Archives for January 2013

Buffalo Chicken Twice Baked Potatoes

January 30, 2013 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

Potatoes are a weakness of mine, to say the least. I like them mashed, baked, shredded, fried, stuffed and pretty much any other way you can think of. I’ve never met a potato I didn’t like! We are also a house that LOVES hot wings. And I mean LOVE. We still love wings, but we had a time when we were some wing eating fools. We’re talking about eating wings like 1-2 times a week. And this trend went for months and months. We finally decided to slack off on the wing eating, not because we were burnt out or anything, but because they really aren’t the healthiest thing you can eat. So we toned down the wing madness quite a bit, and turned our wing nights into a treat more than a regular occurence ont he meal plan.

We still enjoy our fare share of wings and wing inspired meals. And we love every. single. bite! This is another one of those wing inspired meals. It’s a fushion of two foods that I love very much; the potato and the hot wing. These two things alone are delicious, but what about combining them. What about a buffalo chicken stuffed twice baked potato? How good does that sound? Delish, right?!? When I tossed this idea around to Spencer, he said yes before I even got the words out of my mouth. It involved buffalo chicken and that’s all he needed to know.

These potatoes are the perfect mix of light, fluffy potatoes and tender, juicy chicken. The chicken is tossed in spicy buffalo sauce then added to the perfectly fluffy potatoes. The mixture is then spooned into the shells, topped with cheese and placed in the oven just long enough to melt the cheese to gooey perfection. But it can’t be a “true” buffalo chicken dish without blue cheese, so once the potatoes come out of the oven it’s topped with the ever so delicious blue cheese crumbles. I then took it one step further by adding a drizzle of homemade blue cheese dressing. I’m telling ya folks, it’s out of this world. You have the fluffy potatoes, spicy chicken, gooey cheese, tangy blue cheese and the cool dressing. If there were ever two foods that needed to marry it’s these.

These potatoes were hearty and the perfect meal. I served them with a simple green salad and we were completely satisfied. They were incredibly simple to assemble, but I couldn’t tag them as a quick and easy meal simply because of the time it takes to bake the potatoes initially. Don’t let the hour of baking time drive you away, that wait is totally worth the goodness! These would also be a fun appetizer; simply use new potatoes or fingerling potatoes to make them a “portable” more bite size snack. This would be a great addition to your Super Bowl party this Sunday! Who are you rooting for?

Buffalo Chicken Twice Baked Potatoes

Ingredients:

2 Medium Russett potatoes
1/4 Cup whipping cream
1/4 Tsp pepper
1/8 Tsp salt
1/4 Tsp garlic powder
1 Cup cooked chicken, chopped (approximately 1 chicken breast)
1/4-1/3 Cup buffalo sauce, homemade or store bought
3 Tbsp blue cheese
1/4 Cup shredded provolone cheese
1/2-3/4 Cup shredded cheddar cheese
Scallions-for serving
Blue cheese dressing, for topping-optional
Milk-if needed

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425.

Wash potatoes thoroughly. Prick with a fork, spray with vegetable oil, sprinkle with salt and wrap each potato tightly in aluminum foil. Place on a baking sheet. Place potatoes in the preheated oven and baked for approximately 1 -1 1/2hours, until tender. Reduce oven temperature to 350.

Top the chopped chicken in a bowl with buffalo sauce, being sure to coate evenly. Set aside.

Once the potatoes are cool enough to touch, remove them from the foil. Using a sharp knife slice the potatoes in half lengthwise, using a spoon scoop out the flesh of the potato and place in a medium bowl. Return the shells to the baking sheet.

Add whipping cream to the potatoes, using an electric mixer beat on high until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add the pepper, salt and garlic powder and beat until incorporated. Taste, adjust seasoning if needed. Stir in the provolone cheese. Add the chicken to the potato mixture and gently stir to combine. Fill the shells evenly with the potato mixture.

Return potatoes to the oven for 5 minutes, just heat re-heat ingredients. Remove from oven and top with shredded cheddar, return to oven for an additional 5-8 minutes, until cheese is melted. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with blue cheese and top with scallions. Drizzle or serve with a side of blue cheese dressing.

Recipe source: A Lynsey Lou’s original

SRC: Granola Bars

January 28, 2013 by Lynsey 14 Comments

I am a huge fan of granola; it’s so easy to make and a great snack. It’s one of those things that travels well and can be tossed in a baggie, put in your purse and pulled out the moment hunger strikes. It’s easily customizable, and there are so many different options for add-ins. I’ve made granola a couple times now, and I honestly can’t get enough of it! Since I’ve had success with granola, I’ve been itching to make homemade granola bars but I just haven’t found the time to get around to it…until now.

For this month’s secret recipe club I was given Sally’s blog, Bewitching Kitchen. Sally is a biochemist who is originally from Brazil. She has traveled to and lived in Paris and California, but now calls Manhattan home. She is a biochemist by day and cook and baker by night. She is married and has 3 fur babies, all terriers, so she definitely has a full plate! I enjoyed reading through her blog, getting “to know” her a little better and looking at all the wonderful recipes she’s made. Bewitching Kitchen is home to many delicious recipes, some with Brazilian influence and some without but all delicious. From looking at her recipe index it seems to me that her specialty and love is bread. Sally has a plethora of bread recipes, and they all sound mouthwateringly amazing.

