Thursday, June 30, 2011

Orange-Balsamic Glazed Chicken

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts or any combination of light and dark meat
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
2 to 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves chopped
1/3 cup orange marmalade
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 scallions, whites and greens, finely chopped
4 cups baby arugula (optional)

Directions:
In a large pan, heat the extra-virgin olive oil over medium-high to high heat.
Season the chicken liberally with salt, pepper and poultry seasoning. When the oil is hot and ripples, add the chicken and brown for 5 minutes, then turn and sprinkle with rosemary. Cook until the chicken is tender and cooked through, about 5 minutes more.
In a small bowl, stir together the marmalade, vinegar and stock and pour over the chicken. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the sauce has thickened and becomes a thin glaze. Add the scallions during the last minute of cooking time. Arrange on a serving platter and serve topped with arugula greens.

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Death by Chocolate

Ingredients:
8 oz (225 g) dark semisweet chocolate (40-50% cocoa)
2/3 cup (140 g) butter
1 cup (210 g) sugar
4 eggs
4 heaped tablespoons (1 dl) all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1½ teaspoon baking powder or 1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 tablespoons sour cream

2/3 cup (1.6 dl) heavy cream or whipping cream
9 oz (260 g) semisweet chocolate (40-50% cocoa)

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 deg F (Gas mark 4 or 180 deg C).
Line a circular 10 inch (25 cm) cake tin (3 inches tall) with grease proof or other non-stick paper and grease the tin. (Please note that the cake will rise to 3 inches and collapse somewhat when cooled. If your cake tin is less than 10 inches wide and 3 inches tall we recommend that you use two cake tins.)
Break the chocolate into small pieces and melt it with butter over hot water.
Beat the eggs with sugar, mix with flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and vanilla extract.
Slowly fold in the melted butter and chocolate and the sour cream.
Bake at 350 degrees until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, approximately 40 to 50 minutes (if using 2 cake tins 20-30 minutes may be sufficient).
Cool the cake completely. When it has obtained room temperature place it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before removing the cake from the tin (the cake is sticky and difficult to cut when it is warm!) Remove the crusted surface on the top of the cake, and cut in half, horizontally.
Frosting:
Heat 2/3 cup (1.6 dl) of heavy cream or whipping cream in a sauce pan.
Remove from heat, add 9 oz (260 g) of finely chopped dark semisweet chocolate, stir until smooth, and let it cool until in thickens.
Use one 1/3 of the frosting between the two layers, 1/3 on top, and the rest around the cake. Put the cake into the fridge for one hour or more to harden the frosting.
This cake should have room temperature when served.


http://www.cacaoweb.net/deathbychocolate.html

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Buttermilk Pancakes




Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour 
1/4 cup sugar 
21/4 teaspoons baking powder 
1/2 teaspoon baking soda 
1/2 teaspoon salt 
2 eggs 
2 cups buttermilk 
1/4 cup melted unsalted butter, plus some for frying 

Instructions:

In a large bowl sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Beat the eggs with the buttermilk and melted butter. Combine the dry and the wet ingredients into a lumpy batter, being careful not to over mix.

Heat some butter in a skillet over medium heat. Spoon 1/3 cup of batter into the skillet and sprinkle the top with some of the blueberries. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side.

Serve with a dollop of whipped cream and maple syrup.

Sunday, October 31, 2010

Mini Oreo Surpise Cupcake


Ingredients:
1 pkg. (2-layer size) chocolate cake mix
1 pkg.  (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1 egg
2 Tbsp.  sugar
48 Mini OREO Bite Size Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
1-1/2 cups  thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping
 
Instructions:
Heat oven to 350°F.
Prepare cake batter as directed on package.
Mix cream cheese, egg and sugar until well blended.
Spoon half the cake batter into 24 paper-lined muffin cups.
Top each with about 1-1/2 tsp. cream cheese mixture and 1 cookie; cover with remaining cake batter.
Bake 19 to 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean
Cool 5 minutes, remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.
Frost with COOL WHIP.
Top with remaining cookies.

Frosted cupcakes can be stored in refrigerator up to 3 days.

Potato Latkes



Ingredients:
10 medium potatoes
1 small onion
2 large eggs
1/4 cut matzah meal
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp baking powder

Instructions:
In food processor, add everything except potatoes and baking powder and pulse to mix.
Add 4 potatoes and baking powder.
Process until coarsely chopped.
Put in large bowl.
Wishe shredding blade in place, shred remaining 6 potatoes.
Add to bowl and mix well.
Heat 1/2 inch of oil in frying pan.
Drop 1 tbsp for each latke.
Fry until brown.

If latkes are frozen. put in 450F oven (directly from the freezer) for a few minutes until heated through.

Chewy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies


Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups quick-cooking oats
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth.
Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla.
Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture until just blended.
Mix in the quick oats, walnuts, and chocolate chips.
Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets.
Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven.
Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Chicken Schnitzel


Ingredients:
Chicken tenders
Breadcrumbs
Paprika
Garlic powder
Flour
Salt and pepper
2-3 eggs
Olive or vegetable oil
Chicken broth
Butter
White wine
Lemon juice

Instructions:
Mix flour, paprika, garlic powder and salt and pepper.
Put breadcrumbs, flour mixture and beaten eggs on three separate plates.
Dredge chicken in flour mixture, eggs and breadcrumbs, in that order.
Heat oil in medium to large skillet over medium heat.
Pan fry chicken.
Clean out the pan.
Melt butter in the same pan, add white wine and simmer for 30 seconds.
Add chicken broth and lemon juice, bring to a slight bubble.
Pour sauce over chicken.
Transfer chicken tenders to cookie sheet and bake for abour 10 minutes on each side at 250F.

Note: Sauce can be cut out of recipe if desired.