Birthday Cake: Nothing up my sleeve!

My beloved Jennis birthday was Monday, so we had family dinner Sunday night. As many of you know, we ALWAYS have her favorite dinner : weinersnitzle, for her birthday dinner. This year she surprised me by asking for something different, unfortunately, it was a seasonal dish thats best made in the summer time. I promised her the grilled dinner this summer, and we had weinersnitzle for dinner, complete with loaded mashed potatoes and sauteed green beans with shallots and pancetta. (also her favorite.  I made ALOT because they disappear so quickly!)
  I cheated on the dessert. I did.  It may not look like it, but I did. This is what I do when Im planning a dinner party and feel pressed for time, I cheat. It turns out different each time, but here is what I did this time.

Go to the bakery counter at your local grocery store and ask them for two layers of chocolate cake, unfrosted. I also bought one big can of chocolate frosting, one small carton of cool whip and four "heath" candy bars.
I put half the cool whip in a bowl with two broken up candy bars and used it to stick the two layers of the cake together.  I iced only the sides of the cake with the frosting, and then I used a piping bag to put rosettes all around the edge of the cake. Then I put the rest of the cool whip on the top of the cake, and then topped it with broken up candy bars, once again.

voila~  a beautiful and yummy cake.  Caution: this cake needs refrigeration.  The cool whip melts at room temperature. Susannah gave me a great hint: combine it with cream cheese for more stability.  Next time I will do that!

The Crock Pot Chronicles Part 2: Taco soup

This dish is easy to prepare and you cook it on low all day long.  Its a tasty, tummy warming meal.  My family all love it, and I have served it to dinner guests, who also raved.  I hope you enjoy it!

Taco Soup

• 1 lb. lean hamburger meat ( or ground turkey)
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 3 16 oz cans chili or pinto beans (not drained)
• 1 can of whole kernel corn (not drained)
• 1 can diced tomatoes (optional)
• 1 can peppers (optional)
• 1 8 oz. Can tomato sauce
• 1 package Taco seasoning
• 1 package Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix (do not mix the dressing use it dry)
• 1 ½ cups water

Fry the hamburger and onion, drain off the excess grease. Combine all other ingredients, and add water to desired consistency, about 1 1/2 cups and simmer on low. This recipe will freeze for three months.

Into a life, a little sweetness must fall

I think it's time for something sweet. I seem to be attracted to the main course more than the desert, but I make some pretty mean sweets. Here is one of my favorites:

Food for the Gods Carrot Cake

-

Lucious! The best carrot cake ever! Sweet and spicy, moist delicious cake. I got this recipe from Lynda Barnes when Nich was a baby. Aunt Cin makes it too.

• 1 ½ cups salad oil
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• ½ teaspoon SALT
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 3 cups carrot freshly grated
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup nuts chopped( I usually omit these, personal taste)
• 
  
• Cream Cheese Frosting
• 8 ounces cream cheese softened
• ¼ cup butter softened
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 box powdered sugar

Method

pre heat oven to 350* combine ingredients in given order. Bake at 350* for 35-40 minutes, until done but not dry.
Top with cream cheese frosting.
To make the frosting. cream all the frosting ingredients together and whip at high speed for two minutes.

The Crock Pot Chronicles Part 1: Slow Cooker Chicken with Chile and Corn

  Sometimes there are just not enough hours in a day, right?  We all have busy lives that we try to stuff into our day, and we come home hungry.
 I am not one to sacrifice good eating for timesaving.

   Solution? CROCK POT!! I use mine at least once a week, and I have some really great recipes to share with you. I present to you, The Crock Pot Chronicles.

Part one: Something a little less ordinary.
  I was looking for a crock pot recipe that was something a little different. I found this little ditty online in a weight watchers forum.  I have included the points and nutritional information, for those of you who care.
Yes! Sometimes lowfat is actually tasty!

Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs with Chile and Corn

Ingredients

	2 spray(s) cooking spray, or enough to coat skillet
	1 1/2 medium leek(s), white parts only, chopped (about 1 cup)
	1 cup(s) mushroom(s), sliced
	1/4 tsp paprika, sweet variety
	6 thigh boneless, skinless chicken thigh(s), halved
	2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
	1/4 tsp table salt
	1/4 tsp black pepper
	2 medium corn on the cob, kernels removed with a knife   (I use 2 cups of frozen corn)
	1 average serrano chile(s), or jalapeno pepper, cored, seeded and finely chopped (do not touch seeds with your bare hands)  *see note below!
	1 cup(s) canned chicken broth

Instructions

• Coat a large skillet with cooking spray. Add leek and mushrooms and sauté over high heat until leek is tender, about 3 minutes. Remove leek and mushrooms to a slow cooker.
  
• Place chicken in a resealable plastic bag. Add flour, paprika, salt and pepper and shake well to coat chicken.
  
• Re-coat skillet with cooking spray and add chicken. Brown chicken over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes per side and place in slow cooker. Shake any remaining flour mixture from plastic bag over chicken and top with corn and chile. (Note: For even more corn flavor, run your knife over the cob to extract the corn “milk” into the slow cooker.)
  
• Pour chicken broth into skillet, raise heat to high and scrape up any brown bits with a wooden spoon. Pour broth into slow cooker. Cover slow cooker, set it on low heat and cook for 6 to 7 hours. Yields about 1 1/2 cups per serving.
  

I serve this is a shallow bowl over rice.

* A lesson learned: When they say wear gloves, they mean it! I prepared this dish in the morning before I went to work... before I put on makeup.

 I touched my face with my fingers and holy cow! I had jalepeno burn all around my eye... it hurt and watered and I was not able to get makeup on before I had to go to work. The lesson: either wear gloves or put on your makeup first!

Swedish Meatballs: The big Surprise!

        Today I was looking for something new and interesting to make for dinner.  I was absentmindedly sorta watching the food network, when Tyler Florence came on and made these amazing meatballs. I was surprised how savory and tasty they were, and the "secret" ingredient didn't make the sauce yucky.

        I decided to give them a go, and man, was it ever worth it!  Mike and I both loved these tender, beautiful meatballs in a savory and unusual sauce.  I served mine with rice and steamed carrots. Tyler made mashed potatoes...I bet it would even be good with noodles.

Swedish Meatballs with Lingonberry Sauce

Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence

Prep Time:

30 min

Inactive Prep Time:

--

Cook Time:

40 min

Level:

Intermediate

Serves:

6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh bread crumbs, dried out
• 3/4 cup milk
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 shallots, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds, toasted and ground
• Kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 pound ground pork
• 1 large egg
• 1 handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped, plus more for garnish
• 1 handful fresh dill, chopped  (I used dried)
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 11/2 cups chicken broth
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup lingonberry or red currant jam, plus more for serving (I happened to have black currant jam in the fridge so I used it)

Directions

In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs and the milk; stir with a fork and let stand for 5 minutes. Put 3 tablespoons of the butter in a small skillet and let it melt over medium heat. Add the shallots, garlic, and caraway; season with salt and pepper. Saute until softened but not browned, about 2 minutes. Put the ground beef and pork in a large bowl. Add the sweated shallot mixture, egg, parsley, and dill; season with salt and pepper. Squeeze the milk out of the soaked bread crumbs, add the bread to the meat mixture, and mix well using your hands. Pinch off about 1/2 cup worth of the meat mixture and roll it around in your moistened hands to shape it into a cue ball-sized meatball. Continue forming the meatballs and putting them on a platter; there should be about 20 meatballs.

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over moderate heat. When the foam starts to subside, add the meatballs in batches so you don't overcrowd the pan. ( This is where the printed recipe varies from the show, He browned the meatballs and then baked them 20 minutes in a 350 degree oven, to retain the tenderness of the meatballs.  I did it that way, and it was great)  Saute the meatballs until well-browned on all sides, about 7 minutes total. Remove the meatballs to a platter lined with paper towels as they are done.

Discard most of the fat from the skillet and return it to the heat. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter and swirl it around to coat the pan. Sprinkle in the flour, and stir with a wooden spoon to dissolve into the fat. Pour in the chicken broth, and stir with a wooden spoon to loosen the bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer and stir until the liquid is reduced and a sauce starts to form; season with salt and pepper. Lower the heat and stir in the sour cream. Return the meatballs to the sauce and stir in 1/4 cup of the lingonberry jam until combined. (I thought that would be yucky, but it was very good!) Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly and the meatballs are heated through, about 15 to 20 minutes. Shower with chopped parsley and transfer to a serving bowl. Serve the Swedish meatballs with additional lingonberry jam on the side.

Weinersnitzle: The Family Favorite

Wienersnitzle

Crispy thin chicken cutlets with a little lemon and capers. This dish is THE family favorite. Its a little trouble to make, but so worth it.

        4 chicken breast halves without skin pounded flat

• 2 eggs beaten
• ½ cup flour
• 2 cups seasoned breadcrumbs
• ¾ cup olive oil
• 1 lemon
• capers

Method:

Pound the breasts out flat and coat each one with flour. roll in the

eggwash, and then coat with the breadcrumbs. (I like to use the italian ones that have a little parmesean cheese) and then refridgerate for half hour. Fry in olive oil until brown on both sides and the chicken is firm.. place on paper towels to drain and squeese lemon juice over the top. Add capers and serve

  I can not think of a time that I have not at least doubled this......sometimes tripled.

  This dish is traditionally made with veal and served with a fried egg on top of it.....icky...we don't make it like that. The recipe was given to me by my friend, Tony, and then I altered it a little to our liking. Thanks Tony!!!