52 Weeks of Cooking- Week *Whatever*

Have I really not updated in this long?!?!?!?!? I can't even remember what I've cooked. I did miss 1 or 2 weeks, due to being away on vacation. I'll have to go back and check my pictures on my camera that I haven't uploaded.

Anyways, I just wanted to write a post.

I just spent 3 and a half hours cooking 2 different chicken dishes. Recipes to come hopefully tomorrow.

52 Weeks of Cooking- Week 18 *extra*

So I was going to make this for my dinner yesterday, but the cake gave me so much trouble, I decided to wait until tonight.

So this is what's in the oven right now!

Salsa Chicken Rice Casserole

2/3 cup uncooked white rice

1-1/3 cups water

2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1 cup shredded Montery Jack cheese

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1/2 can condensed cream of chicken soup

1/2 can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 onion, chopped

3/4 cup salsa

-Place rice and water in saucepan and bring to boil. Reduce to low, cover and simmer 20 minutes

-Meanwhile., place chicken in large saucepan and fill with water. Bring to boil, cook 20 minutes or till done. Remove from water. When cool to touch, cut into bite sized pieces. (I felt it was easier to cut the chicken first. My chicken cooked faster).

-Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease 9 by 13 baking dish.

-Combine cheeses. In seperate bowl, mix soups, onion and salsa. Layer 1/2 rice, 1/2 chicken, 1/2 soup mix and 1/2 cheese. Repeat, ending with cheese.

-Bake for 40 minutes or till bubbly.

52 Weeks of Cooking- Week 18 *for reals*

So a few days ago, my friend Zach asked me when I was going to make the fake KFC cake.

Umm...a month ago? I guess he missed it lol.

So I let him pick out the recipe for this week.

It's really long and I don't know what this is going to look like, so let me give you the link: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6504932

Devil's Food White-Out Cake

makes 12 servings

For the cake

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 sticks (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled
1/2 cup buttermilk or whole milk, at room temperature
1/2 cup boiling water
4 ounces semisweet or milk chocolate, finely chopped, or 2/3 cup store-bought mini chocolate chips

For the filling and frosting

1/2 cup egg whites (about 4 large)
1 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup water
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 8-x-2-inch round cake pans, dust the insides with flour, tap out the excess and line the bottoms with parchment or wax paper. Put the pans on a baking sheet.

TO MAKE THE CAKE:

Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy. Add the sugars and continue to beat for another 3 minutes. Add the eggs one by one, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Beat in the vanilla; don't be concerned if the mixture looks curdled. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the melted chocolate. When it is fully incorporated, add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk, adding the dry ingredients in 3 additions and the milk in 2 (begin and end with the dry ingredients); scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed and mix only until the ingredients disappear into the batter. At this point, the batter will be thick, like frosting. Still working on low speed, mix in the boiling water, which will thin the batter considerably. Switch to a rubber spatula, scrape down the bowl and stir in the chopped chocolate. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and smooth the tops with the rubber spatula.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, rotating the pans at the midway point. When fully baked, the cakes will be springy to the touch and a thin knife inserted into the centers will come out clean. Don't worry if the tops have a few small cracks. Transfer the cake pans to a rack and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes, unmold them and peel off the paper liners. Invert and cool to room temperature right side up. (The cooled cake layers can be wrapped airtight and stored at room temperature overnight or frozen for up to 2 months.)

When you are ready to fill and frost the cake, inspect the layers. If the cakes have crowned, use a long serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion to even them. With the same knife, slice each layer horizontally in half. Set 3 layers aside and crumble the fourth layer; set the crumbs aside.

TO MAKE THE FILLING AND FROSTING:

Put the egg whites in a clean, dry mixer bowl or in another large bowl. Have a candy thermometer at hand.

Put the sugar, cream of tartar and water in a small saucepan and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, cover the pan and boil for 3 minutes. Uncover and allow the syrup to boil until it reaches 242 degrees F on the candy thermometer. While the syrup is cooking, start beating the egg whites.

