Lasagna Dip

Since moving my job to a new department in the company and my co-workers are now four grown men, I've been given the opportunity (and reason) to try more new recipes. They love being my "guinea pigs".

One recipe that I've already made twice in the month and a half that I've worked in my new position is Lasagna Dip. It's roughly based on this recipe from closetcooking.com, but mine is FAR less healthy.

This recipe is the definition of comfort food. It makes you feel full and happy even at work which is where I put this together both times I made it. I usually start putting it together around 9am and the guys have my crock-pot empty by 11am. We've had it with Triscuits and Ritz Crackers, but their favorite dipping utensil was Tostitos Fajita Scoops.  

Lasagna Dip

Servings: 16 (or lunch for 4 grown men)
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour and 35 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 lb ground Italian sausage
• garlic salt to taste
• Italian seasoning to taste
• 16 oz ricotta cheese 
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 2 (16 oz) jars of tomato pasta sauce (I usually just get whatever is bogo at Publix)
• 2 c mozzarella cheese
• box/bag of your favorite crackers/chips

Directions:
1. Brown ground beef and ground Italian sausage with the garlic salt and Italian seasoning until done.
2. Throw in the browned meat, ricotta cheese, cream cheese, and pasta sauce in your slow cooker. Mix together.
3. Top mixture with mozzarella cheese.
4. Place lid on top and cook on high for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until cheese has melted and started bubbling.

It's a Boy! Cake Pops

Recently, my friend, Izzy, found out she was pregnant with a new baby boy! She wanted to tell all her friends and family the sex of the baby in a creative (and yummy) way, so she asked if I would make cake pops for the occasion. That's easy enough, but she also wanted them to be German Chocolate in flavor. 

I started out making a blue velvet cake (they sell the mix at Walmart) and mixing it with cream cheese frosting. I made it in to smaller balls than I normally do so that they could be covered in the German Chocolate cake mixture and not make a colossal cake pop.

When the little balls were in the refrigerator getting hard, I made the chocolate cake and mixed it with the German Chocolate coconut frosting. When it was ready to go, I took a little bit of the German Chocolate cake/frosting mixture and spread it out in my hand. I then placed one of the blue cake balls on top and covered the blue completely with the German Chocolate cake making a bigger ball.
After those balls had been in the refrigerator an hour, one by one I took them out, put them on a stick, and dipped them in chocolate candy coating. Once the chocolate was hardened, I decorated the pops with pink and blue question marks using pink and blue cookie icing. After the icing was dry, they were ready to be bagged, tied, and delivered to the mommy-to-be. 

Olaf Cake Pops

One of my friends is a Kindergarten teacher and for the end of the school year she wanted to give the kids a treat. She asked me if I thought I could make Olaf (from Disney's Frozen) cake pops. After thinking on it, I thought it was possible and went to try it. He wasn't the easiest design I've ever made, but I think he turned out adorable. 

She wanted chocolate cake with vanilla frosting. Usually having chocolate cake and needing a white candy coating is a bad combination because the brown color shows through the white, but it worked out this time. The coating was white almond bark. The nose was an orange tic-tac. The hair was chopped/sliced black licorice. His eyebrows were black sprinkles. His eyes were bought pre-made (I got those at Walmart). I made his mouth with black cookie icing and stuck pearl sprinkles on for his teeth. 

Her class loved the way he looked and thought he tasted yummy!

New Orleans Style

Every Thursday night is girl's night for me. I meet up with my friends Ashleigh, Shannon, and Izzy to watch a movie, eat, and hang out. Right now we're going through the top 100 Disney movies according to www.disneymovieslist.com. We switch up hosting every week. This time it was my turn and the movie was Disney's The Princess and the Frog. It's one of my favorites (a princess that cooks? amazing!). To theme our meal with the story, I decided to make Gumbo and Beignets. I knew they were both going to be a challenge. I had to work all day and then come home and cook. Both recipes take a long time. Luckily (only in this instance), I still live with my parents and my mom was there to be my helper. Another challenge: yeast and I do not get along... ever.. like every attempt has failed! I was determined though! I got both recipes from www.foodnetwork.com. Both by Paula Deen. She might be racist, but she knows Southern cooking. 

