Mini Boston Cream Pies

It’s that time of year again when my husband and I travel all across Michigan to visit family for Christmas.  With so many holiday gatherings I start to panic a few days beforehand about what to make.  We’re never asked to bring a dish, but since I love to cook I want to make something.  The question is what? 

I have many tried and true recipes that we love but I hate bringing the same thing twice.   I love the challenge of making something new and different.  But what to make?  What to make?  That’s when I visit my favorite recipe sites (food.com or allrecipes.com) and begin searching the most popular dishes by category or entering keywords.  This time I happened to use the word ‘mini’ and was lucky enough to stumble upon this fabulous recipe!  The name says it all…MINI BOSTON CREAM PIES.  I don’t know when I tasted my first Boston Cream Pie or where, but there’s one thing I know….I LOVED it!

Let’s face it, Boston Cream Pie is dangerous.  Whether you favor the chocolate topping or the creamy middle, they’re over the top delicious and addicting.  That’s why this recipe is so great.  These are bite size mini pies.  They’re small indeed but they pack a big punch of flavor.

In all honesty I didn’t know if the original recipe meant ‘mini’ as in regular size cupcakes or mini cupcakes.  I decided to bake both and see which I preferred.  Both sizes work, however I prefer the mini cupcake size as they’re the perfect finger food.  Who wants to hold a plate when you can just pick one of these little babies up?  I also found it much easier to frost the mini cupcakes.

Regular size vs. Mini size

I have one piece of advice regarding this dessert.  If you typically like to cook by combining all the ingredients and leave the oven to take care of the rest, then this dish is not for you.  This recipe is heavily focused on prep and assembly work.   The prep work involves cutting all the cupcakes in half (there’s a lot), creating the cream filling, filling the cupcakes, preparing the chocolate icing and topping the cupcakes.  Yes, it may seem like a lot of work, but in the end these are soooo worth it.  My recommendation is to make the cupcakes the day before as this will help save time. 

Slice cupcakes in half

Fill with Vanilla cream

Top with frosting

These mini pies are absolutely stunning once they’re assembled.  The chocolate frosting is a dark color with such a rich flavor.  I never would have thought to combine chocolate and Cool Whip to make frosting, but WOW it’s great.  So smooth. These were a huge hit at the holiday party I brought them to.    It was fun to watch people taste them and ‘sell’ them to other guests.  Pretty soon word had spread like wildfire and within a very short period of time they were all gone.  Mission accomplished!  Try this dessert, you won’t be disappointed.

Mini Boston Cream Pies

Adapted from Boston Cream Pie Minis by JELL-O, allrecipes.com

Servings: approximately 48 mini pies

Prep Time:  1 hour

Total Time:  1 hour 30 mins.

Ingredients:

• 1 package yellow cake mix
• 1 cup cold milk
• 1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) JELL-O Vanilla Instant Pudding
• 1 1/2 cups Cool Whip Topping, thawed
• 4 squares Baker’s semi-sweet chocolate

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F. Prepare cake batter as directed on package and bake in greased mini muffin tins. Cool in pan completely.
2. Combine milk and pudding mix with whisk for 2 minutes or until well blended. Let stand 5 minutes.  Gently add 1/2 cup of the whipped topping into pudding mixture; stir.
3. Use a serrated knife to cut cupcakes horizontally in half.  Generously spoon pudding mixture onto the bottom halves of cupcakes.  Cover with top of cupcakes.
4. Microwave (or use a double boiler) remaining chocolate in a medium size microwaveable bowl on high for 1 1/2 minutes or until chocolate is almost melted; stir until chocolate is completely melted.  If chocolate is not fully melted, continue to heat in microwave for 30 second intervals, stirring after each time.  Add remaining whipped topping. Stir to combine well.
5. Use a spoon to spread the chocolate icing on top of the cupcakes.  Icing does not need to completely cover the tops; cover approximately 75%.
6. Refrigerate at least 15 minutes before serving.   Note:  leftovers should be stored in the refrigerator.