After scouring through all of her recipes I went back and forth between some of her many bread recipes, flourless chocolate cake, triple chocolate brownies, and these granola bars. What a wide array of options, right? HA! After much debating, I finally decided on the granola bars since I had been wanting to make some for quite a while. I’m so happy with my final choice, they were delicious and turned out exactly how I imagined.

The process of making homemade granola bars is incredibly simple. Like homemade granola, it is so easy to customize to suite you taste. Simply toast the oats, along with any nuts, and grains. Toss in a binding mixture, pat out and bake. It really is as simple as that. I know these probably aren’t the healthiest of granola bars, but I wanted something with chocolate so I drizzled them with both white and dark chocolate. These were slightly crisp around the edges, with the centers being perfectly chewy. They were sweet, tart with a caramel undertone. They were a hit with my husband, 3 year old son and everyone else that’s tried them. They will leave you wanting more, I promise!

Granola Bars

Ingredients:

2 Cups old-fashioned oats
3/4 Cup sliced almonds
1/4 Cup chopped pecans
1/2 Cup flax seeds
1 Cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 Cup brown sugar
2/3 Cup honey
1/4 Tsp cinnamon
1 Cup dried cranberries
1 1/2 Tbsp dark chocolate
1 1/2 Tbsp white chocolate

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Line a 8×12 pan with parchment paper, spray with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

In a medium bowl combine oats, almonds, pecans, flax seeds, and coconut and stir to combine. Spread evenly on a baking sheet. Place in preheated oven and toast for 10 minutes, tossing periodically to prevent burning. Remove from oven and transfer back to bowl. Reduce oven temperature to 300.

Meanwhile, combine butter, brown sugar, honey and cinnamon in a medium sauce pan and place over low-medium heat. Once ingredients are melted, bring to a boil, reduce heat and allow to simmer for 1 minute.

Carefully pour the brown sugar mixture over the oat mixture and stir to combine. Add the dried cranberries and stir once more. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Using a sturdy spatula, spread the mixture evenly in the pan then press firmly to pack the mixture together.

Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, until lightly golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely, about 2-3 hours.

Melt the dark and white chocolate, in separate bowls, and drizzle over the bars. Allow chocolate to set, then cut the bars. Store in an airtight container.

Recipe source: adapted from Ina Garten, via Bewitching Kitchen and Life and Kitchen

Peanut Butter Pie

January 23, 2013 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

Well, today is National Pie day. Yes, pie has it’s very own day. Don’t believe me, check it out. You really didn’t think I would make up a holiday just for an excuse to bake, did you? I know I look for any excuse to bake or get in the kitchen, but this excuse was actually legit!

Holidays, in general, are fun. They are an excuse for people to get together, eat good food, and visit. But food holidays, well how cool is that? Different types of food that are so incredibly good, and loved around the world are special enough to get an entire day dedicated to their goodness! I love it. And I’m pretty sure that every other foodie out there, cook or not, agrees too! What better way to celebrate pie day than with a delicious peanut butter pie?

A few weeks ago I mentioned something about my brother and his love (maybe even obsession) with pies. Although the raspberry cream cheese pie came into the picture because of him, it’s stayed in the picture because of my sister-in-law. This peanut butter pie, however, came into the picture because of my brother and has stayed in the picture because of him. He’ll venture out and requests different types of pie from time to time but he always returns to ol’ faithful, the peanut butter pie.

I can see why he keeps going back to this pie, it is soooo good. It’s packed with huge peanut butter flavor. Short of scooping a heaping spoonful of peanut butter out of the jar and enjoying it all by itself, you can’t get more peanut butter goodness than this pie. The peanut butter is whipped to light perfection, then fresh whipped cream is folded into the peanut butter and it’s then poured in a delicious, homemade graham cracker pie crust to set. While this sounds perfeclty amazing to me, why not take the flavor up another notch or two? Shall we? Melted semi-sweet chocolate is drizzled over the top of the pie, then topped with a heaping dollop of more fresh whipped cream. How good does that soud? Pretty stinkin’ good!

So if you’re looking for an excuse to make something sweet, then look no further. Make a pie today and celebrate pie day! Can’t make it today, well tomorrow is natinal peanut butter day so you can make this pie to celebrate!

Peanut Butter Pie

Ingredients:

2 Cups heavy whipping cream, divided
2 Tbsp sugar
8 Oz (1 bar) cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/2 Cups peanut butter (crunchy or smooth)
1 Cup confectioner’s sugar
1 Graham cracker crust, homemade or store bought (recipe follows)
1/4 Cup semi sweet chocolate

Directions:

Place 1 1/2 cups of heavy whipping cream in a medium bowl with two tablespoons of sugar and beat on high until stiff peaks form. Set aside.

