Baked Brie with Honey and Berries

Brie is great! It can be savory or sweet, depending on what you serve it with. I really like it sweet.

1 wheel of brie
2 sheets of puffed pastry
1 egg yolk
Honey
Berries
Water crackers

Defrost the puffed pastry according to package directions. Pre heat oven to 350 degrees. When it's defrosted, lay the sheets of pastry out flat. Put the brie wheel on one sheet.

I don't bother to take off the rind. It doesn't bother me. Start wrapping the brie in the pastry. Make sure the whole thing is covered by pastry. I didn't need the second sheet this time, but sometimes I do, so I'll use some of the other sheet to be decorative.

Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray, the place the brie, seem side down on the sheet. Add any decorative touches to the pastry, then get the egg wash together.

Beat an egg yolk in a bowl, mix in just about a tablespoon of water, then beat a little more. Use a pastry brush to brush the sides and top of the brie with the egg wash. This will give the pastry a nice, golden brown color. Now put the brie in the oven and bake for about 20-30 minutes, or until golden brown and puffed up.

I like to put it on a platter, then drizzle a generous amount of honey on top. I serve it with berries, water crackers and sliced baguette.

Buffalo Chicken Dip (Take Two)

Okay, this is my second recipe for buffalo chicken dip, and this one isn't so spicy you can't eat it. I've made it before, so I'm  sure about this, and every time I make it, people ask me for the recipe. 

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 12oz bottle of your favorite hot sauce (I prefer Frank's Red Hot)
1 8oz block of cream cheese
1 cup of shredded cheddar
1/4 cup of ranch dressing
Tortilla chips
Celery sticks
Carrot sticks

The morning of the gathering put the chicken and hot sauce in a crock pot. I set mine on low for about 8 hours. This may seem like too much sauce at this point, but trust me, once you shred the chicken later, it will get absorbed.

After the 8 hours are up, start shredding the chicken with two forks. mix it back in with the sauce, then add the cream cheese and mix well. Next add the shredded cheddar and ranch and mix it all in.

Serve this with celery, carrots and tortilla chips.

I usually just leave it in the crock (I use a small one for this), but for the pictures I put it in a bowl this time. 

Cranberry Cream Cheese Spread

I had something very similar to this at a friend's wedding and had to recreate it. Here is what I've come up with...

1 8oz brick of cream cheese
1 6oz bag of craisins
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 tsp sugar

Let the cream cheese sit out for a bit to soften. When it gets to the point that you can start mixing the other items in, add about half of the craisins.

Using a fork, fold the craisins into the cream cheese until well incorporated.

Next, add the other half of the craisins and mix them in. (It just seems to be easier to do it a little at a time, instead of all at once.) Now add the cinnamon and sugar and mix those in really well.

By now the bowl you are using is probably pretty messy looking. Spoon the mixture into another bowl so that it looks prettier for presentations sake.

Either serve it immediately or cover it and put it in the fridge for later use. I serve this with crackers, graham crackers, or a sliced baguette.

Bacon Jam

Again, I'm sorry that I'm such a bad blogger, but to make it up to you, let me present my recipe for bacon jam! It's savory and sweet and WONDERFUL!!!

2 lbs bacon
2 medium yellow onions, sliced thin
1 small head of garlic, minced
1/2 cup of light brown sugar, packed
3 tsp of instant espresso powder in one cup of very hot water
1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup of pure maple syrup
1 cup of bourbon
generous sprinkle of fresh cracked pepper

Cut the bacon into little pieces and cook them in a pan until they are just ready, in batches. They will cook more in a later step, so they don't have to be really crispy yet. When each batch is ready, drain it and let it rest on a plate lined with a paper towel.

While the bacon is cooking slice the onions and mince the garlic.

Put the cooked bacon into a medium sized dutch oven, then cook the onions and garlic in the bacon grease, over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until they are soft and translucent. Use a large slotted spoon to move the onions and garlic to the dutch oven, draining the fat as you go.

Try not to eat all the cooked bacon while you are doing the other steps. Instead, distract yourself with some bourbon!

Add the remaining ingredients to the dutch oven. Then simmer on low heat for 3-4 hours. Stir every 30 minutes. It needs to reduce a lot before you can go to the next step.

Let the mixture cool for about 30 minutes. Put the mixture into a food processor, and mix it to your desired texture. I want mine a bit chunky, so I only let it go for a few seconds. This step really only takes a few, quick pulses. You can always do more, but you can't do less!

 I'm sorry I don't have more pics, but next time I make it, I will take more and add them. It's just so hard to take a picture when you're too busy stuffing your face! I have enjoyed this on something as simple as toasted baguette, but it has sooo many other uses!I made some biscuits and used this as topping, I've made grilled cheese sandwiches with either brie or Gruyere with the bacon jam, I put it in a baked brie with puffed pastry, I add some to chunks of butternut squash that I roasted, and I gave a lot away. I'm sure the next time I make it I'll come up with many more uses for it. I really hope you enjoy it!

Cinnamon Pancakes with Apples and Bacon

I'm getting a little bored with bacon, eggs and toast every Sunday morning, so today I wanted to try something different. Here's what I've come up with...

Pancake Batter:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon granulated suger
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

In a medium sized bowl mix the egg, milk and vegetable oil with a whisk. Using a flour sifter, slowly mix the dry ingredients, whisking as you go to avoid lumps. Pour about 1/4 cups of batter for each pancake into a hot, oiled pan. Turn when the edges start to get golden brown and bubbles start to appear throughout the batter.

Apple bacon topping: (My family is crazy and I'm the only one who wants the topping. If your family is not nuts, use more ingredients for a larger yield.)

