cook something new every week

Everyone seems to have a different passion. Cooking is mine. Usually I like to keep the structure in using a solid cook book. Religiously I follow each measurement to the T. But about two days ago I stepped out of my shell and tried something new. It was a simple recipe, just macaroni but I sure did like it.

I cooked half a box of elbow macaroni and drained it.
TIP: Add salt while boiling the water
Putting the noodles back into the pot I added two scoops of vanilla yogurt. (I was going to use plain, but after I had added the yogurt I realized my mistake. Oh well, to late.)
After shredding over two cups of sharp cheddar I added it to the pot and mixed it all together.
After tasting the noodles they tasted well… wrong far to sweet from using the vanilla yogurt. My ‘little’ friend was visiting and I was craving salt. So I added a pack of tuna into the pot and mixed it together. I was very, very hesitant to eating the dish at first but after I tried it I fell in love.

These measurements are not exact.

Apple Dumplings and Smothered Pork Chops. I was going to make the beef stew but plans fell through. Tomorrow night I’m making the Chicken Pot Pie (and strawberry cupcakes). I’d have to say the Apple Dumplings were the easiest thing I’ve EVER made and oh-so-very awesome. Here’s the website I got ‘em from – Our Best Bites (pretty much the best recipe webbie I’ve come across yet!).

I’ve been doing this more than ever lately! In the past month I’ve made a homemade apple pie (first time ever!), Chilaen Sea Bass en papillote (first time ever!), and meatloaf (first time ever as well!). This week I’m making a smokey beef stew and next week I’m making a chicken pot pie. Mmm mmmm mm!

The first of my new meals. Meatballs wrapped in bacon to make them even more meaty. The balls were yummy the sauce however was a little bland and too oniony.

Next week – chicken & couscous one pot

I’m trying to make the number on the scale go down (not up, lol), so I’m going to stop with this goal. It was fun and I love cooking new stuff, but I just don’t like many new “healthy” recipes I’m finding. For now I think I’ll stick to my favorite weight loss foods – yogurt, salad, soup, tuna salad. Not cooking makes losing weight so much easier.

So I didn’t make snickerdoodles this week, but I still made an awesome dessert.

Ingredients:
Enough oil to fill the bottom of a skillet
1 flour tortilla
A cup of sugar and a tablespoon of cinnamon (give or take)
2 scoops of vanilla ice cream
A few tablespoons of caramel sauce

Directions…
First you heat up a skillet of oil, until it bubbles a little bit. You take a flour tortilla and put it into the hot oil. It’ll puff up, so you cut a slit in the middle to release the air (or don’t, it really doesn’t make too much of a difference). Flip it. While it’s cooking fold up a bunch of paper towels and sprinkle some sugar and cinnamon onto them. Fry the tortilla til it’s golden brown on both sides. As soon as it both sides are golden, take it out and put it on the paper towels. Flip it a couple times. This will drain the oil off and cover the tortilla in cinnamon & sugar. While it’s still warm scoop the vanilla ice cream onto the fried tortilla and drizzle it with caramel sauce. Serves two. Enjoy!

^{I looked online and there are a ton of much harder ways to make this treat, but this is how they make it at one of my favorite out-of-town restaurants when I’m on vacation.}

So I stumbled upon a recipe for some yummy-looking snickerdoodles and I am going to try them… I need to buy cream of tartar & parchment paper this Friday when I go grocery shopping, then I’ll make them Friday night =D

Snickerdoodles

Yield: About 4 dozen

2¾ cups flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1½ cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or a baking mat and put in refrigerator to chill.

2. Whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.

3. Cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.

4. Gradually stir in the flour mixture, beating on low speed just until the flour is blended.

5. Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes.

6. In the meantime, mix together the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.

7. Scoop 1-inch balls of dough and roll in the cinnamon and sugar mixture to coat.

8. Place on chilled cookie sheet about 2 inches apart and bake for 10 minutes.

9. Chill the dough and cookie sheets between batches.

10. Let cookies set on baking sheet for 2-3 minutes and then remove to a cooling rack. Store cookies in an airtight container.

Oh, && I got the recipe from the Brown-Eyed Baker (an awesome looking recipe website!)

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 cups packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 container (15 oz.) coconut-pecan frosting
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup quick oats
2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
1 cup raisins

^{I’m going to omit the raisins. I love raisins, I really do… But chocolate chips and raisins can’t cohabitate.}

Directions:
PREHEAT oven to 350° F.

BEAT butter on medium to high speed for 30 seconds in large mixer bowl. Add brown sugar and eggs; beat until combined. Add frosting, peanut butter, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; beat until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can. Stir in oats and any remaining flour. Stir in morsels and raisins. Drop dough by rounded teaspoon 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets.

BAKE for 12 to 15 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 1 minute; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Any suggestions?

And she LOVES chocolate, so I think I’m going to try making this for her…

TRUFFLE BROWNIES!

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 stick margarine
• 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate chopped
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• Chocolate ganache for topping, recipe follows
• Special equipment: 9-inch round foil cake pan

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Using a hand held electric mixer, beat the eggs and salt together in a large mixing bowl until frothy. Add the sugar and beat until the eggs are thick and pale yellow, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and beat an additional 30 seconds.

Put the margarine and chocolate in a microwave safe container and microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir to insure that the chocolate has melted. Microwave an additional 30 seconds, if needed.

With the mixer running, pour the melted chocolate into the egg mixture. Add the flour and beat 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat an additional 30 seconds.

Spray the cake pan with a pan release spray and pour in the brownie batter. Place the pan on the top rack of the oven and bake 15 to 20 minutes until the center is barely set.* Remove the pan from the oven and let cool. Top with the ganache and place in the freezer for at least 1 hour.

To serve, remove from freezer and slice immediately. Allow to come to room temperature before serving.

*Cook’s Note: If tested with a toothpick the center will still be gooey. If tested by touch, the center will be soft. It will set once frozen.

Chocolate Ganache:

1/2 cup (4 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup heavy cream

Put the chocolate chips and cream into a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Remove the bowl and stir with a whisk or fork until well mixed. Use immediately. If using the ganache later it will need to be reheated.

Yield: 3/4 cup