13 Favorite Recipes of 2013

It's almost 2014...can you believe it?? Where did 2013 go?? Like last year, I decided to do a roundup of my favorite recipes I made throughout the year, only sharing 13 faves for 2013, as well as the most popular post of the year. Cute, huh? Sometimes recipes get lost in the back of my mind, so it was nice to go back and sift through this year's posts. Enjoy!!

Classic Sour Cream-Topped Cheesecake

I am a sucker for a good cheesecake, and this one was probably the best I ever made. It didn't crack at all, and as always, a layer of sweetened sour cream is what takes this cake to the next level. Chris was a happy birthday boy that day!

Indian-Spiced Turkey Burgers

I'm so glad I went through this past year's posts, because it reminded me of these delicious burgers, which I'll definitely be making soon. I'll be stocking the freezer again, and these are already on the list! They were that good.

Avocado and Strawberry Salad with Honey Dressing

Just thinking about this salad makes me yearn for warmer weather. I can't wait until May when strawberries are back in season so I can have this salad again! Definitely one of my favorites.

Grilled Lime Coconut Chicken with Coconut Rice

SO DELICIOUS. I'm going to have to buy a cast iron grill pan for the summer, so I can make this again (made a huge mess using my panini maker/griddler...but well worth it). I love how this recipe makes use of the the remaining coconut milk, so none goes to waste. I've used this idea for rice when making daal with coconut milk too!

Apricot Breakfast Crisp

I grew up eating cobbler for breakfast (my mom's peach cobbler is the best!), so it was no surprise I loved eating this fruit crisp for breakfast, straight from the fridge with unsweetened greek yogurt and honey. Filling, satisfying, amazing!

Gnocchi Mac n Cheese

Oh man, was this good! Full of stinky cheese and herbs, this was a fancy treat. Since Chris has been gluten free for a while now, I haven't made much pasta lately, but I may have to make this again, even if it's just for me :)

Decadent Chocolate Cake with Whipped Chocolate Frosting {Shockingly Gluten-Free!}

Speaking of gluten-free, this cake is a great option for people who can't eat gluten, and well, everyone! Though the cake is tasty, the frosting was my favorite part. I have a favorite chocolate cake recipe, so I think I'll have to whip one up using this frosting. Maybe once the holiday sugar rush slows down, I'll make one to share with you all!

Homemade Naan

OMG...I love naan, and this recipe is a good one. It's no secret I love Indian food, and naan is a requirement with all Indian dishes. I froze my batch for the fall, using them for not only sopping up Indian food goodness, but also individual pizzas!  No question, naan is already on my to-freeze list for winter.

Chana Saag

Without a doubt, this is the recipe I've made more then any other from this year's list. I just love Indian food (thank you Cincinnati!), and it's so easy to have all the ingredients on hand and throw together on a week night. 

Tahini-Dressed Zucchini and Green Bean Salad

This salad is definitely a favorite. Though it required a little more effort, it was well worth it in the end! I even won an award for it! (though it's not my recipe, it was a favorite in a food blog event I occasionally participate in). Fresh, vibrant, and delicious, it came from one of my new favorite cookbooks (I must get my own copy), River Cottage Veg.

Sausage-Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Though my mom's stuffed mushrooms will always be the best, these were pretty dang good. Chris even broke his gluten free kick for a day and demolished about 3 of them, if that tells you anything!

Three-Bean Turkey Chili

This beautiful chili is now my go-to turkey chili recipe, it's just that good! As I mentioned in the post, I made a version of this last year based off of a vegetarian chili, using butternut squash instead of meat. I'll definitely be giving the veggie version a try in 2014! Don't skip the garnishes, they're the best part!

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

To end things on a sweet note, these snickerdoodles definitely needed to make the favorites list. They were SO NUMMY. I love a good snickerdoodle!!!

...and without further ado, the most popular post of 2013 is...........

Cold Brewed Iced Coffee with nearly 1,500 pageviews! I'm not drinking much iced coffee these days (too cold...brrr!), but once it warms up out there, many iced coffees will be had.