Sweet & Spicy Nuts

I have to admit it’s hard finding time on the weekends to experiment with new recipes when Christmas is right around the corner.   As of this past weekend, I am proud to say that I finally finished ALL of my shopping.  This left me time to make one of my favorite recipes that can also double as Christmas gifts!  I’m sure, just like my husband and I, you’ve received traditional gifts of cookies or peppermint bark.  I love these (and please keep them coming our way!), but why not make something different for the holidays?  The recipe below is for sweet and spicy nuts.  Have you ever been to an event and you smell the wonderful aroma of cinnamon and sugar in the air?  There’s a vendor selling warm cinnamon and sugar nuts, but where?!  The smell is deliciously intoxicating and it’s a mad dash to find where their booth is located.  These nuts remind me of those because I find them absolutely addicting.  They have a sweet flavor but also a little bit of spice too.  The perfect combination.

Although this recipe is easy and comes together quickly, there’s a few tips I’d like to share that will help you along the way.  First, you may find it difficult to find chipotle powder.  Don’t give up, it’s out there.  At my local grocery store (Meijer’s) I could not find this spice near the usual McCormick or Meijer brand spices.  That’s when I noticed they carried some higher end spices, or perhaps just more of a variety, in a separate section right near the others.  This is where I ended up finding it.  

I find Costco has some of the best deals on nuts

 

My second tip:  Make sure that your baking pans are lined with parchment paper.  The original recipe places the nuts right in the pan.  I did this but after scrubbing my pans and contemplating on whether or not to throw them out, I now safely line them with parchment paper.  DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP.   You will save yourself hours (okay maybe not that long but it sure felt like it) of scrubbing.

Ready to bake in the oven

My third tip:  Instead of buying fancy containers at the store for packaging the nuts, be more eco-friendly and reuse containers that you already have.  Many times I find myself cleaning out glass salsa or jelly jars and saving them instead of adding them to our recycling bin.  They’re the perfect size for individual gifts, and personally, I think they’re so much more unique than a store bought container.  For instance look at this Michigan Honey jar!  To dress up the containers even more simply tie a bow or ribbon around them.

What’s great about this recipe is that it makes a good amount (6 cups).  Beyond individual gifts these also make great party snacks. Whatever way you like to eat them I hope you enjoy!

Sweet & Spicy Nuts

Adapted from Recipe #249723 by Feej, food.com

Serving: 6 cups

Prep Time: 15 mins.

Total Time: 35 mins.

  

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons dried chipotle powder
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 egg white
• 6 cups nuts (such as: almonds, pecans, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, or peanuts)

 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F.
2. Line 2 medium sized baking pans with parchment paper.  Set aside.
3. In a small bowl combine: sugar, chipotle powder, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper.  Stir and combine well.
4. In a large bowl beat egg white with an electric mixer for approximately 1 minute.  Slowly add honey while continuing to blend with the mixer; combine well.
5. Add all of the nuts into the egg white - honey mixture.  Using a spatula, mix by hand, until all of the nuts are evenly coated with the mixture. 
6. Pour sugar and spice mixture over the nuts.  Mix until well combined. 
7. Divide nuts between the 2 pans, spreading into a single layer.  Bake for 20 minutes, stirring every 7 minutes.
8. Remove from pan & allow to cool.  Once cooled, nuts will be stuck together.  Break apart by hand into individual pieces.

French Onion Soup

If you work for a large corporation like I do (MRM), it’s that time of year when you need to use your PTO days before you lose them.  I have a few left so I extended my weekend into a nice, extra long weekend.  My God I felt like I accomplished the world today!  Having one additional day off feels wonderful.  I was unstoppable today. 

Beyond running a lot of errands, I decided to make French Onion Soup.  I had just the perfect recipe as there was one sitting in my ‘recipes to try’ pile.  I love French Onion Soup, but it’s a dish that I’ve never made because it always seemed a little intimidating. Not anymore!  Don’t let it scare you because it’s actually quite easy.  

Get ready to chop!

If you’re like me and have never made this soup, you’re probably wondering what beef consommé is.  I have never heard of it until I scanned the list of ingredients below to put together my shopping list.  In researching this I learned that beef consommé is a highly clarified soup made from beef stock. The consommé is clarified by removing the fat, straining it, and adding egg whites (protein) to remove the cloudiness.  Where can you find this ingredient?  In the soup aisle at your local grocery store.  I searched for it near the broths and was unsuccessful until I scoped out the soups and found that Campbell’s makes beef consommé.

