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San Diego, CA
Self-taught baking goddess takes on the world, armed only with her kitchen-aid mixer.

Monday, February 20, 2012

Dinner & Dessert!

Four day weekends are glorious.

For as terrible as I felt yesterday, I am at the other end of the spectrum today. Maybe it was the 5.5 mi run this morning. Maybe it was an entire day of lounging around yesterday. Maybe it was two solid nights of 10 or more hours of sleep. Maybe it's a combination of all of those things.

Whatever it is? Be thankful. Don't question. Because I have taken that energy and after cleaning up the garage, doing mountains of laundry, organizing the linen closet, grocery shopping, bill paying and pruning the hell out of my fruit trees, I still have enough zip to put together a dinner that promises to be just delicious.

If you know me at all, you know that most of my meals are meatless, or only involve chicken. And lately, there's been a whole lotta tofu in my kitchen. BUT, I took a leap of faith today. I've been doing a lot of reading about how your diet effects your workouts, energy and stamina. I'm trying to mix things up a bit and make my kitchen adventures a little more exciting. So, pork is making a fairly rare appearance on my menu. Along with some other, more familiar, ingredients.

Read, salivate, enjoy.

I'll set an extra place at my dinner table for you tonight.

Apple-Stuffed Acorn Squash
 photo by Jessica Y.
Apples + squash = yum!
  • 1 medium acorn squash
  • 1 cup chopped, tart apple
  • 4 teaspoons honey
  • 2 teaspoons butter
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar 
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Cut squash in half; discard seeds. Place squash cut side up in a loaf pan. Pierce the inside of the squash several times with a fork. Rub brown sugar on the inside of the squash.
  3. Dice apples, toss with cinnamon and nutmeg. Fill centers of the squash with apple. Cover and bake  for 30 minutes.
  4. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the honey and butter. Cover and microwave on high for 15-20 seconds or until butter is melted. Drizzle over squash. Sprinkle with a little more cinnamon and brown sugar. Bake, uncovered, 25-30 minutes longer or until tender. 

Caramel Apple Pork Chops
adapted from All Recipes.com
 photo by Jessica Y.
I don't know about you, but it's not all that often that these guys find their way into my dinners.
  • 4 pork chops
  • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 tart apples - thinly sliced
  • 3 tablespoons pecans (optional)
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
  2. Arrange chops in a baking dish with a lid.
  3. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, salt and pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg. 
  4. Add butter to a  skillet and melt. Stir in brown sugar mixture and apples. Cover and cook until apples are just tender. Remove apples with a slotted spoon and arrange on top of chops. Keep warm in the preheated oven.
  5. Continue cooking sauce uncovered in skillet, until thickened slightly. Spoon sauce over apples and chops. 
  6. Return chops, apples and sauce to the oven. Bake, covered for 25 minutes.
  7. Sprinkle with pecans and bake uncovered for 10 minutes.
Super Creamy, Dreamy, Rich and Delicious
Reese's Massacre Ice Cream
Adapted from the Ultimate Ice Cream Book
 photo by Jessica Y.
Peanut butter, Chocolate, Ice Cream... Heaven. 

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 7 large egg yolks
  • 1 1/2 cups half and half
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 10 mini Reese's, chopped
  • 1 handful chocolate chips, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

1. Beat the sugar, salt and egg yolks together in a medium bowl. Beat until thick and pale yellow. Set aside.
2. Bring the half and half to a simmer in a medium pot.
3. Slowly pour the half and half into the egg yolk mixture. Stir to combine.
4. Pour the egg/half and half mixture back into the pot. Return the pot to the heat.
5. Cook until the egg custard thickens, stirring constantly.
6. Pour the custard through a strainer into a large, clean bowl.
7. Allow the custard to cool slightly and then stir in the cream and vanilla.
8. Cover and refrigerate overnight, or until cold.
9. Poor the custard into ready ice cream maker and follow the device's directions.
10. In the last 5-7 minutes of the mixing cycle, add chopped candies and peanut butter.
11. Transfer to a freezer-safe container and let freeze for about 2 hours.

