Mahimahi with Tahitian Vanilla and Mango Sauce

For Christmas I received Giada's new cookbook, Feel Good Food. I HIGHLY recommend it. Her recipes are simple to make and make your tastebuds dance the cha-cha. This one you can thank me for later.

Mahimahi with Tahitian Vanilla and Mango Sauce

serves 4

Sauce:

1 medium mango, peeled, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice

1 (2-inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 Tahitian Vanilla Bean (available at Williams Sonoma, Wegmans)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

Fish:

1 tablespoon EVOO

4 (4 ounce) filets of skinless mahimahi 1 inch thick, can be substituted for halibut

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a blender, combine the mango, orange juice, 1/4 cup water, ginger, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth (REALLY smooth, no lumps) and pour into a small saucepan. Using a pairing knife, cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the saucepan. Add the empty vanilla pod halves, too. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 6 minutes. Remove the vanilla pod halves and discard. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter until smooth.

In a 12-inch, nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Season the fish on both sides with the salt and pepper. Add the fish to the pan and cook until the fish flakes easily with a fork, 6 to 8 minutes on each side.

Arrange the fish on plates and spoon the sauce on top. Serve with quinoa and steamed veggies.

Enjoy!

Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese Sandwich

I'm not a big tomato soup person, so the thought of making a grilled cheese to dunk into tomato soup just doesn't appeal to me. I love spicy food, my husband does not. You can modify this recipe to be as spicy as you'd like, or not. Enjoy!

Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese Sandwich

serves 4

1 can of cooked chicken breast (although I prefer to use fresh, but if you're in a time crunch, you gotta do what you gotta do)

3 tbsp blue cheese dressing

1/4 cup hot sauce

shredded mozzarella cheese

8 thin slices of sourdough bread

2 tbsp butter

In a skillet, preferably cast iron, melt 1 tbsp of butter over medium heat. Let the pan get reallllly hot and the butter will start to bubble. Put one slice of bread into pan. It will soak up the buttery goodness and begin to brown. 

In the meantime, shred the chicken in a small saucepan with a fork. Add the blue cheese and hot sauce. Heat until bubbling.

On top of that slice of bread in the pan, smear the buffalo chicken mix and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Top with another slice of bread, flip to brown the other side. 

For every 2 sandwiches you make, use 1 tbsp of butter. Be sure to melt the butter in the pan, first, before adding the bread. It will make for a nice, golden brown, crunchy sandwich. 

Enjoy!

Lemon Orzo and Chicken Meatball Soup

This time of year it starts to get chilly out and well, you can't avoid the headcolds. Tonight, I'm curling up with this delicious bowl of soup and watching some football. I hope you cook the same for your family and enjoy it together. It's simple, fresh and incredibly quick to make (oh and did I mention low fat??). 

Lemon Orzo and Chicken Meatball Soup

(serves 4 people)

recipe from Southern Living Magazine

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground chicken

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1/4 cup fine, dry breadcrumbs

1 tsp. kosher salt

4 tsp. loosely packed lemon zest, divided

1 tsp rosemary, divided

3 tbsp olive oil

1 medium sized sweet onion, chopped

3 carrots, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 (32 oz) containers of chicken broth

6 tbsp lemon juice

3/4 cup orzo pasta

1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1. Combine first 4 ingredients, 2 tsp lemon zest, and 1/2 tsp rosemary in a medium bowl. Shape into 1 inch meatballs. 

2. Saute the meatballs, in 2 batches, in 1 tbsp hot oil per batch in a dutch oven over medium heat 3-4 minutes or until browned. 

3. Saute onion and next 2 ingredients in 1 tbsp hot oil in dutch oven over medium high heat 3-5 minutes or until tender. 

Stir in broth, lemon juice, and remaining lemon zest with 1/2 tsp rosemary. 

Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Add orzo. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, 7-9 minutes. 

4. Stir in meatballs, simmer, 5-7 minutes or until meatballs are thoroughly cooked through. Add salt and pepper to taste. Top with cheese.

Enjoy!

Southern Pecan Pie

In the words of Zac Brown Band, "and that's home you know, sweet tea, pecan pie and homemade wine, where the peaches grow, and my house it's not much to talk about, but it's filled with love that's grown in southern ground". 

