Samuel absolutely loves to be in the kitchen with me.  He’s fascinated by the Kitchen Aid mixer.  Often he will reach his arms up for me to pick him up so he can watch the blades spin.  More than once he has helped pour ingredients into the bowl, and without fail it always ends with a huge smile and fits of laughter from the excitement.

I knew I wanted Nathan’s Father’s Day dessert to capture the love Samuel already has for the kitchen.  We spent Father’s Day driving from Pennsylvania back to Georgia, so we celebrated the following day with a steak dinner and this cake.

I chose an icebox cake, because I thought it would the easiest for Samuel to do.  He was in charge of spreading out the “batter” of the cake while I laid out the crackers.  Have you ever let an almost one year old spread batter?  It was the most adorable thing I’ve ever seen, and he and I {and the rest of the kitchen} were covered in peanut butter filling.  We had such a good time.

He was thrilled with his finished product, and I was proud of him.  This isn’t the prettiest dessert ever, but it was made with the love an 11 month old.  What is better than that?

Peanut Butter Icebox Cake {from Martha Stewart with slight changes}

Ingredients:

• 2 cups heavy cream {refrigerate at least 24 hours before using}
• 1/3 confectioners’ sugar
• 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter {I used Publix brand}
• 1 box of chocolate covered graham crackers

Directions:

1.  In the bowl of your mixer {use wire attachment – not paddle} whip 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream until peaks form.

2.  In a small bowl, whisk peanut butter until smooth.

3.  Add the remaining 1/2 cup of heavy cream to the peanut butter and whisk together.

4.  With the mixer on the lowest speed, slowly fold in the peanut butter to the cream.  Mix until well blended.

5.  Dip the graham crackers into the mixture so they are covered halfway.

6.  Lay the graham crackers out in a circle with graham crackers also filling the center.

7.  Spread some of the peanut butter mixture on the graham crackers.

8.  Repeat steps 5-7 until you have 3 layers with the peanut butter on top.

9.  Let chill at least 8 hours before serving.

Grade: B+

Comments: Samuel did a good job, didn’t he?  This cake looked a lot worse than it tasted, because it was delicious.  The peanut butter filling is very rich, and we were able to get 12 servings out of this cake {it was not big}.  I think if I made this again I would cut the peanut butter and add some chocolate to the mix as well.  I’d also trade out the chocolate covered graham crackers for shortbread…although I do have a huge amount of love for chocolate covered graham crackers.  This is a great activity to let kids help with in the kitchen this summer!

One of my biggest food guilty pleasures is Chinese take out.  It’s the only time I eat white rice, and I love those vegetables.  There is something incredibly comforting about staring down two boxes full of food that will last for at least two days.  I’m a veggies and white rice kind of girl.  Nathan, on the other hand, loves the chicken dishes.

As I’ve said a million times, I hate spicy food.  I also hate salt.  So one would think I would dislike General Tso’s Chicken, and you are right.  This was one of those times I catered to Nathan’s tastes, and I ate a sandwich.  This was way too spicy for me.  You could easily cut back the heat, but I wanted to make something spicy for Nathan since I never do that.  It was nice of me.

General Tso’s Chicken {adapted from Everyday Food for the iPhone}

Ingredients:

• 1 cup brown rice
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 lb whole snap peas
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 3 tbs brown sugar
• 2 1/2 tbs soy sauce
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp basil
• 1/4 tsp cilantro
• 2 egg whites
• 1/2 tsp coarse salt
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper
• 1 lb boneless chicken breasts
• 2 tbs vegetable oil

Directions:

1.  Cook the rice according to instructions on the package.

2.  In a large bowl mix together 1 tbs cornstarch and 1/2 cup cold water until smooth. 

3.  Add whole peas, ginger, brown sugar, soy sauce, basil, cilantro, and red pepper flakes.  Toss in the cornstarch mixture to combine.  Set aside.

4.  In a small bowl, whisk the egg whites, 3 tbs of cornstarch, salt, and pepper.

5.  Cut the chicken breasts into small bite-size pieces. 

6.  Add the chicken to the bowl with the egg whites.  Toss to cover the chicken.  It should be covered completely.

7.  In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. 

8.  Add the chicken to the skillet.  Make sure to use a slotted spoon so the excess egg mixture runs off.

9.  Cook the chicken until golden brown and cooked thoroughly.  Transfer to a plate.

10.  Transfer the snap peas mixture to the same skillet.  Cover and cook until sauce is thickened.  About 5 minutes.

11.  Once sauce is thickened, return the chicken to the skillet and reduce heat to medium-low.  Coat the chicken completely.