Place cream cheese and peanut butter in a large bowl and beat on high until combined. Gradually add confectioner’s sugar and beat until incorporated. Increase speed to high and beat an additional 1-2 minutes, until mixture is slighly airy. Gently fold the whipping cream into the peanut butter mixture. Transfer mixture to the cooled pie crust.

Place the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl, and microwave in 15 second incremints, until completely melted. Fill a piping bag, fitted with a round tip with the melted chocolate and drizzle the pie with the chocolate.

Whip the remaining 1/2 cup whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Spoon the whipped cream onto the center of the pie. Drizzle with additional chocolate, if desired.

Place the pie in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving, to allow to set.

For the graham cracker crust-
Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cups (about 12 whole crackers finely ground) graham cracker crumbs
1/4 Cup sugar
5 Tbsp unsalted butter*, melted
Pinch of salt

*If using salted butter omit the addition of salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Combine graham cracker crumbs, salt, and sugar in a medium bowl and stir to combine. Add the melted butter and stir until incorporated. Pour the crumb mixture into a 9 inch pie plate, spread mixture evenly into the pie plate and press firmly to pack down.

Place pie crust in the preheated oven and bake for 12-14 minutes, until slightly crisp and edges are golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

Recipe source:peanut butter pie adatped from Paula Deen via Food Network,
graham cracker pie crust Martha Stewart

Baked Brussel Sprout Gratin

January 22, 2013 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

For the most part, I try to prepare well-balanced and healthy meals for my family. However, there are times where we splurge. And when I say we splurge, I mean we splurge. Add the butter, pack on the cheese and of course there are the sweets. Don’t even get me started on the sweets. I think if I threw everything reasonable and healthy to the wayside I would bake numerous times daily. Yes, daily. But for the health of my family and everyone around me, I try to bake in moderation. I said, try!

Normally when I cook veggies, I don’t over do it with the additional sauces or toppings. My family, even my 3 year old, loves all vegetables. So I’m blessed in the fact that I don’t have to do a whole lot of disguising or covering up to get my family to eat their vegetables. However, it’s fun to dress things up and play with them a bit from time to time. And yes, even douse them in a ooey-gooey, cheesey sauce that is beyond delicious.

This brussel sprout gratin is an example of a splurge. Delicious brussel sprouts, smothered in creamy, buttery, cheesy sauce then baked. Only to be topped by even more cheese and baked for a moment again, to deliver a perfectly crunchy and gooey crust. Yes, it’s just as good as it sounds.

We’ve enjoyed this gratin I don’t know how many times. We enjoy other brussel sprout recipes, but this seems to be one of those guilty-delicious pleasures we always go back to. It’s so easy to put together, it’s practically effortless. Factor in some time for a little baking and then you have a delicious, cheesy dish that truly could be consumed by itself.

Baked Brussel Sprout Gratin

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Pounds brussel sprouts
1 Small onion, diced
2 Cloves garlic, minced
4 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
1 Cup heavy cream
1/2 Cup milk
1 1/4 Cups shredded Gruyere cheese
1/4 Cup grated parmesan
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 Cup Mayonnaise

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Spray a 2-3 quart baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

Fill a large pot a third of the way with water. Place over high heat and allow to come to a boil. Fill a large bowl with ice water and set aside. Meanwhile, clean brussel sprouts, remove stems and cut in half. Place the brussel sprouts in the boiling water for about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, immediately remove from the boiling water and transfer to ice water.

Place 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over low-medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the diced onion and saute until translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook an additional 30 seconds, until fragarent. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the onion mixture, then add flour and stir continuously until a lump-free paste forms.

Add the milk and cream and stir continuously, until combined and there are no lumps. Allow to simmer for 2-3 minutes, until slightly thickened. Add the mayonnaise and one cup of Gruyere cheese, stir to combine. Leave mixture over heat until the cheese has melted. Season with salt and pepper.

Spread the brussel sprouts evenly into the prepared pan. Pour the cheese mixture over the brussel sprouts. Sprinkle with a touch more salt and pepper. Place in preheated oven and bake for 30-45 minutes, until brussel sprouts are tender.

Combine the remaining Gruyere and parmesan in a small bowl, toss to combine and set aside.

Sprinkle the top of the brussel sprouts with the cheese mixture and return to oven for an additional 10 minutes.

Recipe source: adapted from White on Rice Couple

Browned Butter Salted Caramel Cookie Bars

January 18, 2013 by Lynsey 2 Comments

My feelings about dessert bars and anything with browned butter are definitely not a mystery. I feel a deep-down love for both of these things. I feel that bars are the best way to enjoy all the goodness of cookies, without the tedious tasks of scooping, baking, rotating and cooling. I also feel that browned butter most definitely makes ANYTHING better.

These bars are a conglomoration of some of my favorite things; cookies, browned butter, chocolate, caramel and salt. And it’s another one of those sweet and savory combos that I’m so fond of. When I saw this recipe I was instantly drawn in because of the brown butter, then when I continued to read the title it just kept getting better and better. It was like I was reading a list of the things that make me so happy; it started great and got better and better with every word!

