What's For Dinner: Mediterranean Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Spinach, Mushrooms, Olives, and Feta


After making chicken breasts stuffed with tomato, basil, and mozzarella recently, I remarked that I would next like to try a spinach, feta, and olive version. Last night I gave that version a whirl, and it was delicious. Prior to stuffing the breasts, I marinated the chicken in a Mediterranean-inspired marinade for a few hours. Doing so helps to ensure that the chicken remains moist whilst cooking. As I mentioned last time, these stuffed chicken breasts are super versatile and I like the fact that I can use the same general technique over and over again, but make a different flavor combination each time, helping to ensure that dinner is anything but boring.

Mediterranean Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Spinach, Mushrooms, Olives, and Feta
(printer-friendly version)
makes two servings

For the Mediterranean marinade:
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground sumac
juice from 1/2 lemon
zest from 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon honey

2 boneless, skinless organic chicken breasts
salt and pepper

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, white wine vinegar, oregano, sumac, lemon juice, lemon zest, and honey.
2. Liberally salt and pepper both sides of two boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
3. Pour the marinade into a quart size zippered bag. Add the two chicken breasts, remove excess air from the bag, and zipper shut. Place the bag on a plate and marinate in the refrigerator for at least three hours.

For the Mediterranean stuffing:
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 cups fresh baby spinach
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped kalamata olives
2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese

1. Remove the chicken from the fridge about 20 minutes before baking to allow it time to come to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and saute until lightly browned and tender, 3-5 minutes. Add in the olives and spinach. Continue sauteing until the spinach has wilted, stirring constantly, for an additional 3-5 minutes.
3. In a small bowl, stir together the spinach, mushrooms, olives, and feta cheese.
4. Place the marinated breasts on a cutting board. Carefully cut a slit into each chicken breast horizontally (along the side) to create a pouch.
5. Stuff each pouch with the spinach-cheese mixture. Use toothpicks to keep each pouch closed.
6. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray, then place the prepared chicken breasts in the dish.
7. Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees. Remove the chicken breasts from the oven and allow them to rest for five minutes before serving.
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What's On the Side: Pesto Pasta Salad


For the long Memorial Day weekend, D and I packed up the car, and, along with Leroy, made the eight-hour trip up through the UP, across the Mackinac Bridge, and down to D's family's cottage in northern Michigan. As usual, I brought with me a ton of books and magazines to read (I'm forever behind on all my magazine subscriptions), and this time I also brought along my slow cooker and a cooler full of groceries. (Yes, they have grocery stores in northern Michigan, but I'm the first to admit I'm a bit picky about where my food comes from (read: how it was raised/grown).)

My food duties over the weekend included making sweet potato homefries and crispy bacon as part of our breakfast on Saturday and pulled pork (cooked in the slow cooker) sandwiches for dinner on Sunday. Along with the pulled pork sandwiches I served a pesto pasta salad, inspired by a recent post by Joy the Baker. I also meant to serve some baked beans with the sandwiches, but completely spaced on doing so, which I discovered when I pulled the can out of our grocery bag while unpacking upon our return to Wisconsin. Whoopsies! Good thing I did remember to serve the veggie potato chips on the side as well!

This pasta salad is quick to put together, and most of the time is spent waiting for the pasta to cook. Of course, this is not wasted time, as you can spend it prepping the other ingredients, chopping the olives, tomatoes, and pistachios, and slicing the cheese. I'm a huge fan of pistachios (the shelling of which does quite the job on my manicure, sigh) so I was totally into the addition of these salty and crunchy nuts to the mix. The sweetness of the tomatoes works wonders with the savoriness of the olives, and the pesto sauce helps to meld all the flavors together. And if you know anything about me, you know that I love cheese. Fresh mozzarella is one of my favorite things, and it adds just the right amount of creaminess to this fresh summertime salad.


