A whole lotta biscotti!!

I feel  like I've abandoned my blogging community, I haven't written a blog in almost a week. Yikes! Have no fear though, I am back. 

I've spent the past week making biscotti. I've never made it before. With no formal training in pastry baking (minus my one Wilton cake decorating class) I spend a lot of time researching, and reading every baking book I can. I spent the first day researching recipes to find a common theme on how to make biscotti. Trial and error, three days later and after gaining 5 pounds I have three delicious recipes that I will use time and time again. What I like about these recipes most is that there is no butter! So, the 5 pounds I gained came from trying various batches until I got it right, not from a fattening recipe. 

Pumpkin Chai Biscotti

ingredients:
2 eggs
1/2 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup pumpkin, being the hometown girl that I am, I used Wegman's brand. But Libby is also a great product.
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmug
1/4 ginger
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
1 bag of Tazo chai tea
2 cups whole wheat flour


directions:
1. Place eggs in a large mixing bowl with brown sugar and vanilla. Blend together with orange zest. 
2. Add pumpkin and mix again.
3. In a separate bowl measure flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, salt and baking powder, whisk together.  Open a bag of Tazo chai tea and add. 
4. Add dry ingredients to large mixing bowl 1/2 cup at a time until thoroughly mixed.  
5. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
6. Grab a bowl of ice cold water to dip your hands in before working with dough. 
*This was a helpful piece of information I found on the food network, the dough is super sticky and placing my hands in ice cold water before touching the dough made it super easy to work with the dough!
7. Form 2 logs with the dough about a half inch in height and about the length of your forearm.
8. Bake at 350 degrees, for about 30 mins. Dough will be slightly golden brown on the edges and top when it's ready to come out.
9. Let cool for a few minutes, then cut dough at an angle.
10. Place back on cookie sheet, cut side up. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees and bake for an additional  20-30 minutes.
11. When done place biscotti on a wire rack to cool. Decorate as desired.
You can leave the biscotti as is, or you can dip them in chocolate. I drizzled them with a cinnamon vanilla cream cheese frosting that I made. Delicious.

Mocha Chocolate Biscotti

Something about the smell and taste of this biscotti reminds me of Christmas. I plan on making this for Christmas morning.  

ingredients:
2 eggs
2 tablespoons instant coffee  
zest of an entire orange
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups flour
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon anise
1 cup (8 ounces) chocolate chips


directions:
1. Place eggs in a large mixing bowl with sugar and anise. Blend together with orange zest.
2. Add in instant coffee and mix.
3. In a separate bowl combine dry ingredients and whisk together.
4. Add dry ingredients to sugar mixture a 1/2 cup at a time until throughly mixed.
5. Fold in chocolate chips. Yes it smells amazing at this point. Maybe it will remind you of Christmas too. If it doesn't I'm clearly insane.
6. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

7. Grab a bowl of ice cold water to dip your hands in before working with dough. 

*This was a helpful piece of information I found on the food network, the dough is super sticky and placing my hands in ice cold water before touching the dough made it super easy to work with the dough!

8. Form 2 logs with the dough about a half inch in height and about the length of your forearm.

9. Bake at 350 degrees, for about 30 mins. Dough will be slightly golden brown on the edges and top when it's ready to come out.

10. Let cool for a few minutes, then cut dough at an angle.

11. Place back on cookie sheet, cut side up. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees and bake for an additional  20-30 minutes.

12. When done place biscotti on a wire rack to cool. Decorate as desired.

You can leave the biscotti as is, or you can dip them in chocolate etc. I dipped these chocolate masterpieces in melted chocolate and then lightly sprinkled some unsweetened cocoa powder on them. Yummy!!!

