February 2012

Blue Moon Cupcakes

Hi All! Something you guys might not know about me is that I’m a big craft beer lover….like huge. I live one block from a liquor store that has the, “Biggest Beer Selection in the South Bay” and it’s really awesome because they have large bottles of Dogfish Head, Allagash Black (yes, yes and Allagash White, of course), Pliny the Elder, Delirium Nocturnum, Leinenkugel’s Sunset Wheat, and much much more. It’s totally an adult candy shop…very awesome…makes me happy.

Anyway, when I’m not in the mood to spend $12.99 on one bottle of beer (gross) I like to go to one of my “everyday” favorites, Blue Moon. I love wheat ales in general and especially love the citrus notes in Blue Moons. Plus, I like their seasonal ales….specifically the Winter Abbey seasonal, but I digress……Why Blue Moon cupcakes? why not, right?! These little guys are light and fluffy and the orange infused cream cheese frosting is so simple and really good. They’re a fun treat to bring to any get together..so go make them this weekend, okay?! Enjoy!
xx Jenny

Mini Blue Moon Cupcake
Makes 24

Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 2/3 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 oraange, zested (plus more for garnish)
2/3 cup Blue Moon beer
2 tablespoons whole milk
orange cream cheese frosting:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a mini muffin tin with 24 mini cupcake liners.
2. In a mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer, cream butter for 1 minute. Add sugar and cream together with butter for about 3 to 4 minutes.
4.  Add eggs, one at a time, scraping down after each addition.
5. Add vanilla and orange zest and mix until just combined.
6. In a mixing bowl whisk together beer and milk. Alternatively add beer mixture and flour mixture to butter mixture until fully incorporated.
7. Fill cupcake liners 1/2-2/3 full.
8. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Transfer cupcakes onto a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.
9. For frosting: In a stand mixer, or with a hand mixer, cream together butter and cream cheese. With motor running add sugar, 1/2 cup at a time until all sugar has been added, scraping down sides of the bowl after each cup of sugar. Stir in the orange juice until fully incorporated.
10. Pipe frosting onto cupcakes or spread with an offset spatula and top with fresh orange zest. Serve.

Blue Moon Cupcakes

February 29, 2012 · Uncategorized · 58 comments · PRINT

Country Style Eggs Benedict

Happy Monday! I watched Office Space this weekend. Remember that movie in all of its PC load letter goodness? So good. So so good. I had not seen it in awhile, and this scene, where the lady makes this horrible face and says in a highly annoying voice “Somebody has a case of the Mondays” makes me want to punch people in the face. Like really. I want to punch people. She should win awards for her ability to say that phrase so well it makes my skin crawl. Ew. Ew. God I love that movie though. Its a keeper. So I hope you are all not completely down today, it being Monday and all. Look on the bright side, we have this wonderful breakfast recipe for you, and you can go home and snuggle on the couch and watch Office Space after work. You could also go home and make this recipe. It will make you feel good. Eggs, delicious gravy, fried steak!!!! YES! OR you can just look forward to making it this weekend all week. Have fun.
♥ Teri

Country Style Eggs Benedict
Makes 8

Ingredients:
1 Biscuits and Country Gravy Recipe

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup buttermilk
8 small cube steaks
salt and pepper to taste
vegetable oil for frying

4 tablespoons vegetable oil
8 eggs

1. Make one-recipe biscuits and gravy but cut dough into 8 equal sized biscuits instead of 16.
2. Place flour, garlic powder and onion powder in a shallow dish and stir together.
3. Place eggs and buttermilk in another shallow dish and whisk together.
4. Fill a heavy bottom skillet with about 2 inches of oil and bring up to medium- high heat.
5. Season each cube steak with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge each in the flour mixture and shake off excess.
6. Dip the steaks into the egg mixture until fully coated then again in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess.
7. Carefully place a few steaks into the hot oil and fry on each side for 5 to 6 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
8. Repeat until all chicken fried steaks have been cooked.
9. Place a small nonstick pan over medium-high heat and add 1/2 tablespoon oil. Crack an egg and fry for 3 to 4 minutes. Carefully flip egg and continue to fry for an additional 2 to 3 minutes.
10. To assemble: Slice biscuits in half. Place steaks over half biscuits and top with fried egg. Finish with a ladle of gravy over each country style benedict and serve each piping hot with other halves of biscuits on the side.

