Are you hungry?: 10/1/10

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Florida style Texas Two Step Chicken Picante

Evidently, Texas Two Step Chicken Picante is nothing new. Pace calls theirs Picante Skillet Chicken while others called it Texas Two Step Chicken and I even found one commenter who named it Cowboy Chicken. Not being familiar with this chicken recipe, I was excited to try it especially when I realized it was after five and dinner would be late yet again!

You all know how much I enjoy being a featured publisher; Foodbuzz and Pace really bailed me out this particular evening. The original recipe came from food.com. Everything (like this) is a Redkathy alteration, using what was on hand. (After seeing my changes in writing, I thought holy cow should I rename this recipe)

Texas Two Step Chicken Picante
http://www.food.com/recipe/texas-two-step-chicken-picante-4546

1 1/2 cups Pace Picante Sauce - mild, medium or hot (2 1/2 cups medium)
3 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed (2 Tbsp)
1 tablespoon dijon-style mustard (1.5 Tbsp yellow mustard)
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (12 skinless thighs)
3 cups cooked rice, hot

Prep Time: 5 mins
Total Time: 25 mins

Directions:
1 Mix sauce, sugar, and mustard.
2 Place chicken in 2 quart shallow baking dish. (Rub chicken with about 1 teaspoon ground cumin)
3 Pour picante sauce mixture over chicken.
4 Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes or until chicken is done. (mine took 35 minutes)
5 Serve with rice.

Knowing how the guys are not fond of sweet meats I reduced the brown sugar. The flavor was bold and spicy, with plenty of sauce to spoon on top. I served it with spicy black beans and white rice. Red said he liked the sweet-hot thing going on. I was surprised he noticed the sweetness as it was rather faint. Hubby thought this recipe was definitely “a keeper.”

I have to tell you what made this recipe even better; dinner was only five minutes late, whoo hoo!

Thank you Pace and Foodbuzz for supplying me with two jars of Pace Picante Sauce. It is always fun and an honor to be part of the Tastemaker program!

♥

Comments Recipe Tags: chicken, dinner, mexican, spicy

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Pumpkin Cake Roll - Recipe Review

A culinary school is looking for food bloggers to write about their recipes, what is sweetsfoods up to now??? In additional to providing a plethora of blogging tips and awesome recipes from his popular Best of the Week posts and sharing this great culinary school opportunity from B.I.C., Gera is a great blog friend. Thanks Gera, it was very cool of you to share the opportunity and great fun participating.

Of course, I chose to bake. I mean after all it was my 2010 resolution to bake more, remember. I must admit to being a bit nervous because this would be my first attempt at a rolled cake. In fact, the only rolled cakes I ever experienced where store bought. You can imagine my expectations - a very sweet and moist to almost wet cake. Boy was I ever fooled! The cake itself was a cross between a cake and a pancake. Light and airy like a cake with the feel of a pancake. It was sweetened but not too sweet. Even though only 3/4 cup pumpkin was used, the pumpkin flavor was full bodied with a pleasant hint of cinnamon. After preparing the filling, I thought it might not be enough, wrong again. It was the perfect amount of filling and I even had enough to “stick the branch” on the top. The cream cheese added richness to the OMG level. Red just raved about it with every piece and my dad, well he ate two pieces each sitting followed by "ooohhh that's delicious". Needless to say, the log was gone pretty darn fast. I will definitely be making this one again.

While not perfect, can you tell I am a bit proud of this one?

The only criticism I have is the recipe needed more specific instruction points. For example, it did not specify how thin the batter should be spread. I would have appreciated that information, being my first attempt at a rolled cake. In addition, it is important to spread the batter evenly. The thicker portions crack when rolling. This is another tip I would have included in the instructions.

Pumpkin Cake Roll
Baltimore International College
- My notes are in italics

Cake Ingredients:
3 eggs - large
3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup pumpkin
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Chopped walnuts - I used just under 1/3 cup

Icing Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup 10X sugar
6 ounces cream cheese - I used low fat Philadelphia Brand

Directions:
1.) Mix eggs -beat eggs first - flour, baking soda, pumpkin, sugar, and cinnamon together.

