Well what can I say? It’s been too long! And it’s my own fault, man life sure gets in the way doesn’t it? Boy, if I didn’t have a job, kids, errands, chores, friends and family I would actually have time for my cooking blog! =) As you can see, I haven’t made any time for it,
Well, it’s too hot to cook anyways isn’t it? I’ll be back, I promise,
kisses,
Jen
Well it’s almost here, the dreaded ‘Valentines Day’ , ya either love it or hate it, I’ve always come down on the side of why not embrace it! Love is amazing and wonderful and should be celebrated, all year long actually.
So this in mind, and due to the fact that I have watched far too many episodes of ‘Cupcake Wars’ I decided to make MY love an early sweet treat.
I decided on Extreme Vanilla Cupcakes =), because if you’re going to go vanilla you should go all the way!
Now there’s a million different ways to make a vanilla cupcake, any cake for that matter, but I have found I love the regular flour/cake flour combo, because I like the texture. As for the vanilla bean in this recipe, just soften it up in some warm water before use, that will help! The vanilla buttercream frosting makes quite a lot….My advice? Make another batch of cupcakes! =) To frost them, I just put a cake tip into a ziploc bag and squeezed it on! Just make sure you use a cake tip that isn’t too small, cause buttercream is thick.
On a side note, I always write with the idea in my head that you already bake and cook, so if I ever don’t put an instruction down that you need, by all means write to me & I will always clarify.
I hope you love these as much as we do, and Happy Valentines Day!
Thanks for reading!
Jen
Double Vanilla Cupcakes with Double Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
for the cakes:
1 3/4 cups cake flour
1 1/2 cups non-bleached all purpose flour
2 cups sugar (regular granulated)
3/4 tsp salt
1 tbs baking powder
2 sticks unsalted butter(room temperature)
4 large eggs
1 cup milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 whole vanilla bean (cut in half, reserve half for frosting)
oven @ 325
In stand up mixer (or with hand mixer) mix together all dry ingredients until just combined. Cut butter into small chunks and add to mixer, mix until butter is just combined and coated with flour, it’s ok to still see the butter chunks!
In another bowl, which eggs, milk, vanilla extract. Using a small paring knife (careful now!) cut the 1/2 vanilla bean you are using down the center, then using the knife simply scrape out the inside of the bean into the bowl of eggs. Discard the husk. Give your egg mixture a quick whisk to incorporate the vanilla bean.
While your mixer is running on low, slowly pour your egg mixture into your flour mixture. Mix until just combined, do not overbeat! If you still see little butter pieces that is ok.
Line your muffin pan with paper liners, fill each cup about 2/3 full. Bake in 325 degree over for 20 minutes(but times always can vary, so make sure you keep an eye on them!) Remove from over & place on cooling rack. This recipe makes about 2 dozen cupcakes.
for the frosting!
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
6 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
the other 1/2 of your vanilla bean
1/2 cup milk
Cream the butter in mixer for about 3 minutes until smooth, alternately add in cups of powdered sugar, the milk, and the vanilla extract. Using the same method as before, scrape your vanilla out of the bean into the frosting in the mixer. Beat until incorporated and smooth. If you frosting is too thin or thick, add a little more sugar or milk as needed.
Once your cupcakes are completely cooled, frost.
Wow! Where have the last few weeks gone, someone please tell me! It has been one thing after another around here which is why I haven’t posted……
but! I have had this gem waiting for you all, I threw this together the other day, crossing my fingers the whole time I’ll tell ya, and it was one of those ‘weeknight what’s in the fridge’ kind of dinners that came out delicious.
I belong to a local C.S.A. , and my delivery that week had included some amazing leeks, so I really wanted them to find their place in this page….and I think the leeks are my favorite part of this dish! As for the marinade, I have used jarred hoisen sauce so many times in other recipes, it’s one of my favorite ingredients and it just goes so wonderfully with pork. Just the right amount of sweet & salty, yummmmmmmm….
I used some budget pork chops here, they were pork sirloin blade chops (bone-in) and honestly, you could use the marinade on any cut of pork(just adjusting your cooking time) or I’d even try this on chicken too…
That being said, I’d stick to a thinner cut, cause pork sure can dry out quick! I hope you like it, I always make a little extra to take to work for the lunch the next day because I just love leftovers!
Hope you try and enjoy it!