Country Style Eggs Benedict

February 27, 2012 · Everyday Recipes · 30 comments · PRINT

Shrimp Fritters

Hi All! Last year I went to the Bahamas to celebrate my sister’s bachelorette weekend. There were about 9 of us ladies and we had a really great time. One of my favorite things about the about the trip was the fact that everywhere I turned there were Conch Fritters (one of my best memories on the trip involved food, go figure). When I first saw them I was skeptical, thinking that I would be biting into a mouthful of greasy, bready batter. Nope, not at all! They were light, crisp and filled with chopped conch (think humungous clam of sorts, in more of a “snaily” type shell). I think I had a fritter with every meal while I was there, super good!

Anyway, I made my own little version of these conch fritters, using shrimp because it’s a lot more common and well, I love shrimp These fritters really are light and crisp on the outside and rich and savory on the inside. We’ve paired them with our spicy honey drizzle, which we’ve used before for our hush puppies…the super simple, sweet and spicy sauce goes really well with these bites. You should make them for your next cocktail party, game night or even just as a nice little snack anytime. Enjoy! xx, Jenny

Shrimp Fritters
Makes about 30

Ingredients:
3/4 lb raw tiger shrimp, peeled and cut into chunks
2 green onions, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 eggs

spicy honey drizzle recipe found here

vegetable oil for frying

1. Preheat oil to 350°F.
2. Place shrimp, green onions and garlic into a large mixing bowl and toss together. Set Aside.
3. Pour water into medium pot and add butter and salt and bring to a boil.
4. Once mixture has come to a boil, add flour and quickly stir with a wooden spoon, until dough forms. Continue to stir over medium heat, for about 3 minutes.
5. Place dough into a stand mixer fixed with a paddle attachment and run on medium speed, allowing steam to escape.
6. Once most of the steam has disappeared add the egg, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition.
7. Fold pepper into the pate a choux (the doughy/battery mixture).
8. Fold the shrimp mixture into the pate a choux until fully incorporated.
9. Once oil is hot, add tablespoon sized balls of the shrimp mixture into the oil (you’ll have to do this in batches); make sure not to crowd the pan/fryer.
10. Fry each fritter for 4 to 6 minutes, flipping halfway if necessary. Drain on a paper towel and season lightly with salt. Serve immediately with spicy honey drizzle.

Shrimp Fritters

February 24, 2012 · Dine & Dash · 46 comments · PRINT

Potato Laced Bread Sticks

Potatoes and bread. These things I could eat forever and ever. Stranded on a deserted island? I want bread and potatoes (ok… and cheese, and coffee, and gummy bears). Why are bad things so good? WHY? Its evil. There are tomatoes in the marinara, so those are good for you. Anyway, this recipe is all Sandra Lee semi home made in your face. Sometimes I want pizza, and potatoes, and a marinara dipping sauce, and I don’t want to get all up in my kitchens business to have it. Don’t judge. In my opinion, the best pizza dough is from Whole Foods. So if you have a Whole Foods near you, you should try it.
♥ Teri

Super Easy Semi-Homemade Potato Laced Bread Sticks
Serves 3 to 5

Ingredients:
1 store bought pizza dough
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 yukon potato, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons grated parmesan
3 sprigs thyme, minced
salt and pepper to taste
semi-homemade marinara:
1 ½ cups store bought marinara
1/2 cup red wine
2 tablespoons oregano, minced
1 tablespoon basil, minced
2 teaspoons thyme, minced
garnish:
grated parmesan

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Place dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll out to about ¼ inch thickness. Transfer onto a parchment lined baking sheet and brush with half of olive oil.
3. Arrange potatoes on top and drizzle with remaining oil. Sprinkle with parmesan and thyme and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until potatoes have cooked through and lightly browned.
4. Allow to cool before cutting into sticks. Top with a sprinkle of parmesan.
5. For the marinara: Place all ingredients into a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Allow to cool slightly and serve with potato laced bread sticks.

