My Own Version

Just wanted to throw this out there since I have been a little behind this week...this is my version of a Sock It To Me Cake. = ) YUM!

This is my super quick, moist Sock It To Me Cake :

1 moist yellow cake mix
1 small box of vanilla pudding mix
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup water
1/3 chopped pecans
1 1/2 Tbl cinnamon
1/2 cup brown sugar

**Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a bundt pan.  Mix brown sugar, cinnamon and pecans together in a small bowl.  In a separate bowl, mix cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, oil and water.  Pour half into bundt pan.  Sprinkle sugar mixture evenly over batter.  Pour the rest of your batter on top.  Bake for 50 minutes. ENJOY!

xoxo

Weekend in Review

Here is my 3 cheese and Lobster Macaroni recipe! It was pretty yummy!

2 freshly steam lobsters (twist of claws and tail, and remove meat using a seafood cracker, cut into small chunks)
14 oz. large macaroni noodles (or whatever pasta you'd prefer)
1 cup panko crumbs
4 oz. butter
2 Tbl flour
6 oz. shredded Beemster cheese (found at HEB)
6 oz. white cheddar cheese
6 oz. fontina cheese
1-2 cups heavy cream
1 Tbl nutmeg
salt and olive oil for pasta water

*writing my recipes is actually fairly hard, b/c I write them after I've done them, and I am not huge on measuring out things.  The cream in this recipe is a rough estimate....start with one cup, and use it to thin out the cheese to the write consistancy.  (you want it be like a queso dip while on the stove)

Start by liberally salting your water to boil, adding in about a Tbl of olive oil.  Cook pasta to al dente, remove from heat and drain.  Butter a 2.5-3 Qt corningware dish.  In a 2 Qt sauce pan, melt 2 Tbl butter over medium heat.  Whisk in flour.  Pour in about a cup of cream, thinning out to a bechamel sauce.  Slowly add in 14 oz. of your shredded cheese mixture(saving 4 oz.), stirring constantly. (you don't want any clumps)  Add in nutmeg.  Once all cheese is incorpirated, take off heat.  Mix together with drained pasta, and in lobster, and pour into buttered dish.  Melt 2 Tbl butter in a microwave safe dish, and mix together with panko crumbs.  Evenly sprinkle remaining cheese over the top, then evenly sprinkle the panko crumbs.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  If you would like your crumbs browned anymore (as I did), broil on LOW for a few minutes....WATCH or they will burn!

**I am not one to add a ton of salt to things.  With all the cheese, and the salted pasta, I didn't add anymore salt.  I would wait to add salt until you tasted it. 

My husband I both loved this! If you don' t care for lobster, you could always add panchetta chunks or bacon. Or nothing! LOL The possibilities for an adult version are endless.  I use blue cheese sometimes as well.  It is rich enough to be your main dish.  I served this with a salad, and then I did a dessert.  It was a hit! = )

xoxo

Preparing ahead

Planning a fancy dinner for guests takes a lot of extra time as a mom to two little busy boys. = )  So, to help easy the craziness tomorrow evening, I made both parts of the dessert today, as well as my bread dough.   Here is my menu:

Spinach salad w/red onion, blue cheese, walnut pieces & pink lady apple slices

fresh bread (haven't decided if I will add anything to it....may just do a balsamic dip for it)

Baked 3 cheese and lobster macaroni

vanilla bean gelato/frozen custard

chocolate marscapone toffee bars (a Giada DeLaurentis recipe) *** easy and WELL worth it!

and WINE of course! LOL Red, not sure which  I will serve.

Here is my frozen "concoction"   I guess it is more frozen custard than gelato, but gelato sounds more appealing to people.

Vanilla Bean "Gelato"
1/3 vanilla bean (cut open and scrape out inside)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/8 teaspoon salt
8 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

*whisk together yolks, salt, vanilla extract and 1/2 cup sugar in a double broiler for 5-10 minutes, or until light yellow/vanilla color.  In a separate bowl, mix with electric mixer 1/4 cup sugar and heavy cream until light peaks form.  Once yolk mixture turns pale yellow, place bowl in an ice bath for a few minutes.  Mix in vanilla bean.  Fold whipped cream into yolk mixture until all is incorporated.  Put in desired air tight container and place in freezer.  Let freeze for at least 6 hours, better if over night. 

