Cake Batter Bark

Let's end 2010 with a bang, shall we?! THIS RECIPE IS UNREAL.

A have a little system to blogging, and basically at any given point I have 5-10 recipes photographed, edited, and ready to be blogged. When you see something on here I probably ate it 2-3 weeks ago. The truth behind this recipe? The chocolate is still on my fingers. Yes- literally. ::Runs off to wash hands::

I just made this for New Year's Eve and I am so excited to share this recipe with you that I CAN'T WAIT 2-3 weeks. I must share it now. This is, hands down, my new favorite "dessert" recipe. I will make this for everyone I know. I will make this for breakfast. I will make this for lunch. I will gain 30 pounds. And I will lick my fingers happily with every bite.

Make this- please, do. And don't worry about using a bit of cake mix and having a box left- you can still make the cake- it won't miss 1.5 teaspoons of the mix. Or make more bark. 'Cause that's my plan.

Source: Slightly adapted from How Sweet It Is

Ingredients:
7 ounces good dark chocolate (I used Trader Joe's brand)
12 ounces good white chocolate (I used Ghirardelli)
1.5 heaping tsp.  yellow bake mix
Colored sprinkles

Directions:
1- Melt the dark chocolate in the microwave, over a double burner, or over low flame. Spread thinly over parchment paper of a silpat.
2- Cool in the freezer for 20 minutes.
3- Melt the white chocolate. Add the cake mix, stir well. Spread over the dark. (Do a little bit at a time because it will melt the chocolate and it won't look as pretty.)
4- Top with rainbow sprinkles. Freeze for 20 more minutes.
5- Break into pieces and keep in the refrigerator until you are ready to eat it.

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Shrimp Fried Rice

I am not  a huge fried rice person. When we get Chinese food and my meal comes with fried rice I always substitute white or brown rice. However, for some reason a few weeks ago I had a craving for chicken fried rice so I ordered some when we got take out. I seriously let out a huge exhale as I took the first bite- why had I been denying myself the deliciousness that is fried rice?! I still think of it as a main course, and not a side dish, so I will probably continue to substitute white/brown rice with take out, but for an entree I am a fan!

One thing about fried rice that makes me cringe is the calorie count. Yikes. It's high. So when the craving stuck again recently I decided to try my hand at making is at home. I have made it before but I wasn't sold on that recipe so I tried a new one. This one here is a winner! I would consider this my new go-to recipe for fried rice. I can't wait to try it again with chicken! So stinking good!

And lastly, a giant THANK YOU to my wonderful, supportive, fabulous, loving husband who knew how desperately I wanted to improve the photography on here and surprised me with the lighting I needed to improve my pictures. You are my everything. 

Source: Adapted from Weightwatchers.com

Ingredients:

3 egg whites

2 tsp. canola oil

4 medium scallions, chopped

3/4 cup frozen peas

3/4 cup carrots, diced small

4 oz. frozen medium shrimp

2 cups cooked brown rice

3-4 tbsp. low sodium soy sauce

Cooking spray

Directions:

1- Coat a large skillet or wok with cooking spray. Heat until the pan is hot.

2- Scramble the eggs in the skillet and remove from the pan once cooked.

3- Add oil, scallions, and carrots. Cook until heated throughout. Add shrimp and peas, cook until shrimp is cooked.

4- Remove all of the food from the skillet. 

5- Add rice in a single layer. Allow it to heat until you hear the rice sizzle, about 3-4 minutes. Stir. Allow it to sit again for 3-4 minutes until it sizzles. Repeat one more time.

6- Return the shrimp and veggies and eggs to the skillet. Add 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, stirring well. If it looks dry add a fourth.

Chicken and Mushroom Ragu

Ok, I'm like a kid on Christmas morning. I can't wait to show off my pictures using my new lighting so instead of posting every other day like I normally do I am posting another recipe today. What can I say, patience isn't my best quality. I want to post my new pictures now ::stamps feet up and down:: I'm happy to report this will be my last yellow toned picture! WOO HOO!

I really enjoyed this dinner. When I hear "ragu" I always think of jarred sauce or meat sauce. Since I don't eat ground meat I had yet to make a ragu. When this recipe popped up in my google reader this summer I immediately starred it- I mean I LOVE every ingredient in this recipe, so what's not to love?

Low and behold there is nothing not to love. This was delicious. Best of all, it's very light and healthy for a pasta dish. Usually I halve recipes to avoid left overs but I knew this would make lovely left overs and sure enough it did. A perfect weeknight dinner- warm, comforting, healthy, and quick!