Slice & toast the baguette

Trust me, this soup is easy and within a matter of only 30 minutes you’ll have ‘Panera-like’ quality soup.  What’s so great is that your whole house will smell wonderful as this soup is cooking.  My husband, who was working upstairs, came all the way downstairs to ask what we were having for lunch because he said it smelled amazing!  When the soup was finished, and came out of the oven, I felt so proud of these masterpieces.  The melted cheese on top was bubbly, golden, and just begging for our spoons to dive in. This French Onion Soup received stamps of approval from both of us.  My husband jokingly exclaimed, “Oh great, here’s another dish I can’t order at a restaurant because it won’t compare to yours”.  It’s comments like these that make a chef swoon.  Enjoy!

French Onion Soup

Adapted from Recipe #11181 by Elizabeth Fullerton, food.com

Serves:  4

Prep Time: 10 mins.

Total Time:  30 mins.

Ingredients:

•     2 (14.5 oz.) cans reduced sodium beef broth
•     1 (10.75 oz.) can beef consommé
•     2 large vidalia onions
•     2 tablespoons butter
•     2 garlic cloves, minced
•     2-3 dashes Worcestershire sauce
•     3/4 cup shredded swiss cheese
•     3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
•     8 slices French baguette

Directions:

1. Set oven to broil mode at 400˚F.
2. Place baguette slices on a cookie sheet and broil until toasted (2-3 minutes). Remove and cool before halving each slice (there will be 16 slices total).
3. Slice onions to preferred thickness and length.  Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. 
4. Add onions and sauté until tender (approximately 8-10 minutes); stir frequently.   Add garlic during the last 1-2 minutes of cooking so that it will not burn.
5. Add beef broth, beef consommé, and Worcestershire sauce.
6. Bring to a boil; stir constantly for 1 minute.
7. Combine swiss and mozzarella cheese in a medium sized bowl.  Toss until evenly mixed.
8. Measure 1/2 cup of cheese mixture and sprinkle into the bottom of 4 oven proof bowls.  Divide evenly amongst the bowls.  Note:  I used large soup bowls that were only labeled as dishwasher and microwave safe.  These worked and did not break, but please note there is a possibility they could break.
9. Ladle soup into each bowl and leave room at the top of the bowl (allow at least 1-2 inches from soup to top of bowl).  Top each bowl with 4 slices of toasted baguette. 
10. Sprinkle and divide remaining cheese mixture evenly amongst the bowls.
11. Broil until cheese is bubbly and just starting to turn golden (approximately 4-5 minutes).
12. Serve immediately, but be careful as the bowls will be very hot.
    
    

ChocoCran Biscotti

My husband and I eat pizza quite frequently.  I love making it at home because I think it tastes better than delivery from local pizza chains.  We love thin crust pizza.  Don’t get me wrong, we adore deep dish as well (Chicago Deep Dish!!!!) but it’s so much easier to make thin crust during the week for dinner.  I’ve made pizza dough from scratch (typically on the weekends) but after I’m home from work I want to assemble my pizza and put it in the oven ASAP.  To save time I use Martha White’s Thin & Crispy Pizza Crust Mix.  All you have to do is add warm water, oil.  Wait a few minutes and VOILA!  You have pizza dough!  I’ve tried a few instant mixes, but Martha White’s is super simple and tastes the best. 

You’re probably wondering why I’m talking about pizza dough when this post is for ChocoCran Biscotti, right?  Well, the Martha White brand has been around for over 100 years and became popular because they helped women bring convenience into the kitchen.  It just so happens that they recently featured a cooking contest on their website.  I’ve never entered a cooking contest so I wanted to give it a shot.  The challenge was to use any of their muffin mixes and turn them into something else besides muffins. Simple right?  Not quite. There were over 15 mixes to choose from.  Where to begin?

Choosing an idea was not the hard part, deciding what mix to use was.  Trust me, I went through many trial and errors in the kitchen.  It would be impossible for us to eat everything I baked so I began sneaking my creations into work and conveniently placing them near the coffee stations.   I say ‘sneak’ because I’m sure people began to wonder who the crazy person was that kept baking blueberry bread over and over.   I finally created 2 entries that I was proud of….Blueberries N’ Cream Bread and ChocoCran Biscotti.  

