Oreo Truffles

And I am back in business!  I know I say this every time I start writing on this blog again, but this time I mean it.  Since becoming a mom, my time is more occupied with Zara and working one day a week.  However, I realized how much more important it is for me to come up with activities like cooking to make my day more exciting.  Don't get me wrong, I love being home with Zara, however, not every minute, hour, or day is exciting.  

I have many recipes to post, but I often forget to take pictures.  And since we all know there is nothing worse than a recipe without a pictures, I shall wait to post until I take more pictures. I better get cooking this week!  

Here is a fun dessert we made the other night.  I have to admit, all these recipes are copied from someone else.  I am not a great inventor when it comes to cooking, but I am so glad so many people out there are so I can copy them. 

These are super easy and quite delicious. 

1 (16 ounce) pakcage Oreo cookies, divided
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened (I used light)
2 (8 ounce) packages bakers semi-sweet chocolate, melted (we used just chocolate chips)

 1. Crush 9 of the cookies to fine crumbs; reserve for later use.  Crush remaining 36 cookies to fine crumbs; place in medium bowl. Add cream cheese; mix until well blended. Roll cookie mixture into 42 balls, about 1-inch in diameter.
2. Dip balls in chocolate; place on wax paper-covered baking sheet. (Any leftover chocolate can be stored at room temperature for another use.) Sprinkle with reserved cookie crumbs.
3. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Store leftover truffles, covered, in refrigerator.

Strawberry Pie

So this is the infamous Haslam Strawberry pie.  Every person in our family requests to have this for their birthday instead of cake.  Since my birthday was just a few days ago I though I should put this up.  It is so good I woke up at 445am before work to make it. 

I honestly can hardly call it a recipe: super easy.

Julie rating 10/10; serves 6-8; prep:30 minutes; need at least 4 hrs in frig before serving

2-3 lbs strawberries
1-2 (4 1/2) oz packages of Danish Dessert (here is a link if you don't know what it is http://www.junketdesserts.com/danishdessert.aspx)  I always buy the raspberry flavor for this even though it is with strawberries.  If you are making a very small pie you could just buy one box, but if you use anything more than 2 lbs of strawberries I would buy two packages-it is not very good if you don't have enough filling.  With the extra filling I put it in dessert cups and just serve with whip cream for anyone who doesn't want pie. I normally make 1 1/2 packages.
1 store bought pie crust-I have yet to find a homemade crust with as good of flavoring as the store brand or worth the time of making it-but if you have a recipe you like, go for it

Preparation: Bake pie crust according to directs.  Cut up strawberries.  I usually cut a bunch in half to put on the bottom of the pie and then in quarters for the rest of the pie.  Just personal preference.  If the strawberries are very sour, I'll put a bit of powder sugar on them.  Make the Danish Dessert according to the directions for pie filling on the back of package.  Since finished, put in frig until cool.  Stir every few minutes so it doesn't set. When the Danish Dessert is cooled you can add strawberries to the pie crust, then pour Danish Dessert over the strawberries.  Put in frig to set for several hours-I think around 4-5.  Serve with whip cream.
Best pie ever.

Thai Peanut Noodle Salad

It has been months since I last posted and now have a few recipes to publish.  Here is one I found on this website OurBestBites.com; delicious!  If you like Thai and especially pad thai I think you will like this.  I love that this website shows step by step pictures.  I think it is pretty popular because they just published a book.  The comments below are from the original publisher* 

Remember don't forget to add your own recipes to get this thing going again!

Julie and Eli rating 8.5/10   Serves 6-8.  Prep time: 30-45mins

8 oz Linguine Fini (or regular linguine)
4 C shredded greens: any combo of napa cabbage, romaine lettuce or even spinach
2 C thinly sliced purple cabbage
1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 yellow pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium carrot, julienned
1/2 medium cucumber, halved and sliced
1/4 of a red onion, thinly sliced
3 C diced grilled chicken
honey roasted peanuts (about 1/2 cup)
Thai Peanut Salad Dressing (save some time and make this part ahead!)