12.  Serve the chicken mixture on top of the brown rice.

Grade: B+ {per Nathan}

Comments:  Nathan said this was better than the Chinese take out version, but he wished it was even spicier.  He did like the sauce a lot, and he thought it was incredibly filling.  This would be a great dish for a large group assuming everyone likes spicy food.  It would also work out nice with beef which I realize takes away from the whole chicken aspect, but I imagine that would be very good as well.

Things here have been a little hectic {ha!}.  I’m not sure how we’ve already hit Friday, but honestly it’s been one of those weeks.  It all comes together tomorrow with a dinner party we’re hosting for some friends for Foodbuzz’s 24×24.  Until then I’m running a tight ship over here.

When I’m busy I really rely on my menu plan.  I need it to organize my day and keep me from asking that pesky “what will we have tonight?” question.  This recipe sounded a lot better when I saw it in December.  By the time I got to dinner last night and looked at it again I wasn’t so sure.  My concerns were warranted.

Turkey & Vegetable Stew {adapted from MarthaStewart.com}

Ingredients:

• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 large sweet potato
• 3 cups water
• 1 14.5 ox can diced tomatoes
• 1 lb turkey breast
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp basil
• 1 small head escarole

Directions:

1.  Cook the turkey breast according to the directions.

2.  Once the turkey has cooled, cut about 1/3 of it into chunks.  {Save the rest for sandwiches.}

3.  In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil on medium heat.

4.  While the oil is heating, peel the sweet potato and cut into quarters.

5.  Add the sweet potato to the oil along with the water, canned tomatoes WITH liquid, oregano, and basil.

6.  Bring the mixture to a boil and cover.  Let simmer for 20 minutes.

7.  Add the turkey to the soup.  Let simmer for an additional 10 minutes.

8.  Cut the leaves from the escarole into bite-size pieces.

9.  Add the escarole to the soup.  Stir for 2-3 minutes.

10.  Serve.

Grade: C

Comments: This is probably the most disappointing thing I’ve made in a while.  I’m not quite sure why neither of us really liked it.  It just didn’t work.  I’m not sure if it was the sweet potatoes or not, but one of the flavors didn’t quite fit.  If I made this again I’d probably ditch the sweet potatoes and add carrots, celery, and green peppers.  Maybe even some zucchini.  The escarole and turkey were delicious together, so that works as a great base for a better stew in my opinion.

How is Christmas just two days away?!?  I feel like this year really flew by, and I can’t believe 2011 is right around the corner!

In one last ditch effort to get some Christmas cookies made, I pulled out my favorite cookie book of all time: Martha Stewart’s Cookies.  Not the cool iPad edition, but the regular old fashioned paper one.

These cookies were good.  Not great, but they got the job done.  I also didn’t have the right size cookie cutter so mine were incredibly huge.  My recommendation is to stick with a 2″ circle rather than oh I don’t know…a 3.5″ one.

Chocolate Peppermint Cookies {adapted from Martha Stewart’s Cookies}

Ingredients:

for the cookies:

• 1 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup + 2 tbs all purpose flour
• 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• powdered sugar for the work surface {you will use this to roll out the dough rather than flour}

for the ganache:

• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 8 oz semi sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 tsp pure peppermint extract

Directions:

1.  Whisk together cocoa powder and flour in a bowl.

2.  Put butter and sugar in the bowl of your electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Mix on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes.

3.  Mix an egg into the sugar mixture until well blended.

4.  Reduce speed to low and add flour.  Mix until just combined.

5.  Divide dough in half.  Shape into two disks and wrap in plastic wrap.  Keep in the fridge overnight {or at least an hour}.

{why yes that is my incredibly disorganized refrigerator.}

6.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

7.  Lightly dust your working surface with powdered sugar.  Roll out the dough to about 1/8 inch thick.  Using a round cookie cutter {preferably 2″} cut out circles and put on a baking sheet.

8.  Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes.  Let cool completely.

9.  While the cookies are cooling make the ganache.  In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a boil over medium-high heat.

