Peach Cobbler

Lately I've really been wanting to make peach cobbler. My mom used to make it when my siblings and I were younger but I haven't had homemade peach cobbler in a while. I asked her what recipe she used to make, and she found one in an old Betty Crocker Cookbook. I tried it out today and was very pleased with the results!

*I made a double recipe and put it in a 4-quart casserole dish. The recipe is for a 2-quart casserole.

Peach Cobbler    

Recipe courtesy Betty Crocker’s Cookbook

½ cup sugar
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 cups sliced peaches (about 6 medium peaches)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3 Tablespoons shortening
1 cup all-purpose flour*
1 Tablespoon sugar
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup milk

Boil peaches in water for 1 minute then put peaches in ice water. The skin should peel right off. Slice peaches.

Peeled peaches

Sliced peaches with lemon juice

Preheat oven to 400°. Mix ½ cup sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon in 2-quart saucepan. Stir in sliced peaches and lemon juice. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute. Pour into ungreased 2-quart casserole; keep peach mixture hot in oven.

Peach mixture in casserole dish (double recipe)

Cut shortening into flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, the baking powder and salt until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in milk. Drop dough by 6 spoonfuls onto hot peach mixture.

Dough

Peach mixture with dough (double recipe)

Bake until topping is golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve warm and, if desired, with Cinnamon Whipped Cream or ice cream.

Finished peach cobbler!

Photos by JoJo

Serves 6.

NOTE: *If using self-rising flour, omit baking powder and salt.

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Red Velvet Cupcakes

Last year I wanted to make red velvet cupcakes. I somehow came across the "Pinch My Salt" blog and found a recipe that looked really good (it doesn't hurt that the photography on this site is also well done!). I may have overcooked the cupcakes a bit as they were a little dry so next time I'll keep my eye on them more. Other than that I thought these were great! The original recipe can be found here.

If you like red velvet, I recommend trying these out!

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Recipe courtesy “Pinch My Salt” Blog

Red Velvet Cupcakes:

2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour*
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 oz. red food coloring (two bottles)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 350°. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers.

Sift together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl; set aside.  In a small bowl, mix food coloring and cocoa powder to form a thin paste without lumps; set aside.

In a large bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about three minutes.  Beat in eggs, one at a time, then beat in vanilla and the red cocoa paste, scraping down the bowl with a spatula as you go.  Add one third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beat well, then beat in half of the buttermilk. Beat in another third of flour mixture, then second half of buttermilk. End with the last third of the flour mixture, beat until well combined, making sure to scrape down the bowl with a spatula.

In a small bowl, mix vinegar and baking soda.  Yes, it will fizz!  Add vinegar mixture to the cake batter and stir well to combine. Using an ice cream scoop, fill cupcake cups with cake batter (they should be 2/3 – 3/4 full).  You may not fill all the cups, I ended up with 20 cupcakes.  Place muffin tins on the middle rack of a preheated 350 degree oven.  Bake for approximately 20-22 minutes, rotating pans halfway through. Cupcakes are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Check early and don’t overbake!

Cool the cupcakes in their tins on a wire rack for 10 minutes then remove and allow to cool completely before frosting.  Frost cupcakes with cream cheese icing (recipe below) and decorate with red sprinkles if desired.  The cupcakes above were decorated using the Wilton Cupcake Decorating Kit and Valetine’s Sprinkles. They can usually be found at craft stores like Michaels or Joann.

Enjoy the cupcakes with those you love!

NOTE: *Sift cake flour once before measuring, then sift again with the other dry ingredients per recipe instructions. Wear an apron and be careful with the red food coloring–no matter how hard I try, I always end up staining something!  As you’re mixing the cake batter, use a spatula to scrape down the bowl frequently throughout the entire process.  Since the batter is fairly thick, I have found that an old-fashioned ice cream scoop works best for filling the cupcake wells (also great for muffin batter!).  Since all ovens are different, make sure you check the cupcakes a little early.  Mine were ready in just over 20 minutes, yours may be done sooner, or they may take a minute or two longer.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

16 oz. cream cheese (2 packages), softened
1/2 cup unsalted butter (one stick), softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
pinch of salt

With an electric mixer, blend together cream cheese and butter until smooth.  Turn mixer to low speed and blend in powdered sugar, salt and vanilla extract.  Turn mixer on high and beat until light and fluffy. Use immediately or refrigerate, covered, until ready to use.  If refrigerated, the frosting will need to be brought to room temperature before using (after frosting softens up, beat with mixer until smooth).

NOTES: If you prefer a sweeter and/or stiffer frosting, more powdered sugar can be added (up to four cups). But remember, the more sugar you add, the less you’ll be able to taste the tangy cream cheese!

Photos by JoJo

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Strawberry, Mascarpone, and Marsala Budini

This winter I was looking for a parfait recipe with mascarpone cheese. I already had some sweet marsala wine, and my sister had amaretti cookies, which helped me narrow down the recipes. I decided to try a recipe that I found on epicurious and I thought it was pretty good. The full recipe can be found at this site:

Strawberry, Mascarpone, and Marsala Budini

Photo from epicurious

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Red Velvet Cheesecake

The past few times I've gone to the Cheesecake Factory I've ordered their Ultimate Red Velvet Cake Cheesecake. At almost $8/slice (and $52.50 for a whole cheesecake!), I'd have to say that on occasion, it's worth it for two of my favorite desserts combined into one. The only thing I don't particularly care for are the shavings of white chocolate on the outside, although they do make the cheesecake look nice.

Ultimate Red Velvet Cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory

I thought I'd search online and see if this recipe was out there anywhere. I came across one recipe on a blog that looks really good. I hope to try it sometime soon.