These bars start with a browned butter cookie base. Which honestly, I could stop right there and be one very happy girl. But why stop there when it could get so much better? To that delicious base are chocolate chips. Part of the dough is then patted down in a pan, preparing itself to become a vessel for melted caramel. Yum. It’s getting better, right? The caramel gets a generous sprinkle of sea salt and then more cookie dough is dropped right there on top of all that deliciousness! No, we’re not done yet. Then comes another dose of chocolate chips, Hershey’s kisses and caramel candy. Honestly, I could take a spoon and eat these bars as is…before they even go in the oven.

But I practiced much self restraint, and put them in the oven and waited ~~ever so patiently~~ for them to come out of the oven. After the baking process I couldn’t wait any longer, yes, I cut a little piece immediately. I HAD to try these. Oh. My. Goodness. These bars are amazing! This are like the best chocolate chip cookie bar…times a gazillion! A chocolate chip cookie, topped with caramel and salt, topped with more cookie dough, more chocolate and caramel.

Whether you’ve had a bad day and need to indulge, need some baking therapy or just need something sweet, look no further. These are the bars for you.

Browned Butter Salted Caramel Cookie Bars

Ingredients:

12 Tbsp (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 Large egg
1 Large egg yolk
1 Tsp vanilla
2 1/8 Cups flour
1/2 Tsp salt
1 Tsp baking soda
1 1/4 Cup brown sugar
1/4 Cup granulated sugar
3/4 Cup chocolate chips
11 oz caramel bits (or candy caramels, unwrapped)
1/3 Cup caramel candy, cut in quarters
3 Tbsp milk
Sea salt, for sprinkling
1/4 Cup caramel filled Hershey’s kisses

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper, spray and set aside.

Place butter in a 2 quart saucepan and place over low-medium heat. (Butter will begin to crackle and foam as it melts.) Once the crackling subsides, the butter will begin to brown. Swirl the butter around the pan as the butter cooks. Once the butter is brown remove from heat, transfer to a large bowl and allow to cool.

Meanwhile, combine flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and baking soda in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.

Once the butter has cooled add brown sugar and granulaged sugar and beat on high to combine. Add whole egg, egg yolk and vanilla and mix to combine. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix to combine. Stir in 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips and set aside.

Place the caramel and milk in a microwave safe bowl, place in microwave and heat. Heat the caramel and milk in 20 second increments, stirring between each interval. Continue to heat until caramel is completely melted and “pourable”.

Place 2/3 of the cookie dough mixture into the prepared pan, pressing firmly to distribute the dough evenly in the pan. Pour the melted caramel over the cookie dough and sprinkle with sea salt. Drop spoonfuls of the remaining cookie dough evenly over the caramel. Evenly scatter the remaining 1/4 cup of chocolate chips over the cookie dough, along with the chopped caramel candy and Hershey’s kisses.

Place bars in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through. Remove bars from the oven and allow to cool completely. Once cooled, remove from pan and cut into bars. Store in an airtight container.

Recipe source: adapted from Ciao Mama originally from Two Peas and Their Pod

Mixed up at Mixed Con!

January 16, 2013 by Lynsey 6 Comments

As most of you know, at the end of November I had the pleasure of attending my very first food blogger’s conference in the rolling Virignia hills. MixedCon was held at the infamous Mountain Lake Hotel in Pembroke, Virginia.

No, your eyes are not deceiving you. You are looking at THE Kellerman’s Mountain House. Yes, the one from the movie Dirty Dancing. “Hello, Mr. Kellerman!” Yup, that’s we were spent this wonderful, funfilled weekend. I know what you’re thinking. Eeekk is right!

On a Friday afternoon about 150 food bloggers took Mountain Lake by storm. I honestly don’t think they knew what they were getting themselves into when they agreed to host this conference! 150 (mostly female…well, 2 males to be exact) poured into the quiet, mountainess hills reenacting scenes from Dirty Dancing, using up every. Single. Ounce of band with available and giddy to meet all of wonderful bloggers we had come to “know” through the blogging world. The staff at the hotel were incredible, so nice and accommodating and ready to help in any way possible.

Upon arriving at the Roanoke airport, the conference attendees instantly started spotting one another and introducing themselves. We got so carried away getting acquainted and visiting in the airport we actually had our shuttle waiting for quite some time…ooops! We quickly loaded our luggage and got on the shuttle and started the trip to the mountain. The entire trip to the hotel was filled with constant chatter, everyone so excited about meeting one another, the conference and everything in store.

The girls I roomed with, along with 3 other attendees, I “know” from an on-line cooking board. It was great to finally be able to meet some of these people I talk to on a daily basis! Lucky for me, they were just as nice in person as they are on-line. Amy, author of What’s Brewing in the Kitchen, Heather, author of Hezzi D’s Books and Cooks Maeghan, author of The Way To His Heart, Liz, author of Books-N-Cooks, and Stephanie, author of Brownies and Blondies were all absolutely amazing. Just as wonderful as I expected!