2.) Spread on a half sheet pan or large jellyroll pan (approx. 13"x18") lined with parchment paper. I used a 13” x 18” jellyroll pan.

3.) Sprinkle with the chopped walnuts.

4.) Bake at 375 degrees F for 15 minutes or less (until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean). I baked for exactly 13 minutes. Removed the cake still on the parchment paper to cool on the counter

5.) Separately, mix the butter, vanilla extract, 10X sugar and cream cheese for the icing.

6.) Turn cake over and remove paper. Spread on bottom side of cake. Trim edges.

7.) Roll cake from one long end to the other.

8.) Cut off end piece (on an angle looks nice) and attach with icing to resemble a log with branches cut off.

9.) Sprinkle with additional 10X sugar or ice with your choice of frosting. Garnish as desired.

Thanks again to Gera and the Baltimore International College, a culinary arts college for providing this opportunity!

Are you hungry?

♥

Comments Recipe Tags: baking, dessert, entertaining

Saturday, October 09, 2010

Special K Red Berry Chocolate Chip Muffins

Participating in the Foodbuzz Tastemakers program is awesome!

As a featured publisher, Tastemakers opt in to receive products selected by the Foodbuzz team. Sample products are sent to Tastemakers to try in their kitchens. Product reviews are posted on the Tastemaker's blogs, like this one, and saved to the brand profile on Foodbuzz as well.

The UPS driver pounding on the door always results in a jump and a scowl. However, upon package identification a smile ensues immediately followed by intense foodie enthusiasm. The taste buds compel the brain to institute a frenzy of recipe reviews. However, from my perspective the most thrilling part of Foodbuzz Tastemaker experience is being recognized as an "official Tastemaker".

Thanks to Kellogg and Foodbuzz for supplying me with not one but two boxes of Special K Red Berries cereal. In addition to Special K being a good source of fiber and a cereal that Red really finds irresistible, it makes for great muffins too! My mental recipe review frenzy pointed to this All-Bran® Honey Muffins recipe. The taste buds dictated something a bit sweeter and the Special K Red Berries Chocolate Chip Muffin was born.

This is the original All-Bran® Honey Muffins recipe with my modifications in Italics.

Special K Red Berries Chocolate Chip Muffin
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 9

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup All-Bran® Original Special K Red Berries, packed firm to mash flakes
1/3 cup buttermilk or sour milk I used sour milk
1 egg
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup shortening
1/3 cup mini chocolate chip muffins

Directions
1. Stir together flour, baking powder, soda, and salt. Set aside. Prepare sour milk if using.

2. In medium mixing bowl, combine Special K Red Berries cereal and buttermilk. Using the back of a large spoon press down on the cereal to crush any large flakes. Tear or cut the large berry pieces similar to the size of the chocolate chips. Let stand about 2 minutes or until cereal softens. Add egg, honey, and shortening. Beat well. Add flour mixture, stirring only until combined. Stir in the mini chocolate chips. Portion batter evenly into nine 2 1/2-inch muffin-pan cups coated with cooking spray.

3. Bake at 400°F about 25 minutes or until golden brown. I baked the muffins on the center rack for exactly 20 minutes. Serve warm.

NOTES

Variation: To make sour milk, stir 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice into 1 cup milk.

To substitute milk for buttermilk or sour milk, omit buttermilk or sour milk and use 2/3 cup milk, 1/4 cup honey, 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and omit baking soda.

© 2010 Kellogg NA Co. Kellogg Kitchens recipes are the property of the Kellogg Company.

Using the Special K Red Berries cereal resulted in a much lighter, moister muffin. As anticipated, and the taste buds demanded, the sweetness level was elevated to perfection. The only shortcoming to the muffin was the outer crust in my opinion. Red disagreed he thought the muffins were scrumptious. Dad on the other hand not be fond of crunchy either, agreed with me. To rectify this unwanted crust issue I think reducing the oven temperature to 375 and still baking for 20 minutes is the answer. I'll share the results after batch two comes out of the oven!