Buffalo Chicken Dip

 I have been enjoying all of the Buffalo chicken items the restaurants are offering now. I first had this dip at a place we went to for my work Christmas gathering the year before last. Served piping hot with melted cheese over the top, big crisp tortilla chips to dig into it with. yum!

You know I have to make my own...plus my family (mostly my daughter) loves to eat it up too.

 So basically this is what I did to create my version.

Nothing is exact but I'll give you about what I used.

• 1 1/2 cup cooked chicken (rotisserie chicken would work great)
• 1 8 oz package of cream cheese (softened at room temperature)
• 1/2 cup ranch or blue cheese dressing (I added some ranch dressing powder)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup red hot sauce like Franks
• 1/4 cup of blue cheese (I like blue cheese, but you can leave it out)
• 6 oz shredded cheese to sprinkle on top

 Method:
Shred or dice up the cooked chicken then set aside. In a glass bowl mix the cream cheese, I used the microwave just a bit to soften it enough to stir around. Add the hot sauce and adjust it to your liking...more or less depending on how hot you like it. Mix in the milk and dressing, I used powdered ranch mix and some powdered blue cheese dressing mix I picked up at a new bulk food store near us that just opened, but you can use the dressing. Add enough liquid to get a nice consistency to add all that chicken and mix it up well. Pour it into a baking dish and sprinkle the shredded cheese over the top whatever cheese you like I used a Cheddar Jack blend. Bake in a medium hot oven (350°) for 20-30 minutes until heated through and cheese is bubbly and nicely melted.

 Serve with some good thick tortilla chips so they won't break when you dip into it.

 This is the only way my daughter will eat blue cheese. She first was okay with Gorgonzola cheese when I made the Gorgonzola gnocchi from Trader Joe's not too strong, and I didn't tell her it was a blue cheese until after she ate it...so now she is willing to get a little more adventurous with blue cheese, but with all the ingredients here it is not too strong at all....she must not mind it because she finished the dip the next day for lunch. Do you like blue cheese?

A great dip for the weekend! Dig in!

Parmesan Chicken Tenders - and some weather

This is a healthier version of chicken tenders, since they are baked not fried. Of course you can pan fry them and they turn out just as good. I usually get the chicken tenders when on sale and the is usually in the bonus size. With a family of three that leaves a lot of leftovers. Which these work great for, to make a wrap for lunch. I will go ahead a make all of them and freeze them in meal size packages. Then warm them on my stoneware with some fries(or veggies) and my daughter is all set to go for a quick meal.

 I usually dust them in flour first, but this time I didn't and I think the breading stayed on better. It makes them easier to dip. Get two flat shaped bowls or pie tins and lightly beat 1 egg with about 1 Tablespoon deli mustard (you can use Dijon).

 In the other bowl or pie tin, I used half and half bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese (sometimes more parm). Season the bread crumbs with salt and pepper and whatever seasoning you like... I used grill seasoning on mine.



Dip the chicken in the egg/mustard mixture then lay it into the Parmesan mix lightly pressing into the crumbs. Use one hand in the egg so the other will stay dry. Place the breaded tender onto a baking sheet. I always use my stoneware for this. I have a large bar pan that works great. With the stoneware you don't have to grease it or turn the tenders to brown them. Spray the tops with cooking spray or I sprinkled with a little olive oil over each one (just a touch). Bake at 375 F degrees for 25-30 minutes until chicken is done and it's golden brown.
I know this is simple and you probably won't want to use your ovens too much in this summer heat. We have been rainy for a few days now and it looks like topical storm Debby is just hanging around, going nowhere. Since we won't be reaching 90 today it seemed like a good day to oven fry some chicken tenders.

Soft Pretzels - Martha Mondays

It was my choice for Martha Mondays and I usually pick something that I have been wanting to make and see if Martha has a good recipe for it. With it being Super Bowl weekend this time I was looking for a snack, so I chose soft pretzels. I and went through Martha's recipes and this one seemed easy and a different way to make them. You boiled them first like you would if making bagels. I also thought by cutting in the butter like she had you do was a good idea to make them flaky.

