Are you hungry?: 11/1/11

Friday, November 25, 2011

Easy Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cake

Duncan Hines Amazing Glaze - Easy Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cake

Happy Thanksgiving!! Isn’t it funny how mothers know exactly what foods to serve regardless of the circumstances. We planned for a small dinner with a few family members. My sons could not attend. Luis lives in Hawaii, enough said. Red was to shoot photos for a Tampa nightclub Thanksgiving Eve then scheduled to work Black Friday in the Portrait Studio. Thanksgiving was Red’s birthday but it seemed too much of a drive for just one day with a schedule like his.

Wednesday night I baked two pies and had just over a cup of fresh pumpkin leftover. Hmmm, should I bake a cake as well? My plan to prepare fresh orange cranberry sauce and the stuffing in advance along with some last minute cleaning left me unsure about having time to bake a cake. After a few minutes of deliberating with myself, I decided a Duncan Hines cake mix was the perfect answer. French Vanilla cake mix with pumpkin, mini chocolate chips, and the new Amazing Glazes would make the perfect Thanksgiving Cake.

What does this cake have to do with mothers knowing exactly what to serve? I received a text from Red at about 11:00 on Thanksgiving morning, “On my way!” Oh my gosh Red is coming home for Thanksgiving. I was ecstatic to see him and so glad I baked that cake! Moreover, Red appreciated it too.

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cake w/ Chocolate Glaze

1 Duncan Hines French Vanilla Cake Mix 18.5 oz

3 Eggs

1/2 cup evaporated milk

1 1/4 cups fresh pumpkin

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

1 bottle of Duncan Hines Chocolate Amazing Glaze

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Generously grease bundt pan.

In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix, eggs, milk, and pumpkin until well blended. Fold in chocolate chips. Pour into the prepared pan and spread evenly.

Bake according to package direction the preheated oven, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely.

Heat the glaze according to directions and add to top of the pumpkin cake.

Duncan Hines saved the day for me this time. Not only was I able to use up the leftover pumpkin and provide a birthday cake for Red but I finally served a glazed cake where the glaze was visible!!! If you remember, I put out a call for help with glazes on this pumpkin muffin post. Seems my glaze always disappears. The Duncan Hines new glaze is very rich and the chocolate flavor was that of a semi-sweet, dark chocolate nature.

The cake was moist, pumpkin infused, and chocolate laced. Everyone really enjoyed it. In fact, Sarah thought it amazing and asked for the recipe.

My Niece Bree and Red

Red, Sarah, and Josh

Thanks to Duncan Hines and Foodbuzz Tastemakers for providing me with the products that aided in creating a fabulous Thanksgiving Day.

Are you hungry? ♥

Comments Recipe Tags: baking, cake, dessert, entertaining, foodbuzz, reviews

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Black Friday - Turkey and Stuffing Casserole

Green Giant Steamers add a fresh vegetable flavor and feel to this traditional casserole. Moreover, the meal is perfect for leftover turkey, easy to prepare, and ideal for Black Friday. A healthy portion of vegetables while offering a fast and hearty meal alternative for a busy, dog-tired day truly is perfect.

“Green Giant® vegetables are picked at the peak of perfection and frozen or canned fast to preserve the simple goodness nature intended…. ”

Black Friday Turkey Casserole

1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted

1 cup low fat milk

1 (6 ounce) package stuffing mix or leftover stuffing

2 cups cubed cooked turkey

1 8 oz package Simply Steam® Lightly Seasoned Broccoli & Carrots

1/2 12 oz bag Natural Valley Fresh Steamers Mixed Vegetables

1 1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese, divided

In a large bowl, combine soup and milk until blended. Add the stuffing mix with seasoning packet or leftover stuffing, turkey, vegetables, and 1 cup of the cheese. Transfer to greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Bake uncovered, at 375 degrees F for 20 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with remaining cheese; bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

I have prepared this casserole many times. Green Giant Steamers do taste very much like fresh vegetables. I especially enjoyed the Simply Steam Lightly Seasoned Broccoli and Carrots. The premium cuts of broccoli and julienne carrots, lightly seasoned with garlic and herbs not only improved the texture but also provided a bit of herb sweetness to the casserole.

Thanks to FoodBuzz Tastemakers program and Green Giant for providing the vegetable sample.

Happy Thanksgiving ♥

Comments Recipe Tags: casserole, chicken, leftovers, turkey, vegetables

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Hummus Veggie Pan Pizza, the adventure awaits…

It was a conundrum of sorts. You see, I very much enjoy hummus however, the carnivores were the big challenge. Experience has shown me the mere mention of hummus invokes expressions of disgust. Being a ~~psychiatrist~~ mom and wife, I included the words spicy, salsa, blog, and homemade pizza in the menu announcement. It was game day; pizza and salsa are the perfect game day foods, right? The response, “Sounds interesting dear.”