Plumping the dried cranberries

Form into logs and bake

Slice diagonally after finished baking

With the holidays quickly approaching I’ve had many requests to share my ChocoCran Biscotti recipe, so here it is!  What’s great is that it’s very easy to make (thanks Martha!) and it tastes amazing when dunked into a cup of hot coffee or tea!  And a special thanks to Sam Cusenza who was the winner of my naming contest.   I received a lot of great entries but ChocoCran Biscotti was by far the most popular!  Congratulations Sam!  You'll receive your very own personal batch of ChocoCran Biscotti this week.

ChocoCran Biscotti

Original recipe by Alissa Hebert

Servings: 22-24 slices

Prep Time:  10 mins.

Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes (cooling time included)

 

Ingredients:

• 2 (7.4 oz.) packages Martha White Chocolate Chip Muffin Mix
• 2/3 cup All-Purpose Flour
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
• 2 large eggs, slightly beaten
• 1 cup dried cranberries

Topping:

• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F. Cover a large baking sheet (16 x 14 inches) with parchment paper. 
2. Plump dried cranberries by placing in a small bowl and covering with hot water.  Soak for 5 minutes; drain.
3. Soften butter by placing in a small bowl and heating in the microwave for 35 seconds.  In a large bowl use an electric mixer to combine softened butter, eggs, flour, muffin mix, and cranberries.  
4.  Lightly flour countertop and dust hands with flour.  Place half of dough on counter and form a 10 x 3 inch log.  Place log on parchment lined baking sheet and slightly flatten. Repeat with remaining dough; space logs 2 to 3 inches apart.
5. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool on baking sheet for 1 hour.   After cooled, transfer biscotti to a cutting board and use a serrated knife to cut each log diagonally into 1/2 inch wide slices.
6. Return slices to baking sheet and lay flat on parchment paper.  Bake for 10 minutes.  Remove from oven, turn slices over, and bake for 10 minutes.  Allow biscotti to fully cool on baking sheet for 1 hour. 
7. Prepare topping by adding white chocolate chips to a small microwave safe bowl.  Heat in microwave, on medium-high, for 1 minute.  Stir until smooth.  If necessary, microwave for 20 second intervals until chocolate is melted.  Use a fork or spoon to drizzle topping over the biscotti.
8. This biscotti is best enjoyed when served with a cup of coffee or tea for dunking.  Enjoy!

Mini Cheese Balls

Thanksgiving is finally here!  Even before it arrived, I began fantasizing about all the different dishes we would enjoy at our family’s houses….turkey, cranberries, stuffing, yams, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, rolls, macaroni, and PIE!  Oh my god PIEs!  Lucky for my husband and I we were fortunate enough to have 3 Thanksgivings!  How were we so lucky?  We celebrate at the grandparent’s houses on Thanksgiving Day (one for lunch, next visit for dinner) and the following day we celebrate with my family.  It’s a whirlwind of traveling but in the end the memories we have to look back upon are priceless.

Every year, though, I find myself asking the same question….What should I make?  It seems like such a simple thing, but my options are limited when all the main dishes and desserts are taken care of by the rest of the family.  I typically find something to make by browsing my favorite online recipe sites, but this year I came across a really fun appetizer in one of my cooking magazines.    Mini cheese balls!  The article pictures are what really drew me in but then I also saw how short the ingredient list was and that was the final stamp of approval. 

The recipe below is quite simple.  All the ingredients are mixed together, made into balls, refrigerated, and then rolled in your favorite topping.    Have some fun with this recipe and experiment with different cheeses and toppings.  I divided the recipe into 2 batches.  One I made using cheddar cheese while the other I made using pepper jack cheese.  I chose a variety of toppings to make an even more colorful appetizer tray.  I rolled the cheese balls in chopped pistachios, roasted sesame seeds, and chopped almonds.  

