Chicken, Squash, and Chickpea Salad with Tahini Dressing

I love chickpeas, I love tahini dressing, and I LOVE butternut squash.  Needless to say this recipe made me so happy.  I debated using spinach instead of romaine lettuce, but the other ingredients offer enough flavor that romaine is the best way to go.  I also left out the chives (because I don't love them) and ate the pita chips on the side.  The recipe was very simple and only took about 45 minutes to make.  It won't take you as long if you're a pro at peeling butternut squash, unlike me.  Maybe I need to buy a new peeler, or maybe it's just the butternut squash.  Regardless, I will not let my dislike of peeling the squash keep me from cooking it and neither should you!  

Ingredients

1 medium butternut squash (about 2 pounds) peeled, seeded, and cut into 1 inch pieces

4 tablespoons olive oil

salt & pepper

2  6-oz boneless, skinless chicken breast

1/3 cup tahini 
1/3 cup water

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon dried oregano

12 oz romaine hearts, cut into strips

1 15.5-ounce can of chickpeas, rinsed

1 cup pita chips

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees, with the racks in the upper and lower thirds.  

2. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the squash with 2 tablespoons of the oil, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.  

3. Roast on the bottom rack, tossing once, until tender, 25 to 30 minutes.

4. Place the chicken on a second rimmed baking sheet and coat with 1 tablespoon of oil.  Season with 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper.  Roast on the top rack until cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.  Let cool slightly, then slice.

4. While the squash and chicken are cooking, in a small bowl, whisk together tahini, lemon juice, oregano, one tablespoon of oil, 1/3 cup water, and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper.  

5. Mix together the lettuce, chicken, squash and chickpeas.  Top with pita chips and chives if desired.  Serve with dressing.

Recipe adapted from February 2012 edition of Real Simple magazine.

A Taste of Heaven

Chocolate Peanut Butter Layered Cupcakes  

All you have to read is the title of this blog and you know you won't be disappointed.  Chocolate and Peanut Butter, enough said.  Although, if I can say one more thing, these cupcakes have cream cheese in them which in my opinion makes them even better.  

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/3 cup baking cocoa

1 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 vegetable oil

1 cup water

1 tablespoon white vinegar 

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 powdered sugar

                                                                1/4 cup peanut butter chips

1/4 cup chocolate chips

A couple of things to note before baking.  First, I left out the white vinegar because I didn't have any and they were still as delicious as ever.  Second, the peanut butter chips and chocolate chips are to sprinkle on top of the cupcake.  I bought a mixed bag of chocolate/peanut butter chips and sprinkled the amount I wanted on each cupcake.  You may use more or less chips than what the recipe calls for.  

1.  Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Fill 18 regular size muffin tins with liners.

2. In a large bowl, mix flour, baking cocoa, brown sugar, baking soda and salt.  Add oil, water, vinegar and vanilla to flour mixture.  Stir until smooth.

3. In another large bowl, beat egg, cream cheese, peanut butter and granulated sugar with electric mixer. Once mixed, add powered sugar and beat until creamy.

4. Spoon about a tablespoon of chocolate batter into each cup.  Spread about a tablespoon of peanut butter filling on top of the chocolate.  Repeat the layers once more.  Sprinkle with peanut butter and chocolate chips.  

5. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pan for 15 minutes.  Serve warm or cool. 

6.  Try to restrain yourself from eating all of the cupcakes.

This original recipe can be found from the Pillsbury website.  

Merry Christmas to All

Grandma's Caramel Rolls

I have a confession.  I wrote this blog about my Grandma's caramel rolls LAST Christmas and I forgot to post it!  So now, one year later here is the recipe for you.  

These caramel rolls are a tradition in my family.  Each year my dad will bake the rolls and my family enjoys them together 0n Christmas morning.  This year however, I decided it was time for me to attempt this recipe passed down from my Grandma.  As soon as you take your first bite, you will know it was worth all the time you spent in the kitchen making these oh so good caramel rolls.

Roll Ingredients 

1 cup of milk

1/2 cup of sugar

1/2 cup of butter

1 tsp of salt 

2 beaten eggs

2 pkgs of dry yeast

1/2 cup of warm water (105 to 115 degrees)

1/2 tsp of sugar

6 cups of flour 

Mix the milk, sugar, butter and salt together and bring to a boil

Cool to luke warm

Add the beaten eggs

Dissolve the yeast and 1/2 tsp of sugar into 1/2 cup of warm water and add to the previous ingredients

Add flour and knead by hand or with a kitchen aid

Let the dough rise

Caramel Ingredients

1 cup of brown sugar

1/4 cup of dark corn syrup

1/2 cup of butter

While the dough is rising, bring brown sugar, dark corn syrup and butter to a boil, making the caramel sauce  

Spread the caramel sauce on a 9 by 13 pan (or a 9 by 9 square pan could be used)

Once the caramel sauce is evenly spread, place 36 pecan halves evenly on top.

When the dough has risen, punch it down and roll it into a 16 by 20 rectangle

Brush enough melted butter on the dough to cover it and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar

Cut the dough into 12 strips that are each about 16 inches long

Roll each strip (like a rolled bandage) and place each one in the 9 by 13 pan

Be sure that the ends of each strip is facing inward toward the center of the pan

Let the rolls rise 

Bake in the center rack of a 375 degrees oven for 25 minutes

Let the rolls cool in the pan for 2-3 minutes, then invert on a rack and the rolls will fall from the pan

If you want to make the rolls ahead of time, wrap them in aluminum foil when they have cooled and stick them in the freezer.  When you are ready to serve them, heat the oven to 300 degrees and place them in the oven for about an hour or until they are soft and hot all the way through.  Once heated through, sit down and enjoy every bite you have with your caramel rolls.  Before you know it they will be gone!

