Coffee, coffee, buzz buzz buzz!

August 2, 2009 – 8:22 pm

I can’t remember a time when I didn’t love coffee.

I started on it pretty early, as our household was never without a freshly brewed pot of coffee each morning.  My parents took their java pretty seriously and I was raised on Peet’s Arabian Mocha-Java.  The first time I tasted Folger’s was at a piano recital and I almost spit it back into the styrofoam cup.

My mom was always very savvy when it came to spending money–she clipped coupons, drove to 3 separate grocery stores to get the best prices, and stockpiled sale items, but she loyally indulged in Peet’s coffee, a habit that holds true to this day.

Mom used to pour an inch of coffee into a mug for me and fill the rest with milk and a spoonful of sugar.  If coffee truly stunts your growth, it’s no wonder I’ve topped out at a stubby 5′2″.  But it’s been worth it.

As a kid, one of my favorite desserts was Trader Joe’s mud pie, which we bought for just about any special occasion.  Guests coming over?  Get a mud pie!  Potluck dinner?  Bring a mud pie!  Dad’s birthday?  He wants a mud pie!  Black bottom crust, coffee ice cream, chewy fudge topping, and toasted almonds…what’s not to like?

Sadly, Lexington has no Trader Joe’s, so I decided to make my own nostalgia-evoking mud pie, desperately hoping it would live up to the pies of my childhood.  And it did, with one exception: I made my own ganache from chocolate chips and heavy cream and was really missing that wonderfully sticky chew and chocolate syrupy flavor that only store-bought hot fudge can lend.

Mocha Mud Pie

  • 20 Oreo cookies
  • 1/2 stick butter, melted
  • 1 pint chocolate ice cream
  • 1 pint vanilla ice cream
  • 1 pint coffee ice cream
  • 1 cup store bought hot fudge
  • 1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Using a food processor, grind cookies to a fine crumb.  Remove and reserve a spoonful of crumbs to garnish finished pie.  Add melted butter to the remainder of crumbs and pulse until combined.

With the back of a spoon, press crumb mixture onto the bottom and sides of a 9 inch pie pan.  Bake for 10 minutes to set and cool completely.

While crust is baking, use a 1 oz scoop to form 3-4 scoops each of chocolate, vanilla, and coffee ice cream (enough to circle the perimeter of the pie pan; I used 13 total scoops).  Place scoops on a small baking sheet or dinner plate and put in freezer to harden.  Leave remainder of ice cream on countertop to soften slightly.

Spread the bottom of the crust with about 1/3 cup of hot fudge.  Spread the remainder of the chocolate ice cream onto the bottom of the crust.  Repeat with the vanilla and coffee ice cream to form layers.  Place in freezer for 10-15 minutes to slightly set.

Arrange the scoops around the perimeter of the pie, alternating flavors.  Drizzle remaining hot fudge over the top and sprinkle with toasted almonds and reserved cookie crumbs.  Freeze until firm, about 2 hours.  Slice with a sharp knife and serve with additional hot fudge or whipped cream if desired.

By Brigitte | Posted in baking, recipes, uncategorized | Comments (1)

Why doesn’t anyone like squash?!?

July 21, 2009 – 1:13 pm

Is it because it has a name like squash?  I thought everyone loved it as much as I did…until I went to the TV station today armed with today’s recipe for Summer Squash Bread!  Lee and Dia may have been skeptical at first, but I made them eat their words!

I dropped by the Holly Hill Inn yesterday to pick up a paycheck and asked Ouita for some squash from her beautiful garden.  The Inn uses squash blossoms on its current menu, but has little use for the mass amounts of squash that grow faster than anyone can eat them.

These are great vegetables to grill or sauté, but once they get too big, they aren’t nearly as tender or tasty.  When Ouita looked relieved that someone would be taking it off her hands and offered me up the wheelbarrow to cart off my booty, I knew I’d have to find a creative use for my squash surplus.

Oy! What do I do with all this squash?!?

Oy! What do I do with all this squash?!?

I’ve had zucchini bread and figured I could use this yellow squash in the same manner.  It was a success!  What a great way to use overgrown squash.  This bread is slightly spiced with cinnamon, studded with walnuts, and delightfully moist. Grated squash provides sweetness and moisture to this bread, in the same way that carrots do so for carrot cake.

Instead of a full cup of oil, I’ve substituted a half cup of applesauce for half the oil, which is a great way to cut back on fat.  Try applesauce instead of oil in your next batch of brownies!

The batter can be baked in loaf pans, muffin tins, or whatever you fancy!

This bread is perfect for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or an afternoon snack. Try it with a bit of jam, honey butter, or whipped cream cheese for an extra treat.

Summer Squash & Walnut Bread

  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 ½ tsp baking soda
  • 3/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp nutmeg
  • ½ cup oil
  • ½ cup applesauce
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 ½ cups grated yellow squash, zucchini, or combination of the above (see note)
  • 1 cup walnuts, chopped

*UPDATE: I made a second batch of bread that came out even moister!  The difference?  An extra 1/2 cup of squash, bringing the total to 3 cups, and 1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream, added to the wet ingredients.

Note: To prepare squash, cut off the ends and halve lengthwise. Remove and discard any seeds or pulp and then grate flesh on the large holes of a box grater or with the grater attachment on a food processor.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. In a separate medium sized bowl, mix oil, applesauce, eggs, vanilla, sugars, and squash. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix just until combined. Fold in the chopped walnuts.

Divide batter between two greased and floured 9×5x3-inch loaf pans. Alternatively, batter can be made into muffins (either grease and flour tin or use paper liners) or mini loaves. Be cautious not to overfill pans.

Bake loaves for 55-65 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Muffins will take about 20-25 minutes.

Whipped Cream Cheese Spread

  • 8 oz. lowfat cream cheese, softened slightly
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)

Beat ingredients with mixer until fluffy.  Slather onto Summer Squash bread or muffins and watch them disappear!

By Brigitte | Posted in uncategorized | Comments (1)

Baby’s first front page!

July 20, 2009 – 11:18 am

I’ve been lucky to have had some great “firsts” in my cooking life…first competition, first Food Network appearance, first win…and first front page!

This is the article that Sharon Thompson wrote, after our visit together earlier this year.  I so look forward to working with Sharon in the future and really appreciate her coverage of me in the Herald Leader’s A La Carte Section.

I hadn’t seen the article before it came out, nor did I have any idea that my floating head would be on the front page!  It was quite the shock that morning, especially before my morning cup of coffee.

Michael said, “Look, honey!  You’re even before Billy Gillispie!”  If you have just a tiny idea of how important UK basketball is here in Kentucky, you’ll know how HUGE it was to be on the front page with him!  And you’ll also realize how behind I am in posting this, since Billy is loooong gone.

And here is the cover of the A La Carte section, which accurately predicted that my chicken burger would be a winner!  The photo of my giant, open mouth is exactly why I have an aversion to candid photos ;)

And here I am with Guy Fieri!  What a guy…if you can believe it, he’s even more charming, funny, and witty in person.

This may bring up questions about my choice in bread.  Contrary to popular belief, my soggy bread wasn’t completely due to cutting my burgers in half (although I really did love all the emails and questions I’ve gotten, i.e. “I bet you’ll never cut a burger in half again!”)

For awhile after the Ultimate Recipe Showdown, the mere mention of “Texas Toast” made me shudder.  I couldn’t even look at the freezer aisle, for fear that I would see the frozen, buttered bread that was originally purchased for me in lieu of the thick-sliced white bread I was so accustomed to using.  The morning of the taping, I was given a brioche loaf that was gloriously gourmet (it was from PASTIS!), but far too fragile to contain the sauciness that is my ”three-napkin burger.”

But, in the wise words of Walter Cronkite, that’s the way it is.  And in the end, Harold’s burger kicked my burger in the butt and I wouldn’t have wanted to lose to anyone else.

And just to be on the safe side, I did not cut my $50,000 burger in half.

By Brigitte | Posted in articles, uncategorized | Comments (3)

Chicken Burger 101

July 17, 2009 – 6:58 pm

Greetings, burger lovers!  After making endless batches of chicken burgers for friends and family, I wanted to post a tip sheet with a couple helpful hints that I’ve come across along the way.

Tip #1:  Any extras of the Rainbow Sesame Slaw make a perfect side dish, so I usually cut up 3 bell peppers (one red, yellow, and orange), a medium sized jicama, and a baggie of snow peas (this roughly yields equal parts of each component.)  Double the dressing and you’ll have plenty of slaw to top your burgers and to serve on the side.  You won’t be sorry you did it and you’ll feel better for eating more vegetables.

Tip #2: If you’re having issues with your patties browning too quickly, turn back the heat and cook them over medium heat.  The patties have sugar in them so they may burn easily if your burner or grill is too hot.

Tip #3: Can’t find certain ingredients?  Feel free to substitute.  Julienne cucumber, bean sprouts, or water chestnuts would be nice, crunchy stand-ins for jicama.  If you can’t find lemongrass, don’t fret–it’s a lovely touch, but omitting it won’t adversely affect the overall outcome.

Tip #4: Too spicy?  Cut back on the Sriracha to suit your palate.  I often make two batches of the Sriracha-lime mayonnaise: one for my spicy friends and one for my mild friends.

Tip #5: No ground chicken at your market?  Check Whole Foods or another gourmet grocer.  You could also try turkey instead or do what Russell from Louisiana did; he ground his own!

Tip #6: Want to cut back on the fat?  Use lowfat or nonfat mayo, ground chicken breast (as opposed to ground whole chicken, which contains dark meat and some fat), and skip buttering the buns (but please do toast them, as warm bread makes all the difference in the world).

Tip #7: Burgers too big?  I’ve never had a problem finishing one, but I’ve also been described as having a wooden leg or being a bottomless pit.  Split the meat into 8 patties instead!  The chicken mixture also freezes well for later.

And if you haven’t had a chance to try the $50,000 recipe, here it is in it’s original form.  Do it!  It’s so worth it!

Chinese Chicken Burgers with Rainbow Sesame Slaw

  • 2 pounds ground chicken
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon minced lemongrass
  • 1/3 cup sliced scallions
  • 6 hamburger buns with sesame seeds
  • 6 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 6 tablespoons hoisin sauce
  • sliced scallions
  • Sriracha Lime Mayo: recipe follows
  • Rainbow Sesame Slaw: recipe follows

In large bowl, mix together ground chicken, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, garlic, lemongrass and scallions. Divide mixture into 6 patties and set aside. Place grill pan over medium heat. Spread softened butter on hamburger buns and place on grill pan until light brown.

Wipe grill pan with paper towel and brush with vegetable oil. Place chicken patties on grill pan and cook over medium high heat, turning once, until internal temperature reaches 165° F, about 7 minutes per side. During last few minutes of cooking, baste each burger with 1 tablespoon of the hoisin sauce.

To assemble, place 1 tablespoon Sriracha Lime Mayo on each bottom and top bun. Place chicken on bun bottoms and top each with 1/3 cup Rainbow Sesame Slaw. Serve with any remaining slaw and mayo on the side. Garnish with scallions. Makes 6 servings.

Sriracha Lime Mayo: In small bowl, mix together 3/4 cup mayonnaise; zest and juice of 1 lime; and 2 tablespoons Sriracha Chile Sauce. Set aside.

Rainbow Sesame Slaw: In medium size bowl, mix together 2/3 cup julienne peppers (red, orange, yellow or any combination); 2/3 cup julienned snow peas, strings removed; 2/3 cup julienned jicama; 1-1/2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar; 1 tablespoon sugar; 1 tablespoon soy sauce; 1 teaspoon Sriracha Chile Sauce; 1 teaspoon sesame oil; and 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds.

Tip #1:

By Brigitte | Posted in uncategorized | Comments (1)

Aw shucks…it’s corn season!

July 14, 2009 – 11:24 am

This past weekend at the farmer’s market, I couldn’t resist buying several different varieties of corn, for as little as 33 cents an ear! Grilled corn on the cob is one of those foods that never fails to draw me in at summer festivals, cookouts, and county fairs.

This corn salad is inspired by the roasted corn cobs sold at fairs that is often sprinkled with lime, salt, and chili pepper. It’s healthy, delicious, and not nearly as messy to eat!

This makes a fabulous side dish and is a really great accompaniment to any grilled protein, such as pork tenderloin, chicken, skirt steak, or seafood. Or, try it in fajitas, tacos, and wrap sandwiches.

Grilled Corn Salad with Lime & Cilantro

  • 4 ears of corn, shucked
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • ½ cup nonfat or reduced fat sour cream
  • 1 small (or ½ large) red bell pepper, finely diced
  • ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
  • Zest and juice of 1 lime
  • 2 tsp, or more to taste, chili lime seasoning (recommended: Cholula)

Rub each ear of corn with a small amount (1/4 tsp) of olive oil. Grill over medium heat, either on an outdoor gas or charcoal grill or indoors, in a grill pan. Cook corn for 12-15 minutes until nicely browned, turning continuously with tongs to ensure even cooking. Remove from heat and cool.

Once corn has cooled, cut kernels off each cob and transfer to a medium size mixing bowl. Each ear should yield about 1 cup of corn kernels. Add sour cream, diced bell pepper, cilantro, lime zest and juice, and lime seasoning. Mix well to combine and serve either immediately at room temperature or store in refrigerator for up to 3 days and serve chilled.

By Brigitte | Posted in uncategorized | Comments (0)

Homemade Granola: Honey and flax seeds and oats, oh my!

July 10, 2009 – 4:34 pm

I’ve been making homemade granola for over a year now and it blows any storebought version out of the water!

My original recipe is pretty simple and involves fairly haphazard measurements: 8 cups oats, a bag of sliced almonds, a bag of shredded coconut, 3/4 cup canola oil, 1 1/2 cups honey, a generous spoonful of cinnamon, a dash of vanilla, a pinch of salt, and enough dried fruit to make it look nice (usually diced apricots and cranberries).

It’s a family favorite and I love to throw it in a cellophane baggie or a mason jar for instant gifts!

I am continually forcing fruit down Michael’s throat (as evidenced by my “love note” to him, left on the fridge before a recent trip out of town), and a morning bowl of yogurt, granola, and diced fruit has become one of my few triumphant attempts.

(I grew up in a household where fruit for dessert was a no-brainer, but Michael is having none of it, unless you count strawberry sundaes, apple pie, or the gratuitous “three-raspberry-garnish” one finds on creme brulee as “fruit for dessert.”)

Anyhoo, granola made with all that oil, however delicious, seemed to defeat the purpose of eating granola in the first place.  I finally decided to play around with a lower fat alternative, which came out equally tasty and even crunchier and nuttier (thank you, flax seeds!) than the original.

And I am thrilled to report that Michael has had it every day this week with lowfat vanilla yogurt and yes, FRUIT!

I win!

p.s. In addition to trimming your waistline, this will also trim your grocery bill!  I’ve seen fancy bags of granola sell for a whopping $7.99 a pound; my version costs less than half and is so much tastier!

Homemade Honey Almond Granola

  • 4 cups oats
  • ½ cup flax seeds, ground
  • ½ cup sliced almonds
  • ¾ cup sweetened shredded coconut
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp salt (optional)
  • ½ cup honey
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 1 ½ cups dried fruit (diced apricots, chopped dates, cranberries, cherries, blueberries, etc)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine oats, ground flax seeds, almonds, coconut, cinnamon, and salt, if using.

In a small saucepan, combine honey, brown sugar, butter, vanilla, and water. Cook over medium heat until butter is melted and sugar dissolved. Pour over oat mixture and mix well to combine.

Spread oat mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake oats for 25 minutes, turning mixture over with a spatula after 10 minutes to ensure even browning.

Remove from oven, sprinkle dried fruit over granola, gently turn with a spatula, and return to oven for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from oven, allow to cool, and transfer to an airtight container.

This recipe makes a giant heap of granola that not only keeps well, but disappears quickly.  It will keep for several weeks, but I’ve never been able to keep it around long enough to find out for sure…it’s that good.

By Brigitte | Posted in baking, recipes, tv, uncategorized | Comments (1)

Happy 4th of July, everyone!

July 4, 2009 – 9:44 am

I hope you all have a safe and happy holiday, filled with sun, fun, fireworks, and best of all, FOOD!

I love any excuse to make holiday-themed sweets, and the 4th of July is no exception.  I’ve been known to buy holiday sprinkles, sugars, cupcake liners, cake pans, cookie cutters, etc. and hoard them in my overstuffed pantry, anxiously awaiting an applicable holiday.

I was THRILLED to bust out my red, white, & blue sprinkles, star-shaped cookie cutters, and my festive Jet-Puffed StarMallows, the latest in impulse buys!

I adore red velvet cupcakes, mostly for the cream cheese icing that is their crowning glory.  They’re crowd-pleasers all year-round, but seemed especially appropriate for Independence Day.

I’ve tried a couple scratch recipes, but the idea of dumping a whole bottle of red food coloring into my cake batter still perturbs me, so Duncan Hines Red Velvet is often my recipe of choice! (for some reason, it doesn’t bother me if the coloring is already in the cake mix.)

Top with homemade or store-bought cream cheese icing, colored sugar, and these adorable Kraft marshmallows, and you have a cupcake fit to attend any 4th of July party!

And if you’re feeling extra fancy…

These Nutella-filled sugar cookies have been fan favorites at Wine + Market.  I use two heart-shaped cookie cutters: one large one to cut out all the cookies and one small one to form frames for half the cookies.

They were easy to dress up for Valentine’s Day with a bit of red & white sugar…before baking the tops, I brushed each one with a bit of egg white or milk (whatever you happen to have lying around) and sprinkled with sugar for a bit of sparkle.  These could rival a hand-written valentine for your sweetie!

And for today, I got to showcase the star-shaped cookie cutters and blue sugar!  Years ago, I bought this giant set of cookie cutters on a whim and am so glad they made the cross-country move with me,

These could also be filled with a bit of jam, lemon curd, peanut butter, or whatever you please!  I usually use Nutella (or it’s Kroger equivalent dubbed “Hazelnut spread with cocoa,” which is quite comparable) or this unbelievably delicious dark chocolate peanut butter from the folks at Peanut Butter & Co.

Nutella Frame Cookies (adapted from Alton Brown’s Sugar Cookies)

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp milk
  • 1 egg
  • 3 cups flour
  • 3/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • Powdered sugar for rolling
  • A bit of egg white or milk, for brushing
  • Raw or colored sugar, for sprinkling
  • 1 to 1-1/2 cups Nutella or desired spread

In the large bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.  Add vanilla, milk, and egg and beat to incorporate ingredients.  In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt and stir to combine.

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, beating on low speed until mixture forms a cohesive dough.  Divide dough into two disks and wrap in plastic wrap, refrigerating for at least one hour or overnight, until ready to use.  I have made this dough several days in advance and it keeps extremely well.

Sprinkle rolling pin and surface with powdered sugar and, working with a small portion of dough at a time, roll to 1/8-1/4 inch thickness.  I prefer my cookies thin and crisp, so I roll mine 1/8-inch thick.  Cut with desired cookie cutter and place on parchment lined baking sheets.  A bench scraper or thin spatula makes transferring a cinch.

Using a smaller, similarly shaped cutter, cut centers out of half the cookies to form frames.  The cutouts can be re-rolled or baked on their own for extra little goodies.

Brush frames with a bit of beaten egg white or milk (whites will give you some extra shine) and sprinkle with sugar.  Bake at 375 degrees until edges are lightly brown, about 5-7 minutes, depending on thickness.  Cool briefly on pans and remove to a rack to cool completely.

Once cool, spread each cookie bottom with Nutella and top with the sugar-coated frames.  Enjoy!  These keep well for up to 1 week (if you can make them last that long!) Makes anywhere from 24-30 cookies, depending on size and thickness.

By Brigitte | Posted in baking, recipes, uncategorized | Comments (1)

Happy Birthday to my big sister!!!

July 2, 2009 – 11:51 am

I’ve been on a two-week hiatus from LEX18 (bumped last week for President Obama and bumped this week for Wimbledon), but I’ll be back this Tuesday, July 7th!

In the mean time, I’ve been baking up a storm for Wine + Market and also to just feed friends and family.

I so wish I lived closer to my sister so I could make her a giant cake to celebrate her birthday today!  But alas, a virtual slice of cake and a glass of milk will have to do.

Happy Birthday, Christine!

This chocolate cake recipe has never failed me–I’ve never made the recipe in its entirety, but I always use the cake portion and pair it up with whatever icing fancies me that day.

For Christine’s cake, I divided the batter into two 9-inch pans (sprayed and lined with parchment) and split each baked layer in half, giving me four layers.

I made a classic buttercream icing, which I split in half.

I flavored one half with 1 tablespoon instant espresso dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot water and flavored the other half with 4 ounces of melted chocolate.

Boiled buttercreams (aka French) are a wee more challenging than simple buttercreams (aka American, consisting of powdered sugar beat into butter or shortening), but so worth the effort.

When assembling, I alternated coffee buttercream with chocolate buttercream for a perfect mocha cake.

This recipe makes for great cupcakes with perfect little domed tops (I am not a fan of flat-topped cupcakes).

Here are my chocolate cupcakes with cream cheese icing, sprinkled with a bit of dark chocolate grated with a microplane zester.

Delish!

By Brigitte | Posted in uncategorized | Comments (2)

Happy Father’s Day!

June 21, 2009 – 11:37 am

While I can’t be with my dad to celebrate (I miss you, Dad!), I’m so looking forward to a relaxing Father’s Day at Michael’s parents’ house, which will consist of good food, great company, and a rousing game of cornhole!

I’ve got a day off from kitchen duty because we’re picking up an order of fried chicken from Slone’s, said to be some of the best fried bird in the area.  I’ll post a review post-consumption…

(UPDATE: The chicken was absurdly tasty.  So good that I had to eat a thigh while waiting in line to pay…so good that I forgot to take a photo for you all…and so good that we fought for leftovers, which became the next day’s supper of chicken & waffles.)

However, I still can’t resist bringing homemade treats, so I’ve whipped up some of my Ginger Molasses Cookies, because nothing says “manly” like blackstrap molasses!

These cookies keep well and travel extremely well (just ask my best friend Colleen, for whom I dragged a dozen of these in my suitcase, flying from KY to CA earlier this month.)  They are delightfully crackly, chewy, and so easy to make.

If you’d like to cut down on the sweetness a bit, feel free to cut the granulated sugar down to 1/4 cup or just roll the tops of the dough balls in raw sugar.

Seriously good...

Seriously good...

Ginger Molasses Cookies

  • 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp allspice
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • Raw sugar (about 1/2 cup or more, for rolling)
1. Preheat oven to 350 and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a mixing bowl, beat together melted butter, molasses, both sugars, and egg.
3. In a separate bowl, stir together salt, spices, and flour and add to the wet mixture, stirring until combined.
4. Roll dough into 1 1/2 inch balls (I use a portion scoop to speed things up) and roll each ball in the raw sugar to coat.  Then arrange on baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until crackled and edges are lightly browned.  Allow to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
By Brigitte | Posted in uncategorized | Comments (0)

A taste of California packed up in a salad!

June 16, 2009 – 11:34 am

I just spent a week in California and was inspired by all the beautiful California strawberries I spotted at the farmer’s market.  It’s so easy to throw together a strawberry pie or strawberry shortcake, but those of you without a sweet tooth don’t have to be left out. 

This summery salad is the perfect thing for a light meal on a hot day and I love using fruit in savory applications, as it adds great color, freshness, and a sweet balance to many dishes. 

When cooking and slicing chicken for salads, I prefer to buy chicken tenders, which cook faster and are often a better bargain than chicken breasts.  They are also great for portion control, as some chicken breasts weigh in at over ½  a pound, which could easily feed two people.  

Greens, fruit, protein, and CHEESE--what more do you need?

Greens, fruit, protein, and CHEESE--what more do you need?

Strawberry Salad with Chicken, Feta, and Almonds

  • 1 large chicken breast or 4 chicken tenders
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 6 oz of mixed greens, baby spinach, arugula, or any combination of the above
  • 1 pint strawberries, hulled and sliced
  • Balsamic vinegar and olive oil, to dress (or store-bought balsamic dressing)
  • ½ cup feta cheese, crumbles
  • ¼ cup sliced or slivered almonds, toasted

Season chicken with salt and pepper and sauté in a medium sauté pan over high heat in a small amount of olive oil or grill on a gas or charcoal grill until done.  Set aside to cool and then slice into strips.

Toss greens and strawberries with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and salt and pepper, to taste.  Alternatively, salad can be tossed with a store bought balsamic vinaigrette. 

Arrange chicken slices over salad and top with feta cheese and toasted almonds.  

By Brigitte | Posted in recipes, tv, uncategorized | Comments (0)