Cranberry Almond Biscotti

These were by far my favorite from all the batches I made. It took a couple tries to get it just right. But I did! The trick was finding a dough sweet enough to ease he tartness of the fresh cranberries. Let me tell you, my first batch made me pucker!!

ingredients:

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

3/4 teastpoon vanilla

3/4 teaspoon almond etract

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

zest of an entire orange

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

pinch of salt

1 cup fresh cranberries 

4 ounces sliced almonds 

directions:

1. Place eggs in a large mixing bowl with sugar, almond extract and vanilla.

2. Add orange zest and mix.

3. In a separate bowl measure dry ingredients and whisk together.

4. Add dry ingredients to sugar mixture, 1/2 cup at a time until thoroughly mixed. 

5. Fold in cranberries and almonds.

6. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

7. Grab a bowl of ice cold water to dip your hands in before working with dough. 

*This was a helpful piece of information I found on the food network, the dough is super sticky and placing my hands in ice cold water before touching the dough made it super easy to work with the dough!

8. Form 2 logs with the dough about a half inch in height and about the length of your forearm.

9. Bake at 350 degrees, for about 30 mins. Dough will be slightly golden brown on the edges and top when it's ready to come out.

10. Let cool for a few minutes, then cut dough at an angle.

11. Place back on cookie sheet, cut side up. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees and bake for an additional  20-30 minutes.

12. When done place biscotti on a wire rack to cool. Decorate as desired.

You can leave the biscotti as is, or you can dip them in chocolate etc. I dipped these in melted white chocolate. These really are the perfect blend of tart and sweet.

With 5 million other ideas for biscotti floating around in my head I am sure that I will have plenty more biscotti recipes to post! 

Cheers!!

Pride of New York Harvest Fest 2009

Yesterday was an amazing day! It was the Pride of New York Harvest Festival!!! The Festival spent it's first year in Syracuse, NY at the NYS Fairgrounds. It's normally held in Albany, NY. I've never been before but I will most definitely go again even if I have to drive to Albany to do so. Though I hope that it stays here in Syracuse.

I had no idea what to expect. But it was amazing! The Pride of New York is a perfect title for this Festival because from the minute I walked in I was proud of where I am from. There I was surrounded by fresh produce, wine and food from various exhibitors throughout New York State. Some of my favorite wineries from the Finger Lakes were there as well. I went on my first wine tour this summer to wineries along the Seneca River. I plan on visiting more in the years to come. What a great experience it is to see what is in my own backyard. Upon admission, you receive a free wine glass that says "Uncork New York." Our admission also came with entrance to any seminar we wanted. Some of the featured seminars were "wine and chocolate", "wine and cheese", and "favorite beers and favorite foods." There were many more. We attended the wine and cheese seminar. It was a packed room! Featured was McCadam's cheese, which was recently rated "America's Best Cheese." Understandably so because it was delicious! I preferred the Adirondack sharp cheese while my mom preferred the muenster. With the cheese we were given 4 samples of wine. In case you're wondering the wine was delicious, as was the cheese! Let me say that again, the wine was delicious.

The restaurant that I work for known for their continuous training. I have attended many seminars that discuss wine, beer and food pairings. So I feel somewhat knowledgeable. There was a gentleman from McCadam Cheese named Chris who spoke during part of the seminar. He briefly discussed MaCadam Cheese and their sister company Cabot Cheese (who knew, I didn't). And then he brought up a good point, which I will get to in a moment. Many grocery stores offer deals nowadays. Buy one, get one free or the infamous 2 for $5 etc. A lot of those offers are from National Companies (I don't want to name names but you know who they are). Chris's point was this: buy local! Spend the extra 50 cents and buy your local brand of cheese, wine, orange juice, milk, green peppers etc.

When I started blogging I wanted my focus to be on Central New York products. I thought I was doing a great job. I was buying from Wegman's (my favorite local grocery store) and I was drinking local wine and beer. But I was also trying to find the best deal I could when I was purchasing some of the ingredients. Yes, it's hard to resist the buy one get one free. But I'd rather spend the extra dollar or so and buy something from New York State and help fuel our economy. As the old saying goes, one hand washes the other.

It took about 2 hours to get through the majority of exhibitor booths. Some we just didn't have time to stop by. I did make it a point to stop by some of my favorites though. I feel awful mentioning some and not mentioning all the vendors so I will just post some links at the end of this blog. I have my favorites that I am very loyal to, and thanks to the Harvest Festival I now have some new favorites.

