Baked Corn Dip

I would like to introduce you to my all time favorite dip: hot corn dip. I know that the picture isn’t wildly exciting and if you just read the ingredients you may not be completely sold. But I promise you, this is a killer snack! It won’t last long once it’s hit the table.

A good friend of mine made this for a party we went to in college and I was hooked as soon as I tried it. Of course I asked for the recipe shortly there after. She and her lovely mother graciously shared it with me. It has been one of my go to party dips ever since and has always received rave reviews. I always serve it hot and with corn chips.

Corn Dip (Recipe courtesy of the Chamberlin’s – Thanks!)

1 c. mayonnaise

1 c. grated Monterey jack cheese

½ c. grated parmesan

1 can fiesta corn, drained

½ c. pickled diced jalapeno peppers

Pre-heat the oven to 350°.

Thoroughly mix all ingredients together in a medium bowl. Pour ingredients into a medium oven-proof dish (My friend and I always use a 9” glass pie dish, but anything that it fits in would work) and top with a little extra parmesan cheese. Bake for 20 and 30 minutes, until it begins to brown around the edges and bubbly.

Super Bowl Snacks

So… I’m not actually much of a football girl. Heck, I’m not really much of a sports girl period, unless it’s Georgia Tech that is! So when the super bowl rolls around I’m really way more excited about the party and the food than the game. But sadly, since I’ve realized my lactose intolerance my choices at most parties are limited. All the creamy dips and cheesy finger foods are off limits.

Now here is a healthier and non-dairy option that is still entirely tasty and very worthy of any party spread. This is a great base recipe for hummus, and is easy to add to for a variety of flavors. I’ve done everything from roasted red pepper, roasted garlic, and most recently a combination of roasted garlic and fresh parsley.

Hummus

1 (15 oz) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

½ c tahaini

¼ c olive oil

3 tbs lemon juice

1 tbs vinegar

2 tbs water

3 – 4 cloves garlic

Dash oregano, cumin, and black pepper

*This time I added 1 head of roasted garlic, ½ bunch fresh parsley, and healthy dash crushed red pepper flakes

Puree all ingredients in a food processor, pulsing intermittently, until everything is entirely combine and smooth. Adjust the liquid to get the consistency you prefer. The hummus is best served with pita chips and veggies!

King Cake

I was at the grocery store the other day with the roomie and saw a king cake. I was all ready to buy it then and there and dig in. However, rooms stopped me and suggested I try and make one myself. Since I’m not really one to turn down a food related challenge I googled a recipe and gave it a shot. While the cake didn’t turn out like the king cakes I’ve had in the past… it was more than edible. In fact the rooms, my sweetie and I all want back and got seconds. I’m pretty sure these cakes will be short lived.

Now on a side note, I am still a little annoyed with the fact that I couldn’t get my sugar colors to come out quite as intense as I would have liked. My sweetie found me green decorator’s sugar, but I had to color my own yellow and purple. The yellow came out ok, it just wasn’t as intense as I would have liked. The purple on the other hand wasn’t even close to the color I wanted it to be.

Since I’ve never dealt with yeast bread or king cake before I stuck pretty close to the recipe.

King Cake (Recipe from Allrecipes.com)

Pastry:

1 c milk
¼ c butter
2 (.25 oz) packages active dry yeast
2/3 c warm water (about 110°)
½ c white sugar
2 eggs
1 ½ tsp salt
½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
5 ½ c all-purpose flour

Filling:

1 c packed brown sugar
1 tbs ground cinnamon
2/3 c chopped pecans
½ c all-purpose flour
½ c raisins
½ c melted butter

Frosting:

1 c confectioners’ sugar
1 tbs water

Scald milk, remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup of butter. While mixture cools to room temperature, dissolve yeast in large bowl with warm water and 1 tablespoon of the white sugar. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. When yeast mixture is bubbling, add the cooled milk mixture. Whisk in the eggs. Stir in the remaining white sugar, salt and nutmeg. Beat the flour into the mixture a cup at a time. When the dough pulls together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 2 hours. When risen, punch down and divide dough in half.

To Make Filling: Combine the brown sugar, ground cinnamon, chopped pecans, 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup raisins. Pour 1/2 cup melted butter over the cinnamon mixture and mix until crumbly.

