Long time, No blog

I realize I haven't been around. But between school and getting married, things were crazy.

Which is why I have now starting a new blog, more relevant to life now, now that I am married. I hope you all check it out :)

Yours till the cookie crumbles,

Dani

http://countingyourpennies.blogspot.com/

Awesome website

So I was procrastinating today and I found this awesome website while stumbling. (Stumbling=using www.stumbleupon.com, go look it up!)

You basically put in that ingredients you have around your house and it will give you recipe's!

It could save your life if you don't feel like being creative :)

http://www.supercook.com/

Yours till the cookie crumbles!

What are your thankful for?

So for Thanksgiving we had a bit of a mishap. Shaun (my fiancé)  and I were going to just make food at his house during the day. We get all ready to go there, and guess what happens? The oven doesn't work. And it's basically the basis for everything we are cooking. 


Anyways, over the next few days we were at my friend's house and cooked our dishes one by one. So here are the recipes for it!


The first is the turkey recipe which I got from Food Network. Now it didn't turn out as well as I would have liked as they did not have any turkey breasts at the store... so we just used turkey cutlets and made individual stuffed pieces. 


Also since I don't drink alcohol, though I don't mind cooking with it, but I am not yet old enough to buy said alcohol to cook with, so I  used Apricot Nector I found in a can in the juice section for the brandy, and additional chicken broth for the white wine. In some places though you can find non alcoholic white wine, so look for that first!

Turkey Roulade with Cranberry-Apricot Stuffing

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup whole almonds
• 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
• 1/3 cup Cognac or other brandy
• 1/4 cup water
• 2/3 cup dried cranberries
• 2/3 cup dried apricots (about 8 medium), coarsely chopped
• 2 medium shallots, minced
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus additional for seasoning
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves
• 2 boneless, skinless turkey breast halves, butterflied (about 5 to 6 pounds)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 cups white wine
• 1/2 cup chicken broth

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Spread the almonds and fennel seeds on a baking sheet and cook until golden and aromatic, about 10 minutes. Let cool to room temperature. Warm the cognac and water in a small saucepan, add the cranberries and apricots, and set aside until plump, about 10 minutes.

In a small food processor, pulse the almonds and fennel until coarsely chopped, then add the fruit and any unabsorbed liquid with the shallot, butter, 2 teaspoons salt and pepper, to taste, until the fruit and nuts are coarsely chopped. Add the parsley and pulse once or twice more.

Place the turkey breast halves on a cutting board. Divide and spread the fruit mixture evenly over them, leaving about a 1-inch border. Starting with the long end of each breast, roll like a jelly roll and tie firmly with butchers twine. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the oil, and heat until shimmering. Sear the turkey roulades, turning occasionally, until they are golden brown on all sides, about 8 minutes. Place the 2 roulades on a rack in a roasting pan and pour 2 cups of the wine over them. Roast, uncovered, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the meat registers 165 degrees F, about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Transfer the breasts to a carving board, tent loosely with foil, and let rest while you make the sauce.

Put the roasting pan over medium heat on the stovetop. Add the remaining 1 cup of wine and stir with a wooden spoon to release the brown bits that cling to the pan. Add the chicken broth and cook until syrupy, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Carve the turkey into 1-inch thick slices and serve with the pan sauce.

Then we had the traditional green bean casserole, which Shaun had never had before!

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup (Regular, 98% Fat Free or Healthy Request®)

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon soy sauce

Dash ground black pepper

4 cups cooked cut green beans

1 1/3 cups French's® French Fried Onions

• Stir the soup, milk, soy sauce, black pepper, beans and 2/3 cuponions in a 1 1/2-quart casserole.
• Bake at 350°F. for 25 minutes or until the bean mixture is hot and bubbling.  Stir the bean mixture.  Sprinkle with the remaining onions.
• Bake for 5 minutes or until the onions are golden brown.

And Finally we had these Sweet-Potato Souffles which were alright...they didn't turn out as good as I thought they would...

Ingredients

8 small sweet potatoes or yams (choose whichever is brighter in color at your grocery store or farmer's market), peeled and chopped into large chunks 8 egg whites, beaten until peaks are just starting to form 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (regular or vegan) 4 tablespoons soy milk 2 tablespoon honey 2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon scooped seeds from a real vanilla bean 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Put the potatoes in a large pot of cold salted water.  Turn heat to high and boil until the pieces are tender when pierced with a fork.  Once the water starts boiling, reduce the heat to medium or medium-high to avoid splattering. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Drain the potatoes in a colander, then transfer to a large bowl.  Add all the other ingredients and combine with a potato masher.  Once most of the lumps are mashed out, finish with an immersion blender to make the potatoes completely smooth.  Taste the mixture, and add salt if necessary. Mix the sweet potatoes with 1/3 of the egg mixture.  Stir until completely combined.  Then fold in another third.  Mix until combine.  Fold in the remaining egg whites, and mix just until combined.  Mix lightly to keep air in the mixture. Spray 12 ramekins or ovenproof custard cups with cooking spray.  Evenly scoop the mixture into the ramekins.  Place them directly on the oven rack.  Bake for 30 minutes or until the soufflés are just slightly firm to the touch.  Remove them carefully so you don’t smash down the soufflé.  Serve immediately, while hot, or keep them warm to serve later. So there ya go, that's we did for our Thanksgiving. We have yet to make our pumpkin pie though...so that will come soon :) Soon our Sunday dinner recipe will be on here for fried chicken! Yours till the cookie crumbles

What's in the cabinet?

So the other day we went to his house to see what we could scavenge and make into an alright meal. In the end it turned out pretty dang good to be honest.

So here's what we did!

Things  you'll need:
Vegetable oil
Chicken thighs (you can use others pieces, this is just what Shaun had)
Coconut milk (just one can)
Curry powder
Red chili powder

Put about an inch of  vegetable oil in a frying pan and began to heat it up
Then mix up equal parts of the curry powder and red chili powder together in a separate bowl
Rub the spice mix on the skin of the thighs as well as under the skin
Fry the chicken in the oil when its ready (I put a couple of droplets of water and see if it sizzles to tell when it's ready), about 10 minutes on each side
While the chicken is frying mix up coconut milk, red chili powder, and curry powder (equal parts of both, I really just guesstimate...I never use measuring cups unless it's for a specific recipe)
Warm the mixture on the stove in either a frying pan or sauce pan.
When the chicken is done, pull it out and put it in the pan with the sauce in it
Serve! And rice goes really well with this

And there ya go!

Now originally I was going to Maui for Thanksgiving, but that has changed. So I am now making food for just my fiancé and I....hopefully it all turns our all right. And I will for sure be blogging about the recipe's I find and use :D

Yours till the cookie crumbles!

Back in Hawaii

I am once again back in the wonderful state of Hawaii :)

So much has happened since I last blogged...and I do have a recipe this time!

Just to fill you in though...I'm engaged to the most amazing man ever! He flew to Missouri from Hawaii to meet my family and ask my dad's permission to marry me, and then two days after we returned he proposed to me :) And I am getting married here in Hawaii :)

So anyways.

Here is my brownie recipe I discovered from Williams and Sonoma. I just have to say they are the most amazing things ever.

Just to let you know, there are a couple different shortcuts I take.
-Use a ziploc container/glass bowl (one that will hold all the ingredients) to melt the chocolate and butter in, just put it into the microwave for 30 seconds to begin with, and then stir it every 15-10 seconds until it is all melted. Then just use that as your mixing bowl for all the other ingredients as well. Only one other thing to clean then!
-I don't use cake flour, just regular all purpose, and I don't sift it. I'm a college kid I can't afford either, especially in Hawaii.

And here is the recipe:

• 8 Tbs. (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
• 3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 cup sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 2 eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup cake flour, sifted
• 3/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips, semisweet
    chocolate chips, peanut butter chips or
    white chocolate chips (optional)

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8-inch square baking dish, preferably glass.

In a saucepan over low heat, combine the butter and unsweetened chocolate. Heat, stirring often, until melted, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar and salt. Add the eggs and vanilla and stir until well blended. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir until just blended. Stir in the chips.

Pour the batter into the prepared dish and spread evenly. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out almost completely clean, about 30 minutes (longer if using a metal pan). Do not overbake. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely. Cut into 2 1/2-inch squares.

You can always just eat these out of the pan like I do as well as my friends. Oh and I suggest making double the recipe. And one other little trick. I decided to add a little extra flavor to these. 

I took several Hershey's Dark Chocolate infused with Raspberry Flavor squares and melted them in the microwave with a couple tablespoons of butter and then added a bit of sugar in as well. Then I drizzled it over the top of the brownies. It sincerely makes these brownies a bite of heaven. Or you can use whatever other flavor. I prefer the Hershey's to the Ghiridelli's (I can't spell) with Raspberry filling because it actually is all incorporated into the chocolate flavor and not just a filling inside. Be sure to check them out! 

Next time, let's see what Shaun has in his cabinets and what I can make out of it!

Yours till the cookie crumbles!

Fall Harvest

I am back at home now. Now it's just a waiting game until I go back to Hawaii for school. What shall I do with my spare time?

Cook!

And not just with any ingredients, items fresh from our garden :)

Over the next couple weeks while I am home I plan on finding different things I can make from our garden.

First on the list? Pumpkin!

I am currently in the process of figuring out what it is I plan on making with some of our pumpkins from the garden.

Recipes should be up soon with pictures :)

Yours till the cookie crumbles

The Most Indescribable Food!

Last night I had the most amazing opportunity! I was able to eat at the restaurant I work at. Which is Victoria & Albert's at the Grand Floridian Resort at Disney World. It is a 5 Diamond restaurant and it wasn't cheap. Though it was worth every single penny that was spent. 

And due to the fact that it was an extremely nice restaurant, I got to get all dressed up, along with my roommate Kimmy who came with me!

Kimmy and I waiting in the lobby at the Grand Floridian!

Upon waiting for reservation we were downstairs in the lobby listening to Christian play the piano. Christian also plays the harp at Victoria & Albert's when he isn't playing the piano. After seeing me there he then dedicated and played "The Hawaiian Wedding Song"  which  made me really happy and smile a lot! 

We finally arrived! Here are our lovely plates that were there when we arrived. Our servers were Allen and Mike and they were AMAZING! They made the evening extra special for us! :)

Did I mention they gave us the best table ever with Elizabeth playing right in front of us?!

Each of our menu's were personalized! Here is Kimmy's!

Here is the Amuse-Bouche, kind of like a present from the chef with a sampling of different things. All of these had some salmon in it and it was delicious!

Here is my cold appetizer! It was a Gulf Shrimp with Breakfast Radish, Kohlrabi, and Tamarind. And then Kimmy's cold appetizer, which was a Minnesota Elk Carpaccio with Olive, Artichokes, and Chorizo Vinaigrette

We both ordered the same fish course. A Citrus Poached Halibut with Warm Verjus Vinaigrette. And yes, that is a baby cucumber on top :)

Here we have Kimmy's and I's hot appetizer.Hers is a  Duck Breast, Duck Sausage and Confit with Strawberry and Rhubarb. The Duck Breast was absolutely amazing! For my appetizer I had a Brentwood Corn Soup with Petite Crab Cake. Yummy yummy! :)

Finally we get to the entree.... Kimmy got the Niman Ranch Lamp with Spring Asparagus and Minted Jus and I got the Filet Mignon with Marble Potatoes and Sauce Soubise.. Oh and that's not it. Chef Scott also gave each of us an extra entree...which would be the Kurobuta Pork Tenderloin and Belly with Baby Beets and a Sherry-Bacon Vinaigrette. 

 

 We felt at this point that it was necessary to take a walk....can you see the hidden Mickey?

Before the next course we also got to go into the kitchen! And we took a picture with Chef Scott :)

Now we both chose the cheese course... on it was a Colston Bassett Stilton, Coach Farm Goat, Gouda Reypenaer V.S.O.P. and Comte.

 

We each chose one of the souffle's. Mine is the first one, a Grand Marnier Souffle and then Kimmy got the Hawaiian Kona Chocolate Souffle

 

Oh and Chef Scott this one out as an extra for both of us...it's a Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee :)

We kind of got started on these a little soon....First we had a Pineapple and Lemongrass thingamabob (I'm not gonna get too technical on that), followed by a chocolate filled with flavoring of Meyer's Rum and caramel, and the last thing on the plate is a little cookie with a lemon curd on top. Which are my favorites :)

And we can't forget the long stem roses we each got!

We both ended up being very very happy campers :)

Now it's time for me to go at the moment, and I'll tell you more about the restaurant at  a later date!

Yours till the cookie crumbles!