Jen
Hoisen Marinated Pork with Leeks
For the Leeks:
3 leeks (white & 2 inches green) washed thourougly and chopped (about 3 cups worth)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
2 tb. olive oil
For the Pork:
3 cloves garlic (chopped)
1/4 cup hoisen sauce (available at most supermarkets)
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 tb. brown sugar
3 lbs pork sirloin blade chops(5 or 6)
In bowl mix 3 cloves garlic, hoisen, soy sauce and sugar well. Place pork in dish & pour/brush chops with sauce mixture. Let marinate (turn occasionally) in refrigerater for 30 minutes minimum (an hour if you have time)
Cover a cooking sheet with parchment paper (you will want to do this, the sauce tends to burn) place pork on parchment covered cooking sheet and place in 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes, until juices are clear when poked with fork.
Meanwhile, after leeks are washed & chopped, heat olive oil in sauce pan on med-high heat, add leeks, garlic & salt. Saute leeks, stirring occasionally for about 8 minutes. Until some of them are getting that delicious caramelized browning to them. Remove leeks from heat & keep warm.
Once your pork is done and out of the oven, serve 1 pork chop per plate & spoon a nice layer or sauteed leeks over the top.
Delicious!
We here had an awesome New Years Eve, we stayed in, had some extra teenagers in the house, and I cooked.
But I didn’t just COOK, I wanted to make something extra special and decadent. Something worthy of the evening. And even though it was just us, something worthy of serving to company. Which this definitely is, not only is it delicious, but it’s pretty in the pan. (we know not everything, while it might taste good, LOOKS good)
Baked shrimp, with lots of butter, garlic, and a crispy topping….mmmmmmm. Now this has lots of butter, so I served it on a bed of angel hair pasta, to cut all that richness…otherwise you just might go into a ‘butter coma’ If you know what I mean (wink wink)
You can lay the shrimp in any sort of glass or enameled baking dish, I used my gorgeous new Le Creuset rectangle dish. Can you tell how excited I am about my new amazing dish? Santa (aka my boyfriend) was very good to me this year. All that matters is that you have a big enough dish, a good ol’ 13 x 9 should work just fine!
I really hope you try this, if you love shrimp, this will be right up your alley.
Good luck! Have fun and enjoy!
Jen
BAKED SHRIMP WITH MUSHROOMS
2 LBS LARGE SHRIMP , PEELED AND DEVEINED
1 CUP CREMINI MUSHROOMS, CLEANED & HALVED
2 TBSPOONS OLIVE OIL
2 TBSPOONS WHITE WINE (CHARDONNAY WORKS GREAT)
2 STICKS UNSALTED BUTTER
1/4 CUP MINCED FRESH PARSLEY
1/2 CUP MINCED SHALLOTS
6 CLOVES MINCED GARLIC
2 TBSPOONS FRESH LEMON JUICE
2 LARGE EGG YOLKS
3/4 CUP JAPANESE PANKO BREAD CRUMBS
SALT (I ALWAYS USE KOSHER) AND FRESH BLACK PEPPER
HEAT YOUR OVEN TO 450 DEGREES
CUT YOUR SHRIMP DEEPLY DOWN THE CURVED SIDE, BUT NOT ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE SHRIMP (SO YOU CAN OPEN THEM UP A BIT)
IN A BOWL MIX TOGETHER, THE SHRIMP, OLIVE OIL, WINE, 2 TSPOONS OF SALT, AND A LITTLE FRESH CRACKED PEPPER. LET SIT UNTIL BUTTER MIXTURE IS READY.
MELT 2 STICKS OF BUTTER IN BOWL, ADD SHALLOTS, PARSLEY, GARLIC, LEMON JUICE, PANKO, EGG YOLKS, AND SALT AND PEPPER TO TASTE. MIX WELL.
LAY SHRIMP IN DISH (OVAL OR RECTANGULAR BAKING DISH) CUT SIDE DOWN, TRYING TO SPREAD THEM OPEN A BIT. SPRINKLE CUT MUSHROOMS OVER THE TOP OF THE SHRIMP IN THE DISH.
SPREAD BUTTER MIXTURE ON TOP OF SHRIMP/MUSHROOM IN DISH.
BAKE UNCOVERED IN OVEN 10-15 MINUTES, UNTIL A LITTLE BUBBLY AND SHRIMP ARE PINK.
SERVE OVER PASTA.