Pesto Pasta Salad (printer-friendly version)
makes 8-10 servings

4 cups dried chiocciole pasta
4 tablespoons basil pesto
1 pint organic cherry tomatoes, sliced in quarters
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, sliced
1/4 cup shelled salted pistachios, chopped
1/2 cup fresh small mozzarella balls, sliced in quarters
fresh basil, for garnish

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season with salt, then add the pasta and cook according to the manufacturer's instructions. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Let the pasta cool slightly.
2. Stir in the pesto until the pasta is evenly coated. Stir in the tomatoes, olives, pistachios, and mozzarella. Garnish with fresh basil and serve.

(adapted from this Joy the Baker recipe)

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Made From Scratch: Chocolate Chip Granola Bars with Dried Cherries and Shredded Coconut


Last weekend, a friend asked me if I had a granola bar recipe on the blog. After a quick search through my archives, I discovered that though I have a major love for granola, I have never made it in bar form. In fact, the one time I did attempt to make bars, we broke into them before the cooling time was complete and ended up with granola chunks instead. (Admittedly, granola chunks are one of my favorite things, so I was more than okay with this result.)

So, to rectify the situation, I made a batch of homemade granola bars. A Google search indicated that there was one main recipe that most people have used to make homemade granola bars, and it's a no-bake recipe to boot. Like most granola recipes, the options are endless when it comes to potential mix-ins. To make my granola bars just a little bit different, I stirred in some dried bing cherries, shredded coconut, and a little wheat germ. You could easily omit these ingredients, or sub in whatever you have on hand. The addition of spices, such as cinnamon or ginger, could also take these granola bars up a notch. Whatever you do, make sure to allow the granola plenty of time to cool in the pan before cutting them into bars. Although, I think a little crumbled chocolate chip granola over yogurt would make for a super-delicious breakfast treat.

Chocolate Chip Granola Bars with Dried Cherries and Coconut (printer-friendly version)
makes about 10 bars

2 cups quick cooking oats 
1 cup crispy rice cereal
1/4 cup dried cherries, chopped 
1/4 cup shredded coconut 
2 tablespoons wheat germ [optional]
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup 100% pure maple syrup (or honey)
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips

1. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper (allow some of the paper to overhang the edge of the baking sheet). Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the oats, rice cereal, dried cherries, shredded coconut, and wheat germ. Set aside.
3. In a small sauce pot, combine the butter, maple syrup, and brown sugar. While stirring, heat the mixture over medium high heat until the butter has melted and the mixture begins to boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for an additional two minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
4. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Make sure the oat mixture is evenly moistened.
5. Turn the granola mixture out onto the prepped baking sheet and press until the granola reaches a 3/4" thickness -- the granola won't take up the whole baking sheet; when I pressed the mixture out into a rectangle, it only covered about 1/3 of the pan. Be sure to press the mixture firmly. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the granola and press lightly to set the chips into the granola.
6. Let the granola cool for at least 2 hours in the pan at room temperature. After the granola has completely cooled, cut it into bars. Store the bars in an airtight container, adding a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap between layers to prevent them from sticking together.

(adapted from this recipe)
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What I'm Ready For: Picnic Season

Oh, how I love three-day weekends. (Have I ever mentioned that my preferred work-week would be Tuesday-Thursday from 10a to 2p? Yeah ... I'll keep on dreaming about that one.) And the arrival of Memorial Day this weekend indicates that Picnic Season is upon us. Of course, where you live, picnic season may have already long been underway. However, up here in the Northwoods, spring has only just sprung. And while we may have had temperatures in the mid-80s earlier this week, last night we were under a frost/freeze warning. So, yeah, summer isn't quite here yet. But, even if the daily temperatures are in the mid-60s, as long as the sun is shining, I think there's no reason why you couldn't break out the picnic basket and a big ol' blanket, and set out for an afternoon adventure with food in tow. (And if the weather isn't accommodating, just unfurl that blanket inside and share a picnic indoors!) Below are some of my favorite options for picnicking from my blog archives.