Source: Elly Says Opa

8 oz. cremini mushrooms
3 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1.25 lbs. boneless/skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2″ pieces
1 small onion, chopped
3/4 tsp. chopped rosemary
3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 (28 oz.) can whole peeled tomatoes
1/2 lb. pappardelle or fettucini
5 oz. baby arugula or spinach

Finely chop the mushrooms and mince the garlic, or put together into a food processor and pulse until combined.

Heat the oil in a saute pan/skillet over medium-high heat until shimmery.  Season chicken with salt and pepper and add to the hot oil.  Cook until just golden, about 3 minutes, and remove from pan with a slotted spoon.

Reduce heat to medium and cook the onion, about 3 minutes.

Add mushroom and garlic mixture, rosemary, and salt and pepper. Stir constantly  until beginning to brown, about 4 minutes.

Add vinegar and cook until evaporated.  Add chicken and tomatoes (with juice) and simmer, breaking up tomatoes with a spoon and stirring occasionally, until thick – about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente.

Add arugula or spinach to the sauce and stir until just wilted.  Add the drained pasta and cook for 1 minute.

Peanut Butter Blondies

These blondies are UNREAL. One bite and you're moaning, groaning, licking your lips, hunting for crumbs... you know, the usual.

I made these to add to my Christmas cookie platters and these were by far the biggest hit. I had several people come up to me and beg me to tell them the recipe. They're just that good. I will be making these again and again. Love love love. My favorite thing about them is the nice flaky outside with the soft center. I added peanut butter chips but you could use chocolate chips too if you want to achieve that amazing chocolate/peanut butter combo.

** On another note, my goal for 2011 is to improve my pictures on this blog. For Christmas I got a ton of kitchen stuff, but the BEST gift was photography lights and a book on food photography. I took some pictures with the lights and it's amazing what a difference they make. I can't wait to start posting the recipes using these new pictures- I have this post and one more to go and then hopefully you'll notice a change in the picture quality. I personally am thrilled. 

Source: Slightly adapted from Joy The Baker

Ingredients:
10 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 5 cubes
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup smooth peanut butter
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1.5 cups peanut butter chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  Grease a 9×13-inch pan.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and sugar together until the butter is just melted.  Remove from the burner and allow to cool for 5 minutes, then add the peanut butter.  Stir until incorporated.  Allow to cool for 5 minutes more, then whisk in the eggs and vanilla extract.  You want the sugar, butter and peanut butter mixture to be cool enough that the eggs won’t begin to cook when they’re added in.  

Whisk together salt, flour and baking powder.  Add dry ingredients all at once to the wet ingredients.  Stir until just incorporated.  Add the peanut butter chips, fold in. Pour the thick batter into the prepared pan and smooth out.  Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center of the blondies comes out clean.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all of my wonderful readers who celebrate! I have a lot to do in the kitchen between now and tomorrow night, so I am off to get to work! I have been so busy this week (in case you didn't notice the lack of updates!) but I will be back with new recipes for you on Sunday. Until then, enjoy your holiday with family and friends. It truly is the *best* time of the year!

Spicy Sweet Potato Fries

If I'm being honest, I don't **love** sweet potatoes. I know, I know... they are the healthiest potato. I get it. I really do. But... I'm just a big fan of the white potato. However, as I try to force myself to be a healthier person sweet potatoes are becoming more and more of a star in my little ol' kitchen.

I once bought a bag of Alexia's sweet potato fries and realized that as long as they are spicy I am a fan of sweet potatoes. The other day I decided to ditch the frozen fries and try my hand at making my own. A little bit o' this and a little bit o' that... and next thing you know I have a delicious side dish.

John and I both really liked these! I will say that I didn't measure any seasonings, everything is an approximate. These really need to be seasoned to taste because what I consider spicy and what you consider spicy are clearly going to be quite different. I will be making these again- soon. A real staple in our kitchen.

Source: Stephanie Cooks Original

Ingredients:
2 large sweet potatoes
2 tsp. canola oil
1-2 tsp. taco seasoning (you can use packaged instead)
1/2 tsp. Lawry's seasoning salt
1/4 tsp. cajun seasoning
cooking spray

Directions:
1- Preheat the oven to 400.
2- Wash, dry, and peel the potatoes. Slice into even strips.
3- Toss the potatoes and oil in a zipper bag. Toss well to evenly coat.
4- Add seasonings to the bag, toss. (Start off with less that you might want, then add more if you feel it's not enough.)
5- Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray. Lay fries in an even layer. Bake until browned on top, about 15-20 minutes. Flip. Bake another 15 minutes. (Cooking times will vary based on him thick you can the fries). Cook until soft inside and crispy on the outside.