Well this is why I don't bake!! Mine didn't turn out. They tasted good, but were not very pretty.

Soft Pretzels - Martha Stewart Living

Ingredients:
2 1/4 teaspoons dry active yeast (1/4 ounce)
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1 cup warm water
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
Vegetable oil, for baking sheets
3 tablespoons baking soda
1 tablespoon pretzel salt
Assorted mustards, for serving
Directions:
1.Mix yeast, coarse salt, sugar, and warm water in a small bowl, whisking until sugar dissolves. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
2.Mix flour and cayenne in a large bowl. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, cut butter into flour until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
3.Slowly pour yeast mixture over flour mixture, stirring to combine. Using your hands, gather dough together. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until it is no longer sticky, about 5 minutes. Cover with plastic, and let rise for 30 minutes.
4.Cut dough into 12 pieces, and roll each into an 18-inch rope. Form a U shape with 1 rope, and twist ends together twice. Fold twisted portion backward along center of U shape to form a circle, then gently press ends of rope onto dough to seal. Transfer to an oiled baking sheet, and repeat. Let rise for 20 minutes.
5.Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and add baking soda. Boil pretzels in batches until puffed and slightly shiny, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to wire racks to drain. Return to baking sheet, sprinkle with pretzel salt, and bake until golden brown and cooked through, about 15 minutes. Pretzels will keep, uncovered, at room temperature for up to 12 hours. Rewarm in a 250-degree oven if desired, and serve with mustards.

Okay I think I got the rolling and the twist down pat...


...then bring it over to the top and gently press dough together


placed on an oiled baking sheet...now this is one area I was unsure of...I oiled my stoneware pan and I usually don't have to, but I followed the directions to a T...


let the rest and rise for 20 minutes...


...after boiling them for a minute or two per side is where it really didn't work or look pretty after that...it's like they deflated after I scooped them out of the water and set them on a wire rack to drain....then back on the oiled backing sheet.

The next part was also a fail...after baking for at the right temperature for the right amount of time....they stuck to the pan. I can't believe it!!! nothing sticks to my stoneware baking pans and I usually don't oil them and things don't stick!!! I even oiled them and it stuck! Go figure!


Here are my little flawed gems...the broken torn ones on the bottom. I made some plan...


...and made some with black and white sesame seeds, garlic and salt (I keep that blend in a jar on the counter and use it often)...you might call it an everything pretzel...only I forgot the poppy seeds. It even stuck to the pizza stone :(

Next time I will roll them into thinner strips so the pretzels won't be so puffy when the rise.

If you want to see a successful Martha Monday soft pretzel check out Brette's on her Martha and Me blog.
and be sure to check out Pru's pretzels and she's never even tried one before Perfecting Pru blog.

Japanese Sweet Potato Chips

A quick post of a yummy snack that I can't seem to get enough of...
My husband like plantain chips and I have to go out and buy the green plantains the day I make them othewise I end up putting it off and before you know it the plantains are ripe and then I have to make a sweet dish with them. Either way they are good!


Anyway the last time I made plantain chips I had Japaneses sweet potato left from another dish...since I already had my mandolin out, I sliced it up and fried the sweet potato too...




...and I liked it better! So now, I often get the Japanese sweet potato just for making.
chips! Boniato - Cuban sweet potato works good in chips too. The texture is drier than an orange regular sweet potato....


...which makes them crisp up nicely. I love crispy potatoes!!


I don't have a deep frier so I use what I do have, a wok and shallow pan fry them.



You have to make them in batches so they won't stick together, then place them on some paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with sea salt or season salt. I supposed you could add some cinnamon, but I love them with just a pinch of salt!

A word of caution, BEWARE they are addictive!!!

