1 Ekim 2012 Pazartesi

My favorite salad ever: Avocado & Orange Salad

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When I made my favorite salad the other night for the 1,000th time it dawned on me that I have never put this recipe on the blog! I kind of couldn't believe it because I've shared over 300 recipes yet this is one of my most favorite things to eat of all time. The recipe is my Mom's and she made it all the time when I was growing up. I really can't get enough of this salad, with big chunks of creamy avocado, the pop of citrus from the Mandarin oranges, and the crunch of baked almonds and fresh green onions. A basic vinaigrette finishes off this salad. Make this for yourself and the people you love immediately. You will be so happy you did!
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Avocado & Orange Salad
From My Momma
Printable Version
Ingredients
1 head of lettuce
1 sliced avocado
1 small can of mandarin oranges, drained
1 bunch of green onions, chopped
1 small package of slivered almonds, baked at 400 degrees for 6 minutes
For the dressing:
1/4 cup oil (olive or vegetable)
3 tablespoons vinegar
1/8 teaspoon salt
Dash of fresh ground pepper
2 tablespoons sugar


Directions
Whisk ingredients for dressing and toss with all other ingredients just before serving. Use dressing sparingly!
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Corn with Bacon and Green Onions

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I haven't been blogging lately because on June 20th I gave birth to our beautiful daughter. She is the light of my life and I have been busy learning the ropes of Mommyhood. For my first recipe after baby I chose something ultra quick and easy because that's the kind of cooking I've been doing lately. This Corn dish is a great side to any meal and can be made in a matter of minutes. I made it for a group dinner and it was so popular that by the time I got up to the food it was gone! I guess that's a good sign when you don't even get to try your own dish, right? 
Corn with Bacon and Green OnionsPrintable VersionIngredients1 can corn, drained3 strips of bacon, chopped3 green onions, choppedSalt and pepper to taste*I also used Julio's seasoning to kick it up a notchDirectionsFry bacon in a pan until crispy. Take the bacon out of the pan and allow to cool on a paper towel. Pour drained corn into a serving bowl and add a tablespoon of the bacon grease. Add in chopped bacon and season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped green onions and serve immediately. 

Snickerdoodle Muffins

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Snickerdoodles are my favorite cookies so when I saw this recipe for Snickerdoodle Muffins I was really excited to try them. They taste JUST like the cookies, but in muffin form, making them the best muffins I've ever made! Not the healthiest or most diet friendly, but they are so yummy! Cinnamon sugar coating on top of these soft fluffy muffin bottoms made these little babies disappear in a flash when I brought them into hubby's office for his co-workers. They will be a huge hit when you make them too!
Snickerdoodle Muffins
From Sweat Pea's Kitchen
Printable Version
Makes 16 muffins
Ingredients
2 1/4 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup sour cream (greek yogurt would also work)
1/4 cup buttermilk


For the topping
2/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin cups with muffin paper (do not use cooking spray). In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cream of tarter, nutmeg and salt and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Beat in half of dry ingredients then add in sour cream and buttermilk. Beat in the remaining dry ingredients until just incorporated (batter will be soft). To make the topping combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Using an ice cream or large cookie scooper drop the scoop of batter into the bowl with sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle the dough with the mixture and roll it around until it is covered completely. 
Place the ball into the muffin paper and repeat with remaining batter. Sprinkle the leftover cinnamon and sugar on the top of the batter. 
Bake until the muffin tops are golden brown, 18-22 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Set on wire rack to cool at least 5 minutes. 

Easy Shredded Crock Pot Chicken

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Here is a wonderfully easy and super yummy chicken recipe for the crock pot. Most likely you have almost all of these ingredients already in your kitchen too! I served this over rice but it would also be good on buns. It was great warmed up as leftovers the next day too!
Easy Shredded Crock Pot Chicken
From Fake Ginger
Printable Version


Ingredients
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon ginger (I used fresh but ground would work too!)
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup apple juice
1/4 cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup soy sauce
Directions
Place chicken into the bottom of a crockpot. Cover with all the other ingredients. Cook on low for 6 - 8 hours then remove and shred chicken or cut into chunks.
Return to crockpot and stir to combine and warm through. Serve over rice. 

Coconut Flour Brownie Cake (Gluten Free)

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I bought a packet of coconut flour to make low carb pancakes and then wasn't sure what do to with the rest of it, so I searched for recipes that used coconut flour. I am so happy I came across this one. A rich chocolate cake with the flavor of coconut makes this a decadent dessert. It was a tad dry and so I added a dollop of cool whip but regular whipped cream or even a scoop of vanilla ice cream would be delicious on top. 
Coconut Flour Brownie Cake
From The Nourishing Home
Printable Version
Ingredients
1 cup coconut flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup chocolate chips
3 eggs
3/4 cup maple syrup 
1 cup warm filtered water
1 tablespoon vanilla
Optional: Additional chocolate chips to sprinkle on top

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9X9 inch baking dish with coconut oil. In a small bowl combine the coconut flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. Cut the butter into chunks then place the butter and coconut oil into a small saucepan and melt over medium head. Add the cocoa powder and chocolate chips; stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is well combined. Set aside to cool. 
In a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer add the eggs, maple syrup, warm water, and vanilla. Whisk together until well combined. Then whisk in the cooled chocolate-butter mixture. Next slowly add in the dry ingredients to the wet while whisking vigorously. Continue whisking until no lumps remain. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle the top with an additional 1/4 cup chocolate chips. (I also sprinkled a little more sea salt on top) 
Bake for approximately 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely in the baking dish. When ready to serve, slice and top with a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. 

