Peanut Butter and Julie

Chickpea and Caramelized Butternut Squash Salad with Goat Cheese

Pancakes, cookies, and cannoli--oh my!  I have really been on a caloric blogging kick lately, haven't I?  It's just that sweets and treats are so darn fun to make, not to mention that fact that they photograph beautifully.  Well for today's post, in honor of those of you who have courageously given up sugar for Lent, I am offering up a something nutritious, light, and healthy.  I can't make any promises about my next post though.

Despite what my dessert-heavy blog archives might lead one to believe, I have always maintained a very healthy diet.  I also try to work out every day.  Lately I have noticed that my workouts have not been as effective as they used to be.  Being a creature of habit, the problem is that I tend to do the very same treadmill workout every single day.  Consequently, my muscles have gotten used to this lack of variety, and they have become bored.

So this morning I decided to shake up my exercise routine by attending a class that my friend teaches called "Body Pump."  (should be called "Body Torture." ) This class is designed to work all of your core muscle groups by doing a series of movements while holding either lightly weighted bars or weights.  You work on one muscle group per song, and you do the movements over and over again for the entire song.  We're talking 100 squats, 80 lunges, 75 curls......you get the picture.  Sheesh!  Some of those songs just seemed to go on and on and on.  I mean how many times do we really need to hear the chorus?  Oh, and those "lightly weighted" bars that I previously referred to?  I felt like I was lifting a small car by the end of the songs.  I. Am. Sore.  And I will likely be even more sore tomorrow.  But it's a good sore, and you can bet my Body Pumped booty that I am going to go back for more.  I highly recommend it for anyone who is up for an, um, adventure.  The classes are taught at gyms nationwide.

Feeling extra-healthy and energetic post-workout, I was inspired to create something on the lighter side for lunch.  As cliched as it may sound, I really did put this together from ingredients that I found after rummaging around my fridge and pantry.  Roasting vegetable is my favorite method of preparation because it helps to bring out their natural sweetness.  From the butternut squash to the chickpeas to the peppers, this salad is rich in Superfoods, and it makes for a filling dish.  The goat cheese adds a creamy-tangy aspect, and the sweet and spicy dressing brings it all together beautifully.  Here are a few extra tips for making this cheery colorful chickpea salad:

• Instead of using butternut squash, you can use peeled cubed sweet potatoes, golden beets, or acorn squash.  The sweet potatoes might require a bit more roasting time.
• The chickpeas cans be replaced by black-eyed peas or your preferred type of bean.  You could also do a combination of a few different beans.
• The easiest way to peel a butternut squash is with a carrot peeler.  Paring knives tend to cut away too much of the vegetable's flesh.  Cut off a bit of the end of the squash so that you can stand it up as you peel.
• This salad is best eaten within a few hours of preparation, but it will keep in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for 2 days.  Enjoy the salad chilled or at room temperature. 

Chickpea Salad with Caramelized Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese

For the Spicy Maple Vinaigrette

1/3 cup cider vinegar

3 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Zest and juice of one orange

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Salt and pepper

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

For the Salad

1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper

2 cups drained and rinsed canned chickpeas

1 large red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and diced

1 jalapeno pepper, cored, seeded, and diced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/2 cup soft goat cheese, crumbled

Prepare the vinaigrette: In a medium bowl, whisk together the vinegar, maple syrup, orange zest and juice, and red pepper flakes.  Season the mixture with salt and pepper.  Add the olive oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly until well incorporated.

Preheat the oven to 400F degrees.  Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment.  Toss the cubed squash with the olive oil and scatter on the baking sheet.  Season with salt and pepper.  Roast the cubes for 25-30 minutes, until the squash is lightly caramelized and tender, stirring the squash periodically so that the cubes brown evenly.

Carefully scrape the warm squash into a large mixing bowl.  Add the chickpeas, bell pepper, jalapeno pepper, thyme, and parsley.  Toss the mixture with 1/2 cup of the vinaigrette and season with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle the salad with the crumbled goat cheese and serve!

Sweet Potato Praline Pancakes

   

Who knew that February 24, 2009 would offer up so many reasons to celebrate?  Per my blog archives, I've made it quite clear that I am a sweet potato fanatic and would gladly eat them every day, so I think that any day in February, a.k.a. National Sweet Potato month,  is worthy of a party.  The 24th, however, goes above and beyond by being not only International Pancake Day but Mardi Gras as well.  Laissez les bons temps rouler indeed! 

Today's recipe was inspired by this trifecta of foodie-friendly festivities.  Instead of singling out just one, I decided to combine all three in a Bourbon Street meets North Carolina meets....um...I guess IHOP type of dish. 

Other than traditional holiday pies, people generally don't tend to think of using sweet potatoes in their desserts or breakfast treats.  In reality, sweet potatoes are the perfect ingredient for these sorts of dishes.  Take these pancakes, for example.  Sweet potatoes contribute a natural sweetness (thus the name), a moist texture, and a pretty orange hue.  Sweet potatoes are also a fantastic way to sneak all sorts of nutritious things like potassium, beta carotene, iron, and fiber into your family's breakfast.  Don't worry--your secret is safe with me! 