When we entered our room we were greeted with even more swag from our amazing sponsors! After we got settled we visited and sorted through our swag bags. I must say, Wow and a huge thanks to all of the incredible sponsors. Ya’ll really loaded us up with some fabulous stuff! A big kuddos to OXO, KitchenAid, Dixie Crystals, Real Butter, Dreamfields, Attune Foods, Hershey’s, Way Better Snacks, Lucky Leaf, Creminelli, Roland Foods, Stonyfield, Harvard Common Press, Le Creuset, Duff Goldman, Edgeware, John Boos, Boos Butcher Blocks, Dreamfarm, California Raisins, Anderson Seafood, Wisconsin Cheese and Captain Morgan! Ya’ll help make the weekend!

After we chatted for a bit and sorted through all of our goodies we headed down to the cocktail hour sponsored by Wisconsin Cheese. We enjoyed some delicious cheeses, wonderful salami from Creminelli, sipped on some wine and met some of the other incredibly talented ladies attending the conference.

After the cocktail hour, was dinner, then we headed over to the barn to enjoy some fabulous cocktails from Captain Morgan’s and munch on some cookies. More visiting and introduction went on for a bit, but not too long since everyone was ready for our midnight mac and cheese party. Ali, the author of Gimme Some Oven, won the contest put on by Dreamfields for the best mac and cheese. Be sure to check out the winning recipe for her vegetable mac and cheese. It’s delish!

Saturday was jam packed with fun (and educational) sessions with some of my foodie icons! First up-photography with the amazing and incredibly talented Bree Hester of Baked Bree. (Let me just say, she doens’t give herself enough credit for just how talented she is…don’t be fooled by her humility…she’s awesome!) Bree who is a foodie and professional photographer spent time going over various topics suchs as ISO, aperature, and lighting. It was a great way to start off the day and I walked away from this session with quite a few tips that will come in handy!

Next up was a session dedicated to holiday cookie decorating. The wildly talented Marian, of Sweetopia not only taughts us tricks, tips and techniques to use when decorating sugar cookies, she also demonstrated her techniques for us. Talk about someone who is so sweet and so nice, Marian is the real deal. She re-instilled my confidence and gave me the courage to go home and try frosting sugar cookies again. Before this session I had lost all hope that I could frost, fill and flood cookies. Thanks to Marian, I went home and successfully lined and flooded cookies for my little man’s 3rd birthday. Thanks, Marian!

The third session of the day, the last one before lunch, was videography. Denise Woodward and Lenny Ferreira of Chez Us educated us in the ever so indepth world of videography. Wow. I have so far to go before I even think about trying to tackle the world of video. (Note to readers…it’ll be a LONG time before you hear any words spoken from this southern girl) I did, however, learn so much from Lenny, as well as, had a ~~few~~ lot of laughs along the way. Be sure to check out their blog for terrific video footage, as well as some delicious recipes!

After lunch we had some free time. Myself, along with Heather, took this time to wonder the grounds, take a self guided Dirty Dancing tour (and along the way I just may have envisioned myself as Baby…that’s for me to know and you to never find out)!

The house where baby and her family stayed, while at Kellerman’s!

This rock was a tribute to the late, Patrick Swayze. It was placed on the path the leads guests through the self-guided Dirty Dancing tour.

I also took some time to read up on the mystery of Mountain Lake. That’s right, the lake that was a staple in the movie was dry. gone. Vanished. It was a little eerie looking out where the lake should be and seeing high weeds and grass. Hopefully it’ll fill up again soon…and maybe I’ll have a chance to visit again and see the flowing waters.

After touring the grounds, it was time to head back to the next session of the day. Cake decorating with Duff and his gang. That’s right, we got to actually decorate side by side with Duff, Mary Smith and Elana! Duff and the girls are just as down to earth as they appear to be on their show. I had a blast cake decorating as well as chatting with him and the girls. They are all a hoot and so fun to be around. He was even nice enough to provide us with some fondant, icing and other supplies to take home!

The next to last session of the day was all about food styling. Just how do they make the food on the magazines and websites so pretty? Well, we learned all about it from fellow food blogger and professional food stylist Tami Hardeman of Running with Tweezers. Tami shared great insights about how the pros make the food look so great, but also shared some wonderful tips for the homecook. I have already tried to implement some of the tips and tricks she shared with us.

The final session of the day was e-books. The amazing and talented Heidi Larson, of Foodie Crush, schooled us in the ins and outs of ebooks. She informed us on how to get started in the e-book phenomenon, how to organize our materials and layout of the book, and finally how to market the finished product. During this session the wheels in my tiny, little brain started spinning and I came up (with what I thought) were some pretty nifty ideas for an ebook. Don’t start holding your breath yet, I’ve still got a ways to go before I have any type of book out there!

*Be sure to check out Heidi’s e-magazine that’s all about food and foodies, Foodie Crush Magazine

Throughout the day booths were set up with different snacks and goodies from our sponors. We were able to sample different products, stock up on samples, and chat with the reps throughout the day. I know all of you are familiar with Hershey’s so I don’t even need to begin to tell you about all the prodcuts they have to offer…I’ll just say that they hooked us up! Way Better Snacks specializes in healthy(ier) snacks and they are making a splash into the food scene. They provided all sorts of goodies for us throughout the weekend, and I must say their sweet potato chips and sweet chili chips are amazing. You must try them. Thanks so much to all the vendors that made sure we didn’t go hungry while we were getting our learn on all through the day Saturday.