When the syrup is at about 235 degrees F, begin beating the egg whites on medium speed with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer. If the whites form firm, shiny peaks before the syrup reaches temperature, reduce the mixer speed to low and keep mixing the whites until the syrup catches up. With the mixer at medium speed, and standing back slightly, carefully pour in the hot syrup, pouring it between the beater(s) and the side of the bowl. Splatters are inevitable -- don't try to scrape them into the whites, just carry on. Add the vanilla extract and keep beating the whites at medium speed until they reach room temperature, about 5 minutes. You should have a smooth, shiny, marshmallowy frosting. Although you could keep it in the fridge in a pinch, it's really better to use it right now.

TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE:

Put a bottom layer cut side up on a cardboard cake round or on a cake plate protected by strips of wax or parchment paper. Using a long metal icing spatula, cover the layer generously with frosting. Top with a second layer, cut side up, and frost it. Finish with the third layer, cut side down, and frost the sides and top of the cake. Don't worry about smoothing the frosting -- it should be swirly. Now, cover the entire cake with the chocolate cake crumbs, gently pressing the crumbs into the filling with your fingers.

Refrigerate the cake for about 1 hour before serving. (If it's more convenient, you can chill the cake for 8 hours or more; cover it loosely and keep it away from foods with strong odors.)

SERVING:

I think the cake is best at room temperature or just cool, but many people prefer it cold (the texture of the cake becomes fudgier after it has been refrigerated). No matter the temperature, the cake is so pretty it should be cut at the table, so bring it out on a platter and cut it into generous wedges using a serrated knife and a sawing motion.

STORING:

The frosted cake can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days; let it stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving, or longer if you have the time.

Very good! I was kinda worried, because I had to do the syrup part twice. I burned the sugar the first time around. And I think I just made Cool-Whip.

But everyone loved it, so that's the important thing.

52 Weeks of Cooking- Week 18 *random*

So the other day, my manager looked at me and said: "What do you think a chocolate chip cookie would taste like without the chocolate chips?"

So of course I had to try it.

I found a real simple recipe and it turned out really good. Seriously.

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Cream together the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth.

Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add baking soda and salt. Stir in flour.

Drop by large spoonfuls onto ungreased pans.

Bake for about 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are nicely browned.

"No matter what happens in the kitchen, never apologize."

(Title is a quote by Julia Child from in Fitch, Appetite for Life, p. 142).

Today's blog entry is not about anything I have made.

Although I still have to update on my latest cooking adventures. Pictures to be added.

But, first I would like to write about what I just spent the last 2 hours (or just about) of my life doing.

I watched Julie and Julia, starring the wonderful Meryl Streep and Amy Adams.

Much like Julie (Powell that is), I am embarking on a quest. While I do not in any way hope to match Julie's cooking (either "cooking my way" through a book or making over 500 recipes in 365 days), her and I share some of the same traits. At least according to the movie, that is.

Her and I are both writers. I have a blog and so does she. I have no clue if I have any readers at all and neither did she, at least at the beginning of her year.

We both have a love of cooking. There is a certain science to cooking.

If I may quote the movie:

"(telling her husband, Eric, what she loves about cooking) "Chocolate cream pie! You know what I love about cooking? I love that after a day when nothing is sure and when I say nothing, I mean nothing. You can come home and absolutely know that if you add egg yolks to chocolate and sugar and milk, it will get thick. That's such a comfort."

Egg yolks plus chocolate plus sugar plus milk equals a pudding. Pretty much anyways.

Yummy fantastic pudding.

I feel lost, at times. I am a few months into the 23rd year of my life. During her project, Julie Powell turned 30.

I am scared of turning 30. Less than 7 years to go.

I have so many things I want to accomplish before I turn "old". Before I have to grow up, have a real career, eventually have a family.

I would like to travel, see the world.

True, I could do these things after I have a family. But I would like to do these things alone. To know that I can.

I would like to give you some background information, if I may.

The title of my blog is "College Cooking". I am not going to college, right now.

I graduated high school in the spring of 2005. I went to college for 2.5 years, studying zoology and environmental science. My dream is to become a zookeeper, hopefully taking care of penguins.

I became lost. Much like Julie Powell.