I hope your 2014 is full of health, happiness, and delicious food. See you in 2014!!

Chocolate Raspberry Rugelach

I'm home. After finals, work, and 15 nutcracker performances, I can't tell you how wonderful it feels to finally be here, relaxing and soaking it all in. As always, my mom's house is covered in garlands, bows, lights, ornaments, poinsettias, and Santas (some of them even dance!). We're getting ready to do some serious holiday baking around here. So far, the plan is to make some kind of caramel pecan cheesecake (my honey's fave), and cut out cookies (I'm hoping for gingerbread!). However, I have made a promise to make another batch of these chocolate raspberry rugelach, simply because they are so scrumptious, I just have to share!

I know it seems odd, baking a traditionally jewish cookie for Christmas, but they're so tasty, that I just don't care. I made these for some friends of ours in the orchestra, for the arrival of their son returning from Afghanistan. They're having Thanksgiving and Hanukkah to make up for holidays missed with their son, so I definitely wanted to make this for them. They have been so sweet to me and Chris this past fall, that I wanted to do something nice for their son's homecoming. They seemed to be very well received! I also have a bunch left in my freezer back in Cinci, so I can bake some whenever the craving hits. 

Before I sign off, I wanted to take a moment to thank anyone who has taken even a minute to stop by my little blog. It brings me joy to share these culinary experiences with you all, and I am grateful for your time and comments. I wish you all a very Merry Christmas full of love, family, joy, and delicious food. Happy Holidays! 

Chocolate Raspberry Rugelach

Ingredients

Dough

16 tablespoons unsalted butter (2 sticks), at room temperature

8 ounces (1 brick) cream cheese, at room temperature

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups all purpose flour

Fillings

2/3 cup raspberry jam (preferably seedless)

2/3 cup sugar

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

3 tablespoons pecans, toasted and finely chopped

1/2 cup finely chopped bittersweet chocolate or miniature chocolate chips

Glaze

1 large egg yolk

1 teaspoon water

Coarse or sanding sugar, for sprinkling, or additional cinnamon-sugar

Directions

In the bowl or an electric mixture, beat butter and cream cheese together until they are light and fluffy. In a medium bowl, combine the salt and flour, then pour flour mixture into the mixer. Beat on a lower speed until the flour just disappears. Scrape the dough onto a large piece of plastic wrap and shape as best as you can into a flatish packet. Wrap well in plastic and chill in fridge for two hours or up to three days. The dough can also be frozen for up to two months.

Once, the dough is chilled, line three large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Heat the jam in a small saucepan until it simmers. This will loosen it, so it will be easier to spread thinly. Set the warm jam aside.

Grab four small dishes. Stir together your sugar and cinnamon in one and set it aside. In your second dish, put the pecans. In your third bowl, put the chocolate. In the last one, whisk together your egg yolk and water until it's smooth. While you're getting organized, so ahead and grab a rolling pin, flour for the  counter, a butter knife or spoon for the jam, a knife or a pizza roller for cutting the dough, a spoon for the dry toppings, a large piece of waxed paper to help set the fillings (I just used my hands lol), and a brush for the egg wash. 

Divide your dough into thirds. On a well-floured counter, roll the first third (the remaining two can go back in the fridge until needed) into a large, thin circle about 12 inches in diameter. It does NOT need to be a perfect circle at all...and odd shaped oval works just fine.  

Spread two to three tablespoons of jam thinly over your dough. Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons cinnamon-sugar, 2 tablespoons chopped chocolate, and 1 tablespoon chopped nuts. Use your piece of waxed paper to gently press the toppings into the dough, so that they'll spill out less once rolled. Use your knife to divide the dough into 16 wedges. Roll each wedge tightly from the outside to the center. Transfer the rugelach to the prepared baking sheet-keepong the pointed end of each rugelach tucked underneath and space them 1 inch apart. Pop the tray in the freezer for 15 minutes before baking. 

Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Repeat the rugelach-making process with remaining filling and two pieces of dough, then chill the trays in the freezer.