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What's Baking: Gluten-Free Lemon-Blueberry Muffins


I think it's fair to say that I love carbs. Tasty, sweet, savory, gluten-licious carbs. Whether in muffin, donut, sourdough bread, waffle, or French toast form, I love them all. However, though I think I'm far from gluten-intolerant, I have to admit that sometimes after eating a lot of bread (I'm looking at you, slices of french bread smeared with roasted garlic or dipped in olive oil), I do have a bit of a stomach funk the next day. TMI?


So, long story short, I don't think it would be a terrible thing if I looked into gluten-free alternatives to use in baked goods. Enter in almond flour -- definitely more expensive than all-purpose flour -- but also gluten-free. I found a recipe for blueberry muffins made with almond flour, and, after a few tweaks, came up with a recipe that tastes just as good as the real deal. The muffin tops definitely aren't quite as impressive as in other muffins I've baked in the past, but I suppose as long as the muffins taste good, I can overlook that teeny downside.



Gluten-Free Lemon-Blueberry Muffins (printer-friendly version)
makes 12 muffins

2 cups almond flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 eggs
2 egg whites
1/4 cup 100% pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 cup fresh blueberries

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with paper liners or spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of a food processor, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add in the eggs, white whites, syrup, apple cider vinegar, vanilla, coconut oil, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
3. Process until the batter is well-blended and smooth.
4. Stir in the blueberries.
5. Spoon the muffin batter into the prepared muffin tin.
6. Bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
7. Let the muffins cool completely on a wire rack.

(adapted from this recipe)

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What's For Dinner: Spinach, Mushroom, and Ricotta Ravioli


I had a bit of spinach, mushroom, and ricotta filling left over from the lasagna roll ups I made a few weeks back, so rather than let it go to waste, I used it up in a ravioli recipe. Since I didn't have much time to spare when it came to dinner time, I went the lazy route by using pre-made wonton wrappers instead of making pasta dough from scratch. Maybe one of these days I'll make my own ravioli completely from scratch ... but in the mean time, wonton wrappers are a lifesaver!

Spinach, Mushroom, and Ricotta Ravioli (printer-friendly version)
makes about 48 raviolis (about 6-8 servings)

1 package circular wontons
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 white onion, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chopped mushrooms
2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
15 oz ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella (divided)
4 tablespoons freshly-grated Parmesan (divided)
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1/3 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
pinch red pepper flakes

For the egg wash:
1 egg white
1 teaspoon filtered water

1. Add the olive oil to a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onions and saute until translucent and lightly golden, 3-4 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and add the chopped mushrooms. Saute until browned and most of the liquid has cooked away. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the chopped spinach and saute until just wilted. Remove the skillet from the heat.
2. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, 2 tablespoons Parmesan, egg, rosemary, thyme, parsley, basil, oregano, pepper, salt, nutmeg, and red pepper flakes. Stir in the spinach-mushroom mixture until well-combined.
3. To make the ravioli, place a teaspoon of filling into the center of each wonton circle. Make an egg wash by combining together one egg white and a teaspoon of water. Use a pastry brush or clean(!) finger to moisten all the edges of the circle with the egg wash. Fold an edge over to make a half-circle, making sure that the edges are completely sealed and there are no air pockets by pinching the edges closed and/or crimping the edges with a fork. You can leave your ravioli in this half-moon shape, or fold the corners over, pressing them together, to make little round packages.
4. To cook the ravioli, carefully add one at a time into a boiling pot of water, about five or six per batch. Boil the ravioli for 3-5 minutes, then remove each ravioli from the water with a slotted spoon and place each on a paper-towel lined cooling rack to drain off the excess liquid. If you do not want to cook all of the ravioli at once, you can freeze the extras prior to boiling; just add an extra minute or two to the cooking time when you are ready to eat them.
5. Serve with your favorite pasta sauce (I used a tomato-basil sauce.)
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What's For Dinner: Tomato, Basil, and Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken Breasts



Okay, I think it's fair to say that this is, perhaps, not the best food photo I have ever taken ... but please, don't judge a recipe by its photo ... at least in this case. What may be hard to discern at first glance is that this is a photo of a sliced chicken breast that has been stuffed with mozzarella cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh basil. And it is delicious.

