Salad with Chocolate Balsamic Dressing and Chocolate Covered Bacon!!

Wowza. Did you check that title? This one's a little crazy, but very fun...and delicious, I would add. I had a dinner party to go to the other night in which we all had to bring food that had one of two 'secret' ingredients: Chocolate or Citrus. Naturally, I had to bring something with chocolate in it.

I thought this dressing was delicious, especially when paired with a yummy salad. Really, just delicious. It's such a great flavor, perfectly tangy, yet just sweet enough. And we all know you can't go wrong with strawberries and balsamic. Plus, when you serve something like salad with chocolate dressing and chocolate covered bacon, you've already got 10 minutes worth of conversation right there, so, that adds to its luster.

I need to emphasize here that in the case of this dressing, I think a salad with some sort of goat cheese and fresh mint is crucial to really making this dressing pop and having people say, "wow, what is this??" Just fyi.

Moving along. The idea of chocolate covered bacon is not an Alicia original. I was introduced to it in this recipe, which I thought was desperately lacking altogether. Since I had a bunch of chocolate covered bacon left over from it, I started searching for ideas to use up the scores of chocolate covered bacon I had leftover. As it turns out, chocolate covered bacon has a serious following on the internet! Some people even go so far as to drizzle it with white chocolate, dress it with a bow and give it as gifts! While it's not my cup of tea, I still found it interested. So, since the idea of chocolate covered bacon seemed intriguing, and I had some left over from the above recipe, I figured I'd try it out on this salad.

Now, you should know that I am not a fan of bacon. In fact, my husband had to show me where it was located in the store and has since coached me in how to cook it over the years (because when I cook it I rarely, if ever, eat it, so I never really know what is "good" bacon). However, I thought that, covered in chocolate, it was pretty good on the salad. If you want a vegetarian alternative, I think you could maybe do chocolate covered salted nuts or seeds of some sort (cashews or pumpkin seeds come to mind, but I'm sure others would be good, too).

All in all, I'd give the dressing 5 stars. Don't put too much on or it's too strong. But in the right amount, it just sings. The chocolate covered bacon is more of a fun touch, but since I don't really love bacon, I don't think I'm a really good rater for that. I will say, it ranks as 5 stars in the conversation piece category!

Enjoy! Recipe for the dressing found here and below. I've converted the metric portions to cups and ounces here, so please note that they are approximate. For instructions on how to make chocolate dipped bacon, see this recipe and just follow the portion of directions for the chocolate dipped bacon.

Chocolate Balsamic Dressing

Ingredients

1/2 Cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 Cup white sugar
3-4 oz Dark chocolate (70% Cacao or higher)

Directions

To make the dressing: Place balsamic vinegar in a saucepan, add sugar and dissolve over a gentle heat. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate. Leave to cool at room temperature. Do not refrigerate or dressing will solidify.

Sweet Potato Fries

Mmmm mmmmm mmm! Is there anything you could make that could sound more delicious? How about if I mentioned that the dip is plain yogurt mixed with maple syrup and cinnamon? Yes, it really just got that much better!
What I love about these is that they're notchyer average side dish. They mix things up a little. Play with the amount of salt on the fries and the and the syrup/cinnamon mixture until you get it just how you want it.I find that broiling them for the first 4 or 5 minutes and then shifting it to about 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes creates a good combination between crispy/moist fries. They're really just so easy.
I served this with the Caribbean Halibut with Mango Salsa. Talk about a dinner with some flavor! It was a lot of chopping, so maybe I'd only serve them together again on a special occasion, but it was delicious. Worth it, even.

These really are so fun. I've made them 2 or 3 times now, which is sayin' something! 4 stars.

My friend, Heidi, from Made by Heidi gave me this fabulous recipe. Thanks, girl!