Before baking, brush the rugelach with the egg yolk wash. Sprinkle with coarse sugar or extra innamon sugar. Bake the rugelach for 20-25 minutes, until they are puffed and golden brown. Transfer the rugelach to cooling racks while they are still hot-this is important because the jam that spills out will harden as it cools, making the cookies harder to remove from the paper. Serve cooled or lukewarm.

Recipe source: adapted from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook

Warm Quinoa Salad with Roasted Autumn Vegetables and Ginger-Sesame Dressing

Is it bad that I look forward to holiday food year round? I've had recipes bookmarked from last January that I want to make this season, and I can't wait to get going! I'm also aching to put up my Christmas decorations, but I'm trying to restrain myself and wait until after Thanksgiving. Same goes for the holiday sweets and hearty holiday fare (except Indian food, Indian food doesn't count!).

In an effort to postpone all the holiday indulgence that will soon ensue, I did a quick search for something filling, seasonal, and healthy, and came across this recipe. This quinoa salad fit the bill perfectly! Several autumn veggies are roasted then tossed with cooked quinoa, green onions, and an Asian style dressing. For me, the cilantro is a requirement. You know I love my garnishes! I find it to be pretty filling on it's own, due to the quinoa, but it would also be nice served as a side to a piece of fish or chicken. Hopefully this will tide us all over until Thursday! I wish everyone safe travels and a happy Thanksgiving!

Warm Quinoa Salad with Roasted Autumn Vegetables and Ginger-Sesame Dressing

Ingredients

For the salad:

1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces

6-8 medium Brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered

1 medium parsnip, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 small turnip, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more as needed

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 1/4 cups quinoa, any color or variety

2 green onions, sliced (the whole onion)

1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

For the dressing:

2 green onions, thinly sliced

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons peeled and finely chopped fresh ginger (3-4 inches)

2 tablespoons soy sauce (I used gluten free for Chris)

1 teaspoon sesame oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 400F.

In a large bowl, toss vegetables, oil, salt, and pepper. Transfer vegetables to a baking sheet, and arrange in an even layer. Roast the vegetables, stirring every five minutes, until they're tender and cooked through 18-20 minutes. While the veggies roast, cook the quinoa according to the package's directions (I like to cook mine in a rice cooker...so easy!).

Meanwhile, make the dressing by whisking together all the ingredients.

When the veggies and quinoa are ready, toss in a large bowl with the green onions. Add the dressing, and gently stir to combine. Serve warm, and garnish with chopped cilantro.

Recipe Source: adapted from chow.com 

Cranberry Pecan Orange Bread

I know the world is overflowing with recipes for cranberry orange flavored this or that, but they exist for a reason. The combination is incredibly delicious, and just screams fall! I fell in love with the tartness of fresh cranberries in baked goods last year, and I definitely prefer fresh over dried. Isn't that always the case?

This bread is more dense then your usual quick bread, and the crust has a lovely crunch, sort of like a pound cake. With Thanksgiving coming up, I think this bread is worthy of gracing your table. It would make for a great Thanksgiving breakfast/snack, or you could even have it with dinner. Why not? Go big or go home!

Cranberry Pecan Orange Bread

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour

2 cups fresh cranberries

zest of one orange

1/2 cup roughly chopped pecans

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 stick of butter, melted

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F.

Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, orange zest, pecans, and cranberries in a large bowl.

In a smaller bowl, whisk together the melted butter, sugar, and egg. Pour wet ingredients in with the dry ingredients and mix to combine. The dough will be on the dry side and almost resemble sugar cookie dough.

Press the dough into a greased loaf pan and bake for about an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes. The top of the loaf will be a rich golden brown. Let cool before slicing.

Recipe Source: adapted from Eat Live Run

Roasted Tomato, Squash, and Coconut Milk Bisque

Nothing beats a piping hot bowl of tomato soup with a grilled cheese sandwich on a cold, rainy (or snowy) day. Though I like tomato soup, I can usually only eat small bowls of the stuff, as it tends to upset my stomach.