I kept to the Gumbo recipe except I left out the celery (mostly because I just don't like it). Everything turned out great! I was looking for a recipe that wasn't too spicy and this wasn't at all. When putting it together, it might look like there's way too much garlic, there really isn't. I mean, it'll taste garlicky, but it's really delicious! The girls (and my parents) loved it too and even went back for seconds. I served it over rice. 

I followed the Beignet recipe exactly. I did not want to mess this one up. To my own surprise, I nailed it! They came out perfectly!!! Everyone loved them and they were gabbled up quickly. I ended up only making half the recipe because we were already stuffed and there wasn't that many of us. I can't wait to make these again and maybe vary the toppings. 

Gumbo

Total Time: 2 hr 40 min
Servings: 8 to 10

Ingredients:

3 large boneless skinless chicken breast halves

Salt and pepper
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 pound smoked sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
5 tablespoons margarine
1 large onion, chopped
8 cloves garlic minced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
3 stalks celery chopped
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 bunch flat leaf parsley, stems and leaves, coarsely chopped, plus chopped leaves for garnish
4 cups hot water
5 beef bouillon cubes
1 (14-ounce can) stewed tomatoes with juice
2 cups frozen sliced okra
4 green onions, sliced, white and green parts
1/2 pound small shrimp, peeled, deveined and cooked

Directions:

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken until browned on both sides and remove. Add the sausage and cook until browned, then remove. Sprinkle the flour over the oil, add 2 tablespoons of margarine and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until brown, about 10 minutes. Let the roux cool.
Return the Dutch oven to low heat and melt the remaining 3 tablespoons margarine. Add the onion, garlic, green pepper and celery and cook for 10 minutes. Add Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper, to taste and the 1/4 bunch parsley. Cook, while stirring frequently, for 10 minutes. Add 4 cups hot water and bouillon cubes, whisking constantly. Add the chicken and sausage. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes. Add tomatoes and okra. Cover and simmer for 1 hour. Just before serving add the green onions, shrimp and chopped parsley.

French Quarter Beignets

Total Time: 2 hr 30 min

Yield: about 3 dozen

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 envelope active dry yeast
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 cup evaporated milk
7 cups bread flour
1/4 cup shortening
Nonstick spray
Oil, for deep-frying
3 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions:

Mix water, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl and let sit for 10 minutes.
In another bowl, beat the eggs, salt and evaporated milk together. Mix egg mixture to the yeast mixture. In a separate bowl, measure out the bread flour. Add 3 cups of the flour to the yeast mixture and stir to combine. Add the shortening and continue to stir while adding the remaining flour. Remove dough from the bowl, place onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Spray a large bowl with nonstick spray. Put dough into the bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a towel. Let rise in a warm place for at least 2 hours.
Preheat oil in a deep-fryer to 350 degrees F.
Add the confectioners' sugar to a paper or plastic bag and set aside.
Roll the dough out to about 1/4-inch thickness and cut into 1-inch squares. Deep-fry, flipping constantly, until they become a golden color. After beignets are fried, drain them for a few seconds on paper towels, and then toss them into the bag of confectioners' sugar. Hold bag closed and shake to coat evenly.

Three-Cheese Macaroni

We made this on Saturday when my boyfriend was over. We wanted to have something he would enjoy and wouldn't completely destroy my mom and I's lower calorie eating. I got the recipe from foodnetwork.com. We served the macaroni with bratwursts and steamed broccoli. I didn't change anything about the recipe and it turned out delicious. My boyfriend didn't even notice there was cauliflower in the dish.

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:

1 large egg

1 12-ounce can evaporated whole milk

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 1/3 cups grated muenster cheese (4 ounces), plus 4 deli-thin slices (1 ounce)

1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese (2 ounces)

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (1 ounce)

1/2 head cauliflower, cut into small florets (4 cups)

4 cups medium pasta shells (9 ounces)

Directions:

1.Whisk the egg, evaporated milk, cayenne, nutmeg, and salt and black pepper to taste in a bowl. Toss the grated cheeses in a separate bowl.
2.Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the cauliflower and cook until almost falling apart, about 7 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Add the pasta to the same water and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup cooking water. Preheat the broiler.
3. Combine the egg mixture and the grated cheeses in the empty pot and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the cheeses melt and the sauce begins to thicken. Remove from the heat and add the cauliflower. Puree with an immersion blender until smooth and light (you can also use a regular blender). Stir in some of the reserved pasta water until creamy.
4. Toss the pasta in the sauce; season with salt and black pepper. Transfer to a shallow casserole dish and top with muenster slices. Broil until golden brown, about 5 minutes.