Sure, you could celebrate International Pancake Day by running down to your local chain pancake shop and ordering up a short stack that may.... or may not be freshly made to order.  OR you could whip up a batch of these lightly sweetened fluffy pancakes in the time that it takes you to drive to the restaurant (and you'll save on gas money too!)  Mardi Gras makes an appearance in the form of brown sugar, rum, and toasty pecans, mimicking the flavors of the praline, one of N'Awlins' most popular sweets.  Here are my extra tips for these festive February flapjacks:

• If you have time, bake the sweet potato at 400F degrees for about 1 hour.  Prior to baking, prick it several times with a fork and wrap it in foil.  If you are short on time, you can microwave the sweet potato for 10-12 minutes, turning once.  To keep the sweet potato from drying out in the microwave, wrap it in a piece of paper towel so that it gets "steamed" during the microwave process.
• I find that the easiest way to get a smooth sweet potato puree is to use a mini chopper or a food processor.  Sometime using a potato masher leaves lumps or strands.
• If you are making several batches of these pancakes and want to serve them all at once, place the prepared pancakes on a baking sheet and keep them warm in a 200F degree oven.
• If you don't want to use rum in your recipe, you can substitute vanilla extract.   

Sweet Potato Praline Pancakes

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1 cup flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups buttermilk

1 cup sweet potato puree (from 1 medium baked sweet potato)

3 large eggs, separated

1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 tablespoon dark rum

1/2 cup chopped lightly toasted pecans, plus more for serving

Pure maple syrup

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt.  In a medium bowl, mix together the buttermilk, sweet potato puree, egg yolks, brown sugar, melted butter, and rum.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.

In a clean medium bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.  Gently fold the egg whites into the pancake batter. Fold in the chopped pecans. 

Spray a griddle or a large skillet with nonstick cooking spray and place over medium heat.  Working in batches, pour the batter by 1/3-cupfuls onto the griddle.  Cook the pancakes until bubbles start to form on top, about 2 minutes.  Carefully turn the pancakes over and cook until the bottoms are golden brown, 1-2 minutes more.  Transfer the pancakes to plates and serve with pure maple syrup and a sprinkle of pecans. 

Whole Wheat Blueberry-Banana Muffins

"The average person's need for sleep is approximately five more minutes"

                                -Anonymous

Dogs are definitely creatures of habit.  Case in point: During the work week, Eric and I usually rise around 5:15.  I head downstairs to make coffee (I am one of those people who cannot start my day without a really strong cuppa Joe), while Eric gets showered, dressed, etc.  Before Eric leaves for work, the dogs know that they get a walk, albeit a short one, but I'm fairly certain that to them a walk is a walk.  I'd walk them, but the two dogs put together weigh more than I do, and there is a strong chance that my shoulder would be dislocated in the process. 

This walk is pretty much the highpoint of Cameron and Fenway's day, after which they tend to fall asleep in various positions and locations around the house, only rising when I take a work break to fix some lunch (there's always a good chance that mommy will toss them a treat after all.)  When the weekend rolls around and Eric and I unrealistically hope for a few extra minutes of sleep, it becomes very clear just how important these morning walks are.  It also becomes clear that dogs cannot tell the difference between weekdays and weekends.  

The routine usually starts with a wet nose or breathing up against my face, which causes me to open my eyes (bad move.)  Once the eyes are open, Cameron, the older and wiser of the two, starts doing everything in her power to make it impossible for us to sleep any longer.  This ranges from brawling with Fenway, usually on top of the bed, to actually grabbing the sheets in her mouth and pulling them away from us--yes, she's talented.   All that is going through her mind is "time for a walk, time for a walk, time for a walk!"  Believe me, the dogs could care less about allowing us to get our 8 hours.

This recurring shortage of sleep has caused Eric and I to start hitting the snooze button several times on weekday mornings, something that I never used to do.  As a result, Eric is usually in a big hurry to get out the door on time.  I have been on this "it's important to eat something for breakfast" kick lately, after reading several reports about men skipping breakfast correlating to a higher risk for heart attacks.   I've always been a breakfast eater, but Eric eats it maybe twice a week, so I've been trying to hand him something that he can eat on-the-go or at the office each morning.  These healthy muffins should fit the bill.  They are full of nutritious ingredients: bananas, blueberries, oats, and whole wheat flour, and they are lightly sweet with maple syrup.  Providing that they don't get smushed in his brief case and forgotten about, these muffins should help to get his metabolism going, and they're darn good too.  Here are my extra tips for making these wholesome moist muffins:

• When a recipe calls for mashed bananas, such as this one, I like to puree the bananas in the work bowl of a food processor.  For me, this always achieves that smoothest results, incorporating the banana flavor throughout the batter.
• You may use frozen blueberries for this recipe; however, be extra gentle when folding them into the batter, as you don't want to end up with blue muffins.
• If you do not have any maple syrup on hand, feel free to replace the syrup with honey.  Do NOT replace it with imitation maple syrup!
• These muffins are quite dense, and the batter will not rise much, so be sure to fill the muffin tins at least 3/4 full.
• Baked muffins can be stored at room temperature, covered, for up to 3 days.  Muffins can also be sealed in a bag and frozen for up to 2 weeks.  The batter can be prepared 1 day in advance, covered, and refrigerated.  Fold in the blueberries just prior to baking. 