I can close my eyes and imagine myself 10 years from now. I want my kids to always want to come home for dinner, because their momma's cooking is just that good. The kitchen counter and dining room table will always be a place to revisit the day, or memories of a special time. But also to keep it real. And how real can you get when you can't cook a pecan pie and you live in the south? So...I took it upon myself to make my dear friend Tami's favorite pecan pie recipe. Oh, and Tami? I did good, girl! Come on over and share a piece with me, we can sit on my deck. 

Tami's Favorite Pecan Pie

(courtesy of Southern Living magazine)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

4 eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell

1-1 1/4 cup pecan halves

Combine butter, sugar and corn syrup in a saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves. Let cool slightly.

Beat eggs in a mixer, add to mixture.

Put pie shell into pie pan, be sure to press a fork into the shell, all around, so it cooks through and doesn't become mushy!

Pour mixture into unbaked pie shell, top with pecan halves.

Bake at 325 degrees for 50 to 55 minutes. My trick is to wrap the pie crust with aluminum foil so it doesn't burn.

Serve warm or cold.

Enjoy!

Cedar-Plank Salmon with Brown Sugar and Cracked Pepper

My family and friends know how much I love to cook, so it was quite fitting when they gave me their favorite recipes at each one of my bridal showers. I absolutely loved this idea, and I immediately dived into them once I got home from our honeymoon.

Cedar-Plank Salmon with Brown Sugar and Cracked Pepper

(dinner for two)

Ingredients:

2 salmon portions (about 6 oz each, after all, it is heart healthy!)

1 tbsp dark brown sugar

1 tbsp cracked black pepper

You'll need one large cedar plank which you must soak in water for at least two hours before grilling.

Preheat grill on high for 10 minutes and clean with a grill brush.

Arrange salmon on plank. Rub brown sugar and cracked pepper mixture evenly over fish.

Place plank directly on the grill, close the cover. Reduce heat to medium and cook fish for 12-15 minutes or until internal temp reaches 130 degrees. 

Remove from grill, let fish rest at least 2 minutes.

Enjoy!

Braised Short Ribs with Herb Gremolata and Melted Gouda Polenta

Wow! It's been forever since the last time I've blogged, this feels great! The best part is, I just got married on June 15, 2013 and my husband LOVES my cooking:o) You know what they say, "the way to a man's heart is through his stomach". So true! Since we've just returned from our honeymoon and I no longer have any tedious wedding planning to do, I can now return to what I love to do most, and that is to cook. Tonight I made Nick a special recipe out of a cookbook given to me by my grandparents at our wedding shower. It's appropriately called "The Newlywed Cookbook" by Sarah Copeland.

Braised Short Ribs with Herb Gremolata and Melted Gouda Polenta

(dinner for two)

Short Ribs

1 bay leaf

1 sprig of thyme

1 garlic clove

5 whole black peppercorns

1 lb beef short ribs (about 4 pieces)

2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup dry white wine (I used sauvignon blanc)

3 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 large onion, chopped

2 large carrots, chopped into 2 in chunks

2 stalks celery, chopped into 2 in chunks

cheesecloth

kitchen twine

Herb Gremolata

1 lemon

1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley

1 tbsp evoo

kosher salt, to taste

freshly ground black pepper

Polenta

3 cups water

1 cup polenta

1 tsp salt

1 1/4 cup whole milk

2 tbsp unsalted butter

1/2 cup smoked gouda cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Wrap the bay leaf, thyme, garlic and peppercorns in cheesecloth and tie with kitchen twine to make an herb sachet. 

Place short ribs on a piece of parchment and season generously on all sides with salt and pepper, rub into the meat.

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven with lid over medium-high heat. Add the short ribs and cook about 2 minutes on each side until they have a deep brown crust. Transfer the short ribs to a plate. 

Add the white wine to the Dutch oven and scrape the brown bits off the bottom with a wooden spoon. Add the broth and return the short ribs to the pan with the carrots, celery, onion and herb sachet. Cover and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. When it reaches a constant simmer, put the Dutch oven in the oven and cook about 2.5 hours or until meat is tender and falling off the bone. During the cooking process, be sure to flip the short ribs so they are constantly immersed in liquid. This keeps them moist and tender.

Remove the ribs and large veggies to a plate, cover with foil to keep warm. Place the Dutch oven on the stove over medium-high heat. Skim off any excess fat on the surface. Simmer the liquid over medium heat until it has thickened slightly and reduced to about 1 3/4 cups.

Meanwhile, make the herb gremolata. Use a veggie peeler to strip two or three long pieces of lemon zest. Slice the zest as thinly as possible with a very sharp knife and stir together with parsley and olive oil. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

To make the polenta, boil water in a medium saucepan. Chop polenta into large sized cubes and add to boiling water. 

