Chocolate Nutter Butter Banana Pie

All I can say is this is to DIE for!! It is so light and delicious! The banana’s add the perfect taste and texture. We woofed this down… I was practically eating it out of the pie pan… ok ok ok I WAS eating out of the pan! hahaha

Easy and impressive!

Chocolate Nutter Butter Banana Pie: Ingredients: 18 Nutter Butter Cookies 3 TBsp Butter or margarine 1 Med Banana, thinly sliced 2 cups cold milk 2 pkg JELLO-O Chocolate Fudge Instant Pudding 1 8oz tb thawed Cool Whip Steps: Finely Chop 16 cookies in the food processor, while melting the butter in the microwave. Add butter to processor and make sure it’s evenly divided Dump into 9″ pie pan and push around with your fingers and up the sides a bit Add milk to pudding mixed in med bowl and beat with whisk ~2-3 mins. Line the bottom of the pie with some pudding (careful not to lift up the crust) Then Gently stir in 1/2 the cool whip. Line the next layer of the pie with tons of banana slices Then pour and smooth on the pudding/cool whip mixture. Then finish with the rest of the cool whip Decorate with cookies, chips or bananas! Careful this goes fast!!

Sesame Seared Tuna Steaks & Sauce and Stuffed Onions

Seared Tuna is one of my Favorites, you can make it all SORTS of ways so it’s really fun to play around. Personally I like my tuna cooked, but most people like it raw, So just eye it when you’re cooking to your desired done-ness.

I have to say the onions are quite time-consuming, but they’re DELICIOUS and totally worth the wait! I tweaked this recipe from Paula of bell’ alimento.

The tuna was quite easy and quick! the sauce we had to tweak and test and try… then finally got it just PERFECT. I’m estimating on the quantities so please taste as you go and tweak! I know the ingredients sound funky, but we were drinking it… The Heavy Cream at the end was a last-minute decision and made the PERFECT taste we were hoping, it really mellows out the sauce in a good way!

Sesame Seared Tuna Steaks:     Ingredients: 2 Tuna Fillets (thawed) Sesame seeds crushed black pepper salt Steps: Get a non-stick frying pan hot (med high heat) Season one side of the Tuna with TONS of pepper and sesame seeds, and a heavy punch of salt. Throw it seasoned side down right on there (no oil or spray, thank goodness for non-stick!) Immediately dredge the blank side with sesame seeds, salt & pep. Cook until desired doneness 3-5 mins each side. Plate and immediately pour sauce (recipe to follow)

 

Sauce for Tuna Steak: Ingredients: 1 bunch green onions ~4 TBsp soy sauce ~3 TBsp red wine 5 Garlic cloves, minced ~4 TBSP dijon Mustard ~1 TBsp Lemon Juice ~4 oz heavy cream 1/2 cup water ground pepper Steps: Cut the onions thin, white part and some of the green (about 4-5 inches of the stalk) Heat a pot on low. Add onions, garlic, soy sauce and wine. stir till it thickens and the onions break up ~4 mins. Add water, lemon juice, mustard, and TONS of pepper. Allow the sauce to cook down and thicken, ~6-8 mins. Slowly add the cream and test and try to your desired creamyness. Stir for ~5 mins on low to heat up, then pour over Tuna Steaks.

Stuffed Onions:  Courtesy of Paula – bell’ alimento  Ingredients: 2 Large white onions 2 heaping TBsp bread crumbs 1/2 cup mushrooms, diced 1 red bell pepper, diced 1 cup white cheddar cheese, shredded 2 cloves garlic, minced olive oil salt and pepper Steps: Preheat oven to 350F and put on a large pot of water to boil. Peel the outer skin off your onions and slice the nubs off. Cook onions in boiling water 15-20 mins, remove with slotted spoon and allow to cool for ~5 mins. Do not drain the water, touch the middle of the onion and if it’s still hard return to water. The center should be quite easy to hull out. Cut off the top of the onion more so you have room to hull and stuff. Hull insides and set aside. Roughly chop the hulled portion and add to sauté pan with olive oil and garlic. cook ~4 mins Add pepper and mushrooms, season with salt-n-pep! (lots of pep!) Cook and stir ~10 mins. Then turn off heat and stir in breadcrumbs and 3/4 cup of cheese. Place hulled onions in a sprayed casserole dish. Stuff completely and sprinkle cheese over. Cover with foil and bake ~45-50 mins. Allow to cool before serving!