Per serving (about 1 1/3 cups): Calories 403; Fat 17 g (Saturated 10 g); Cholesterol 85 mg; Sodium 517 mg; Carbohydrate 41 g; Fiber 2 g; Protein 20 g

Seared Scallops and Herb Butter Sauce

Every time (this is only the second time) I go to make seared scallops, I always think of Hell's Kitchen (the TV show) and how those cooks always manage to mess up the scallops. I see it as a challenge. Of course I don't have a lot of pressure on me to succeed on a high level nor a guy yelling at me if I do fail, but I always feel accomplished when they do come out "perfect".
This recipe, which comes from the Cooking Light magazine June 2012 issue, was really good. Scallops and orzo aren't normal things prepared at my house, so it was a nice change up. I served the scallops and orzo with roasted green beans. I didn't change much of the recipe, just improvised when I discovered we didn't have shallots or fresh chives. Will definitely make again.

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:
3/4 cup uncooked orzo
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, divided
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, divided
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/8 teaspoon salt
11/2 pounds large sea scallops
3/8 teaspoon salt, divided
3/8 teaspoon black pepper, divided
cooking spray
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon chopped shallots
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons chilled butter, cubed
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

Directions:
1. Prepare orzo according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain. Return to pan; stir in 1 tablespoon parsley, 1 tablespoon chives, olive oil, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Keep warm.
2. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle scallops evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; coat scallops with cooking spray. Add scallops to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove from pan; keep warm.
3. Combine wine, shallots, and vinegar in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook 5 minutes or until liquid reduces to 1 tablespoon. Reduce heat to low. Add butter cubes, 1 at a time, whisking after each addition until butter is fully incorporated. Stir in 1 tablespoon parsley, 1 tablespoon chives, 1 teaspoon thyme, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Serve scallops with sauce and orzo.

Calories: 382; Fat 12.9 (sat 5.9, mono 4g, poly 1g); Protein 32.8g; Carb 29g; Fiber 1.3g; Chol 79mg; Iron 0.7mg; Sodium 577mg; Calc 50mg

Chicken BLT Salad

This was really good and an interesting take on classics. We kept to the recipe which we got from Cooking Light magazine Jan/Feb 2013 issue. I'm not usually a big fan of ranch dressing, but this homemade dressing was way better than I expected.

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:
1 cup fat-free buttermilk, divided
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
3/4 cup panko
4 (6 oz) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons canola oil
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
2 teaspoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 medium head iceberg lettuce, cored and cut into 6 wedges
2 cups chopped plum tomato
2 oz crumbled blue cheese (1/2 cup)
3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. Combine 1/2 cup buttermilk and egg white in a shallow dish. Place panko in a shallow dish. Dip chicken in egg white mixture; dredge in panko. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon pepper and 1/8 teaspoon salt.
3. Heat an ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add oil; swirl to coat. Add chicken. Cook 4 minutes; turn over. Bake at 425 degree for 14 minutes or until done. Let chicken stand 10 minutes; slice crosswise.
4. Combine 1/2 cup buttermilk, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, mayonnaise, dill, chives, and vinegar. Place garlic on a cutting board; sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon salt. Chop until a paste forms, scraping with the flat side of knife to mash. Add garlic to dressing.
5. Place 1 lettuce wedge on each of 6 plates. Top each serving with chicken, 1/3 cup tomato, and       2 1/2 tablespoons dressing. Sprinkle with cheese and crumbled bacon.

Calories 368, Fat 23.5(sat 4.2g,mon 11.2g, poly 5.2g), Protein 26.7 g; Carb 12.1; Fiber 2.1g; Chol 76mg; Iron 1mg; Sodium 538mg, Calc 108mg