My sunday baking fest

I decided saturday night to make strawberry muffin's and muffin tops. Sunday morning I woke up and began making homemade Mc Griddles. Yeah that was a flop it was more like a maple flavored wafer because I failed to put enough baking powder in the batter. I settled on making chocolate whoopie pies with strawberry cream cheese filling another with coconut cream cheese filling and a special one for Greg with peanut butter cream cheese filling.

Failed Mc Griddles

Whoopie pie success

Since failing miserably at my maple pancake wafers I decided to go safe and follow the recipe on the whoopie pie pan and came to find that it's freaking good. I couldn't stop licking the airy batter off the mixer blades and the spatula gave up fighting me off. lol I know I can be an outrageously cheesy person but I am who I am. Along with maple wafers and chocolate whoopie pies I am making cornbread for dinner tonight with Greg's chili from scratch. Mmmmmmm I love it.

I have no pics of the chili and cornbread since it was devoured before either of us thought to take a pic. It was so good that I wanted seconds but when there are 3 people eating and only enough for four it's not fair to be the greedy one. Although I seem to be the only one with this thought because his dad promptly devoured a second bowl lol.

Greg's addition to my muffin tops

Since the strawberry muffin tops were a hit Greg made dessert out of them. Holy cow they were so good. Tell me I don't have a food genius at home and I'll let you know quickly your wrong. Greg has so many good ideas and I love when he gets in the kitchen and goes for it.

The whoopie pies had to be frozen because there was no way they were getting eaten that night. I must say they hold up very well frozen. According to Greg he says they taste similar to a frozen devil dog which are so good.

The strawberry muffin top recipe was from joyofbaking.com and the whoopie pie recipe came from the whoopie pie pan from Wilton. The failed Mc Griddle was all my own.

Anglo-Mexican Shepherd's Pie

April 24th 2012

   Well I appolagize for not posting a picture with tonight's post.  I made a Shepherd's Pie and we all know how messy those can be. 

   Tonight's dinner is called an Anglo-Mexican Shepherd's Pie.  I normally don't make too many of these I grew up eating it but I never really found it all that exciting.  So I just don't make it often.  I must admit it (and I hate tooting my own horn) but the pie came together pretty well.  

    I seasoned the ground beef heavily with chili powder, basil, and adobo (you'll find that I cook a lot of dishes with adobo).  I browned the beef till all was fully cooked and put into a regular size bread loaf pan.  I use any pan for cooking, however I am will not use my Wilton cake pans for anything except cakes.  So I put the beef on the bottom of the loaf pan, added a layer of corn (yes from a can, I know its wrong but its easier).  After the corn is added just add some mashed potatoes that you can cook while browning the ground beef.  After I put the mashed potatoes over the corn I  then sprinkled paprika and basil over the top of the potatoes and cooked it in the oven for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees.  When it was done I let it cool for about 10 minutes and then served. 

    I recommend that you serve this Shepherd's Pie with either brown bread or really good hearty bread.  I love soaking up whatever juice in the bottom of the bowl.  I think you should try this, you really get a nice flavor from it.  You can try and present/plate this nicely if you'd like but I will admit it can be difficult because this has a tendency to just crumble.  If anyone has any ideas about plating this meal please let me know.  I will always take tips and comments.  Thank you I hope you enjoy.

   Now comes the waiting game till Brenda gets out of work and she tells me her opinion on how it came out.  We always try cooking new foods or give old foods different twists so I'm excited to hear what she thinks about it.

Cajun Chicken Alfredo atop Penne and Black Beans.

April 23rd 2012 Dinner

    Cajun Chicken Alfredo atop Penne and Black Beans.  The idea was given to me by Brenda.  She had gotten the idea from a dinner we had had at a restaurant up in Rutland Vermont about two weeks ago.  Well long story short I've cooked Italian and Cajun so I didn't think it would be hard.  I wasn't wrong but I was in for a ride.  It was a pain in the butt.  I love to cook but sometimes I get really frustrated with the "fusion-confusion" cuisine.  I can say I really enjoyed this meal though, and I'm not one for Alfredo sauce.  I don't mind it but I really really have to be in the mood to eat it.  

     The chicken was seasoned with cayenne pepper (ground), cinnamon, both garlic and onion powder, adobo, and paprika.  After putting the dry rub on the chicken get a cast iron skillet nice and hot (by hot I mean you want to set it on the stove on high for a while I mean let the pan get scary hot) and just put the chicken in the pan on the front of the breast.  Sear the chicken till it gets a nice dark brown color.  Finish off in the oven at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes make sure the chicken is thoroughly cooked.

    The alfredo sauce is the only pain in the butt part to this dinner.  I have made so many bechamels that I cry milk, however each time I make one its always a challenge.  Unfortunately due to a variable of factors no two sauces will be the same only very close.  But I rant.  On to the Alfredo sauce.   Take about 3 cups of milk and heat on medium-low and just heat till you see a slight amount of steam rising.  If the milk gets too hot it will curdle and we are not out to make cheese.  Add a little flour to the milk once its to the right temperature and stir using a wisk (make sure to whisk while adding the flour so you don't get clumps of half cooked flour).  When you are done whisking the flour add about a cup of parmasean cheese and thoroughly whisk into the thickened sauce.  Your sauce may still seem to be a little watery but let it simmer for around 20 minutes while stirring frequently.  Before you simmer your sauce for 20 minutes add some paprika, and cayenne pepper to the sauce as you like.  Make sure you taste the sauce as you go so you know how the final taste will be.  

    When the sauce has finished simmering add salt and pepper to taste.  While you are cooking the sauce go ahead and cook off your pasta.  I use penne but you can use ziti or rigatoni.  When the pasta is done add a can of black beans.  Make sure to strain and rinse them so you get the black water off of the beans.  Take about 1/3 of the sauce and add to the pasta.  Place the pasta portion on your plates.  After that add the chicken on top (you can arrange them however you like) and pour some of the alfredo sauce over the top.  Then you can garnish with either parsley, thyme, or basil.  I used parsley only because I had it on hand.

    Well go ahead and enjoy and please let me know what you think.  I will be posting many more dinners.