SERVES 4
We’ve all got one, they are all similar and yet, all different, the creamy chicken enchilada recipe. Now that the holidays are (mostly) over, something like a casserole sounds so simple and delicious. Who doesn’t love a one pan meal when it’s all said and done?
Well, maybe add a salad to round it out, but usually by the time these come out of the oven there is a small line in my kitchen waiting for me to dish it out, so not much time for salad!
You can always add more cheese, who doesn’t love MORE cheese? And I’ve added mushrooms a time or two, but of course my kids haven’t grown into mushroom love yet, so it’s more likely I leave them out.
This recipe usually fills a 13 x 9 inch pan, and then I use an 8 x 8 pan for the couple that don’t fit, it all depends on how big you make your rolls. Also, these are not spicy! If you like it hot, grab your favorite hot sauce & go to it!
I hope you try it, and love it like we do. I’ve given this recipe to basically everyone I’ve ever made it for. And by the time you’ve made it a couple times, you won’t even need to look at the recipe, cause it’s all in your head!
Enjoy!
Jen
(p.s. photos coming with each recipe soon!)
CHICKEN ENCHILADAS
6 chicken thighs (I use bone in) roasted or boiled, skin removed and meat shredded
8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese grated
8 oz Monterey jack cheese grated
1 small can diced green chiles
1 bunch green onions, all white ends chopped and half of green chopped
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 16 oz. container sour cream
1 dozen flour tortillas
Mix together cheeses (reserve small amount for topping the enchiladas), green chiles, green onions, soup, sour cream in large bowl. Add cooked chicken and mix well.
Spread about 3/4 cup of the mixture in the bottom of you dish. This will keep tortillas from getting too crunchy on the bottom.
Spoon mixture into each tortilla and roll up, laying seam side down in dish. The amount of mixture depends on you, but I would estimate about 1/3 cup into each tortilla. Make sure you save some filling for spreading across the top of the rolled up enchiladas.
After filling your tortillas and laying seam side down in pan, spread remaining filling over the top of them, then sprinkle with reserved cheese.
Bake in a 350 degree oven, covered, for 30 minutes. Uncover, and bake another 10 to 15 minutes until cheese is melted and nice and browned.
Let cool for about 10 minutes, grab your spatula and serve them up!
I don’t love making cookies. I admit it. They take too long, they are repetitive, and I always manage to burn the last sheetful because I’m bored =-) remember I’m being honest here!
That being said, everyone LOVES cookies. My kids love them, my boyfriend loves them, I always try to keep some in the cookie jar, I know many many people who would name ‘cookie’ as their favorite food group.
So, I’ve decided to make an effort to have more homemade cookies in that blasted cookie jar. So we will start with my boys most favorite cookie of all, the Snickerdoodle.
They are quite possibly the most simple cookie you can make, chewy buttery cinnamon-sugary vanilla goodness, and pretty darn delicious.
I haven’t found a soul yet who doesn’t fall for this delicious morsel, so give it a shot! And I hope you love them like we do here,
Jen
THE DISAPPEARING SNICKERDOODLE
2 2/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter (room temperature)
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 tablespoons corn syrup
2 eggs (large)
3 teaspoons real vanilla extract
topping: 1/2 cup sugar mixed with 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Oven at 350
Mix together flour, cream of tartar, salt, baking soda and nutmeg in a large bowl.
In the bowl of a stand up mixer (or another large bowl with a hand mixer) mix together the butter, sugar and corn syrup. Just until nicely incorporated and fluffy looking, then add eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla.
Pour flour mixture into bowl with butter mixture and stir (using a spoon) until all the the dough comes together smooth.
Grease your cookie sheets & hands. I like to use non-stick cooking spray on both.
Roll the dough into balls about 1 inch to 1 1/2 inch big, then roll the balls into the cinnamon sugar mixture until they are fully coated.
Place onto cookie sheet a couple of inches apart, (I usually stick with 6 to 8 cookies a sheet, depending on the size of your sheet) press them down a bit on the sheet with your hand.
Bake for about 10 minutes, cooking time as always depends on your own oven, the size of your cookie balls and whether or not you like your cookies extra crunchy or extra chewy 
The best thing to do is take a peek at around 8 minutes, you want them to have that nice golden brown.
Let cookies rest for a minute on the cookie sheet after you remove them, then put them on cooling sheets away from the heat.
Fill cookie jar & watch disappear!