-Start by bringing a pot of water to a boil. Add a spoonful of salt and then add your pasta. While pasta is cooking, start chopping those veggies.
-You can really use any mix of veggies you want. I have a thing with rainbows so whenever I make this type of salad I pick the vegetables purely based on color so I can have something in every shade of the rainbow.
You can play around with the leafy greens. I like to use both napa cabbage and romaine lettuce. If you're eating this right away lettuce works great, and spinach is even good in there. However, if you're taking it to a picnic, or serving it on a buffet or anything like that where it will sit a while, I recommend going heavy on the cabbage because it will stay nice and crunchy for you.
-As soon as your pasta is done drain it and run some cold water over it until it's cool. If you're not going to use it right away, add a drizzle of the salad dressing and stir to coat. This will prevent the noodles from getting all clumpy. Keep in the fridge until ready to use.
-When you're ready to assemble the salad, place noodles, veggies, and chicken in a large bowl.
Pour the Thai Peanut Dressing over everything, stirring as you go until you have enough to coat. I use it all!

Dressing:
1/2 C peanut butter
1 lime, juiced and zested
2 1/2 t sesame oil
1 T seasoned rice wine vinegar
2 T soy sauce
3 T honey
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 T minced ginger
1/2 C roughly chopped cilantro (stems and all)
1/2 C vegetable oil
1/4 t kosher salt*
2-3 t sriracha chili sauce*
2-4 T water*
*The need for salt may differ depending on the brand of PB you use. Taste first and then add.
*I use 3 t Sriaracha, but you may want more or less depending on your preference of heat levels. Again, taste first and then add.
*Lastly, the addition of the water is purely for consistency which again, depends on the PB brand you use. Add water until you get the consistency you want, or leave it out completely.
Place everything in a blender and mix until smooth. Makes about 2 cups.

Creamy Orzo with Chicken, Mushrooms, and Red Peppers

Creamy Orzo with Chicken, Mushrooms and Red Peppers
click here for picture

Another recipe that I copied? I love the vegetable in it. My advice is to get everything ready to go before you start cooking because if you follow the recipe exactly the all the vegetables will be cooked perfectly. So good.

*Note: this pasta is best served immediately as it tends to get less creamy as it sits at room temperature – so serve warm right as it finishes cooking! (Incidentally, it heated up just fine the next day in the microwave on low power.)
*Serves 4
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 average-sized chicken breasts (about 1 to 1 ½ pounds), cut into chunks
2 red bell peppers, cut into ½-inch pieces
8 ounces white button mushrooms, quartered
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 pound orzo pasta
8 ounces cream cheese, softened (can use 1/3 less fat cream cheese)
1 cup reserved pasta water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
Squeeze of fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the orzo and cook according to package directions until tender. When the orzo is ready, reserve 1 cup of the pasta water (ladling it into a small bowl is my method) and then drain the orzo and set aside.
While the orzo cooks, in a large nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the hot oil and brown on all sides. When nicely browned (but not all the way cooked through), add the peppers, mushrooms and thyme. Stir and let cook for about 5 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the mushrooms and peppers have softened and browned and most of the liquid has evaporated. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
In the skillet over medium heat, add the softened cream cheese (if you forgot to let the cream cheese soften at room temperature, no worries! Pop it in the microwave for one minute on 40% power) in bite sized chunks and stir so that the cream cheese melts and coats the chicken and vegetables. Add the reserved pasta water and bring to a simmer. Add ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Stir. Add the orzo, Parmesan, lemon juice and fresh parsley. Stir to combine and heat through. Garnish with additional Parmesan and parsley.

Chicken Tikka Masala

Found this recipe from this cooking blog. I had no idea that cooking this dish could be so easy! And surprisingly yummy. We give it an 8/10. It has just enough spice for me to love it. If you don't like spicy at all, I would leave out the jalapeno.

Servings: 3
Marinade:

1 cup plain yogurt
1 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 tablespoons minced fresh ginger (I used ground Ginger, 2 tsp)
1 teaspoon salt
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 tablespoon butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper finely chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
1 cup cream
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Combine all marinade ingredients except chicken. Pour sauce over chicken and refrigerate for one hour {I, Angie, marinated it about 10 hours while I was at work}. Grill or cook chicken in frying pan. Discard marinade.

Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic and jalapeno for one minute. Season with cumin, paprika and salt. Stir in tomato sauce and cream. Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. Add grilled chicken and simmer for 10 minutes. Garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve over hot rice.

Blackened Mahi-Mahi Fish Tacos

Today is my first day without feeling the pressure of studying!  Now that may all change by tomorrow when I start my first real day of work on the floor.  But for now, I feel invigorated.  Today, I revamped my exercise routine and am dedicated to the finishing the SELF Challenge (the fitness part).   I also want to visit every free museum in DC by the end of the summer.  Lastly, I am determined to try new kinds of recipes and start a recipe book. So during my workout today I watched the food network for an hour and found 3 new recipes to try this week.

Here is the first.  Eli and I fell in love with blackened fish and chicken when visiting Barbados and then again just a few weeks ago after going to Puerto Rico.  We rated this recipe an 8 out of 10.  Very yummy.  Just realized that this is kind of long, but I promise it is easy.  Don’t get bogged down.

2 pounds fresh fish-I like mahi mahi or red snapper because it is mild (we used about .7 lb for 5-6 small tacos)

1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon cumin powder
½ teaspoon allepo (or cayenne) flakes
¼ teaspoon ancho powder
1/8 teaspoon coriander
¼ teaspoon sharp paprika powder
¼ teaspoon allspice
Salt and black pepper to taste

So I got to the spice isle and found that it would have cost about $15 for the spices I didn’t have.  Instead I found Phillips Blackening Seasoning for $6 and decided to go with that.  It was probably a lot better actually buying all those spices.  

Cut the fish into small fillets or even smaller for more spice.  Dip in spices and either cook in pan with a little butter or bake in the oven.  Just cook until the middle isn’t clear.  It was about 5 minutes in the pan for us. 

Use whatever toppings you want.  I used the following items
black beans and corn, cabbage
Monterey Jack or sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup cilantro, coarsely chopped
10 soft corn tortillas for tacos, or ready-made taco shells

Cafe rio dressing for the sauce (listed below)

Ingredients: MAKE HALF FOR A GROUP OF 4 OR LESS
1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix (mix with 1 cup sour cream and 1 cup mayo - milk makes this too runny)
5 fresh tomatillos
1   7 oz. can salsa verde tomatillo salsa
2 cloves fresh garlic (or more)
2 jalapenos (hotter w/ seeds)
cilantro at least a handful or more
juice from a lime
salt/pepper
chili powder (chipotle if you have it)
Directions:
Mix well in your blender.

You sort of have to play around with this recipe since I got this from a person who watched them make it at Cafe Rio.  If you never have had Cafe Rio.  You are missing out .

This is the fun we had buying the fish at the Fish Market.

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pumpkin bread pudding.

julie provided a meal so i will provide a dessert. which is really my favorite part of eating anyway. bread pudding is one of my absolute favorite desserts of all time. and pumpkin anything is my favorite. period. so when i found this recipe, it was a dream come true and comes courtesy of caroline's bake shop.
and if you just want some really delicious and moist pumpkin bread, this is probably my favorite loaf i have ever had. the good news is that the bread recipe makes two loaves and you only need one for the bread pudding so you will get some scrumptious bread to eat for breakfast in the morning from this process too!

PUMPKIN BREAD.
4 cups flour
1/2 t. nutmeg
4 cups sugar
1 29 oz. can pumpkin
4 t. baking soda
1 cup oil
1 t. salt
1 t. cloves
1 t. cinnamon

mix dry ingredients into a large bowl. stir in pumpkin and oil. beat with wooden spoon (or whisk) until well blended. grease and flour 2 large (same size as the pans for wheat bread) or 3 medium loaf pans. pour in batter and bake in 325° oven for 1 1/4 hours to 1 1/2 hours. put toothpick in center to see if bread is done.

BREAD PUDDING.
even though it is my favorite, i had never made it before so i am going to include lots of pictures so you don't get worried about what yours looks like as i did.

8 large eggs
3 ½ cups milk
2 cups sugar
1 ½ cups whipping cream
1 t. vanilla extract
1 1-lb loaf pumpkin bread

butter a 3 quart baking dish. whisk eggs in large bowl to blend. add milk, sugar, cream, and vanilla. whisk to blend well. stir in bread. pour mixture into prepared baking dish, push down the bread crumbs, making sure they have all been coated by mixture. cover and refrigerate for 1 1/2 hours. cook for 1 hour, 45 minutes, or until it is set – 350 degrees (i had to up the tempurature to 375 degrees for the last 40 minutes). before serving, dribble some cinnamon caramel sauce over the top and serve with freshly whipped cream (we didn't use whipped cream but its probably a good addition...)





CINNAMON CARAMEL SAUCE
1 cup (packed ) golden brown sugar
1 cube butter
½ cup whipping cream
¾ t. cinnamon

stir brown sugar and butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until melted and smooth, about 2 minutes. add cream and cinnamon and bring to simmer. simmer until sauce thickens and is reduced to 1 ½ cups, about 5 minutes. serve warm.