Ginger Lime Seafood Skewers

Okay a lot has been going on, as with all of you too I'm sure. I just don't handle it as well as you all do. Some fun things...a new teacher (this year) at our school co-owns the magazine Edible Sarasota, and they were throwing a launch party for Edible Sarasota Cook's, all the staff at our school was invited to this closed event for only 250 guests. It was held outside, in front of Whole Foods where they closed off that part of the street. The booths were offered to everyone who advertised in the magazine. It was fun to mingle with co-worker and some foodies in Sarasota. I just wish I could meet Jaden Hair, from Steamy Kitchen, and some new blogger twitter friends The Three Kitcheneers.

There was plenty of good food, from ahi tuna nachos, truffle oil, chocolate truffles, to pesto penne, brisket sliders, vegan brisket, and the best clam chowder! I was too busy trying and tasting everything to get many photos. Now I know what I have to work on before I go to any big food event! I will post the nachos, my favorite later. We all received a gift bag...

these plates were in our gift bag from a company called VerTerra, the plates are made from fallen palm leaves. They come in an assortment of sizes, and at the event that many booth used them to serve their food on, (I wasn't thinking, I should of saved some of those, now I really need to buy some more, I love them). In our gift bag we were given 8 appetizer size. So I had to try them out! Using my new hand crafted glass snowman appetizer skewers, Gulf shrimp and salmon...I made some tapas!


Ingredients:
1 pound mixed seafood, I used salmon and shrimp
1 clove garlic chopped
1 shallot chopped
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
2 tablespoon lime juice
lime zest
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 teaspoon black and white toasted sesame seeds
salt and pepper to taste (and red pepper flakes if you like)

Whisk together the ingredients in a non-metallic bowl, except shrimp, salmon, and sesame seeds. Clean and devein the shrimp, and cut the salmon into bite size pieces, you can remove the skin if you like. Add the seafood to the marinade, cover and let marinate for 25-30 minutes in refrigerator.

Thread the shrimp and salmon onto the skewers, if you are using wooden skewers be sure to soak them when the fish are marinating so they won't burn. Sprinkle with salt pepper and sesame seeds.

Grill, broil or use a grill pan, cook for 3 - 6 minutes until done. You can garnish with cilantro and lime or mint. Serve with a dipping sauce, but they were actually good just as they are.



This year for Thanksgiving, I went to my aunt and uncle's, I usually make the pies and a vegetable to bring. One of the students I take care of at school, her mother owns a French bakery, and my daughter and I usually visit there on Saturday mornings or Wednesday evenings when my husband participates in a 5K run held by Mr Beery's a couple of doors down from the bakery. Just look at the beautiful pie that she gave me the night before Thanksgiving...such a good thing to go there at closing time...and knowing the owners!


Of course I had to sneak some beach photos in my post. A few weeks ago they held the second annual Masters Sand sculptor completion at Siesta Beach. I was there early...before the crowds, but got to watch some of the artist at work.


The fine, white, quartz sand is perfect for this kind of thing. They gather piles of the sand in front loaders for each team. After them completion on Monday they let them stand until 5:00 they bulldoze them down. It seems such a shame, almost as bad as when they wash down the streets and sidewalks after the chalk art fair the week before. I guess it disposable art at it's finest!

Oh I made sesame noodles to go with the seafood skewers...Maranda gobbled them up!
More tapas to come....I received some beautiful salt plates too!
See you soon!

Pomegranete Chipotle Wings

I first heard of pomegranate molasses on Joumana's blog Taste of Beirut, so I picked up a bottle, along with some rose water the next time I was at the Sahara restaurant and market. I love visiting her blog, she has so many good tips and wonderful middle eastern recipes, along with stunning photos. I have tried a few of her recipes now, and just had to get some of the things she had mentioned and see for myself...


I absolutely love this pomegranate molasses. It has a tart sweet taste...I could eat the whole bottle. You can use it in cocktails and sauces. I even add it to my black beans.