10.  Once boiling, add the chocolate and stir until completely smooth.

11.  Remove from heat and add peppermint extract.  Cover and let sit 10 minutes.

12.  On half of the cookies spread ganache.  Using the other half of the cookies to create tops.

13.  Stick the cookie sandwiches in the fridge for about 30 minutes before serving.

Grade: B+

Comments: These were a great treat on a cold night!  Not the best cookie I’ve ever had, but they were good enough that I enjoyed one {or three}.  The best part is that they were easy to make, and that is always a plus at the holidays when you are making cookies en masse.  The peppermint flavor is strong but not overwhelmingly so.  These would be excellent with ice cream {is it too cold for that?}.  I’ll be adding them to my cookie tins again next year for sure!

After last night’s alcohol-laced fudge recipe, I just had to go ahead and post my other alcohol-based recipe from this weekend.

We had some eggnog leftover from our party last weekend, and I just couldn’t let it go to waste.  I’m not a huge eggnog fan, but the idea of alcohol in a breakfast for dinner food made it worth trying.  Unfortunately every recipe I found online for eggnog french toast sounded gross.  So I decided to move forward blindly.  Oh, and top it with a cream sauce of sorts.  Why not, right?

Warning: This is not even a remotely healthy meal.  Not even close.

One year ago: Thin Spaghetti

Eggnog French Toast {my recipe}

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups alcoholic eggnog
• 1 tbs cinnamon
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 6 slices wheat bread

Directions:

1.  Heat a griddle to 300 degrees.  Coat liberally with butter.

2.  In a medium bowl mix the eggs, eggnog, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice using a whisk.

3.  Soak each piece of bread for just a second or two in the mixture on both sides.

4.  Place on the griddle.  Cook for 5 minutes or so on each side.

6.  Serve with butter, syrup, and cream sauce {recipe follows}.

Grade: B+

Comments: I’d make these again, but I would switch out the wheat for Texas Toast.  Eggnog is a little heavier than milk {obviously} which means that the bread gets weighed down with liquid quickly.  You can taste just a little but of the alcohol flavor but it isn’t too strong.  If you wanted to make these more family friendly you could obviously switch out the alcoholic eggnog with plain {which is totally boring}.  Even though I’m not an eggnog fan I really liked these, and they would make a great Christmas brunch food!

Cream Topping {adapted from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook}

Ingredients:

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tbs confectioners’ sugar

Directions:

1.  In a medium saucepan cook the cream and 1 tbs sugar over medium heat.

2.  When the cream has just started to boil, remove from the heat and cover for 10 minutes.

3.  Stir in the remaining 1 tbs of sugar.

4.  Place in the freezer for 5-7 minutes to thicken.

5.  Use on above french toast.

Grade: A-

Comments: This was very good.  All I did was take a whipped cream recipe and alter it enough to make it less thick by changing the directions.  It was an excellent topper, and I loved that it went so well with the syrup.

Last Friday I had some girlfriends over for a gingerbread decorating party.  I baked a LOT of cookies {maybe 6 dozen?} of all different shapes and sizes: gingerbread men, women, and children, Christmas trees, stockings, candy canes, presents, ornaments, etc.  It was a blast, and I’m definitely going to be making it a yearly tradition.

I did so much baking I had to break open my very first Costco purchase:

Per usual for my menu posts, click on the item if you would like to see the recipe.

Menu:

Signature Cocktail:

Grasshoppers

Food:

Molasses-Gingerbread Cookies

Royal Icing

Sprinkles, Chocolate Chips, Coconut, & Small Gingerbread Pieces for Decorating

Pumpkin Cake

S’Mores on a Stick

Chocolate Cupcakes with Fluffy Vanilla Frosting

{PS: BEST cupcakes I’ve ever had hands down.}

Homemade White Crackers with Cheese

Dip & Chips {brought by friend}

Back on November 5th I had a dinner party for Nathan’s birthday the day prior.

{Yes, I realize I am WAY behind on posts.  You should see my Word document reminding me of all of the recipes I haven’t posted yet.}

I was really excited for Nathan’s birthday this year.  This was the first time since we’ve been married he has actually been home for it.  Usually he is traveling for work most of November.  Even though he had been gone early in the month, he was back in time for his birthday!  We had some friends over, and I worked on gathering up some of Nathan’s favorite foods.  It explains the lack of cohesiveness in the menu.

To see the recipes, click on the dish.  It will take you to a Google Docs page.

MENU

Beverages

Sweetwater Brewery Festive Ale

Champagne

Soup

Vegetable Barley Soup

Main Course

Italian Pork Tenderloin

NY Strip Steak

{totally forgot to take a picture of this}

Homemade Mashed Potatoes

Corn

Dessert

Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

Homemade Thin Mints

Today Samuel and I are going to a Halloween party in our neighborhood.  I’m super excited, because there is a costume contest.