Though many recipes call for covering the chicken breasts with bread crumbs, I opted to marinate the chicken breasts in a balsamic vinaigrette prior to stuffing and cooking them. Doing so added an extra level of flavor and also helped to keep the meat tender and moist.

What I love most about this recipe is how versatile it is -- the options are virtually endless given the wide variety of flavor combinations you can put together using whatever fresh herbs, cheese, and fruits or vegetables you have on hand. I think my next version will stuffed with spinach, feta, and olives as a Mediterranean-inspired dish. Or maybe I'll try a dried cranberry, wild rice, and brie-stuffed chicken breast. And just imagine how the flavors could change as the seasons do! Let the creative flavor combinations begin! I am definitely going to make use of this cooking technique again.

Tomato, Basil, and Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken Breasts (printer-friendly version)
makes two servings

2 six-ounce boneless, skinless organic chicken breasts
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup balsamic vinaigrette
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon herbes de Provence
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup fresh basil, torn
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or you can use fresh mozzarella)

1. In a gallon-size plastic zippered bag, add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, minced garlic, herbes de Provence, and oregano. Liberally salt and pepper both sides of the chicken breasts then place them in the bag and zipper it closed. Place the bag on a plate and marinate in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
2. Remove the chicken from the fridge about 20 minutes before baking to allow it time to come to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
3. In a small bowl, stir together the basil, sun-dried tomatoes, and mozzarella cheese.
4. Place the marinated breasts on a cutting board. Carefully cut a slit into each chicken breast horizontally (along the side) to create a pouch.
5. Stuff each pouch with the mozzarella, basil, and sun-dried tomato mixture. Use toothpicks to keep each pouch closed.
6. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray, then place the prepared chicken breasts in the dish.
7. Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees. Remove the chicken breasts from the oven and allow them to rest for five minutes before serving.
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What's For Dinner: Moroccan Chicken and Couscous Soup


It appears that as soon as I wax on about the lovely springtime weather, Northern Wisconsin strikes back with a little taste of winter. Over the weekend, our temperatures dropped from the mid 70s back down into the 30s and 40s, and these colder temperatures were accompanied by high winds and moments of intense sleet and snow. Happily, none of the precipitation accumulated. I'm not sure what I would have done if it had.

Due to the return of wintery weather, I decided a warm and spicy soup was on order for dinner on Sunday. I knew that I wanted the soup to include chicken, since I already had a package of organic chicken breasts thawed in the refrigerator. Nothing was piquing my interest on Pinterest, so I cast a wider net and happened upon a Food & Wine recipe for Moroccan Chicken and Couscous soup.

This soup is rich in flavor and the addition of cayenne and cumin adds just the right level of spiciness without being overwhelming. The couscous adds heartiness to the soup, making it a filling meal.

Moroccan Chicken and Couscous Soup (printer-friendly version)
makes six servings

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 white onion, chopped
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2), cut into approximately 1 1/2-by-1/4-inch strips
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 3/4 teaspoons sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
3 carrots, peeled and sliced thinly
3/4 cup tomato puree
4 cups filtered water
2 cups low-sodium organic vegetable broth
1 cup cooked couscous, cooked per the manufacturer's instructions
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

1. Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes.
2. Add in the chicken, cayenne, cumin, salt, and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is browned on all sides.
3. Add the sweet potato, zucchini, carrots, tomato puree, water, and vegetable broth. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the vegetables are fork-tender, 10-15 minutes.
4. Stir in the cooked couscous, and simmer for an additional five minutes.
5. Garnish with fresh parsley, and serve.