Roll dough halves out into large rectangles (approximately 10×16 inches or so). Sprinkle the filling evenly over the dough and roll up each half tightly like a jelly roll, beginning at the wide side. Bring the ends of each roll together to form 2 oval shaped rings. Place each ring on a prepared cookie sheet. With scissors make cuts 1/3 of the way through the rings at 1 in intervals. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375°. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Bake in preheated oven for 30 min. Press the doll into the bottom of the cake. Frost while warm with the confectioners’ sugar blended with 1 to 2 tablespoons of water.

White Chicken Chili

I have a confession to make… I have already broken my new years resolutions. The stress of a new job means I haven’t had the energy to find and experiment with new recipes in the last 2 weeks, and I also haven’t been cooking with fish. So I’m not giving up on the goals, I’m just going to try and be better!

Now that I have confessed, I also have a great recipe for you! This started from a Rachel Ray cookbook and is a long standing favorite. I really love the flavor of white chili and this is not only good, but quick to make as well. I actually made it with black beans and ground turkey this time, but I’m giving you the original recipe, but cause it’s just so darn good! It is a wonderful cold weather recipe and great with corn bread (but that is a post for another day). And here is a little kitten cuteness to brighten your day!

White Chicken Chili (Rachael Ray’s 30-Minute Get Real Meals by Rachael Ray)

I usually add ½ the cilantro and all of the lime juice as it simmers.

6 6oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
Salt and black pepper
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced

1/2 medium bell pepper, chopped
5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped

2 Tbs ground cumin
1 Tbs ground coriander
1 cup mild or hot tomatillo salsa (green salsa)
4 cups chicken stock or broth
15 oz cannellini or Great Northern beans

1 cup corn
1 handful fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
Juice of 1 lime
Shredded Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack cheese, for garnish

Heat a medium soup pot over medium-high heat with the vegetable oil. Add the chicken to the hot oil and season liberally with salt and pepper. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the onion, bell pepper garlic, jalapeno, cumin, and coriander and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, continuing to stir.

Add the tomatillo salsa and the chicken stock. Bring the chili up to a simmer. Add half of the beans and the corn. With a fork thoroughly mash the other half of the beans, then add to the chili. This method will help to thicken the chili. Simmer the chili for 10 – 20 minutes.

Remove the chili from the heat and add the cilantro, parsley, and lime juice.
Serve each bowl of chili with a little shredded Monterey Jack cheese on top.

Creamy Pasta Bake

I can’t order creamy pasta dishes when I go out to eat now (which probably saves me tons of calories, but is still a little sad) so I make them at home occasionally. I was in the mood for some kind of baked pasta dish and had the end of a block of gruyere, some parmesan and some random veggies. So I went on a scavenger hunt in my fridge and freezer and came up with this combination.

As always, the roomie and I discussed what we would add to the dish next time we made it. My sweetie on the other hand was scarffing down his serving and occasionally voicing his complete satisfaction with what he was eating. we all thoroughly enjoyed that dish, he just wouldn’t have changed a thing!

Creamy Pasta Bake

2 links Italian sausage

½ green Bell pepper, chunked

½ crown Broccoli, sliced and chunked

½ lg Onion, chunked

1 box small shells

Sauce

3 Tbs butter

4-6 cloves Garlic, minced

Healthy dash Black pepper, Red pepper flakes and Rosemary

¾ c. Rice milk

¼ c. Cream cheese

½ c. Gruyere

½ c. Parmesan

1 can tomatoes with juice

Heat oven to 400°.

Cook pasta shells to al dente, strain and set aside.

In medium sauté pan cook sausage over medium heat until completely cooked. Add pepper, broccoli and onion and cook for another 5 to 8 minutes.

In small sauce pan melt butter over medium-low heat. Add garlic and spices and let cook until fragrant. Add milk, raise heat to medium and cook until it starts to bubble. Wisk in cream cheese, gruyere, and ½ of the parmesan, let cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and allow to cook for another 2 to 4 minutes.

Combine shells, veggies and sauce in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Pour into a large baking dish and top with the remaining parmesan cheese. Bake for about 25 minutes.

Winter Veggie Frittata

So one of my goals this year is to cook at least one vegetarian meal a week and I’ve also been trying to cook with new veggies. So I went out and bought Brussels sprouts and cauliflower and tried to figure out how to incorporate them into some dinners. Brought them home and whipped up a vegetarian frittata with a cherry tomato sauce. Turned out quite tasty!

