Showing posts with label delicious. Show all posts
Showing posts with label delicious. Show all posts

Sunday, July 8, 2012

Rum-Peach Ice Cream Sundaes with Pound Cake Croutons


Drooling already aren't you! I don't blame you, this was a DELICIOUS after dinner treat! Think of it as a sweet, rich, flavorful party in my mouth! This is a grown up version of an ice cream sundae and it does not disappoint! OK, stop drooling, of course I'll share the recipe with you!

INGREDIENTS
Serves 6

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 oz pound cake, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
6 ripe peaches, cut into thin wedges
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup rum
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 pints vanilla bean ice cream

DIRECTIONS
  1. Preheat the over to 350 degrees F. In a large pan, melt 1 tbsp of butter, add pound cake and toss to coat. Spread pound cake cubes on a baking sheet and bake until toasted. About 10-15 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, add remaining butter to pan, toss in peaches and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally until the peaches are slightly softened.
  3. Add the brown sugar and stir to melt. Remove pan from the heat and add the rum and lemon juice. Tilt the pan slightly and carefully ignite the alcohol.
  4. Return pan to fire cook over medium heat until the peaches are softened and the sauce has thickened slightly, about 10 minutes.
  5. To serve, scoop ice cream into bowls and spoon peaches and sauce over the ice cream. Garnish with the pound cake croutons and serve immediately.




Friday, July 6, 2012

Happy Fried Chicken Day!

As unhealthy as fried chicken may be, who can deny that it is the absolute best way to eat chicken?!?!? All those denying this statement must have never had fried chicken so good that you don't even care if people see you lick your fingers! It is definitely something that needs to be eaten in moderation, but NOT ON THIS DAY!!! Today I invite and encourage you to indulge in this American classic! It would be unpatriotic of you to not participate since it IS after all NATIONAL FRIED CHICKEN DAY!!!

Who cares why this day was invented, let us celebrate accordingly! Here are a few different ways you can enjoy this national treasure today!

  • Cheat like my mother, who by the way is the official fried chicken cook in our family...I should say WAS because she now cheats and goes to Publix and BUYS her fried chicken. CHEATER! Cheaters never prosper so don't take her lead...unless of course it is as hot at your house as it is at mine right now.
  • Go to your favorite restaurant and throw down.
  • Ask your mother or grandmother to make some for you.
  • Make it yourself.
Frying chicken is somewhat of an art. Not everyone can do it and some just shouldn't even attempt to. You know how you are! But for those brave souls that would like to properly honor this day, I'll give you a couple of recipe options for you to try.

SPICY FRIED CHICKEN
Recipe from The Neelys
Ingredients

2 1/2 pounds fryer chicken, cut into 10 pieces
Salt and pepper
1 quart buttermilk
2 tbsp Franks Red Hot
1 tsp cayenne pepper
Peanut oil, for frying
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tbsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp paprika

Directions
  1. Season chicken with salt and pepper and set aside in a shallow baking dish. In a nonreactive bowl, mix buttermilk, hot sauce and cayenne. Pour buttermilk mixture over the chicken, cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
  2. Preheat deep fryer to 350 degrees F.
  3. In a large paper bag, add flour, cayenne, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper. Close bag and shake to mix. Shake off excess buttermilk mixture from chicken and begin placing a few pieces of chicken into the bag. Shake to coat chicken. Continue until all chicken is coated.
  4. Place chicken into the deep fryer basket and fry for about 8-10 minutes for white meat, 13-15 minutes for dark meat. Drain on a paper towel and serve!
SWEET TEA FRIED CHICKEN
Recipe from Paula Deen

I am including this because I live in the south and it just seems right. This one is a little more elaborate but well worth the effort! The recipe also included Biscones but I have not tried them yet so I left that part out.



