Sour Cream Waffles

You can't tell me this doesn't look appetizing. Can you only imagine waking up to a weekend breakfast in bed and this is in front of you with a nice cup of coffee. Well Mr. Foodie was the recipient of this waffle one very recent Saturday morning. I tell he has it soo good. He is one lucky guy (but I'm also one lucky gal too).

I stumbled upon this recipe a while back on 101 cookbooks which she found in one of her cookbooks by Art Smith (previous personal chef to Oprah). I had been reading recipes and noticed how much sour cream was used in baking. Apparently using sour cream makes the baked goods lighter and less dense, as well as providing additional moisture. So naturally I thought this waffle would be delicious and light. I was initially very eager to make this. Unfortunately it remained in my recipe folder for quite some time before I even tested it.

You see, the only reason there is a waffle maker in my kitchen is because Mr. Foodie had it before we started living together. Having a waffle maker was never on my radar. I was never going to actually make waffles. Waffles was something I occasionally ate when I went out to brunch. Yet being in this "I can make anything frame of mind"...and of course wanting to upstage Mr. Foodie as he is the self-proclaimed "King of Breakfast"... this waffle was added to the "must try" recipe list. After making lemon ricotta pancakes and french toast, I knew said waffle maker would have to be put to good use...by me...to show Mr. Foodie I was the "Queen of Breakfast". We can share, right?

Well I cranked out a beautifully, golden brown waffle that was just as satisfying as one I could've ordered at a restaurant. Although the addition of sour cream doesn't do anything to enhance the flavor of the waffle, it did help create a "lighter" waffle which tasted Yummy. Even with all the delicious additions (powdered sugar, syrup and cool whip) this waffle didn't sit heavy in my stomach, which I am particularly pleased about. So this breakfast item will now be added to the weekend rotation. Next time, maybe with some fresh berries or fruit compote.

* I cut the recipe in half and got 2 1/2 waffles. I didn't want to have leftover waffles and this amount was perfect for two people. If you want more waffles, just double the recipe below.

Sour Cream Waffle (You will need a waffle iron for this recipe)
serves 2
Printable Recipe

3/4 cup of flour, plus 4 tablespoons
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup of milk
1/4 cup of sour cream
2 large eggs
powdered sugar, cool whip and syrup to serve

1. Heat the waffle iron as instructed in the manual. Lightly spray the grids with cooking spray.
2. Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl. Create a well in the center of the ingredients
3. In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together the melted butter, milk, sour cream and eggs until well combined
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the well of dry ingredients. Whisk the batter until smooth. Do not over mix
5. When waffle iron is ready, pour 1/4 cup of batter into each section of the waffle iron and close waffle iron to cook. Cook until waffle is golden brown, approximately 3-4 minutes.
6. Remove the waffle from waffle iron and serve immediately with powdered sugar, cool whip and syrup (or whatever else you like to serve with waffles)

adapted by Art Smith by 101cookbooks.com

Guacamole

I love chips. Better yet, I love chips and dip. And guacamole has to be my favorite dip.

I am very partial to the fresh, homemade variety. The guacamole "sauce" they sell in the vegetable section of the grocery store doesn't quite do it for me. So I always get excited when I'm at the store and see they have ripe, ready to eat avocados. My patience just isn't the best when I have to wait days on end for the avocados to ripen.

Guacamole is so simple to make and can be made to suite your particular needs. You can make something very simple with only avocados, cilantro and a little onion. Or you can add more fresh ingredients like I have done above...with roma tomatoes, jalapenos and lime juice.

I just love the creamy texture of the mashed avocados and the spicy kick from the jalapeno peppers. Yuummmyyy. This is definitely a great dip to take to a party or just a Sunday afternoon snack. Mr. Foodie loves to munch on it as he watches sports or while he is waiting for dinner to be ready.

The only dilemma with making guacamole is wanting to eat it all in one day before the color turns on you. The avocado has a tendency to turn brown when it has been exposed to air. I have tried all the tricks I've read about (leaving the avocado pit in the center of the guacamole, putting saran wrap directly on top of the guacamole to prevent the air from touching it, squeezing fresh lime juice on top) and none of them work.

It is not the prettiest looking dip the next day but trust me, it is totally edible. I just give it a good mix and viola'...you have green guacamole again.

Guacamole (serves 2)
Printable Recipe

2 ripe avocados (halved, stoned, peeled and diced)
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 roma tomato, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped (seeds discarded if you want to cut down on the heat)
1 handful of chopped cilantro
1 lime
salt to taste

1. Mash the avocados in a bowl, using the back of the fork or a potato masher
2. Add the onion, tomato, jalapeno pepper and cilantro. Mix together well.
3. Squeeze the juice from the lime. Season with salt to taste
4. Serve with tortilla chips and Enjoy!!