That is why I was so intrigued when I found this recipe. Using coconut milk makes it dairy free, and roasting the tomatoes and squash brings out their natural sweetness (even with out of season tomatoes!), making it at least seem less acidic. The addition of freshly graded ginger also adds a lovely twist. The result was a killer soup worthy of any grilled cheese sandwich. Winter smacked us in the face this week, so stay warm everyone! 

As always, I will be submitting this recipe to Kahakai Kitchen for Souper Sundays!

Roasted Tomato, Squash, and Coconut Milk Bisque

Ingredients

10-12 roma tomatoes, halved lengthwise

4 cups winter squash, peeled, seeded and roughly chopped

1 onion

2 cloves garlic

1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled

Pinch of cayenne pepper (1/8 teaspoon-more or less depending on taste)

1 13.5-ounce can light coconut milk

2 1/2 cups vegetable stock

Olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the tomatoes cut side up on a baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt. Rub oil over both sides of the tomatoes. Place the squash on another baking sheet, drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt. Rub oil over all sides of the squash. Roast the tomatoes and squash for 30 minutes, carefully flipping the squash halfway through. The tomatoes should be shriveling but not bursting and the squash should look nicely browned.

Chop the onion, mince the garlic and grate the ginger. When the tomatoes and squash are almost done, heat about 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic, ginger, and cayenne, and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are soft and translucent. Add the tomatoes, squash, coconut milk and stock and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, or until squash is very soft. Taste and add salt if needed.

Let soup cool slightly and puree until very smooth with a stick blender or in batches with a countertop blender. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding a squeeze of lemon if soup needs a little brightness. Serve immediately or let cool and freeze for up to 3 months.

Recipe Source: adapted from Eat Your Greens

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

I love snickerdoodles, obviously, so when I came across this recipe for pumpkin snickerdoodles, I pushed all other recipes aside and made them immediately. Soft pillows of pumpkin cinnamon goodness is how I'd describe them, as they're simply delicious! The pumpkin flavor is subtle, and the ginger in the sugar coating adds a little extra spice. Thankfully, I had people I wanted to make them for, so I didn't fall into a snickerdoodle coma this time around by eating them all myself. Now if you ate them all yourself, well, that wouldn't be the worst thing, would it? Enjoy!

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

 

Ingredients

 

For the cookies:

3¾ cups all-purpose flour
1½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup light brown sugar
¾ cup pumpkin puree
1 large egg
2 tsp. vanilla extract

 

For the coating:
½ cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. ground ginger
Dash of allspice

Directions

 

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugars on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Blend in the pumpkin puree. Beat in the egg and vanilla until incorporated.  Remove bowl from mixer, and with a wooden spoon stir in the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated. Cover and chill the dough for at least 1 hour (I chilled mine overnight without any problems).

 

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Combine the sugar and spices for the coating in a small bowl and mix to blend. Scoop the dough (about 2½ tablespoons) and roll into a ball. Coat the dough ball in the sugar-spice mixture and place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough to fill the sheets, spacing the dough balls 2-3 inches apart. Dip the bottom of a flat, heavy-bottomed drinking glass in water, then in the sugar-spice mixture, and use the bottom to flatten the dough balls slightly. Recoat the bottom of the glass in the sugar-spice mixture as needed.

 

Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until just set and baked through. They will look undercooked!  Let cool on the baking sheets about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough. Store in an airtight container.

 

Recipe Source: adapted from Annie's Eats

Balsamic-Braised Chicken with Swiss Chard {Slow Cooker}

Sometimes the ugliest food is the tastiest. I had such a hard time taking a picture of this dish, but I couldn't not share this recipe because it's not pretty enough. This is a food blog after all! Cooked in the slow cooker, the chicken literally falls off the bone, and the sauce is thick and luxurious. I served it over homemade polenta, per the cookbook's suggestion (first time making it...so easy and tasty!), and I loved the combination of textures.

Different from the normal dinner rotation around here, this recipe is definitely a keeper!