• 1 large apple, peeled, cored and diced
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled

Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat, then add brown sugar and apples. Saute until soft, about  five minutes.

Then add crumbled bacon.

Serve pancakes hot, with the apple topping and maybe some maple syrup (The real stuff!!). Also, mimosas are a great compliment to this dish! :) These are VERY rich, but so yummy! Enjoy!



*For vegetarian, just eliminate the bacon. It's still yummy!

Marshmallow Fruity Pebble Treats

Soooo not my recipe, but so yummy I had to share!

1/2 stick of butter
10.5 oz pk of mini marshmallows
11 oz pk fruity pebbles (About 8 cups)

Melt the butter in a large sauce pan over low heat. When the butter has melted, add the marshmallows. Stir until melted. Remove from heat and add cereal, 2 cups at a time. When it's all mixed together, put the mixture into a greased 13x9 dish. Use a piece of plastic wrap or wax paper to press it down. Let it cool, then cut into squares and enjoy!

Mushroom Risotto

I LOVE mushroom risotto! This is a labor of love, but so worth it.

2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
sm yellow onion, diced
8 cloves of garlic, minced
32 oz chicken broth, keep this warm in a pot while cooking the rice. (For vegetarian use vegetable broth)
1 cup arborio rice
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup Parmesan cheese
8 oz sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup dry white wine

Melt 2 tbsp of butter in a large skillet over medium heat, then add 2 tbsp olive oil. Saute diced onion and garlic for about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook for another 3 minutes or until the mushrooms release their juices. Add wine and let the alcohol cook off, about 3 minutes. Add 1 cup of arborio rice, stir for about 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of warm broth. Reduce the heat to low. This must be stirred every few minutes while cooking. Continue cooking until broth has been absorbed, then add another cup of broth. Continue to add broth as it absorbs. When you are down to about 2 cups of broth, start to taste it. You will know if it needs to cook more by the texture. I also keep a back up of chicken broth at the ready in case it needs more liquid, or you could always just use more wine. :) When it's ready, the texture will be nice and soft. It should also spread when it hits the plate. If it's too stiff you needed to add more liquid.

I posted a bit pre-maturely. Pics will be added later. 

Balsamic Glazed Pork Chops and Pears

I'm trying something a little different with pork chops tonight and hoping it's yummy...

4 boneless pork chops

olive oil

2 ripe Bartlett pears, peeled, cored and cut into eighths

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp crushed rosemary

1/2 tsp hot sauce (I used Frank's Red Hot)

Salt and pepper

In a large, non-stick skillet, heat some oil over medium heat, then place pork chops into pan. Sprinkle salt and pepper on chops and turn to do the other side. Brown both sides, but don't cook them all the way. Transfer them to a plate. 

Add more oil to the pan if you need a little more. Add the pears and toss them frequently until they start to get browned and crispy. Add vinegar, brown sugar, rosemary and hot sauce and bring to a boil. The sauce will get a bit syrupy.

Return the chops to the pan and cook until cooked throughout. 

I served this with honey glazed carrots and steamed baby Yukon potatoes with parsley. Also, I only put three chops back into the pan because my dad hates vinegar. His pork chop was a bit plain, but he still really likes it. My hubby was a bit concerned because the vinegar had such a strong smell, but he really liked the flavor, so I will make these again. I hope you enjoy!

Berry Crumb Pie

Berries were on sale at Safeway this weekend, so I figured I'd make a pie...

Start with a store bought pie crust. I still haven't even tried to make a homemade pie crust, but these are so easy, it's hard to find the motivation to try. Pre-heat oven to 375.

Pie filling...
2 6oz pkgs of black raspberries
1 16oz pkg of strawberries ,tops removed and cut into bite size pieces
1/2 cup granulated sugar

In a large bowl combine the berries and granulated sugar. Stir to coat the berries with the sugar and set aside.

Place chilled pie crust into a pie plate and set it in the fridge until you're ready to assemble the pie.

Crumb Topping...

1/2 cup of butter, softened
1/2 cup of brown sugar, packed 
1 cup of sifted flour

Mix the topping ingredients together in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer until crumbs start to form.

Put the filling into the pie shell and top with crumb topping. Bake for about 40 minutes. Allow pie to cool before cutting.

I'm better at putting a pie together than I am at cutting it and putting it on a plate. This looks like a total mess, but it's really quite yummy!

I think next time I will pre-bake the pie shell a little, then add the filling and crumb topping. This was really good, it was just really wet. Maybe if I bake the filling less it won't get so juicy. It's still a good pie! Enjoy!

Lemon Thyme Chicken

I was going to make something I found for the crock pot, but I got sidetracked this morning, so here's my stove top version...

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 lemon
1 shallot, sliced thin
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cups chicken broth
1 tbsp dried thyme
olive oil
salt and pepper

Heat about 2 tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet, over medium heat. Sprinkle salt and pepper on one side of chicken breasts. When olive oil is hot, place chicken, salt and pepper side down, in the pan to brown. Move the chicken around a bit to make sure it doesn't stick. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the side that's up. When it's browned on one side, flip the chicken. When both sides are nicely browned, remove from pan and set aside on a plate. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil to pan, then add shallots. Stir these occasionally, scraping any meat that's stuck to the bottom of the pan. When shallots are starting to soften, add the garlic. Cook until the shallots start to caramelize a bit, then add the wine. Let the alcohol cook off a bit, for about 5 minutes, then add the juice and zest from the lemon and the thyme. Return the chicken to the pan and any juices from the plate. After a few minutes add 1 cup of chicken broth. When this cooks down a bit, add the rest of the broth. Continue cooking until chicken is cooked throughout and liquids have reduced to a nice sauce.

I served this with roasted red potatoes and random veggies from my freezer.