S'mores Pie

We celebrated the much-anticipated 5th birthday of my lovely Amelia with this pie/cake last night. She blew out the candle, made her wish and smashed her fingers into the gooey marshmallows, squealing with delight! I found this treat in Southern Living Magazine via Pintrest (I'm a skeptic of recipes found there, but searching down the original recipe from a legit source eased my worries.) Starting with the original recipe, I modified it a bit to omit nuts and I wanted the golden brown marshmallows to be the visual rather than the chocolate frosting.

The result was a rich, moist, brownie-like filling inside a buttery, crunchy graham cracker crust topped with chewy, toasted marshmallow. The flavors are so good! The only down side was in order to get the filling fully cooked the graham cracker crust gets very browned. I think if I were to make this again I would use half the amount of filling to keep it from over browning as well as to cut down portion sizes. It is a tasty pie, but the richness makes a small piece sufficient!

Ingredients:

Graham cracker crust
 
2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about half a box)
1/4 cup sugar
pinch of ground cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, melted

Filling

2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 tsp salt
4 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup butter
4 oz semi sweet chocolate bar

Topping

3 cups miniature marshmallows

Directions:

Heat oven to 350
Mix crust ingredients together until combined and press firmly into the bottom of a 9" spring form pan, taking them about 1 1/2-2" up the side. Set aside.
In a double boiler melt butter and chocolate until smooth. Remove to heat and allow to cool slightly. Meanwhile combine sugar, flour, cocoa and salt in a bowl. Whisk in eggs, vanilla and chocolate mixture. ( I added a small amount of chocolate at a time to help temper the eggs and keep the warm chocolate from cooking them.)
Pour into prepared crust and bake for 60-75 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted in center comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan. Just before serving move oven rack to lowest position and set broiler to low setting. Top the cooled pie with marshmallows and place in broiler until preferred browning is achieved. Remove outer ring and serve immediately.

After cooling the marshmallows become hard and chewy, making leftovers less appealing. I served the leftovers the next day and opted to remove the marshmallows and start with fresh, toasting them in the broiler as before.

I came across this recipe while planning a shared party for birthdays. What cake would be more appropriate for a bonfire party than a s'mores cake? That, coupled with the fact that my children are marshmallow fiends, made this cake a no-brainer for me. I knew I wanted to make a layered cake that looked a little rustic so I thought that maybe I could pull off using it for the party. It turns out this wasn't the best choice in cake for the party because it is best eaten immediately and the cool temperatures outside turned the marshmallows tough. It was very pretty though (I placed marshmallows closer to the edge so they would spill over) and the kids were impressed regardless! We made round two on Amelia's actual birthday and enjoyed it fresh from the oven in all its toasty, gooey glory!

Italian Dressing

Before I was married or had children I worked as a server at a local Italian restaurant. It was there that I was introduced to this version of Italian dressing; a red wine version with a sweetness to it. A craving for it served warm over a spinach salad lead to an attempt to recreate the recipe at home. Although I'll admit it has been a while since I've had the original version, I think I may have come pretty close with this tasty recipe!

Ingredients: (makes one quart)

2 cups corn syrup
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup burgundy wine
2 tbs Italian seasoning
2 tbs dried onions
2 tsp seasoned salt
3/4 tsp garlic powder
3/4 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl combine all ingredients and mix well using a whisk. Once combined pour into a 1-quart jar with tight fitting lid. Store in fridge for at least one hour to let ingredients combine and dried seasonings soften. Shake well before serving.

Shared at

Bacon Mac & Cheese

Chilly days call for comfort food, don't you think?  Maybe that is just my excuse to get into the kitchen where I can warm up a little next to the stove. Either way, the change in weather is to thank for this tasty (and oh so healthy-ha!) dish.

Banana Coconut Upside Down Cake

After whipping up a batch of banana muffins I had one lone banana left sitting on the counter, looking sad. I almost threw it in the freezer to make something with when I had more, but I saw the bag of coconut and an idea came to me. Banana and coconut are good together, especially with caramel. I wonder what it would be like as a cake... 

Turns out it's amazing! Basing it off the classic pineapple upside down cake I used browned butter, brown sugar and coconut to make a sweet, chewy glaze surrounding the bananas.

 

Zucchini Bread

After our neighbor accidently cut down our grape vine the showed up at our door with a new grape vine and three of the largest zucchini I have ever seen. "A peace offering" they joked.

I whipped up zucchini bread and actually found a recipe that wasn't dry and flavorless. Good thing too because each one of these things made about 10 loafs! (I gave one to my sister after realizing that I already had a kitchen full of pears and apples and I would never use them all before they went bad.)

These keep well in the freezer and are easy gifts- which is what most of the 18 loafs I made will be!

Apple Chips

How did I make it to adulthood without ever having these sweet, crunchy treats?!

Thinly sliced apples sprinkled with cinnamon and baked until crisp. So simple and so tasty!

Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Muffins

It seems like we go through phases in our house when it comes to eating bananas. Some weeks we're out a couple of days after I get them, other days I can't get anyone to eat them and they sit and get brown. Then there's my favorite; when Amelia opens one, takes one bite and then leaves it lay.