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Chicken, Spinach and Gnocchi Soup

You may or may not be aware that I don't have a heater. If you know me at all, you must know... because I've been complaining about it relentlessly since September. I've been in a back and forth war with my home warranty company since the end of summer, and it seems that everyone just wants to pass the buck. But, as sad as that is, it's not the point.

Being a teacher, I worship, crave and live for my long weekends and extra days off. I know there are plenty of people out there who think, Oh, but you have summers off... Right, I do. But guess what I? I don't get paid during the summer. And I work 10 to 12 hour days, often, during the school year. But also, again, this is not my point.

But these things are coming together. I have a long weekend. And my heater doesn't work. And it's cold. And I'm sick. I can't seem to get warm, my throat is raw, like someone raked over it with sand paper and thumbtacks. My body hurts. My brain is full of snot.

I am determined not to let this dang cold ruin what is left of my weekend. There are too many runs to enjoy and too many group X classes that I need to take. And if I choose to lie around on the couch all day, I want to do it by choice, not by default.

So I am making myself better. With soup. Delicious, creamy, healthy soup. And you should make it, too. It's the yummiest! I'm fairly certain that you don't need to be sick to enjoy this, but I may also market this as an absolute cure-all. One bowl and I'm already feeling better!

Sign me up for five miles AND bootcamp tomorrow!

Gnocchi, Chicken and Spinach Soup
adapted from allrecipes.com
photo by Jessica Y.
Full of yummy veggies, shredded chunks of chicken and just enough creaminess to call it perfection.
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 3 stalks celery, diced
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • 2 small sweet chili peppers, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 carrots, shredded
  • 1 pound cooked,  shredded chicken
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 (16 ounce) package mini potato gnocchi
  • 1 (6 ounce) bag baby spinach leaves
  • 1 can evaporated milk
  • salt and ground black pepper to taste
  1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook onion, celery, garlic, and carrots in the hot oil until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. 
  2. Stir in cubed chicken and chicken broth; bring to a simmer.
  3. Stir gnocchi into the simmering soup and cook until they begin to float, 3 to 4 minutes. 
  4. Stir in spinach; cook until wilted, about 3 additional minutes.
  5. Stir evaporated milk into the simmering soup. Cook until soup thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes

Chocolate.

Peanut butter.

What more could you want?

I think that combination is a deadly vice for many people, myself included. Luckily, these cupcakes are rich and creamy enough that just one satisfies that craving... and pairs perfectly with a glass of chocolate milk.

I came across this recipe in our Sunday paper. After a few tweaks and adjustments, I think I've got a winner. I brought these to school and they were gone in a matter of minutes, if that's any indication.

photo by Jessica Y.
A magical marriage of chocolate and peanut butter.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes


For the filling:
  • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • ¾ cup creamy peanut butter
  • 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • ½ tsp. vanilla extract
For the cake:
  • 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 2 tbsp. milk
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1½ cups sugar
  • 2 large eggs
For the frosting:
  • 8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
  • ½ cup creamy peanut butter
  • 3¼ cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed
  1. Preheat the oven to 350° F.  Line two cupcake pans with paper liners.
  2. To make the filling, combine the confectioners’ sugar, peanut butter, butter and vanilla extract in a bowl.  Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until well combined.  Roll the mixture into 1-inch balls (at least 24) and set aside on a baking sheet.
  3. To make the cake batter, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl; whisk together and set aside.  In a liquid measuring cup, stir together the sour cream, milk and vanilla extract.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar, and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Beat in the eggs one at a time.  With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the dry ingredients and the sour cream mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.  Mix just until incorporated.
  4. Spoon a tablespoon or two of batter into the bottom of each cupcake liner.  Place a ball of the peanut butter filling in each cupcake well and top with the remaining batter so that all the cups are filled.  Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 
  5. To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese, butter and peanut butter until smooth.  Slowly mix in the confectioners’ sugar, beating until smooth and well blended.  Mix in the whipped topping until smooth and fluffy.