 

Parmesan Crusted Tilapia and Pan Seared Root Vegetable

For the main course, Chris made this delicious Tilapia and these root vegetables taste like hash browns but SO much better for you!! My mouth is watering just looking at the photo and remembering how flavorful it was in my mouth. If you’re not a fish lover you will DEFINITELY become one! Tilapia is so mild that it takes seasoning really well and it just pumps in the volume!

I highly recommend the Pan Seared Root Vegetables for your kids who aren’t eating their greens! They’ll have no idea, and they taste delish!!

Chris, you did a heck of a job! Thanks for dinner!

 

 

Parmesan Crusted Tilapia: Ingredients: 1 pound tilapia fillets (or any mild fish) 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese 2 tablespoons butter, softened, not melted 2 tablespoon mayonnaise 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1/8 teaspoon dried basil 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/8 teaspoon onion powder 1/8 teaspoon celery salt Steps: Preheat ovens broiler, Line a pan with aluminum foil and grease with cooking spray. In a small bowl mix Parm, butter, mayo, lemon juice, add in basil, pepper, onion powder, and celery salt. Mix well. Place Tilapia fillets in the greased aluminum pan, Broil a 3-5 inches from top of oven, for 2-3 minutes, then flip the fillets and broil for another 2 minutes, after that remove fillets from oven and cover with the Parm cheese mixture, broil for another 2 minutes or until the topping is slightly browned.

 

Pan seared Root Vegetable: Ingredients: (Equal Amounts!)  Carrots Turnips Rutabaga Asparagus Parsnips Steps: Cut up equal amounts of carrots, turnips, rutabaga, asparagus, and parsnips into roughly equal size pieces, roughly 1/2inch cubes Setup a pot of boiling water and season water with salt, while waiting for the water to boil, get an ice bath ready to blanch the vegetables after they are done boiling. Get a hot frying pan with some olive oil going, make sure the oil is seasoned with salt and pepper and is hot Once the water is boiling add the cut up vegetables, boil for about 2-3 minutes, strain the vegetables and place in ice bath for about 30 seconds to stop the cooking process and to help maintain bright colors of the root veg.  Pan sear the vegetables in the hot seasoned olive oil and add a teaspoon or two of parsley for some color, you could also used dried basil too Pan sear vegetables for about 5-6 minutes and serve as a side dish. Bon Appetite!

Butternut Squash Soup

I’ve been REALLY Lagging on posts so I’m trying to update! I was treated to dinner a few weeks ago and on the menu was some very sophitocated (yet easy to make) items which were delicious and impressive. I have to say… It’s tough hanging out in the kitchen and not being in charge! Thank goodness for wine!!

Butternut Squash Soup: Ingredients: 2 tablespoons butter 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 cubes chicken bouillon 1 Tablespoon honey 1/2 Teaspoon nutmeg 1 small onion, chopped 1 stalk celery, chopped 1 medium carrot, chopped 1 medium potatoes, cubed 1 medium butternut squash – peeled, seeded, and cubed 1 (32 fluid ounce) container chicken stock 1/2 (4 ounce) package cream cheese – more if you want it richer salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Steps: Melt butter in a large pot, add olive oil too, cook onion, celery, carrot, potato, and squash for about 5-6 minutes, or until lightly browned on med-high heat. Pour in enough chicken stock to cover vegetables Bring to a boil and add bouillon cube, cover pot, simmer for about 40 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stir occasionally. Transfer the soup to a blender or food processor, add in the cream cheese, honey, nutmeg and blend until smooth Return the soup to the pot and mix in any remaining chicken stock, you can add more if you like to alter the consistency of the soup, season with salt and pepper.