I usually take all the uneaten bits and the over-ripe ones and throw them into the freezer until I have enough to make banana bread, but then I go through the same dilemma with getting a whole loaf of bread eaten.

The solution I came up with are these tasty muffins made with oatmeal that are perfect for a quick breakfast. The best part is I can throw them into the freezer and pull them out the night before or even morning of to serve to my finicky eaters!

Pear and Almond Tart

I have dug myself out from under the mountain of pears!

I had a few pears left ripening on my counter that I needed to use so I whipped up this lovely little tart (and promptly ate a HUGE piece!) I kept the flavors mild and simple so the pears shine through but this recipe could easily be spiced up with a little cinnamon and cardamom. The flakey crust makes it perfect for a light dessert or breakfast pastry.

Pear and Almond Tart

Ingredients
Puffy pastry sheet, thawed
4 small pears
1/2 cup ground almonds
2 tablespoons sliced almonds
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/3 cup honey, warmed

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
On a lightly floured surface roll out the pastry to remove creases. Place onto baking sheet and pierce with a fork every couple inches to prevent air bubbles.
In a small bowl combine ground almonds (I used my blender to grind them. Approximately 1 cup sliced = 1/2 cup ground), sugar, and flour. Add the room temperature butter and mix until crumbly. Sprinkle onto the pastry leaving about a 1/2 inch perimeter.
Next peel, core and thinly slice the pears. Toss them with the lemon juice to prevent browning. Lay them on the pastry in rows, slightly overlapping.
Brush the pears with melted butter and place in the oven for 10 minutes.
Remove from oven and brush the pears with warmed honey. Sprinkle with sliced almonds and return to the oven for another 5-10 minutes or until pastry is lightly browned.
allow to cool slightly before serving.

Pushing Daisies Pie (Pear and Gruyere Pie)

As soon as I had pears to bake with I knew I wanted to make a pear pie.  I bought Gruyere cheese to go in it, but I had no idea why I wanted to use this. That was until I searched recipes online- then it came to me...

When I was a nanny the series Pushing Daisies was on TV and I LOVED it! Every Thursday morning, during nap time, I would watch the show recorded from the night before and I was so sad when they canceled it.  It was such a cute/quirky story line with an adorable cast, the best clothes, and, of course, The Pie Hole- where they made amazing pies. In the show they made a pear and gruyere pie to cheer up Chucks aunts. Apparently this was burned into my subconscious because I needed to make this pie! I found this recipe and modified it a little.

Spicy Dill Pickles

A couple of years ago I decided to try my hand at making pickles. Since I had never made them before I decided that I needed to stick with refrigerator pickles (not the kind you have to can) and I only made a small batch out of fear they would be terrible (they have to sit for a week, you can't taste as you go.)

When I cracked open that first jar I realized I should have made a lot more! They actually tasted like pickles (I seriously doubted my pickling abilities) and they were so good! They remind me of Claussen pickles, which happen to be the only ones I really care for, and they are so simple and inexpensive to make.

After waiting too late in the season to get cucumbers last year I was determined not to do the same thing this year. I stopped by a house in town where an old man sits out in his drive way selling vegetables from his garden and bought eight pounds of cucumbers. A little fresh dill and some Thai chilies and I was ready to pickle!

Poire Belle Helene

Pears, pears, and more pears! My husband just shakes his head as I continue to haul home more fruit but I can't resist. It's free, not treated with any chemicals, and my kids get to go pick it and see where their food comes from- how can you lose?

I made pear sauce, spiced pear butter, and now I'm working on baked goods starting with: Poire Belle Helene cupcakes. It is based off the french desert which is pears served with ice cream and covered in chocolate sauce.

This recipe is from a cook book my sister gave me called Cupcakes Galore. It is actually the first recipe I've tried from this book and has made me excited to try more!

Spiced Pear Butter

I used the lovely pears I received earlier this month to make some delicious pear butter. I had never had pear butter before but after trying this recipe I'm hooked. I think I may even like this better than my beloved apple butter!

The Perfect Pancakes

I have a love affair with pancakes. Stack 'em high, cover them in butter and syrup, and I'm powerless against them.

I grew up eating Bisquick pancakes and I loved how fluffy and flavorful they were, even without syrup. The down side was that once you opened the bag you had to use it quickly to get the same results. Also, it wasn't something I always had in the pantry (not to mention the fact it's a little pricey.)  

So after having a pancake-loving toddler join the club I set out to find the perfect recipe.

I browsed recipes and made many batches of mediocre pancakes. I joked with Amelia that it was like the story of The Three Little Bears and that we had to find the one that was "just right." And that is what we did! 

Pot Roast Melts

I love the way the whole house fills will the delicious smells when you're cooking a pot roast. Roast is a comfort food for me, I love eating it in a bowl with potatoes and carrots while it's still steaming hot. Our whole family loves it as much as I do too. The only issue is that our family of three (Marinn's not eating yet so she doesn't count in this one!) can only put a dent in the smaller roasts I can find in the store. We aren't the best at eating leftovers in our house so I've had to get a little creative and make new meals out of them, which is how we came to love these sandwiches. Who wouldn't love their favorite comfort food served on bread, smothered in cheese??

