BBQ Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers

BBQ Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers

--------------INGREDIENTS-----------------

1/2 cup cooked brown rice

 3/4 C Peanuts, roasted & salted (process until crumbly bits)

2 Sweet Potatoes (oven baked)

1 Can Cannellini White Beans, drained and rinsed

1 Can Black Beans, drained rinsed

2 Tbsp. BBQ sauce

1/4 Cup Onion, diced

2 Tbsp. Parsley, chopped

1/4 tsp.  Salt and Pepper

1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder

Burger Buns

Mayo 

Avocado (tossed in lemon juice)

1 Tomato

BBQ sauce

---------PREPARATION--------

Cook the sweet potato in the oven at 425 degrees for about an hour, or until fully cooked. Then peel off the skin. Mash.

In a food processor, process the peanuts until they are fully chopped.

Cook the rice according to the package to yield 1/2 a cup.

Add the sweet potato, peanuts, rice, chopped onion, beans, BBQ sauce, and seasonings in a large bowl. Mash together until thick and creamy.

Mold patties together: about a handful a patty.

Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Pull the patties out of the oven.  Cook in a skillet with a touch of olive oil for 2 minutes on each side. This will crisp up the patties.

 Serve on a bun with mayo, BBQ sauce, tomato and avocado!

 Enjoy!!!

Banana Nut Waffles

Home Made Chocolate Blueberry Waffles:

--------------INGREDIENTS-----------------

2 Eggs

2 C Flour

1 3/4 C Milk

1/2 C Vegetable Oil

1 Tbsp. Sugar

4 tsp. Baking Powder

1/4 tsp. Salt

1 Tbsp. Vanilla

1/2 Tbsp. Cinnamon

2 Tbsp. Brown Sugar

1 Banana

1/2 C Walnuts

1/4 C Hersey's Milk Chocolate Chips

---------PREPARATION--------

Preheat waffle iron.

Beat eggs in large bowl with hand beater until fluffy.

Beat in flour, milk, vegetable oil, sugar, baking powder, salt, vanilla, brown sugar, banana, nuts, and chocolate chips until smooth.

Spray preheated waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray. Pour mix onto hot waffle iron.

Cook until golden brown. Serve hot.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate Chip Chunk Cookies ( Chewy )

--------------INGREDIENTS-----------------

1 1/2 Sticks Butter, softened

3/4 C Light Brown Sugar

1/4 C Sugar

1 Lg Egg

2 Tbsp. Vanilla

1 C All-Purpose Flour

1 C Bread Flour

2 tsp. Cornstarch

1 tsp. Baking Soda

1/2 tsp. Salt

I Bag Dark Chocolate Chips

---------PREPARATION--------

In your Kitchen-Aid mixer with the fitted paddle attachment, beat butter on low speed for 1-2 minutes.

Add both sugars on high speed for 3 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the egg and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.

Add the two flours, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt until combined for about 1 minute.

Stir in chocolate chips.

Transfer dough to a container or bowl and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to harden.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and cook for 9 minutes. Allow them to cool for 5 minutes before removing them and placing them on a cooling rack.

Eat!!

Pork Carnitas with Cilantro Lime Basmati

Coconut Macaroons

My Mom loves macaroons.  When she told me she was driving down to SC to  bring me 2 of her chairs that she didn't need after a living room makeover, I thought the least I could do was bake her a treat :)

                                Coconut Macaroons

--------------INGREDIENTS-----------------

3 C unsweetened shredded coconut

Homemade Sweetened Condensed Coconut Milk (recipe below)

1 Tbsp. Vanilla

Pinch of Salt

3 Oz dark chocolate

---------PREPARATION--------

Preheat oven to 300 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine all of the ingredients, less the chocolate, and stir.

Drop the batter onto the baking sheet and bake for 20-03 minutes or until macaroons are lightly golden

Remove the macaroons from baking sheet and allow them to cool completely before dipping them in chocolate.

Melt 3 oz. of dark chocolate on the stove or in the microwave. Dip each macaroon in the chocolate, and place on wax paper.

I made mine at night, so once I finished; I placed the macaroons in the fridge so they could completely harden completely.

.....................

                                                  Coconut Milk

--------------INGREDIENTS-----------------

For the coconut milk:

1 14 oz. Can Full-Fat Coconut Milk

1/4 C Honey

---------PREPARATION--------

Pour the coconut milk into a saucepan and heat until boiling for 5 minutes.

Reduce the heat to simmer and add honey.

Simmer for 30-45 minutes or until the liquid has reduced to about half.

Remove from heat and allow liquid to completely cool before you use.

........................

 If every macaroon tasted like these, they would be one of my favorite desserts. 

The coconut milk gives these such an amazing flavor! 

I used good shredded coconut and baker's melting chocolate which I think added to the flavor as well. 

I hope you enjoy these Mom!!!