I am in a dead end job. Slowly saving up money, trying to make my place in this world seem like it's worth something.

The other day I requested information from a culinary school, near where I live. Maybe I'll go there, maybe I won't. Who knows?

What I do know is that I love cooking. And even though I have only been doing this for just over a dozen weeks, I no longer feel lost.

I feel like I have a place in this world.

And that my friends, my dear readers, whoever/where ever you may be, is as a cook.

52 Weeks of Cooking- Week 17

It's time for another week of cooking!

I've been wanting some stuffed mushrooms for awhile, so I decided to make that for this week.

Stuffed Mushroom Caps

10 oz pkg. frozen, chopped spinach

1 envelope dry onion soup mix (I couldn't find this at all! So I replaced it with a bit of onion powder)

1 cup sour cream

1 clove crushed garlic (I added 2 cloves)

2 lbs. lg. fresh mushrooms


Thaw spinach, press out liquid.

Mix with onion soup, sour cream, and garlic.

Wash mushrooms. Remove the stems and discard.

Grease baking sheet. Fill mushrooms and chill (I didn't chill, didn't think it made a difference).

Heat 12 minutes at 350 degrees.

It was alright. There's not a lot of layers of flavor in this recipe, so it could obviously be improved. I have another stuffed mushroom recipe which I believe will be better. I will have to try that another time.

52 Weeks of Cooking- Week 16 Part 2

I just felt like making something to bring into work tomorrow and I just happened to have all of these ingredients already. Super easy.

Wacky Cake

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon vinegar

5 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup cold water

Preparation:
In a large mixing bowl, mix flour, sugar, cocoa, soda and salt. Make three

wells in the flour mixture. In one put vanilla; in another the vinegar, and in

the third the oil. Pour the cold water over the mixture and stir until

moistened. Pour into 8 x 8-inch pan. Bake at 350°F. oven for 25 to 30

minutes, or until it springs back when touched lightly.

52 Weeks of Cooking- Week 16

Hello again! I'm actually posting on time for a change!

Anyhow, today is my day off, so I am posting what I am making for lunch, from Alton Brown.

40 Cloves and a Chicken (Although I am halfing it and making 20 Cloves and a Chicken)

Ingredients

1 whole chicken (broiler/fryer) cut into 8 pieces

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil

10 sprigs fresh thyme

40 peeled cloves garlic

Salt and pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Toss with a 2 tablespoons olive oil and brown on both sides in a wide fry pan or skillet over high heat. Remove from heat, add oil, thyme, and garlic cloves. Cover and bake for 1 1/2 hours.

Remove chicken from the oven, let rest for 5 to 10 minutes, carve, and serve.

52 Weeks of Cooking- Week 15

Ranch Beef Skillet Supper

1 pound ground beef

1 box seasoned rice and black beans

2 ½ cups water

1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with green chilies (I used a diced tomato/garlic mix thing in same size can)

1 box (10 oz) frozen corn kernels ( i did not use this because I hate corn)

½ cup packed cilantro (decided not to use this)

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese


Cook beef in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, breaking up clumps of meat with spoon till no longer pink. Drain grease and add back to pan.

Stir in water, rice and beans, tomatoes and corn. Bring to boil, reduce heat.

Cover and simmer about 20 minutes or till water is absorbed.

Meanwhile, chop cilantro. Sprinkle on servings along with cheese.

52 Weeks of Cooking- Week 14

Funnel Cake

1 cup water

¾ stick butter

1 tablespoon sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup flour

4 lg. eggs (white and yolks)

2 egg whites

Vegetable oil for frying

Powdered sugar

Boil water, butter, sugar and salt in saucepan. Add flour and work till incorporated and dough forms a ball. Transfer to bowl and let sit to cool for about 5 minutes.

Add eggs, 1 at a time, and mix in.

When dough is mixed, move to ziploc bag with small hole cut in it (or piping bag with a number 12 tip). (What I did was I just spooned it in the oil).

Heat 1 ½ inches of oil in heavy pan. Pipe dough in oil, making a lattice pattern. Cook till brown, flipping once. Remove, drain on paper towels and dust with powered sugar.

