Redirection - February 1, 2011

"Stay committed to your decisions, but stay flexible in your approach"

I have had a blast using my new mixer every day in the month of January. I was blown away at the many hidden abilities I had. I was also blown away at the time it takes to make some of these wondrous creations. Throughout this adventure I have found myself rushing at times to get various delights done. The fun started to slip away and it became more of a daily task, than a daily delight. And that my dears was the whole point of this excursion- to be delighted. I was to be indulging in every moment. Now don't get me wrong, more times than not I truly DID enjoy creating in my kitchen. However, making this a daily commitment brought more pressure than pleasure.

What did bring me pleasure though was creating tasty goodness from scratch and bringing smiles to my family and friends. THAT I am not going to give up. So the basic goal is still the same. I still intend to use my mixer as much as I can. But I will not be stressing myself out by forcing out a recipe daily. With a baby on the way, one daughter starting the terrible two's and another 'tweening' out daily I would just prefer to spread my focus around- rather than biting of more than I can chew...

I also believe that without all the pressure of a daily recipe I will be able to try bigger and more complex ones. I have been skipping past so many glorious recipes simply because I just don't have the time and I am worn out from the baking that I basically JUST did. So whether it's weekly, two days in a row, whatever stay tuned for deliciousness.


Bon apetit!

Chocolate Chip Cookies - January 31, 2011

I don't know why I didn't start with this basic in my first week of recipes. Nothing is better than a perfect chocolate chip cookie. And now after experiencing some disasters in the kitchen I was nervous about making them. I mean I managed to mess up a brownie. A cookie to a brownie is like an apple to an orange. I was so nervous. So I did what any self-respecting woman would do... I asked for help.
A friend of mine had recently made some scrumptious cookies and based on the fact that EVERYTHING she makes is heaven I wanted to have her recipe for this delicious classic. Come to find out she used the Ghiradelli recipe straight from the back of the bag (with a few added special ingredients). After looking on the back of the chocolate chip bag I decided to look on the back of other packages, cans and boxes in my pantry. Turns out there have been hundreds of recipes just starring me in the face all these years. I even found a few that I'm going to try out in the next upcoming weeks!


Ingredients:
11 1/2 ounces Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla (add 1 more teaspoon of vanilla)
2 1/4 cups unsifted flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped (optional)
Secret ingredient: 1 package of instant vanilla pudding with 1 tbsp of milk
(ghirardelli.com)

Directions:
Step 1: Preheat oven oven to 375ºF
Step 2: In mixer using whisk attachment mix together butter with sugar and brown sugar at speed 2 until creamy and lightened in color
Step 3: Add eggs and vanilla, one at a time
Step 4: Add in flour with baking soda and salt and mix until well blended
Step 5: Stir in nuts and chocolate chips
Step 6: Drop by tablespoon onto ungreased cookie sheets
Step 7: Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown

Tips:
* Actually use a tablespoon measuring spoon when placing dough on the pan. I use to use a table spoon, as in a large spoon I eat with at my table. My cookies always looked like pancakes. This time they could have been sold at Mrs. Fields they were so perfectly shaped!
* My friend also suggested taking the cookies out just a minute before the timer went off. I did and the cookies were soooooo perfectly baked it was insane!

Chocolate Chip Pancakes - January 30, 2011

I am not a big breakfast eater. In fact I usually stick to coffee until my tummy starts rumbling (with an exception of right now as I have baby on board). I know super unhealthy, most important meal of the day. I've heard it all before. So when I DO decide to have breakfast it's usually last night leftovers, cold pizza, etc... Oddly the only time I ever want breakfast foods is at dinner time!
So tonight I decided to make pancakes, eggs and bacon for dinner! And I found this also is a big hit with the family. Oh and one more thing I might mention... I put chocolate chips in the pancakes. Even better right?!?!?!


Ingredients:
1 cup cup prepared pancake mix
1 cup chocolate chips
2 eggs
2 tbsp sugar
1 cup milk

Directions:
Step 1: Mix all ingredients on low ending with chocolate chips
Step 2: Butter pan on medium heat
Step 3: Fry until bubbly. Turn, brown on the other side

Tips:
* So easy so simple! Feel free to add other flavors. Instead of chocolate chips try blueberries or walnuts... the options are endless.
* Watch the pancakes. Look for them to bubble. Don't think to yourself 'these might need a little more time' because they do not. Well, unless you l

Spicy Grilled Chicken Marinade - January 29, 2011

We love chicken in this house. Better yet, we love grilled chicken. And since we eat it at least once a week (I have yet to venture on to bigger and better) I'm always wanting it to taste different (much to my picky eaters' dismay). SO tonight I thought I would spice it up.
Marinades are such simple recipes but they make that big difference. Have you ever tasted a dry bland piece of meat? Well if you have ever dined at my house I can almost guarantee it! As I've started this venture my shelves and cabinets have become stocked up with ingredients and spices I have never used before. And now I want to use ALL of them! It feels like I was living in black and white and now there is COLOR! Bring on the flavor!