After a bit of recipe surfing, our game day menu consisted of Sabra Hummus Veggie Pizza, Baked Corn Chips with Sabra Pico de Gallo Salsa. The Sabra inspired recipes were very well received. Shocked and overwhelmed by the response, (they should never argue with me about food) I created a few more quick and easy finger foods with the hummus and salsa the following day.

Hummus Veggie Pan Pizza

1 Large Flavored Pizza Dough (homemade, recipe below)
Sabra Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
Chopped Spinach
Sliced Bell Peppers
Mushrooms
Onions
Hot banana Pepper Rings
Mexican Crumbling Cheese - handful
Shredded Cheese (I used Sargento 4 cheese Mexican Blend - about 1 cup)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (245 degrees C). Gather all ingredients. When using frozen spinach, thaw and drain complete, pressing out all water.

Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface. Spray a large pizza pan or jelly roll pan with nonstick cooking spray. Place dough on pan, push dough to edges, filling the pan. With your fingertips, make dimples in the dough. Allow the dough to rest while you wash and cut all vegetables to preferred size.

Liberally spread hummus over the dough, leaving about a half an inch of dough exposed around the edges. Be sure the hummus has filled the dimples in the dough.

Add your choice of pizza toppings, crumbled cheese, and finally a light covering of shredded cheese.

Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 12 to 15 minutes.

Those carnivores who originally cringed at the mention of hummus, ate more pizza than the hummus lover did, imagine that! The hummus made for a very creamy, savory sauce. There was noting odd about the flavor, something I wondered about in advance. Two factors made this an awesome pizza in my opinion. One, the combination of hummus and fresh veggies melded perfectly. Secondly, the roasted pepper flavor was evident throughout, offering a rustic sort of flavor.

Bread Machine Garlic Oregano Dough

1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups AP flour
1 cup white wheat flour
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

Combine water, olive oil, sugar, salt in pan of bread machine Add flour, and then sprinkle garlic on flour. Lastly add yeast.

Turn machine on dough cycle. As the dough begins to form, sprinkle in the oregano. Close the lid and allow dough cycle to complete. My dough cycle is 1.5 hours total time.

(Original instructions advise Let mix for about 15 to 30 minutes. Let the dough rest from 5 to 30 minutes. The longer it rests, the thicker and more tasty the crust.)

Originating from Allrecipes, it did take quite a bit of adjusting however; this bread machine pizza dough recipe is now my favorite for pan pizza and perhaps even foccacia bread. The crust is light and airy, perfect for a foccacia yet strong enough to hold a load of toppings and cheese. In addition, one could easily change up the seasoning in the dough to fit a particular foodie theme.

Sabra Inspired Easy Finger Foods

Sabra History - “Our company was founded in 1986 in Queens New York as Sabra Blue & White Foods. We started with the simple mission of bringing the healthy and delicious cuisine of the Mediterranean to people’s everyday diets—foods like hummus, eggplant dips, babaganoush spreads, and vegetarian sides.”

Sabra makes a whole host of dips, salsa, and hummus. They are perfect for kicking up the flavor of quick and easy recipes. Added a few spoonfuls of Sabra Salsa to mixed vegetables, then heat and serve for an easy, spicy side dish. We liked the Pico De Gallo, medium heat, the best.

Fond of hot dogs in a blanket? Spread biscuit or crescent rolls with garlic hummus, sprinkle with cheese, and then roll as usual. Bake for 15-18 minutes and… yum!

Mini pizzas are a quick and easy snack. Press out refrigerator biscuits making thin dough rounds. Spread with flavored hummus; add toppings, sprinkle with cheese, and bake for about 10 minutes.

Thanks to Sabra and the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program for providing product and coupons.

Are you hungry?
♥

Comments Recipe Tags: baking, dinner, entertaining, foodbuzz, pizza, side dish, snack, spicy, vegetables, vegetarian

Saturday, November 05, 2011

Top 10 Beverage Recipes - TasteMakers and Tervis

Top 10 Tastemaker Tervis Tumbler Beverage Recipes - Tervis tumblers are amazing.

Guaranteed for Life

Photo: The Kitchen Noob

Tervis tumblers seem indestructible. They are made to resist cracking, melting, and shattering. Tervis says, “Don’t take it as a dare or anything, but if they do somehow break (despite following our care instructions), we won’t leave you hanging. We’ll replace it, guaranteed.”