52 Weeks of Cooking- Week 13

Twice Baked Potatoes

4 lg. baking potatoes

¼ cup milk

Salt to taste

½ tablespoon butter

1 ¼ cups shredded cheddar cheese


Preheat oven to 350.

Clean and scrub baking potatoes. Pierce with fork. Bake at 350 for 1 hour or till potatoes are soft.

Let potatoes cool slightly. Cut baked potatoes in half and scoop out pulp within ¼ inch of shell edge.

Mash pulp with milk, salt and butter. Stuff shells with mashed pulp mixture.

Sprinkle tops with cheese.

Place potato on baking sheet and bake at 350 for 15 minutes or till cheese is bubbly.

52 Weeks of Cooking – Week 12

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

1 pkg. German Chocolate Cake Mix

1 sm pkg. instant chocolate pudding

½ cup warm water

½ cup vegetable oil

½ pint (1 cup) sour cream

4 eggs

1 and ½ cups chocolate chips


Mix all ingredients together very well.

Gently stir in the chips.

Pour into greased Bundt pan.

Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Let cool down to room temp. or below before removing from pan.

If frosting is desired, pour good and thick chocolate syrup on top.

52 Weeks of Cooking - Week 11 Part 3

Black and White Cupcakes – Preheat oven to 350.

Vanilla Batter:

1 ½ cups self-rising flour

1 ¼ cups AP flour

1 cup butter, soft

2 cups sugar

4 lg. eggs

1 cup milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Line two 12 muffin cup pans with liners or spray with pam

Mix flours together in bowl. Set aside.

Cream butter till smooth. Add sugar and beat till fluffy

Add eggs, beating after each one.

Add flour in 3 parts, mixing in between each one.

Add milk and vanilla.

Fill ¾ full and bake 20-25 minutes.



Chocolate Batter:


2 cups AP flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 cup butter

1 cup white sugar

1 cup firm brown sugar

4 lg. eggs

6 ox unsweet chocolate, melted and cooled to room temp.

1 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla


Line two 12 muffin cup pans with liners.

Sift flour and baking soda.

Cream butter till smooth. Add sugars and beat till fluffy.

Add eggs beating after each one.

Mix in chocolate.

Add flour mixture in 3 parts.

Add vanilla and buttermilk.

Fill ¾ full and bake 20-25 minutes.

For the cupcakes that are half and half, what I did was I made the recipes exactly as above. I made some cupcakes normal and for the ones that are half and half, I spooned part of the batter on one side and filled the cup up the rest of way with the other.

52 Weeks of Cooking- Week 11 Part 2

Ok, so in addition to the Impossible Peanut Butter Cookies, for Emily’s party I also made the Multiple Choice Bars (2 entries back), Kool-Aid Cookies and Black and White Cupcakes.

Onto the cookies!

Ingredients

1 package any flavor Kool-Aid cookies (make sure to not get the kind with sugar already added) (I used Lemonade)

1 and 2/3 cup sugar

1 and ¼ cups soft butter (2 ½ sticks)

2 lg eggs, beaten

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

3 cups AP flour

½ cup white sugar, set aside

Directions

Mix Kool-Aid with 1 and 2/3 cup sugar

Add butter and mix till fluffy

Add eggs and mix well

Mix in salt and baking soda. Mix sure it’s well incorporated.

Add flour in ½ cup increments, mixing in after each one.

Spray cookie sheets with Pam (or use parchment paper).

Roll dough with your hands, about 2 teaspoons of batter.

Roll balls in set aside sugar and place on sheets.

Bake at 325 for 10-12 minutes or till slightly golden brown.

Let cool about 1 minute on pan, and then remove to wire racks.

52 Weeks of Cooking- Week Eleven Part One

With chocolate chips, for the party.

Without, the practice batch.

So this weekend (tomorrow actually!) is my best friends birthday. She is having a party Saturday. We were talking and she was asking me how my cooking challenge is going {great, thanks for asking =) } and she asked if I wouldn't mind making a few things for her party.