So I'll leave you with this thought: buy local! In case you missed some of the links you'll find them on the bottom of the page. Whether you are from Central New York and you're familiar with my blog or if you stumbled upon my blog and you're from anywhere I suggest checking out some of the links below, some of the places listed ship almost everywhere.

Thanks again for reading! Cheers!

CNY Harvest Festival

Cabot or McCadam Cheese

Finger Lakes Wineries

Uncork New York

Exhibitors from the Harvest Festival**

** the list of the exhibitors has links to their websites that way I'm won't forget anyone.

Rosemary Lemon Chicken

There are some crazy superstitions that go along with cooking and baking. I'd like to say that all of them make sense. But for whatever reason they work. When I was little my Aunt Ro-Ro used to always toss salt over her shoulder when she was cooking or baking. And she was always cooking or baking. I thought it was silly, what does it do beside just land on the floor?! I don't quite understand why it's thought to bring good luck.... maybe it's because salt on a floor makes it less slippery? In restaurants if someone spills oil or salad dressing salt is put down so no one slips until it can be cleaned properly by the floor crew.... maybe there's no superstition behind it. I consider it good luck when I don't fall on my a** on a daily basis, no oil needed. I am just that graceful. Even in the best restaurants in the world the chefs "won't" be able to cook without their favorite apron or their favorite set of knives.

This brings me to my mother. My mom has always always surprised me with her cooking and baking claim to fame. She says, "oooh I can smell my (sauce), it must be done." I never understood it, I never tried to figure it out. Quite frankly I rolled my eyes and chalked it up to my mother, well, just being my mother. But, just like the other 99 times that I roll my eyes and think "oh mom" she right. Darn it. It gets annoying!

I love baking but I'm a pacer.... I pace around the kitchen waiting for it to be done. It's something that I am desperately trying to break myself of. Last week I MADE myself sit on the couch and read a magazine while I waited the 6 minutes for the cookies to be done. I down right forced myself. It was then that I found out my mom was right..... when I started to smell the cookies, they were done.

In a previous blog I talked about trying to make meals ahead of time on the days that my daughter is being watched by a family friend. The following meal is one that is perfect for just such an occasion. I made it. Then I put it in the refrigerator so it could marinate until it was time for them to put it into the oven. The cleanup is quick. All in all it's perfect. They were supposed to put it in the oven as soon as my daughter got home from school because she has a busy night ahead of her with school activities. While I was at work I got a text message saying "dinner smells AMAZING." Had I been paying attention I would have replied "take it out of the oven!!!!" When I called later in the evening I was told that dinner was burnt and dry. The only plus side to that was the flavor was awesome, or would be if it wasn't burnt. For those of you that are thinking about trying this recipe, if it tastes good burnt, I imagine it will taste terrific not burnt drier than the Sahara Desert. So kids, the moral of this story is: listen to my mom..... if you start to smell whatever you're cooking or baking RUN to the oven and check it. Chances are, it's done.

Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 lemons
EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
fresh rosemary
2 cloves of garlic, sliced
red potatoes
parmesan cheese





Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl combine 3 Tablespoons of EVOO, salt and pepper, a teaspoon of lemon zest, squeeze in the rest of the juice from the lemon, 2 cloves of garlic, roughly chop fresh rosemary. Brush ingredients onto both sides of the chicken and put it in a baking pan. Cut the rest of the lemon into lemon wheels and place on the chicken cover with aluminum foil and bake. Slice the potatoes and place into bowl with the olive oil mixture. Toss the potatoes so they are covered on both sides. Place potatoes on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese and a punch more salt and pepper. Bake until golden and soft.

Green Tea Margarita

I love a love-hate relationship with green tea. The only green tea that I actually like is the one from Starbucks. I get the green tea-lemonade and it's delicious. Green tea on it's own I just can't do it. I've added honey and lemon and it's too sweet. I even tried a green tea latte, and if you can get over the look of a creamy, frothy grass colored mixture, I'm sure it's delicious. I know the healthy benefits of green tea, just like I'm sure there are some health benefits to eating liver...... but I just can't do it. However, I can enjoy the benefits of green tea.......... in a margarita!!!!!!!!!!!

