Are you hungry?: 8/1/11

Monday, August 29, 2011

Tropical Infused Chocolate Snack Cake

Tropical Infused Chocolate Snack Cake - Kelapo Coconut Oil - Take One

The dog days of summer has severely limited the turnout of home baked goods in my kitchen. Unfortunately, the season has little effect on my cake cravings. When this jar of Kelapo Coconut Oil arrived, my craving elevated to cake desperation. I think the coconut aroma was the true culprit.

“The unique flavors of our virgin coconut oil turn any ordinary meal into a truly indulgent experience.
We harvest our coconuts from the lush, tropical island of Sri Lanka. Our fair trade farmers collect the fruit at its peak ripeness, and extract the virgin coconut oil through a cold expeller press. Kelapo VirginCoconut Oil is 100% natural, unrefined, and certified organic. Plus, it is the only Fair Trade approved coconut oil on the market.”

Learning from www.wearecoconuts.com coconut oil can be substituted 1:1 for butter or other oils; my go-to chocolate snack cake recipe seemed the best solution. This versatile and simple snack cake recipe is ready to eat in about forty minutes, ideal for summer baking and desperate cravings!

Tropical Infused Chocolate Snack Cake

(adapted from the chocolate snack cake recipe by Debie Peschka)

1 cup orange juice

1/4 cup Kelapo Coconut Oil

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

2/3 cup sugar – half white, half light brown

3 tablespoons baking cocoa

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Spray or grease an 8-in. square baking pan.

In a mixing bowl, combine juice and oil. Beat in egg and vanilla, set aside. Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; add to the egg mixture. Beat for 2 minutes.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

The prominent orange flavor accompanied by a subtle coconut essence warranted the tropical label. As with most snack cakes the texture is somewhat dense and very moist. The cocoa paired nicely with the orange flavor. It provided a light chocolaty flavor rather than the overpowering sweet chocolate taste of chocolate chips or syrup.

After satisfying my desperate cake craving, I read heating the coconut oil before measuring was recommended. Not sure what difference heating might make. The next recipe, Kelapo Coconut Oil - Take Two, will include that recommendation and a Kelapo coupon code for my coconut loving friends as well.

Is it obvious how much I enjoyed receiving the jar of Kelapo coconut oil and eating the cake? ♥

Comments Recipe Tags: baking, cake, chocolate, snack

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Easy Crustless Spinach Quiche - Birds Eye Chefs Favorites

Birds Eye Chef’s Favorites are steam fresh and ready to serve side dishes and worthy of the name Chef’s Favorites. The texture and flavor of the vegetables is incredibly fresh, second only to fresh from the garden. The sauces’ being marketed as light is a bit misleading as I found them to be bold in flavor and thick in consistency. Being part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program afforded me a sneak peak sampling of the new combinations. They will hit the store freezers in September.

Lightly Sauced Primavera Vegetable Risotto is a creamy risotto laced with Parmesan cheese. Sweet green peas and tender carrots make this an interesting, colorful, and tasty side dish. This variety of Birds Eye Chef’s Favorites was served without alteration, prepared per package directions. A press release from Pinnacle Foods claimed this side had a note of Parmesan flavor. I beg to differ. The Parmesan flavor, while delicious, was definitely robust. In fact, some foodies might even classify it as overpowering. In my opinion, the combination of vegetables, particularly the sweet carrots, countered the Parmesan nicely.

The Chefs’ Favorite Lightly Sauced Mushroom and Green Bean Risotto was wonderful. The light and tangy sauce was perfect in combination with the rich, savory mushrooms and the crunch of slender cut green beans. The portion is more than enough for two people, which returned leftovers this particular evening. Being a leftover queen of sorts yet needing a larger serving, I added about 2/3 cup of leftover white rice and a drizzle of chicken broth to the leftover risotto. The original robust flavor was more than ample and incorporated well with the additional rice. I would venture to say one could nearly double this dish without compromising the flavor.

Birds Eye scored a winner with the Lightly Sauced Roasted Red Potatoes and Green Beans. The parmesan and olive oil flavors combines with whole green beans endorsed the Chef’s Favorite label for me personally. This was a combination my mother prepared when we were kids. Fond memories surely have something to do with this being a favorite however it also required a higher standard. Generally speaking, I don't usually serve ready made foods especially with dinner. The green beans were crisp and the potatoes solid; not what I would expect from a package, that is for sure.The sauce was the lightest of the four, not to say it the least flavorful. How could Parmesan and Olive Oil together NOT be flavorful? Very nicely done Birds Eye!

The Lightly Sauced Creamed Spinach is all-natural and something my family is not fond of, to say the least. To resolve the “I hate Creamed Spinach” issue, I prepared this easy crustless quiche recipe published by Val, a fellow Foodbuzz featured publisher and tastemaker. Thanks Val, it was a hit!

Crustless Spinach and Veggie Quiche

1 package Birds Eye Lightly Sauced Creamed Spinach
5 large button mushrooms, sliced
2 ripe Roma tomatoes, diced
1/2 large Vidalia sweet onion, diced
6 large eggs
1/2 cup shredded Colby Jack cheese
Black pepper to taste

Cook the Chef's Favorite spinach according to directions. Meanwhile, spray a casserole dish with cooking spray. Cut the vegetables and add to the casserole dish. Mix the Lightly Sauced Spinach with vegetables and season with black pepper. Beat the eggs and add to the casserole. Stir to incorporate. Bake in a 375 preheated oven for 30 minutes or until cooked through. Top with cheese and return to the oven for about 5 minutes more or until cheese is melted and edges are golden brown.