Season with salt. Over medium heat, cook while stirring occasionally about 20 minutes or until polenta is soft and melted. Add milk, butter and cheese, stir together.

Serve short ribs, two per person, on top of melted polenta in a shallow bowl. Top with cooked veggies and herb gremolata. Serve with cooking liquid to spoon over.

Enjoy!

Mom-Mom's Famous Sticky Buns

I had a very big meeting Monday morning that served as my interview for a store manager position. I wanted this promotion so badly, I knew I had to step it up and make something reallyyyyyy good for my coffee tasting. At 9 am, what's better to choose than my Mom-Mom's famous sticky buns, which by the way, are VERY easy to make.

Mom-Mom's Famous Sticky Buns

(makes 24)

Ingredients:

one bag of frozen ready to rise dinner rolls (I prefer Rich's brand)

whole pecans, raisins (you can use golden raisins if you want but I prefer regular)

1 stick of butter

1 cup brown sugar 

1 large box of cooked vanilla pudding (if you buy the small box you won't have enough)

2 tbsp whole milk

1 tbsp cinnamon

Instructions:

Generously spray a 9X13 pan with cooking spray. 

In the BOTTOM of the pan, put down the pecans and raisins. Make sure the rounded side of the pecan is facing DOWN. On top of the nuts and raisins, line up your rolls: 6 across and 4 down, 24 total. 

In a saucepan, melt the stick of butter, add brown sugar, milk, cinnamon and vanilla pudding, stir well.

Pour the mixture over the rolls, and let it sit in your oven overnight so the rolls can rise. 

In the morning, take the pan out of the oven, then preheat the oven to 350. 

When the oven is at its temperature, put the pan in and set your timer to 25 minutes.

In the meantime, line a baking sheet with NON-STICK aluminum foil. If you don't have non-stick foil, lightly spray it with cooking spray to coat.

When your sticky buns are done, take them out and put the baking sheet on top of the pan (obviously foil side down). Flip the pan over, your sticky buns will now be on the baking sheet and right side up! You will see the yummy mixture kind of ooze all over the buns and glaze them with all of their goodness.

Enjoy!!

Pan-seared Porkchops with Blackberry Reduction Sauce

Surprise! A healthier recipe from Paula Deen! Hooray! This dish melts in your mouth, enjoy!

Ingredients:

4 bone-in pork chops, however I used boneless (just a personal preference)
garlic powder,salt and pepper (to season pork chops)
4 tablespoons butter
¼ cup canola oil
½ cup dry white wine
2 cups blackberries
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

Instructions:

Sprinkle the porkchops with a generous amount of seasoning (garlic powder, salt and pepper).

Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add the butter and oil and swirl until the butter is melted. Sear the chops, in two batches if necessary, until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the chops to a paper towel-lined plate.

Remove the skillet from the heat, add the wine, and return it to the heat. Simmer, scraping up the brown bits, until the wine has mostly evaporated, 4 to 6 minutes. Whisk in the blackberries and honey and cook until the berries are soft and falling apart, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the thyme and adjust the seasoning.

Reduce the heat to low and add the pork chops, overlapping them in the pan. Baste the chops well with the sauce, cover and cook until warmed through, 1 to 2 minutes.

Super Fast and Easy Chicken Fajitas

In a pinch for time? Here's a healthy, easy recipe to get dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes!

Ingredients:

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast for each person

McCormick's brand Perfect Pinch Cajun seasoning

Salt and pepper (to taste)

2 8-inch flour tortillas per person

Shredded lettuce

Light sour cream

Finely shredded reduced-fat Mexican blend cheese

Ortega brand taco sauce

1 red onion, 1 green pepper, 1 red pepper, 1 yellow pepper and a sprig of cilantro roughly chopped


Instructions:

Heat oven to 350. Lay tortillas on a baking sheet, heat until warm.

In a small pan, drizzle some olive oil and cook up the chicken breasts. Sprinkle Cajun seasoning on meat, enough to coat, about 2 teaspoons. After cooking, cut each piece of meat into slices (remember the one piece of chicken will go into 2 tortillas for each person).

In the same pan, add the veggies, drizzle some olive oil over top, salt and pepper. Sauté until tender.

For EACH tortilla:
Add chicken, top with veggies, shredded lettuce, 1 tbsp taco sauce, 1 tbsp light sour cream, 1 tbsp shredded cheese. Serving size: 2 tortillas per person.

To add even more flavor: slice an avocado on top or some guacamole!

Enjoy!

Asian Flat Iron Steak

Another recipe from the Pioneer Woman!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Soy Sauce
1/2 cup Sherry
1/4 cup Honey
2 Tablespoons Sesame Oil
2 Tablespoons (heaping) Minced Ginger
2 Tablespoons (3-5 cloves) Minced Garlic
teaspoons Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
2 Flat Iron Steaks (or London Broil), whatever size you prefer
Garnish: 2 Tablespoons Roasted Sesame Seeds and 2 Green Onions, slivered, optional.


Instructions:
Gather all ingredients together – soy sauce, sherry, honey, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, and flat iron steak.

Whisk the ingredients in a bowl. Place the steaks and marinade in a ziplock bag and chill in the refrigerator for 3-6 hours.

Grill steaks on high heat for 4 minutes on each side for medium rare steaks. Allow steaks to rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Sprinkle roasted sesame seeds and green onion slivers on top to garnish.

Stuffed Mushrooms

This recipe is from the wonderful Pioneer Woman!

24 ounces, White Button Mushrooms
⅓ pounds Pork Sausage
½ whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced
4 cloves Garlic, Finely Minced
8 ounces, Cream Cheese
1 whole Egg Yolk
¾ cups Parmesan Cheese, Grated
⅓ cups Dry White Wine
Salt And Pepper (to Taste)

Directions:

Brown and crumble sausage. Set aside on a plate to cool.

Add onions and garlic to the same skillet; cook for 2 minutes over medium low heat. Pour in wine to deglaze pan, allow liquid to evaporate. Add in chopped mushroom stems, stir to cook for 2 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set mixture aside on a plate to cool.

In a bowl, combine cream cheese and egg yolk. Stir together with Parmesan cheese.

Add cooled sausage and cooled mushroom stems. Stir mixture together and refrigerate for a short time to firm up.

Smear mixture into the cavity of each mushroom, creating a sizable mound over the top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow to cool at least ten minutes before serving; the stuffed mushrooms taste better when not piping hot. Garnish with minced parsley if you're feeling fancy!

Beer in the Rear Chicken

In the words of Guy Fieri, "Winner Winner Chicken Dinner"! This recipe is AWESOME! I highly recommend it for hosting a dinner party or grilling out with friends and family.

The original recipe is from my good friend, Miss Paula Deen, however I have modified it and used some lighter ingredients that can be found in a similar recipe from Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook (page 168). Paula Deen's recipe can be found in her sons cookbook "Y'all Come Eat!" page 110.

Beer in the Rear Chicken

serves 6

Ingredients You Will Need:

1  3 1/2-4  lb chicken, rinsed and patted dry (do yourself a favor and buy an organic chicken!)

2 large garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon paprika

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

zest of 1 lemon

pinch of chili powder

1  12 oz. can of beer

dutch oven if you are roasting chicken in oven

To Make Rub:

Stir together all ingredients (except the chicken and beer) in a small bowl. Rinse chicken inside and out, get rid of any organs, pat dry. Tuck wings under the chicken. Spread 1 tablespoon of the rub onto the meat underneath of the skin.

*Note, I know this may sound gross, and I know it may feel gross while you're doing it, but it is soooooo good when it cooks into the meat!*

Spread remaining rub over chicken and into the body cavity.

To Cook:

If you are using a grill, spray grill rack with nonstick spray. Preheat grill to medium. Set a metal drip pan in the center of the grill between the coals.

If you are roasting your chicken in the oven, preheat oven to 375. You will most likely need to take out a rack in order to allow for enough room in your oven for the chicken to stand up. You will need a dutch oven or roasting pan to put the chicken into.

Wash the can of beer off with hot, soapy water before you open it. You never know where that can has been! Open the can, drink half of the beer and make two more holes in top of can with can opener or knife. Stand can of beer up in middle of dutch oven or grill with mouth facing up. Lower the chicken's body cavity onto the can of beer, keeping the can standing upright. Cover the grill, or close oven and cook for 1-1 1/2 hours until the meat registers 180 degrees in middle of thigh meat or until meat falls off of the bone. I really like to baste the chicken while it is cooking, it gives that caramelized look and rotisserie taste to it!

When chicken is done cooking, carefully remove the beer can and throw away. Be careful! There will probably be hot beer left in the can and it will burn you if you aren't careful. Transfer chicken to a cutting board, let it stand for 5 minutes then carve and enjoy!

Bon appetit!

Molasses-Glazed Roast Pork & Sweet Potatoes

This recipe has a TON of flavor, I suggest serving it with a side of applesauce sprinkled with cinnamon, it will complement the spices in the molasses glaze. The complete recipe can be found in the Williams Sonoma Weeknight Fresh and Fast cookbook on page 154. Enjoy!

Molasses-Glazed Roast Pork & Sweet Potatoes

serves 4

Ingredients You Will Need:

2 pork tenderloins, about 10-12 ounces each

coarse sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

1/4 cup light molasses (however, I could not find light, use whatever you can find-it will just change the color of your glaze a bit)

1/4 cup dijon mustard

1 tbsp fresh rosemary, minced

1 tsp red pepper flakes (I used a sprinkle of chili pepper, just to play with flavor a bit)

2 medium sized sweet potatoes, unpeeled

2  1/2 tbsp olive oil

1 minced shallot (I chose to leave this out)

1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth (I use organic which is all-natural and low sodium)

Preheat oven to 400. Sprinkle the outside of pork lightly with salt and black pepper, set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the molasses, mustard, rosemary and pepper flakes; stir to combine. Microwave sweet potatoes in covered glass dish for 10 minutes to soften and cook most of the way through (this will save you a LOT of time!).

In a large ovenproof frying pan (I use a cast-iron skillet), heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the pork, brown on all sides, about 6 minutes. Using a basting brush, slather pork with molasses mixture. Make sure you cover both pieces of meat entirely. Put frying pan or skillet in pre-heated oven and cook until the thickest part of the pork registers 145 degrees with a meat thermometer, about 15 minutes.

While the pork is cooking in the oven, slice the microwaved sweet potatoes into 1/2 inch thick slices. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet, sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper, drizzle with olive oil and bake in pre-heated oven for 15 minutes, or until tender and slightly brown on top.

Transfer the pork to a platter and let it rest. When potatoes are done, arrange them around the pork on platter.

Add shallot to frying pan and allow to cook over medium-high heat in pan drippings. Stir up the browned bits until the shallot begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Add remaining molasses mixture and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, stir frequently. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, about another 3 minutes.

Slice the pork and drizzle with sauce, do same with sweet potatoes. Serve immediately and bon appetit!

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

perfect for a snowy day!

make 22 cups of soup (I like to freeze it to eat in single servings)

Homemade Chicken Stock

(the base for this soup)

makes 22 cups of stock

Ingredients You Will Need:

1 whole roasting chicken (about 6 lbs)

17 cups cold water

1 tbsp sea salt

1 package carrots, peeled, cut into chunks

1 small bunch of celery, 1/2 inch trimmed off of end, cut into chunks, include leaves

1 package fresh thyme

3 medium cooking onions, halved, skins left on

2  12 oz. packages of mirepoix

4 bay leaves

1 tbsp black peppercorns

3 cups chicken stock

large stockpot or dutch oven

Place chicken in large pot (I prefer to take out the giblets and bag inside of the cavity, you may leave in there for more flavor if you prefer), breast side down; add 17 cups cold water and 3 cups chicken stock; season with sea salt.

Simmer 60 minutes, skim top every 15 minutes and baste chicken with cooking liquids. Be careful not to boil!

*Rachael Ray makes an all-natural chicken stock that has a TON of flavor, the reason I use 3 cups of this stock to make my own chicken stock is to infuse the juices from the chicken and give it more flavor*

Add carrots, celery (include celery leaves), thyme, onions (leave the peels on the onions), mirepoix, bay leaves and peppercorns to stockpot.

Return to a simmer on MEDIUM heat. Simmer 2 hours, reduce heat to medium-low if stock starts to boil.

*What is mirepoix? It is chopped up, portioned celery, carrots and onions that is used as a starter for any soup or stew. Most stores will sell this either fresh or frozen, I prefer fresh if I am making my soup the same day I am buying it. Otherwise, buy a few bags and freeze them for when you need it. They are inexpensive and save you a TON of time! Again, I buy organic so I know my veggies weren't sprayed with any harmful chemicals*

Transfer chicken to a cutting board; let it cool. Remove the meat from the bones. The meat should be very tender and fall right off of the bones. Remove skin from the meat, discard. If you are not using right away for a soup, store the chicken in your freezer to use for another day.

Discard bay leaves and stems of thyme. Refridgerate stock until ready to use or continue to next step to continue making your chicken noodle soup!