After the final session wound up we took a minute to go unload all our goodies. We then headed down to another wonderful cocktail hour, followed by dinner and then headed on over to the barn for another mixer. We had more yummy drinks from the wonderful and generous Captain Morgan, some live music from a local band, and lots of giveaways from our more than generous sponsors. Oh yeah, I was once of the lucky winners too! Wooohoooo!

I had a terrific time sipping cocktails, scoring a great prize and getting to mingle with some of the other fabulous and talented ladies. I also got to chat up some of the reps of the sponsors; they are amazing and beyond nice. It was so nice getting to talk with the Lizs (yes 2) from Dreamfields and Kimberly from Dixie Crystals, just to mention a few. I also got to talk to some talented bloggers, as well, Erin of Eat Bake Drink Cook, Mackenzie of Susie Freaking Homemaker, Karen of Pint Sized Baker and Krista of Budget Gourmet Mom, just to name a few.

After sipping on some tasty concoctions, some great music and wonderful giveaways we headed back to our rooms, changed into our pj’s and got ready for the movie. You guessed it, the midnight showing of Dirty Dancing. We had seen the set and toured the grounds, now it was time to watch the movie in the ballroom at the place it was filmed. How surreal! While we were watching the movie there was no shortage of candy to munch on, thanks to Hershey’s. You have no idea how fun it was to watch this movie with so many ladies that were just as equally enthused as I was, I think we all found ourselves quoting each scene…and even cheering at times!

Sunday morning we woke up, packed up and at one last meal with all our new friends. Then it was time to bid farewell to Mountian Lake and our friends and head back to the real world. At the airport I had some free time before I had to board my plane so I spent some time with some more fabulous ladies; Carrie of Bakeaholic Mama and Lauren of Climbing Grier Mountain. I had such a wonderful time visiting and chatting with them, my only regret is that we didn’t connect earlier at the conference. After tons of chatting it was time to board the plane and all head back home.

It was a great weekend, that was jam packed with so much to do. I still can’t believe that I was able to go and that I was surrounded by so many talented and gifted foodies. It’s a weekend I will cherish forever.

Thanks again to our fabulous hostess’ and conference organizers. Paula, of Bell’ Alimento, and Susan, of Doughmesstic, ya’ll are awesome! Thanks again for everything and providing a weekend for so many foodies to have the time of our lives!

Pasta with Arugula, Goat Cheese and Sun Dried Tomato Pesto

January 14, 2013 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

I think it’s safe to say that pasta is one of my all time favorite foods. I have to be honest, I’m a carb loving fool. There is just something so satisfying about that starchy goodness. Top that pasta with some type of tomatoes and cheese and I’m in heaven. Talk about comfort food! And I think Tucker has an equal love for all things pasta. When I ask Tucker what he wants to eat, 9 times out of 10 his answer is mac and cheese. He comes by his love of pasta and cheese honestly, right?

This is another one of those recipes that combines three of my favorite things; pasta, tomatoes and cheese. Yum. This is a meal that is perfect for those times you are craving something lite and refreshing, but maybe the ingredients aren’t in season yet. This gives will give you your tomato fix, but instead of fresh tomatoes it utizlizes sun dried tomatoes. Another twist, is instead of the traditional parmesan or mozzerella, this calls for goat cheese. I must say, I have a weakness for that stuff. There is just something so delicious about the creamy, tang that goat cheese has to offer. I guess you could say this recipe takes classic flavors and amps them up a notch or two.

This recipe is so easy to put together, and one that is perfect for those ever so busy weeknights. Simply combine sun dried tomatoes, along with a few other ingredients in the food processor and pulsle until combined. Then add olive oil until the mixture comes together and a pesto is formed. Now I could actually stop at this point, get a loaf of crusty bread and be perfectly content. But for those of you out there that need a little more, I will continue! The tomato pesto is then combined with the pasta and tossed to coat. Add some peppery arugula and tangy goat cheese and you have a perfect meal that is packed full of flavor. I love the sweetness the sun dried tomatoes add. This combined with all the other flavors make for an amazing and satisfying meal.

This is also one of those meals that gives you all the satisfaction of comfort food without really hurting your waste! Perfect for everyone still trying to keep those new year’s resolutions!

Pasta with Arugula, Goat Cheese and Sun Dried Tomato Pesto

Ingredients:

1 Pound Farfalle pasta
3/4 Cup sundried tomatoes, packed in oil
1/4 Cup parmesan cheese
3 Tbsp pine nuts
2 1/2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 Cloves garlic, minced
1/3 Cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 Oz baby arugula
3/4 Cups crumbled goat cheese

Directions:

Cook pasta according to manufacturer’s instructions. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, drain the pasta and set aside.

