Thursday, September 22, 2011

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili

I got some sweet potatoes in my basket again this week. I was excited to try a new recipe involving them! I got a couple cans of black beans with jalapeños from my mother in law. I decided that these would make a great vegetarian chili. It turned out wonderful and spicy!


Tools:


Large Sauce Pan
Cutting Board
Knife
Spoon


Ingredients:


5 Small Sweet Potatoes, cubed
2 15oz Can Black Beans, whatever kind
4 Ripe Tomatoes, diced
3 Cloves Garlic,  diced
1 Small Onion, diced
1 Tbs Canola Oil
1 Tbs Salt
1 tsp Black Pepper
2 tsp Cayanne Pepper
2 tsp Paprika
2 tsp Oregano
2 tsp Rosemary
2 tsp Chili Powder
2 Bay Leaves
1 C Water
2 Beef Bullion Cubes


Directions:


Peel,diced, and cube all the vegetables. Heat oil in sauce pan on medium high heat. Add the vegetables except the tomatoes, black beans, and all of the seasonings.






Cook for 3 to 4 minutes then add the tomatoes, bullion cups and water. 






Bring to boil and cook for 20 minutes or until potatoes are soft and sauce has thicken some. Then enjoy! 



Monday, September 19, 2011

Vanilla Cupcakes with Espresso Butter Cream Frosting

I was recently watching cupcake wars on the food network. One of the bakers made this cupcake with espresso frosting on it. My husband instantly looked at me and asked "Can you make that?" I got to thinking about it and decided that I would at least try to make a cupcake with my version of the frosting. 


Tools for Cupcakes and Frosting: 


3 Mixing Bowls
Stand Mixer/Hand Mixer
Spatula
Measuring Cups and Spoons
Muffin Tins
Muffin Papers
Piping Bag with ends(optional)


Ingredients for Espresso Butter Cream Frosting:


1/2 C Vegetable Shortening
1/2 C Butter
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
4 C Confectioners Sugar/Powder Sugar
2 Tbs Milk
2 Tbs Instant Coffee


Directions:


Cream together shortening, butter and sugar until smooth. Add the instant coffee, milk, and extract. Whisk together until everything is combined. Put frosting in piping bag and set aside. 


Ingredients for Vanilla Cupcakes:


2 C Cake Flour
1 1/2 C Sugar
3 Tbs Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
4 Egg Whites, whisked until soft peaks form
1/2 Shortening 
1 C Milk
2 Eggs
1 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract


Directions:


Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Separate the egg whites from the 4 yokes. Put egg whites in mixing bowl and whisk until white and foamy that create soft peaks. Set aside. Combine in new mixing bowl the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, shortening, milk and vanilla. Whisk. Add the other 2 eggs one at a time. Whisk until smooth. Then combine the egg whites by folding them into the batter until combined. 


Fill the muffin tins with cupcake liners. Fill with batter 3/4 full of batter. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick  inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 20 minutes before putting the frosting on the cupcakes. You can garnish with a chocolate covered espresso bean if you would like. 



Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Sweet Potato Hash

I got some sweet potatoes in my basket from Bountiful Baskets. I never liked them as a kid but I knew my taste buds have changed for some things that I didn't like when I was a kid to now. Now I still do not like the whole yams in a can with marshmallows on top, but I did come up with a recipe that I do really love. 


Tools: 


Cutting Board
Cast Iron Skillet or Oven Proof Pan
Knife
Spoon


Ingredients:


5 Small Sweet Potatoes, shredded
1 Large Onion, diced
3 Bell Peppers (I used 3 Different colors), diced
1lb Maple Sausage, crumbled and browned
8oz Cheddar, shredded

6 Eggs, scrambled
6 Cloves Garlic, diced
1Tbs Salt
1Tbs Black Pepper
1tsp Cayenne Pepper
1Tbs Crushed Rosemary


Directions:


Pre-Heat oven to 350°F. Dice and shred all the vegetables. Heat skillet and brown the sausage. Then add onion, peppers, and garlic. Cook for 5-10 minutes or until peppers and onions are soft. 



Then add the potatoes and seasonings. Cook until potatoes are soft. Then add the scrambled egg mixture and mix into everything. Cook for 10 minutes then add the cheese and mix. Then place the skillet in the oven for 15 minutes or until eggs are fully cooked through and cheese is melted. 






Enjoy, I sure did!

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Pear and Plum Crumble

So I had a bunch of left over plums and pears that were needing to be used before they went bad. I decided to make a crumble out of them. It was really yummy warm and really great cold. I will be posting the recipe for the crust, pie filing, and the crumble topping.