Fresh lemon zest

 Pepper Jack (left)  & Cheddar Cheese (right) mixtures

Chopped toppings

Roll balls in chopped toppings

I brought the cheese balls to each family’s house we visited and they were a hit.   I think what people enjoyed most about these is that they’re mini.  It’s much easier to pick up a small cheese ball and place it on your plate vs. digging into a large cheese ball.   The best part about this appetizer is that you can prepare it a day ahead of time.  And, if you’re taking them to a party, they’re so easy to transport!  And besides who wants to go to a party and burden the host with using their oven to heat up a dish?  Simply refrigerate and serve with crackers.  Enjoy!

Mini Cheese Balls

Adapted from Mini Cheese Balls featured in the Food Network Magazine (November 2011, Volume 4, Number 9)

Serves: 25 – 30

Prep Time:  10 mins.

Total Time:  4.5 hours (NOTE: refrigeration time of 4 hours included)

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. softened cream cheese
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1 cup shredded cheese (like cheddar, pepper jack, parmesan or gouda)
• salt
• pepper

Suggested Topping/Outside Coatings:

• chopped pistachios
• chives
• bacon and paprika
• chopped almonds
• black & white sesame seeds

Directions:

1.       Mix cream cheese, Worcestershire sauce, lemon zest, and cheese.

2.      Season with salt and pepper.  Mix until well combined.

3.      With moistened hands form into small balls (approximately 1/2 to 1 inch thick).  When all balls have been formed, refrigerate for 4 hours before adding outside coating.

4.      Roll balls in your favorite topping/coating.  Refrigerate until ready to serve. 

5.      Serve with crackers.

Mini Egg Souffles

I’ve experimented with many new dishes for my blog, but none for breakfast.  That’s probably because breakfast is my least favorite meal.  I’ve never understood (and still don’t) why people get so excited over eggs and toast.  Throw in the typical hash browns and sausage and I still don’t get it.   I’ve eaten it many times, but have never truly enjoyed it.  Maybe it’s the ‘All American Breakfast’ that just turns me off.  Instead I swoon at pastries and bagels.  Croissants with melted chocolate in the middle?  YES PLEASE.  Crepes?  Yes I’ll have one of those.  There is one exception to not liking eggs for breakfast.  I LOVE egg soufflés.  If you haven’t tried Panera’s Spinach & Artichoke Soufflé, you haven’t lived.  This soufflé is absolutely, utterly, amazing.  Hence, why I decided to see if I could find a similar dish to make for breakfast today.  And, well, the fact that I need to find another use for my ramekins beyond chicken pot pies.

The original recipe only calls for eggs and cheese, however I’ve modified it so that you can incorporate your favorite vegetables.  I chose to add fresh mushrooms, green peppers, and onion to ours.  Because the soufflés are in the oven for a short amount of time, it’s important to cook the vegetables beforehand.  Simply add some oil to a small skillet and cook over medium heat until the vegetables are tender.  After they’ve cooked, they can then be added to the soufflé mixture.

Cooked vegetables

Ready to go in the oven

Trust me when I set out to make this dish I knew that it was not going to compete with Panera’s Spinach & Artichoke Soufflé.  Again, I highly urge you to try this breakfast at Panera’s if you haven’t already.  This soufflé, however, is the perfect alternative.  Eat it while at home in your pajamas!   Can’t beat that for a Sunday morning!   Both my husband and I really enjoyed the soufflés.  The edges and top had a nice puffy texture while the inside was incredibly moist and cheesy.  These came out exceptionally well for homemade soufflés!  Try it, you won’t be disappointed!

Mini Egg Soufflés

Adapted from Little Egg Soufflés by Cooks.com

Serves:  2

Prep Time:  5 mins.

Total Time:  20 mins.

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 tablespoon sour cream
• 1 teaspoon milk
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4  teaspoon Mrs. Dash Original Blend (salt -free) seasoning
• 4 - 5 drops hot sauce
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup sautéed vegetables (optional)

 Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350˚F.  Grease the bottom and sides of 2 ramekins (6 or 7 oz.).
2. If adding vegetables sauté in a small pan, with olive oil, over medium heat.  Cook until vegetables are translucent (approximately 5 minutes).
3. Combine all ingredients except cheese; mix well.
4. Add cheese; stir.
5. Divide mixture evenly between the ramekins.  Place on a foil lined baking sheet (to catch any spills/overflow) and bake for 12 to 14 minutes. Allow to cool 5 minutes before serving.