Take-Out Chicken

In addition to my addiction to food blogs, I also check out some of the gossip sites...frequently. It is such a guilty pleasure that I am sometimes ashamed. But it is so hard to stop. Of course, Mr. Foodie doesn't always approve. He just doesn't understand why I care. I try and explain I am from Los Angeles, the entertainment capital of the world, I can't help it. But really, I'm just nosey.

Well a coupe of weeks ago, it paid off for him, big time. I ran across this posting highlighting an easy chicken recipe that Nicole Richie makes, which she apparently got from Gwyneth Paltrow's website goop. It's this really cute weekly newsletter where she shares recipes, advice, places to go, etc. You should check it out, really cute.

She shares this truly, simple recipe for Caramelized Black Pepper Chicken (which was originally from Food and Wine magazine). It is so easy and so delicious, I can see why Nicole Richie is a fan. Mr. Foodie LOVED it so much, he barely saved himself enough for his lunch the next day. I served it with jasmine rice and have now changed the name to Take-Out Chicken. It really tastes like good take-out food...and so much better than those samples of chicken they pass out at the mall. Gywneth Paltrow suggested using chicken breast but the original recipe call for boneless, skinless chicken thighs. I suggest using the chicken thighs which provide such tender, juicy bite-sized pieces of chicken. Cutting the chicken will be the most time consuming part and that only takes 10 minutes. I then season the chicken with a little salt and pepper before cooking it. The sweet and savory flavors of the sauce is just right with the thai chiles adding a slight bit of heat.

Now there was clearly a delay in providing you this recipe but please don't delay in trying it. It is so quick, so simple and so, so good

Caramelized Black Pepper Chicken
serves 4
Printable Recipe

1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup fish sauce (can be found on the Asian food aisle)
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 teaspoon pepper
2 fresh Thai chiles
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1 pound skinless, boneless, chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
handful of chopped cilantro

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, fish sauce, water, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, pepper and chiles. Set aside

2. Heat canola oil in large skillet. Add the shallot and cook over medium heat until softened, approximately 5 minutes. When shallot has softened, add the fish sauce mixture and the chicken. Simmer over high heat until the chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes. The sauce will begin to thicken and the chicken turns this nice caramel brown color.

3. When chicken is done, transfer to serving bowl. Garnish with cilantro and serve with steamed jasmine rice.

adapted by Food & Wine

Pink Lady (Strawberry) Cake

So this week I celebrated my birthday. YAY ME!!! But I had to make my own birthday cake. BOOO!!

Last year, my friend made me a great cake that was decorated beautifully with little fondant sunflowers all over it. The cake was awesome. Now keep in mind, my friend is a cake designer. She makes the most amazing cakes in so many different shapes and flavors. On top of that, they taste divine. They're light and moist and then sometimes, she will add a surprise ingredient or filling that gives it that extra special something. The cakes really are great. She has already promised to make my wedding cake...and I will not let her forget that she has already promised.

Fast forward to this year. My schedule has been so busy recently, that I was unable to see my girlfriend and unfortunately my mom and I don't live in the same city. That means that if I wanted a birthday cake, I was going to have to make it myself. And with all the cooking and collecting of recipes I've done over the past year, a box cake or even a store bought cake was not going to be acceptable.

Since baking is one of those things I have to talk my way into (remember, I consider myself a chef not a baker), I decided to finally try this recipe that I've held on to for about a year now. I thought this would be as good a time as any to venture out and try this cake. Pink being my favorite color even adds to the appropriateness of making this cake for my born day.

I saw this Pink Lady cake on smitten kitchen and immediately feel in love with it. I couldn't recall ever having strawberry cake but it looked so pretty and....it's a pink cake for Pete's sake. Deb (over at smitten kitchen) warns readers not to taste the batter while making the cake because it would be hard to stop and boy was she was right. The batter tastes just like strawberry ice cream. So addicting and a great precursor to this cake.

Well, I did end up seeing my mother, for mother's day, and served the cake as dessert with the brunch I made. She and Mr. Foodie REALLY liked the cake. This cake was surprisingly good. I say surprisingly because cake with pureed strawberries it not a common cake around this house. Now I warn you, with the cream cheese frosting, this cake is really rich (3 sticks of butter. 8 egg whites and 3 cups of sugar not including the cream cheese frosting). But it is good and goes perfectly with a nice glass of cold milk.

So if you want to try a different celebratory cake, this is definitely one you should try. But if it's a really big or nice occasion and your in the Atlanta area, I urge you to check out my girlfriend's cake design business, Sweet Tooth Cake Design (she also has a page on facebook since I'm sure you're a member). Either way, you won't be disappointed with the outcome.