EEP! Talk about my first real challenge. I mean, it's one thing to make food for my co-workers or just myself. They don't have to eat it and I'm not really cooking to please them. I just happen to share it with them.

But this is a party... for a bunch of my friends. Who if they don't like this, then they won't have any desserts to eat (she might buy a cake though, I'm not sure).

Did I mention the eep!

So I'm trying out a new recipe I have been really wanting to make, but haven't gotten around to it. I figured I should try this out before the party.

And let me tell you, it's a good thing I tried this out before hand because I just put in my last pan and I only got...12 cookies. And they're not huge cookies either. Normal size cookies.

I'll have to at least double, if not triple the recipe for the party...

Impossible Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients

* 1 cup peanut butter (your choice, smooth or chunky- I used smooth)

* 1 cup granulated sugar

* 1 large egg

* sugar, for rolling (optional)

Directions

1. Mix together until smooth.

2. Drop by teaspoon onto cookie sheet two inches apart. If desired, roll in extra sugar before placing on cookie sheet.

3.Press with fork and press again in opposite direction.

4.Bake 10-12 minutes at 350°.

5.Do not brown, do not over bake.

52 Weeks of Cooking- Week Ten

Like last week, this week's recipe was decided by one of my co-workers.

Multiple Choice Bar Cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter

1 can sweetened condensed milk

Column A (1 1/2 cups of...)

Grahmn Cracker Crumbs

Chocolate Wafer Crumbs

Animal Cracker Crumbs

Sugar Cookie Crumbs

Column B (2 cups of...)

Chocolate Chips

Butterscotch Chips

Peanut Butter Chips

Raisins (regular or golden)

M & Ms (without peanuts)

Column C (2 cups of...)

Flaked coconut (equal to 5oz)

Rice Krispies
Mini Marshmallows

Frosted cornflake crumbs

Column D (1 cup of...)

Chopped walnuts

Chopped pecans

Chopped peanuts

Chopped cashews

DIRECTIONS:

1.) Melt butter and pour into a 9 by 13 inch pan. Tilt to coat bottom.

2.) Evenly sprinkle one item from column A along bottom.

3.) Drizzle milk.

4.) Sprinkle one item from Column B.

5.) Sprinkle one item from Column C.

6.) Sprinkle one item from Column D.

7.) Press everything down with hands.

8.) Bake for 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven, with the rack in the middle position.

*There are over 400 possible choices*

*Zack choose the following: Chocolate graham cracker crumbs, M&Ms, chocolate chips, and chopped peanuts. Yes, that means 2 things from Column B and nothing from Column C. We didn't think anything from Column C would taste very good in this recipe.*

52 Weeks of Cooking- Week Nine

This week, I gave the choosing part to my manager at work, Holly. She's a very picky eater and I like baking things that other people will eat.

She hasn't like some of the things that I've brought in before (although she loved the cake from last week!) so I brought in my recipe binders and told her to pick.

So this week's recipe is...Despiration Cookies

2 cups melted butter

3 cups white sugar

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

4 teaspoons vanilla

4 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons salt

4 beaten eggs

5 cups flour

3 cups chips (the chocolate/butterscotch etc kind!) [She choose white chocolate] {Any combo of chips is okay}

4 cups chopped nuts (Use any kind of nuts you want. But if you don't have eactly 4 cups, fill with crushed cornflakes or Rice Krispies) (I'm using 2 cups cashews and 2 cups Rice Krispies)

Melt butter. Mix in both sugars. Add vanilla, baking soda, salt and mix. Add eggs and stir. Add 1/2 flour, chips, and nuts. Stir. Add remaining flour and mix.

Drop by teaspoons on greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Let cool for 2 minutes and then remove to wire rack to finish cooling.

52 Weeks of Cooking- Week Eight

It's my birthday weekend!

This Sunday I will be turning the big 23. And like the wild adult I am, I will be staying in to bake my own birthday cake.

I'm so crazy.

Since I have things going on tonight (Whoo! Party!), I figured while I was just sitting her, I would write the post early and then just edit it when I make the cake sometime Sunday.