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

makes 22 cups of soup

Ingredients You Will Need:

22 cups of homemade chicken stock (recipe is shown above)

3 cups cooked chicken (used to make chicken stock), shredded-I like to add the whole chicken

1/2 cup chopped italian flat leaf parsley

1 cup soup pasta such as ditalini, stellini or pastine (teeny tiny star shaped pasta), or elbow macaroni-you could also use rice

salt and pepper to taste

large stockpot or dutch oven

Add chicken stock to large stockpot on MEDIUM heat; heat for 10 minutes. Your veggies will be very tender and will hold all the flavor of the stock. Add chicken and parsley, cook through a simmer for 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Want to really "kick it up a notch"? (as Emeril always says!) Sprinkle some freshly grated parmesan cheese on top! Yummm!

Double Chocolate Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

For my Mom-Mom's birthday I thought I would surprise her with some "pretty in pink" cupcakes complete with delicious, decadent frosting. Sure enough, they put a huge smile on her face:o)

Double Chocolate Cupcakes with

 Cream Cheese Frosting

yields 12 cupcakes & 4  1/4 cups frosting

Ingredients You Will Need:

one box of Paula Deen's double chocolate cupcake mix

1/4 cup oil

1/2 cup water

2 eggs

1  8 ounce package of cream cheese, softened to room temperature

1/2 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened to room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

6 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup half and half

In an electric mixer, combine the box of Paula Deen's cupcake mix, 2 eggs, 1/4 cup oil and 1/2 cup water. Mix together on low speed while you add each ingredient into the mixer, then mix on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until the mixture becomes thick and smooth. Pour into cupcake liners and bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

To make the cream cheese frosting, beat 1  8 ounce package of softened cream cheese, 1/2 stick of softened butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until blended. When mixture becomes thick, add 1/4 cup of half and half at high speed for 1 minute until it becomes smooth and slightly thinner.

When cupcakes are finished baking, allow them to cool on a cooling rack.

Add the cream cheese frosting into a piping bag and frost the cupcakes. Immediately sprinkle with clear crystallized sugars.

Enjoy! This frosting is DIVINE and guaranteed to wow your crowd:o)

Baked Flounder with Garlic and Lemon

This recipe comes from Paula Deen's sons cookbook called "Y'all Come Eat!" and it was super easy to make!

We were lucky enough to have this flounder given to us by Nick's dad who always gives us fish when he goes fishing! Yummmo!

Baked Flounder with Garlic and Lemon

serves 4



Ingredients You Will Need:

4  6-8 ounce flounder fillets (the original recipe calls for tilapia but any white fish will do)

1 tsp garlic salt

fresh ground black pepper

1/2 stick unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon (or lime)

Preheat oven to 375. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Set aside.

Rinse fish and pat dry; place on the prepared baking sheet. Season each fillet with 1/4 tsp garlic salt and pepper to taste. Divide the butter pieces, lemon zest, and juice evenly among the tops of the fillets. Bake for 8-12 minutes or until the fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

Serve with broccoli and brown rice or fingerling potatoes.

Enjoy!

Seared Scallops with Soy-Ginger Sauce

This is an easy and fast meal to make, not to mention absolutely delicious.

I found this recipe in a Weight Watchers 5 ingredient, 15 minute recipes cookbook that was given to me by my grandmother. She recommended it because all of the recipes in this book are quick enough to make on any night that you don't have a lot of time to cook, which for most of you, is every night.

By the way, the cookbook gives you the Weight Watchers points values for each recipe. So if you are following WW, the PointsPlus value is 4.

Seared Scallops with Soy-Ginger Sauce

Serves 4 people

Ingredients you will need:

3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons chopped green onions

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon chopped peeled fresh ginger root

1/8 tsp crushed red pepper

1  1/2 pounds large sea scallops, about 12 scallops (I made this for just Nick and I so I used 8 scallops-4 for each of us)

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

cooking spray (I used a little drizzle of extra virgin olive oil)

green onions as a garnish (optional, I really just garnished this for the picture but if you're having company it's a nice touch)

Combine soy sauce and next 4 ingredients in a bowl.

Pat scallops dry with paper towels (this gets rid of excess moisture and allows them to brown when searing), sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray (or olive oil in my case). Add scallops to pan, and cook 3 minutes on each side until browned. Transfer scallops to a platter. Drizzle with soy sauce mixture. Garnish with green onions, if you'd like.

I recommend a white wine with this recipe, such as sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio.

Serve with carrots and brown rice.