Cinnamon Festival

I was inspired to make this recipe because of this episode of Psych in which Gus and Shawn eat more slices of cinnamon pie than I can count (okay, I could but then I'd have to watch the whole episode, which I don't have time for today).

Cinnamon Pie
Printable recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 c. white sugar
• 1.5 Tbsp flour
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 Tbsp melted butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1.5 c milk
• 1 unbaked pie crust (10", these are found in freezer section)

Optional:
Whipped cream


Procedure:
1) Preheat oven to 400º F
2) In a medium bowl combine sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt.
3) Add beaten egg, butter and vanilla. Mix well.
4) Add milk. Mixture will be very thin, aka "liquid-y".
5) If using the aluminum pie plate it came in, place crust on cookie sheet first. Pour mixture into pie crust and place in oven.

No, I didn't put my crust on a cookie sheet first, that was an after thought.

6) Bake at 400º for 15 minutes then reduce to 350º for an additional 45 minutes.

Will look cooked on top, but pudding like underneath until it sets.

7) Let cool completely to set before serving (I did not do that when I cut the slice in the above picture. I suggest refrigerating). Refrigerate leftovers.
8) If desired, serve with whipped cream!
9) Watch Psych.




Looks good right?

Chicken Chicken Chicken!

This recipe is easier than you think and it's super-duper yummy. Yes, I just said 'super-duper.' Anyway, like in all my recipes calling for some kind of wine, I use grocery store cooking wine so do the same if you don't feel like hitting up a liquor store.

Chicken Marsala
Printable recipe

Ingredients:

• 3-4 boneless chicken breasts
• 1/4 c flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• pinch ground pepper
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 4 Tbsp olive oil
• 4 Tbsp butter
• 8oz fresh, sliced mushrooms
• 1/2-3/4 c marsala wine

Directions:
1) Slice chicken breasts into two or three pieces, height-wise (...? I didn't know how to describe this in words so it actually makes sense, so I found a picture online.)

2) Mix together flour, oregano, salt, and pepper.
3) Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet on med-high heat until butter is melted and bubbling lightly.
4) Dredge (coat) chicken pieces in flour mixture and cook on medium heat on each side for about 2 minutes, moving to a plate afterwards.

5) Once all chicken has been cooked and removed, add mushrooms to skillet and cook for about 2 minutes.
6) Stir the mushrooms then add the wine to the mushrooms.
7) Return the chicken to the skillet, over lapping pieces if needed, so that it's at least partially submerged in the wine. Add a little more wine if needed.
8) Simmer for 5 minutes, then flip the chicken pieces over, and simmer for an additional 5 minutes.
9) Serve and enjoy!


Chicken Marsala

Chocolate Chip Macaroons

Not the simplest recipe but follow directions precisely and it will be well worth the work. Crunchy on the outside, gooey on the inside, these are sure to please!

Coconut Macaroons

Ingredients:

• 1 14oz package sweetened shredded coconut
• 4 Tbsp sweetened condensed milk
• pinch kosher salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 large egg whites at room temp.
• 2/3 c granulated sugar
• 1 c. mini chocolate chips (optional)

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 325º F

2) Combine coconut with the condensed milk, salt chocolate chips and vanilla in a large mixing bowl.

3) Mix egg whites in a separate bowl using a mixer with a whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed until foamy. 

4) Gradually add the sugar and continue to whip until medium peaks form m6-7 minutes.

5) Gently fold beaten egg whites into the coconut mixture.

6) Scoop Tbsp-sized mounds onto a parchment lined (DO NOT USE SILICONE) sheet pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. 

7) Immediately transfer parchment sheets to a cooling rack. 

8) Store in an air-tight container.

Egg-cellent

Remember when I posted this with the link to a recipe for homemade Cadbury eggs? Yesterday I finally made them. Here's how I did it.

Homemade Cadbury Eggs

Ingredients:

• 12 oz milk chocolate chips or almond bark
• 1/2 c light corn syrup
• 1/4 c softened room temp butter
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 2.5 c powdered sugar
• Silicone egg mold

I got this silicone egg mold from a Joann's Fabric store. Also available on Amazon.