**I have also made chocolate.  You really could do whatever you wanted.  You could even stir in bits of candy bar, or chocolate syrup.  The possibilities are really endless....and yummy. LOL

I will be posting more tomorrow or the next day....I am off to a cake decorating class with my 8 year old niece. = )

Better late than never!

Chicken Parmesan
*I only did 2 chicken breasts, so adjust accordingly!

2 chicken breasts, pounded out a little
flour to dredge chicken in
salt to taste
pepper to taste
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs
2 Tbl butter
2 Tbl olive oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten

*salt and pepper each chicken breast, dredge through flour, dunk in egg mixture, and then coat in a breadcrumb/flour mixture.  Saute in butter/olive oil over medium/high heat until golden brown.

Sauce
1 can Italian diced tomatoes
1/2 can tomato sauce
3 green onions
2 cloves minced garlic
1 Tbl olive oil
1 Tbl butter
1/2 Tbl dried oregano
1/2 Tbl dried basil
salt & pepper to taste

*saute diced onion in butter and oil over medium/high heat.  Add in garlic and saute for about 45 seconds.  Pour in sauce and tomatoes and herbs.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium/low.  Simmer for at least 30 minutes. (or longer if you want)

**Place chicken in a pyrex dish, pour desired amount of sauce on top, then sprinkle shredded mozerella and parmesan (equal parts) on top. (as much as you'd like!)  Broil on LOW until bubbly and golden brown.  Serve with fettutine noodles.

PS: always liberally salt your pasta water, as well as add in a Tbl of olive oil! = )

***I actually used spaghetti b/c I did not have fettutine! = (

Sorry for not posting this last night, I had a rough day.

Sometimes I make things less "gourmet" than others. Hey! I have a very busy 1 & 3 yr old! Cooking during the witching hour isn't always easy.

I also made an AMAZING bread! A good friend gave me the recipe from a book called, Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day (which I need to get) It could be tweaked in SO many ways!  I added about another Tbl of kosher salt on top.  You MUST look up the recipe.

The Devil's Cookie

This is NOT my recipe, but SUPER DUPER easy and YUMMY!

1 box devilsfood cake mix
1/2 bag chocolate chips
1/3 cup vegatable oil
2 eggs

Roll in balls, roll balls in powdered sugar, and bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. 

(I'm OBVIOUSLY not a photographer. LOL)
**Next time you want something "homemade", try these.  They couldn't be any quicker, and they are so good! Just made some super quick!

Tonights menu: I am making something with chicken.  Check back for my recipe!

EASY PEASY

Well, I still need to post my FABULOUS Labor Day Meal, but for now, I will post my super easy spaghetti and meatballs I will be making tonight.

Easy Peasy Meatballs

1 1/2 lbs ground turkey (or beef if you'd like)
1 cup Parmesan cheese (the kind from a can...I know...but it works better for this)
1 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 egg
salt- to taste
pepper-to taste

*Mix all ingredients well.  Form into balls any size you want. (I do mine about the size of a small lemon or lime)  Put a Tbl or 2 of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Place meatballs in skillet and brown all sides.  Remove and place on a separate plate.  You can use a store bought sauce...I do it all the time! Sometimes I make my own though.  Turn burner down to medium.  Heat sauce, place meatballs back in skillet, in sauce.  Simmer for at least 15 minutes.  Serve with cooked spaghetti noodles.

Holiday Weekend

I know, I know...I haven't posted in a couple of days.  With a long weekend ahead, I won't be cooking until Sunday evening.  I WILL however, be fixing the Pulled Pork BBQ with a dear friend's sauce recipe.  I will definitely do some BBQ beans, and not sure what else. 

In the meantime, pour some of your favorite salsa over a brick of cream cheese (if you want to live longer, use 1/3 less fat) and ENJOY!!! ; )

xoxo