Sweet Potato Fries with Sweet Cream Sauce
Ingredients:
3-4 Sweet Potatoes, sliced long-ways
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil for basting
Kosher Salt to taste

1/2 Cup Sour Cream or Plain Greek Yogurt
Maple Syrup to taste (1-3 Tablespoons)
Cinnamon to taste

Directions:
Slice sweet potatoes long ways, into about 1/2 inch spears. Toss or coat with olive oil. Line a cookie sheet with foil and place a cooling rack or metal rack on top of it. Place the sweet potatoes on the rack and sprinkle kosher salt to taste on top. Broil for 4-5 minutes, and then turn the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Let roast for 20 minutes, checking often as cooking times will vary depending on oven and thickness of fries.

While fries cook in the oven, mix together the sour cream/yogurt with the maple syrup and cinnamon to taste. Place in refrigerator.

Serve the fries with the dip. Enjoy!

Caribbean Halibut with Mango Salsa

Just that title is enough to make my mouth water. I'm a big believer that seafood can be delicious (delicious), but it needs to be done right. You need to pick a good fish. You need to cook it well. You need to have a fantastic recipe. This recipe is right up there with Emeril's Salmon for me. Just so much flavor, and so perfectly paired, it just can't be beat.When you first read the recipe you may think it's not worth all that chopping plus you have to blacken it and then put the fish in the oven. However, I usually do the chopping for the salsa in the morning, so all you have left is to marinade and preheat your oven in the evening. It's fast and really, just delicious. The blackening process sears in all the flavor without actually having to fry it, which I think is brilliant. Then, the oven gets it nice and moist. Mmmm, my mouth is watering right now!If you don't like heat, then just reduce the jalapeno amount. I think they give it a great flavor, so I wouldn't throw them out all together. And the salsa, the SALSA. You just can't forgo that on this dish, the flavors pair together beautifully. They just can't be separated.
I've made this dish with Haddock and Tilapia and both turned out just fine. Haddock is a very 'un-fishy' tasting fish, if you are skiddish about cooking fish.

Here's that perfect texture when it's just ready to come out. Still moist and plush looking, but cooked through and just getting a little flaky.I find that as long as the fish is pretty close to room temperature when you begin cooking it, the timing is pretty spot on, let me know if anyone finds anything differently!

I'm not sure where this recipe came from as I got it years ago from a friend and we altered the recipe until it was perfect.

5 Stars. For sure.

Caribbean Halibut with Mango Salsa:
INGREDIENTS:

4 Halibut or Swordfish steaks (about 6 oz)

3 limes
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped, divided in half

2 garlic cloves, pressed

1 tsp olive oil

¼ tsp salt

1/8 tsp ground black pepper

Caribbean jerk seasoning (or a combination of seasonings to your liking)

1 recipe mango salsa (below)

DIRECTIONS:

For halibut and marinade, rinse halibut and pat dry with paper towels. Zest limes to measure 1 teaspoon (set zest aside for salsa). Juice limes to measure 4 tablespoons juice. Finely chop jalapeno pepper in a food processor, combine 2 tablespoons of the lime juice, half of the jalapeno pepper, garlic, oil, salt and black pepper: whisk until blended. Place halibut and marinade in a resealable plastic food storage bag; turn to coat. Marinate in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, turning occasionally.

For halibut: Preheat oven to 400F. Remove halibut from bag being sure some jalapeno remains on the top of the fish. According to taste, season the tops with Caribbean Jerk seasoning. Add a little olive oil to a skillet and heat over high heat on stove. When the oil and pan are hot, place halibut top side down on the skillet and blacken for 1 minute. Remove from skillet and place halibut in a greased pan with right side up again. Cook for 8 minutes or until halibut flakes easily with a fork. Serve topped with mango salsa.

MANGO SALSA

Prep: 20 minutes Chill: 2 hours

INGREDIENTS:
1-1/2 C chopped, peeled mango (papaya, peaches, plums, and/or pineapple will also work)
1/2 C chopped red or green sweet pepper
1/4 C thinly sliced green onions (2)
1/4 C snipped fresh cilantro or parsley
2 tablespoons lime juice or lemon juice
1 to 2 fresh jalapeno or serrano peppers, seeded and finely chopped, or 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Anaheim pepper

DIRECTIONS:
In a medium mixing bowl stir together fruit, sweet pepper, green onions, cilantro or parsley, lime juice or lemon juice, and jalapeno, serrano, or Anaheim pepper. Cover; chill at least 2 hours before serving.

Serve as a dip for chips or fresh vegetables or as a condiment for tacos, quesadillas, burgers, steaks, chicken, or fish. Makes about 2 cups.

Applebee's Asian Chicken Salad

I remembered trying this salad years ago when my roommates made it. It's really quite delicious. I'm not a big meat-eater, I usually find myself picking my way around food dishes thinking "man, this would be a great sauce if there just wasn't so much chicken in it!" However, I found myself actually looking for the chicken in this salad! My husband agreed. In fact, he was not sure he believed me that I actually cooked the chicken myself - it was certainly too delicious - until I showed him the pan I had fried them in. Case closed.So, I will say that, if you aren't afraid of calories (which I am not) I think some diced cheese would taste really good with this salad. It just needs a little...something more. The flavors present blend beautifully, I just think it could use a little oomph. I also doubled the green onion content and thought it was a nice touch.The dressing is good - it has a vinegar-y taste, but I think that little zing is fun with the chicken and cabbage. All in all, a great salad. I ate it the night before a race and it was just the perfect light-yet-filling dish.
Oh, and I didn't have cornflakes. I just used Panko bread crumbs that I have a plethora of and am always looking for reasons to use. I'd do it again, given the option between the two. I thought they were better than cornflakes. In fact, I think that Panko bread crumbs just might save the world someday.Lastly, I think if I make this again I'll try doing an oven-fry on the chicken, instead of pan-frying them. It certainly would make for a healthier meal. Still, I really don't know how guilty you can feel when you are shoving your face full of lettuce, cabbage, almonds, and onions. By the way, I was out of carrots, so I skipped them.4 stars.
Recipe below:

APPLEBEE’S ASIAN CHICKEN SALAD

INGREDIENTS:

Dressing

6 Tbsp honey

2 tsp Dijon mustard

3 Tbs rice vinegar

1/4 tsp sesame oil or oil

1/2 C mayonnaise

Chicken:

2 egg

2 tsp salt

1 C milk

1 C corn flake crumbs

1 C flour

1/2 tsp pepper

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Oil for frying

Salad:

6 C chopped romaine lettuce

2 green onion, chopped

2 C red cabbage

4 Tbsp sliced almonds

2 C napa cabbage

2/3 C chow mien noodles

1 carrot julienned or shredded

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oil in deep fryer or deep pan over medium heat. Want temp around 350.

Blend together all ingredients for dressing with an electric mixer. Let chill while preparing salad.

In small bowl beat egg, add milk, and mix well. In another bowl, combine flour with corn flake crumbs, salt and pepper.

Cut chicken breast in 4-5 long strips. Dip each first in egg mixture then into the flour mixture, coating each piece completely. Fry each piece for 3-5 minutes or until coating had darkened to brown.

Mix lettuce, cabbage, and carrots together. Sprinkle green onion on top. Sprinkle with almonds then the chow mien. Cut chicken into bit size chunks. Place onto the salad forming a pile in the middle. Serve with salad dressing on the side. Makes one-dinner size salad.

Emeril's Grilled Salmon with Sweet Corn, Tomato, and Avocado Relish

Oh my goodness. I made this recipe last year and remembered it so fondly I had to make it again. Wow - my memory must have failed me because this was even better than I remembered. Seafood haters beware: this dish may make a seafoodie out of you! Honestly, I think it's the best salmon recipe I've EVER had. And I'm from Seattle, so, you know, I know my Salmon or something.When you get to the "Emeril's Original Essence" part you will be tempted to skip it because it's so many ingredients - but don't be fooled. It's just a bunch of spices thrown together. I don't make how much it calls for, I just add a few shakes of each spice - more of the ones it calls for more of and less of the ones it calls for less of. It really makes the whole recipe.Really, I want every person who reads this blog to make this recipe. Each time I take a bite of that relish my mouth just screams for more! It's really that good.I don't have a grill, so, like usual, I broil it on a cooling rack for 7-10 minutes without turning it. I just take it out when I separate the meat with a fork and it looks just barely cooked through. I also throw a bunch of veggies on the rack as well, spread some oil and a little salt on them and you have got yourself the easiest meal of...well...ever. I think it looks fun, too, so you can just take it straight from the oven to the table. How's that for a 20 minute gourmet, healthy, delicious meal? Food really doesn't get better than this!

Mmmm...just writing about it makes me want to make it again next week!
Oh, and for those who still are not convinced by ranting and raving that they want to use Salmon, I have been told that chicken tastes great with it as well. So, there you go.

You know you want to try it. Just to see if it's as good as I'm saying it is. Do it, I dare you.

Recipe here and below.
And do you even have to ask? 5 stars. No question about it.

Emeril's Grilled Salmon with Sweet Corn, Tomato and Avocado Relish
2 large ears fresh yellow corn, peeled and silk removed
2 Creole tomatoes (or other vine-ripened tomatoes), cored and cut into 3/4-inch dices (about 2 cups)
2 Haas avocados, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dices (about 2 cups)
6 tablespoons red onions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
4 salmon fillets with the skin (6-ounces each)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Emeril's Original Essence
4 sprigs fresh cilantro, for garnish

Cooking Directions

Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add the corn and simmer until tender, about 4 minutes. Drain.

When cool enough to handle, cut the kernels from the ear and place in a medium bowl.

To the corn, add the tomatoes, avocados, onions, parsley, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Toss to combine and set aside.

Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.

Lightly brush the fillets with the olive oil and season each on the flesh side with 1/8 teaspoon of the Essence.

Add to the grill, skin side down, and cook until the skin is crisp, 4 to 5 minutes.

Turn and cook until the salmon is opaque and medium-rare, about 4 minutes, depending upon the thickness of the fillets.

To serve, lay the asparagus down the center of four large plates and place the fillets on Grilled Asparagus. Spoon the relish over the fish, garnish each plate with a sprig of cilantro, and serve immediately.

Recipe copyright 2005, Emeril Lagasse

Mexican Chicken and 'Rice'

My friend sent me a link to this recipe the other day and there really was no choice but to try it. I was intrigued by the thought of cauliflower as a rice substitute. So I delved right in and tried it out. Whenever my dish looks just like the original cook's picture, I get excited (and reassured), and that's exactly what happened this time:So, was this meal tasty? Yes. Definitely. I went back for seconds - and maybe thirds. The texture was great - I told my husband it was Mexican Rice and he didn't even notice it wasn't truly rice until I mentioned to him that it was actually cauliflower! How cool is that? My kids both ate it as well. However, I wouldn't place the flavor as Mexican Rice. I would probably just have called it "Yummy Pretend Rice Dinner".
Oh, and I added in Pancetta. It's just Italian bacon - and we all know anything Italian food is synonymous with deliciousness. My husband loves pancetta and he rarely gets it, so I figured this would be a treat for him. It went very well with it.

Oddly enough, I didn't feel like adding cheese to it. I'm sure it's good - and it's rare that I don't think a meal needs more cheese, but the flavors were rich and yummy without it, so I left it out. I served the whole dish with avocados and salsa on top and mangos on the side. Mmmm...

3 stars - worth a try, but not something I'll make often. I am very interested in more recipes from this website, however, as I think that was such a fresh and fun take on adding more vegetables to meals without 'masking' them.Oh, and I don't have a food processor (someday!!), and my blender was turning the cauliflower into a smoothie, so I just chopped it. Turns out cauliflower chops easily because it crumbles apart so easily. It took a few minutes, but wasn't too bad.

Recipe here and below:

Mexican Chicken and "Rice"
slightly adapted from Elana's Pantry

4 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 cup celery, finely diced
1 head cauliflower, trimmed
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chiles
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, grilled and diced into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 c chopped fresh cilantro
juice from half a lime
1 avocado
grated cheese, if desired (I used Mexican cotija chese)
salsa, if desired

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and over medium heat for 10 minutes, until soft. Add celery to skillet and saute for 5 minutes more.

Meanwhile, place cauliflower in a food processor with the "S" blade and process until it becomes the texture of rice. Add cauliflower to skillet, cover and cook 5-10 minutes, until tender.

Mix chilies and chicken into skillet, then stir in salt, cumin, oregano, chili powder, cilantro, and lime juice.

Serve, topping with avocado, cheese and salsa if desired

Makes about 4-5 servings.

Roasted Tomato Soup

Please prepare yourself, as I am about to share with you a recipe that just might change your life forever. It's called, quite simply, Roasted Tomato Soup. However, this little soup is anything but normal. Every time I make this unassuming little recipe, I am reminded why I just keep coming back for more. It has such a depth to its flavor - and it's delicious. We've all had tomato soup before, but then you try this and you think "ok, this is what the tomato soup in my dreams tastes like". Only it's real, which makes it even better.
It can be a little time-consuming the first couple of times you make it. After you get it down, it becomes routine and somehow you shave off a good 20 minutes. I always double it because I don't think the recipe makes quite enough - and I'll happily spring for leftovers for days at a time if need be. If you make this for guests be prepared for ranting and raving. Really, it's just SO good.
A few words: I've used fresh garlic as well as the minced garlic that comes in a jar and they are both good. I've used fresh good chicken stock and bouillon in a pinch and they are both good (although you have to watch how much bouillon you put in - you don't want it to take over the flavor of the tomatoes). I've also made it without cream and it was still delicious. In fact, that's how I always eat it now, since it's just as good with or without an added 400 calories. =)

You can decide if you'd like to seed the tomatoes or not. I'm sure it's more professional to seed them, but I just think it takes a lot of time...and I actually think the taste is more rich with the seeds and pulpy tomato goodness in there.

Try and use a variety of tomatoes, as the recipe suggests. It really broadens the flavor.

Also, I find the easiest way to skin a tomato is to roast them, as the recipe suggests. Then let them cool for about 20 minutes or until they're not too hot to handle. Then simply hold onto the skin and the tomato meat will just fall right off of the skin. So easy. And do me a favor: When you pull the tomatoes, onions, and garlic out of the oven, let them cool a little and then just try an onion slice. You'll know right then and there why this recipe is going to become your new favorite food.

Sometimes I make the croutons (which are really just so good with it), and other times I just don't have the time and I just make toast to go with it.

Lastly, this is also a great food for company - not only is it delicious, but you can make it a day in advance and it's just as delicious. You may want to triple the recipe.

Enjoy! 5 stars.

Recipe Below:

Roasted Tomato Soup with Fresh Croutons

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

For Soup:

2 1/2 pounds fresh tomatoes (mix of fresh heirlooms, cherry, vine and plum tomatoes)

6 cloves garlic, peeled

2 small yellow onions, sliced

Vine cherry tomatoes for garnish, optional

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 quart chicken stock

2 bay leaves

4 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves, optional

3/4 cup heavy cream, optional

½ cup grated Asiago cheese

For Croutons:

Good olive oil

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

6 cups (3/4-inch) bread cubes (1 baguette or round boule)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

For Soup: Wash, core and cut the tomatoes into halves. Spread the tomatoes, garlic cloves and onions onto a baking tray. If using vine cherry tomatoes for garnish, add them as well, leaving them whole and on the vine. Drizzle with 1/2 cup of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes, or until caramelized.

Remove roasted tomatoes, garlic and onion from the oven and transfer to a large stock pot after peeling the tomatoes (set aside the roasted vine tomatoes for later). Add 3/4 of the chicken stock, bay leaves, and butter. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until liquid has reduced by a third.

Wash and dry basil leaves, if using, and add to the pot. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth. Return soup to low heat, add cream and adjust consistency with remaining chicken stock, if necessary. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Garnish in bowl with 3 or 4 roasted vine cherry tomatoes, a splash of heavy cream and grated Asiago cheese.

For Croutons: Heat a large saute pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil until very hot. Lower the heat to medium-low and saute the bread cubes, tossing frequently, until nicely browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add more olive oil, as needed, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Lemon Curd and Fresh Raspberries

Tell me the title doesn't make you DROOL just looking at it! Go ahead, just try and tell me.
Here's a picture from the website, I have nothing else to show for these beauties.
After having Sarabeth's famous lemon-ricotta pancakes years ago, I began a quest to find a recipe that makes pancakes that are as delicious and light as theirs'. I've tinkered with various recipes, and I have to say that Bobby Flay has done it again - I just really thought they were perfection. I made a couple of small changes and one change that I thought was crucial:
1) I added a teensy bit less lemon (I thought it was over-doing it with the lemon curd on top as well)
2) I added a little extra nutmet (I'm a fanatic!)
The third change really was a deal-breaker:
3) I separated the egg white and yolks, dumped the yolks in as directed, and then whipped the egg whites until they were fluffy and a little stiff and then I folded them in once the batter was completely done.
I think this made all the difference. They're pretty dense little guys, so the fluffy egg whites lightened the pancakes up and let them cook all the way through just perfectly. My camera was broken when I was making them, which really is a shame because they were some of the prettiest pancakes I've made.
I served them with just a little bit of butter, a tiny pinch of salt, and a smidgen of maple syrup and lemon curd on them...and of course, the fresh raspberries can't be left out! The salty, lemony, sweetness of the toppings was just perfect with the nutmeg. Mmmmm...these just might be my "fancy breakfast" staples from now on!
Oh, and I only had ground white wheat flour from Trader Joe's and I didn't think it affected the taste in the least.

5 stars!

Recipe below and here.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• Butter, for griddle
• 1 (11-ounce) jar prepared lemon curd
• Fresh raspberries, for garnish
• Confectioners' sugar, for garnish

Directions

Preheat a nonstick griddle.

Combine flour, baking powder, nutmeg, salt, and sugar in a small bowl. Whisk together the cheese, eggs, milk, lemon juice and zest in a large bowl. Whisk the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined. Brush the hot griddle with butter. For each pancake, pour approximately 1/4 cup measure of the batter on the griddle and cook on both sides until light golden brown. Repeat until no batter remains.

Empty the contents of the lemon curd into a small saucepan and warm over low heat. Alternatively, remove the lid and place in a microwave oven on 50 percent power for 2 minutes, stopping after 1 minute to stir the curd. Drizzle a few tablespoons of the curd over the pancakes, top with fresh raspberries, and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.

Veggie Stuffed Pancakes

Ok, obviously, with a name like that I couldn't pass up trying these! Especially because they involve mascarpone cheese...and who can resist mascarpone cheese in anything? They sounded so different, and yet, they were getting 5 stars on the foodnetwork.com. I absolutely had to try them. I had made up my mind to write a post about these before I had even tried them - whether they were delicious or not because they were just...so...interesting to me. I must admit, the main reason I made them was sheer curiosity.

And I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised! As I was making them I was just shaking my head thinking, "What on earth have I gotten myself into? These are just so strange!" But then it all started to come together and they turned out to be pretty darn good.Now, the first night, I planned on giving them 3 stars. Because I really liked them, and they were definitely worth making once, but they were a little rich and I didn't know that I wanted to eat them again. But then...I had so many left over, I just couldn't stomach throwing them away (literally, as evidenced by me putting them in my stomach rather than throwing them away!). So, the next 2 days I was eating these puppies for lunch. Imagine my surprise when my husband and I both said to each other, "Hey! These taste even better the next day!" Who would have thought? Pancakes? But really, they were. I am not prepared to bump them to a 3.5 star rating, which will make them really a 4. Totally worth a try. They were different and fun. They had lots of vegetables. They had pancakes and mascarpone cheese. You gotta try them once!
Instead of regular pancakes, I used a recipe I have that makes pancake-y crepes, so I'm including that here as well. Oh, and these did takes a little bit of time up front with making the crepes and all, so I did a lot of the chopping/cooking in the morning and then just popped them in the oven that evening and they were done lickity split.
I served this with freshly homemade yogurt, granola, fruit and honey, which were a nice compliment to the richness of the dish.

Recipe below and here.
Recipe for pancake-y crepes below.

Veggie Stuffed Pancakes

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups pancake mix (recommended: Krusteaz) or 1 recipe pancake-y crepes, found below
  
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1 pound frozen spinach, thawed and drained
• 2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/4 cup
• 1 (8-ounce) container mascarpone cheese
• 1 1/4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 to 3/4 cups whole milk

Directions

In a medium bowl combine the pancake mix and water. Whisk the batter until smooth. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Make 12 pancakes about 5 1/2-inches in diameter. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Warm the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onions, carrots, and garlic and saute until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the spinach, tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Transfer the vegetable mixture to a large bowl. Add the basil, 1/4 cup Parmesan, and mascarpone cheese. Stir the mixture until well mixed.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9 by 12-inch baking dish (or individual baking dishes). Using about half the vegetable mixture fill the pancakes. Lay pancake down on a work surface, top with 2 spoonfuls of vegetable mixture, sprinkle with some mozzarella cheese. Roll up the pancake around the vegetable mixture and place in the baking dish. Continue with the remaining pancakes, placing in the baking dish in 2 rows, and using up all the shredded mozzarella cheese.

Place the remaining vegetable mixture in a blender with 1/2 cup whole milk. Blend until smooth adding up to 1/4 cup more milk if necessary to make a sauce. Pour the sauce over the center of the vegetable-stuffed pancakes in two rows. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan. Bake until the cheese is melted and the vegetables are hot, about 25 minutes. Serve immediately.

Pancake-y Crepes

Makes approximately 12 crepes

INGREDIENTS:

2 ¼ C flour

1 ½ Tbsp sugar

3 ¼ tsp baking powder

3 C milk

3 eggs

¾ tsp salt

¾ tsp vanilla

3 Tbsp margarine/butter

DIRECTIONS:

Place all ingredients in blender and tentatively whip until blended, then blend steadily for 1 minutes. Will be moderately thick, for crepes. Grease a frying pan with cooking oil, cooking spray, or butter. Cook in frying pan over medium heat till just cooked.

Best Granola Ever

I just recently began making my own granola. It turns out we eat a lot of granola at our house and that it can get expensive. And it turns out that I apparently like homemade granola a lot more than store bought - who would have ever thought? It also turns out that my toddler loves to make it with me - it's a perfect afternoon project together of dumping this and that into a bowl and then pressing it into a cookie sheet together.I really love the recipe I've been making - it's sweet, salty, crunchy, and it actually bakes into little clumps like the store bought granola that I love. If anyone has another recipe out there that you love to make, I'd love to try it! My kids have been eating it by the hand-full and I love that it has all sorts of goodness they don't even know they're getting while they gobble down their breakfast!
5 stars!
Recipe below and also here.Best Granola Ever.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup + 1 Tbs. oil, vegetable or canola
2 Tbs. water
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
4 Tbs. molasses
4 Tbs. maple syrup
(Or you can just use 1/2 cup of maple syrup and omit the molasses)

4 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup wheat germ
4 Tbs. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
4 Tbs. ground flaxseed
2/3 cup coconut
2/3 cup pumpkin seeds (sunflower seeds can be substituted, especially if you can't find unshelled pumpkin seeds))
2/3 cup almonds (chopped or whole) - I left these out so my baby can eat it as well

Adjust oven racks to middle positions. Preheat to 275 degrees. Coat two metal cookie sheets with cooking spray or oil and set aside.

Bring oil, syrup, molasses, cinnamon, water to a simmer in a saucepan over low heat.

Mix oats through almonds in a large bowl. Pour oil/maple syrup mixture over oat mixture and stir to combine.

Pour mixture onto two prepared cookie sheets. Working a handful at a time, squeeze granola to form small clumps.

Bake for 30 minutes. Stir and continue to bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes longer.

Let cool. Granola can be stored in an airtight container for up to two weeks. Enjoy!

Makes (roughly) 2 quarts.

Cashew Tilapia and Tabbouleh

Ok, so, here I am, the first day after my new year's resolution to write on this blog at least once a week. And I'm doing it! I'm sure by June it will be midnight on Sunday and I'll be typing up last week's entry, but that's how resolutions go, right? It feels good to be accomplishing something now, anyway. =)

SO, tonight we had Cashew Encrusted Tilapia and Tabbouleh for dinner. Uh*mazing.
Not only was it beautiful, it was delicious! Lots of flavor from herbs, lemons, nuts...lots of crunch and variety of textures. I just loved this whole dish, which is why I'm posting them together!

The fish could also be adapted for a number of dietary needs - you could easily make it gluten free by using only nuts to dip the fish in (and skipping out on the bread crumbs and flour). You could also use just Panko Bread Crumbs instead of nuts if you wanted the crunch but no nuts. I suppose you could also slice chicken thinly and use that for you non-fish-lovers out there (and you know who you are).

In either case, it was absolutely fantastic, flavorful, and healthy; three things that are a must in my house!
This Tabbouleh is something that we eat regularly at our house. It packs a lot of flavor without fat and tastes fresh and delicious. The recipe I use isn't strictly a Tabbouleh as it calls for more wheat than the traditional, but I like it this way, so that's how I make it! I also throw in pine nuts and feta usually, but they are most definitely optional.Just look at that chopping board - tomatoes, mint, parsley, green onions, cucumbers...mmmmm. Even my toddler eats it! Oh, and don't be afraid of Bulghur (cracked) wheat! You can pick it up at almost any grocery store in the cereal, baking, or bulk grains area and it's even easier to make than rice!
It's a very forgiving recipe that you can play with by adding more lemon juice or herbs until you get the flavor you like. I find it can be chilled for up to 3 days and still be delicious, so all the chopping's worth it if you have some downtime and make it early!

Ok, now, let's talk fish. Tilapia is really quite mild and delicious if you are a fence-sitter in the seafood department, but you really could use chicken for this dish as well.
I started out using a meat pounder to crush the cashews, but I was failing miserably at it, so I busted out the Magic Bullet and that did the trick. Any blender/food processor would work. I used salted cashews because that's all I had on hand - so sue me. =) I also used Panko Bread Crumbs because Costco sells them for cheap and I think they make your dish much more gourmet-ish. Really, they do. You can buy them next to the normal bread crumbs at any grocery store.
Look at the little line-up of coatings for my fish before they were popped in the oven - isn't it pretty, like playing leap-frog into the pan. =)So, then I popped them in the oven...then comes the universal question: WHEN IS THE FISH DONE??
I used to wonder the same thing - in fact, I used to cook fish until it was straight rubber because I was so nervous I was under-cooking it. Well, fish is a little different than normal meat, it's going to look a little plump, juicy, and even un-cooked when it is cooked. If you stick a fork in it and just separate the layers so you can see the thickest part, if it looks a little flaky on the outside and has gone opaque in the center, your fish is completely cooked through, and you can pull it out. Even if it's just a little early, it'll still steam for a few minutes once you take it out. Mine were perfection at 20 minutes.
Mmmm...just look at that crunchy, salty goodness. You know you want some!
Lastly, I whipped up a little sauce for these puppies with whatever I had in the kitchen - some brown mustard, honey, and a little barbecue sauce. It was delicious, although I think a mango salsa on top in the summer would be out of this WORLD.

I think I should probably rate these recipes, for ease in reference later on. I think I'll use the good old fashioned star rating, and I'll explain that in another post in just a moment. Here's how I'd rate them:
Tabbouleh: 4.5 stars
Cashew Tilapia: 4 stars

Ok, that's all folks! Let me know if you have any questions or if anyone tries it what you think of it!