Whole Wheat Blueberry-Banana Muffins

Makes about 1 dozen muffins

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour

3/4 cup rolled oats

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

1/2 cup safflower oil

3 medium ripe bananas, mashed

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup fresh blueberries

1/2 cup sliced almonds (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.  Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners or spray them with non-stick baking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, oil, bananas, and vanilla.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing until the ingredients are just combined.  Gently fold the blueberries and almonds (if using) into the batter.

Divide the batter among the muffin tins, filling about 3/4 full.  Bake the muffins for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean.  Let the muffins cool on a wire rack and serve.

Mint Chocolate Cream-Filled Sandwich Cookies

It's almost that time of year again.  No, I'm not referring to that wonderful day when we move our clocks forward one hour, allowing us to eat our dinners while it is still light outside in exchange for 60 minutes of sleep (just go to bed earlier that night.)  I'm not even talking about the NCAA basketball tournament, which in my house takes precedence over anything else that is occurring at the same time, especially if an ACC team is playing (they're always playing.)

The time of year to which I refer is almost as important to my husband as watching his Duke Blue Devils make their 3-pointers.  Yes, it's Girl Scout Cookie time once again.  What do they run now, about $12 per box?  O.K., maybe not that much, but they do seem to be priced a bit higher every year.  When I was both a  Brownie and a Girl Scout, I'm pretty sure that the cookies were at the most a few dollars.  But then again, we also used to sell them door-to-door around our neighborhood as opposed to setting up a card table outside of the local Albertson's.  Because many of my fellow troop members lived in my development, timing was of the essence.  I needed to get out there selling immediately, because I just couldn't let Amy and Holly hit all of the cookie-loving neighbors up first.  I had my eye on that stuffed owl (yes, a stuffed owl--don't recall what that had to do with the Girl Scouts), but to get it, I needed to sell at least 100 boxes (it seemed like a fair exchange at the time.)

Not only have the prices and the methods for selling Girl Scout changed, but the cookies themselves have evolved.  After a quick glance of the "Meet the Cookies" site, I noticed that they are now peddling "Reduced Fat Daisy Go-Rounds", "Sugar-Free Chocolate Chip", and the new "Dulce de Leche."  That last one sounds good, but the other two....not so sure.  If you're going to enjoy a cookie, then enjoy a real cookie -- just not the whole box.  Thank goodness the most popular old-standby flavors are still alive and well:  Samoas/Caramel DeLites, Tagalongs/Peanut Butter Patties, Trefoils/Shortbread, and the rock star of the lot, the Thin Mint (Eric's all-time favorite, especially stored in the freezer.)

The Thin Mint cookie was the inspiration for this recipe.  I didn't want to try to recreate the Thin Mint itself, potentially irritating die-hard fans in the process, but rather give it a more sophisticated make-over, complete with an uber-rich spiked chocolate cream filling.  Like the Thin Mints, I think that these cookies are best served chilled, along with a glass of milk.  Here are my extra tips for making these minty decadent delights:

• If you don't want to use Creme de Menthe or liqueur in your cookies, then you can replace it with peppermint extract.  I suggest about a 1/2-teaspoon for the dough and 3/4 to 1 teaspoon for the filling.  You can also add a few drops to the coating for an extra hint of mint!
• The cookie dough can be prepared 1 day in advance and chilled, tightly wrapped in plastic.  The filling can be be stored for up to 4 days in the refrigerator, tightly covered.
• Instead of making these cookies chocolate mint, you can play around with the flavoring.  For chocolate mocha, try using Kahlua and extra espresso powder.  Chocolate coconut, chocolate hazelnut, and chocolate orange with Grand Marnier are all options.
• If you don't have a 2 1/4-inch round cookie cutter, try finding something in your kitchen to use as a substitute, such as the top of a glass, a small bowl, or a measuring cup.  You can also make the cookies larger/smaller depending on what you have on hand.  Just adjust the baking time accordingly. 