 (adapted from this Food & Wine recipe)
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What's For Dessert: Vanilla Bean Pudding


I bought a half-gallon of whole milk last week, with intentions of using it in a recipe for sweetened condensed milk. (We are typically skim milk drinkers in this house.) However, after realizing that the recipe I planned to follow would take several hours (and the sweetened condensed milk -- just two tablespoons' worth -- was intended for another recipe I was making), I opted to follow a simpler recipe that called for dry milk.

Long story short, I had an unopened carton of whole milk in the fridge and I needed to use it up. The first thing I thought of was pudding (of course my mind would go to dessert first). Since I had just recently made a chocolate pudding recipe (and a quick glance through my archives shows that I always opt for chocolate when it comes to pudding), I figured it was about time I try a vanilla pudding recipe. Smitten Kitchen provided just the recipe I was looking for, and the resulting pudding was delicious and finely-flecked with vanilla bean seeds -- just because it's vanilla doesn't mean it's boring. This pudding is definitely a step above the plastic containers of pre-made pudding you can buy in the grocery store.

I still have over half a container of whole milk left -- I'm thinking a custard might be next on my must-make list.

How would you use up a container of whole milk?



Vanilla Bean Pudding (printer-friendly version)
makes six (1/2 cup) servings

2 2/3 cups organic whole milk, divided
1/2 cup raw granulated sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
seeds scraped from 1/2 vanilla bean
1 large egg
1 teaspoon bourbon or dark rum [optional]

1. In a medium heat-proof bowl, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, salt, and vanilla bean seeds. Slowly whisk in 2/3 cup whole milk, then whisk in the egg. Continue stirring until smooth. Set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine the remaining milk and vanilla bean seed pods. Bring the milk to a boil, stirring constantly. Once the milk begins to boil, remove the pods and slowly add the hot milk to the cornstarch mixture, whisking constantly.
3. Pour back into the saucepan and, while stirring continuously, bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook for an additional minute. If desired, add in a teaspoon of bourbon or dark rum for a little extra flavor.
4. Carefully pour the pudding into six containers. Chill in the fridge until set, at least 2 hours.

 (adapted from this Smitten Kitchen recipe)


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What's For Dessert: No-Bake Mini Bananas Foster Cheesecake


Northwoods update: our lake is free of ice! After the ice first began to break up early last week, all it took was several days of warm weather and it seemed like the remaining ice disappeared right before our eyes on Monday. According to the Old Timers in the neighborhood, this was one of the latest dates for ice breakup on the lake in the last 30 years -- last year the ice was gone by the end of March! (Last spring was unusually warm in these parts, though they later got a large dumping of snow in April.)

All I can say is that it was a long time coming and I cannot wait for the lake to warm up so I can get in a few (dock to dock) laps. D has been working on getting our small boat tuned up for the season, and I need to get a fishing license -- and then we'll be ready to hit the water for some evening boating and fishing.

Meanwhile, back in the kitchen, I may have made one of the most awesome desserts of my life. (Wow, that's a grand statement!) Seriously, though, I think it was a stroke of genius (if I do say so myself) to meld together a recipe for no-bake mini banana cream cheesecakes that I spied on How Sweet It Is (via The Kitchn) with a recipe for bananas foster. Cheesecake is good. Bananas foster is good. But put them both together -- and you've got a dessert that is sublime.

Since bananas foster is quite rich, I subbed in neufchâtel cheese for cream cheese, which has a slightly lower fat content. These cheeses taste quite similar, so I don't think the overall flavor was affected at all, but if you only have cream cheese on hand, you can of course use that instead. (And, if you're curious, here's a quick explanation of the difference between the two cheeses.)