While I was out shopping, can't remember where I saw it, but they had a jar of pomegranate chipotle BBQ and dipping sauce. The combination sounded great and I remembered I had this bottle of pomegranate molasses at home...so I thought I would see what I could come up with to make it at home. What better way to try it than on wing!!

Pomegranate Chipotle Sauce:

1/3 cup pomegranate molasses
2 tablespoons chipotle with adobo sauce (you can push the chilies through a sieve they're pretty soft out of the can, or fine chop)
2 tablespoons red current jam or jelly
1 tablespoon olive oi
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 teaspoon allspice


You can heat everything up in a sauce pan until bubbly and well blended. If you want to make it like a sauce and some water, citrus juice or broth and cook it for awhile until it gets the consistency that you like.


I prepared the chicken wings, cut the tip and split the remainder at the joint, salt and pepper and sprayed with a bit of oil. Spread out on a stoneware bar pan lined with parchment paper (for easier clean up), bake at 400 F for 50-60 minutes. Turn them halfway through the baking time and the last 15 minutes brush on the sauce. If you like it more caramelized brush it on sooner, but be careful the sauce doesn't burn. I didn't heat the sauce just mixed it up and brushed it on. Usually when I make wings I'll bake them and then toss with the buffalo sauce, cajun seasoning or teriyaki sauce in a big bowl when the come out of the oven or fryer (if you happen to fry your wings).


Great on the grill too, but I didn't have time to get the charcoal going. I liked how the glaze became nice and caramelized when baked with the wings. I didn't make it too spicy hot for my husband, but you can always adjust the heat. It wasn't too sweet for me, but again you can make it sweeter if you like .


I was lucky to get a couple of photos, everyone was hungry and I got started late. So they aren't the best all laid out and pretty, but at least I remembered to take one!



Talk about the lazy hazy crazy days of summer! That's a big yawn from our neighbor's cat that thinks he lives at our house.

Muah Chee - with Chai Spice

I first saw Muah Chee 麻糍 on Anncoo's Journal and of course as I am with anything new I was curious about it and had to try it. Apparently it is a popular street food found in roadside food stalls in Singapore and Malaysia. A glutinous or sticky rice ball rolled in sugar and crushed peanuts...similar to mochi but with the filling on the outside rather than inside. Then I saw Biren make some and post it on her blog Roti n Rice, apparently she missed having this treat a childhood favorite. I already had some glutinous rice flour in the cupboard (I was going to use it for another recipe) and it didn't take much more ingredients, so I was excited to give it a try for myself. I didn't have peanuts or the fragrant oil, but I could use almonds right? I figured since I have never had the original in the countries known for making it I could use a different nut...would it still be muah chee? :D

Then the next day I saw Jeannie post her muah chee on Baking Diary and she used almonds so I was good to go...but I had to change things up and do a few things different just because that's what I do, but that's why you like me right?Makes you want to see how I would do it...to do things my way of course.heheh...

So I tried the microwave way...

Ingredients for the dough:
li>1 cup of glutinous rice flour (easily found in your Asian market)
3/4 cup water
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon cooking oil (normally you use shallot oil, but I didn't have that)


Topping:
1/2 cup chopped nuts I used almonds
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 -2 teaspoons chai spice mix*


*Chai Spice Mix:
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons cardamom
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon white pepper

All spices are in powdered form for this one. Mix all together and store in a spice jar. Add it to tea, coffee, cookies, granola and much more.

For the muah chee mix all the ingredients for the dough mixture in a microwave safe glass bowl. Microwave for 3 minutes...I covered mine with a glass plate but I don't think you have to do this.

Remove from microwave and spoon out in bite size pieces. Then drop them into the topping mixture, it was just sticky enough to grab onto some of the nuts, sugar and spice and everything nice...couldn't resist. Some will dip the dough balls in shallot oil first then stick it in the topping mix, but this way worked good for me.

There you have it...muah chee my way :D I still have to make it to Singapore or Malaysia to try it the right way!


I really liked it a lot, I think better than I thought I would, just because of the texture thing...