Mint Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

Makes about 24 sandwiches

Ingredients:

For the cookies

1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cup cocoa powder

1 teaspoon instant espresso powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons Creme de Menthe liqueur

For the filling

3/4 cup bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1/2 teaspoon heavy cream

3 tablespoons Creme de Menthe

Additional peppermint extract (optional)

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar

For the coating

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and salt into a medium bowl.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 minutes.  Add the egg and beat until well incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as necessary.  Mix in the vanilla and the Creme de Menthe.  On low speed, add the flour mixture to the bowl in 3 additions, mixing until well combined.  Scrape the dough out onto a clean work surface and divide it into 4 pieces.  Form each piece into a disk, wrap each disk in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

 

While cookies chill, prepare the filling:  Place the chopped chocolate in a small bowl.  In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a simmer over medium heat.  Immediately pour the cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 1 minutes.  Whisk the micture until the chocolate has melted and it is smooth.  Whisk in the Creme de Menthe.  Taste the filling; if it is not "minty" enough, then add some peppermint extract, a few drops at a time.  Cool the mixture to room temperature, stirring occasionally, 15-20 minutes.  In the bowl od an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and the confectioner's sugar on medium-low until well combined.  Mix in the cooled chocolate mixture.  Transfer the filling to a bowl, cover, and chill until it is firm but spreadable, about 20 minutes.

 

Bake the cookies:  Preheat the oven to 325F degrees.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and place the oven racks in the upper and lower thirds positions.  Working with one disk at a time, roll it out onto a lightly floured surface to a 1/4-inch thickness.  Using a 2 1/4-inch round cutter, cut out as many rounds as possible and arrange them on the prepared baking sheet, spacing 1-inch apart.  Repeat the process with the remaining dough, re-rolling scraps as necessary.  Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes, until they are set but soft, rotating positions of the baking sheets halfway through the baking process.  Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and cool completely.

 

Assemble the cookie:  Spoon 2-3 teaspoons of the filling onto the flat side of one of the cookies.  Top with another cookie, flat side-down, and press lightly to adhere.  Place the sandwich on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and repeat the process with the remaining cookies and filling. 

 

Prepare the coating:  In a small saucepan, heat the chocolate and the butter over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until melted and smooth.  Drizzle the chocolate mixture over the tops of the cookies using a decorative zig-zag motion.  Chill the cookies until they are set, 15 minutes. 

 

Oatmeal Raisin Walnut Whoopie Pies

In honor of Valentine's Day.......Eric went golfing.  Actually, this is probably one of the nicest things that he could have done for me today, a day when I have so many odds and ends to take care of that an empty house is a gift.  Not that I can't get things done when he is here, I just find that I am much more productive when the dogs aren't going crazy and ESPN isn't on in the background--go figure.

I've never really been one to expect lavish gifts, jewelry, candy, etc. on Valentine's Day.  Eric and I sometimes celebrate by going out to a nice dinner someplace new, as we are this evening, because this is something that we both enjoy.  Other years, we'll just cook something at home, or rather, I'll cook--he'll uncork the wine.  Holidaysays like today can prove to be unnecessarily stressful for men, what with the constant cheesy ads from Kay Jewelers on T.V. and the flower stands that have suddenly popped up on what seems like every street corner.  I'd much rather be surprised by flowers on some random run-of-the-mill day of the year as opposed to getting the $9.99 Valentine's Special identical to the one that every other woman on my street also received.  My dad's always been really good about doing this sort of "random flower" thing for my mom, and they've been married for over 40 years!  Maybe he's on to something......

Golfing with the guys can be stressful, strenuous, and physically exhausting (ha!)  But seriously, Eric usually rummages around for a little something to hold him over until dinner after he returns home from the course.  Because it's Valentine's Day, I thought that I'd make something sweet for my sweetie, who happens to be a fan of oatmeal raisin cookies.  Ever since I first made whoopie pies, several years back, I've become a bit obsessed with the concept, often testing out new flavor variations.  This is my latest creation, based on an oatmeal raisin walnut cookie and filled with a rich custardy buttercream.  The oatmeal cookies are fabulous on their own, but the decadent buttercream takes them to the next level.  If you don't want to make a traditional buttercream, feel free to make a simple vanilla butter and confectioner's sugar variety.  Here are my extra tips for making these fun, cream-filled cookies:

• The whoopie pies are best eaten the day that they are made.  The buttercream can be prepared up to 3 days in advance, tightly covered, and chilled.  Let it sit at room temperature prior to spreading.  The cookies can be prepared one day in advance and stored at room temperature, tightly covered so that they remain soft.  The cookie dough can also be prepared in advance and chilled, covered.
• To give these treats a more adult twist, you can replace the orange juice with orange liqueur, rum, or even a coconut-flavored rum.
• If the buttercream has become too soft after preparation, then refrigerate it for 10-15 minutes before spreading it on the cookies.
• For variation, use a mix of dark and golden raisins, dried cranberries, or dried cherries.  Replace the walnuts with pecans or hazelnuts and play around with the spices (ginger, allspice, cardamom, or cloves would all be good choices.)
• If you don't have a 1/4-cup ice cream scoop, then use either a 1/4-cup measure or estimate the amount using a large spoon.
• Don't replace the vegetable shortening with butter.  The shortening helps to keep the cookies slightly "puffed" as opposed to flat and crisp.

Oatmeal Raisin Walnut Whoopie Pies

Makes 8-9 large whoopie pies (you can probably share one!)