No-Bake Mini Bananas Foster Cheesecake (printer-friendly version)
makes four servings

For the bananas foster (adapted from this Alton Brown recipe):
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon brandy
3 bananas, sliced in half widthwise, then lengthwise (so you'll end up with 12 slices)
1/4 cup dark rum
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
8 ounces neufchâtel (or cream) cheese, softened

1. Melt the butter in a heavy skillet over low heat. Add the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg and stir until the sugar dissolves. Add in the brandy and bring to a simmer. Add the sliced bananas, and cook for about one minute per side, spooning the sauce over the bananas as they cook. Remove the bananas from the skillet and place them in a medium-sized bowl.
2. Add the rum to the skillet. If the sauce is hot enough, it will start to flame. If not, use a long lighter to ignite the flame (be careful!). Continue cooking the sauce until the flame dies out, about 2-3 minutes. The sauce should have a syrupy consistency; if it is too thin, continue cooking for a few minutes longer.
3. Stir in the orange zest, and then carefully pour the sauce over the bananas. [It's totally cool if you want to stop at this point and just serve the bananas foster over vanilla ice cream. I may or may not have bogarted a couple bananas to give it a taste -- long story short, it was delish.]
4. Use a fork to mash the bananas into the sauce. Set aside and let cool for a few minutes.
5. Add the neufchatel (or cream) cheese to the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary. Add in the sweetened condensed milk and beat to combine. Next, add in the cooled banana mixture and beat until the mixture is smooth.

For the cheesecakes:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2/3 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 2 full cracker sheets)
1 ripe banana, sliced thinly
bananas foster cheesecake filling [see above]
whipped cream for serving
graham cracker crumbs for topping

1. In a small bowl, stir together the melted butter and graham cracker crumbs.
2. Spoon and press the graham cracker mixture into the bottom of four containers (I used small jam jars; you could use short glasses, ramekins, or other container of your choice).
3. Next, add a layer of sliced bananas (about 3-4 slices in a circle) to each jar.
4. Carefully spoon the cheesecake filling evenly into each of the containers.
5. Refrigerate for at least 4-6 hours to let the cheesecakes set.
6. When ready to serve, top each cheesecake with whipped cream, graham cracker crumbs, and a banana slice.

(inspired by this How Sweet It Is recipe)



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Made from Scratch: Sweetened Condensed Milk


Sweetened condensed milk reminds me of the holidays -- and pumpkin pie -- which means I only ever have it on hand around Thanksgiving and Christmas. Fast forward to last weekend when I needed a small bit of it for a recipe I was making -- and there was not a single can of sweetened condensed milk to be found in our pantry. I wondered if perhaps I could make my own sweetened condensed milk from scratch with the ingredients I did have on hand. Lo and behold, the Internet answered my question with an easy-to-follow and super-quick recipe for sweetened condensed milk made from scratch. Oh, the wonders of the Google search!

Truth be told, this stuff is kind of yummy on its own, and I might have snuck one (okay several) spoonfuls. (I mean, it's not like I had to scrape every last bit into the container...) Coming tomorrow, a ridiculously-delicious recipe that uses some of this made-from-scratch sweetened condensed milk. Trust me, you'll want to come back to check it out.

Sweetened Condensed Milk (printer-friendly version)
makes about one cup

1 cup organic nonfat dry milk
2/3 cup raw granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup boiling water
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1. Add all of the ingredients to a blender. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary.
2. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.

(adapted from this recipe)
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What's For Dinner: Grilled Ginger-Soy Marinated Chicken


I think marinating chicken breasts is my new favorite thing. Is that a weird thing to say? Quite possibly. But seriously, the flavor options are endless, and at the end of the day, I can just hand the marinated meat over to D to grill. (Yes, I could operate the grill on my own, but it's so much nicer to have someone else do it. That, and maybe I'm afraid I'll blow the thing up. Or I'm just too lazy to grill things myself. One (or more) of those options might be the truth.)

For this week's grilled marinated chicken, I went for Asian flavors by combining together sesame oil, soy (or tamari, if you're gluten-free) sauce, ginger, garlic, and a few other ingredients. Ginger is at the top of my "favorite" ingredients list, too. During our recent trip to California, we stopped into a Trader Joe's, and I picked up a bag of crystallized candied ginger, and I might cry when the bag is empty -- it is soooo good. Looks like I might need to put a couple of bags on my shopping list the next time we're in Madison (home to our nearest Trader Joe's location).

Grilled Ginger-Soy Marinated Chicken (printer-friendly version)
makes two servings

1/4 cup sesame oil
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon (about 4") peeled and chopped fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoon light brown sugar
juice 1/2 lime
2 organic chicken breasts (about 6 oz each)
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

1. Add the sesame oil, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, brown sugar, and lime juice to a small bowl. Stir to combine.
2. Pour the sauce into a gallon-size plastic zippered bag.
3. Generously salt and pepper both sides of each chicken breast. Add the chicken breasts to the zippered bag, squeeze out the excess air, and seal the bag closed.
4. Place the bag on a plate and marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for at least one hour. (The longer, the better.) I tend to flip the bag over a few times while the meat marinates.
5. Remove the chicken from the fridge about 20 minutes before grilling to allow it time to come to room temperature.
6. Grill the chicken for 10-15 minutes (about 4-7 minutes per side), or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Cover with foil and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve the breasts whole or cut the chicken into slices and serve.
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What's For Dinner: Spinach-Mushroom Lasagna Roll Ups


Like Garfield, I'm a fan of lasagna, but I think I've only made "normal" lasagna once -- and even then it was a butternut squash lasagna with a cream sauce, not your typical cheesy-marinara goodness. I'm not sure what it is about lasagna that intimidates me -- all those layers? The fact that there are just two of us, and a typical lasagna recipe would feed us for days on end? 

For some reason, lasagna roll ups seem much easier to handle. And with a set serving size (one roll; two if you're really hungry), it's easy to keep portions under control. Though the recipe I worked from used a meaty marinara sauce at its base, I opted to make my lasagna roll ups vegetarian. I added sauteed onions, garlic, and mushrooms to the mix as well as a number of fresh herbs I had on hand. This recipe is very forgiving -- feel free to improvise with the ingredients you have in your fridge or pantry. 



Spinach-Mushroom Lasagna Roll Ups (printer-friendly version)
makes 8 servings

8 lasagna noodles
1 jar of your favorite marinara sauce (I used a tomato-basil sauce)

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 white onion, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chopped mushrooms
2 cups fresh spinach, chopped

15 oz ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella (divided)
4 tablespoons freshly-grated Parmesan (divided)
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1/3 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
pinch red pepper flakes

1. Add the olive oil to a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onions and saute until translucent and lightly golden, 3-4 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and add the chopped mushrooms. Saute until browned and most of the liquid has cooked away. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the chopped spinach and saute until just wilted. Remove the skillet from the heat.
2. Cook the lasagna noodles per the manufacturer's instructions. Drain them, then lay them out on a working surface lightly coated with cooking spray.
3. While the noodles are cooking, in a large bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, 2 tablespoons Parmesan, egg, rosemary, thyme, parsley, basil, oregano, pepper, salt, nutmeg, and red pepper flakes. Stir in the spinach-mushroom mixture until well-combined.
4. Spoon a thin, even layer of the lasagna filling down the entire length of each lasagna noodle. Carefully roll each noodle up.
5. Pour a thin layer of marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Place the lasagna rolls seam-side-down into the baking dish. Top each roll with a sprinkle of Parmesan. Then cover each roll with the remaining marinara sauce. Use the remaining mozzarella (1 cup) and Parmesan (2 tablespoons) to evenly top each roll with cheese.
6. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese has melted.

(inspired by this For the Love of Cooking recipe)

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What I'm Drinking: Strawberry-Basil Rum Soda


Let's ignore the fact that when I woke up this morning, there was a layer of sleet on the ground. Let's also ignore the fact that the temperatures hovered somewhere in the mid-30s all day long. Was it really 82 degrees on Tuesday? I must've been dreaming.

However, though the weather may not be complying with my springtime wishes, I am still sticking to the flavors of spring. For this afternoon's cocktail hour, I made a strawberry-basil simple syrup, and paired it with some dark rum and club soda. Try as you might, you can't bring me down, May snow showers!

Strawberry-Basil Simple Syrup (printer-friendly version)
makes about one cup

1 lb fresh strawberries, rinsed and hulled
juice from 1/2 lemon
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
1 cup granulated sugar

1. Put the strawberries through a juicer. (Alternately, you could puree the strawberries in a blender and strain out the solids.) Pour the juice into a measuring cup and add water if necessary to reach 1 cup of liquid.
2. Add the strawberry juice, lemon juice, fresh basil leaves, and granulated sugar to a medium sauce pot. Heat over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for five minutes, stirring constantly.
3. Remove from the heat and let the basil steep in the strawberry syrup for at least one hour.
4. Strain out the solids and pour the remaining syrup into a container with a tight lid. Store in the refrigerator for up to one week.

(from The Kitchn)


Strawberry-Basil Rum Soda (printer-friendly version)
makes one cocktail

2 tablespoons strawberry-basil syrup
1 tablespoon dark rum
club soda

1. Fill an 8-oz glass with ice.
2. Add the strawberry-basil syrup and rum. Top with club soda, give it a quick stir, and serve.

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What's For Dessert: Strawberry Hand Pies


I know you'll find this news shocking (ha ha), but I'm still on a fresh strawberry kick. The last time I was at our local natural foods store, they were having a sale on strawberry pies. And as they were also baking more pies while I was browsing the aisles, the place smelled fantastic. Somehow, I managed to not exit the store with a fresh pie in hand (though I deeply, deeply considered it), and when I got home with my latest pile of strawberry pints, I figured baking was the way to go to use them up.

In lieu of baking a whole pie, I opted to go the hand pie route. As luck would have it, I recently purchased a "pocket pie" crimper (when I purchased mine last week, it was less than $6 on Amazon) -- meaning my hand pies would have lovely uniform crimps. You could just as easily use a large round cookie cutter and pinch the ends closed by hand if you'd rather not clutter up your kitchen with more gadgets. (I would be first to admit that I have a kitchen-gadget collecting problem...)

These hand pies turned out rather deliciously -- and I'm already imagining all sorts of yummy flavor combinations I could put together to make sweet and savory hand pies in the future.

Strawberry Hand Pies (printer-friendly version)
makes four pies

For the strawberry filling:
1 1/2 cups organic strawberries, hulled and sliced into quarters
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch

For the pastry dough:
1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter cut into small cubes and frozen
1/8 to 1/4 cup filtered ice water

1 large egg, lightly beaten
sanding sugar, for sprinkling

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the quartered strawberries, sugar, and corn starch. Set aside.
3. Add the flour, salt, and sugar to the bowl of a food processor with the pastry blade attached. Add in the frozen butter cubes and process until the mixture looks like small pebbles, about 10-20 seconds.
4. Slowly add in the ice water until the dough just begins to come together. You can check this by pressing a small amount of dough between your fingers -- if it sticks together it's good to go; if it is still crumbly, you need to add a bit more water.
5. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and divide into two portions. Pat each portion into a small round and cover with plastic wrap. Chill the dough rounds for at least one hour.
6. Lightly flour a work surface and roll out one of the dough rounds until it is about 1/8" thick. Cut out a 5- or 6-inch circle. 
7. Add 2-3 tablespoons of strawberries to one half of the dough circle (being careful to allow room at the edge). Brush the edges of the round with the beaten egg, then carefully fold the round in half, crimping the edges tightly closed. Repeat with the rest of the dough until you have four hand pies.
8. Brush each pie with the beaten egg. Cut a few small slits into the top of each pie and sprinkle with sanding sugar. 
9. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool before serving.

(adapted from this Martha Stewart recipe)
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