food

Cauliflower & Fennel Au Gratin

/ Jodi / 55 Comments

Cauliflower and Fennel Au Gratin

I had never cooked anything with fresh fennel before and really wanted to try.  I picked one up at the grocery store having no clue what I was going to do with it.

The other night, when trying to decide what vegetable I was going to serve with dinner and knowing I still had this fennel bulb in the fridge along with a fresh head of cauliflower, I decided to “google” and see if there was a recipe combining the two.

I came upon this one, and oh what a winner it is!

Cauliflower and Fennel Au Gratin 2

This would be a lovely vegetable to serve for company, take to a potluck, or just enjoy for dinner.  The fennel (which smells like anise and is kind of licoricey) is mild, yet full-flavored and holds up nicely in the dish.  Don’t be afraid to try it, even if you say you don’t like licorice.  It is a lovely vegetable that I’m looking forward to using again in other dishes – cooked and raw.

I’m sure you could make this with just the cauliflower too, but I loved what the fennel added to it.  And just a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg made it really sing.

I hope you’ll give it a try.  Enjoy!

Cauliflower & Fennel Au Gratin

Ingredients:Cauliflower and Fennel Au Gratin

1/4 cup butter
1 head cauliflower, broken into florets
1 large fennel bulb, cored, trimmed, and cut into 1/4-inch slices plus 1/2 cup chopped fronds (the green ferny part)
2 Tbsp  flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 cup whipping cream, half & half, or milk (even skim milk is fine)
1 cup (4 oz)  shredded Swiss cheese (or your favorite)
2/3 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:

Preheat oven to 450º F.  Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add cauliflower, and sauté 4 min.  Add fennel slices, and sauté 4-5 more min. or until tender. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with flour, salt, and nutmeg; add fennel fronds, and lightly toss together.

Spoon into a prepared 2-quart baking dish. Pour cream over mixture. Sprinkle with Swiss cheese, bread crumbs, and Parmesan cheese.

Bake at 450º for 20 minutes or until top is browned and crispy.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Bailey’s Irish Cream Chocolate Mud Cake

/ Jodi / 65 Comments

Baileys Irish Cream Chocolate Cake cutting

Do you every just get a “hankering” for something?  Something you don’t usually have, but you just get stuck in your mind that you really, really, really want?!

That’s how I was feeling this past week about chocolate cake.  And chocolate cake is not something I usually make/eat/crave.

Baileys Irish Cream Chocolate Cake unfrosted

But – there was no getting it out of my head, so what’s a girl to do?!  Bake cake!

And when I found this recipe for a “boozy” chocolate cake – well – even better!  But dang, it was in metric measurements, and try as I could to search for it in U.S. equivalents, no luck.  So I postponed doing it the first day I thought of it, but then just bit the bullet the next day and converted it myself.  I’m not sure if I converted exactly or correctly, but it turned out absolutely amazing!

Baileys Irish Cream Chocolate Cake adding ganache

Oh Dear Me!  This is a real treat for the hankering!  It is rich and dense and chocolately and smothered in a decadent Bailey’s chocolate ganache!   I only needed a few bites to satisfy.

Baileys Irish Cream Chocolate Cake sliced

Hubby loved it too!

After our couple of bites/slices, however, I decided to put it in the freezer to save for special occasions or special guests.  I’m guessing it will freeze well (as all cakes do), and be just the thing to pull out and slice when “needed!”

Baileys Irish Cream Chocolate Cake slice

So here it is – the Bailey’s Irish Cream Chocolate Mud Cake – converted for us U.S. bakers and also in Metric equivalents.

Are you craving chocolate cake yet?!  Grab that bottle of Bailey’s and get baking!

Baileys Chocolate Mud Cake

Ingredients:

Cake:Baileys Irish Cream Chocolate Cake adding ganache

  • 1 1/3 sticks butter (10.5 Tbsp) or 150 grams
  • 3.5 oz or 100 grams dark chocolate, chopped
  • 1/2 cup or 100 grams sugar
  • 1/2 cup or 100 grams brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup or 50 grams  cocoa powder
  • 3/4 cup or 180ml Baileys Irish Cream Whiskey
  • 1 1/3 cups or 170 grams all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 tsps baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3 eggs, room temperature

Baileys Ganache:

  • 7 oz or 200 grams good quality dark chocolate,  chopped
  • 3/4 – 1 cup or 200ml Baileys Irish Cream (you can also do 1/2 cream and 1/2 Bailey’s if you don’t want it quite so “boozy,” but what the heck?!)
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 – 1 1/2 Tbsp or 15 grams butter, softened

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325° F (160°C). In a pan over low heat, melt the butter, chocolate, sugars, cocoa powder and Baileys. When chocolate and butter has melted, whisk together to combine making sure to get rid of any lumps of sugar or cocoa powder. Remove from heat and leave cool for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, grease and line an 8″ (20-21cm) round cake pan.

Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set aside. Add the eggs to the slightly cooled chocolate mixture and whisk to combine. Gently fold in the sifted flour mix until free of lumps.

Scrape into cake pan and bake for about 25-30 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean (Be cautious, however, as this is one cake you don’t want to over-bake so better to be a little under than over). The top of the cake will have some beautiful cracks.  This is normal for a mud cake, and you will be covering it with a lovely and oh so concealing ganache anyway!

Remove cake from oven and cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing and cooling completely on wire rack.

To make the ganache, heat the Bailey’s and the salt to a simmer in a pan (be careful to not get the heat too high and catch the alcohol on fire like I did!).  Remove from heat and add the chocolate.  Stir until completely incorporated, and then stir in the butter.

Set aside at room temperature and cool until it is thick enough to spread over your cooled cake (or if you are as impatient as me, put in the freezer to cool more quickly).  Gently stir the ganache occasionally as it cools to keep the temperature even and the ganache smooth.

When it is cooled and thickened, spread the ganache on the top of your cake and let it drip down the sides.

Enjoy!

Recipe found at:   Runcible Eats (www.leaandjay.com)

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Groundhog Day Cupcakes

/ Jodi / 51 Comments

groundhog day cupcake

Tomorrow, February 2nd, is Groundhog Day, a rather silly U.S. holiday, where we wait for a Groundhog (Punxsutawney Phil) to emerge from his burrow and let us know when Spring will arrive.

According to folklore, if the groundhog sees his shadow, winter will last for six more weeks.  If he does not, Spring will come early.

Punxsutawney Phil is the “official” Groundhog Day meteorologist.  He lives in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, which is only about an hour and a half from Mars.  The largest Groundhog Day celebration in the U.S. is held here with an early morning festival and national news coverage.

When my son, Nick, told me he was going to dinner on Sunday at his girlfriend, Liz’s house for a Groundhog Day party, I immediately asked, “Can I make a dessert for you to take?”  (Any excuse to bake works for me!)

Seems Groundhog Day is Liz’s dad’s favorite holiday.  The family celebrates with a dinner party and an annual viewing of the comedy movie, Groundhog Day.

So I searched for some inspiration on Pinterest and came up with these little cupcakes from things I had in the pantry.

If you are looking for a fun treat to make for Groundhog Day, here is how I made them.

Groundhog Day Cupcakes

Ingredients:groundhog day cupcake

  • 1 box Duncan Hines Yellow Cake Mix
  • 1 can White Cake Frosting
  • 1 can Chocolate Frosting
  • 1 bag (12) Lindt’s Lindor Sea Salt & Milk Chocolate Truffles
  • 36 small candy eyes (24 for eyes and 12 to cut edges off for tooth)
  • 24 chocolate chips
  • Chocolate jimmies/sprinkles
  • 1 tube black decorative frosting
  • Green food coloring

Directions:

Bake cupcakes according to box instructions.  Cool completely.

Frost cupcakes with chocolate frosting from center to about 2/3 coverage.

Tint white frosting with green food coloring and pipe around top circle of cupcake.  Sprinkle chocolate jimmies on edge of chocolate frosting to appear like “loosened dirt.”

Pipe dabs of chocolate frosting onto truffle where eyes and ears and tooth and chubby cheeks and hair of groundhog head will go (I put some in a Ziploc sandwich bag and cut off small tip of corner) Add eyes, chocolate chips for ears, eye with edges cut off for tooth, and jimmies to top of head.  Finish with black frosting dab for nose.  Place in center of cupcake to appear like the groundhog is emerging from it’s hole in the ground.

Here’s to hoping Phil sees his shadow!

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

 

 

Neiman Marcus Dip

/ Jodi / 41 Comments

neiman marcus dip

Next Sunday is the Super Bowl – an annual event in the U.S. that even non-football fans often enjoy just for the great commercials, celebrity national anthem and half-time show, parties, cocktails, beer, and yummy food and SNACKS!

This Neiman Marcus Dip is a MUST-HAVE for Super Bowl parties, whether you are hosting, taking something as a guest to a party you are going to, or just hanging with the family at home.

It is so amazingly easy and even  more incredibly addictive and delicious (though probably should not be eaten too often as it is a bit far from healthy, which is probably why it is so amazing!)   