Ingredients:

1 cup orange juice

1 cup raisins

2 1/2 cups flour

2 cups rolled oats

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1/4 cup whole milk

1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, lightly toasted

For the buttercream:

4 large egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup corn syrup

11 ounces unsalted butter (22 tablespoons)

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.  Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.  In a small saucepan, combine the orange juice and the raisins.  Set the saucepan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a full boil.  Cover the saucepan and remove from the heat.  Let the raisins soak for 20 minutes.  When the raisins have finished soaking, using a slotted spoon, remove about 1/2 of the raisins from the orange juice with a slotted spoon and coarsely chop them.  Place the chopped raisins in a small bowl along with 2 tablespoons of the orange juice.  Reserve the remaining raisins and juice in the saucepan.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the brown sugar, shortening, and butter on medium speed until light and fluffy.  Mix in the orange zest and vanilla extract.  Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl if necessary.  Add the milk and beat until smooth.  On low speed, mix in the flour mixture until just combined.  Mix in the chopped raisins and orange juice and the walnuts.  Using a level 1/4-cup ice cream scoop, drop the batter on the prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.  Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until the cooking are lightly browned and just set.  Let the cookies cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Prepare the buttercream:  Place the egg yolks in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium-high speed until very thick, about 5 minutes.  In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and corn syrup and set over medium-high heat.  Bring the mixture to a full boil, stirring constantly, and then immediately scrape the mixture into a 1 cup glass measure.  With the mixture on high speed, pour a few tablespoons of the sugar mixture into the yolks and beat for a few seconds.  Repeat until all of the syrup has been added.  Continue to beat until the bowl has cooled to room temperature.

On medium speed, beat in the butter a few tablespoons at a time, beating well after each addition.  The frosting will begin to come together after all of the butter has been incorporated.  Scrape down the bowl and beat in the cinnamon, vanilla, and salt.  Mix in the reserved raisins and 3-4 tablespoons of the reserved orange juice.  Using a piping bag with a large tip or an offset spatula, spread a generous layer of filling onto the flat side of a cooled cookie.  Place another cookie on the sandwich and lightly press to adhere. 

Mini Chocolate-Orange Cannoli

We've all heard of Mardi Gras, the wild New Orleans multi-week party that occurs each February before lent. This is when thousands of people stuffed with King's Cake over-imbibe at Pat O'Briens and then do things that they normally wouldn't do--especially if they knew it was all caught on camera.  So we all know Mardi Gras....but how many people have heard of Martedi Grasso, the Italian version of this Carnival celebration?  I certainly hadn't, that is until I started researching the background of cannoli for today's post.

Martedi Grasso means different types of celebrations, and different types of foods, depending on where you are in Italy.  In Naples, there is a grand and lavish buffet, where the starring item is lasagne di Carnivale, a combination of rich ricotta, meatballs, and all-things Italian.  The Venetians mirror our New Orleans festivities by donning unique masks and attending elaborate parties.  Along the Tuscan coast, there are grand parades with themed floats, and there are plenty of zeppole, small balls of fried dough coated in sugar (think Munchkins from Dunkin' Donuts.)

One tasty treat that can be found pretty much everywhere during Martedi Grasso is cannoli, fried wafers filled with light mixtures of fresh ricotta, sugar, flavorings, chocolate, and/or dried fruit.  Actually, cannoli became popular enough that they are now found year-round wherever Italians have settled.  In the past, these pastries were called "Carnival's Crown," and people would give cannoli to their friends by the dozen (remind me again how it is that Italian women are so thin??)  Italy must have smelled heavenly with all of that cannoli preparation occurring at once.  Mmmmm....

I have always wanted to try to make cannoli, and I had a few recipes jotted down in my notebook, so I finally decided to give it a go.  The whole process was much easier than I anticipated, that is, if I only wanted to make a few cannoli.  My cannoli-form supply consists of one piece, so I had to fry them up one at a time, which became a bit tedious.  It's a great way to exercise portion control though!  If you do wish to give this recipe a try, try to have at least 3 or 4 molds on hand.  Here are my extra tips for making these traditional Italian treats:

• Although I found it very easy to roll the dough out by hand, the dough can also be passed through a pasta maker several times to achieve a uniformly thin sheet.  Start with the widest attachment and slowly narrow the width until the sheet is the thickness of a dime.
• The cannoli dough can be refrigerated, tightly wrapped, overnight.  Let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes prior to rolling out.
• If you don't have Grand Marnier on hand, you can use a sweet Marsala wine or another flavor of liqueur in its place. 
• The finished cannoli shells can be tightly covered and frozen for up to 1 week.  They can also be stored overnight at room temperature, tightly covered.
• If you do not have a piping bad and a star tip, then you can either spoon the filling into the shells, or you can "pipe" the filling in using a plastic bag with the corner snipped off. 
• Instead of making mini cannoli, this recipe will prepare about a dozen larger cannoli.  You can also make cone-shaped pastries using a metal cone mold (see photo.)