Pink Lady Cake (Strawberry Cake)

Printable Recipe

Cake:
4 1/2 cups of cake flour
3 cups of sugar
5 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
12 oz. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups of pureed frozen strawberries
8 egg whites
2/3 cup milk
2 drops of red food coloring

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and lightly flour three round 9-inch cake pans

Put the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in large mixing bowl. With the mixer on low speed, mix for 30 seconds. Add the butter and strawberry puree and blend the ingredients. Increase the speed to medium and mix until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. The batter will look like strawberry ice cream

In a separate large bowl, whisk together the egg whites, milk and red food coloring. Add the mixture to the batter in 3 additions, mixing to incorporate each addition. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Divide the batter into the three buttered pans

Bake the cakes for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Let the layers cool in their pan for 10 minutes. Then invert the cake and let cool on wire racks. Let cool completely before icing, approximately one hour (I was too anxious and didn't wait long enough. This is why my icing looks like it melting, because it is)

Cream Cheese Frosting: 3 - 8 oz. packages of cream cheese, at room temperature
1 1/2 stick (3/4 cup) of unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 cups of powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter. When combined, mix in the vanilla extract. Then add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time.

Cake Assembly:
Place one cake layer on cake board or platter. Spread approximately 2/3 cup on top of first layer. spreading it evenly to the edge of the cake. Repeat with the second layer. Add the top layer and frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting (you can reserve extra to tint with red food coloring if you want to decorate the cake). Slice and enjoy with a glass of milk.

adapted by Deb of smittenkitchen.com, originally from Sky High

White Cheese Pizza w/ Shrimp & Spinach

Sorry to overload you with shrimp recipes, but shrimp was on sale last week so that meant it was time to get creative. Shrimp can be frozen for up to three weeks and defrosts quickly for a great weeknight meal.

I've already let you in on the pizza battles that occur in our household (Mr. Foodie being a pizza snob...because he's from the deep dish pizza capital of the world, Chicago...*insert eye roll*). But I love pizza. I mean I love cheese and I love bread. So when you put those two things together (quesidillas, grilled cheese sandwiches, etc) I'm sold. So the compromise we've made has been homemade pizza.

Recently, I ate white cheese pizza when we ordered it at work and I loved the taste of the ricotta cheese on it. I wanted to recreate the white cheese pizza at home, adding spinach. And since I had the extra shrimp at home, I decided to add shrimp to it also.

Now I'm really am at a loss for words in describing how GOOD this pizza is but I'll try to formulate something. I have made a few variations of pizza (I will share them with you soon) and this one has won out as the current favorite. The cream sauce on top of the dough is perfect with the Italian seasoning added. The ricotta and mozzarella cheese, spread over the entire pizza, taste heavenly with the spinach and seasoned shrimp. I cut each shrimp in half so there would be enough shrimp to go over the entire pizza. I didn't want to miss out in any bite. Bottom line, this pizza is extremely flavorful and satisfying.

It is also a very quick and easy recipe. Although you can follow the recipe I created below, feel free to make your own variations. I think it would be great with some artichoke hearts or broccoli instead of shrimp, to make it truly vegetarian, or maybe a little crabmeat instead. The possibilities are endless so please...try this pizza. You'll be glad you did.



White Cheese Pizza w/ Shrimp and Spinach
Printable Recipe
Ingredients:
flour, for dusting
1 ball prepared pizza dough
1 tablespoon olive oil
garlic cream sauce (recipe below)
1 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 tablespoon Italian seasoning
2 cups mozzarella cheese
1 cup steamed spinach
1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and deviened, cut in half, lengthwise (I seasoned the shrimp with a little old bay seasoning)

Pre heat oven to 375 degrees

Flour your hands and work surface liberally. Knead dough and roll out using a rolling pin, to approximately 12-14 inches in diameter. Place on lightly floured baking sheet (I have a round one I use or you can use a pizza stone). Lightly brush the dough with the olive oil. Bake in oven for 5-6 min.

While dough is in the oven, mix the ricotta cheese with pepper and Italian seasoning

Remove dough from oven and brush with the garlic cream sauce. Spread the sauce over the dough, leaving 1/4 inch around for your crust. Then spread the ricotta cheese on top of the garlic cream sauce, using the back of a spoon to spread it out evenly. Sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese. Then top with the spinach and shrimp, spreading evenly.

Place the pizza in the oven to bake for approximately 15 minutes or until the cheese begins to brown and bubbly. Leave pizza in oven for additional time if you want a crispier crust.

Remove pizza from oven and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve warm and enjoy.

Cream Sauce -
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
pinch salt and pepper

In a small saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Then add the garlic and stir for 1-2 minutes. Add the heavy cream, lower to medium low heat and let simmer, approximately 5 minutes, until it thickens. Remove from heat and stir in the Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.