Sliders

I had to post this recipe before the next round of football playoffs and the Superbowl begins. My husband loves these and they taste just like a White Castle, but better. Enjoy!

Sliders
Sliders

Mise en place
1 lbs. Ground beef
1 T. diced onion
2 T. mayo
1 package Lipton French Onion Soup Mix
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
15 Sarah Lee Classic Dinner Rolls, sliced
Vlassic Rounds dill pickle slices.

  • Preheat the oven to 300 F. and place the rolls in a 9×13″ pan
  • Brown the beef with the onion.
  • Remove from heat and drain the fat.
  • Mix in the mayo.
  • Add the onion soup mix and cheese, mix to combine.
  • Remove the tops of the rolls and add the ground beef mixture to each roll, distributing evenly among the 15 rolls
  • Top with a pickle slice, place the top of the roll on each burger.
  • Tightly cover the pan with foil and bake for 20 minutes.

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Vegetarian Chili

Veggetarian Chili
Vegetarian Chili

I am trying to redeem myself after all of my unhealthy posts (ah-hem…monster cookies, peanut butter mousse, carrot cake) Clearly I have a wicked sweet tooth, but in my defense much of what I make are gifts for others.

This recipe is nothing new or inventive, however, it was easy to make as I had everything in my pantry/fridge. It is a healthful option to traditional Chili and surprisingly satisfying. I was also able to bring the left-overs to work for lunch the next day.

This should serve about 2 – 4 people

Mise en place
1 – 2 cans of black beans (or pinto or kidney, whatever you have), drained & rinsed
2 cans of diced tomato, do not drain
1/2 c. chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 T.+ chili powder
1 t.+  cumin
1/4 t. crushed red pepper
3/4 can frozen corn (fill your empty bean can with the corn)
1/2 can water (fill your empty tomato can with water)
Olive oil – enough to coat the pan
S/P to taste
Sour cream and shredded cheese to garnish – optional

  • In a large sauce pan saute the onion in oil until soft, about 4 min.
  • add the garlic and saute for 1 minute
  • add the chili powder, cumin, red pepper and saute another minute
  • Add the beans, tomato, water and corn. Season with s/p to taste
  • Cover and simmer on low for 20 minutes.
  • Garnish with some lite sour cream and 2% milk shredded cheddar.

Enjoy!

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Perfect Hard Boiled Egg

Hard Boiled Egg
Hard Boiled Egg

What would I do without eggs? Probably one of the most important ingredients in my kitchen. Whip the whites for meringue, add yolks to make custard, used for leavening in cakes and cookies, add richness to brioche…just to name a few. To top it all of they are loaded with protein and provide a great meal any time of day.

I had about 1/2 a dozen in my fridge that I needed to use up so I decided to boil them yesterday morning before I went to work (while making my husbands bagel). I used them that night to make a quick egg salad and we had sandwiches and a mixed green salad for dinner. glamorous, no…easy, delicious, inexpensive and healthfull…yes!

This is how I make, in my opinion, the perfect boiled egg…

  • Place as many eggs as you like in a pot
  • fill with enough cold water to cover the eggs
  • Bring the water to a boil
  • Once the water is boiling, cover the pot and remove from the heat
  • Let them stand, covered, for 8 minutes (set a timer)
  • After 8 minutes submerge the eggs in an ice bath and cool for about 5 minutes.
  • peel immediately or dry them and keep in the fridge.

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Peanut Butter Mousse

This recipe certainly does not adhere to a New Year’s resolution diet but it is a family favorite and I made it over the holidays and wanted to post it. This is easy, creamy, delicious and decadent.

There are many ways to use this mousse. The below picture shows it piped into chocolate cups (which I bought at Word Market). The original recipe suggests pouring this into a graham cracker crust. I like to chop up mini Snickers bars and fold them into the mousse and make it into a pie or use as a cake filling. I made my friend Gretchen’s wedding cake which was chocolate cake filled with peanut butter snicker mousse.

It’s impossible to have just one bite of this fluffy, creamy goodness. Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Mousse

Mise en place
8 oz. cream cheese, room temp.
6 oz. sugar (3/4 c.)
7 oz. creamy peanut butter (3/4 c.)
9.5 oz. Cool Whip (probably get away with using 1 -8oz. container)
Chocolate dipped peanuts or crushed peanuts for garnish. 

  • Whip together the peanut butter and cream cheese
  • slowly add the sugar and whip until light and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl at least once.
  • Gently fold in the cool whip.
  • This will make enough to fill a 8″ or 9″ graham cracker crust.

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NYE Sangria for Kids

While I plan on drinking my weight in champagne this Friday, I thought this would be a nice drink to serve for kids as well as any guests preferring a non-alcoholic cocktail. This was one of the recipes my mom included in her recipe book. If serving to kids I recommend the white grape juice to avoid stains from an inevitable spill.

Ingredients
1 quart (4 c.) orange juice, chilled
1 1/2 c. purple or white grape juice, chilled (avoid red grape juice as it will discolor when combined w/ the orange juice.)
1 liter bottle of ginger ale, chilled
2 c. ice cubes
2 c. assorted sliced fruit (anything goes – apples, oranges, lemons, pineapple, peaches, strawberries)
Fresh sprigs of mint

  • In a large bowl or pitcher stir together the chilled orange and grape juices.
  • Add ginger ale and gently stir. Next add the ice and fruit.
  • Pour into glasses and garnish with a sprig of mint.

Cheers!

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Carrot Cake & the 6″ round

Carrot Cake with cream cheese frosting

I consider the 6″ round cake the golden section of baking…(work with me here). It is the perfect size, feeds a large group, easy to make, and visually appealing. I studied Architecture and can’t help but make comparisons between baking and design/construction.

Baby Shower Carrot Cake

The most important ingredient of any get-together is the people. I think this cake did a nice job of capturing the spirit of a sophisticated group of ladies who gathered together on a cold Saturday to celebrate the arrival of a delicate new baby girl.

Baby Shower Carrot Cake - cut

Carrot Cake
pre-heat the oven to 350 F, and prepare pans
5 eggs
8 oz (1 c.)canola oil
17 oz. sugar (by weight)
3/4 t. salt
11-1/4 oz bread flour (by weight)
1-3/4 T. cinnamon
1/2 t. all spice
1/2 t. cloves
1/2 t. nutmeg
1 t. baking soda
1/4 t. baking powder
1 lbs. peeled & grated carrots (or zucchini)

  • Whip the eggs until light
  • slowly add the sugar
  • Gradually add the oil
  • Sift (or dump in a bowl and whisk) the dry ingredients together in a bowl
  • Grate the carrots (if you have a Cuisinart this is your best bet)
  • Fold the dry ingredients into the wet and then add the carrots.
  • Bake in one 10″ round pan or 2 – 6″ rounds (you’ll have extra, simply bake the rest in a loaf pan and freeze for your next brunch).

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Cream Cheese Frosting
12 oz., softened cream cheese (1-1/2 blocks at room temp.)
4 oz. unsalted butter, room temp (1 stick)
1 t. vanilla or 1/2 of a vanilla bean
2 cups powdered sugar
pinch of salt 

  • Cream the cream cheese and butter
  • Add powdered sugar and whip
  • Add extract and whip until fluffy.

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