I first tried frittatas after finding a recipe for one on the 101 Cookbooks blog, it was so good I’ve made many variations since (ps the cilantro chili sauce in this recipe is amazing!). Frittatas are one of those great easily adaptable items, much like omelets, that you can really make with anything. I’ve made them with everything from black beans and corn to tomato and mushrooms, they always turn out well. I usually make them with shredded potato but decided to try a winter squash this time around.

Winter Vegetable Frittata

6 lg eggs

1 Tbs olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

½ bell pepper, chopped

5-6 Brussels sprouts, thinly sliced

½ head cauliflower, chopped

½ an Acorn Squash, shredded

Gorgonzola cheese

Pre-heat oven to 450°.

Wisk eggs in a medium bowl and set aside. In a small (about 9 inch) oven proof skillet sauté onion, bell pepper, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower over medium high heat until the onion starts to brown. Empty into a bowl and set aside. Add squash to the pan and sauté for about 6 minutes, remove from the skillet and set aside with the veggies.

Turn down the heat and add the eggs to the skillet. Cook over medium-low heat for a few minutes. Sprinkle the vegetable mixture over the top. Top the frittata liberally with gorgonzola cheese.

Place the skillet in the oven and bake about 15 to 20 minutes, until the egg is completely set and the top is starting to brown. Remove from the oven and cut into wedges. Top with Cherry Tomato Sauce.

Cherry Tomato Sauce

1 tbs olive oil

2/3 c cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

3 cloves garlic, minced

Dash dry basil, rosemary, thyme, and oregno

½ c red wine

In small skillet sauté tomatoes in olive oil over medium-high heat for about 8 minutes. Turn heat down to medium and add garlic and spices, sauté for another 4 to 5 minutes. Add wine and let simmer for about 6 minutes.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake Cookies

For me the combination of chocolate and peanut butter are the ultimate comfort food. When I’m depressed, or stressed, or angry something chocolaty and peanut buttery just makes me feel better. So when I’m making sweet comfort foods it is my go to combination .Which is how these cookies came into being.

And by the way… these cookies taste remarkably like the Girl Scout Tagalong cookie. Like A LOT like them. I didn’t even realize it until my sweetie pointed it out to me. In the future I will be making these cookies smaller for a better chocolate and peanut butter to cookie ratio.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake Cookies

Vanilla Cake Cookies

1 package Yellow Cake mix

2 eggs

½ c butter

Topping

1 c peanut butter

¼ c powdered sugar

1 ½ c milk chocolate

Heat oven to 350° and line baking sheet with parchment paper.

Mix all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl until thoroughly combined. Spoon quarter sized rounds of dough onto baking sheet, giving them 2 to 3 inches of space between.

Bake for about 10 minutes or until golden-brown.

Let cool completely.

While cookies are cooling, combine peanut butter and sugar. Put chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and melt.

Once cookies are cool spread a small amount of peanut butter on top then cover the cookie with the melted chocolate (you could dip the whole cookie for a pretty covered effect, but this way is easier and just as tasty!).

Quick Dinner: Jambalaya

Sometime you come home from work and just don’t want to spend forever making dinner. Monday night’s are generally like that for me. Last night was no different, but I was in the mood for comfort food and jambalaya was sounding pretty good. The warm, spiciness of the dish makes it great winter food! And really, how can you say no to a warm bowl of ricey, Cajun awesomeness.

Now one thing I’ve learned is boxed mixes can be a very good place to start, and jambalaya is definitely something that is well started by the box. I grew up on Zartarans rice mixes and that is still the brad I use. Mostly because it’s the one my mom always used, so feel free to use something else! The good thing about starting from a mix is you get a tasty, reasonably healthy dinner in under an hour with only 15 to 20 minutes of active time.

Jambalaya

½ lg onion, chopped

½ green bell pepper, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

2 links andouille sausage, cut into half moons

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 jalapeno, minced

½ bunch parsley, minced

1 can diced tomatoes, with juice

½ can black beans, drained and rinsed

2 cups water

1 box Jambalaya mix

In medium pot, sauté onion, pepper, celery and sausage over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes, or until onion begins to get translucent. Add all remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly. Put a lid on the pot, reduce heat to medium and let cook for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Pineapple Brown Sugar Glazed Mahi Mahi

I’ve neglected you blogosphere… I’m sorry! Things have been a little crazy this week and I just haven’t had the chance to sit down and write. Now, I will say, in spite of the craziness I did manage to fulfill my weekly resolutions. I cooked a completely new recipe, fish and a vegetarian meal. Although the vegetarian meal hardly counted as it was just a burrito and the closets I got to cooking it was tossing it in the microwave for a minute. But for this week at least it will have to do.