Green Tea Margarita

Ingredients:

1 ounce Tazo Zen green tea

1.5 ounces Patron Silver (or tequila of choice)

0.75 ounces Cointreau

lemons

limes

oranges

simple syrup

optional mint leaves

Directions:

Prepare tea as you normally would. Set to the side as you prepare the rest. In a cocktail shaker pour in Patron Silver (or any other tequila you prefer), Cointreau, and simple syrup. Squeeze 3 lemon slices, 3 lime slices and 2 orange slices. You can either place the fruit in the cocktail shaker or throw them away, I put mine in the shaker. Last but not least, add an ounce of the green tea. Shake vigorously. Be careful, because the shaker is rather full. Pour contents over ice in a margarita glass and garnish with an orange, lime and a mint leaf. Salt rim or no salt, the choice is yours.

The plus side of this margarita is using the fresh fruit instead of a sour mix. Sour mix has a high sugar content and it is very fattening. (Hello carbs!) When you use the fresh fruit you're getting vitamins, natural sugars, and all your "required" fruit intake for the day. Helping you meet your daily fruit quota is just me doing my part to save the world. You're welcome.

I admit a mint leaf may seem like a weird addition to a margarita but, the Tazo Zen green tea has a touch of mint and lemongrass in it so it's a nice compliment to that. I also feel like it lightens the margarita a little bit. I wish I could explain that a little bit more but it makes sense to me. Hopefully if you try the margarita you'll understand what I meant by it.

A lesson in tequila. Why do I suggest Patron Silver?! Well because it's smooth and delicious. But seriously, I find that many people shy away from tequila. Tequila is not the shot drink that people think it is. Rarely do you ever hear anyone ask for tequila unless they're already on the brink of too much to drink and then it's followed by salt and a lime?! Why would you torture yourself like that?! I like to explain tequila like I do vodka. There are varying levels of vodka. The same is true for tequila. Tequila does not have to have that cringe factor to it. The key is finding tequila that is made with 100% pure blue agave. If you would like more information about tequila you can visit this site.

Simple syrup can be bought at your local grocery store. Or you can make it. Use 2 parts sugar to 1 part water. Bring to a boil on the stove, stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Simple syrup can be stored in an air tight container in your refrigerator ...... forever.

make this margarita after holiday shopping and you'll be relaxed in no time.

Cheers!

"Bachelor" Chicken Parm

I grew up with the most amazing homemade spaghetti sauce. Then again, everyone thinks their mom's sauce is the best. My mom's sauce is a 24 hour masterpiece that sticks to the pasta like a true art form. Thankfully, she taught me well.

A good friend of mine text me the other night because he wanted to make Chicken Parmigiana. Normally he would just order it and have it delivered but he was trying to impress a girl so he wanted to make it himself. I started sharing how to make homemade sauce, and he stopped me before I even got the first sentence out. He told me not to use fancy words like "oregano." How can you not laugh at that?! So here is a recipe for quick and easy chicken parm, which I have to say came out so delicious I made it for dinner that night as well!

Ingredients:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

can of your favorite tomato sauce, if you're going that route I like Hunt's traditional sauce

seasoned bread crumbs

Italian dressing

shredded Parmesan-Reggiano cheese, or Mozzarella cheese

fresh basil leaves

Directions:

Trim chicken and tenderize. Tenderizing the chicken is the key. Put some muscle behind it, it's a great way to take out your frustrations. If you don't have a meat tenderizer which of course my friend did not, I suggest using a metal spoon that has holes in it. Ok so now that the chicken is tenderized. It's time for the fun part! Pour some of your favorite Italian dressing on the chicken, be sure to really work it in with your fingers. Get both sides. Then you want to place the chicken in a bowl full of seasoned bread crumbs, roll it around until it's covered. Work the bread crumbs into the chicken with your fingers. Add some more Italian dressing and dip it in the bread crumbs again. This time you don't have to work it in with your fingers. Place chicken in a baking pan lined with aluminum foil. Cover with spaghetti sauce and shredded cheese. Top with a couple basil leaves. Cover top of baking pan with aluminum foil. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 mins. Take off the aluminum foil add a little bit more sauce and cheese then bake for another 10 minutes. This way the chicken will get that golden brown color and the cheese will start to bubble.