Ingredients

Sweet Tea Brine
1 quart cold water
2 gallon-size tea bags
1 cup sugar
1 lemon, quartered
1/3 cup kosher salt
6 chicken breasts, skinless and boneless 
Oil, for deep-fryer
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, optional
1 teaspoon House Seasoning, recipe follows
Buttermilk, for dredging
1 teaspoon hot sauce
Directions
For the brine:
Bring the cold water to a hard boil and remove from the heat. Add the tea bags and steep for 5 minutes. Remove the tea bags and add the sugar; stir until dissolved. Add the lemons and kosher salt; stir to dissolve. Put in a nonreactive bowl and refrigerate to chill for 8 to 12 hours. Cook's Note: Make sure the brine is good and cold before adding the 6 chicken breasts.
Put the chicken in the brine, cover and refrigerate for 4 to 8 hours. Drain the chicken.
In a deep-fryer or heavy-bottomed pot, heat enough oil to come halfway up the sides of the pot, to 350 degrees F.
Put the flour into a shallow bowl. Add the cornstarch, black pepper, if using, and House Seasoning. Add the buttermilk and the hot sauce to a second dish. Dredge the chicken in the buttermilk, and then the flour mixture. Carefully add the chicken to the hot oil and fry until golden and fully cooked. Transfer to a serving platter and keep warm until ready to serve.
House Seasoning
  • 1 cup salt
  • 1/4 cup black pepper
  • 1/4 cup garlic powder
Mix ingredients together. Mixture can be stored in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

You should be hungry now and heading to the store so you can FRY THAT CHICKEN!!!

Thank you.

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Happy 4th of July!!!

My fondest 4th of July memories include eating ice cream or a popsicle while waiting for the the annual parade on Grand Island, NY and growing up in San Francisco and shooting off fireworks at the elementary school playground down the street from my house. No matter what, fireworks of some sort are a MUST!















And if you know anything about San Francisco, you know that actually getting to see the fireworks is a feat in itself and is only allowed if the fog feels like being nice and decides to hold off for a little while.

These days, my child doesn't get that excited about fireworks and we would have to drive somewhere to see them where we live now, so we have had small 4th of July gatherings the past couple of years. The main event...sparklers and my Patriotic Red Velvet Cake!

This cake is PERFECT!!! I make it as a simple red velvet sheet cake, top it with a cream cheese frosting and decorate with strawberries and blueberries. It's super easy, super yummy and a definite crowd pleaser!

Happy 4th!!! Enjoy the day and remember to honor the reason we celebrate this day!

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Brownie Cookie Cups...BROOKIES!!!

Like many people, I get a lot of recipe inspiration from Pinterest, how could you not?!?!? There are thousands of yummilicious looking treats and decadent meals that make you want to stop by the grocery store on the way home from work and cook up something FANTASTIC!

This brownie cookie cup is no exception! I am pretty sure I saw it on Pinterest but it wasn't a recipe it was some "special" pan that Williams-Sonoma used to carry but I don't think they do any more. But it was simply a pan that was slightly larger than a cupcake and maybe slightly flatter and I believe it was sold with brownie and cookie mixes. So today I decided to just go ahead and test it out with my old trusty cupcake pan and guess what...IT WORKED!

OK so yes, if you haven't guessed I have a bit of a sweet tooth! I do cook real food and sometimes it's even healthy! I'd probably have to actually post such things so you'll believe me, but this is a new blog so just give me a little time! {Please and thank you!}

So back to this yummy sweet ridiculousness! It's everything you would want when you can't decide between a brownie or cookies. That sounded greedy...let me rephrase...Uhmmmm... I got nothing! It's just yummy and good! And after all...isn't that what we all REALLY want deep (not so deep) down inside?!?!?!?! Just look at it!

Look how good that looks sitting on that plate! Can't you just imagine how good this would be?!?!? The brownie cup forms a perfect little bowl for the super yum brownie/cookie filling inside. It's the best of both worlds. This offers something for both the chocolate lover and the cookie fiend! It was quite simple! Just make a batch of brownies, then make the cookie dough. Or, you can be lazy like I was today and just use the box brownies, the basic Betty Crocker Fudge Brownie box is my personal favorite and grab a roll of Pillsbury chocolate chip and you're done! I greased the cups, poured the brownie mix in half way and then topped with about 2 tablespoons of cookie dough and baked for about 35 minutes.

But of course I couldn't stop there!!! Oh no...that would be nonsense to just stop at combining a cookie and a brownie. Nope...I like going that extra mile! I like pushing the envelope of ridiculous! I like going right to the edge of that cliff and then just diving off face first. Yep...I did it!!! I topped it off with some delicious Haagen Daaz Dulce de Leche Ice Cream!!! Yep...RIDICULOUS!!! 

And I won't apologize for it either!