By the way, I got this recipe from allrecipes.com. They also have a video to go along with it.

Ingredients

1 package (2-layer size) white cake mix

1 pkg. (4 serving size) JELL-O Brand Strawberry Flavor Gelatin

2/3 cup BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream

2/3 cup powdered sugar

1 (8 ounce) tub COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed

1 1/2 cups sliced strawberries

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 8- or 9-inch round cake pans; set aside.

Prepare cake batter as directed on package. Pour half of the batter into medium bowl. Add dry gelatin mix; stir until well blended. Spoon half of the white batter and half of the pink batter, side-by-side, into each prepared pan. Swirl batters together using a teaspoon.

Bake 30 min. Cool 30 min. in pans. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.

Mix sour cream and powdered sugar in medium bowl until well blended.

Gently stir in whipped topping. Place one of the cake layers on serving plate; spread top with 1 cup of the whipped topping mixture.

Top with 1 cup of the strawberries and remaining cake layer.

Spread top and side of cake with remaining whipped topping mixture. Top with remaining 1/2 cup strawberries just before serving.

Store any leftover cake in refrigerator

If you would like to view the video, here is the link.

http://allrecipes.com/HowTo/Strawberry-Swirl-Cake-Video/Detail.aspx

52 Weeks of Cooking-Week Eight? Week Seven and a Half? Week Seven Bonus?

Ok, so if you've followed my blog (or if you've gone through some past posts on here), you will know that I work at Arby's.

I have quite a few regular customers come through and I've gotten to know them really well. I know their orders, they know who I am, and we share about our days when we don't see each other.

Well, there is this group of guys who come in pretty much every day, Monday through Friday. They all work together and they all stop and get breakfast at Arbys.

Ever since taking on this year long challenge I have been sharing the food with these guys. And it's really great to get some feedback from someone right then and there.

Well, tomorrow is my day off and I just so happened to find a recipe for chocolate chip waffles the other day while searching for the perfect birthday cake recipe. I love waffles. I would pick waffles over pancakes any day. I was thinking about making them tomorrow, since I happened to have all the ingredients on hand.

I mentioned this to the guys and their eyes got so big! I couldn't break their hearts.

So I guess I'm making waffles tomorrow and bringing them in on Friday...

WOW this post is long and I'm just now getting to the recipe!

Chocolate Chip Waffles

INGREDIENTS

2 cups flour

1 cup chocolate chips

2 teaspoons sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 and 2/3 cup milk

1/3 cup butter

2 eggs

DIRECTIONS

Preheat your waffle maker

In a large bowl, combine flour, chocolate chips, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.

Add milk, butter, eggs. Mix till moistened. Some lumps may remain.

Add 1 cup batter to the area where you cook the waffle. Set a timer for 3 minutes and 45 seconds and cook.

Enjoy!

Oh and this recipe will have me at 5 desserts and 3 non-desserts. I am going to try to have just about an equal amount of both by the end of the year.

(I counted this one as a non. Even though it has chocolate in it.)

52 Weeks of Cooking-Week Seven (Early Posting)

Tomorrow is my day off.

For this week, I'm making Mexican Dish.

But I have to post this tonight instead of tomorrow because I have to do some prep work first.

Too bad I don't have any margaritas :(

You'll need:

- 1 or 2 lbs of boneless chicken

- 1 bunch of cilantro

- 6 limes

-2 cans of kidney or black beans (I'm doing 2 cans kidney, 1 can black)

- 8 corn tortillas

- Lots of cheese (depends on how much you like cheese)

- Lots of salsa (again, depends on how much you like it)

- Salt, Pepper, Paprika, Chili Powder, Crushed red pepper, and olive oil

Now for the directions...

1. Cut the chicken into random chunks and place in a shallow dish.

2. Squeeze all your limes over the chicken and add a little more than half of some chopped up cilantro over top of the chicken as well.

3. Cover the chicken and put it in the fridge overnight.

4. When you're ready to really start making the meal, put the chicken dish in a 350* oven for around 25 minutes or until it's not pink anymore.

