TWD: Parisian Apple Tartlet

For this week's Tuesdays with Dorie, the group is baking the Parisian Apple Tartlet, selected by Jessica of My Baking Heart.

When I heard we were making a Parisian Apple Tartlet, I thought about skipping this week. I kind of assumed the tartlet would involve making some sort of tart dough and an apple-pie type filling and I just didn't feel like exerting a whole lot of effort. Then I opened the cookbook and saw the picture and thought, this looks cool. Then my eyes landed on the recipe. Am I reading this right? FOUR ingredients and very few steps? Huh? You better believe I wasn't going to sit this one out!

So in a matter of fifteen minutes, I had my two little tartlets assembled. Many of the group were trying out pears and peaches and other fruits, but I decided to stick with the apple. And here's what it looked like before I popped it in the oven.


They smelled so great and I was still in shock over how little I had just done for these cute little tartlets. They lost some of their color and weren't all that impressive fresh out of the oven, but a drizzle of caramel syrup and some ice cream on top did the trick! They were delicious and I'll definitely make these again.



For the recipe, go check out My Baking Heart.

Paula's Cheddar Broccoli Casserole

So... everyone knows I'm pregnant, right? Well, I happened to notice a new cooking group that was just assembled. This one is going to be cooking exclusively from Paula Deen's cookbook, The Lady and Sons, Too. I just so happen to own that cookbook and just so happen to be a Paula Deen fan. She has a reputation for making food that isn't exactly healthy. And since I'm not currently watching my calories due to the whole pregnancy thing, and I really do want to try out more recipes from that cookbook of hers... I decided, what the heck? I might as well join! If anyone's interested in feasting once a week with us, the link is here: My Girl, Paula!

The first week's selection is Paula's Swiss Broccoli Casserole. I'm really not a big fan of swiss, so I went the safe route with cheddar. In hindsight, there really wasn't a lot of cheese, so I may have been okay with using the swiss. The only thing I was a little unsure of as I was assembling the casserole was the layer of sliced hard-boiled eggs that went inside. Seemed a little out of the ordinary, but I went with it.


The casserole was really quite tasty and made a nice side dish to the steak my husband grilled. My husband did comment that the taste was a little "eggy", but I personally didn't find the egg taste overpowering at all. I thought the crunchy onions gave a great flavor, and it kind of reminded me of a green bean casserole, but with broccoli. We barely made it through half of the casserole, so we have a ton of leftovers.

And have I ever mentioned how it's impossible to take a decent picture of a casserole?



Swiss Broccoli Casserole

Two 10-oz packages frozen broccoli spears, cooked and drained
3 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
2 cups french-fried onion rings
1/2 cup shredded swiss cheese
10 and 3/4 oz. can cream of celery soup
2/3 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350° F. Arrange the broccoli in a shallow 2-quart baking dish. Layer the eggs, 1 cup of the onion rings, and then the cheese over the broccoli. Combine the soup and milk, mixing well. Pour this over the cheese and bake for 25 minutes. Top with the remaining onion rings and bake for 5 minutes longer.

Up next week: Strawberry Cream Shortcake

Samoa Bars

It seems like everyone's favorite girl scout cookie is the Thin Mint. I know it's my husband's. For a few years in a row he'd order girl scout cookies from someone at work and come home with a couple of boxes of Thin Mints. Now, I do like Thin Mints, and never have a problem helping him eat them, but I had to tell him to cut it out and start ordering MY favorite! Samoas... yummmm. Chocolate, coconut, caramel. There's a lot to like in those cookies!

When I came across a homemade version of samoas, I bookmarked the recipe and kept occasionally going back and staring in amazement at it. And then I finally had a good occasion to make them - a family reunion. I know my Mom is a big coconut fan, so I figured she'd help me eat them. Turns out, she isn't the only one. I had a LOT of people helping me eating them. They were so delicious, and tasted almost exactly like the girl scout cookie.


I need to include a little disclaimer that these bars were gorgeous and perfect. I forgot to take pictures until after we traveled to the family reunion and the bars were packed and banged together and smushed. These were the only few that were left after we served them. So imagine them even better looking than you see above - without the chocolate topping cracking and falling apart! :-)

Now, I'm not going to lie and say they were totally simple to make, because they were a bit time consuming. However, they were totally worth it. The only problem I had was dipping them in the chocolate at the end. My bars kept falling apart, so I resorted to using a spoon to scoop up the chocolate and spread it over the bottoms. That worked like a charm. If you like samoas, these are worth the effort.

Homemade Samoa Bars
(from Baking Bites)

Cookie Base:
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt

First, make the crust.
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking pan, or line with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, cream together sugar and butter, until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla extract. Working at a low speed, gradually beat in flour and salt until mixture is crumbly, like wet sand. The dough does not need to come together. Pour crumbly dough into prepapred pan and press into an even layer.

3. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until base is set and edges are lightly browned. Cool completely on a wire rack before topping.

Topping:
3 cups shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
12-oz good-quality chewy caramels
1/4 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. milk
10 oz. dark or semi-sweet chocolate (chocolate chips are ok)

1. Preheat oven to 300° F. Spread coconut evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet (preferably one with sides) and toast 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until coconut is golden. Cool on baking sheet, stirring occasionally. Set aside.

2. Unwrap the caramels and place in a large microwave-safe bowl with milk and salt. Cook on high for 3-4 minutes, stopping to stir a few times to help the caramel melt. When smooth, fold in toasted coconut with a spatula.

3. Put dollops of the topping all over the shortbread base. Using the spatula, spread topping into an even layer. Let topping set until cooled.

4. When cooled, cut into 30 bars with a large knife or a pizza cutter (it’s easy to get it through the topping).

5. Once bars are cut, melt chocolate in a small bowl. Heat on high in the microwave in 45 second intervals, stirring thoroughly to prevent scorching. Dip the base of each bar into the chocolate and place on a clean piece of parchment or wax paper.

6. Transfer all remaining chocolate (or melt a bit of additional chocolate, if necessary) into a piping bag or a ziploc bag with the corner snipped off and drizzle bars with chocolate to finish. Let chocolate set completely before storing in an airtight container.

Makes 30 bar cookies.

TWD: Cinnamon Squares

This week's Tuesdays with Dorie selection is the Cinnamon Squares. They were chosen by Tracey of Tracey's Culinary Adventures. She has the recipe on her site, so go get it!


This was a recipe I'd noticed in Dorie's book and had been looking forward to trying. The cinnamon squares were not at all what I expected, but totally delicious nonetheless. The recipe was very easy to follow and it turned out great. I expected to want this for dessert (which of course I did), but I also thought it would be great with brunch. The cinnamon flavor just reminded me of breakfast.


The squares were gorgeous iced and cut. The icing was thick and rich and very tasty. And I loved the cinnamon chocolate center. So pretty and so yummy! I think I'll make these for a brunch sometime in the future. Another great recipe by Dorie!

Pineapple-Cheddar Cornbread

I always know summer is approaching when our calendar starts becoming packed with out-of-town trips. A trip up to New York to visit my husband's family, a Memorial Day trip to Virginia for a family reunion... and that was just May. But wanna know one of my favorite things about taking trips? I buy a ton of magazines to keep me occupied for the long drives. Cooking Light, Better Homes and Gardens, Martha Stewart, Good Housekeeping, Gourmet... just to name a few. And you better believe I have a huge pile of clippings by the time we get home.

Well, this recipe was like striking gold in the very, very back of a Better Homes and Gardens. Man, this is delicious cornbread! I don't think I can rave enough about it! Even my husband, who is so not a fan of cornbread, gobbled this right up. He usually complains that cornbread is too dry. But this bread? Just the opposite. It's moist and flavorful and... did I mention it's just delicious?


This bread is so easy to make and is a fantastic side dish to just about any meal. The cheese really gives it a great flavor while the pineapple makes it incredibly moist. This is not your run of the mill, ordinary cornbread. Make this with dinner tonight, you won't be sorry!



Pineapple-Cheddar Cornbread
(from Better Homes & Gardens)

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
4 eggs, lightly beaten
14.75-oz. can cream-style corn
8-oz. can crushed pineapple (juice pack), drained
4 oz. cheddar cheese or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (1 cup)

1. Preheat oven to 375° F. Grease and flour a 2-quart rectangular baking dish (I used an 8-inch square pan); set aside.

2. In medium bowl combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

3. In large mixing bowl beat butter with electric mixer on medium speed 30 seconds. Add eggs, one at a time; beat well after each addition. Beat in flour mixture on low speed just until combined. Stir in corn, drained pineapple, and cheese. Spoon batter into prepared dish.

4. Bake about 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cut in squares. Serve warm.

TWD: Fresh Mango Bread

I have never in my life cooked with a mango. But I really love when the Tuesdays with Dorie selections are something other than pies and cookies. So I got really excited to give this a try. I had to go in search of mangoes, because my usual grocery store didn't carry them. I finally found them at the Fresh Market, where I can always count on finding any fruits and vegetables that aren't at the grocery store.


And wow, mango is surprisingly good! I ate several pieces of it as I was dicing it, and thought it was delicious. The bread came together very easily. My batter seemed a bit dry, even after stirring it for a while. But it tasted fantastic after it was baked. I love the flavors in it! I made a loaf for my neighbor who I owed a big thank you for watching over our house while we were on vacation, and I made a mini loaf for my hubby and I. It won't last long, I'm sure!

Thanks to Kelly of Baking with the Boys for the great selection this week. If you'd like to make this bread yourself, she'll have the recipe, so go check out her site!

Pasta Pie

I didn't realize I had an obsession with baked pasta dishes until I just typed the name of this post. I do believe this is my third variation of pasta pie that I've posted. But each one is different enough to excite me and make me have to try it. I guess I like Italian!

This pasta pie really intrigued me because it's so different. And I LOVE its presentation. It has all of the usual characters - the pasta, the sauce, the cheese, and the ground beef. But it's baked in a springform pan so the sides can be removed and voilà - you have a gorgeous dish!

It's incredibly easy to make. But be warned, it requires getting your hands a little dirty. Your pasta has to be stood up in your pan - one piece at a time. A little time and patience is required, but it pays off in the end.


And then comes the part where you'll really get your hands dirty. Take your sauce and pour it over your pasta. Stick your (CLEAN!) fingers in and push the sauce and ground beef down into the holes of the noodles. Be sure to get the sauce into every single noodle or else you'll be able to tell after it cooks. Instead of a nice top to your pasta, you'll see empty holes. I had one or two that I accidentally missed. But I still thought it looked great.


The pie slices really well and is incredibly easy to serve. This is a very tasty dish that's easy enough for anyone to try making. So go ahead and try it, I guarantee you'll impress your guests and it's a great conversation piece!




Pasta Pie
From Noble Pig, who adapted the recipe from Martha Stewart

1 pound rigatoni
2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 pound ground beef
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 can (28 ounces) good quality crushed tomatoes
Butter, for pan
Salt
1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
8 ounces coarsely grated mozzarella

1. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta until slightly underdone (I cooked mine for 12 minutes when the box indicated 14 minutes). One pound of pasta should be cooked in 6 quarts of water, make sure you are using a big enough pot so the pasta doesn't stick together. When done, rinse in cold water and drain again. Toss pasta with 1 Tablespoon olive oil to coat. Set aside.

2. Heat remaining 1 Tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef. Cook, stirring occasionally until browned. Add garlic, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper. Cook 2 minutes more.

3. Add crushed tomatoes; simmer until thickened, about 20 minutes.

4. Toss pasta with Parmesan cheese. Butter a 9-inch springform pan. Tightly pack pasta into pan, standing each piece on end. Spread meat sauce on top of pasta.

5. Push the meat sauce into the pasta holes filling each one up. Stuffing the meat into the holes is a weirdly satisfying task. Enough said.

6. Place in a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top and bake another 10-15 minutes until cheese is golden. Remove from oven and let stand for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edge to loosen and then unmold.

7. Cut into wedges and serve with any remaining meat sauce you might have.

Inside-Out BLT's

I'm still here! Nearing the end of my first trimester and starting to get my energy and appetite back. Life is busy, though, and I know I just don't have the time to post to my cooking blog like I used to. But I promise to share anytime I find a great new recipe! I love to cook too much to stop!

I've made these Inside-Out BLT's a few times now and really enjoy them. I'd kind of gotten tired of the usual dips and meatballs that I usually turn to for appetizers, so I went searching for something new and found these. They're a unique appetizer that will go with just about any type of dinner you're serving. They're also quite easy to put together. Everyone who tries them always likes them. So whip these up for your next get-together!



Inside-Out BLT's
(from My Tasty Treasures)

3 slices of bacon
⅓ cup chopped Romaine lettuce
⅓ cup coarse soft bread crumbs
2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 medium Roma tomatoes
Freshly ground black pepper
Mayonnaise

1. Preheat oven to 400° F. In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Drain on paper towels and chop into chunks.

2. In a medium bowl, combine bacon, lettuce, crumbs, cheese and olive oil. Mix well and set aside. Halve roma tomatoes lengthwise. Scoop out insides leaving a ¼ inch shell. Sprinkle black pepper on each tomato half. Brush with some of the mayonnaise. Mound the bacon mixture into tomatoes; transfer to baking pan.

3. Roast tomatoes, uncovered, for 10 to 12 minutes or until tomatoes start to wilt.

Makes 2 servings, but can be multiplied easily.

TWD: Chocolate Cream Tart

I've finally mustered up some strength to participate again in a Tuesdays with Dorie selection. I've missed the last two weeks due to first trimester pregnancy "funk", which includes but is definitely not limited to: fatigue, nausea, headaches, heartburn, aversions to lots of smells and lots of foods, and just plain old laziness.


So I decided I needed to get my rear off the couch and bake something. And since Kim of Scrumptious Photography chose the Chocolate Cream Tart, which sounded fabulous, I decided to go for it! I didn't have a tart pan, however, so I opted to instead make a chocolate cream pie.

The pie came together fairly easily and my hubby and I both gave it a thumbs up. I handed the whisk that was covered in chocolate cream to my son and he really enjoyed it. Success!