Potato Laced Bread Sticks

February 22, 2012 · Everyday Recipes · 28 comments · PRINT

Peanut Butter & Jelly Potato Chip Thumbprint Cookies

Hi All! Did everyone have a great weekend? I did! I was styling a cookbook all weekend, but it was great nonetheless…why? Because the clients were AWESOME…some of the nicest, hard working people I’ve ever met. In fact, the whole team was really wonderful! It made shooting 8 straight days in a row fly by and we really had a good time shooting. The lovely women of Piccolo Chef are the people I’m referring to. The company is an Italian inspired children’s cooking school, based out of LA and run by two wonderful women, Tina and Lillian.

Tina and Lillian are two women who have worked together for years in the “serious business world” before they decided that they were going to leave their corporate jobs and open up a healthy children’s cooking school, inspired by their own children and the desire to teach them about healthy eating/cooking from an early age. They have literally spent the last few years building their business from the ground up and have truly created a wonderful thing.

On top of the ladies being genuinely good people they remind me a lot of myself and Teri and the way we work together. They’re both sassy, opinionated, bicker with one another like teenage sisters, and above all they are extremely driven and passionate about what they do. It was quite the week, I learned a lot and had fun, which is the most important part of working, me thinks…learning and having fun

Oh and did I mention they host cooking birthday party’s for kids?! Yep, totally genius.

Anyway, just wanted to share something that I’ve been working on lately that now means a lot to me

…now back to food! We have these cookies on the blog today…and I’m not going to lie, I haven’t been this excited about one of my recipes in quite some time. Pork belly sliders, love….chicken lettuce wraps, wrote when I was 18 and held onto it ever since!….but there’s just SOMETHING about these cookies that makes me want to do my happy dance. It’s probably because I was “that” kid in grade school who peeled her pj&j apart, stuff it with potato chips and then smooshed it all together again. SO GOOD. This cookie is pretty much a throwback to “that” Jenny; the 7 year old me who decided that the sweet and salty combo was a keeper, for life. They’re peanut butter thumbprint cookies, rolled in crushed potato chips, baked, and filled with the jelly or jam of your choice! Enjoy! xx, Jenny

*Just a little tip: Don’t actually use your thumb to make the thumbprints…keep the balls of dough in balls and use your pinky…or something else small to make the hole…why?…they sssppprrrreeeaaadddd like crazy!

Peanut Butter and Jelly Thumbprint Cookies Rolled in Crushed Potato Chips
Makes 24 to 30

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1 egg white, lightly beaten
2 cups potato chips, crushed

½ cup jam of your choice

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. In a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter. Scrape down sides of the bowl and add both sugars. Cream together, about 3 minutes.
3. Add the egg and vanilla and continue to mix.
4. In a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt.
5. Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture and stir until just combined. Add the peanut butter and mix until well combined.
6. Roll heaping tablespoon sized balls with the dough and toss in the egg whites followed by the potato chips, until well coated.
7. Place balls onto a parchment lined baking sheet (you will have to use two baking sheets). Gently press your pinky into the center of the dough.
8. Place into the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minute or until cookies have spread and baked through.
9. Allow cookies to cool completely before filling with a small amount of jam. Once cookies have been filled with jam, set aside and allow cookies to set, about 1 hour. Serve.

Peanut Butter & Jelly Potato Chip Thumbprint Cookies

February 20, 2012 · Party Food · 32 comments · PRINT

Pork Belly Sliders

Hello everyone. Happy Friday! I hope you all have super fun plans for the weekend. I am going to New York and will hopefully be seeing my friends Amanda and Nicole. If you guys have any suggestions on where to eat or shop for props (plates, linens, kitchen stuff), I would love to hear it and I would very much appreciate it!!

