foodie friday – Page 2 – The Prose of an Electrate Mind

November 18, 2011November 14, 2011

[Foodie Friday] Apple and Pear Porks

On Saturday I sat in my favorite place and wrote a recipe for that night’s dinner. I’ve made pork with apples before, but I’ve never written down a recipe. So I decided to finally write a recipe based off of what I do and what I like. This time, I added pears to the mix because I’ve seen some really lovely pears at the store these days. It’s fun and festive. Unfortunately, I was so caught up in cooking and chatting that I forgot to take pictures. I assure you it’s beautiful and delicious, though.

Apple and Peark Pork Chops

4 pork chops
2 pears chopped
2 apples chopped
1 onion chopped
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp ginger
salt & pepper to taste

Caramelize the apples, pears, and onions in the butter. Add the sugar and spices, stirring together quickly. Scoop the apples, pears, and onions into a bowl, then sear the pork. Add the sauce back into the pan. Cook until done. Serve with lightly sweetened carrots and any other side(s) of your choosing. We chose macaroni and cheese and soft pretzels.

November 11, 2011November 6, 2011

[Foodie Friday] Lazy Tiramisu

You already know how much I love tiramisu. I’ve had some serious trouble finding the right ingredients around here, though. Luckily, we finally found some mascarpone cheese — even though all the marsala wine’s gone. My husband brought home a couple tubs of that tiramisu mascarpone, which is already flavored with coffee. I decided all it needed was some whipped cream and a base. So, I bought some sliced pound cake and set to work on what I’d like to call lazy tiramisu.

Espresso Extract
2 tablespoons of instant coffee or espresso powder
2 tablespoons of boiling water

Espresso Syrup
1/2 cup of water
1/3 cup of sugar
1 tablespoons of espresso extract
1 tablespoons of Kahlua Mocha (or coffee liqueur of your choice) [I used ChocoVine this time around, actually.]

Mascarpone Mixture
8 ounces of tiramisu mascarpone cheese
1 cup of heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon of powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract

To make your espresso extract, boil the water. In small container, measure the instant coffee/ espresso powder, then pour the boiling water over it. Stir to dissolve the granules. Cover loosely and set aside.

To make your espresso syrup, heat the water and sugar, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Add the espresso extract and Kahlua, stirring to combine. Allow the syrup to simmer until the syrup begins to thicken. Set aside to cool.

Whip the cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until you get stiff peaks. Do not over beat! Quickly whip the tiramisu mascarpone. Then fold in the whipped cream in intervals, carefully folding after each addition. The result should be a thick, creamy, and airy topping for your pound cake.

Brush the slices of pound cake with the espresso syrup. Spread a generous portion of the mascarpone mixture onto the cake. Garnish with cocoa powder, and enjoy!

November 4, 2011November 3, 2011

[Foodie Friday] Birthday Cakes

This year I decided to make a chocolate pumpkin marble cheesecake with a spiced oreo crust for my birthday. I got inspired by The Brown Eyed Baker. Last year I made a chocolate pumpkin layer cake because I wanted a festively colored cake, and mixing chocolate and pumpkin again seemed like a great way to keep that festive spirit alive. You can go to Michelle’s food blog to get the recipe for the pumpkin cheesecake batter — I only cut it in half to accommodate my recipe. I created a recipe for chocolate cheesecake based on recipes by Nigella Lawson, The Joy of Baking, and Smitten Kitchen.

To make the crust:

14 ounces of oreos or chocolate wafers
2 tbsps light brown sugar
6 tbsps melted butter
dash cinnamon
dash cloves

Put the cookies, sugar, and spices into the bowl of a food processor. Turn on the food processor to pulverize the cookies. Pour melted butter through the tube. Stop the food processor once the crumbs pull together. Press them into the bottom of a greased spring form pan. (Don’t make the mistake of lining the pan with foil like I did!) Bake the crust at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 7 minutes.