As for my new recipe and my fish, I combine that into one meal. My sweetie brought over some Mahi Mahi and I found this amazing recipe through the Steamy Kitchen blog. It sounded good, and although we know I never manage to actually follow a recipe, it came out very well. In fact I asked roomie and my sweetie for a rating of the recipe after we finished dinner and they gave it a 3.5 and a 4.5 out of 5. So all it all it got a pretty good review.

Mahi Mahi with Brown Sugar Pineapple Glaze (Recipe from ClubMed Insider site)

I didn’t stick to the recipe, but I also couldn’t tell you exactly what I did when I made it. I know I doubled the butter, left out the cilantro, used more garlic, onion, ginger and pepper then they called for, and I also used canned pineapple and added some of the juice to the sauce. Also I completely omitted the salt and didn’t miss it at all (but then again I don’t really eat much salt…). So have fun with it, it is a great sauce!

1 tbs butter
1/2 c onion, minced
2 tsp garlic, finely minced
1/2 to 1 tsp fresh chili, finely minced (scotch bonnet, habanero or jalepeno)
1/2 tsp ginger root, finely minced or grated
1/4 cup brown sugar, divided
2 c pineapple, diced
1/4 c cider vinegar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/3 c cilantro, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
four 6-oz mahi mahi (or any other local fish, about 1 in thick)
1 Tbs olive oil

Heat medium sauce pan and butter over medium heat. When the butter is bubbling, add the onion, garlic, chili, ginger and just half of the brown sugar. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly until the sugar has caramelized. Add the remaining brown sugar, pineapple, cider vinegar and cinnamon. Continue to cook until the pineapple has softened and the mixture is bubbling. Turn heat to low, let cook for another minute and then turn heat off. Stir in the cilantro, salt and pepper to taste.

Season the mahi mahi fillets with salt and pepper. Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat, add the olive oil and swirl to coat. Once pan is hot, add the fillets and cook the fish for about 4 minutes on each side or until they are cooked through.

Top fillets with the pineapple brown sugar glaze and serve.

Sour Cream Enchiladas

Part of my new year’s resolution is to vary my cooking and experiment with new recipes. Well… last tonight was just not on of those night. It was more of an easy-recipe-that-I’ve-made-a-million-times kind of night. I tend to stick to my old-faithful recipes when I’m cooking for myself. It’s just not as fun to make elaborate recipes without someone to share it with. As the roomie is out of town for a few days and my sweetie generally feeds himself during the week, I’ve been left to cook just for myself. Now if I really want to share my dinner my darling little kitten would have happily shared my dinner. She was ever so helpful while I was cooking, trying to climb my leg and crying at me the entire time.

Anyhow, enough rambling, point is this is a quick, easy and very tasty dinner. A recipe I find my self going back to time and time again. If you’re not really a spicy food person than I would suggest toning down the pepper a little. This generally comes out a bit spicy.

Sour Cream Enchiladas

1 lg chicken breast, skinless and boneless

½ lg onion, thinly sliced

1 bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 jalapeno, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup sour cream

2/3 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Flour tortillas

Enchilada sauce

1/8 large onion, minced

3 cloves garlic

1 can diced tomatoes with fluid

½ bunch cilantro

2 tsp chili powder

½ tsp paprika

½ tsp cumin

¼ tsp cayenne

Dash back pepper and salt

Heat oven to 400°.

Boil chicken breast until completely cooked. Remove from water and let cool.

While chicken cooks sauté onion, peppers and garlic over medium heat until tender.

While veggies sauté, start the sauce. Sauté the minced onion in a medium sauce pan, puree all other ingredients in a food processor and add to the sauté pan. Let cook until enchiladas are assembled.

Shred cooked chicken with fork and place in large bowl. Add veggies, sour cream and cheese and combine completely. Spoon mixture into center of tortillas and roll. Place seam down in a lightly greased 13×9-inch baking pan. Cover with enchilada sauce, sprinkle with extra cheese and bake 20 to 25 minutes.