Summer Time!

Hello everyone! One thing I realize about blogging, other than the fact that it's not so good for my waistline, is that I don't cook my favorites as often. So recently, that's what I've been doing and the fam and I have been loving it. Because summer brings more time with friends and family I've also have had far less time to read all of my favorite blogs. I really miss checking in with all of you as often as I was doing!  Ironically, even though I've had less time, I've found some really great new blogs. So for my post today, I thought I'd do a little something different. I want to share with all y'all my new discoveries and I'll give you a quick run down on some of things I've been enjoying cooking.  Tonight, I'm trying a new chicken taco recipe so, if it comes out as deliciously as I'm hoping, I'll post it next week. I hope you all are having a wonderful summer and I hope to chat with you all soon.

So Cal summer Love!!!!!!!

Here's some of the yummy and fun new blog's I've found. I hope you have a little time to check them out. Let me know what you think :)

1. Soupbelly. Her latest post is a lovely peach crumble. Love all her great photos. I've booked mark tons of recipes from her blog and can't wait to start trying them. Hopefully I'll be posting lots of them. Here's a link:
http://soupbelly.com/

2. Having fun in the Kitchen. I found this blog through a link back when I was looking at a recipe on Soupbelly.  Wow. This is one great looking blog. Great photos, tons of good looking recipes, what more can you want? I can't wait to try her Snow White Cake. Super Yum!!!! Here's a link:
http://catalinakolker.blogspot.com/

3. Pardon my Crumbs. Great recipes beautifully presented. She also presents nicely written food related articles and wonderful food places like Napa for instance. She has a post on S'more pie that looks so incredible I swear it will make you drool on your keyboard! Here's a link:
http://pardonmycrumbs.blogspot.com/

4. If You Give a Girl a Cookie: Lots of yummy sweet treats, all of which I want to try. You know what I mean. Sometimes you read a blog and the recipes look nice but you're not dying to get in the kitchen and start cooking. That is not, in any way, the case with this blog. You're going to want to try these recipes soon! Here's a link:
http://www.giveagirlacookie.com/

5. Let's Dish. Okay technically this isn't a new blog for me. I've just been really digging what she's been posting lately. Again, I totally want to get in the kitchen and start cooking everything she's been posting. She's got a first class photos, interesting recipe and she's great about giving credit to those cooks she gets the recipes from. Don't you wish all bloggers had that integrity! Here's a link:
http://letsdishrecipes.blogspot.com/

6. Orange Blossom Water: This is an incredible blog that features Syrian recipes. Love, Love, Love this blog! Dimah says that the recipes she posts are not the type you'll  find in a cookbook because they are handed down from generation to generation. Here's a link:
http://www.orangeblossomwater.net/

Here are some of our family favorites that I've been cooking: We've been in a Mexican flavor groove!

1.  Steak Taco's. So Super YUMMY !!!!  My whole family is crazy for these. We just had them and they're asking for them again. If you haven't tried these, please try them! Here's a link
 http://gonnawantseconds.blogspot.com/2010/03/steak-tacos.html

2.  Stuffed Chili's. These are vegetarian and unbelievably delicious. I feel like I'm eating a satisfying, super healthy, low cal dinner. Here's a link http://gonnawantseconds.blogspot.com/2010/06/stuffed-chilis.html

3.  Quick Mexican Chicken. This dish has tons of flavor and it's really is quick and simple. It's also light and hearty at the same time. Yum! Here's a link http://gonnawantseconds.blogspot.com/2010/03/quick-mexican-chicken.html

4.  Gringo Enchiladas. Always a favorite! Makes a big batch so there's plenty left over for lunches. Oh how I love these babies. Super YUM!!!! Here's a link: http://gonnawantseconds.blogspot.com/2009/09/gringo-chicken-enchiladas-adapted-from.html.  Forgive the photograph. Yikes! Did I take that? LOL!!!

Greek Orange Roughy

 I love this recipe! All this blogging is catching up with my waist line.  LOL!  This delicious dish is the perfect meal even if, unlike me, you're not watching your calories.  It is fresh and incredibly flavorful. A rich, thick topping made up of tomatoes, garlic, onion and olives is prepared a skillet. Then the fish fillets are topped with it and baked. As if that wouldn't be yummy enough, you top the baked fish with feta and fresh dill. Like I mentioned before, I love this recipe!!!


Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons minced garlic
8 roma tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, roughly chopped
1/2 cup white wine
3 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2-1 teaspoon salt ( depending on how salty your feta is. I used 1 teaspoon )
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 ounces feta, crumbled
1/2 fresh chopped dill ( measure after you chop )

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Add oil to a large nonstick skillet. Add onion and cook until very soft over medium low heat. Add garlic and cook for a few minutes. Stir in chopped tomatoes and next 5 ingredients. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes.