I enjoyed the cardamom, cinnamony flavors with the nuts. I think toasted, desiccated coconut with peanuts would be good on it too.


The texture was soft, chewy and didn't stick to your teeth...really nice. I enjoyed it with some Vietnamese coffee, it went well together...mmm so good. I had some for breakfast the next morning and it was okay, but I liked it better fresh made.

I will definitely make this again, especially since it was so easy and good! Thanks girls it was a lot of fun!!

Chewy Granola Bars - Make them your way!

Granola bars are an easy snack and my husband likes to grab one for his drive to work in the morning. It is easy enough to pick up some pre-made granola bars of many flavors and finishes. The nice thing about making your own is...again like I said on making your own granola you can control what goes into them. I use as much organic products as I can...organic sugar, raw local organic sugar, my own homemade vanilla, the oats and spices are as well. I actually like my grandma's granola over any store bought and have not purchased pre-made granola in quite some time now.



As for granola bars I like them chewy rather than hard and crunchy, but I like to toast the ingredients first...

...and that is the only time they will be in the oven. Toast in a med hot oven around 325 degrees F until lightly golden be careful not to burn it. The nuts were done separately...just because it worked better that way.

This is the first recipe that I tried:

adapted from - Joyful Abode

•2 cups oats
•3/4 cup wheat germ
•3/4 cup sunflower seeds
•1/4 cup sliced almonds
•1 cup puffed rice
•2/3 cup brown sugar
•1/2 cup honey
•4 tablespoons butter
•1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•1/2 teaspoon sea salt
•4 oz dried cranberries

Toast the dry ingredients except sugar and dried fruit. After toasted place in a large bowl, add the dried fruit. I didn't add too much fruit because my daughter doesn't like most dried fruits...so I really skimped on it in this batch.

In a sauce pan heat the butter, sugar, and brown sugar and bring to a simmer...and the brown sugar is dissolved...

Be sure to stir constantly...



...you don't want to get it too thick...you want nice chewy bars.

Meanwhile, prepare a glass baking dish for your granola by lining it with waxed paper lightly sprayed with a nonstick spray. I used a 9x9 and the bars were a little thicker, use the size that will make the bars the size you want.

Mix everything really well... add the fruit at this time, this is what holds the bars together.

Press the mix into the prepared pan




Fold the wax paper over the top and keep pressing...push down good, they held together really good. Let the bars cool before cutting them.

I let them rest all night because I made them late at night, and that was a mistake. The paper stuck some to the bottom and I had to painstakingly peel it off. These came out pretty large.

I wrapped them individually so he could take them with him. They turned out pretty good, but they were too sweet for me. It was good to make them without the high fructose corn syrup, and were pretty much all organic though.

I made another batch and changed it up bit so it wouldn't be as sweet for me... and they were chai spice flavored!!

I added some:

Michigan dried cherries
coconut
pumpkin seeds
sesame seeds
chopped almonds along with the sunflower seeds
chai spice
I used barely a half cup brown sugar (didn't pack it) used less butter and add a little coconut oil to make up for it you could use canola or any oil you like.

I will add the chai spice mix recipe on an up and coming post soon!

It didn't hold together quite as well as the first ones, but I liked it a lot better!!

all you have to do is just be careful when you cut them...

What would you add to granola bars? Chocolate?

This has been add to:

Sweet as Sugar Cookies'
Sweets for a Saturday link-up!

Bizzy B. Bakes, Bake with Bizzy

Over the Fourth of July weekend we went out to a friends house that had a new born horse or I should say colt...

...she was just 4 days old, and full of personality...a real spite-fire!


her mane was unbelievably soft, and she was so curious about everything! So cute!

We have had some beautiful sunsets with the afternoon clouds that come in.

...it make for a very pleasant evening, with a nice cool breeze...

...and no hot dogs for us thank you very much (not a hot dog fan here)...we had the best pork BBQ on a hot dog bun! Yum!