Red is home for term break and is the one who despises spinach most of all. He ate half the casserole. Enough said?

So there you have it, my two cents on Birds Eye Chef’s Favorites newest upcoming side dishes. Thanks to Foodbuzz and Birds Eye for providing me with four samples to taste and evaluate, You Rock!

Are you hungry? ♥

Comments Recipe Tags: casserole, foodbuzz, reviews, side dish

Monday, August 15, 2011

Spinach, Bell Pepper, Rice Stuffing - Leftover Veggie Recipe

This is a new recipe idea for using leftover fresh cooked vegetables. Combining and saving small amounts of veggies is a long time practice of mine. Normally, leftover veggies go into an airtight container to be used later in the week. Oftentimes these end up in a casserole or goulash style dish. Cooked fresh veggies, especially peppers, don’t keep as well as the frozen variety for me. It seems the fresh cooked vegetables, particularly bell peppers, softens more quickly, and as such store separately. According to my palate, both the flavor and body of the vegetable diminishes. Moreover, the fridge is crowded with mini storage containers, very annoying.

The leftover bell pepper dilemma combined with stuffed pork loin extreme family enjoyment, inspired this veggie and rice stuffing.

Leftover Spinach, Bell Pepper, and Rice Stuffing

1-2 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup baby leaf spinach, drained well
1/2 cup cooked red, yellow, and green bell peppers
1/4 cup Vidalia onion
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 cup leftover rice
1/2 grated Parmesan and Romano cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste

Drain The Veggies Well

Saute Leftover Spinach, Bell Peppers, and Onion in Olive Oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Stir in the minced garlic and leftover rice, cooking until heated through.

Add in the cheese and stir until cheese begins to melt and is blended.

Stuff into pork loin, chicken, or chops. Sorry, no photos of the finished meal as the guys far were too hungry to wait for a shoot.

This stuffing recipe was enough to fill a 3.5 pound pork loin and served four adults. The following video is the method used for stuffing the loin. If you don't watch the video one tip I learned to follow, leave free a one inch boarder around the meat because the stuffing does expand when rolling.

The flavor was excellent, much different from the spinach stuffing we traditionally enjoy. The bell peppers and full bodied olive oil added a new dimension of flavor. The rice absorbed the rosemary seasoned pork flavor, delivering what hubby describes as gourmet flavor. Not only is this a great option for leftover veggies but also a fine way to eat more greens!

Are you hungry?
♥

Comments Recipe Tags: dinner, leftovers, pork, rice, stuffing, vegetables

Monday, August 01, 2011

Godiva Chocolatier Coffee Granita

Black, sweet, and never cream I am a devoted, long-time coffee drinker. However, iced coffee always gave me heartburn. Given that fact, a bit of ingenuity was required to answer a call from Godiva and the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program for a special summer iced coffee or blended drink recipe.

Godiva offers three flavors of gourmet coffee - Chocolate Truffle, Hazelnut Crème, and French Vanilla. I received two 12 oz bags of Godiva Coffee, one chocolate, and the other vanilla. Yeah no cream, but how did they know? Must be good karma :)

Inspired by this Italian Ice recipe I found on Google+ the very same day, combined with a bit of research and several trials, two perfected Gourmet Coffee Granita recipes evolved. Not a true “coffee drink,” but nonetheless delicious and refreshing summer coffee treats. Warning - Photographing these was very difficult for me as you can see. The picture of the Strawberry Chocolate Granita hinders the amazingly rich, yet light and refreshing quality. You will just have to trust me on this.

Fresh Strawberry Chocolate Coffee Granita

3 cups Godiva Chocolate Truffle Coffee, strong brewed
2/3 cup sugar
1 cup fresh strawberry puree
1/4 cup strawberry syrup
Whipped cream

Brew coffee and allow cooling to room temperature or longer. I doubled the recommended amount of coffee given on the package resulting in strong brewed.
Combine coffee and sugar in a mixing bowl, blend until sugar is completely dissolved. Add the syrup and stir until fully incorporated. Add the strawberry puree and stir. Pour coffee mixture into a metal or glass 9 x 13 pan. Freeze for about an hour. Remove and scrape all ice away from the sides, mix well, smooth over the top with a spoon if necessary, and return to the freezer. Repeat this scraping method twice over the next few hours.

Remove from freezer 5-10 minutes before serving. Repeat the scraping method except from the top rather than the sides. Spoon crystals into serving glasses or tall dessert dishes, layering iced coffee crystals ad whipped cream. Top with a dollop of whipped cream and a drizzle of strawberry or chocolate syrup.

French Vanilla Coffee Granita

3 cups Godiva Chocolate Truffle Coffee, strong brewed
3/4 to 1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon natural vanilla
Whipped cream

Use same preparation method as stated above.

The Granita was served with and without whipped cream. Beating a few sprinkles of cinnamon into the whipped cream topping added a new dimension to the flavor and with a drizzle of syrup, fabulous! My father liked this whipped cream version the best.

As for my favorite, this French Vanilla with no whipped cream simply black and sweet. I enjoyed a cup of granita every night for over a week. Thanks Godiva and Foodbuzz!

Are you hungry? ♥