My daughter told me it was the best chicken she's ever had. My friend called me to tell me that the chicken was a hit, and he didn't burn his house down in the process of using his oven for the first time to make anything other than frozen pizza. In reality this recipe is another way to treat your family to a delicious home cooked meal during the week when things get hectic and time is short.

Cheers!

Triple Chocolate Cookies.

Ok ladies (and gentlemen) sometimes you just need chocolate. My mission was simple: oooey, gooey delishousness.

1/2 cup sugar

1 stick butter, room temperature

3 eggs

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 cups flour

2 tsp instant coffee

1 tsp Kahlua liqueur

4 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips

4 oz white chocolate chips

4 oz dark chocolate or bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Combine cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda in a bowl and set aside. In a large mixing bowl combine brown sugar, granulated sugar ad butter. Mix together. Add eggs and vanilla, mix again. Then add instant coffee and Kahlua. Stir in dry ingredients. Sift in flour 1/2 cup at a time. Add in 4oz of chopped dark chocolate and mix well with a wooden spoon. The last step is to fold in remaining white chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate chips. Place on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper bake at 350 degrees, about ten minutes.

These cookies made about 4 dozen because I made them small, they were very rich, which is not a bad thing! And don't be scared of the instant coffee, I used to enhance the chocolate taste. I feel it makes for a more rich chocolate, without a real coffee taste.

Quick & Easy Marinated Pork Chops

The past two days I have been concentrating on homemade quick and easy meals. Tuesday's dinner was the inexpensive, under 30 minute chicken and rice dinner. Yesterday was baked marinated pork chops with mashed potatoes and fresh steamed green beans.

It's very important to me that my daughter has home cooked meals. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are her busiest days of the week. They are jammed packed with homework and back to back after school activities. They are also the day that she is watched by a close family friend.

Like many of you, during the week I am looking for quick and easy meals, and it doesn't hurt if it's inexpensive as well. It's November, so if you're like me you're trying to save here and there for Christmas. Every little bit counts.

I did marinate the pork chops the night before. I also peeled and cut the potatoes. But this meal took about 45 minutes to cook and it was very low maintenance.

Rosemary Garlic Marinade

1 TBsp extra virgin olive oil

1 clove of garlic, minced

sprig of rosemary, cut finely

1/4 tsp sea salt

a pinch of crushed red pepper

a pinch of fresh ground black pepper

a dash of white wine vinegar

stir and work into boneless pork chop with your fingers

marinate pork chops

Mocha Marinade

(this recipe is adapted from Ask Aida on the food network)

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 1/2 TBsp dark brown sugar

1 TBsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 tsp all spice

1/2 tsp orange juice

1/2 Grand Marnier, or zest of an orange

couple splashes of red wine vinegar

mix and then work into the boneless pork chops with your fingers, let marinade.

Each marinade is enough for 2-3 boneless pork chops. The marinades took me about 5 minutes to make, and another minute to rub into the pork chops. Quick and easy! I set the pork chops in a baking pan with 2 cut cooking onions and a cut empire apple, I even left the skin on the apple. Then I poured in just enough water to cover the bottom of the pan. Cover with foil and let it sit in our refrigerator overnight or however long you prefer to marinade.

Bake at 350 degrees, about 45 minutes depending on the size of your pork chops.

This was served with mashed potatoes, steamed green beans (with some sea salt, ground pepper, and a couple dashes of extra virgin olive oil) and homemade applesauce. When I called to check in- they were raving about it so it couldn't have been that bad!!