Balsamic-Braised Chicken with Swiss Chard {Slow-Cooker}

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 onion, minced

5 teaspoons minced fresh thyme or 1 1/2 tsp. dried

1 tablespoon tomato paste

3 large garlic cloves, minced

1 anchovy fillet, rinsed and minced (or 1 1/2 teaspoons anchovy paste)

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

3 tablespoon all-purpose flour 

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes, drained

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup dry red wine

2 bay leaves

4-6 bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed (number depends on how big your thighs are/slow cooker)

6 oz. Swiss chard, stems removed and leaves sliced 1/2 inch thick

Directions

Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.  Add onion, thyme, tomato paste, garlic, anchovy, and red pepper flakes and cook until onion is softened and slightly brown, 8-10 minutes.  Stir in flour and cook 1 minute more.

Slowly whisk in vinegar, scraping up any browned bits and smoothing out any lumps.  Cook until slightly reduced, about 3 minutes.  Transfer to slow cooker.

Stir tomatoes, broth, wine, and bay leaves into slow cooker.  

Season chicken with salt and pepper and nestle into slow cooker in a single layer (however many you can fit!).  Cover and cook until chicken is tender, 4-6 hours, on low.

Gently stir in chard, cover, and cook on high until tender, 20-30 minutes.  

When finished cooking, let the braising liquid settle 5 minutes, then skim fat from surface using large spoon.  Discard bay leaves.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve with sauce spooned over each chicken piece.    

I served it with basic polenta as recommended in the cookbook. I used this recipe.

Recipe Source: adapted from America's Test Kitchen, Slow Cooker Revolution and Apple A Day

Morning Glory Muffins {Fall Version}

My breakfasts have been suffering lately. I usually like to be awake for an hour or two before eating, so on days where I have to be on the road before the sun comes up it's difficult for me to eat. Sometimes I'll force feed myself a yogurt or maybe a bowl of cereal, but I'm ravenous an hour later.

I found these muffins during the summer, and thought they would be perfect to have in the freezer so I could grab one or two and eat it later on when I'm actually ready to eat my breakfast. I finally got around to making them about a week ago, and they are just as moist and delicious warmed from the freezer as they were fresh.

I had a bit of fun making these, as I improvised a lot. The ingredient list is crazy long, so use what you have! I used the original recipe as a guide, but put a fall spin on it. I substituted pumpkin for half of the oil, used dried cranberries in place of raisins, and apple cider in place of orange juice (though orange juice would be awesome...reminds me of my favorite muffin). I also used a combination of chia seeds and ground flax seeds in place of the wheat germ.

 

I'm glad I have these waiting for me in my freezer for those cold, early morning drives!

Morning Glory Muffins {Fall Version}

 

Ingredients

 

1/2 cup dried cranberries or raisins

2 cups white whole wheat flour

1 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups peeled and grated carrots

1 large tart apple, peeled, cored, and grated (or leave the peel on, your choice)

1/2 cup shredded coconut

1/2 cup chopped pecans, or nut of choice

1/3 cup combiniation of chia seeds, ground flax seed, wheat germ, etc. (optional)

3 large eggs

1/3 cup pumpkin

1/3 cup olive oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 cup orange juice or apple cider
 
Directions

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin, or line it with papers and spray the insides of the papers.

In a small bowl, cover the cranberries/raisins with hot water, and set them aside to soak while you assemble the rest of the recipe.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, spices, and salt. Stir in the carrots, apple, coconut, nuts, and seeds/wheat germ etc. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin, oil, vanilla, and juice. Add to the flour mixture, and stir until evenly moistened. Drain the cranberries/raisins and stir them in.

Divide the batter among the wells of the prepared pan (they'll be full almost to the top; that's OK). Bake the muffins for 25 to 28 minutes, until they're nicely domed and a cake tester inserted in the center of one of the inner muffins comes out clean.

Remove from the oven, let cool for 5 minutes in their pan on a rack, then turn out of pans to finish cooling. Wrap any leftovers airtight, and store at room temperature for several days; freeze for longer storage.