Meanwhile, rinse and gently dry the sundried tomatoes. Place tomatoes, parmesan cheese, pine nuts, balsamic vinegar, and garlic in a food processor and pulse until finely ground. With the processor on, slowly pour in the olive oil and continue to process until ingredients are incorporated.

Combine the pasta and tomato mixture and stir to combine. Add reserved pasta water, 1/4 cup at a time and stir until pasta is evenly coated. Add more water as needed. Stir in arugula, until just wilted, adding more pasta water as needed. Season with salt and pepper, top with goat cheese and serve.

Recipe source: adapted from America’s Test Kitchen, Best Simple Recipes

Raspberry Cream Cheese Pie

January 11, 2013 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

There are people out there that prefer cake, ice cream, cookie, bars, pie, or some other type of dessert over anything else. Well, my brother is a pie person. If you set a cake and a pie in front of him, he will choose the pie over the cake every. single. time. My sister-in-law is a cake person, or at least she was until she met my brother. The first time I made her something for her birthday, I made her a white cake with apricot filling, which was a hit! Shortly after her birthday, she and my brother went to a local restaurant and had a delicious meal and finished it off with one of their signature desserts. That signature dessert just happened to be a pie. I’m guessing this was the pie that changed it all. They were both hooked on this pie!

My brother’s birthday came up shortly after they had eaten at that restaurant and had that magical pie. When I asked my brother what he wanted he quickly said I want a raspberry pie. Well, I needed a bit more information about the pie before I could even try to replicate it. I started pouring through recipes, sending my sister-in-law one recipe after another. She would tell me things about each recipe that resembled the pie they had at that restaurant. Finally, I came across THE RECIPE. The one that seemed the closest to that pie that they just could not forget. So when we got together for my brother’s birthday, we showed up not only bearing gifts but a delicious raspberry pie!

Looks like we have another pie lover! Sneaky boy…

It was a hit, to say the least. I think this pie has been the most requested dessert for over a year. There’s nothing too over the top about it; just simple ingredients, simple flavors and one delicious dessert. My sister-in-law loved this pie so much that the next time her birthday came around she requested this pie before I could even get the question “What would you like me to make?” out of my mouth. I think this is hands down, her favorite dessert. Yes, she even likes it more than cake! And, I honestly believe that is saying something since the white cake and apricot filling is her signature, “go to” dessert.

The pie starts with a simple vanilla wafer crust that is studded with buttery pecans. The crust is baked off then cooled. The filling is simple; cream cheese mixed with powdered sugar and then fresh, whipped cream is folded into the mixture. This results in a light, slightly rich, and perfectly creamy filling. The topping is comprised of raspberries, sugar and a few other ingredients and it’s boiled down until thickened and then spread over the top of the creamy filling. Simple ingredients that are combined to make an out-of-this-world pie that hits all the flavor notes; sweet, tangy, tart and creamy.

Raspberry Cream Cheese Pie

Ingredients:

For the crust-
3 Cups (about 50 wafers) vanilla wafers
1/2 Cup pecan halves
1/4 Cup butter, melted

For the filling-
1 (8oz) package cream cheese
2/3 Cup powdered sugar
1 Tbsp orange liqueur or orange juice, optional
1 Tsp vanilla extract
1 Cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 Tbsp granulated sugar

For the raspberry topping-
1 Cup sugar
3 Tbsp cornstarch
3 Tbsp water
2 3/4 Cups fresh or frozen raspberries
1/3-1/2 Cup fresh, whole raspberries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

For the crust-
Place vanilla wafers in a food processor and pulse until ground. Add pecans to the vanilla wafer crumbs and pulse an additional 20-30 seconds. Pour the ground wafers and pecans in a bowl, pour butter over the mixture and stir until completely combined. Place the mixture in a 9 inch pie plate, spread evenly over the pie plate and press firmly to pack. Place the crust in the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes, until golden and crisp. Remove from oven and set aside, allowing to cool.

For the filling-
Place whipping cream in a medium bowl and beat on high. Once the cream begins to thicken add the granulated sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Set aside.

Place cream cheese in a large bowl and beat on medium-high until slightly creamy, about 1-2 minutes. Add the powdered sugar and beat until combined. Add the orange liqueur (juice) and the vanilla extract and mix to combine. Once all ingredients are incorporated, gently fold in the whipped cream.

Pour the cream cheese filling into the baked, cooled pie crust. Place in refrigerator to chill.

For the topping-
Place sugar, cornstarch, water and 2 3/4 cups raspberries in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Allow the mixture to come to a boil, stirring occasionally. Once the mixture has come to a boil, allow to simmer for 2-3 minutes, until thickened (almost jelly-like). Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.

Once the raspberry mixture has cooled and the pie has chilled about 1 1/2 hours, spread the raspberry mixture evenly over the top of the pie. Place fresh raspberries around the perimeter of the pie. Add a dollop of fresh whipped cream, if desired.

Place in the refrigerator and allow to chill an additional 30 minutes, or until ready to serve.