1) Melt chocolate in microwave using 30 second intervals, stirring at each interval.

2) Spoon into egg crevices, and smooth up sides with the back of a small spoon. You should have about have the chocolate remaining. Refrigerate.

3) Cream together butter, corn syrup and vanilla.

4) Mix in 1/2 c at a time powdered sugar. After the first cup add vegetable oil.

5) Continue to mix in sugar 1/2 c at a time until done. If this becomes hard for your mixer switch to mixing by hand. 

6) Remove egg molds from refrigerator and spoon tablespoon sized balls of cream into eggs, flattening with back of a spoon.

7) Microwave remaining chocolate for 30 seconds then spoon on top of eggs, sealing in the cream. Use a spoon to 

smooth if needed. Refrigerate for an hour then remove from molds.

8) If wanted, cut out pieces of foil, wrap and give out to friends!

See Food

I bought this crazy-old out-of-print cookbook put out by Bennigan's on Amazon, hoping there would be a recipe for their chicken fingers. There wasn't. So I made this recipe instead.

I eat anything that doesn't need a knife with chopsticks

Garlic Shrimp

Ingredients:

• 1lb peeled, deveined shrimp
• 1/4 c + 2 TBSP garlic lemon butter*
• 1lb linguini or 4 servings rice

Optional:

• 4 tsp bread crumbs
• 4 TBSP grated Parmesan cheese
• 4 tsp fresh minced parsley

Directions:

1) Cook pasta/rice, drain and set aside.

2) Melt 1/4 c. garlic lemon butter in a saute pan on medium-low heat.

3) Add shrimp and cook for 5-6 minutes, turning after 3 minutes.  They are done when opaque and pinkish in color. Do not overcook or they will be tough and chewy.

4) Microwave remaining butter in microwave with pasta/rice for 45 seconds. Mix then keep covered until ready to use.

5) Serve pasta/rice in a large bowl with shrimp poured on top.

6) If desired, sprinkle with optional ingredients to garnish.

*Garlic Lemon Butter

Cream 1 stick of softened butter with an electric mixer. Mix in 2 tsp. crushed garlic and 1.5 tsp lemon juice until smooth. Refrigerate until needed.

Mmmm Soup!

I'm not a big soup person but I do really like mushrooms and when it was served to me at a wedding I felt like I had to at least try it to not look weird and turns out, I loved it. I made my own based on a general recipe and now I have it at home all the time!

Cream of Mushroom  Soup
(Printable recipe)

Ingredients:

• 5 c. sliced fresh mushrooms
• 2 c. + 1 c. chicken stock
• 1/2 c chopped onion
• pinch dried thyme
• 3 TBS. butter
• 3 TBS. flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1 c. half and half*
• 1/4 c. Marsala wine
• 1Tbsp Sherry

Directions:

1) In a large sauce pan, cook mushrooms and onion in 2 c. of chicken stock with thyme until tender, approx 10-15 mins.

No the onions are not in here as they should be.

2) Let mixture cool slightly then puree in a blender or food processor (I used my Magic Bullet**) until smooth.

3) In a small bowl,  melt the butter in microwave and stir/mix/whisk in flour until smooth.

4) Scrape into sauce pan, and add all the other ingredients (1/4 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper, 1 c. half and half, 1/4 c. Marsala wine, 1Tbsp Sherry).

5) Stirring constantly, bring to a boil and cook until thickened.

6) Add more salt/pepper to taste, then add marsala wine.

Mmmm Soup!

*I had heavy cream already so I used 1/2 c. cream and 1/2 c. whole milk. I think that's what half and half is anyway...?
** DO NOT use the Magic Bullet blender attachment. I tried this once and just got scalded because there is no actual way to seal the top. Not cool Magic Bullet! Also be careful if using a blender, I once did that and it was too full so it came out the top of that too.

Splendad Chocolate Chip Meringue Cookies

Chocolate Chip Meringue Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 Egg whites*
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
• 1/2 c. Splenda® Sugar Blend
• 3/4 c semisweet chocolate chips
• parchment paper

Directions: 

1) Preheat oven to 200ºF.