Recipe Source: adapted from King Aurthur Flour

Three-Bean Turkey Chili

After a month of silence, it feels great to finally have something nummy to share with you all today. This past month has been so busy I've hardly cooked or baked anything at all! I can't tell you how wonderful it felt to stand over the stove and give this chili a stir. It was good for my soul. 

I made this chili last year, using a vegetarian three-bean chili recipe as a guide. The result was outstanding, and I can't believe I haven't blogged about it until now! If you want to make it vegetarian, check out the original recipe which uses cubed butternut squash and veggie stock. Based off of the outstanding reviews, I'm sure it would be equally as delicious!! 

I chose to top the chili with shredded jack cheese, sliced green onions, and chopped cilantro. I think some avocado would be divine. Can you tell I'm a girl who loves her garnishes?? :)

I will be submitting this recipe to Souper Sundays at Kahakai Kitchen. There's always a great line up of soups, salads, and sandwiches every Sunday, so check it out!

Three-Bean Turkey Chili

Ingredients

2 red bell peppers

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

1 pound ground turkey (dark meat if you can find it!)

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups chicken broth

1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained (no salt added)

1 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1 15-ounce can great northern or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 15-ounce can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

Garnishes (optional...I guess): sliced green onion, chopped cilantro, shredded jack cheese, avocado, whatever you like!

Directions

Preheat broiler. Cut bell peppers in half lengthwise. Remove and discard seeds and membranes. Place pepper halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet. Broil 15 minutes or until blackened. Place pepper halves in a zip-top plastic bag, and seal. Let stand 15 minutes. Peel and chop peppers.

Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add oil to pan, and swirl to coat. Add onion and turkey, and cook until meat is browned. Stir in cumin and next 4 ingredients (through garlic). Cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add bell peppers, broth, and tomatoes, and bring to a simmer. Cook 20 minutes, covered, stirring occasionally. Add beans, simmer 25 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring occasionally. If you want a thicker chili, leave the lid off after you add the beans. I like it a little more soupy, so I just took the lid off for the last 15 minutes or so. Totally up to you!

When ready to serve, top with your favorite garnishes and serve with tortilla chips!

Recipe Inspiration: Cooking Light

Sausage-Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Let's just get to the point, shall we? These are little cups of heaven, and you need to make them asap. I'm sad to say that the lone mushroom you see in the pictures is the only one I got to eat! Yes, my mushroom hating boyfriend* ate the remaining FIVE mushrooms, within 24 hours of them coming out of the oven. That is how wonderful they were. Full of sausage, cheese, and veggies, these are the epitome of comfort food. With fall hopefully approaching soon (90 degrees?...c'mon!), this is exactly the kind of meal I want to come home to every day. 

Sausage-Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Instructions

6 portobello mushrooms, stemmed (reserve 1 cup minced stems)

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

12 ounces hot Italian sausage

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper

1/4 cup finely chopped celery

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves

2 teaspoons Essence seasoning

1 egg, lightly beaten

Balsamic vinegar, for drizzling

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400F. Using your hands, lightly rub each portobello mushroom with the olive oil, and place on a baking sheet.

Cook the sausage in a medium skillet until browned, breaking it into bits, about 4 minutes. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, and mushroom stems and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. 

Remove from heat, and transfer mixture to a bowl. Add 1/4 cup of the bread crumbs, 1/4 cup of Parmesan, 1/4 cup of parsley, Essence seasoning, and egg, stirring until well combined.

Divide the filling among the mushroom caps, about 1/3-1/2 cup for each mushroom. Combine remaining 1/4 cup of bread crumbs and 1/4 cup of Parmesan in a small mixing bowl. Divide the bread crumb mixture evenly among the tops of the mushrooms. Bake until golden brown on top and the mushrooms are tender, about 15 to 18 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Garnish with remaining tablespoon of parsley, drizzle with olive oil and vinegar and serve warm or at room temperature.

*Apparently, Chris likes mushrooms, but not "normal" mushrooms. I'm assuming he means white button mushrooms. Gotta love him. 

Recipe Source: adapted from Emeril Lagasse

Cream Biscuits

There is no need to ever buy canned or frozen biscuits. It's just too darn easy to make them from scratch, and they taste a million times better! These biscuits are actually easier then others I've made before, because you don't have to cut in any butter. Winning!

