Chopped Thai Chicken Salad with Spicy Peanut & Lime Dressing

Chopped Thai Chicken Salad with Spicy Peanut & Lime Dressing

Ingredients

Salad 

1/2 head of red cabbage. Chopped.
1/2 cup chopped green onion.
1 cup shredded carrot. 
1 cup sliced peppers {I used sweet mini peppers}. 
1 cup sliced cucumber.
1 cup chopped peanuts.
1/4 cup chopped cilantro. 
1 or 2 sliced grilled chicken breast. 

 Spicy Peanut & Lime Dressing 

2 limes. Juiced.
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar.
1 teaspoon sesame oil.
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup creamy natural peanut butter.
1/4 cup water.
1/4 cup olive oil.
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon each of salt & pepper.

*Blend dressing ingredients with emulsion blender (or a counter top blender) until smooth. Use immediately or refrigerate. 

ENJOY!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies 

1 cup butter {softened}
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups flour
2 cups rolled oats
1 bag of milk chocolate chips {I prefer Guittard}

• Preheat oven to 350° and line a baking sheet with parchment.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cornstarch and salt.
• In a mixer, with paddle, beat together the butter and sugars until fluffy. Then add eggs and vanilla and beat for one more minute. 
• Add the flour mixture and mix to combine. 
• Stir in the oats and chocolate chips.
• Drop by teaspoonfuls onto the baking sheets, spacing the dough 1 inch apart. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until lightly golden in color. Remove to cooling racks.

Enjoy!

Risalamande {Danish Christmas rice pudding}

Risalamande

Ingredients •

1 cup water 

180 g short grain rice (arborio)

1 liter milk

100 g peeled almonds chopped

2 vanilla beans

4 Tbsp Sugar

1/4 liter heavy whipping cream

1 can cherry pie filling 

Directions•

Risengrød {rice pudding}

•Bring water and rice to a boil in a covered pot. 

•Boil rice over medium heat while stirring for 2 minutes. 

•Add milk and boil over low heat, continually stirring, for about 10 minutes. 

•Put lid on and boil for about 30 minutes - stirring occasionally, until a thick porridge has formed. 

•Put pot in the fridge and let cool completely {best to use next day}.

Next day . . .

•Roughly chop almonds and set aside. 

•Scrape vanilla bean pulp from vanilla beans into a bowl and add sugar - then use your hands or a fork to mix until well blended. 

•Mix together rice, vanilla bean sugar mixture, and almonds.

•Whip the cream and fold it into the rice mixture. 

•Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least two hours before serving.

•When chilled and ready to serve, top each serving with a generous spoonful of canned cherry pie filling. 

Voilà! Delicious Danish Christmas rice pudding. 

PS. I always double the recipe.  It's that good. 

Best Pumpkin Bread Ever

Best Pumpkin Bread Ever

Makes 2 loaves

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon fine salt

2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground allspice

2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon vanilla (I use vanilla bean paste)

3 cups sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

15 ounces canned unsweetened pumpkin puree

4 large eggs

1 1/3 cup water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter first and then lightly spray the bottom and sides of two 9-inch loaf pans with a nonstick cooking spray (I use coconut oil spray). This might seem excessive, but if you want your loaves to fall out perfectly then do it. Just do it, okay. 

Whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a small bowl.

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the 8 tablespoons softened butter, sugar, and oil at high speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl a few times.

Add the pumpkin puree and vanilla and mix until combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix until just incorporated. At low speed, slowly add the flour mixture and water and mix until just combined. Spread the batter into the prepared pans (sprinkle course sugar on top if you like a sugary crust) and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 60 to 75 minutes. Let cool in the pans on a baking rack for 10 minutes. Remove from the pans and let cool completely.

Tip: I slice my bread upside down and then invert onto a serving dish. Much easier to get thin pretty slices. You're welcome. 

Adapted from Bobby Flay's Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Spicy Caramel Apple Sauce and Vanilla Bean Creme Anglaise. Which I will be making for Thanksgiving. Holla!!!

Danish Frugt Salat {Fruit Salad}

Ever since my friend Erin made me this fruit salad I've been, well, obsessed to say the least. I could eat it...Every. Single. Day. Erin's husband Kristian is from Denmark and while Erin lived there with him for 4 years she said this was a staple for dessert. I've had several people ask for the recipe, so Erin said I could go ahead and share it. {Thanks Boo!!!}--You'll be hunting her down for a big fat hug once you try it. I promise. 

Danish Frugt Salat {Fruit Salad}

Ingredients:

~4-5 cups fresh fruit 

{grapes, strawberries, apples, blueberries, raspberries and peaches are my faves}

~1 cup heavy whipping cream

~ 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

~ 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste {I use this one, but any vanilla will work.} 

~ 1 bar of dark chocolate {I like Lindt Black Currant and Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Truffle}

...If you don't have a Trader Joe's I feel really bad for you. You should move somewhere where they have one. 

Wash and chop the fruit. I might add that I feel grapes are a must--they add the perfect texture. 

Whip up the cream, sugar and vanilla for 3-4 minutes on high--or until it looks like this. 

Roughly chop the chocolate.  

Mix it all together and serve immediately. I don't add the raspberries until after it's served--I don't like them mushy. 

It keeps in the fridge for a day but it's best to eat right away. If there's enough leftover to actually put in the fridge then something's wrong...OR you need to invite me over to help you eat it. 

Enjoy!

Tropical Crème Brûlée Pavlova

You guys, I'm no chef. I do, however, have some impressive eating skills, which means I can make some pretty yummy food. I made this Tropical Crème Brûlée Pavlova for my friends baby shower, so I thought I'd share the recipe. It's like summer exploded on a plate. You'll love it.

Tropical Crème Brûlée Pavlova

Pavlova~

{adapted from recipe here}

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup sugar*

1 teaspoon Corn Starch

1 teaspoon Vanilla

2 Egg Whites

1 teaspoon White Vinegar

5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon Boiling Water

*In order to make this a smooth Pavlova, blitz the sugar in the blender for 30 seconds

Before you start, make sure all your equipment and utensils are completely grease free as it will change the texture of the Pavlova. Place all ingredients into a bowl, beat at a high speed for 15 minutes. At first this looks very watery and like it isn't enough to make anything but watch... It quickly thickens, thanks to the corn starch, and turns a bright white.

After it has been beaten for 15 minutes, pipe the meringue onto a cookie sheet that has been lined with parchment paper. If you don't have parchment paper, greased foil works well too!! I used a large Wilton tip and a disposable decorating bag in order to achieve the look below. Pipe in a circular motion and create a nest look by adding an extra layer to the outer edge of the Pavlova.

Place this in a 300 degree oven for 33 - 35 minutes. It won't change shape, or expand. It will look the same going in as it does coming out of the oven. It will harden but is still relatively fragile. Let cool completely on the tray before filling and decorating. Use a light touch when transporting the pavlova from the tray to any other surface.

  

Crème Brûlée~

{adapted from recipe here}

Ingredients

1 quart heavy cream

1 vanilla bean, split and scraped

1/2 cup vanilla sugar, divided

6 large egg yolks

2 quarts hot water

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Place the cream, vanilla bean and its pulp into a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Remove the vanilla bean and reserve for another use.

In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup sugar and the egg yolks until well blended and it just starts to lighten in color. Add the cream a little at a time, stirring continually. Pour the liquid into 9X9 glass Pyrex. Place the pan onto a large cake pan or roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the baking dish. Bake just until the Crème Brûlée is set, but still trembling in the center, approximately 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the dish from the roasting pan and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.

Mango and Berry Sauce~

Ingredients

1 cup fresh strawberries-stem removed

1/2 cup fresh blackberries

1 whole mango-peeled and sliced

2 tablespoons sugar

First take all berries and 1 tablespoon of sugar and blend in blender for 1-2 minutes. Pour that into a squeeze bottle, then clean out the blender and repeat with mango and 1 tablespoon sugar. Pour the mango into another squeeze bottle and use to decorate plate before plating Pavlova.

How to put it all together~

Decorate plate with fruit sauces and then gently place a Pavlova on the plate and fill with a generous spoonful of Crème Brûlée. Sprinkle the Crème Brûlée with sugar and then lightly torch the whole Pavlova with a kitchen torch. I garnished with mint, raspberries and shaved white chocolate.

BAM! Enjoy :)

Mini Pavlova

Large Pavlova

Coconut Ginger Granola

Coconut Ginger Granola

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup slivered almonds
• 1 cup shredded sweet coconut
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup ginger syrup (I've used agave or maple syrup too)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
• 1/4 cup coconut oil (vegetable oil may be used)
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 
  
• Directions

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, coconut, and brown sugar. In a separate bowl, combine ginger syrup, oil, vanilla and salt. Combine and mix well, then pour onto sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Cook for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes to achieve an even color. Remove from oven and transfer into a large bowl.

*You can use any nuts you have on hand as substitution.  

*I always double the recipe and bake it on two sheet pans. Alternating bottom and top rack when I take them out to stir. We eat LOTS of granola around here :) Enjoy!

Chicken Piccata

After posting this iPhone~instagramed~photo of my dinner, I had a few recipe requests. It's a compilation of a few recipes I found long ago while trying to recreate the Cheesecake Factory Chicken Piccata. So. So. So. Yummy. Definitely one of my favorite dishes there. Enjoy!

Chicken Piccata

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, flattened with a mallet
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine
2 tablespoons lemon juice plus 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
1/4 cup cream
2  tablespoons capers
2  tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan

DIRECTIONS:

In a shallow dish, mix together flour, salt and paprika. In a separate dish mix together egg and milk. Dip chicken pieces in egg mixture, then in seasoned flour.

In a large skillet, heat butter over medium high heat. Saute chicken pieces until golden brown. Add mushrooms and saute for 3 to 5 minutes.

In a medium bowl combine the broth, wine, lemon juice and cornstarch. Mix together and pour mixture over chicken and mushrooms. Reduce heat to medium low and let chicken mixture simmer for 25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear. Add cream and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Add capers in the last few mintues. Serve over angel hair pasta and finish with Parmesan! MMMMM! =)