Peanut Butter Brownies Bites

Oh sweet yumminess, cometh to me!!!

1 pkg brownie mix

Chocolate chips

peanut butter candy melts

Prepare brownie batter according to package. Using a mini muffin pan, spray with non-stick cooking spray. Pour 1 tbsp of batter into each cup. Push 3-4 chocolate chips into the batter.

Bake @ 350* for 15-17 minutes. Let cool for 10-15 minutes before removing bites from pan.

After brownies are cool, melt half a package of candy melts in a microwave safe bowl, for 1 minute @ 50% power. Stir well. If not completely melted, cook an additional 30 seconds.

Spoon a small amount of candy on the top of the brownie bites and spread around. Top with additional chocolate chips, and place in freezer for 10 min or until candy has gotten hard.

Corn Chowder

This morning we packed up the family, and headed out to the pumpkin patch. Oh the kids had a blast. Moon bounce, pony rides, and of course pumpkin picking. My 3 year old felt the need to touch every pumpkin in the field, either by rolling, or picking it up and throwing. I guess he was just testing their sturdiness. If it didn't smash into a pile of goo, then it was good enough to bring home. This was the first time I really noticed the colorful leaves. Nothing puts you in the mood for cooking like driving down, a highway lined with splashes of orange and bright read. We got home and the oven came on.

1 lb bacon

1 onion (finely chopped)

2 celery stalks (halved, and sliced)

2 cups chicken broth

2 cups vegetable broth

2 cans (14.75 oz) of creamed corn

2 cans (14.75 oz) of corn kernals (Iuse one can of sweet corn and one can of bread & butter corn)

1 can (12 oz) of evaporated milk

1 tsp basil

1 tsp oregano

1 1/2 tsp garlic (minced)

salt and pepper to taste

Using a pair of kitchen shears, cut bacon in to strips. In a large dutch oven pot, cook bacon pieces until crisp. Remove bacon, and discard all but 2 tablespoons of grease.

In remaining grease, saute onion, celery and garlic until almost tender. Add basil, oregano, and garlic. Put bacon back into pot. Add the chicken broth, and vegetable broth to pot. Bring to boil and let simmer for 15 min. Add cans of corn, and creamed corn. Bring to boil and let simmer for another 15 min. Add the can of evaporated milk.

Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer until ready to serve. I like to keep mine simmering for several hours.

Turkey Brine

Psst - Hey did you realize that Thanksgiving is a month away? Thats right, we are quickly approaching the day of culiary magic. The day where families every where gather and have but one thought, from the moment they get up in the wee hours of the morning, to the moment the tryptophan kicks in, FOOD!!!! And what sits in the center of that table? Turkey!!

In our household, we prefer to go the deep fried turkey route. What other way can you cook an entire turkey in 35 min and still leave the oven open for all the sidedishes? Which ever way you choose to cook your turkey, fried, grilled, or roasted, there is always prep work, that needs to be done. Starting with brining your turkey to ensure the juiciest bird on the block.

Now, when selecting your turkey, be sure you don't have one that is not already injected or brined. It should say "natural" on it, otherwise you will end up with a bird that is too salty to eat.

Depending on the size of your turkey, the following recipe has always produced amazing results for us.

1 gallon of chicken stock

1 gallon ice water

4-6 cups of ice

1 1/2 cup of sea or kosher salt

1/4 c sage

1/4 c savory

15 garlic cloves (peeled and sliced)

In a large pot, bring to a boil stock, salt, garlic, sage and savory. Cook until salt is disolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temprature. Pour into a 5-gallon bucket, and add ice water. Be sure to remove any innards of the turkey, and add turkey to bucket, make sure the cavitiy is full of liquid and the turkey is fully submerged. Fill one or more gallon size ziploc bags with the ice, and place on top of turkey. Place in refrigerator. Allow 1 hr per pound of turkey for brining.

Remove turkey from brine. And rinse thoroughly. Pat turkey completely dry. Especially if you plan on deep frying!!

Season as you normally would, and cook using your prefered method.

Twice Baked Potatoes With Bacon & Scallions

These are the ultimate loaded potatoes.


4 med baking potatoes
1 stick salted butter
1 pint sour cream
1 tsp lemon juice
3 slices bacon (cooked and crumbled)
1/4 c shredded cheddar cheese
1/4c shredded monterey jack cheese
2 scallions (thinly sliced)
1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper (more if you like spicy)
salt and pepper to taste
paprika

Preheat oven to 425*. Wash potatoes thoroughly and pierce. Bake in oven for 45 min or until done.


Once potatoes are done, cut in half lengthwise, and scoop out the potato leaving the skins intact. Put scooped out potato in a large bowl. Add butter and sour cream. And mash until smooth. Stir in remaining ingredients.

Using a large spoon, fill the potato skins with mixture. Top with additional shredded cheese and sprinkle with paprika. Place back in the oven for 15-20 min.

Spinach And Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts

This past week, instead of the 70* sunny weather we normally see in the DC Metro area, whe have been thrown straight into winter. Because of this weather change, I have been in full on comfort baking mode. Everything comfort, is the mood this weekend.

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (pounded to 1/4" thickness)

8 oz cream cheese (softened)

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

3/4 cup chopped fresh spinach

2 garlic cloves (minced)

1/2 shallot (finely chopped)

3 tbsp butter

1 tbsp olive oil

Sauce

1 cup white wine

1/4 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes (oil packed)

2 tbsp shallots (finely chopped)

3 garlic cloves (minced)

5 basil leaves (fresh and thinly sliced)

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup butter (cubed)

In a small bowl, mix together, cream cheese, mozzarella, spinach, shallots and garlic.

. Let breasts cool, until just warm to the touch. Spoon some of the spinach mixture on each breast and roll the breast enclosing the spinach and cheese. Secure with toothpicks. In a large skillet, melt butter and add olive oil. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and paprika, and brown both sides of chicken breast, then place in a shallow baking dish. Bake at 400* for 20-25 min.

While chicken cooks make sauce. In a small saucepan, combine the wine tomatoes, shallots, garlic and basil. Bring to a boil over medium-heat; and cook until reduced by half. Add cream and butter. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, and let simmer until thickened. Serve over chicken.

Hot Buttered Rum

This my personal remedy for the symptoms associated with H1N1 Swine Flu. If you have a sore throat, fever, and achy bones, there is no cure, but you can still find comfort.

1/2 c butter (softened)

2/3 c brown sugar

1 tbsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp all spice

1 tsp vanilla extract

Dark Rum

In a small bowl, mix all ingredients except rum. Put 1 tbsp batter in a mug and add 7 oz of boiling water. Add 1 oz rum, and stir using a cinnamon stick.

Tuscan Pot Roast

The weather is getting cooler by the day, the wind is blowing in and the leaves are turning their brilliant colors of fall. That means it is time to pull out the slow cooker and commence in the eating of comfort foods.

1 pot (chuck) roast
1 1/2 cup burgandy wine
1 large onion
several baby red potatoes
1 small bag of baby carrots
1 tbsp minced fresh garlic
1 tbsp of each - rosemary, thyme, sage, oregano, basil
1 can of diced tomatoes (juice reserved)



In a large crock pot, add a thin layer of vegtables, and place meat on top, the pour in the rest of the vegtables. Add wine and spices. Cook on low for 8 hrs. One hour before serving add can of tomatoes and half of the juice that is in the can. Serve with a mellow merlot and warm crusty italian bread.