3. Place orange roughy fillets in a greased 13X9 inch baking pan. Spoon tomato mixture over fillets. Bake uncovered for about 20 minutes.  Fish is done when it flakes easily with a fork.  Top with feta and dill and serve.

Killa Chocolate Cupcakes. Seriously!!!

Are you ready? Seriously, I mean it, are you ready?! This is the best chocolate cupcake you will evah eat! Big words. I get it. You're not, yet, a believer. This cupcakes will bring you to the point of no return. You will believe me when I say this is the best evah. Heck you'll be leading the parade of the best evah yourself. Please just try these. You're welcome already!!!  I changed the frosting and again you'll be happy. I promise! I used Kittencal's light chocolate frosting because I wanted a contrast with all the super intense deep chocolate that was going on with these babies. Seriously, SUPER YUM!!!

If these cupcakes look good to you, please Stumble them!


Ultimate Chocolate Cupcakes: from Cook's Illustrated with Kittencal's frosting


Ganache Filling:

2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp confectioner’s sugar

Chocolate Cupcakes:
 
3 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
1/3 cup cocoa
3/4 cup hot coffee
3/4 cup bread flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp table salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
6 tbsp vegetable oil
2 large eggs
2 tsp white vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract

1 Kittencal's recipe frosting, recipe follows

Instruction:

1. 1. FOR GANACHE FILLING: Place chocolate, cream, and confectioners’ sugar in medium microwave-safe bowl. Heat in microwave on high power until mixture is warm to touch, 20 to 30 seconds. Whisk until smooth; transfer bowl to refrigerator and let stand until just chilled, no longer than 30 minutes.
2. 2. FOR CUPCAKES: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard-size muffin pan (cups have ½-cup capacity) with baking-cup liners. Place chocolate and cocoa in medium bowl. Pour hot coffee over mixture and whisk until smooth. Set in refrigerator to cool completely, about 20 minutes. Whisk flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.
3. 3. Whisk oil, eggs, vinegar, and vanilla into cooled chocolate-cocoa mixture until smooth. Add flour mixture and whisk until smooth.
4. 4. Divide batter evenly among muffin pan cups. Place one slightly rounded teaspoon ganache filling on top of each cupcake. Bake until cupcakes are set and just firm to touch, 17 to 19 minutes. Cool cupcakes in muffin pan on wire rack until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. Carefully lift each cupcake from muffin pan and set on wire rack. Cool to room temperature before frosting, about 1 hour.

 Kittencal's Chocolate Butter cream Frosting:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 2/3 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 1/3 cup half and half or heavy whipping cream
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

CHOOSE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:

          1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted (for light)

          1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted (for medium)

           3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted (for dark rich)

Directions

1. 
   
   

   Cream the butter in a small bowl.

2. 
   
   

   Blend in the cocoa powder (the amount desired for a light, medium or dark flavor), vanilla, confectioners sugar, alternately with the cream.

3. 
   
   

   Beat with an electric mixer, until the desired texture is achieved.

4. 
   
   

   **NOTE** because of the additional cocoa powder more cream may have to be added in to reach desired consistency.

   

    

 

 

Cream Cheese and Bacon Stuffed Jalapeno Poppers

 Here's an appetizer that is always a favorite.  It's great hot out of the oven or even at room temperature.  The jalapenos have a fairly mild chili flavor when the ribs and seeds are removed.  What's not to love about a cream cheese and bacon filling?  I mean seriously!  Every time I've served these they have been a huge hit.  Give them a try but be ready to give out the recipe.  

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Cream Cheese and Bacon Stuffed Jalapeño Poppers  adapted from: For the Love of Cooking.net

• 10 fresh Jalapeños, sliced in half lengthwise, seeds removed
• 10 oz cream cheese, softened
• 7-8 slices of lean bacon, cooked and chopped
• Plain panko crumbs

1.Preheat the oven to 375 degree. Line a baking sheet with tin foil and coat with cooking spray.

2.Cook the bacon until crisp then drain on a paper towel; chop bacon into very small pieces. Mix the bacon crumbles into the cream cheese until thoroughly combined. 

3. Cut jalapenos in half, lengthwise. Wear plastic gloves if possible and carefully remove seeds and vein with a spoon. Smear each jalapeño half with cream cheese and bacon mixture. Pour the panko crumbs onto a plate. Dip the stuffed jalapeño into the panko crumbs cream cheese side down.

4. Bake on a pan with a rack for 20-25 minutes. If the panko crumbs aren't golden brown, turn the oven to broil and cook them, watching carefully so they don't burn, for a few minutes. Serve immediately. Enjoy.