16 ounces cream cheese
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup sour cream
9 oz melted 60% cocoa chocolate chips (or any chocolate you desire)
2 eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 tbsp vanilla

Whip the cream cheese with the sugar until smooth and creamy. Beat in the sour cream, melted chocolate, and each egg, one at a time. Add the cream and vanilla, and beat until fluffy and smooth. Pour the batters into the pan, altering between each batter after each addition. Swirl the batters with a flat spatula or knife. You can either put the pan into a water bath or simply put a pan of water on the rack below the cheesecake. (My spring form pan was too big to fit into any of my other pans, so I did the latter.) Bake at 350 for 65 to 70 minutes. Let the cheesecake cool for about an hour before storing it in the refrigerator overnight.

In addition to making my own cake, a sweet co-worker baked me a beautiful, delicious red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting. She made a perfect frosting as it wasn’t too sweet like most frostings. She also topped it with crushed walnuts.

And because yesterday was my son’s second birthday, we ordered him a cupcake pull-apart cake featuring Diego — his favorite Nick Jr. character. Even though there was a mistake (they gave us white cake instead of chocolate), he really seemed to enjoy the cake toppers.

September 30, 2011September 30, 2011

[Foodie Friday] Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls

My son came home on Monday last week with a hand-out from his teachers letting us know that they would be collecting apple recipes to create a class cookbook in honor of Johnny Appleseed. Today, they’re having a Johnny Appleseed Tasting Treat. Now, I’m sure everyone and their mother has an apple pie or an apple crumble recipe up their sleeve. I thought I’d have a bit of trouble figuring out a unique apple treat for my son to share with his class, but then it hit me — Annie’s Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls! How perfect for celebrating apples during the early autumn days! They are unique, they are delicious, and my son’s bound to get his teachers and classmates hungry for plenty more. Follow the above link for the recipe, but keep in mind that I decrease the powdered sugar in the frosting and chose a different variety of apples this time around. Also, I’ve made tinier rolls for tinier hands.

September 16, 2011September 14, 2011

#FoodieFriday Chocolate Therapy Cafe

On Wednesday I visited a hidden gem I found while searching for a good tutoring location. I had been hoping for a book store or coffee shop as libraries can tend to be a bit stuffy. I found out about a little coffee shop called Chocolate Therapy Cafe, located in downtown Chickamauga, GA. This charming little shop resides among some other Main Street type shops in historic downtown Chickamauga, and the charm just keeps going when you walk in. The friendly, welcoming staff are quick to greet and serve you. I purchased a chocolate cafe au lait with amaretto syrup at the recommendation of the woman telling me about their specialties. I had a seat with my student as she prepared my coffee. Moments later, she brought me a fresh hot mug of delicious coffee, topped with fresh whipped cream and chocolate syrup. The gorgeous pink mug and saucer immediately gave me feelings of homey comfort. Over the course of our two hour session, another staff member brought us glasses of ice water — and even came to refill my water when it was still more than half full. I left the cafe feeling like I’d discovered a perfect tutoring location, and I’m half unwilling to share this review because I’m terrified my new sanctuary will become a little hot spot. However, Chocolate Therapy Cafe offers too much for me to keep this to myself. If you’re in Chickamauga, drop me a note. We’ll meet up for coffee and chocolate cobbler at my new favorite coffee shop.

September 2, 2011August 29, 2011

#FoodieFriday Sweet and Sour Chicken

Last year when I was trying to find ways to recreate our favorite take-out foods at home, I tried my hand at sweet and sour chicken — Brian’s favorite Chinese take-out meal. However, I didn’t want a breaded version, and I wanted to increase the amount of vegetables. I decided to go more for a mall food court sort of sweet and sour chicken cooked in the sauce, rather than served separately to be dipped into the sauce. I found a great recipe, but I recently found that adding some pineapple juice brings out such a wonderful flavor. The result is a delicious meal that almost negates the need to call for take-out ever again.

For the sauce:
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/8 cup granulated sugar
2 tbsps cornstarch
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp ginger powder
1/4 tsp mustard powder
1/2 cup pineapple juice (reserved from can if using canned pineapple)
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/8 cup soy sauce (low sodium)

Whisk together the dry ingredients until combined. Pour in apple cider vinegar and soy sauce and whisk, allowing the vinegar to help dissolve the sugar. Add ketchup and pineapple juice. Whisk until combined. Set aside.