5. While the chicken is cooking, open up the cans of beans and put them in a pot over medium/low heat. Add in some garlic to make them extra yummy.

6. While the chicken and beans are cooking, get the tortillas and chop them up into little strips. Pour some olive oil over the pieces and sprinkle them with salt and pepper, paprika, chili powder, and ground red pepper. Toss them all together making sure you have both sides covered in the spicy goodness. Put them on a baking sheet and throw them in the oven for about 10 mins till they get crispy.

7. By this time, the chicken should be done so get that out of the oven and start pulling it apart with forks so it's basically shredded chicken. (And it should pull apart easily because of all the lime it was soaking in).

8. Now, we layer. Spread 1/2 beans on bottom (feel free to mash the beans if you want), spread 1/2 jar of salsa next, then chicken, then cheese then cilantro and then repeat. Then you'll end with the tortilla shreds, a little more cheese, and the rest of that cilantro from earlier.

9. Put it in the oven for about 15-20 minutes.

10. Serve with sour cream and/or guacamole and enjoy!!

52 Weeks of Cooking-Week Six

After Baking the first half

Cutting into the slices

Finished baking 2nd half

(this is the other pan, I cut them differently)

For this weeks cooking adventure, I was having trouble deciding between Chocolate Chip Shortbread and Chocolate Chip Biscotti.

Of course, chocolate had to be in this recipe.

Eventually the biscotti won out because I've made countless number of cookies and while biscotti is still a cookie, it's something different I haven't done yet.

Chocolate Chip Biscotti

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

1 and 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheet pans with parchment paper and set aside

-Whisk flour, baking powder and cinnamon together.

-Melt butter. Whisk in brown sugar and white sugar. Add eggs, 1 at a time. Mix after each one until well blended.

-Stir in flour mixture and fold in chocolate chips.

-Divide dough in half and shape into long slender loaves on each pan. Smooth top and bake 20-25 minutes.

-Allow to cool for 15-20 minutes and cut into 1/2 inch slices. Return to baking sheets and cook for 10 minutes.

Pictures to come later today!

Oh I almost forgot. I finally got a Facebook Fan Page, so I can get more viewers to my blog. Link will be up soon as well.

My Fan Page:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/edit/?id=289786741649#!/pages/Lebanon-OH/Jessica-Does-52-Weeks-of-Cooking/289786741649?ref=mf

52 Weeks of Cooking- Week Five (Early!)

Ok, so my one and only rule during this whole year long experiment in cooking was that I cook on one of my days off from work.

Well, rule are made to be broken right?

I wanted to make this week's recipe with my 2 managers and I in mind. We are all in a challenge to lose weight, like the Biggest Loser. And this recipe is made with low-fat items.

Well, my 2 days off this week are Saturday and Sunday (which is strange, as I haven't worked 5 days straight in a while). And the only day my managers and I will all be there at the same time is tomorrow.

Thus why I had to break the rule and make this week's recipe tonight.

Dreamsicles

1 package sugar-free orange jello

1 package sugar-free vanila pudding

1 can Mandarin oranges

1 8-ounce carton fat free whipped topping

(NOTE- You can substitute fresh strawberries and strawberry Jello [which is what I made] or peaches and peach Jello)

-Dissolve Jello in 1 cup hot water. Add ice or water to make 2 cups. Let sit for 5 minutes.

-Add vanilla pudding mix and oranges. (NOTE- While my Jello was sitting, I was cutting up some strawberries and washing them. I didn't quite use a whole package of strawberries)

-Fold in whipped topping.

-Let Refrigerate for 2 hrs.

So I will either be back tonight at around 11 for a picture or I will be back tomorrow with the results of the taste testing and a picture.

Also I just wanted to say thanks to my like 3 readers out there lol. This journey is mainly for me, but since I'm putting it online, it is for you too.

So thank you =)

52 Weeks of Cooking-Week Four

I'm really nervous about this recipe. I've never made it before (obviously), I've never had it before, and when I was talking about it (to my co-workers), they say they've never had it before.

But I got it from my favorite mystery novel series (the Hannah Swenson novels, by Joanne Fluke). And every recipe in those books are tested...