I am pretty sure you will be considered a snack dip rock star if you make and serve this to your family and friends.

neiman marcus dip closeup

I first tried this Neiman Marcus Dip at my DIL Colleen’s Christmas Cookie Exchange Party this past December, and I made it for a recent Steelers Playoff game when the family was all over.

And though our Pittsburgh Steelers did not make it to the Super Bowl this year, we will still be watching, and we will surely be snackin’!

So whoever you are rooting for, win or lose, you will still be happy that you had this yummy dip!

Neiman Marcus Dip

Ingredients:neiman marcus dip closeup

  • 4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1 lb bacon, chopped and cooked very crispy
  • 1 cup chopped green onions
  • 1 cup slivered almonds
  • 2 cups mayonnaise

Directions:  Mix all together in large bowl and refrigerate at least 2 hours for flavors to meld together well.  (The day before is even good.)

Serve with crackers, corn chips, tortilla chips or celery sticks.

Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Biscoff Crunch Banana Bread

/ Jodi / 52 Comments

Biscoff banana bread 1

I thought I had discovered the best ever banana bread recipe (which is ULTRA amazing!) – but then…. I discovered…

are you ready??…..

BISCOFF BANANA BREAD!

biscoff banana bread 2

Oh Goodness Gracious – the YUMMMMiness of Biscoff Spread, crunchy Biscoff cookies, and sweet, moist banana bread.  It is pretty much the ultimate deliciousness – especially for this time of year when we just crave comforting foods!

biscoff banana bread 3

My guys loved it!

In fact, when I gave Nick his “sample,” I asked if it was a thumbs up.

His reply:

“2”

Score!

No oil in this bread either.  It is made with Greek yogurt.

The original recipe, which I have shared below from Table for Two, calls for plain Greek yogurt.

I used vanilla.

Yum!

And I added about one more tablespoon of butter, which I added in dabbles on top of the crushed up Biscoff cookies on top, just to make them a bit crisper and crunchier.   (I can never just leave well enough alone!)

Biscoff Banana Bread


From: Table for Two

3 ripened bananas, peeled and mashedBiscoff banana bread 1
1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup Biscoff spread
3 tbsp. butter, melted
2 eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
18 Biscoff cookies, crushed

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×5 loaf pan and set aside.

2. Combine the first five ingredients and mix until well blended.

3. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.

4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined.

5. Gently fold in 3/4 of the crushed Biscoff cookies with a spatula.

6. Pour the batter into loaf pan and top with the remaining 1/4 crushed Biscoff cookies.

7. Bake for 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

8. Let cool completely before removing from pan and slicing.

ENJOY!

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

 

A Special Cookbook from Mom

/ Jodi / 49 Comments

Nicks Cookbook from mom

I have one more special little homemade Christmas gift to share this week.  This is one I was excited to give to my son, Nick.

Nick had requested I put a cookbook together of his favorite recipes I make, and especially those that are EASY, so that he will have and be able to make wherever life takes him.

For the cover of this little book, I used a photo of our kitchen in the frenzy of pots boiling, cookies cooling, and flour and sugar and other ingredients out on the counter.  I am hoping as he takes this little book with him throughout his life, he will remember the smell and feel and love of our family kitchen.

For the intro page, I wrote Nick a short note:

Nicks cookbook from mom introduction page

Nick is a chicken lover, so I tried to remember all of his favorite chicken dishes.

nick cookbook chickfila chicken sandwiches

But remembering the “easy” part, I tried to include those simple things he always enjoyed.

Nicks Cookbook page

So – it’s not a masterpiece or an Amazon bestseller, but it is simple gesture of a Momma’s love that I hope Nick will treasure.

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

Homemade Old-Fashioned Coconut Cream Pie

/ Jodi / 31 Comments

coconut cream pie slice

One of the ways I express love is through my baking.  And amidst all of the darkness and sadness of the past few days, I thought it time to share some love.

coconut cream pie

When my dear “Oh Rob” sweetly requested an old-fashioned coconut cream pie for Thanksgiving this year, I was so happy to oblige.

coconut cream pie slice2

As it turns out, his mom always made a coconut cream pie (or two) for Thanksgiving.  Coconut Cream is also one of hubby’s faves and our dear 92-year old Aunt Francie’s too, who joined us this year to celebrate.

coconut cream pie2

This pie was a huge hit – even with the kiddos.

Made with lots of love and dreamy, creamy awesomeness.

Delicious, nostalgic, and oh so yummy!