Mini Chocolate-Orange Cannoli

Makes about 2 dozen

For the filling

2 cups ricotta cheese

1/2 cup confectioner's sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon orange zest

1/4 cup miniature chocolate chips

For the cannoli shells

1 1/2 cups flour

3 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup Grand Marnier

1/4 cup orange juice

3 tablespoons canola oil, plus additional for frying

1 egg white, lightly beaten

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1/2 cup finely chopped pistachios

Prepare the filling:  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the ricotta with the confectioner's sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy.  Mix in the vanilla and orange zest.  Stir in the chocolate chips.  Cover the filling and chill.

Prepare the shells:  In the clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and salt.  Add the Grand Marnier, orange juice, and oil.  Beat the mixture on medium speed until the dough comes together.  Transfer the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead it until it is smooth and elastic, 8 minutes.  Wrap the dough in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.

Divide the dough into 3 pieces.  On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to the thickness of a dime.  Cut out rounds using a 3-inch cutter (re-roll any scraps.)

Add enough oil to a large saucepan so that it comes up about 3 1/2 inches on the sides.  Heat the oil over medium heat until it registers 380F degrees on a deep-fry thermometer.  Wrap each round of dough around a 4-inch long cannoli form, sealing the ends with a dab of egg white.  Working in batches of 4, fry the shells until golden, about 1 minute.  Carefully transfer the shells to paper towels and let cool for 5 minutes.  Carefully slide out the molds and let the shells cool.  Continue with the rest of the dough.

Melt the chocolate in a small saucepan, stirring constantly.  Dip one end of the cannoli shells into the chocolate and then into the pistachios.  Let the chocolate set.

Transfer the chilled filling to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch star tip.  Pipe the filling into one end of the shell halfway, and then pipe from the other end.  Repeat with the remaining shells and filling.  Serve immediately!

Savory Braided Bread Hearts

"Just make me a nice card."  When I was growing up, this was my mom's standard answer when I asked her what she wanted for her birthday or for Mother's Day.  My immediate reaction was always "No really - I'm not just going to make you a card.  What do you really want, mom?"  I couldn't for the life of me understand how a crayon drawing of something that was supposed to resemble my mom (but didn't) followed by a four-line poem that barely made sense would be enough of a present.  Of course at that age my resources were fairly limited.  I couldn't drive and my allowance was only a few dollars, so I needed to be creative. 

At the last minute, my brother Jay and I would usually decide to put together a "restaurant," in our kitchen, from which we would serve our mom a special (and I use that term loosely) holiday breakfast.   I would put together a menu on construction paper, listing every single brand of cereal that we had in the pantry, along with all of the breakfast items that I could think of, even the ones that I had no idea how to prepare.  I figured that I could just "wing it" if she ordered one of those.  Jay would play the role of the eccentric waiter, and of course I would be the chef.  No matter what my mom ordered, I'm pretty sure that we made a huge mess in the kitchen, and Jay and I probably got into at least one squabble over how things should be done (our restaurant didn't exactly have a business plan.)  In the end though, even if my mom didn't get the world's most delicious breakfast, she still got what she wanted:  something that we put some thought into.

These days, the need to be financially creative might prompt many people to skip their usual fancy Valentine's Day dinner out in lieu of a more economical and special dinner at their own home's "restaurant."  True, this might take a bit more planning and effort on their part, but it will definitely be more meaningful than a prix fixe 4-course menu that features unpronounceable items at an inflated price.  A homemade meal can be on your terms, with all of your favorite foods enjoyed at the best seat in the house.  Although you'll need to do some dishes, you won't need to tip, and you can afford to spend a bit extra on that really good bottle of Cabernet.

It's fun to play around with the Valentine's Day theme by creating heart-shaped food, such as the recipe below.  This recipe was inspired by something that I saw in Martha Stewart Living magazine, something that definitely fell into the "good thing" category.  I can't remember the exact date of the issue, but I do know that it was published around the holidays.  Martha had woven very simple ropes of dough into a long braid and then formed them into wreaths, which she then displayed placed at each guest's place setting for the holidays.  How Martha is that?  I changed the recipe a bit, adding some seasonings, sugar, and a bit more butter.  I also simplified the weaving process, yielding more pieces as a result.  Martha used 4 ropes per braid, but seeing as braiding is not really my forte (I never mastered the French braid), I couldn't for the life of me figure out how to braid the four ropes.  So, I changed the number of ropes to 3, making the bread much easier to braid but still producing beautiful results. 

Once the ropes have been braided, they are very easy to form into shapes.  I decided to try a Valentine's Day theme, shaping them into hearts, but you could really use this concept for just about any occasion, providing that your shape of choice is not overly complicated.  In other words, I wouldn't suggest attempting an outline of the United States on the 4th of July!  Here are my extra tips for making these whimsical woven breads:

• These hearts are best eaten the same day that they are made, within 12 hours of baking.
• If the bread sticks do not brown by the end of baking, increase the temperature to 375F degrees and bake for 5 additional minutes. 
• After you brush the hearts with the yolk and cream mixture, you can sprinkle them with poppy seeds, sesame seeds, and/or coarse sea salt, if desired.  You can also do a mixture of the three.
• Over-flouring the work surface when rolling out the ropes will make the process more difficult.  A work surface with too mush flour can be too slippery, and the dough will slide instead of rolling.  When rolling, start from the center of the rope, pressing down gently with the palms of your hands and rolling outward, lengthening the rope.
• Don't worry if the ropes are not perfectly uniform in thickness (this is very hard to accomplish.)  Braiding the ropes results in a nice even look.
• To make the hearts a bit more heart-healthy, use 1 cup of whole wheat flour in place of regular flour.  You can also add flax seeds to the dough or sprinkle the tops with flax seeds.

Savory Braided Bread Hearts

Ingredients:

Makes 5 hearts

2 cups flour

1 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons dried thyme

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

3 tablespoons cold butter, cubed

2/3 cup whole or low-fat  milk

1 egg yolk

2 tablespoons cream

In the work bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, thyme, salt, and pepper; pulse to combine.   Scatter the butter pieces over the flour mixture and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal.  With the machine running, add the milk in a slow, steady stream, processing just until the dough comes together.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and divide it into 15 equal pieces.  Roll each piece into a ball and cover the balls with a kitchen towel.  Working with one piece at a time, roll each ball into a rope that is 28-inches long and about 1/4-inch thick.  Repeat the process 2 times. Place the 3 ropes side by side on a parchment-lined baking sheet and pinch the ends together.  Braid the ropes and them shape the braid into a heart, overlapping the ends.  Tuck the ends underneath.  Repeat the process with the remaining dough.  Cover the hearts and let stand for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.  In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and the cream.  Brush this mixture onto each of the hearts.  Bake the hearts until they are golden brown, 20-25 minutes.  Let the hearts cool on a baking sheet on a wire rack. 

Raspberry White Chocolate Mousse Parfaits

I hate throwing away food, especially in this day and age when everything is so darn expensive.  The other day, I was planning to make a big batch of my favorite rosemary hummus, but when I went to the local grocery store, the tahini paste was priced at just under $9!!  I'm not talking about a super-industrial vat of tahini either.  This was just your standard, run-of-the-mill 12 ounce jar.  Now I love my hummus and carrot sticks, but I have a threshold as to what I will pay for groceries.  So, for this week at least, my carrot sticks will be dipped into salsa.

Anyway, back to the point about wasting food (sorry, I got a bit off track with my overpriced tahini rant.)  I try to be very conscientious about only buying the amount of perishable items that we are going to use, especially if they cannot be frozen or salvaged in some way.  It is so painful to throw out what was once a beautiful bunch of pricey basil, a result of over-estimating the amount of chiffonading (is that a word?) that I would be doing. 

I try to "reinvent" as many ingredients as I can, turning browning bananas into puree for baking, tomatoes into sauces, and vegetables into soups.  The same applies for leftovers.  Eric has an odd aversion to leftovers (except for pizza of course.)  He'll enjoy the dish once, but it then tends to be forgotten about in the far corner of the refrigerator until someone (me) cleans it out.  So, I've learned how to take the leftover portions of recipes and turn them into something completely "new."  Chicken goes into stew, steak becomes a wrap, etc. 

One of my favorite dessert reinventions uses leftover trimming from cake layers, the ones that are usually either nibbled on or thrown away.  The cake trimmings are cubed, and they become part of a parfait, an individual layered dessert that usually incorporates fruit.  The cake can be layered with pudding, pastry cream, or even frozen desserts.  This one in particular incorporates a few leftover components of a cake that I made for a friend: raspberry curd and white chocolate raspberry mousse.  This is a great dessert for entertaining, as you can assemble the trifles ahead of time and garnish just prior to serving.  Here are a few extra tips for making these "berry" decadent desserts:

• Feel free to use fresh raspberries instead of the thawed frozen variety for this recipe.  I would say that 3  half-pint containers would be enough.  If you want to keep the food cost down however, I would opt for the frozen.  The result is very similar.
• Try to avoid buying white chocolate chips for the mousse as they usually have supplemental ingredients like paraffin added.  Look for a good quality white chocolate bar, such as Lindt.
• It is up to you whether you want to strain the raspberry puree before adding it to the curd and mousse.  I don't mind the little raspberry seeds, but I think that I am in the minority.  If you are pinched for time, then omit the straining.
• This recipe is a great way to use up leftover cake scraps from trimming the layers. You can freeze the cake scraps, tightly wrapped, and then cube them whenever you want to make parfaits.
• The mousse and the curd will both keep, covered and chilled, for 2 days.  You may need to "fluff" the mousse a bit after refrigeration using a spatula or spoon.
• In order to speed up the recipe, you can chill the curd and the mousse over an ice-water bath.  This is a larger bowl that has been filled halfway with ice, and then the ice is covered with cold water.  Set the bowl containing the mousse/curd in the ice and stir occasionally.  The process usually takes 20-30 minutes.  See the photo for an example. 

Raspberry White Chocolate Mousse Parfaits

Serves 4-6, depending on size of trifle glasses

16 ounce bag of frozen raspberries, thawed

For the raspberry curd

3/4 cup raspberry puree

1/2 cup sugar

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

For the raspberry mousse

2 tablespoons Framboise or raspberry liqueur

2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin

1 1/4 cups cold whipping cream

7 ounces good quality white chocolate, chopped

3/4 cup raspberry puree

Assembly

Vanilla or chocolate pound cake (or regular layer cake)

Fresh raspberries

Puree the raspberries until smooth.  If desired, put the puree through a fine mesh strainer to remove the seeds.

Prepare the curd:  Measure 3/4 cup of the puree, reserving the rest for the mousse.  Place the puree and the sugar in a small saucepan, stirring to mix.  Add the butter and stir over medium low heat until the sugar has dissolved and the butter has melted.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and egg yolks.  Gradually stir in the hot raspberry mixture, whisking constantly and being careful not to scramble the eggs.  Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture has thickened, about 10 minutes.  Transfer the mixture to a bowl, cover, and chill.

Prepare the mousse:  Place 1 tablespoon of the liqueur in a small saucepan and sprinkle with the gelatin.  Let the gelatin rest for 5 minutes to soften.  Add 3/4 cup of the cream and stir the mixture over low heat until the gelatin has dissolved.  Add the white chocolate, stirring until it is melted and smooth.  Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl, cover, and chill until it is cool but not completely set, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes.  Whip the remaining 1/2-cup cream in a bowl until soft peaks form.  Add the remaining tablespoon liqueur to the cream and continue to whip until stiff peaks form.  Fold the cream into the white chocolate mixture and then fold in the 3/4 cup raspberry puree.  Refrigerate the mixture until cold and set.

Assemble the parfaits.  Cut the cake that you are using into 3/4-inch cubes.  Using parfait-style tall glasses, layer the parfaits as follows: A dollop of mousse, fresh raspberries, cake cubes, and raspberry curd.  Repeat the layering one more time.  Top the second layer of curd with a thin layer of mousse and a few fresh raspberries.  Garnish as desired and serve!

Touchdown!

Eli Manning. Tom Brady. Brett Fav-re. Mandy Heaston.  Each of these individuals has been victorious in his or her own field.  While the three gentlemen were awarded a shiny new Super Bowl ring for rushing, tackling, and kicking, Mandy is walking away with a enviable new $250 Sam's Club gift card for mixing, rolling, and baking. 

Question: Mandy Heaston, now that you've won the Peanut Butter and Julie Ultimate Super Bowl Showdown, what are you going to do next ?? 

Answer: I'm going to Sam's Club!

Selecting the winner of this contest was not an easy decision by any means.  Over the past week, I received dozens and dozens of creatively-titled mouthwatering entries that any Big Game fiesta attendees would be lucky to gobble down.   Whether or not your favorite team wins, I know that your guests will leave with smiles on their faces (if you can get them to leave, that is.)  Thank you all so much for your participation.

In the end, however, the recipe that was deemed "most valuable" was Mandy Heaston's Touchdown Taco Pockets, a creatively simple (and much neater) twist on the popular hand-held party food.  By enclosing the ingredients between refrigerator biscuits and then baking, these "tacos" become easier to eat.   What really scored the winning points for this recipe was the fact that Mandy shaped the pockets like little footballs, complete with laces made from leftover biscuit scraps (I can hear the oohs and aahs from your party guests now.)  What a fantastic idea!  In fact you could apply this technique to fit the theme of almost any celebration: heart pockets for Valentine's Day, eggs for Easter, etc.  Kids will love 'em.  Adults will love 'em.  Most importantly, you'll love 'em because they are a snap to make.

The recipe for these Touchdown Taco Pockets is featured on Mandy's blog, Gourmet Mom on the Go, along with a helpful video tutorial during which Mandy shows you her techniques for shaping and cutting the pockets.  Her pictures look much better than mine do too, so I encourage you to visit her site!

Congratulations to Mandy!  Mandy, if you will send me your contact information, then I will arrange for the $250 Sam's Club gift card to be sent directly to you.  Start composing your shopping list now......

Thank you again to everyone else who sent me a recipe.  I was so impressed with the variety of ideas, football-themed titles, and range of ingredients.  Enjoy the Super Bowl and Happy February!   

Here my personal notes after making these terrific taco treats:

• Instead of using two regular sized refrigerator biscuits for each side of the pocket, I found that using one of the extra-large sized biscuits (a.k.a. Grands) per side is sufficient.
• As a variation I tried adding a bit of salsa on top of the cheese, inside the pocket, as opposed to using it for dipping or as a condiment.
• I baked my pockets on parchment paper as opposed to a greased cookie sheet

• If you are having a tough time getting the sides of your pockets to stick together, try brushing the inside rim of the bottom pocket with a bit of water before adding the top side.  Bushing the "laces" with a bit of water also helps them to adhere.