So...Mystery Cookies.

Ingredients

1/2 cup melted butter

3 and 1/2 cups white sugar

2 beaten eggs

1 can condensed tomato soup (yes..tomato soup...this is why I'm nervous)

2 teaspoons nutmeg

2 teaspoons cinncmon

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons salt

2 cups raisins (I don't like raisins..so I used chocolate chips)

2 cups chopped walnuts (measure after chopping)

4 and 1/2 cups flour

Microwave butter in bowl to melt. Add sugar and let cool. Mix in eggs.

Add soup and mix. Stir in cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Add raisins and walnuts. Stir.

Measure flour and add in 1-cup increments, stirring in after each cup.

Let dough sit for 10 minutes.

Spray Pam on a cookie sheet.

Drop drough by teaspoons onto cookie sheets.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Let sit for 1-2 minutes on sheet and then move to wire rack.

52 Weeks of Cooking- Week Three

This week we have...Walnuttoes. Which are really just chocolate-walnut cookies.

Ingredients

2 cups chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks)

4 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons salt

2 cups flour

2 cups finely chopped walnuts

1/2 cup white sugar, set aside

Directions

-Melt chocolate chips with butter. Microwave on HIGH for 2 minutes, then stir til smooth.

-Mix in brown sugar and let cool.

-Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each one.

-Mix in vanilla, baking powder, and salt.

-Add flour and mix well, then add nuts and mix.

-Chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.

-After chilling preheating oven to 350 F.

-Roll walnut-sized dough balls. Drop into sugar and coat.

-Place on greased cookie sheet and smush down with greased spatula (or fork).

-Bake for 12-14 minutes. Let cool on sheet for 1 minute and remove to wire rack.

52 Weeks Of Cooking- Week Two

This week I was off Monday and today. After I finished what I made last week, which my co-workers loved, I was trying to decide what to make for this week and week three.

For week two, I was going back and forth between Spinach Quiche and what I ended up choosing.

So, today's recipe is... MUSHROOM SOUP!

I love mushrooms....mmm...

2 cups chicken broth

8 ounce package sliced mushrooms

1 can (10 and 3/4 ounce) condensed cream of chicken soup (undiluted)

1 can (10 and 3/4 ounce) condensed cream of mushroom soup (undiluted)

1 cup heavy cream

8 ounces shredded Gruyere (or Swiss or Montery Jack (which is what I used)

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Combine chicken broth and mushrooms (besideds 12 slices for garnish) in a blender. Mix it up (Side note: I didn't set aside the 12 slices)

Add cream of chicken soup to blender. Mix it up.

Coat the inside of a 4-quart slow cooker with Pam.

Add blender to pot.

Add cream of mushroom soup, cream, cheese and pepper. Stir.

Cook on low for 4-5 hours.

Side note for this soup/my thoughts- I liked it, but it probably would have been better if it had actual mushrooms that I could "chew" up. Which is probably why it told you to hold off on some of the mushrooms lol.

Win some/lose some.

52 Weeks of Cooking- Week One

I've been missing from here lately and for that I am sorry.

But it's a new year and I'm back baby!

I really would like to get back into cooking again and I decided that I will start out slow.

Trying one new recipe a week shouldn't be too hard should it?

Just which ever day I happen to be off, I will cook 1 new thing.

And what a better day to start than the 1st!

So today, I present to you:

Chocolate Chip Crunchs

1 cup melted butter (2 sticks)

1 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 beaten eggs

2 1/2 cups flour

2 cups crushed cornflakes (I discovered that 2 cups uncrushed cornflakes will give you 1 cup crushed cornflakes)

1 to 2 cups chocolate chips

-Melt butter. Add sugars and stir. Add soda, salt, vanilla and eggs. Mix. Add flour and stir. Add cornflakes and chocolate chips. Mix.

-Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

-Form walnut sized dough balls and place on a greased cookie sheet. Press down with floured spatula.

-Bake 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on sheet, for 2 minutes, then transfer to wire rack.

These cookies are different. The crunch that the cornflakes gives is nice. I will definitely keep this recipe for later!