French Onion Soup – Rich & Dark Broth

This is another French Onion Soup recipe that I STRONGLY recommend making only if you have time… and patience…

Using about 12 large Onions that have to cook down, slowly, it makes a lot of soup and a very rich taste. Honestly after Chris made this, Restaurant French Onion Soup seems average…

Chris’s French Onion Soup:     Ingredients: 10-12 Mayan sweet onions 2 tablespoons thyme 2-3 Bay leaves 1 tablespoon salt 1 teaspoon white sugar 1 teaspoon brown sugar ½ stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter 2-3 Tablespoons olive oil 2-3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour ½ cup white cooking wine ½ cup red wine, burgundy 4 cups reduced-sodium beef broth (32 fl oz) 4 cups beef broth (32 fl oz) Cheeses for topings: Gruyère Mozzarella Provolone Gouda Finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1/2-inch-thick) diagonal slices of baguette (bread) Steps: 1. Cook onions, thyme, bay leaves, and salt in butter and olive oil  in a large heavy pot over moderate heat, uncovered, stirring frequently, until onions are very soft and deep golden brown, about 45 minutes. 2. Add flour and sugars and cook, stirring, 1-2 minutes. Add wines and cook, 2 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups of reduced-sodium broth, and pepper and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 20-30 minutes. Once this reduces down, scrape bottom of pot while stirring onions with the spoon, then add another 1 1/2 cups of reduced-sodium broth and reduce down again.  After this is done the onions should be super caramelized looking, add in the last cup of reduced sodium beef broth and the 4 cups of regular beef broth/stock, heat for an additional few minutes until soup is hot. 3. While soup simmers, put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 4. Arrange baguette slice in 1 layer on a large baking sheet and toast, turning over once, until completely dry, about 10 minutes. Remove bread from oven and preheat broiler. Put crocks in a shallow baking pan. 5. Discard bay leaves from soup and divide soup among crocks, then float a baguette slice in each. Slice enough cheeses to cover tops of crocks(I used a little of each cheese because I love it) you can use a mix of cheeses, allowing ends of cheese to hang over rims of crocks, then sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano. 6. Broil 4 to 5 inches from heat until cheese is melted and bubbly, 1 to 2 minutes. 7. Be careful when removing crocks from oven and baking sheet they are extremely hot!

Photoshoot!

Here are the photos from my shoot with Dave & Melissa of Empire West Photo.

We had a great time shooting in the Tops Cooking School Kitchen, and Ali jumping in for a few photos with our matching aprons!

Thanks again to Dave and Melissa for your time and talents!

Check out their site to book your next photosession!!

Galette des Rois

I’ve been craving this Galette for a few weeks now… wondering where this sudden kick came from… then I realized that when we lived in France we had a Galette des Rois every year around this time.

A French Tradition to celebrate l’Epiphane, this holiday celebrates Christ being visited by Les Rois Mages (The Magi),  Three kings (Gaspard, Balthazar and Melchior).

The actual date is January 6th, the twelfth night, with a cake which literally translates to “The Kings Cake”. The cake contains a lucky charm (une fève) which originally was a bean, a symbol of fertility, now it’s often a charm made out of china or metal.  The charm can take any shape or form and can either be very plain, glazed or handpainted. It sometimes represents a religious figure such as the baby Jesus, but it can be virtually anything. Next time I’m at my parent’s I’ll take some pictures of the ones we’ve collected over the years!

The recipes vary, and honestly are nothing compared to the huge ones we got from the boulangerie in Chalon-sur-Saône. Yes we used to live in Burgundy France, hence my love for Red wine.

Our street came right up the left side of this photo into the courtyard. We used to eat Croissants at the cafe in the right side of the photo. sighhh.

At any rate, it’s a very flavorful Almond paste wrapped in a flaky golden delicious crust.

But it still was delish!! [don't worry I have extras for you Mom & Larissa ]

Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries

I know it’s been decades since I’ve posted! Can’t even believe how busy I’ve been! I have the photos from my latest shoot I’ll be posting soon (hold your horses!) The Knighthawks Lacrosse season has started, so I’m busy doing Promotional Modeling which is a BLAST! I’ve met some awesome girls, and of course doing it with my little/best friend Ali! I had to put-down my dear child… my 1996 Pathfinder, VERY VERY sad, but I have a new addition to my family with a shiny new Highlander, Mom has helped name it “Scottie” a very clever name… can any of you figure it out? and as a New Years resolution I’ve started studying for my Architect Registration Exams… So needless to say I’ve tried to get in my kitchen to do more than zap something in the microwave… hence these Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries! SO DARN EASY I’m almost embarrassed to post… but they’re sooo delicious and taste just like cheesecake that I have to spread the recipe along. You can definitely make the filling ahead, but don’t stuff them unless you will be serving that day, or else the strawberries could get a little soggy. I rolled them in crushed up Snickers bar, but you could dip them in chocolate, nuts, coconut, you get it… I also whipped in 3 Tablespoon’s of Hershey’s Cocoa Powder for chocolate ones… can’t even decide which ones I like better!

Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries: Ingredients: ~2 dozen large strawberries, firm 12 oz cream cheese 2 tsp vanilla 1/4 cup confectioner’s sugar 3 TBsp Cocoa Powder (opt) Topping: nuts, candy, choc, etc. Steps: Whip softened cream cheese, vanilla and sugar together for ~5 mins to get fluffy. Hull strawberries as deep as possible. Spoon filling into each one, then dip into chopped topping. Chill and serve! VOILA!

Scottie!!

Homemade Pasta – Perogies and Spinach Pasta Dish

Yes I’m alive!! I’m sure everyone’s been super busy with the mayhem of the holidays as well so you understand…

I had another photoshoot with Dave & Melissa of Empire West Photography .You can check out some shots on their site and I’m very excited to get the prints from them to post!!

My Mom has let me borrow her pasta maker… this is SO fun and incredibly flavorful. I encourage everyone to at least try it once, the only thing is it’s time-consuming… but the end results are LOADED with flavor and love.

I did a basic dough recipe and then added some other things. These recipes come by the thousands so everyone is different, and you end up tweaking a bit when you’re making it (too dry or too wet etc) At any rate, here is mine:

Basic Pasta Dough: Ingredients: 2-1/4 to 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/3 cup water 2 eggs 1 egg yolk 1 TBsp olive oil 1 to 2 tsp salt Steps: In large bowl, combine 1 cup flour and remaining ingredients. With mixer at low speed, beat 2 minutes, occasionally scraping bowl. With wooden spoon, stir in enough additional flour to make a soft dough. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface, knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Cover dough and let rest 30 minutes. Makes 1 pound of dough Notes:  I added 1 TBsp garlic powder, 1 tsp cayenne and TONS of fresh ground pepper.

Note to self… get a pasta drying rack…

Obviously I tied some string to my cabinets to let the pasta dry… totally disregarding the fact I might have to access some things inside them…

After running the pasta through, hang to dry for one hour, throw/cook in boiling water approx. 5 mins. If you don’t let it dry cook for approx. 3 mins. I know it’s SUPER quick, so keep an eye on it and test them.

Pasta with Spinach & Sun-dried Tomatoes:  Ingredients: 1 LB Fettucine olive oil 8-10oz Sun-dried tomatoes in oil, chopped 10oz chopped spinach 8oz crumbled feta 6oz Kalamata Olives, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/4 to 1/2 cup toasted pinenuts or slivered almonds. Steps: Cook Pasta according to directions Meanwhile, On a medium skillet, warm some olive oil on med-low, throw in minced garlic for 2-3 mins (do not burn!) Then throw in chopped spinach, Sun-dried toms (reserve the oil) then kalamata olives. Cook ~10mins to allow the flavors to blend adding salt-n-pep as necessary. When pasta is done, drain and put back into pot. Stir in the spinach blend adding sun-dried oil reserve as necessary for consistency, then add feta to allow it to melt with heat from pasta. Then toss with the toasted nuts. Bon Appetito!

Perogie Filling:  compliments of Chris  Ingredients: 2.5 pounds of potatoes, cut and boiled 1 pint heavy cream warmed 1/2 cup sour cream warmed 4 tablespoons melted butter 1 table spoon parsley 2 strips cooked bacon diced 1/8 cup diced onion cooked/caramelized 1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese Steps: Peel, cut and boil the potatoes until soft On Med heat, cook bacon and onions and set aside. In a saucepan on low, heat butter, sour cream and heavy cream, once heated add Parmesan cheese and stir while it melts Add parsley to the butter/cream/cheese mixture Drain potatoes and place back into pot After bacon and onions are cooked and sautéed, add them to potatoes along with the cream/parsley/cheese mixture mash until proper consistency. Serve as mashed potatoes, or allow it to cool for Perogie Filling.

Foodista Entries!

Hi All!

Along with millions of other bloggers… I’ve been asked to submit some posts into the Foodista contest in hopes to get published in “The Foodista Best of Food Blogs Cookbook”

How it works is by votes, so I need your help!

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