30 Eylül 2012 Pazar

$50 Tiny Prints Gift Card GIVEAWAY!

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Hey all! I am SO excited to be hosting this giveaway from Tiny Prints! Right now they are featuring *THE* cutest back-to school line! Click here to check it out!

 

 

Below are a few of my favorite products for Back-to-School:

 

Teacher Stationary

Paper Notebooks

Lunch Box Notes

Allergy Alert Cards

 

And now for the GIVEAWAY!!!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
DISCLAIMER: This is a sponsored post and giveaway from Tiny Prints in which this blog is receiving compensation for.

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Strawberry Cream Cake

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So yesterday was my birthday…you know, the day where you get to pretty much do and eat whatever you want :) . I started off the day with Eggs Benedict and finished it with pizza and cake. To help celebrate my birthday I want to share with you a super yummy Strawberry Cream Cake. Tender yellow cake, fresh strawberries and strawberry filling, and cream cheese whipped cream…yep this cake is pretty much awesome.

Cook’s Note:

If you use a cake pan for this recipe and not a springform pan, make sure the sides are at least 2 inches high. Make sure you chill the finished cake for the full 3 hours before serving; this will ensure that all the layers set and are less prone to shift when cutting.

Strawberry Cream Cake

Ingredients:

 For the Cake: 

1 1/4 cups cake flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon table salt

1 cup sugar

5 large eggs (2 whole and 3 separated), room temperature

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

2 tablespoons water

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

 For the Strawberry Filling:  

2 pounds fresh strawberries (about 2 quarts), washed, dried, and stemmed

4 – 6 tablespoons sugar

pinch table salt

 For the Whipped Cream:  

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon table salt

2 cups heavy cream

 

Instructions:

 For the Cake:

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour round 9 by 2-inch cake pan or 9-inch springform pan and line with parchment paper. Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and all but 3 tablespoons sugar in mixing bowl. Whisk in 2 whole eggs and 3 yolks (reserving whites), butter, water, and vanilla; whisk until smooth.

In clean bowl of standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat remaining 3 egg whites at medium-low speed until frothy, 1 to 2 minutes. With machine running, gradually add remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, increase speed to medium-high, and beat until soft peaks form, 60 to 90 seconds. Stir one-third of whites into batter to lighten; add remaining whites and gently fold into batter until no white streaks remain. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until toothpick or wooden skewer inserted into center of cake comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then invert cake onto greased wire rack; peel off and discard parchment. Invert cake again; cool completely, about 2 hours.

 For the Strawberry Filling:

Halve 24 of best-looking berries and reserve. Quarter remaining berries; toss with 4 to 6 tablespoons sugar (depending on sweetness of berries) in medium bowl and let sit 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Strain juices from berries and reserve (you should have about 1/2 cup). In workbowl of food processor fitted with metal blade, give macerated berries five 1-second pulses (you should have about 1 1/2 cups). In small saucepan over medium-high heat, simmer reserved juices until syrupy and reduced to about 3 tablespoons, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour reduced syrup over macerated berries, add pinch of salt, and toss to combine. Set aside until cake is cooled.

 For the Whipped Cream:

When cake has cooled, place cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and salt in bowl of standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Whisk at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping down bowl with rubber spatula as needed. Reduce speed to low and add heavy cream in slow, steady stream; when almost fully combined, increase speed to medium-high and beat until mixture holds stiff peaks, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes more, scraping bowl as needed (you should have about 4 1/2 cups).

  To Assemble:

Using large serrated knife, slice cake into three even layers. Place bottom layer on cardboard round or cake plate and arrange ring of 20 strawberry halves, cut sides down and stem ends facing out, around perimeter of cake layer. Pour one half of pureed berry mixture (about 3/4 cup) in center, then spread to cover any exposed cake. Gently spread about one-third of whipped cream (about 1 1/2 cups) over berry layer, leaving 1/2-inch border from edge. Place middle cake layer on top and press down gently (whipped cream layer should become flush with cake edge). Repeat with 20 additional strawberry halves, remaining berry mixture, and half of remaining whipped cream; gently press last cake layer on top. Spread remaining whipped cream over top; decorate with remaining cut strawberries. Chill for 3 hours before serving.

Serves 8-10

Source: slightly adapted from Cook’s Illustrated, May 2006

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