2) Beat egg whites with vanilla at high speed until foamy.
3) Add sugar 1 tbs at a time (I found that mine were a bit sweeter than I'd like so I suggest using 1/4-1/3 c. instead), continue beating until stiff peaks** form.
4) Gently stir in chocolate chips.
5) Spoon rounded teaspoons onto parchment lined baking sheets. (I used a tablespoon sized scoop so the ones pictured are larger than they should be). They can be placed fairly close together as they do not expand or spread while baking.

6) Bake for 2 hours. Cool slightly then move to wire racks to cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

 

*How to separate eggs

**Stiff peaks

Yada yada yada

The One With The Salmon

Here's a really simple recipe for baked salmon that I love making when I'm just cooking for myself. I make it in my toaster oven, but if you do not have one you can make it in the oven, just make sure to use a small baking dish.  Also, If you don't keep white wine in your home, like me, you can pick up 'cooking wine' in the grocery store!

Lemon-Baked Salmon
Printable recipe


Ingredients:

Salmon filet

• 1/2 lemon per serving
• 1 Tbsp Spreadable butter/margarine
• 1/2 c. White wine (+1/4 c. for additional servings)

Optional:
Salt/Pepper

Other:
Non-stick cooking spray


Preparation:
1) Preheat oven to 400 F.
2) Cut fillet into 1-1.5" pieces. Wrap up extra salmon with plastic wrap and freeze or refrigerate.
3) Spray baking dish with cooking spray. If you wish, line with foil for easy clean-up!

4) Place piece(s) of salmon, evenly spaced, in the baking dish, skin side down.
5)  Slice two thin slices, per serving, of lemon and cut them in half.
6) Dab butter onto the surface of the salmon.* If it spreads easy enough, spread a thin even layer instead.
7) Place lemon slices on top of the butter.

*If you have trouble spreading the butter evenly you can sort of blob it on and then use the lemon slices to push it down and spread it out a bit.

8) Pour wine over the salmon pieces, letting it run off into the pan.

9) Squeeze the rest of your lemon over the salmon.

10) Bake for 15-20 minutes.

11) Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: If using a toaster-oven, be careful when using foil. If it is too close to the heating elements it can catch fire.

These Pretzels Are Making Me Thursty

Here's a really simple, fun, quick, tasty recipe (What? Too many adjectives?) for an elegant treat. Enjoy them yourself or give as a gift!




Chocolate Covered Pretzels:

Printable recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 Bags Pretzel Rods (I use Snyder's)
• 1 Bag (14 oz.) Chocolate Wafers
• 1 Bag (14 oz.) White Chocolate Wafers

Equipment:
2 Tall coffee mugs
Parchment Paper or Silicone Baking Sheet

*Note: When buying pretzels, look for bags with the least amount of broken rods. This is harder than it sounds.

1) Lay out sheets of parchment flat on a counter top where you will be dipping the pretzels.
2) Pour approx 3/4 of each bag of the chocolate wafers into each of the coffee mugs. (In the picture I used bars of chocolate).

3) Microwave one mug of chocolate on high for 1 minute and then for 30 second intervals, stirring (i would use a knife, less messy) at each interval until melted. *Make sure to stop and stir or chocolate can get ruined.

4) Once completely melted, dip pretzel rods into the chocolate, holding the mug at and angle to coat the length of the pretzel leaving an un-coated bit at the end as a handle.

 5) Let excess chocolate drip off then place on the parchment paper to set. 

6) Once done with the first half of the pretzels, repeat this process with the white chocolate. *Be even more careful when melting, white chocolate burns faster and becomes very hard to work with.




7) After all pretzels are dipped, melt the rest of the unused chocolate and use a spoon to drizzle it over the contrasting dipped pretzels.



8) Place in freezer or refrigerator to set chocolate.





* Do not use regular food coloring if you want to color the white chocolate. Either buy colored chocolate or use and oil based food dye. 
**Instead of drizzling chocolate you can decorate with sprinkles or colored sugars.

9) Enjoy!

I didn't mean to have two recipes in a row that would inspire Seinfeld reference titles, but that's what happened and thus, another Seinfeld video clip: