieces salmon
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

To make the Lemon Brodetto, warm the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots and saute until tender, about 7 minutes. Add the lemon juice, zest, and broth. Bring to a simmer, and keep warm, covered, over low heat.
To make the Pea Puree, combine the peas, mint, garlic, salt, and pepper in a food processor and puree. With the machine running, add the olive oil in a steady drizzle. Transfer the pea puree to a small bowl and stir in the Parmesan. Set aside.

To make the Salmon, warm the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over high heat. Season the salmon pieces with salt and pepper. Sear the salmon until a golden crust forms, about 4 to 5 minutes on the first side. Flip the fish and continue cooking until medium-rare, about 2 minutes more depending on the thickness of the fish.

To assemble the dish, add the tablespoon chopped mint to the Lemon Brodetto and divide between 4 shallow dishes. Place a large spoonful of Pea Puree into the center of each bowl. Place a salmon piece atop each mound of Pea Puree. Serve immediately.

White Chocolate Popcorn

This is a easy, yummy treat my sister made for me while I was visiting her in Colorado recently.

Chocolate popcorn

Mix the following in a bowl: popcorn (either 1 bag of popped microwave popcorn OR about 1/2 cup of kernels air popped) and then add any of the following optional ingredients - 2 cups pretzels, 2 cups chex cereal, 1/2 bag mini marshmallows, nuts, M&Ms, peppermints, etc.

Melt in the microwave: 1 bag of white chocolate chips and 1/2 brick of vanilla almond bark. Pour wet mixture over dry, stir until well coated, let cool on cookie sheet. Drizzle dark chocolate over the mixture. Serve when cooled. Store covered if you have any left over. Keeps very well.

Amazing Ribs

I got this tip from Cooking Pleasures Magazine, and it made some awesome ribs yesterday in about 1 1/2 hours

1. Rub your baby backs with a sugar-less spice rub (I like BBQ of America from Penzey's)

2. Toothpick them in a circle (so they look like a Crown Roast)

3. BBQ them standing up, covered for 30 minutes. Then flip them onto the other side and cover and grill for another 30. They should be almost done at this point.

4. Un-pin and lay flat, saucing with sauce, for another 15 minutes or until done.

The easiest, quickest ones we have ever made!

Ramen Salad

Ok, last post for a bit, I promise. It has been oppresively hot here recently, and my MIL introduced me to this last year, and it is great to not have to heat up the kitchen so much. This recipe is for two people.

1 package of ramen noodles per person
1 cucumber
4 medium slices of ham
1 tomato
2 eggs
1 T. sugar

Any soysauce or oil based salad dressing.

Boil the ramen noodles until cooked but not soggy(the package should say). Do not add the flavor packets. Drain and let cool.

Mix the eggs together and add the sugar. You want them a little sweet, but not overly so, add more or less according to your taste. Cook over medium-low heat like an omlette. Let it cool and then julienne the omlette.

Julienne the cucumber and ham, slice the tomato into 8ths or so.

In a low bowl dish out the noodles and then lay the cucumber, egg, ham and tomato on the side in separate groups. Cover with your salad dressing.

Eat!

tips: I think carrots would probably be pretty tasty here too. Strong flavored veggies may or may not work here, it is up to you.

Coconut Lime Chicken

Sorry, the first of two slow cooker recipes. I like experimenting way too much.

1 can coconut milk
3 chicken breasts
2 limes, juiced(more for a more limey taste)
1 t. salt
1-2 T. fresh grated ginger
3 cloves garlic

2T flour(add 30 min before the end, mix with water so it is easily pourable, stir in, and let it sit)

2 T. fresh cilantro, for garnish ontop of the chicken mix

cook around 4 hours, serve over brown rice.

Cranberry Pork Chops

We just got a crock pot, it is WAY too much fun! My husband uses it as much as I do.

1 Cup frozen/fresh cranberries
1/2 cup-ish brown sugar
1 small onion, diced
4 pork chops
1-2 scoops garlic butter(pressed garlic mixed with butter and olive oil, make lots, refridgerate and it is easily spreadable)
3/4cup-ish orange juice

Pop it all in the slow cooker, eat after about 6 hours over rice.

Cow Pie

Now this is one that a family we stayed with in England fed to us. It's absolutely too fattening and wonderful.

COW PIE

12 oz. or 340g. frozen puff pastry 1 pack is enough for 1 large pie
12oz. or 340g. tin of corned beef.
3 lb. or 1 & a1/2 Kg. potatoes
1 lb. or 1/2 Kg. onions
salt & pepper
2 stock cubes- oxo or any beef cubes.

Method.
Peel potatoes & onions cut into chunks put into a large pan and season with S & P and enough water to cook them.
Cook until tender.
Add the corned beef in chunks and crushed stock cubes, mix together so it is still lumpy.
Allow pastry to soften at room temperature for a while.
Cut in half (one half a little larger than the other) Larger piece use for top of pie.
Roll out thinly.
Put the smaller pastry on the greased pie dish (or I use the glass microwave turntable) then put the filling on top (using a large spoon with holes in so you dont get too much liquid in the pie)
Roll out the larger piece of pastry, wet the edges of the bottom pastry and place on top. Seal the edges well so the juices won't run out and mess up the oven.
Snip holes in the top with scissors to let out the hot air.
Bake in a moderate oven for 35 to 45 minutes. Until the pastry is risen and golden brown (it will look cooked)
Use the juices left in the pan for the gravy. Add a gravy thickener and bring the gravy up to the boil stirring so it doesn't go lumpy. Allow to thicken. Add another stock cube, if you like, just do to your taste.

Salmon Chowder

Today was Edamame's 1st b-day, so we decided to feed the little fish lover, fish chowder. He picked all the fish and corn out and made mommy struggle with feeding him the rest. The Grandma's ate the whole thing and gave it the vote of approval.

1 onion, minced
2 potatos, petitly diced
2-3 Tbs. butter
2 Tbs. olive oil
2-3 strips of bacon, chopped(more as you desire)
7-8 sprigs of fresh dill chopped
1 ish lbs. of fresh salmon deboned and without the skin, cut into smaller than bite sized pieces
1 (12 oz?) can evaporated milk
3 cups water
3 bullion cubes(optional)
1 cup corn(optional)

Saute the onions and potatos in the butter olive oil mixture(start with the butter and add the oil as needed to prevent sticking), then add in the bacon for a bit until the onions are completely cooked and the potatos are starting to soften. Add in the water, dill, bullion cubes and salmon(I left the cubes out for baby-allergy reasons, still tasted good, if slightly bland). Let that boil for about 20 minutes until the potatos are very soft and the salmon is cooked. Finally, add in the evaporated milk and corn and let simmer for a few minutes. Serve as is or with grated cheese.

Hints: sweet fresh cooked corn tastes RAD with this. Add some cooked rice to make a easily feedable meal for a baby or toddler with less spilling. Garlic would also probably taste pretty dang good in this. Bacon is entirely optional.