Recipe source: adapted from Taste of Home

Jalapeno Popper Stuffed Chicken

January 8, 2013 by Lynsey 2 Comments

I can’t even begin to tell you how excited I am to FINALLY be sharing this recipe with you! I’ve been eyeing this recipe for I don’t know how long, and was just recently able to get around to making it. I’m so sad it’s taken me so long to make this chicken because it is so. Incredibly. Good.

This recipe encompasses many of my favorite things; crispy chicken, gooey cheese, cream cheese and jalapenos. It also takes one of my favorite snacks, jalapeno poppers, and stuffs all that gooey spicy goodness in the middle of a piece of tender chicken. Yummy, right?

This chicken is stuffed with spicy, cheesey goodness, coated in toasted panko and then baked. The end result is nothing less than amazing. The outer layer is perfectly crispy, resembling fried chicken. This crispy texture is achieved by lightly spraying the panko coated chicken with vegetable oil and then baking. During the baking process the chicken stays moist and tender, while the jalapeno cheese filling gets warm, string and ooey-gooey good!

This chicken is so good and so filling that it doesn’t really need a whole lot added to it. I paired this with a simple green salad and fresh tomatoes. Your options for pairings are endless, but I thought it was best kept simple. This makes for a perfect and satisfying meal that can be enjoyed during the week or weekend.

Jalapeno Popper Stuffed Chicken

Ingredients:

4 Chicken breasts
4 Oz (1/2 brick) reduced fat cream cheese, room temperature
2 Tbsp sour cream (reduced fat is fine)
1/4 Cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/3 Cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
1 Tbsp olive oil, divided
4 Jalapenos thinly sliced (seeded and ribs removed)
1 1/2 Cups Panko bread crumbs*
2 Tsp taco seasoning
1/2 Tsp dry parsley*
1/4 Tsp dry oregano*
1/4 Tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 Egg
1 Tbsp milk
Non-stick cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat (or spray with non-stick cooking spray) and set aside.

Place 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat and allow to heat. Place the sliced jalapenos in the skillet and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Remove from pan.

Place the remaining olive oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add the panko and toast until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from pan.

Combine the cream cheese, sour cream, jalapenos, and shredded cheeses and stir to combine. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk and egg, set aside. In a shallow dish combine the bread crumbs, taco seasoning, parsely, oregano, salt and pepper and stir to combine.

Using a sharp knife, cut a pocket into each of the chicken breasts. Evenly stuff each piece of chicken with the cream cheese mixture. Dip each piece of chicken into the egg mixture, then roll in the panko mixture. Place on prepared baking sheet. Once all the chicken is stuffed and coated, lightly spray with olive oil then place in the preheated oven.

Bake chicken for 30 minutes, until cooked through and juices run clear.

*1/4 cup of seasoned bread crumbs can be substitued. Just combine1 1/4 cups of toasted Panko and 1/4 cups seasoned bread crumbs and eliminate the dried oregano and parsley.

Recipe source: slightly adapted from Sunny Side Up, originally from Tiny Tyrants Kitchen and A Taste of Homecooking

Broccoli Cheese Soup

January 4, 2013 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

I’m not sure what it is but cold weather and frost on the ground makes me crave comfort food. Food that warms you up inside and makes you feel all cozy. The weather we’ve had lately has definitely been comfort food weather. That weather where you want to put on your pj’s, cuddle up on the couch, cover up, eat a big bowl of soup and watch t.v. You know what I’m talking about! There’s nothing better, right?

When I think of comfort food I think of mom’s home cooking, chicken and dumplings, and soups, just to name a few things. To me, this broccoli cheese soup definitely falls into the category of comfort food. Cheesy, creamy goodness with pieces of broccoli in every bite. Yum.

I love this recipe for so many reasons. It’s simple, quick to put together, hearty and satisfying. It’s great for a cozy, weekend meal but quick enough to assemble for a weeknight meal, as well. The best part, though-it’s a one pot meal! Saute the onions and garlic, add the liquids, seasonings and veggies and simmer. Add the cheese and serve. We enjoyed this with a few, thick slices of buttery, toasted bread but it would also be delicious in a bread bowl!

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Ingredients:

1 Medium onion, diced
1 Clove garlic, minced
4 Heads broccoli, cut into florets
1/2 Cup (1 stick) butter
4 Cups whole milk
2 Cups half and half
1/3 Cup flour
Pinch nutmeg
Pinch red pepper flakes
Fresh ground black pepper
Salt
1 1/2 Cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese, plus more for serving
1 3/4 Cups shredded cheddar, plus more for serving
Chicken broth, if needed

Directions:

Place a large stock pot, or Dutch oven, over medium heat and add butter. Once the butter has melted add the onions and saute for 3-4 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook another 30 seconds, until fragrant. While stirring continuously, add the flour until combined. Continuing to stir, slowly add the milk and half and half until combined. Add the broccoli, nutmeg, salt and pepper and stir to combine.

Reduce heat to low. Cover the mixture and allow to simmer 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once the broccoli is tender add the cheese and stir until melted. Taste the soup, adjust seasonings if needed.*

Ladel into bowls, top with more cheese and serve.

*If soup is too thick add chicken broth or milk, to achieve the desired consistency.

Recipe source: barely adapted from The Pioneer Woman

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