For the dish:
2-3 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized chunks
chopped pineapple
2 cups of vegetables (have fun with this!)
sweet and sour sauce

Heat some oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for about 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently to ensure even cooking on all sides. Drain the fat, and return the chicken to the pan with (thawed) vegetables and pineapple. Heat through for about 5 minutes. Stir in the sweet and sour sauce. Cook for 5 more minutes, or until the sauce reaches the desired thickness. Serve over rice. (I prefer brown rice.)

August 26, 2011August 25, 2011

#FoodieFriday Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

May I forewarn you: I have an ego when it comes to my chocolate chip cookies. I’ve been baking them since I was 11 years old, and I’ve had years to perfect my recipe and execution. My cookies are renowned among friends and family. But of course, sometimes I need to switch things up a bit. I enjoy brownies particularly for the texture of the bar, and I’ve made my chocolate chip cookies as bars once before. I enjoyed the heft it added to the cookie’s texture (of course, my hips don’t appreciate that extra heft, but it’s all about balance, kidlets). So Tuesday evening, I decided I wanted to make a cookie bar to celebrate my husband being home from the hospital and my in-law’s 42nd wedding anniversary. I made a couple of adjustments to my regular cookie recipe, starting by halving the recipe to fit an 8×8″ baking dish.

1/2 stick of unsalted sweet cream butter (1/4 cup)
1/4 cup of canola oil
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3/8 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tbsp natural cocoa powder (NOT dutch process — save that for drinks and syrups)
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
6 ounces (half a bag) of semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and grease an 8×8 (or 9×9) baking dish. Melt the butter. Whisk together melted butter, oil, and brown sugar, making sure to break up any sugar clumps. Add granulated sugar, and whisk in the egg. Add vanilla and cocoa powder, and whisk some more. Add the salt, baking soda, and baking powder, and whisk. Then add the flour. Whisk until combined. If your whisk isn’t up to the challenge, you could also employ the use of your hand or stand mixer. Once you have a cookie dough, stir in the chocolate chips. Spread the cookie dough evenly in your baking dish. Baking in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let it cool completely — patience, grasshopper! — for roughly half an hour to an hour. Cut into bars, and dig in! Eat them straight up, with a glass of milk, or with a warm cuppa. Enjoy!

August 19, 2011August 19, 2011

#FoodieFriday Oatmeal

For a quick, simple, healthy breakfast, you only need three ingredients: oatmeal, pumpkin, and vanilla almond milk (or any other milk — dairy or otherwise). Mix 1/4 cup of quick-cooking oats, 1/2 cup of almond milk, and 2 tablespoons of pumpkin in a microwave safe bowl. Sprinkle in cinnamon if desired. Microwave for 2 minutes. Let it sit to cool for a minute or more. The oatmeal will thicken, and you’ll have a nice healthy breakfast. Pair it with a piece of fruit if you’d like.

If you’re not feeling like pumpkin oatmeal, you could also have apple cinnamon oatmeal. Instead of adding 2 tablespoons of pumpkin, you could add in half of a chopped apple. Mix 1/4 cup of quick-cooking oats, 1/2 cup of almond milk, and a sprinkling of cinnamon. Cook for 1 minute in the microwave. Add the chopped apple and microwave for 1 and a half minutes more. Let it cool for a minute or more. Ta-da! Apple cinnamon oatmeal. Eat it with the other half of the apple.

Share any other variations you like with me. And of course, you could substitute quick-cooking oats with whatever you’ve got on hand. It’ll take a little longer to cook, you’ll probably want to cook it on the stove, but I know the results will still be healthy and delicious.

August 12, 2011August 11, 2011

#FoodieFriday Peanut Butter Cream Pie

In life we get reminders that our time is finite. Yesterday was no exception. I read Nicki’s post about her friend Jennifer losing her husband. So often we put things off until it’s too late, and Jennifer’s to-do that didn’t come in time was a peanut butter cream pie. She’s asked that we all make peanut butter cream pies today to honor her late husband. Today I’ll be honoring her request and amending it slightly to appeal to my husband. I’m the sweet tooth of our relationship, and he’s the savory lover. He’ll be enjoying a delicious dinner including home-made macaroni and cheese made with sharp cheddar. We don’t know how long we’ll get with the ones we love, so we should treasure them while we have them.