Reduced Condensation and Rings
Double-walled insulation eliminates rings on your furniture. This ingenious feature found on every Tervis tumbler greatly reduces condensation. See no more rings ;)

Keeps Drinks Hot and Cold
The double-walled insulation provides for steamers to stay hot and chillers cold.

Made in America
Tervis tumblers have been proudly made in America since 1946. Invented and perfected by Detroit engineers Frank Cotter and G. Howlett Davis, according to Tervis.com, “The Donelly family purchased the Tervis product rights in the 1950s and incorporated the Tervis Tumbler Company in 1967. To this day, all Tervis products are proudly made in North Venice, Florida, where over 600 people are employed through this family-owned-and-operated business.” Better still, living in SW Florida makes Tervis an awesome local product for this featured publisher, woo hoo!

In addition, the tumblers are microwave*, freezer, and dishwasher safe, perfect for travel and of course customizable! *Certain designs are not microwavable.

Now that you know a bit about the Tervis Tumblers and why I proclaim them awesome, on to the Top 10 FoodBuzz Tastemakers Beverage recipe selections!

1. Apple Cider + a kick - Every Little Thing

2. Spinach Banana Cream Smoothie - Eat, Drink, and Be Aware

3. Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate - Girl in the Little Red Kitchen

4. Tea-infused milk - Looky Tasty

5. Pumpkin Beer Ice Cream Float - Lindselicious

6. Pumpkin Pie Smoothie - Cajun Chef Ryan

7. Buttercup Lassi - Measured In Pinches

8. Overnight Cherry and Coco Protein Oat Parfait - Healthy Diva Eats

9. Chocolate Banana Cherry Recovery Smoothie - The Little Jogger

10. Big n Fruity Bomb Adult Beverage – That’s mine! I’m not much of an 'adult beverage' drinker these days however when I do indulge, my adult beverage of choice is a Jager Bomb of sorts.

The college kids drink them like this!

I prefer a tall and cold, fifty - fifty mix of Jagermeister and fruity energy drink rather than a shot in a glass of energy drink. Back in the day, we called this drink style - a shot dropped in a beer - a boiler maker. Anyhow, a review of the Tervis Tumbler was the perfect excuse to splurge on a bottle of Jagermeister! Last weekend, I enjoyed the performance of these awesome tumblers with an ice cold Bing Cherry Bomb. Unlike the shots, these drinks tend to last a while longer. The Tervis tumbler reserved the chill, without condensation, for the duration of my Cherry Bomb experience! In fact, we had sooo much fun I forgot the photo ;)

Many thanks to FoodBuzz and Tervis for proving the awesome tumbler and a fun opportunity!!

♥

Comments Recipe Tags: beverage, entertaining, foodbuzz, reviews

Wednesday, November 02, 2011

Farfalle Pasta with Sardines in Tomato Sauce

Most would agree that pasta is economical and a much loved comfort food. However, macaroni and sardines isn't a well-received pasta dish or at least not by my American friends. I would hear “No, that’s too hard core Italian for me,” or more often, “Eeewww pasta and sardines sounds worse than anchovies and spaghetti!” Being raised by a full-fledged Italian mother, I declare, “Un pasto delizioso”… a very delicious meal!

It doesn’t get much better than this friends, lemme tell you.

Farfalle and Sardines in Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

Olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 15 oz can sardines in tomato sauce
1 15 oz can tomato sauce
2 – 3 teaspoons Capers Nonpareille, drained
1 – 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
Crushed red pepper seeds to taste (I used about a 1/2 teaspoon)

1/2 16 oz box macaroni - farfalle, fusili, cavatappi, - cooked al dente

Grated Romano cheese

Method
Cook pasta according to directions. Meanwhile, pick over the sardines to remove any backbones and set aside, including the tomato sauce.

Sauté chopped onion in olive oil over low heat until translucent. Add the garlic and cook just until fragrant. Gently stir in the sardines and their sauce to the onions. Caution the sardines are fragile so be very gentle while stirring. Add about 3/4 of the canned tomato sauce, capers, basil, and crushed red pepper seeds. Gently stir, blending the spices into the sauce. Cover and cook for 5 to 10 minutes allowing flavors to come together.

Add the pasta of choice a little at time to the sauce, tossing with each addition to insure the sauce to pasta ratio is as desired. Plate and top with grated Romano cheese.

Thankfully, my Irish father became accustomed to eating “hard-core Italian” delights over the years, and the hubby, well he adores Italian food. Obviously, this is well received in my house. If you enjoy fish and Italian food, this is a pasta dish for you - easy, economical, impressive, and most importantly incredibly delicious!