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

Recently I took a cooking class at the Birmingham Community House which happens to be right across the street from where I work.  How convenient!  I highly recommend checking to see if your city, or a nearby city, has a community center.  They offer all sorts of classes (exercise, cooking, foreign language, dance, etc) at very reasonable prices.  The class I took was called Quick & Easy Weeknight Meals.  The 2 hour class cost $36 and during that time we made 7 different meals and side dishes.  The best part is we were able to sample ALL of them.  YUM!!! 

This is a recipe for one my favorite sides that we tried, Roasted Potatoes.  We paired it with flank steak and these potatoes tasted divine!  This is such a simple recipe too.  The only thing you’ll find hard about assembling this dish is waiting 45 minutes while the potatoes cook in the oven.  They taste so wonderful when they come out of the oven and I am in complete agreement with our teacher who said “Why would you make French fries (implying the frozen kind) when you could make these instead? “

You can make roasted potatoes using traditional Yukon Gold, Idaho, or redskin potatoes but this recipe, including the cooking time, is specifically for Fingerling potatoes.  Until this class I had never heard of fingerling potatoes.  Fingerlings are different varieties of potatoes (French, Russian Banana, and Purple Peruvian) that grow small and narrow.  Because of their shape and size, they are perfect for roasting.  These potatoes aren’t easy to find in grocery stores though.  Our teacher told us Costco sells them, however I thought I might save myself a trip and check my normal grocery store (Meijer).  Unfortunately they didn’t carry them.  I think higher end grocery stores may carry these, but if you don’t feel like searching, Costco sells a 5 lb. bag for $6.99.  

Five pound bag of Fingerlings from Costco

The various shapes, sizes, and colors of Fingerlings

One of the most important things you’ll need to remember when making this side dish is to cut the potatoes into similar bite size pieces.  This will ensure all the potatoes cook evenly.  Otherwise you’ll have some potatoes that are mushy (over done) while others are cooked just right.  For the most part all you’ll need to do is cut the fingerlings in half.  However you’ll find that some are long and narrow while others are short and fat.  Because of this, you may need to cut a short and fat potato into quarters, while the long and skinny potatoes are halved.  This will help keep the thickness of the potatoes consistent.

When all the potatoes are sliced, you’ll need to cover them with oil and herbs.  I find that 1 tablespoon of olive oil is perfect for around 2 lbs.  You’ll want to make sure that the potatoes are evenly coated with olive oil but not swimming in it.  You may need to buy some Mrs. Dash seasoning if you don’t have any at home, but this can be found at any grocery store.  Also, you can use regular salt for these, however I find that using freshly ground sea salt really takes these up a notch.  The stores even sell sea salt  that is already packaged in a grinder.  These range from $2-4 and are sold right in the baking aisle next to all the other herbs and spices.  Below is a picture of the one I purchased at Meijer.  Once the cap is removed, the grinder works by simply twisting the top.

When the potatoes are ready to bake, use parchment paper to line a sheet pan.  Parchment paper is different from wax paper.  I previously thought they could be interchanged.  Not so much.  If you don’t have parchment paper in your house, buy a roll.  It’s super handy.  It will save your prized possessions from sticking to the pan and save YOU some scrubbing work afterwards.  When the potatoes are placed on the pan, the skin side should face down on the parchment paper while the inside of the potato faces upwards.  This will ensure the potatoes cook evenly. 

Ready to put in the oven

Enjoy!  I know you’ll love these just as much as we do.  The best part about serving these potatoes as a side is that you can pair them with a fancy dish such as steak or with something as simple as a turkey sandwich, like we did today!

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

Adapted from Roasted Potatoes recipe by Chef Pam Gustairs (Birmingham Community Center)

Serves 4-6

Prep Time: 10 mins.

Total Time:  60-65 mins.