So when you wake up tomorrow morning, celebrate the weekend by making a batch. Smear with butter and top with your favorite jam (I used strawberry jam that my mom made), or put a sausage patty in the middle for a savory breakfast sandwich. Either way you go you'll be very happy with the outcome! Yay for the weekend!!

Cream Biscuits

Ingredients

3 tablespoons melted butter

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the surface

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or grease a cast iron griddle.

Melt butter in a small pot or microwave dish, and set aside.

Sift two cups flour, the baking powder, salt and sugar into a large bowl. Fold in 1 1/4 cups cream. If the dough is not soft or easily handled, fold in the remaining 1/4 cup cream, little by little. (My dough seemed just fine with only 1 1/4 cups cream, so I didn't add the remaining 1/4 cup. Use your best judgment!)

Turn dough onto a floured surface, mound it into a ball and, using your hands, press it to a thickness of about 3/4 inch. Cut into rounds, 2 1/2 inches in diameter. Gather dough scraps and continue to make rounds. Try to work the dough as little as possible, or else your biscuits may be tough.

Brush the biscuits with melted butter and arrange on the baking sheet. Bake until golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Serve immediately, or flash freeze for future use.*

*I only baked two of them for myself, as Chris is still gluten free for the time being, and froze the rest for later. This is how I did it: arrange the biscuits on a small baking sheet lined with parchment or wax paper. Brush the biscuits with butter and freeze. Once frozen, remove from sheet, and place in a freezer bag. When you're ready to bake, use the same oven temperature, only add a few extra minutes to baking time.

Recipe Source: Smitten Kitchen

Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

It's September. Wow. Where did August go? July? June? Did they actually happen? I don't believe it! For the past few weeks I've been trying to hold onto the last bits of summer, wishing it would stay just a bit longer. However, every time September rolls around, I start to get the itch for cooler weather. School is back in session (bouquets of sharpened pencils!), college football, apples will soon be abundant, I get to where my beloved boots, and comfort food starts to seem like more appropriate dinner time fare.

My teacher has mentioned before that your mom's spaghetti will always be the best to you, which is true. However, I don't think my mom has a set spaghetti recipe (sorry if I'm wrong mom!), and everything she made was (and still is) the best, but I think it's because she made it, not necessarily the recipe itself. I believe my mom would love this version I'm sharing with you today. Tons of peppers and mushrooms, wine, spicy Italian sausage and ground turkey, it's truly delicious, and worthy of your time. This recipe makes a very large amount (I'm guessing at least 10 servings), but that was ideal for me as I am trying to stock my freezer for the semester. Maybe there will be some left when she visits next month and we can enjoy this wonderful sauce together! Happy Labor Day!  

P.S. My Tahini-Dressed Zucchini and Green Bean Salad won last month's challenge for No-Croutons Required (a tie with another beautiful dish). How cool is that!?! 

Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

20 oz sliced mushrooms

1.5 lbs ground turkey (or beef)

1 lb hot Italian sausage

1 28-ounce can marinara or tomato puree

1 6-ounce can tomato paste

1 24-ounce can tomato sauce

BIG splash red wine (in the end, I probably added about a cup)

6 oz freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 tbsp dried oregano

1 tbsp dried basil

1 bay leaf

1 tbsp sugar

About 1.5 tablespoons garlic salt

Pepper as needed

Spaghetti noodles & additional grated cheese for serving

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion, bell peppers and sliced mushrooms. Saute for about six to eight minutes, until mushrooms are soft. Add ground beef and sausage meat. Cook until meat browns, stirring frequently with a large rubber spatula.

Add marinara, tomato paste, and tomato sauce to the pot. Stir well. Then, add the wine, cheese, spices, bay leaf, sugar. garlic salt, and pepper. Stir well and bring sauce to a simmer.

Simmer the sauce, uncovered, for an hour and a half over low heat, stirring occasionally. Taste it as you cook, adding more wine, spices, or garlic salt to suite your taste buds.