Ingredients:
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup italian dressing
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 teaspoon grated lime zest
2 cloves crushed garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh oregano
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
(allrecieps.com)

Directions:
Step 1: Starting with liquids and gradually adding in other ingredients (minus chicken) set in mixer on level 2 more approx 2 minutes
Step 2: Place chicken in plastic storage (ziplock) bag and pour marinade over
Step 3: Let marinate at least one hour (as much as over night if desired)
Step 4: Preheat grill med-high heat for about 5 -10 minutes
Step 5: Lightly oil the grill grate. Drain and discard marinade. Grill chicken for 6 to 8 minutes each side, or until juices run clear

Tips:
* To me grilling makes everything taste better. Not only that... it's quicker than oven baking! If you need to get dinner done quick throw it on the grill!
* Be super careful with uncooked poultry. Especially if you have children around. I am crazy sanitizer lady after I put the raw chicken in the marinade. Be sure not to get juices on the outside of the storage bag and all over your fridge!

Lemon Bars - January 28, 2011

I swear everything I have been baking has had a chocolate chip in it! I thought I'd better lighten it up (sort of) by making lemon bars. Now I have never made nor tasted a lemon bar in my life so I had nothing to compare it to. Which based on my newly found baking abilities may prove to be very beneficial. To me it could turn out to be the best lemon bar I've ever tasted. And I will be able to say that with an honest straight face!
So I googled lemon bars and glanced over a few recipes. I noticed one by Paula Deen from the Food Network. Now I have watched this woman's show a time or two and everything she makes looks so delicious and super unhealthy. That is just what I was looking for!


Ingredients:
Crust-
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup confectioners' sugar, plus more for dusting
2 sticks butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing
Pinch of salt

Filling-
4 eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
(foodnetwork.com)

Directions:
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350, grease a 9 by 13 by 2-inch pan
Step 2: Make the crust by combining the flour, confectioners' sugar, and salt in a large bowl
Step 3: Cut in the butter to make a crumbly mixture. Press the mixture into the prepared pan. You may need to dip your fingers into a little flour or confectioners' sugar to keep the dough from sticking to your fingers. Bake for 20 minutes
Step 4: Mix the eggs, granulated sugar, flour, and lemon juice on level 2 with whisk for 2 minutes
Step 5: Pour this over the baked crust and bake for 25 minutes longer
Step 6: Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar when the bars are done

Tips:
* Invest in a sugar sifter, I don't have one and this recipe really calls for one!
* Don't leave sugar unattended with a toddler. Unless you want it to look like winter in your home... or you really like to sweep!

Banana Bread - January 27, 2011

True friends are good for long talks on the phone, borrowing clothes, telling you they are so proud of you, telling you they think you are making a huge mistake, letting you know when your favorite store is having a sale, letting you know those pants don't necessarily make you look fat - but they are more than likely mislabeled... and lately for me good friends are good for delicious recipes! When I started this blog my beautiful friends started giving me their favorite recipes!
Now normally I love my banana bread with nuts, unfortunately the rest of my family would rather pass. So I was left with two options: Make the banana bread with nuts and eat the entire thing myself OR save myself a few thousand calories and leave out the nuts and share. Lucky for my wardrobe I chose the latter.


Ingredients:
2 ½ cups flour
1 1/4 cup sugar
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons oil
3/4 cup of milk
1 egg
1 1/2 cups mashed over-ripe bananas (I used 5 bananas)
1 cup of chopped nuts (optional)
(Krista Doud)

Directions:
Step 1: Preheat oven 350 and grease bread pan
Step 2: Measure all ingredients into mixer and set to level 2 for 2 minutes
Step 3: Bake 55 - 60 minutes and take out of pan to cool

Tips:
* The grocery sells browned bananas cheaper! Ask your local grocer. How amazing is that!??! For so many recipes it's better if the bananas are browned.
* My bread initially was still mushy and uncooked in the top center. I didn't notice this until after it had cooled and I went to cut a slice. I stuck it back in the over for another 6 minutes and wallah- The breakfast of champions!

Marinara Meat Sauce - January 26, 2011

One of the 5 meals I constantly make my family for dinner is pasta. It's easy, it's cheap, and everyone always says, 'yay, pasta!'. It's a win-win-win. So lately I found that you can take a simple recipe and turn it into something so much more with just a few additional ingredients. I also found that homemade tastes better than jarred. Well... unless I set off the smoke alarms. That is usually a sign that whatever I made won't be so kind to the taste buds.
So I made a few homemade sauces this past month and I thought I would keep this one simple but fresh, a meat marinara sauce served over spaghetti. And the reason I use the mixer when preparing a sauce is because my picky family doesn't like 'chunky' sauce. So what I blend can't hurt em! Divertasi!


Ingredients:
1 can (28 oz) Italian Plum Tomatoes (Undrained)
3 Garlic Cloves (Minced)
1/4 cup Tomato Paste
1 1/2 tbsp Olive Oil
2 tsp Basil (Dry)
1/2 tsp Sugar
1/4 tsp Salt
(bbqgrilling basics.com)
I also added:
1 tbsp crushed red peppers
1 tbsp onion salt
1/2 a fresh onion, diced
1lb ground beef

Directions:
Step 1: Brown 1lb of ground beef on stovetop
Step 2: On low heat start oil and diced onions in large pot on stovetop
Step 3: Starting with tomatoes using whisk on level 2 add in each of the ingredients, until well blended
Step 4: Place cooked beef and blended mix into the large pot on stovetop (with onions), set to medium low, cover and cook for 2-3 hour
Step 5: 15 minutes before you are ready to eat boil water and cook pasta
Step 6: ladle sauce over cooked pasta and ENJOY!

Tips:
* Once you have made the sauce and it's on the stovetop taste it. It might need something. Do NOT be afraid to add it. If it needs salt, add salt. Easy Peasy!
* This recipe served 5-6. But as always sauces are easily frozen... so double or even triple the recipe!