Tools for all recipes:

Peeler
Cutting Board
Saute Pan
Pie Dish
2 Mixing Bowls
Measuring Cups
Pastry Cutter or 2 Butter Knives
Plastic Wrap

Ingredients for Crust:

1 1/4 C Flour
1/4 C Sugar, for sweet crusts, you can take it out for a savory pie
1/8 tsp Salt
4oz Chilled Butter, diced
4 Tbs Ice Water, may need more depending on how dry the flour is

Directions:

In large mixing bowl add flour, sugar, salt and diced butter. Using a pastry cutter or two butter knives and work in the butter until the mixture resembles cornmeal or the butter is the size of peas. Add the water a tablespoon at a time. Mix and add water until crust is in a dough shape. Knead a couple times then wrap in plastic wrap and chill in refridgerator for 30 minutes.


Roll out and place in pie dish. Set in fridge until ready for pie filling.


Ingredients for Pie Filling:


8 Pears, peeled and sliced
8 Plums, sliced
1/8 C Sugar
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Nutmeg
1 tsp All Spice
1/4 tsp Salt


Directions:


Place all ingredients in saute pan and cook for about 10 minutes. Place in pie shell. Pre-heat oven to 350º F.


Ingredients for Crumble Topping:


1/4 C Oats
1/8 C Sugar
3 Tbs Butter, diced
1 tsp Cinnamon
4 Tbs Diced Pecans


Directions:


Combine all ingredients and place on top of the pie. Bake pie for 30 to 40 minutes or until shell is brown and pie filling is bubbling. 







Enchiladas

I got a bunch of chili's and tomatillo's from Bountiful Basket. I decided to make my own green sauce instead of one from the can. It turned out wonderful and filling.

Tools:

2 Cookie Sheets
Blender or Food Processor
Knife
Cutting Board
Glass Baking Dish
Mixing Bowl

Ingredients:

1lb Boneless/Skinless Chicken Breast
4 Anahiem Chili's
7 to 8 Tomatillos, depending on size
2 Jalapeños
3 Roma Tomatoes
6 Cloves Garlic
1 Large Onion
2 Tbs Canola Oil
1 Bunch Cilantro
1 Tbs Chipotle Powder
1 Tbs Cayanne Pepper
1/2 Tbs Black Pepper
1/2 Tbs Salt
8 Large Tortillas
16 oz Shredded Cheese, any kind that melts well
Red Taco Sauce(Optional)

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 375°F, Place on cookie sheet the chili's, jalapeños, tomatoes, garlic, and onion. Pour the oil over the top and coat all vegtables. Season the vegtables with 1/4 Tbs salt and black pepper. Roast for 30 minutes or until peppers get a dark coloring on the skins. On second cookie sheet place the chicken breasts and cook for 40 minutes or until the chicken juices run clear.

Once vegtables are done let them cool for about 10 minutes. Once cooled then cut open the peppers and deseed them. Peel garlic and onions and place them in the food processor with the peppers and tomatoes. Peel and wash the tomatillos and place in food processor. Blend and use canola oil from roasting the vegtables in the sauce. Add the rest of the seasonings and the cilantro then blend until smooth.


Once chicken is done and cooled down, shred. Take the tortillas and place some of the chicken on it, then the cheese, then the red sauce.


Then roll them up. Place some of the sauce in the bottom of glass pan. Place the enchiladas in the glass dish until full.



Pour the rest of the sauce over the top. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top and top with the red sauce.


Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling.

Banana Pancakes

I had gotten a bunch of bananas from Bountiful Baskets and we just couldn't eat them all before they went bad. I made banana muffins which I just posted the recipe to. I also made banana pancakes. My husband was really skeptical about banana pancakes but now they are his favorite and I have already been requested to make them again.

Tools:

Mixing Bowl
Griddle
Whisk
Potato Masher
Measuring Cups

Ingredients:

1/2 C Flour
1/2 C Wheat Flour
1 Tbs Sugar
2 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Salt
1 Egg
1 C Milk
2 Tbs Canola Oil
2 to 3 Ripe Bananas

Directions:

Combine all dry ingredients and mix until combined. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk until smooth and no lumps.


Heat the griddle to medium heat and oil it. Measure a 1/4 C of the mixture and pour onto griddle. Cook on one side until it bubbles on the sides then flip and cook for 2 minutes or until cooked through.


Then Enjoy! I put nutella on mine, its really yummy.


Monday, September 5, 2011

Banana Muffins

My husband and son both love banana muffins but do not like nuts in the mix. All the muffin mixes that I have found in stores have some kind of nuts in them, so I decided with a bunch of left over banana's I would make homemade banana muffins. They turned out better than I thought they would! 

Tools:



Mixing bowl
Potato Masher
Whisk
Measuring Cups
Muffin Tins



Ingredients:



1 C Flour
1/2 C Wheat Flour
1 C Quick Cooking Oats
2 tsp Baking Powder
1tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
1 Egg
1 C Bananas, mashed
3/4 C Milk
1/3 C Canola Oil
1/2 C Sugar
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract



Directions:



Pre-heat oven to 400­°F. Combine all dry ingredients and mix. 





Then combine the wet ingredients with dry. Whisk until smooth and all flour is combined. 


Either butter the muffin tins or use the papers. Fill to the top and bake for 20 minutes or until baked completely through.


Then let cool for about 20 minutes and enjoy!