Ingredients:

• 2-3 pounds Fingerling potatoes
• 1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
• 1/2  teaspoon Mrs. Dash Original Blend (salt -free) seasoning
• 1 -2 pinches regular salt OR 1-2 cracks of freshly ground sea salt

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350˚F.
2. Wash potatoes (peel if desired) and cut into similar bite size pieces.
3. Place potatoes in a medium bowl and add minced garlic.  Toss.
4. Add olive oil and toss potatoes to coat evenly. 
5. Add Mrs. Dash seasoning and salt.  Toss to coat all potatoes.  Tip:  Sprinkle the seasoning and salt high above the bowl instead of directly on top of the potatoes.  This ensures the seasoning will ‘sprinkle’ and not ‘clump’.
6. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.  Dump potatoes onto the pan and arrange so that all potato skins are facing down on the parchment paper. 
7. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until potatoes are golden brown and tender.

 

Snebert's Chili

Fall is such a wonderful time for chili.  It brings back memories of being a student at Michigan State University and hardly being able to contain my excitement of returning home during holiday break and having real, home cooked meals.  I can’t remember if my mom would ask me what I wanted her to make or if I requested my favorites before I even arrived home.  Either way, chili was always one of those meals. 

My mom’s chili was always good but eventually my husband (boyfriend at the time) and I created our own.  After trying a few chili recipes we had an idea of what we liked and began to write down everything we added to the pot.  We got a little crazy as this recipe serves a lot of people.  We even managed to overflow my husbands crock-pot one time.  That’s when I became wise and bought my own LARGE crock-pot that holds this recipe perfectly. 

We started our own tradition of making chili for the Detroit Lion’s first football game of the season.  We were so excited to watch the game (well maybe Ryan was a little more than me) that it helped to keep ourselves occupied beforehand.  And when the game finally started we had warm chili to cuddle up with on the coach and eat while watching the game.  Heaven.

Trust me, we become more and more creative each year.  The recipe below is just a snapshot of how we currently make our chili.  It seems like a new ingredient is always entering our crock-pot.  One year it was brown sugar, another year it was honey, and then roasted peppers.  Each new ingredient worked quite well and we kept adding them onto our base recipe.  Have fun when putting this dish together.  This recipe suits our tastes, but what do you like that’s missing?  Don’t be afraid to add different ingredients.  It’s pretty hard to ruin chili.  A few years ago I went to a hunting lodge that was hosting a chili cook off and I have never seen so many different kinds of chili!  There was cherry chili, catfish chili (yes it was even in a camouflage hunting crock-pot!) and many more.  You name it, they had it.  So be creative.

When the chili is ready have a variety of toppings to enhance your experience.  Many people like to serve cornbread with their chili.  My husband and I like to crumble it over the top of our chili.  Add a dollop of cold sour cream to cool down your first few bites while adding a bit of creaminess.  Perhaps my favorite…French’s fried onions for some texture.  And last, but not least, some freshly shredded cheddar cheese.  

Some of our favorite toppings

If you’re wondering why the chili is called Snebert’s chili, no it’s not because you’ll find it in the Lemony Snicket’s series, it’s actually made from a combination of my maiden name and my husband’s last name (now mine as well) since we were only dating at the time.  I hope you’ll enjoy this chili as much as we do!

Snebert’s Chili

Original recipe by Alissa & Ryan Hebert

Serves: 10-12 people

Prep time: 20 mins.

Total time:  5 hours

Ingredients: 

• 2 lbs ground beef
• 1 (29 oz.) can tomato sauce
• 1 (15.5 oz.) can kidney beans (with liquid)
• 1 (15 oz.) can black beans (with liquid)
• 1 (30.5 oz) can mild chili beans in chili sauce
• 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes w/ green chilies
• 1/2 of medium Vidalia onion, chopped
• 1/2 of medium red onion, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 teaspoons cumin powder
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons black pepper
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 roasted red pepper, chopped (include half of the liquid from the 12 oz. jar)
• 3 heaping teaspoons brown sugar
• Honey

Directions:

1. Cook the ground beef and drain the fat.
2. In a large crock-pot add ground beef and all of the remaining ingredients.  When adding the honey drizzle 1 to 2 drizzles over the top of the chili; stir well to combine.
3. Turn crock-pot on to high heat and cover with lid, making sure to stir every so often.  Cook on high for approximately 4 hours, then remove lid and cook on low for 1 hour.