Thanks to Kim for a great selection! Check out her site for the recipe and absolutely gorgeous photos that will make your mouth water!

Mac and Cheese and the Bun In the Oven!

There's big news in our house! I'm expecting baby number two! The little one is due in November. Actually, Thanksgiving day, to be exact. I think that should make for a very interesting Thanksgiving! My hubby and I are very excited and our 18-month old, well, doesn't really understand yet. All in good time!

I'm going through that first trimester funk right now. I don't have much of an appetite for the things I normally like. And the smells of certain foods are real turn-offs. My poor husband has been cooking dinner practically every night. The energy to cook just doesn't really exist right now. Gosh, I can't wait for this to end!

I did make something recently that I really enjoyed, though. A low calorie Mac and Cheese that was surprisingly tasty! So tasty that I had to pull myself off the couch to tell you about it. I really can't believe it's light because it's so good and so easy.


Macaroni and Cheese
(from Southern Living)

4 cups hot cooked elbow macaroni (about 8 ozs. uncooked), cooked without salt or fat
2 cups (8 ozs.) shredded reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup 1% low-fat cottage cheese
3/4 cup fat-free sour cream
1/2 cup fat-free milk
2 Tbsp. grated fresh onion
1 and 1/2 tsps. reduced-calorie margarine, melted
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup fresh or dry breadcrumbs
1 Tbsp. reduced-calorie margarine, melted
1/4 tsp. paprika

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Combine first 10 ingredients; stir well. Spoon into a shallow 2-quart casserole coated with cooking spray.

3. Combine breadcrumbs, 1 Tbsp. margarine, and paprika; stir well. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture over casserole. Cover and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover casserole, bake an additional 5 minutes or until breadcrumbs are lightly browned.

Makes 6 servings.

TWD: Banana Cream Pie

This week's Tuesdays with Dorie selection is Banana Cream Pie. I love banana cream pie, but I've never made it myself. What a great opportunity to try! Dorie's recipe is a little different from the ordinary. Hers includes a custard with brown sugar which was absolutely tasty. And it's topped off with a sweet whipped cream that includes a touch of sour cream. The recipe made so much whipped cream, I could barely fit it all on the pie. After taking a few slices, all of the excess started to slide off into the pan. It was delicious though!

It was quite easy to make too, though I am confessing that I didn't make the pie crust from scratch. I didn't have the energy to put in that much work (nor the energy to take any decent photos - like you couldn't tell), so I settled for store-bought crust, which actually tasted quite good.

My hubby loved the pie too. The next morning he had a slice for breakfast before I woke up. He didn't confess to it until later in the day, and I thought it was quite funny!


If you'd like to make this delicious pie yourself, you can check out Amy's blog, Sing For Your Supper. Thanks for the great choice, Amy!

Parmesan-Herb Biscuits

Don't these biscuits look heavenly? I mentioned recently how I need to add more variety to my cooking and baking. My labels on the right hand side say 37 Main Dishes and 39 Desserts. Wow, you can really see what I like to make.

So when I came across these super simple parmesan-herb biscuits in Bon Appétit magazine, I figured I'd try them. The recipe originated from Taku Glacier Lodge in Juneau, Alaska. I loved the combination of herbs and cheese and thought they sounded delicious. And they are.

The dough comes together so easily. Dry ingredients are whisked together and then the butter and ice water are added. Flour up your hands really well and shape the dough into a big square.


Then pull out a knife or a pizza cutter (which worked perfectly), and cut the dough into nine squares.


Move the biscuits to a baking sheet with sides touching, and bake at 400° F for about 30 minutes.


They're super simple and beautiful. I love their golden brown appearance and their wonderful smell.


Let them cool for about 15 minutes and then go to town! They're wonderful. They pair perfectly with breakfast - try making an egg and bacon sandwich. Or add a little country ham for a nice southern ham biscuit. Or just eat them alone. It doesn't matter, they're good either way!



Parmesan-Herb Biscuits
(from Bon Appétit magazine)

2 cups all-purpose flour
6 Tbsp. nonfat dry milk powder
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. dried tarragon
1 tsp. dried basil
½ cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
¾ cup (or more) ice water

1. Preheat oven to 400° F. Whisk first 9 ingredients in large bowl to blend. Add butter and cut in with fingertips until very coarse meal forms. Gradually add ¾ cup ice water, tossing until moist clumps form and adding 1 or 2 tablespoons more water if needed to form a slightly sticky dough.

2. Gather dough into ball. Sprinkle work surface with flour. Using floured hands, press dough into 6-inch square. Cut dough into nine 2-inch square biscuits. Arrange biscuits with sides touching on ungreased baking sheets.

3. Bake biscuits until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Separate biscuits slightly and cool 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 9 biscuits.