Spring Risotto with Peas and Zucchini

Another recipe, courtesy of Martha, found it's way to our table this week and will probably be one we make frequently. (Probably because of my love of carbs in just about any form!) Note: this makes 6 servings. I wish I would have noted so I wouldn't have made so much!! It's good reheated but next time I think I'll cut the recipe in half.

Spring Risotto with Peas and Zucchini

Ingredients:
2 cans (14.5 oz each) Chicken broth
3 tablespoons butter
1 pound (1-2 large) zucchini cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups Aborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine (I forgot I 'accidently' drank mine so I substituted chicken broth)
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
salt and pepper

First heat the broth and 2 1/2 cups of water in a pan over low heat and keep warm. ( I turned it on low and covered it so I didn't lose any to evaporation.) While that is heating, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a 3 quart sauce pan over medium heat.  Add zucchini and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until golden brown. (About 8 minutes) Using a slotted spoon, remove zucchini and put aside.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and add onions. Cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Raise the heat to medium and add rice. Cook until translucent around the edges, about 3 minutes. (I didn't notice them getting translucent so I cooked them for 3 minutes and assumed they were ready and it came out great.) Add wine (or in my case, broth) and cook until absorbed, about 2 minutes.

Cook rice, adding 1 cup of broth/water at a time. Stir until most of the water is absorbed before adding more. Continue until all the broth has been added. This should take 25-30 minutes total.

Add the zucchini and peas and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in the remaining tablespoon of butter and the parmesan cheese. Garnish with more cheese. Enjoy!

It's a little time consuming to stand over the stove; stirring and adding broth, then stirring some more, but the end result is worth it. It is so creamy and good. I wish I would have put a little more zucchini in it. I love zucchini. I served this along side parmesan crusted chicken, so good!



Again, picture is courtesy of Martha. Mine looks this tasty, however doesn't photograph as well!

Sautéed Chicken in Mustard-Cream Sauce

To get out of the meal rut we always seem stuck in I've started making my grocery list around at least two new dishes each week. Since having the girls, quick runs to pick up missing ingredients are no longer an option which has forced me to be a little more purposed in my meal planning. It's also helped me stay on budget with groceries since I'm not tempted by the ice cream isle during those impulsive trips to get one thing!

I've had the Martha Stewart "Great Food Fast" cookbook hanging around for a while and had only tried a couple recipes so that's where I got the recipes for this week. I'm usually by myself with the girls at dinner time which can make getting anything prepared tricky so the quick recipes in her book are working well for us.


Sautéed Chicken in Mustard-Cream Sauce

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
Coarse salt
pepper
2 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon dried tarragon

Directions:
Sprinkle each chicken breast with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken; sauté until cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes, turning once. Transfer to plate and cover to keep warm.

Pour broth into hot skillet; cook, stirring, until reduced by half, about 1 minute. Whisk in cream, mustard, and tarragon. Cook, whisking, until thickened, about two minutes.

Pour any accumulated chicken juices into sauce. Right before serving, drizzle the cream sauce over the sautéed chicken.

I served this with roasted asparagus and potatoes, which was promptly scarfed down by the family! Enjoy!

Picture courtesy of Martha :)

morels

While returning home from a trip to the park my brother-in-law came across a treasure in our yard: morel mushrooms! Before meeting my husband I had no clue what these were and would never have thought to eat anything growing in my yard (unless I intentionally planted it.)  It was early in our relationship he introduced me to morel hunting and we would walk an empty lot near his grandparents house in search of these. I never had any luck finding any and was never brave enough to try them when his grandma would fry them up so when we came across some in our yard I figured now was as good a time as any!

Although I still didn't find any myself ( I just don't have the eye for it apparently!) I did cook some up. We soaked them in salt water to get rid of any bugs and then cut them in half, battered them, and fried them. I'm not sold on the idea that this is the best way to eat them but I did try them and Andy and Amelia loved them! I think I'd rather try this or this with the next ones we find!

this is the only pose Amelia would do, she gets it from her daddy!

oh, husband, why do you always make these faces?

milk mates!

I saw a clever idea on Prudent Baby that I thought I would give a try. They made these things called milk mates, what they are is flavored ice cubes you put in your milk that then flavor your milk. See, I told you, clever! (I find lots of good ideas there so if you want, you can check it out here.) It was a post as part of The Breakfast Project, which is meant to help insure you are having a nutritious breakfast that includes milk. It's part of the 'got milk?' milk mustache thing that has Salma Hayeck in their silly new commercial. (Amelia gets excited by the cow, it makes me want to watch Fools Rush In.)

The recipe is really simple which makes this even better!

monkey food

It's been a raining all day today which left me with a broken hearted child. Amelia stood in the kitchen chair, staring out the window at the swing Daddy just hung in the tree, begging me to go outside. I offered her a snack in hopes of focusing her attention elsewhere but she snubbed my banana and told me "monkey eats that." She then insisted her snack be the chocolate chips she found in the pantry. As a compromise we came up with "monkey food," chocolate dipped bananas and peanut butter.