Old-Fashioned Coconut Cream Pie

Ingredients:coconut cream pie slice

For the crust:

  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/3 cup Crisco shortening
  • Dash of salt
  • Approximately 1/2 cup cold water

Coconut Cream Filling:

  • 3 cups Half and Half (or whole milk)
  • 1/3 cup flour
  • 2/3 cup white sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
  • 3 large egg yolks, beaten
  • 4 Tbsp butter
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract

Whipped Cream Topping:

  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 Tbsp powdered sugar

Directions:

  • Prepare pie crust by blending flour, shortening, and salt with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  • Gently blend in water until dough forms.  Do not overwork.
  • Roll dough out into approximately 12 inch circle, and place into a  9 inch pie plate.  Flute edges and poke bottom of crust with a fork 6-8 times.
  • Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes.
  • Cool completely before adding the filling.
  • For the filling, scald the milk in the microwave or on stove top to almost boiling.
  • Combine flour, sugar, salt and coconut into a saucepan.
  • Over medium heat, whisk 1 cup of the scalded milk into the flour/sugar mixture.
  • As this mixture begins to thicken, add another cup of scalded milk and continue whisking until it begins to thicken again.
  • Add the final cup of milk, and cook over medium heat until mixture  begins to thicken.
  • Remove from heat, and pour 1/2 cup of thickened mixture into the beaten egg yolks, continuing to whisk.
  • Pour this mixture back into the pot and continue to whisk.
  • Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until mixture reaches pudding consistency.
  • Remove from heat, and stir in butter, vanilla and almond extract.
  • Cool for 15-20 minutes.
  • Pour into baked pie shell.
  • Chill completely before adding vanilla whipped cream.
  • For whipped cream, combine heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla.  Beat until soft peaks form.
  • Spread on top of cooled coconut cream filling.
  • Garnish with toasted coconut

Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

 

Apricot Chocolate Chip Scones

/ Jodi / 28 Comments

apricot chocolate chip scones

I love waking up early on weekend mornings.
After all, it means extra hours in my weekend!

This past Sunday, I got up before anyone else was awake and basked in the moments of pre-dawn with freshly-brewed coffee and Italian Sweet Cream, the opportunity to paint, and the chance to bake something yummy for breakfast before anyone was awake, so they could rise to the smells and tastes of fresh baked scones.

Awwhh!  This is my happy place….

apricot chocolate chip scones 2jpg

Scones are quick and easy and so delish!
They throw together quickly and bake in 15 minutes.

These Apricot Chocolate Chip Scones were well  received by the sleepy eyes waking up at our house.

Slather them with a little butter or dunk them in your coffee or tea, and you may have found nirvana….  just sayin’.

Here’s the recipe.  Enjoy!

Apricot Chocolate Chip Scones

Ingredients:apricot chocolate chip scones

  • 2/3 cup butter
  • 3 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup coarsely chopped dried apricots
  • 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup half and half
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • coarse raw sugar for topping (optional)

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  • In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.  cut in butter with pastry blender until crumbly.
  • Stir in apricots and chocolate chips.
  • Add eggs, half and half and vanilla, and mix until soft dough forms.
  • Turn dough onto floured surface and knead lightly.
  • For dough into rectangle approximately 15 inches wide by 4 inches high.  Cut in half, then each half in half, and each half in half again until you have 8 equal sections.  Cut each section in diagonal until you have 16 triangular sections.
  • Placed on baking stones or greased baking sheets.
  • Brush top of each with a little more half and half and sprinkle with coarse raw sugar if desired.
  • Bake approximately 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

PS  You might also like my “almost famous” Cinnamon Chip Scones.  Click here for the recipe.  They are an all-time fave!

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

The Blackberry – Up Close and Personal

/ Jodi / 19 Comments

Close Up Blackberry

Simple,
Beautiful,
Bursting with flavor,
Rich in antioxidants, omega-3, protein, fiber, vitamins C and K
The Blackberry.

Does anything pack more punch…
more value…
more beauty…
more taste per ounce than you?

Oh how I love thee…
Oh how I wish I could be…
More like the value of a simple Blackberry!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

This photo is my submission for the WordPress Daily Post Weekly Photo Challenge: Close-Up

And for my favorite fresh, old-fashioned homemade blackberry pie recipe, click here.

Don’t play with your vegetables

/ Jodi / 26 Comments

vegetable card radishes

Remember being told to not play with your vegetables as a child at the dinner table?

I’m still playing with my veggies – watercolor painting these days – just for kicks.

Aren’t the radishes radishing?!

Certainly not some of my finest art work, but fun nonetheless.

vegetable card green onions

I had some scraps of paper and the urge to continue after recently painting my Lazuli Bunting, but was obviously getting a bit tired and punchy by the time I got to the green onions and carrots.

vegetable card carrots

Maybe I should stick to cooking and eating my veggies.

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi