Cinnamon Apple Spice Shortbread

When I was reading a recent article in Family Circle Magazine, I came across a recipe they shared for Earl Grey Shortbread. I never hear of putting tea leaves into cookies before and wanted to try it out for myself. I don't particularly care for Earl Grey tea so I didn't have that on hand, so I decided to give my shortbread a distinctive flavor and used Cinnamon Apple Spice tea instead.

Hazelnut Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

Today is World Nutella Day so of course I had to find a new way to experiment with this chocolaty, hazelnut goodness. My kids just LOVE Nutella and a jar really doesn't last very long in our house. They love it on toast, combined with peanut butter on sandwiches or just eaten out of the jar with a spoon.

For today's recipe I mixed the Nutella in with the batter from my Banana Chocolate Chip Bread (which is in my cookbook) since my youngest was craving some banana muffins for breakfast. The Nutella really added another delicious layer of flavor to these muffins and there is nothing better than fresh baked muffins to start your day. ~Enjoy!

80+ Super Bowl XLVIII Game Day Recipe Ideas

Super Bowl XLVIII, is just a few short days away and is being hosted in my home state of New Jersey; just 32 miles from my home. Yes, the Super Bowl is in NJ not NY. We Jersey folk are pretty sensitive about that sort of thing considering our two football teams (Giants and Jets) both play in our fine state and not in New York.

Photo Courtesy of Wagner Cedeno

Will I be anywhere near the stadium this weekend? ABSOLUTELY NOT! NJ road systems are crazy enough as it is. Throw in thousands of out of town drivers that now have to navigate to the stadium on our fine road system (haha) and it will be a nightmare.

In any event, my beloved Giants are not playing in the Super Bowl this year; however, I'll still be watching the game from the comforts of my own home with a warm fire blazing and a nice home cooked meal prepared by my family to celebrate my birthday (I don't cook on my birthday...ever!). We'll probably have a few fun snack foods as well, but not quite sure which one's they will make so I figured I'd compile a list of my favorites to help them out.  If you're looking for more inspiration, you can also check out these posts: Top 10 Must Have Foods for Super Bowl Sunday, Super Bowl Appetizer Ideas or the Top 10 Appetizer list I compiled recently.

 ~Enjoy and may the best team win!

Spinach & Artichoke Flatbread

With the next several weekends being glued to the TV between the Superbowl and the Winter Olympics, I wanted to create another flatbread recipe since my family really enjoyed the Copycat Olive Garden Caprese Flatbread I made over the summer. It's kind of a Sunday ritual in our house anyway to make a few appetizers and stay home on a Sunday. It's our "family connection day" and we try not to make plans outside of the home. We generally either entertain family or just relax and watch movies while unwinding from the previous week. I decided to make a new experiment and created this Spinach & Artichoke Flatbread; which has a little lemony twist.

Honey Cinnamon Roasted Cashews

Cashews are one of my favorite nuts to snack on. I just love the natural buttery flavor. So I decided to sweeten them up a bit by roasting them in honey and ground cinnamon. These cashews were delicious and made a light salty-sweet snack. ~Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins

As I mentioned last week, I love pumpkin and this cooler weather makes me crave it even more. I have a really bad tea drinking problem. Well, not necessarily a problem per se, but I do drink it ALL...DAY...LONG whether it's tea with skim milk or just a plain Green Tea. It helps keep me going throughout the day. One of my frequent stops is a local Dunkin' Donuts drive through to get my daily fix when I'm on the road. Lately, if I have the kids in the car, they want the sweet stuff. Most of the time, its a "NO", but every once in a while I give in and their favorite choices are either Pumpkin Munchkins or a Pumpkin Muffin.

So the other day I surprised them with my own homemade version of a Pumpkin Muffin and there were THRILLED. Though these are a bit smaller than the portion size at Dunkin' Donuts, they were very filling and one was plenty...and it satisfied a few chocolate cravings as well. For those of you keeping track of the nutritional analysis, here is the breakdown between the two muffins*:

Calories

CEK 223; DD 600

Fat

CEK 9.8g; DD 26g. 

Carbohydrates

CEK 33.1g; DD 83g. 

Fiber

CEK 2.2g; DD 3g. 

Sugar

CEK 18.7g; DD 44g

Protein

CEK 2.4g; 7g. 

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins
Prep Time: 15 minutes              Yield: 18 muffins
Cook Time: 15 minutes             Serving Size: 1 muffin
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 c. Granulated Sugar
• 1 Large Egg
• 1/2 c. Canola Oil
• 2 tbsp. 2% Milk
• 15oz. Pureed Pumpkin
• 2 1/2 c. All-Purpose Flour
• 1 tsp. Baking Soda
• 1/2 tsp. Salt
• 1 c. Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
• Cooking Spray, if needed

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. In large bowl, whisk together the sugar, egg, oil, milk and pumpkin until well blended. 
3. In a separate smaller bowl, combine the flour baking soda and salt. Add it to the liquid mixture and mix together with a spoon; then fold in the chocolate chips. 
4. Line (or grease) a standard size muffin tin with cupcake liners and fill each cup three-quarters of the way to the top. 
5. Bake for 15-18 minutes until the top springs back when touched. Remove from oven and let cool. 

Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts per Serving

Calories 223, Carbs 33.1g, Fat 9.8g, Protein 2.4g, Fiber 2.2g, Sugar 18.7g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate. 

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins Shopping List

*Nutritional information for Dunkin' Donuts Pumpkin Muffin provided by LiveStrong.comhttp://www.livestrong.com/article/440802-dunkin-donuts-nutritional-facts-for-pumpkin-muffins/



Shared at Carole's Chatter 11/24/13

Brown Sugar and Cinnamon Pretzels

While my mom was in town, we took advantage of the gorgeous Spring weather and headed about an hour north to the outlet mall in Tannersville, PA. I know I've mentioned that NJ is the mall capital of the world, but 95% of our malls are indoors and it was just too nice not to be outside. This particular mall is similar to a mall that we visit when we're in FL called Ellenton Premium Outlets, as it has a wide variety of stores all in one location, with separate store entrances from the outside. I always gravitate towards the food/kitchen/cooking stores and luckily my family shares the same passion. 

We stepped into one of those such stores (I can't even remember which one it was now), and my husband found these Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pretzel Pieces by The Hangover Pretzel Company and proceeded to purchase them. We opened them up later that night and they were so good. Just the right amount of "sweet" and crunch to satisfy that dessert craving. I've made Rosemary and Lemon Seasoned Pretzels myself before, but never ventured further than that. So I decided to try to replicate these on my own. SO EASY! Four ingredients. Ready in 15 minutes. DEE-LIC-IOUS...Sorry Hangover Pretzel Company! 

Brown Sugar and Cinnamon Pretzels

Prep Time: 5 minutes                                          Yield: 32

Cook Time: 10 minutes                                        Serving: 1/2 cup

Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 8 c. Sourdough Hard Pretzels, broken in pieces
• 8 tbsp. Salted Butter
• 1/4 c. Light Brown Sugar
• 2 tsp. Ground Cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Add butter, sugar and cinnamon to a small pot and heat over low heat. Mix together until all of the butter has melted. 
3. Add the broken pretzel pieces to a bowl; then top with melted butter mixture. Mix well to coat.
4. Place the pretzels on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Makes 32-1/4 cup servings. 

Nutrition Facts

Calories 57 , Carbs 7.3g, Fat 2.9g, Protein .3g, Fiber .3g, Sugar 1.9g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate.

Enjoy! 

Energy Bars (Copycat)

I saw this recipe for 3 Ingredient Energy Bars several weeks ago from Robin at Knead to Cook and I couldn't wait to try them.  I've never tried making my own energy bars, nor do I eat them on a regular basis, but they looked so simple to make; especially since they only had three ingredients!

The funny part is that I normally don't buy dates on a regular basis, but at a recent book signing at a natural food store, they were selling them and they just looked so plump, juicy and fresh that I picked up a bag for myself. I already had almonds and dried cherries in the house and and thought these would make a perfect healthy snack since we were heading to an all day cheering event the next morning. 

These energy bars were incredibly easy and just the right amount of tart and sweet. Rachael and I loved them...Gab, not so much then again if it's good for you she generally shy's away from it. I have some dates left so I think I'll make some with dried blueberries and either pistachios or walnuts next time. Thanks Robin! 

Energy Bars (Copycat)
Knead to Cook
1 c. Medjool Dates, dried and pitted
1 c. Almonds, raw
1c. Dried Cherries

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, place the almonds on a baking sheet and bake for 5-8 minutes until toasted. Check on them after 3 minutes as all ovens are different and you don't want them to burn. 
2. Add the dates and cherries to your food processor and process until it forms into a ball. Remove and set aside. 
3. Next, add in the almonds and process until they are finely chopped, then add back in the date and cherry  mixture. Blend again until all ingredients have been incorporated. 
4. Line an 8x8 square baking pan with parchment paper or tin foil and place the mixture on top. Flatten the mixture out so that it is even then refrigerate for 45 minutes. Remove and slice into 16 pieces. 

*Nutritional Information per Serving: Calories 114, Carbs 17.7g, Fat 4.4g, Protein 2.4g, Fiber 4.6g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into CalorieCount and may not be 100% accurate. 

Enjoy!

Top 10 Must Have Foods for Superbowl Sunday

With Superbowl Sunday fast approaching, this post is dedicated to all things food! And According to the American Institute of Food Distribution, this is the 2nd biggest eating day of the year (after Thanksgiving). It's an unofficial "holiday" here in the US where friends and family gather around the television and root for their favorite football team. Or, if you're not into the game itself, the commercials are usually pretty darn funny. My favorite commercial last year was the Snickers commercial with Roseanne Barr. I couldn't stop laughing for weeks! (Yes, I do have a warped sense of humor). 

Whether you're rooting for the NY Giants...Go G-Men! :) or the NE Patriots, the food and beverages will be flowing for many. When trying to think of what I was going to be making for game day, I came across this list by the National Restaurant Association for the Top Must-Have Foods for the Big Game, so I thought I'd give you a recipe for each. Enjoy the game! 

Top must-have foods for the big game

1. Salsa, dips or spreads
2. Chicken wings
3. Pizza
4. Desserts
5. Subs or sandwiches
6. Nachos
7. Healthy food items
8. Salads
9. Fried, baked or roasted chicken
10. Hamburgers or cheeseburgers

*Source: National Restaurant Association 2012 Consumer Survey

#1 Salsa, Dips or Spreads: 

There are so many different recipes I could post here but these are my favorite picks for Salsa, Dip and a Spread. 

Fresh Garden Salsa

8 Plum Tomatoes, small dice

½ Jalapeno Pepper, chopped fine

1 Tbsp. Red Onion, chopped fine
1 Garlic Clove, chopped fine

1 Lime, juice and zest

1 Tbsp. Cilantro, chopped

1 tsp. Kosher Salt

1 Bag Tortilla Chips like Tostitos® Scoops

In a bowl, mix all ingredients together and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.  Serve with Tortilla Chips. Serves 6. 

Fiesta Chicken Spinach Dip
1 Boneless Chicken Breast or 5 Chicken Tenders, cut in 1/2" pieces
2 Tbsp. Flour
2 Tbsp. Canola Oil
1-10oz. Package Frozen Chopped Spinach, thawed and drained
1-15oz. Can Black Beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 Cup Scallions, chopped
1 Plum Tomato, diced
8 oz. Sour Cream
8oz. Shredded Cheddar Cheese
2 tsp. Chili Powder
1 Bag Tortilla Chips
1 tsp. Kosher Salt

Add 1 tsp. of chili powder to the flour and dredge the chicken pieces. In a frying pan, heat the oil and add the chicken. Brown the chicken pieces until they are cooked through; remove from the pan and let drain on paper towels to remove excess oil. In a large bowl, add the beans, spinach, scallions, tomatoes, 4oz. of the cheese, sour cream, the remaining 1 tsp. of chili powder, the cooked chicken pieces, and salt. Mix well. Add to an 8x8 oven safe cooking dish. Top with the remaining cheese and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes or  until cheese has melted and is bubbly. Serve hot with tortilla chips. Serves 8-10. 

Roasted Garlic, Rosemary and Sundried Tomato Hummus

6 Cloves Garlic, roasted
3/4 Cup Sun Dried Tomatoes (packed in oil), chopped
1-15oz. Can Garbanzo Beans (Chick Peas), rinsed
1 tsp. Fresh Rosemary, chopped
1 Tbsp. Canola Oil
1/4 tsp. Kosher Salt
1/4 tsp. Fresh Ground Pepper
1/4 Cup Water

Remove papery skin from the garlic, without separating the cloves and wrap in foil. Bake garlic in a 375°F oven for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. In a food processor, add the beans, tomatoes, oil, water and rosemary. Separate the garlic cloves and squeeze to extract the garlic pulp and add it to the mixture along with salt and pepper. Puree mixture until all are well blended and smooth. Refrigerate until ready to serve. 

#2 Chicken Wings--The National Chicken Council (NCC), a non-profit group representing the U.S. chicken industry, predicts that more than 1.25 billion portions, or 100 million pounds of wings will be made this Sunday! 

Tabasco & Honey Chicken Wings
12 Chicken Wingettes
1/2 c. Canola Oil

6 tbsp. Butter

1/2 tbsp. Garlic Powder
1 tsp. Tabasco Sauce
1 tbsp. Honey

In a large frying pan, heat oil then brown chicken evenly on both sides until chicken is cooked through; approximately 10-15 minutes. Remove and place in a bowl. In a small saucepan, melt butter and add garlic powder, tabasco and honey. Add this mixture to the chicken and toss well to coat all of the pieces and place in a baking dish. Bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes until the chicken turns golden brown. Serve with Blue Cheese Dressing. 

#3 Pizza--According to the National Restaurant Association, approximately 48 million Americans will get takeout or delivery for the game, while 12 million are expected to visit a restaurant or bar on Super Bowl Sunday. We like to make our pizza ourselves. So I either buy dough from our local pizza restaurant (they will sell it to you if you ask them) or I'll buy the dough at my local grocery store found in the freezer section. Here are two of our favorites but the toppings are endless! 

Margherita Pizza
1 Pizza Dough, room temperature
Garlic Powder
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2-3 Roma Tomatoes, sliced 1/4" thick
1/2 Chop Fresh Basil, chopped
2 Cups Part Skim Mozzarella, shredded 

Heat oven to 425°F. Coat a 17x11 (approx. size) cookie sheet with oil and stretch out the dough until it covers the entire bottom of the pan. Sprinkle some garlic powder over the dough. Next, add your sliced tomatoes to the top of the dough, leaving 1/4" border around all four edges. Add the basil on top of the tomatoes and then the cheese. Using a brush, lightly coat the edges with the oil. Bake in the oven for approximately 10-15 

minutes or until the crust is lightly brown and cheese has melted. 

Spinach & Mushroom Pizza

1 Pizza Dough, room temperature

1 Clove Garlic

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1-10oz. Package Frozen Spinach, defrosted and drained

1-10oz. Package Mushrooms, washed and sliced

2 Cups Part Skim Mozzarella, shredded 

Heat oven to 425°F. Coat a 17x11 (approx. size) cookie sheet with oil and stretch out the dough until it covers the entire bottom of the pan. Heat about 1 tbsp. of oil in a small saute pan and add the mushrooms and garlic. Cook until the mushrooms have slightly softened. Add in the spinach and mix well. Place the mixture on top of the dough, leaving 1/4" border around all four edges. Add the cheese on top of that. Using a brush, lightly coat the edges with the oil. Bake in the oven for approximately 10-15 minutes or until the crust is lightly brown and cheese has melted. You can also add some ricotta cheese under the vegetables, that also tastes really good! 

#4 Desserts

I'm usually so full from picking, we don't have any desserts. BUT, I did find these wonderful treats while searching Pinterest this week. Take a look!

Football Berries from Sherri's Berries

Football Cake

Football Truffles

#5 Subs or Sandwiches

My favorite sandwiches are ones that do not include cold cuts (the nitrates in them give me migraines). So here is one of my favorite sandwiches as well as a fun idea I found while searching Facebook this week. 

Grilled Chicken & Pesto Panini
8 Thinly Sliced Chicken Breasts
1 Medium Panella Bread, sliced (or any other loaf of round bread), you won't use the entire loaf
8 Slices Fresh Mozzarella
2-3 Roma Tomatoes, sliced
Prepared Classic Pesto
Olive Oil Cooking Spray

Lightly spray cooking spray on your grill pan and cook chicken until it is cooked through, approximately 2-3 minutes (depending on thickness). Remove and let cool. Assemble your sandwiches by spreading some pesto on each side of the bread. Next, add your grilled chicken, tomato and mozzarella to one half of the bread then the top piece of bread. Repeat for remaining three sandwiches. Spray each side of the sandwich with cooking spray, close your grill/panini cover and squeeze down to form marks on the bread. The sandwich is done when it's golden brown and the cheese is melted. Makes 4 sandwiches. 

I will not be making this but I know someone out there would just jump at the chance to make this stadium platter filled with your favorite meats and cheeses. 

#6 Nachos

This one is pretty self explanatory and like pizza, nachos can be made with many different varieties of toppings.  It all depends on your own personal likes/dislikes. I'm not a huge nacho fan. It's a texture thing where I like my tortilla chips crispy not soggy weighed down with meat and cheese. I know, I'm a little strange. But here is a recipe I found for Cheesy Beef Nachos from Cheese and Chocolate. (Did I mention I was a Giants fan? It's all good, I'm just having fun for you Pats fans! xo)

#7 Healthy Food Items

Here are 11 Healthy Superbowl Snacks from Health.com  including this recipe for Lemon Drop Chicken Wings (at only 173 calories per serving!) 

And if you're on Weight Watchers following the Points+ Program, here is a link for the recipes I've posted that are 5 Points and under! 

#8 Salads

Oh my gosh, there are so many salads to choose from! So here is a link  to salad recipes I've posted including this one (it was one of my favorites!)

Avocado & Artichoke Pasta Salad in a Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette
2 Cups Gemelli Pasta, uncooked
1 Avocado, chopped
2 Plum Tomatoes, chopped
1-14oz. Can Artichoke Hearts, chopped
1 Lime, zest and juice
1 Tbsp. Fresh Cilantro, chopped
1/4 Cup Pecorino Romano Cheese
1/4 Cup Canola Oil
1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt
1/2 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions, rinse and cool. While the pasta is cooking, cut the avocado in half, remove the pit and scrape out the fleshy part. Chop the avocado into small bite sized pieces and add to a large bowl. Add the cooked pasta, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, lime zest and juice, cilantro, cheese, oil, salt and pepper and mix well until all ingredients have been incorporated. Refrigerate. Makes 6 cups.

#9 Fried, Baked or Roasted Chicken

Let's see, I have almost 60 recipes posted for chicken so far so I'll pick a favorite of mine for each. 

Fried: Lemon Basil Panko Chicken Cutlets

1 1/2-2 lbs. Boneless Chicken Breasts (approx. 4 regular size or 2 extra large size chicken breasts)
3 Cups Panko Bread Crumbs
2 Cups All Purpose Flour
3 Tbsp. Fresh Basil, chopped
1 Lemon, zest and juice
2-3 Eggs (depends on the number of cutlets you yield), whisked
1/4 Cup 2% Milk
Canola Oil, for frying

You will need three separate bowls. One for flour. One for eggs, lemon juice and milk. And another for breadcrumbs, basil and lemon zest. Dip each cutlet first in the flour, then in the egg mixture, then in the breadcrumb mixture. Add approximately 2"-3" of oil in a large frying pan and heat over medium-high heat. Fry chicken cutlets until they are cooked through and lightly browned. 

Baked:Pistachio Breaded Baked Chicken
4 Boneless Chicken Breasts
1/2 Cup Italian Flavored Breadcrumbs
1/2 Cup Pistachios, shelled and finely chopped
1 Egg + 2 Tbsp. Milk
1 Cup Flour
Canola Oil Cooking Spray

Prepare three separate bowls. In one bowl, add your eggs and milk and whisk together. In another, add your flour. In the third, add your breadcrumbs and pistachios and mix well. Dip the chicken first in the flour, then in the egg wash, then in the breadcrumb mixture and place on a baking sheet. Spray with cooking spray and bake at 425 °F for approximately 30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 170°F (depends on the thickness of your chicken breasts). 

Roasted: Roasted Chicken with Pink Grapefruit & Herbs

5-6 lb. Whole Roaster Chicken (I prefer Purdue)

1 tbsp. Fresh Sage, chopped

2 Sprigs Fresh Thyme, removed from the stems

1 tbsp. Fresh Rosemary, chopped

1 Pink Grapefruit, zest and juice

3 tbsp. Canola Oil

1/2 c. Chardonnay Wine

1/2 c. Low-Sodium Chicken Broth

In a small bowl, mix together the sage, thyme, rosemary, grapefruit zest and oil until well blended and forms a paste. Remove any innards from the chicken, rinse under cold water and pat dry. Baste the chicken with the herb mixture and place chicken in a roasting pan. In a small bowl, add the juice from the grapefruit, wine and chicken broth and whisk together. Add it to the bottom of the pan and bake for 1 ¾-2 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 180°F; basting the chicken every 15-20 minutes. Remove chicken from the roasting pan and let sit on a cutting board for approximately 5-10 minutes before cutting; which will seal in the natural juices and will reduce dryness in your chicken.

#10 Hamburgers and Cheeseburgers

Well, here we are with #10. I'm was surprised that Chili wasn't on the list, weren't you? Here is how we make our sliders...simple. But they taste even better on the Kings Hawaiian Rolls! If you don't eat beef, then here is a turkey burger option as well.  

Cheeseburger "Sliders"

1 lb. Ground Beef

1-Package of 12 Kings Hawaiian Rolls

6 Slices American Cheese

Form 12 mini-hamburger patties and grill approximately 2-3 minutes per side. Add 1/2 slice cheese to each burger until it is melted and put on roll. Top burger with your favorite condiments. 

Sun Dried Tomato & Asiago Cheese Turkey Burgers

1 lb. 99% Fat Free Ground Turkey

1/2 c. Asiago Cheese, shredded
1/4 c. Scallions, chopped
1/4 c. Sun Dried Tomatoes, not packed in oil
1 tsp. Fresh Rosemary, chopped
1 Clove Garlic, minced
1 tbsp. Canola Oil

Mix all ingredients together until well blended and form into four patties. Grill for 3-5 minutes per side or until internal temperature is at least 165 degrees. Makes 4. 

I hope you all like my list of Superbowl goodies! 

I'd love to hear what your favorite Superbowl snack food item is 
too so write it in the comments section below.  

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