Rocky Road Bark

I am joining Genny at My Cup 2 Yours for her weekly Talking about Thursday!

This week the talkin' is all about desserts and let's face it.......most of us love dessert!

So in honor of yummy easy to make desserts I present:  Rocky Road Bark.

The cast of characters!

5 Whole Graham Crackers
6 T butter
1/4 Cup packed brown sugar
1/2 t salt
1 C milk chocolate chips
1/3 C mini-marshmallows
1/2 C chopped pecans (or any nut you enjoy)

1. Line a 8x8 square baking pan with heavy duty aluminum foil, making sure the foil is tucked into the corners with at least 1 inch extending up the side of the pan.  Place a single layer of graham crackers along the bottom of the pan. Cut the graham crackers to get them to fit tightly in the pan. (I used 4.5 crackers).

2. Next, combine the butter, brown sugar and salt in a small saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the butter is melted and the sugar has dissolved.

3. Pour the mixture over the graham crackers and spread with a spatula.  Then place the pan in a preheated oven (275) and baked for about 10 minutes, or until the caramel is bubbling.


(I use my toaster oven at 250 and it takes about 5 minutes for the caramel to bubble.)

4. Next sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the caramel/crackers.  Return to the oven for approximately 1 to 2 minutes to soften the chocolate chips.  Remove from the oven and gently smooth the chocolate over the caramel.

5. Now sprinkle the pecans and mini marshmallows over the top of the chocolate.  Cool the bark for 30 minutes before putting it in the freezer for another 30 minutes or until the chocolate  hardens.  


(I am impatient....I skip the cooling and head straight for the freezer)

6. Remove the bark from the freeze, peel off the tin foil, cut into squares and enjoy! 

Have a sweet day!

Delicious Ham and Potato Soup

Delicious Ham and Potato Soup

I don't usually post recipes, but I found this recipe on allrecipe.com and let me tell you, it is about the best ham and potato soup I have ever tasted.

Not only is it really yummy, but it is fast and easy to make. I made a batch other day and we nearly woofed down the entire pot.

PREP TIME 20 Min
COOK TIME 25 Min
READY IN 45 Min

INGREDIENTS

* 3 1/2 cups peeled and diced potatoes
* 1/3 cup diced celery
* 1/3 cup finely chopped onion
* 3/4 cup diced cooked ham
* 3 1/4 cups water
* 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules
* 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
* 1 teaspoon ground white or black pepper, or to taste
* 5 tablespoons butter
* 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 2 cups milk

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine the potatoes, celery, onion, ham and water in a stockpot. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the chicken bouillon, salt and pepper.
2. In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour with a fork, and cook, stirring constantly until thick, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in milk as not to allow lumps to form until all of the milk has been added. Continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick, 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot, and cook soup until heated through. Serve immediately.

**My notes: I sauteed the onions and celery for a few minutes in a little bit of oil before adding the water and potatoes. I also used 3 bouillon cubes instead of the granules and I added the cubes with the water. I also omitted the salt as the bouillon cubes make it plenty salty.

Enjoy!

PHOTO BY: cookin'mama

Favorite Thanksgiving side dish!

The Scattered Mind of a Tattooed Minivan Mom wants to know what your favorite Thanksgiving recipe, memory or story is.  I'm sharing one of my most favorite Thanksgiving side dishes.

This recipe, Sweet Potatoes with Caramelized Apples, is from the lovely Martha Stewart.  Now don't be scared folks.  The recipe looks more complicated than it actually is.  See that picture over there?  Mine never looks like that (this picture if from Martha's website as is the recipe I copied).

When I make mine I actually lay the apples out in a swirly pattern.  In the middle the apples look like a rose.  But it taste the same if you just flop the apples on top of the sweet potatoes.  I just like being fancy!

Here the scoop!

Sweet Potatoes with Caramelized Apples

Serves 8 to 10

6 (about 4 pounds) sweet potatoes
1 teaspoon salt
3 Granny Smith apples, peeled and cored
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
9 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for pan
6 tablespoons heavy cream
1/4 cup Calvados, or brandy
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
Directions

1.) Heat oven to 425 degrees. Bake potatoes until soft, 40 to 45 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel and place flesh in a medium bowl; add salt, and mash with a fork.

2.) Meanwhile, slice apples into 1/8-inch-thick wedges and place in a medium bowl. Add lemon juice and toss to combine.

3.) In a medium skillet, melt 3 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons brown sugar and cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Cook apple slices in the butter and sugar in 3 or 4 batches, until golden and caramelized, about 1 minute on each side. As they finish cooking, transfer to a plate and set aside.

4.) In a medium skillet, melt 3 tablespoons butter over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons brown sugar and cook until sugar dissolves. Stir in 4 tablespoons cream and the Calvados and cook until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and add to sweet potatoes, mixing well to combine. Transfer potato mixture to a buttered 3-quart ovenproof casserole. Arrange apple slices over potatoes; set aside.

5.) In a medium skillet, melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add remaining 2 tablespoons brown sugar and cook until dissolved. Add remaining 2 tablespoons of cream and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Stir in orange juice and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until thickened and dark brown. Pour over the apples and cover with aluminum foil.

6.) Bake until heated through, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and serve immediately, or let stand at room temperature for up to 30 minutes before serving.

Notes from the chef:

If you are wondering what Calvados is, it's a pricey Apple Brandy.  I started making this when I was broke and in college.  I substituted orange juice for the Brandy (but don't tell Martha).  To this day I do not use Brandy.

Also, I'm always kind of confused between sweet potatoes and yams.  I buy the one that is orange inside!  

This dish is great because you can make it a day in advance.  Just make sure to let it come to room temperature before baking it.

Head over to the Martha Stewart website if you want to a printable version of this recipe. 

Not your traditional Gumbo!

This recipe is not your traditional Gumbo. It is from my well worn copy of "Controlling your Fat Tooth." Only I have adjusted it to suit my families taste!

The recipe calls for shrimp, but since I think the shrimp always ends up getting over cooked I usually don't use it. Instead we add sausage in it's place! My family loves this recipe. My daughter came home from school today thrilled to find the Gumbo left overs made it into her lunch. The beauty of this meal is that it taste even better the next day!  Give it a try this weekend......you won't regret it!

Here are the ingredients:

2 Cups Beef Broth

1 14 ounce can diced tomatoes

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon powdered thyme

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/4 teaspoons file powder

2 teaspoons olive oil

4 large cloves garlic, chopped

1 small onion, coarsely chopped

1 small green onion, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup coarsely chopped celery

2 bones less skinless chicken breast, cooked and cubed

1 Kielbalsa link (any kind you like) cut in bite size pieces and cooked

3 cups cooked white rice (I make 2 cups of dry rice and end up using all but a cup of it)

In a medium stockpot, combine beef broth, tomatoes, sugar, thyme, chili powder, black pepper, crushed red pepper and file powder. Simmer for 10 minutes.

In a nonstick skillet, heat olive oil. Add garlic, onion, celery and green peppers. Saute until the onions are tender (about 5 minutes).

Add veggie mixture to the stock pot and simmer for another 10 minutes.

Next add the rice, cooked chicken and cooked sausage, stir and serve! I like to add more rice than is called for in the recipe. I put enough in so there is just a little bit of juice remaining. The rice with soak it up and makes for some yummy goodness.

Let me know if you give it a try and have a great weekend!

Picture credit: Food Network and not what this recipe ends up looking like! I should have remembered to take a picture of it!!!

Frogmore Soup

What can be better on a cool fall evening that a hearty bowl of soup?  One of my favorites is Frogmore soup.  If you have ever had Frogmore stew, this is basically the same recipe, except it is more soupy and less stewy. 

I did not create this recipe and since it is a typed copy I'm not sure who to give credit to for it's deliciousness.  Anyway, after many months in the recipe binder I'm dragging it out and thought it was a good one to share. It's simple, easy and oh so good.  It has also passed the kid taste test with flying colors! 

Frogmore Soup

1 cup chopped onion

1 lb. red potatoes (about 4 med)
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast half (about 1/3 lb.)
8 oz. reduced-fat kielbasa sausage (regular is fine)
2 t. olive oil
2 ½ C water
1 chicken bouillon cube
1 can or bottle (12 oz) light bodied beer
1 ½ C frozen yellow corn kernels
2 t. Old Bay Seasoning or other seafood seasoning blend
8 oz. peeled med. Shrimp, defrosted if frozen
Black pepper or Tabasco Sauce to taste

Peel and coarsely chop the onion. Set aside. Cube the unpeeled potatoes and set them aside. Cut the chicken breast into small (1/2 inch) pieces and set aside. Slice the sausage in half lengthwise, and then cut each half into ¼ inch thick slices and set aside.

In a 41/2 qt. Dutch oven or soup pot, heat the oil on medium. When the oil is hot, carefully add the onion, potatoes, chicken and sausage and stir and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until the onion is tender and the chicken is no longer pink on the inside.

Add the water, bouillon cube, beer, corn and Old Bay seasoning. Raise the heat to high. Cover and bring the soup to a boil. When the mixture boils, reduce heat to medium, maintaining a low boil. Continue to cook for about 5 minutes, or until the potatoes are just becoming tender. Add the peeled shrimp and cook for another 3 minutes, until the shrimp are no longer pink and potatoes are fork tender.  Add black pepper or Tabasco to taste.  I leave the Tabasco on the table so it can be added by those who want it.

*Cooks note: I usually double this recipe when I serve it to a crowd.  Feel free to play with the amounts of chicken, sausage, or potatoes.  You really can't wreck this recipe!

**********************************

Head over to Stolen Bon Bon's blog for a fun Halloween recipe!

Yummy casserole recipe!

I love casseroles.  For one, they are usually super easy to put together, rarely take a long time to cook and can typically be prepared in advance.  I especially like casseroles when the weather is chilly.  Believe it or not the thermometer actually dips below 75 here in Southern California.

 One of my families favorite casseroles is Chicken Cottage Pie.  This recipe is not only super easy to make, it is one of those meals you can make with your Thanksgiving left overs.  

Here is the recipe:

• 1/4 cup butter
  
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  
• 1 envelope Lipton Recipe Secrets Golden Onion Soup Mix
  
• 2 cup hot water
  
• 2 cups bite size cut chicken (or turkey)
  
• 16 oz fresh vegetables lightly steamed (mixed frozen veggies work just fine)
  
• 1 1/2 cup shredded cheese (I use sharp cheddar)
  
• 5 cups hot mashed potatoes 
  

Heat oven to 375 F.  In a large sauce pan, heat butter and add 1/4 cup flour, stirring constantly until golden brown (approx. 5 minutes).  Stir in soup mix into the 2 cups of hot water and blend well.  Using a wire whisk slowly add soup to the flour/butter mixture.  Adding the soup too fast will result in a clumpy mess so take it slow.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until thickened. Stir in cooked chicken, vegetables and 1 cup of the shredded cheese.  Put the creamy goodness into a casserole dish (mine is 2.8 liters) and cover with mashed potatoes.  You could use instant mashed potatoes, but I prefer lumpy mashed ones for the added texture.  Sprinkle remaining cheese over the top of casserole and bake for 30 minutes or until the casserole starts bubbling around the edges of the dish.

If you wanted the casserole lower in fat you could use reduced fat cheese or omit it all together. The dish will still taste fine without it.   

Enjoy and thanks for stopping by!!

Photo credit: FoodTV.com

Totellini with Porcini Mushroom Sauce

Here is another yummy recipe from Bon Appetit magazine.  This recipe does contain a half a cup of cream, but I'm sure if you are watching your waist line you could substitute a lower fat milk for the cream.  Personally I don't mind a little cream now and then.  

Give this one a try......you will love it!

Photo by: Tom Schierlitz

Recipe by: the Bon Appetit test kitchen

D'Lish cupcakes!

My mom made these Key Lime cupcakes last night and they were to die for. If you love the taste of Key lime you will love it packed into these yummy cupcakes.  You can find the recipe at  Bon Appetit Magazine's website.

Photo by: Jose Picayo

Recipe by: Buttersweet Bakery