Chicken Parmesan over Linguini

Have you seen the new show The Taste? If you haven't then all you really need to know is that contestants serve the celebrity chefs on bite sized spoons. They don't reveal their face until after the chefs have tasted and voted on the food. Anyway.. I was inspired by their spoons,  so I got a mega-spoon. Definitely not a bite sized spoon, but that is why it is perfect! 

Chicken Parmesan

The Marinara Sauce:

--------------INGREDIENTS-----------------

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

1/4 C Onion, chopped

2 Garlic Cloves, minced

Salt and Pepper

1 tsp Parsley

1 tsp Oregano

1-28 oz Can Crushed Roma Tomatoes

1/4 tsp Sugar

1 Bay leaf

2 Tbsp Basil, chopped

---------PREPARATION--------

 Heat olive oil in a saucepan and add onions. Cook for 5 minutes

Add garlic, salt, parsley, oregano, and pepper. Saute for 1 minute.

Stir in crushed tomatoes, sugar, bay leaf, and basil.

4. Reduce heat and allow sauce to simmer for 30 minutes.

The Chicken:

--------------INGREDIENTS-----------------

2 Boneless Chicken Breasts, cut into quarters

2 Oz Mozzarella Cheese

2 Oz Provolone Cheese

1 Egg

1 Tbsp Flour

2 Oz Parmesan

1/2 Panko Breadcrumbs

1 tsp Garlic Powder

1 tsp Oregano

Salt and Pepper

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

---------PREPARATION--------

 Sprinkle each cutlet with salt and pepper and let them stand for 20 minutes.

Whisk flour and egg together until smooth.

In a separate dish, pour in your breadcrumbs, Parmesan, oregano, and  garlic powder.

 Dip chicken into egg, then breadcrumb mixture and place chicken on an oiled baking sheet.

 Bake at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes. Pull the chicken out, and top off with your cheese. Place back in the oven.

Bake chicken for another 15-20 minutes, or until your chicken is golden brown and cheese is melted.

 Serve over your favorite pasta

Carrot Cake Pancakes

¾ cup dried currants, soaked overnight, then drained
2½ cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. baking powder
½ cup unrefined cane sugar
1½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. fresh ground nutmeg
¼ tsp. ground ginger
½ tsp. sea salt
2½ cups milk (whole, 2%, nonfat, non dairy – all OK!)
6 tbsp. light flavored oil (sunflower, canola, vegetable)
4 eggs
1 cup plain, unsweetened Greek yogurt
2½ cups carrot pulp, or finely grated carrots

oil, for cooking

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 200°F.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt.

In another bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the milk, oil, eggs, and yogurt until very well combined. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ones, until just combined.

Fold in the carrot pulp and currants until thoroughly combined. Let the batter rest while you place a large griddle or skillet on your stove over medium-high heat. Lightly coat with oil or cooking spray. Once the pan is hot, spoon the batter onto the griddle, about ¼-cup per pancake.

Let the pancakes cook until the edges are slightly dry and bubbles appear on the uncooked surface. Carefully flip each pancake, cooking for an additional minute or two, until the second side is lightly golden brown and the center cooked (you can make a little cut in the pancake to see its doneness).

Keep the cooked pancakes in a covered skillet in your preheated oven until all the batter has been cooked.

Serve with warm maple syrup, softened butter, etc.

Lodge Cast Iron Dutch Oven + Mozzarella Sticks + Chicarrones de Pollo

I ordered a cast iron dutch oven over the weekend. I knew I wanted a good quality one without emptying my pockets. I wanted a product that was comparable to Le Creuset and that would last me years. After researching products and reading up on my food blogs- I decided to go with Lodge.  Lodge is seemingly a top competitor to Le Creuset, while being much much cheaper. I read up on people who owned both brands, and said they couldn't tell the difference between the two.

Lodge Color EC6D33 Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven, Blue, 6-Quart for $53.99

compared to

 Le Creuset Signature Enameled Cast Iron 6 3/4- Quart Oval French Oven for $309.95.

Elephants are my all time favorite thing in the world. One day....far far away.... ( But not that far away)

 I want to get married on an elephant.

I guess I can settle for  my wedding/ engagement  photos on an elephant if I "have to." I guess....

anyway!

These animals are so beautiful to me, and I collect as many elephant pieces as I can. I wish I could have a mini pet elephant. Too bad they are SOOO big and herd animals. I'll just have to settle for my daily e-mail of Ivan containing elephant photos he finds on the Internet ( so sweet right?)

Mozzarella Sticks

With my NEW cast iron dutch oven... I made mozzarella sticks. While my first attempt is not the prettiest, they tasted delicious. All I did was buy mozzarella string cheese from the store, halved them, dipped them in flour, then in egg mixture ( 2 eggs whisked with 1 Tbsp Milk) and panko bread crumbs ( seasoned with s&p, parsley). I heated up 1 in of oil in my dutch oven and cooked the mozzarella sticks until golden brown.

      Chicarrones de Pollo