Let the Fall Baking Begin!

APPLE SPICE CAKE 
 from "Taste of Home's Complete guide to Baking"


I'm not going to lie, I love that Fall is here and Summer is over.  Although I love Summer, I kind of put my baking on hold then because honestly, who wants to turn on their oven when its 90 degrees outside.  Now that the leaves are changing colors and it's beautiful outside, it's the perfect excuse to bake (and eat) as many apple and pumpkin desserts as possible.  

Make this Apple Spice Cake and I promise you will not be disappointed.  

Cake Ingredients

 2 2/3 cups all purpose flour

1 2/3 cups sugar

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups chopped and peeled baking apples

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.  In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, oil and vanilla.  Add dry ingredients and mix well.  Fold in apples and walnuts (batter will be thick).

2. Spread batter into two greased 9 in round baking pans.  Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.  Let cakes cool completely on wire rack before frosting.

Frosting Ingredients

5 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup milk

1 cup butter, softened

2 cups confectioners' sugar 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 to 1 1/4 cups chopped walnuts

Warning:  I have made this frosting a few different times.  Sometimes it turns out delicious, other times it's a complete failure.  This time was a failure so I had to alter the recipe so the frosting wouldn't ruin the cake.      

1. Combine flour and milk in a saucepan until smooth. 

2.  Bring mixture to a boil; cook and stir for 1 minute.  Set aside, uncovered at room temperature for 20 minutes.  

3. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter, confectioners' sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy.  Add salt and cooked flour mixture and beat until smooth.  

4. Frost between layers, over top and on the sides of the cake.  

5. Carefully press the walnuts around the sides.  

Eat up and enjoy on a nice Fall day....soon Winter will be here!

Gingerbread Trifle

This year at my family Christmas, I was in charge of making the dessert.  I wanted to make a cheesecake, however when I came across this recipe it looked to good to pass up.  The best thing about trifles is that they look difficult to make, but they really are quite simple.  This is a great dessert to make when you have a large crowd to feed because it makes quite a bit.  There are three parts to creating this trifle, so it is quite time consuming, but well worth it!

Gingerbread Ingredients

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter, slightly softened

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup dark molasses

2 large eggs

3/4 cup buttermilk

Making the Gingerbread:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger,cinnamon, and salt   

2. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the butter until it's soft and creamy

3. Add the sugar and molasses to the butter and beat again until the mixture is well blended and fluffy, about 2 minutes more

4. Add the eggs one at a time, beating 30 seconds after each addition

5. Slowly pour in the buttermilk and beat well

6. Reduce the mixer's speed to low and slowly add half the flour mixture to the bowl and beat until blended

7. Repeat with the other half

8. Pour the batter into a greased 9 in round cake pan and bake for about 45 minutes

9. Let the cake cool completely on a wire rack, and then cover it tightly with plastic wrap until ready to use

Vanilla Custard Ingredients

9 large eggs

3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour

3 cups whole milk

1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract

Making the Custard:

1. Divide the egg yolks and whites by carefully tipping each yolk back and forth between the shell halves, letting the whites spill into a bowl

2. Place the yolks in a separate bowl

3. In a large bowl with an electric mixer set on medium-high speed, beat the yolks and sugar until the mixture is pale yellow and thick, about 2 to 3 minutes

4. Reduce the speed to low and beat in the flour

5. In a medium saucepan, bring the milk to a boil

6. Slowly pour half the milk into the egg mixture and beat until blended. Then pour the mixture into the remaining milk in the pan

7. Over medium heat, bring the ingredients to a boil while whisking constantly. Allow the custard to boil for 1 minute as you continue to whisk

8. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla

9. Let the custard cool slightly, then cover its surface with a piece of plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming

10. Let the custard cool completely, then refrigerate it until ready to use (up to three days)

Filling and Garnish Ingredients

3 (12-ounce) packages frozen unsweetened raspberries, thawed and drained

1 cup chilled heavy cream

3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons confectioners' sugar

1/2 pint fresh raspberries

Assembling the Trifle:

1. In a medium bowl, toss the thawed raspberries and white sugar

2. Remove the gingerbread from the pan and use a serrated knife to slice it into four equal wedges

3. Turn each wedge on its side and slice it into three equal pieces

4. Stack them, slice the pile in half, and cut off 1 1/2 inches from the tips, reserving the pieces

5. Arrange a layer of six cake wedges over the bottom of a 2 1/2-quart bowl or trifle dish

6. Fill the center with a few of the trimmings

7. Spoon and spread 3/4 cup of the raspberry mixture over the cake, then top the fruit with 1 cup of custard

8. Repeat the layering three more times with the remaining ingredients

9. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 3 hours to let the flavors meld (the dessert can be stored overnight)

10. Before serving, make the whipped cream

11. In a medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed, whip the cream with the confectioners' sugar until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes

12. Use a spatula to spread the whipped cream on top of the trifle, and garnish it with fresh raspberries

Recipe from Family Fun Magazine

Cornflake Christmas Wreaths

This is one of my favorite treats that my dad makes every Christmas time.  This was my second year making them myself and they are simply delicious.  

Ingredients

1/2 cup of butter

30 large marshmallows

1/4 tsp of green food coloring

1/2 tsp of vanilla

4 1/2 to 5 1/2 cups of corn flakes

Red Hot candy

1. Melt butter in a large sauce pan

2. Add marshmallows to butter and stir constantly until melted

3. Remove from heat

4.  Stir in vanilla and food coloring

5.  Add corn flakes to the marshmallow mixture

6. Grease fingers, and form the corn flake mixture into wreaths

7.  Place wreaths on wax paper to cool, and immediately decorate with red hot candy