Serve sauce over hot spaghetti noodles with extra cheese. Sauce can be refrigerated for up to five days or frozen for up to three months. Sauce will taste better the next day, after flavors have time to meld.

Recipe Source: Eat Live Run

Decadent Chocolate Cake with Whipped Chocolate Frosting {Shockingly Gluten-Free!}

Before I start talking about how awesome this cake is, I want to say thank you. I just realized through this post, this little ole blog of mine will hit 20,000 pageviews. I know that's not a whole lot compared to big name blogs out there who get at least that many hits per post, but to me it's pretty rad. So thank you to anyone who took 2 seconds out of their day to take a peak at my little recipe journal. You rock!

Anyhoo, my birthday was August 15th. I ended up celebrating on the 17th and had a great time with friends...and margaritas! However, the original plan was to celebrate with my friend, Katelyn. See, her birthday is August 16th, and we were born the same year! Our original plan of having a double birthday bash didn't really work out (though I think we may still need to get a piñata girl!), so I thought it would be fun to have a mini celebration when she came back. Enter: this awesome cake.

Katelyn can't have gluten, and Chris has been gluten free for the past month, so coming up with a gluten-free birthday dessert, especially a birthday cake, seemed daunting at first. As if she read my mind, Mel from Mel's Kitchen Cafe wrote about a chocolate cake that didn't require any special flours (which are usually so expensive I can't justify buying them), and is gluten-free! The only special ingredient is quinoa, and I just bought some after being out for months. Trippy, right?

So Sunday I baked the cake for us. Katelyn came over, and we were both blown away. This cake isn't good considering it's a gluten free cake, it's just good...period...and don't even get me starting on the frosting. Chris and I were licking the bowl clean, and I want to put it on every cake, gluten free or not, for the rest of my life. The cake as a whole is rich, decadent, and super chocolatey. It would probably be outstanding with some raspberries on top, or raspberry jam/puree in the middle. I'm sure you could also make several adjustments to fit your dietary needs. Make it dairy free by swapping out the milk for soy or almond milk, the butter for oil (mmm..coconut oil!), and for the whipped frosting, did you know you can make whipped cream from coconut milk??

I am so happy I found this recipe, and that I was able to share it with one of my best friends. Happy belated birthday to us, girl!! xoxo

Decadent Chocolate Cake with Whipped Chocolate Frosting

Ingredients

Frosting

2 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream

1 1/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Cake 

2 cups cooked and cooled quinoa (From about 1/2 cup raw quinoa. Be sure to cook in water, not broth!)

1/3 cup milk

4 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3/4 cup butter, melted and cooled

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

First, prep the frosting. Place the chocolate chips in a medium bowl. Heat the whipping cream in a saucepan until it gently simmers. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips and let the mixture sit for five minutes. Whisk to combine until it is glossy and smooth. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until completely chilled and cold (2-3 hours). You can speed up this process by placing the bottom of the bowl in an ice water bath and stirring until cool. 

Next, preheat your oven to 350F. Lightly grease two 8-inch round cake pans. Line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper.

Combine the milk, eggs and vanilla in a blender or food processor. Process just until combined. Add the cooked quinoa and the butter. Blend well until smooth. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the contents from the blender and mix with a wooden spoon or whisk until combined.

Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and bake on a rack in the middle position for 28-30 minutes or until a knife or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and cool for 10 minutes. Invert the cakes onto cooling racks (remove the parchment paper stuck to the bottom of the cakes). Cool completely.

To finish the frosting, remove cooled cream mixture, and use an electric mixer (stand mixer or handheld) to whip the mixture to soft peaks.

Place one cake layer upside down on a serving platter or plate. Top with a generous portion (about half) of the whipped frosting, spreading to within 1/2-inch of the edge of the cake (it will press to the edge when the top cake layer is put on).  Gently put the other cake layer upside down on top of the frosted layer. Spread the remaining frosting over the top of the cake. Chill the frosted cake in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving to let the frosting set up a bit.

Stick your entire face in the cake, and dig in!

Recipe Source: adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe