I love s'mores. I get excited when the grocery stores start packing the ends of the aisles with boxes of graham crackers, bags of marshmallows, and flats of Hershey bars. We bought a fire pit for our backyard so that I could make s'mores all summer long. Unfortunately, not every summer event allows for a crackling fire, so I was thrilled to see this recipe in Kiwi magazine last month.
At first, I was worried about the recipe. No eggs? No baking soda or baking powder? Hmm. However, these cookies are incredible. They are really rich and wicked sweet. They are messy as can be (the marshmallow melts everywhere!) However, they are worth every sticky baking pan you have to clean. Just be sure to grease your pan really well!! Here's my adaptation of the original recipe, one that worked a little better for me!
You need:
1 1/3 c. confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 c. unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla
3 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. mini marshmallows
1 10 oz. bag of milk chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 sheets of graham crackers, crumbled
Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and beat until incorporated. Add the flour, one cup at a time, and mix until combined. Using your hands, fold in the marshmallows, chocolate chips, and graham crackers. Chill in the fridge for an hour. Then, preheat the oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or grease well. Scoop the dough into small 1 in balls and roll to keep ingredients inside. Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 13-15 minutes or until the edges are slightly brown. Cool before serving.
Monday, April 16, 2012
Baby's First Lamb
Our little man turns eight months old this week, so we're going to add meats to the menu. Because lamb is so easy to digest, we've decided to make this his first carnivorous adventure! I've adapted the recipe from my baby cookbook a bit to suit my own preferences, but feel free to use a boneless lamb steak or chop to match your own desires or budget. Also, if you shy away from lamb for personal reasons, turkey is also great first choice for meats. Look for that recipe later this week!
You need:
1 small lamb tenderloin*
extra virgin olive oil
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place lamb on a greased rack set in an aluminum foil-lined roasting pan. Roast, turning once, until cooked through and no longer pink, about 12 minutes per side. Let cool and then coarsely chop. Puree for one minute. With machine running, add a few tablespoons of water until you reach a consistency that your baby can handle. The texture will be paste-like. Serve with a side of prunes and plain baby yogurt.
*I get these tenderloins in a package of three at my local supermarket. Because I like to make meat dishes fresh, rather than to thaw from the freezer, one small tenderloin makes just enough for three meals (and three days in the max it can keep in the refrigerator). You can freeze the other two tenderloins for use later on.
Inspired from Cooking for Baby by Lisa Barnes
You need:
1 small lamb tenderloin*
extra virgin olive oil
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place lamb on a greased rack set in an aluminum foil-lined roasting pan. Roast, turning once, until cooked through and no longer pink, about 12 minutes per side. Let cool and then coarsely chop. Puree for one minute. With machine running, add a few tablespoons of water until you reach a consistency that your baby can handle. The texture will be paste-like. Serve with a side of prunes and plain baby yogurt.
*I get these tenderloins in a package of three at my local supermarket. Because I like to make meat dishes fresh, rather than to thaw from the freezer, one small tenderloin makes just enough for three meals (and three days in the max it can keep in the refrigerator). You can freeze the other two tenderloins for use later on.
Inspired from Cooking for Baby by Lisa Barnes
Baby Peach Puree
You need:
4 ripe peaches or nectarines, halved and pitted
Bring 1 inch water to a boil in a pot. Put peach halves in a steamer basket and steam until soft but not falling apart, about 2-4 minutes. Peaches should pierce easily with a fork. Scrape flesh from skins with a spoon and puree until smooth. Additional liquid isn't needed!
4 ripe peaches or nectarines, halved and pitted
Bring 1 inch water to a boil in a pot. Put peach halves in a steamer basket and steam until soft but not falling apart, about 2-4 minutes. Peaches should pierce easily with a fork. Scrape flesh from skins with a spoon and puree until smooth. Additional liquid isn't needed!
Baby Prune Puree and Baby Dried Apricot Puree
This recipe is the same for either dried fruit, so I thought one post would suffice. Once your baby has tried both, they taste really great together. They also make a great side dish for baby's first lamb dinner, so it's nice to have some on hand!
You need:
2 c. pitted prunes OR dried apricots
In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine fruit and 1 1/2 c. water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until tender, about 8-10 minutes, or until they can be pierced easily with a fork. Remove from heat and let cool, reserving cooking liquid. Puree until smooth. Add cooking liquid to thin to a consistency your baby can handle. Note - when making prunes, you can also reserve and dilute the remaining cooking liquid and give to your baby to drink!
You need:
2 c. pitted prunes OR dried apricots
In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine fruit and 1 1/2 c. water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until tender, about 8-10 minutes, or until they can be pierced easily with a fork. Remove from heat and let cool, reserving cooking liquid. Puree until smooth. Add cooking liquid to thin to a consistency your baby can handle. Note - when making prunes, you can also reserve and dilute the remaining cooking liquid and give to your baby to drink!
Baby Blueberry Puree
You need:
2 c. thawed frozen or fresh blueberries
Puree blueberries until smooth. If your baby is sensitive to textures, put puree through a fine mesh sieve to remove small pieces of skin. The sauce will have a yogurt-like consistency. Heat in a small saucepan over medium heat until hot, about 3-5 minutes. Let cool completely before serving.
2 c. thawed frozen or fresh blueberries
Puree blueberries until smooth. If your baby is sensitive to textures, put puree through a fine mesh sieve to remove small pieces of skin. The sauce will have a yogurt-like consistency. Heat in a small saucepan over medium heat until hot, about 3-5 minutes. Let cool completely before serving.
Whipped Baby Cauliflower
You need:
1 large head of cauliflower (or 1 10 oz. bag of frozen)
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
Trim cauliflower and cut into similar-sized florets. Put florets in a pot and cover with cold water. Put the lid on the pot and bring to a boil, over medium heat, until cauliflower is tender, about 15-18 minutes. Do not overcook, as the cauliflower will separate and fall apart. Drain, and while still hot, puree with butter until very smooth and creamy.
1 large head of cauliflower (or 1 10 oz. bag of frozen)
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
Trim cauliflower and cut into similar-sized florets. Put florets in a pot and cover with cold water. Put the lid on the pot and bring to a boil, over medium heat, until cauliflower is tender, about 15-18 minutes. Do not overcook, as the cauliflower will separate and fall apart. Drain, and while still hot, puree with butter until very smooth and creamy.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Easy Huevos Rancheros
In an effort to use up everything perishable in my refrigerator, I needed to find a dinner that used random ingredients and was fast. We have A LOT of packing to do. Enter Huevos Rancheros.
I've had this recipe before, made in a variety of ways, but this recipe, found at "SmittenKitchen.com" was super easy and required very little. I tweaked it to suit our tastes, and A raved about the results.
You need:
4 flour tortillas, taco size
4 eggs
2 c. cheddar cheese
1 14 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 jar of salsa
1 diced avocado
sour cream (optional)
Warm the beans and salsa over low heat. Heat oil on a large griddle over medium heat. When hot, place the tortillas on the griddle, like a bunch of pancakes. When they've begun to crisp and brown, flip them over. Sprinkle cheddar cheese over the top and make a little well in the middle. Add one egg into the middle of each well (don't worry if the white spills all over the griddle). As the egg begins to cook, and the white starts to set, flip them over. Cook for a minute or two until all of the white is cooked. Flip them back over, egg side up. Dollop with beans, salsa, avocado chunks, and sour cream. Enjoy!
I've had this recipe before, made in a variety of ways, but this recipe, found at "SmittenKitchen.com" was super easy and required very little. I tweaked it to suit our tastes, and A raved about the results.
You need:
4 flour tortillas, taco size
4 eggs
2 c. cheddar cheese
1 14 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 jar of salsa
1 diced avocado
sour cream (optional)
Warm the beans and salsa over low heat. Heat oil on a large griddle over medium heat. When hot, place the tortillas on the griddle, like a bunch of pancakes. When they've begun to crisp and brown, flip them over. Sprinkle cheddar cheese over the top and make a little well in the middle. Add one egg into the middle of each well (don't worry if the white spills all over the griddle). As the egg begins to cook, and the white starts to set, flip them over. Cook for a minute or two until all of the white is cooked. Flip them back over, egg side up. Dollop with beans, salsa, avocado chunks, and sour cream. Enjoy!
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