So, I think we all know that when something has the word pork in it, its probably going to be bomb. Like these Pork Belly Sliders. The carrot, daikon, and cucumber make it feel less heavy and glutinous. The neat thing about these is that you can make a bunch and have them for dinner, or you could totally just make one big one and eat it yourself. P.S. The marinade for this is awesome. Awesome sauce. Literally.
♥ Teri

Pork Belly sliders
Makes 16

Ingredients:
pickled daikon and carrots:
2 carrots, peeled and julienne
1 cup daikon radish, peeled and julienne
2 tablespoons salt
1 cup sugar
1 cup rice wine vinegar
¾ cup water
marinade:
¼ cup hoisin sauce
1 ½ tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 ½ tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
black pepper to taste
½ lb thinly slice pork belly
green onion mayonnaise:
½ cup mayonnaise
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced

½ seedless cucumber, thinly sliced
16 sweet Hawaiian Rolls

1. Place carrots, daikon and salt in a colander over the sink and mix together. Allow to sit for an hour, tossing together every 15 minutes. Thoroughly rinse and
place into a mixing bowl.
2. Place sugar, vinegar and water in a small pot and bring to a simmer until sugar dissolves. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
3. Pour sugar mixture over carrot and daikon and place in the refrigerator for an hour.
4. Place marinade ingredients into a mixing bowl and whisk together. Add pork belly and toss together until well marinated. Place in the refrigerator and
allow to sit for 30 minutes.
5. Place 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil into a grill pan and heat over medium-high heat. Sear and cook pork belly on each side for 4 to 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and set aside.
6. Place mayonnaise, green onions and garlic into a small bowl and stir together.
7. To assemble: Spread a small amount of the spread onto the tops and bottoms of each bun. Place a couple pieces of pork belly into each bottom bun and top with cucumber slices followed by a small amount of daikon and carrots. Place tops on each slider and gently press. Serve.

Pork Belly Sliders

February 17, 2012 · Everyday Recipes · 38 comments · PRINT

Japanese Crackers with Edamame Dip

Hi. I hope you all had a nice Valentines day. I did. I went to eat at a place in Hollywood, you know the places with prix fixe menu. So you basically get decisions forced upon you. It was nice though. At dessert the dude at the table next to us began to eat part of the “dessert for two,” and in a perfect moment, where our conversation had a pause, and the music stopped, we overhead him loudly exclaim that it tasted like diapers. We burst into laughter. He tried to save his comment by then explaining he used to change his nephews diapers. It didn’t work. In case you were wondering, yes, somehow the panna cotta we got served totally tasted like diapers. I’m not sure what they were going for, but it wasn’t good.

So now that we are done with fried foods, and valentines foods, we thought we would start with this light Edamame dip that is paired with Japanese Crackers. It makes a really great snack. You could also just prepare the Edamame Dip and use it as a simple spread on toast, or anything really. Enjoy!
♥ Teri

Edamame Dip with Homemade Japanese Rice Crakers (Senbei)
Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:
edamame dip:
12 ounces steamed and shelled soy beans
3 tablespoons red onion, diced
1 tablespoon red miso
1 garlic clove
½ bunch cilantro leaves
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons red chili sauce preferably Sambal
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Japanese rice crackers:
2/3 cup sweet rice flour (Mochiko)
¼ cup cooked white rice
2 tablespoons plus ½ teaspoon salad oil
½ teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 ½ tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
optional:
2 tablespoons shredded nori

1. For edamame dip: Place soy beans, red onion, miso, garlic, cilantro, sesame oil, and chili sauce into a food processor and pulse 10 times. With the motor running, add olive oil in a steady stream until fully incorporated and the dip is smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
2. For senbei crackers: Preheat oven to 350°F. Place rice flour, cooked rice, oil, and salt (and nori, if using) in a food processor and pulse 5 times. With the motor running, add the water until a dough forms.
3. Turn onto a clean surface and knead for 2 minutes. With wet hands, roll tablespoon sized balls and place between two sheets of plastic wrap or inside a Ziploc bag. Using the back of a glass press ball until flat (super flat).
4. Place discs onto a lightly greased baking sheet and bake for 4 to 5 minutes. Flip crackers and bake for an additional 3 to 4 minutes. In a small bowl whisk together soy sauce and honey. Brush sauce onto the tops of crackers and place back into oven and top with sesame seeds. Place crackers back into oven. Turn oven off and allow crackers to dry, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven and serve with edamame dip.

Japanese Crackers with Edamame Dip

February 15, 2012 · Everyday Recipes · 29 comments · PRINT

Happy Valentines!

February 14, 2012 · News · 3 comments · PRINT

Roasted Strawberry Shortcake Shakes

Hey! Did everyone have a good weekend? Even though I was super busy I actually had a pretty nice little weekend. One of my favorite parts was brunching with the boyfriend at Gum Tree; a great Aussie inspired cafe in the South Bay. We sat outside because the weather was great, the food was great, and the people watched was great. I LOVE people watching. It’s such a great way to relax and sort of get lost in thought. Sometimes we’ll make up random and funny stories about the people passing by, just to entertain ourselves. Nerdy, yes. Entertaining, absolutely.

Anyway, Tuesday is Valentine’s Day and this is the perfect shake to make a loved one or even just for yourself as a decadent sweet treat. Not only is this milkshake awesome because it’s pretty and pink, but also because it has actual poundcake in it. Oh, and the roasted strawberries…totally awesome and delicious. Roasting them adds depth to this fun dessert. So regardless of what you do this Valentine’s Day, make sure to include this tasty and super simple shake into a part of your day! Seriously. Enjoy, all! xx Jenny

Roasted Strawberry Shortcake Shakes
Makes 2

Ingredients:
roasted strawberries:
1 ½ lbs strawberries, cleaned, stemmed and hulled
2 teaspoons white balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 ½ – 2 cups store bought pound cake, cubed
1 ½ cups vanilla ice cream, slightly melted
1 cup milk
toppings:
sweetened whipped cream
pound cake crumbles

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Place strawberries, vinegar and sugar in large bowl and toss together.
3. Spread onto a baking sheet lined with parchment, in a single layer, and drizzle with oil.
4. Roast strawberries for about 20 to 25 minutes, until slightly shriveled and beginning to juice (you’re lightly roasting the strawberries).
5. Allow strawberries to cool, about 20 minutes.
6. Pour strawberries, pound cake, ice cream, and milk into a blender, cover and blend until smooth.
7. Pour into two glasses and top with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of pound cake crumbs. Serve immediately.

Roasted Strawberry Shortcake Shakes

February 13, 2012 · Everyday Recipes · 37 comments · PRINT

Blood Orange & Kale Salad

Hi all! Today we have a really fresh and simple Kale Salad with blood oranges. I love to cook; that’s really no secret, but sometimes I come home exhausted from work and I don’t want to cook, nor do I feel like going out. The results? I usually end up noshing on cheese and crackers or break romaine leaves apart and dip them in dressing. Sad, I know.

Even more depressing, lately I’ve been trying to be “healthy” and well, it sucks. The other day I broke out my new (as of Christmas) Vitamix and tried my hand at home juicing. The juice was actually pretty awesome and I didn’t mind the slightly pulpy texture due to no pulp extractor like in an actual juicer. I took more time to prep and clean then I had hoped which sucked, especially since it was a super busy day for me.

I’ve been eating a lot of wheatberry, kale and quinoa just trying to mix things up all the time and keep me from getting bored. This salad is actually one that’s been on my regular rotation of “healthy meals” and it’s one of my faves! It’s super easy to put together (I’ll usually make this salad and vinaigrette in the morning before work, in two separate containers, so when I come home it’s just pour, cover and shake. It’s so filling and flavorful that I actually don’t crave hot dogs and doughnuts 20 minutes after I’m finishing eating, like most salad make me feel. This salad is seriously awesome anytime. Go try it! Enjoy! xx, Jenny

Simple Blood Orange and Kale Salad with a White Balsamic Vinaigrette
Serves 3 to 4

Ingredients:
white balsamic vinaigrette:
½ shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 ½ teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
1/3-½ cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

½ head kale, stems removed and roughly chopped
3 blood oranges, cut into supremes
1/3 cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted
1/3 cup goat cheese, crumbled
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Place shallot, garlic, honey, mustard, and vinegar into a small bowl and whisk together.
2. Pour oil into the mixture, while whisking, in a steady stream until fully incorporated. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Place kale and blood orange supreme into a mixing bowl and toss together with the vinaigrette.
4. Top with almonds and goat cheese and adjust seasonings.

Blood Orange & Kale Salad

February 10, 2012 · Everyday Recipes · 38 comments · PRINT

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