If you follow me on Facebook or Twitter, then you’ve already seen his costume.  However, I am going to force you to look at it again:

That, my friends, is a baby dressed as a marshmallow {from the mother/son Halloween dance – I was the roasting stick}.  I made the costume myself with my brand new sewing machine {thanks, Nathan!} & some pillow stuffing, and I am obsessed with it.  Of course it is about 80 degrees here, so I don’t know how long he’ll last in it today.  However, it is the attempt that counts.

I am slightly obsessed with having a child who I get to dress for Halloween the next few years {until he starts picking out his own costume}.  I totally want to be that mom who handmakes each of her kid’s costumes.

There is really no easy way to transition from that to the recipe I am posting, so let’s just not even try.

Chicken with Spinach and Couscous {adapted from Martha Stewart Living September 2010}

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• kosher salt
• 1 lb chicken breasts
• 1 cup couscous
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 12 cups baby spinach
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup water

Directions:

1.  Spray a large pan with olive oil.  Place the chicken in the pan {in batches if necessary} and cover with ginger, cumin, and red pepper flakes.  Cook thoroughly.

2.  In another pan, heat the olive oil on medium.  Place the spinach into the pan.

3.  Add the raisins to the spinach after about 30 seconds.

4.  Cook the spinach and raisin mixture for about 5 minutes or until spinach is wilted.

5.  Cook the couscous according to the directions on the box.

6.  Serve.

Grade: A-

Comments: Surprisingly delicious.  I love cooked spinach, and I love raisins.  However, I never would have thought to put them together.  That combination is really what made this meal so good.  It is definitely different, but with a little couscous, the spinach mixture, and a small piece of chicken in a bite you will be blown away.  This is a great meal for the late summer/early fall.  Now I want to try mixing other fruits into my spinach!

Menu

Before Baptism:

Brunch:

Overnight Sausage & Eggs

coffee

After Baptism:

Appetizers:

Guacamole & Chips

Veggies & Dill Dip

Cheese & Crackers

Dinner:

Salad with Homemade Ranch Dressing

Pulled Pork Sliders

Sweet Potato Chips

Spiced Carrots

Citrus Punch

Dessert:

Mini Vanilla Cake with Vanilla Buttercream Icing {from Publix}

Peanut Butter & Jelly Cupcakes

Candy Chocolate Bark

This was a delicious and light dinner.  It just so happened that on the day I had planned to make it the temperature was well over 80 degrees {Happy Fall, Georgia!}.  Nathan, who is hit or miss on both salads and salmon, really loved it.  He requested that it get added to the rotation {note: there is no rotation.  I’ve never made the same meal twice.  Except spaghetti}.

The recipe calls for fresh green beans, but the ones at the grocery looked horrible.  I used canned, and you know it?  It turned out delicious.  I actually think that the canned ones worked better than the fresh ones would have.

Salmon, Cucumber, & Green Bean Salad {adapted from Everyday Food: Fresh Flavor Fast Cookbook}

Ingredients:

• 1 lb skinless salmon fillets
• kosher salt
• 2 cans long cut green beans
• 1/2 Japanese zucchini
• 1/4 cup Italian dressing
• 1/2 tsp basil
• 1 cucumber
• olive oil

Directions:

1.  Turn the oven to broil with rack on lowest level.  Spray a glass baking dish with olive oil.  Place salmon fillets in dish & top with basil.  Cook until opaque {about 12 minutes} set aside.

2.  Cut the Japanese zucchini into small pieces.

3.  In a medium pan, heat 1 tsp of olive oil.  Cook the zucchini until soft and slightly browned.  About 5 minutes.

4.  Meanwhile, cook the green beans in boiling water.

5.  Slice the cucumber and cut the slices in half.

6.  Cut the salmon into bite size pieces.  Place in a large bowl.

7.  Add the zucchini, cucumber, and drained green beans into the bowl with the salmon.  Toss with Italian dressing & some kosher salt.

Grade: A-

Comments: So so good.  I was so excited to try this recipe, and I am glad I did.  It was just the right amount of flavors.  Nothing overpowered anything else instead they all complemented each other beautifully.  This would be a very easy recipe to multiply to serve larger groups, and it would be great to take to a new mom or busy family as a meal.  My only suggestion would be to skip the salt unless you really like salty foods.  I thought that was a little strong, and I only used 1/2 tsp.