This whole meal cost under $20. Thank you Wegman's! I bought the boneless pork chops ($8 for an 8 pack), $2 for the bag of potatoes, $2 for the oranges (for 5 of them), $5 for 2 bags of pre-washed, precut fresh green beans. $1 for 2 cooking onions. Everything else I had on hand.

Enjoy!

A nightcap that's sure to warm you up!

I don't know what it's like in your neck of the woods. But here in Central New York, it's chilly! I really shouldn't be complaining. I should be thankful that it's not snowing. Actually I don't want to talk about it too much because the lake effect Gods may hear me and we'll wake up with 2 inches of snow tomorrow morning. If you are from around here, then you know what lake effect is. If you don't... wait a couple months and I'll have pictures for you!

All day today at work I could not warm up. By the time I got home I was full on shivering. No good. I was going to take a hot shower and go right to bed, but this Yankee game is way too good. Instead I did what any smart girl does, I made my self some hot cocoa... But not just any hot cocoa. I made hot cocoa with a little bit of sass.

2 TBsp sugar

2 TBsp Hershey's Cocoa, unsweetened

1 cup Silk light chocolate (or milk of choice)

1/4 cup vanilla

1 oz Godiva chocolate liqueur

1 oz Godiva white chocolate liqueur

1/2 oz of peppermint schnapps

heat ingredients on low, take off heat then add in liqueur.

enjoy...

(you'll should be warm in no time, I promise!)

Inexpensive, comfort food in under 30 mins!

I am a morning person that works nights, this leads to insane amounts of "mommy guilt." I miss out on dinner, homework, snuggle time, repeatedly reminding her to brush her teeth and tucking her in at night.

I get up at 6 am; 5:30 am if I have the motivation to workout before my daughter gets up. Needless to say... I get up at 6 am. Getting up this early allows me to spend time with my daughter before she goes to school. Most nights I don't get home until 10:30 pm, which is more like 11 pm to be honest. By the time I go through her homework, pack her lunch, shower and shut my mind off it's 1 am- yuck! I can survive on a little bit of sleep, I just want to make sure that my Oil of Olay anti-wrinkle cream has had enough time to do it's job.... to make me look like I'm 25 again!!!

Thankfully there are windows at work so I have the opportunity to call her when she gets home from school, and to wish her sweet dreams before she goes to bed. I am lucky to have a terrific mother who lives close and watches my daughter 3 days out of the week. A family friend watches her the other 2; those are the days that I will make some of her favorite dishes.

The challenge is to make something that will taste good hours after I make it or that can be easily reheated and not taste dry. And I love a challenge!

Today I am making my daughter "chicken and rice", at least that's what we call it. In reality it is an inexpensive, comfort food that can be ready in less than 30 minutes.

"Chicken and Rice"

Wegman's (my local & favorite grocery store) or Swanson chicken broth. 46-49 oz can.

Low or no sodium is what I prefer.

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed

3 cloves of garlic, minced

sea salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) of margarine, or unsalted butter, sliced

green beans or broccoli

brown rice

a sprig of rosemary

fresh parsley

In a large sauce pot pour in the chicken broth. Place sliced margarine in the pot, leaving out 2 slices. Roll those in some flour, then add into the pot. Stir with a whisk, this will thicken the broth slightly. Add the rosemary and garlic. Let that simmer for a little while on medium-low. While that is heating up cut the chicken breast into cubes. Place into pot. While that is cooking in a separate pot cook the brown rice. I normally stick with 3 cups of cooked rice, which is enough for second helpings and leftovers. Use more or less to suit your family. While the rice is cooking add sea salt and some fresh ground black pepper to the chicken broth. Stir and cover back up. When the rice is done cooking steam the green beans. And that's it you're done cooking. Grab a dinner plate place a heaping spoonful of brown rice in the center. Then the green beans. Finally a spoonful of chicken and the broth. Garnish with fresh parsley.

I am almost ashamed to post this recipe because it's so quick and easy but it's delicious and perfect on a chilly day. A homecooked meal under 30 mins, yay!

Enjoy.