Lincoln's Red Velvet Cheesecake

Lincoln's Red Velvet Cheesecake (photos from Erin's Food Files blog)

But for now, if you go to the Cheesecake Factory and like red velvet cake, I highly recommend trying their Red Velvet Cheesecake!

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Sausage & Peppers

Sausage and Peppers is a great, easy meal to make at any time of year. I prefer to buy hot sausage, but when I make this for my family or friends I usually buy both hot and mild. I also use a mixture of red, orange and yellow peppers so it's colorful and full of taste (I don't like green peppers as much). Sometimes I make a small can of sauce and season it with salt, pepper and Italian Seasoning so I have something to dip the sausage and peppers in. Other times I buy rolls and sometimes I do both. Any way you want to serve this meal, people always seem to enjoy it.

Sausage and Peppers

4 Peppers, cut in slices

1 large onion, cut in slices

16 sausage links, hot or mild

Olive oil

Salt

Pepper

Italian Seasoning

Sauce (optional)

Rolls (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°.

Slice peppers and onions. Mix together with olive oil, salt, pepper and Italian Seasoning. Place in pan.

Place sausage links in a separate pan.

Put both pans in oven for 45 minutes. Turn the sausage over halfway through cooking time. Pepper and onion mixture may not need to cook as long depending on how much you like them cooked. I put them in the oven 15 minutes after the sausage; they were a little crisp which is how I like them.

When the sausage is almost done cooking, take it out and slice it up. Add the slices to the pepper and onion mixture and put back in the oven in the same pan until finished.

Serve on rolls or in dish. Serve sauce on the side or on top if you desire.

Note: If you prefer to grill, you can boil the sausage first for about 15 minutes to decrease grilling time.

Hot & Mild Sausage w/Sauce

Photos by JoJo

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Fandango Salad

A few years ago, every time I went to Panera Bread I ordered their "Fandango Salad". I was disappointed when it wasn't on their menu any more. I searched online and found a few different recipes. In the end, I made one with a salad dressing that I bought, instead of making my own, and thought that it tasted pretty close to Panera's salad. At some point I'll have to try making the salad dressing recipes that I found as well. Here is my version of Panera's Fandango Salad.

Fandango Salad

Based off Panera Bread’s Fandango Salad

1 package Spring Mix or Field Greens Lettuce

1 bottle Marie’s Raspberry Vinaigrette Salad Dressing

1 container crumpled Gorgonzola Cheese

1 small can Mandarin Orange Slices, drained

Chopped Walnuts, lightly toasted

Lightly toast walnuts. Let cool.

In a medium mixing bowl, toss lettuce and vinaigrette until well combined. Place the mixture in a bowl or on a serving plate. Top with the cheese, walnuts and mandarin orange slices and serve.

Photo by JoJo

 
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Mascarpone Cheesecake with Almond Crust

I looked all over for a dessert to go with the Chicken Marsala dinner. My boyfriend loves mascarpone cheese so I wanted to make something with it in the recipe since it was for his birthday. My sister suggested Giada's cheesecake recipe. It has an almond crust that is terrific, and it also has Nutella, which I love! Since I already had whipping cream to use for the Nutella topping, as an addition, I whipped the remainder of the heaving whipping cream (and added confectioners sugar to it) to dab on top of each piece. I had a little bit of trouble with the Nutella sauce, so I would suggest using a wisk to mix it together instead of a spoon. Here's the link to the original recipe: Marscarpone Cheesecake with Almond Crust

Mascarpone Cheesecake with Almond Crust

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Crust:

1 cup slivered almonds, lightly toasted

2/3 cup graham cracker crumbs

3 Tablespoons sugar

1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

Filling:

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature

2 (8-ounce) containers mascarpone cheese, room temperature

1¼ cups sugar

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 large eggs, room temperature

Topping:

½ cup chocolate-hazelnut spread (recommended: Nutella)

¼ cup whipping cream    

For the crust: Preheat oven to 350˚.

Tightly wrap the outside of a 9-inch diameter springform pan with 2¾ -inch-high sides with 3 layers of heavy-duty foil. Finely grind the almonds, cracker crumbs, and sugar in a food processor. Add the butter and process until moist crumbs form. Press the almond mixture onto the bottom of the prepared pan (not on the sides of the pan). Bake the crust until it is set and beginning to brown, about 12 minutes. Cool. Decrease the oven temperature to 325˚.

For the filling: Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, mascarpone cheese, and sugar in a large bowl until smooth, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Beat in the lemon juice and vanilla. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition

Pour the cheese mixture over the crust in the pan. Place the springform pan in a large roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the springform pan. Bake until the center of the cheesecake moves slightly when the pan is gently shaken, about 1 hour 5 minutes (the cake will become firm when it is cold). Transfer the cake to a rack; cool for 1 hour. Refrigerate until the cheesecake is cold, at least 8 hours and up to 2 days.

For the topping: Combine the chocolate-hazelnut spread and cream in a small bowl. Heat in the microwave until warm, stirring every 20 seconds to blend, about 1 minute.

Cut the cake into wedges. Drizzle the chocolate sauce over the wedges and serve.(Alternately, drizzle the sauce over the entire cheesecake before it hardens and then cut into wedges and serve).

Photo from the Food Network

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Chicken Marsala

Whenever I go to an Italian restaurant, I always check their menu for my favorite kind of chicken, Chicken Marsala. For my boyfriend's birthday this year I made a new recipe that I thought was really good. I found it on the Food Network website. Here's a link to the original recipe: Chicken Marsala

The only change I made to this recipe is that I left the prosciutto and parsley out. In addition to the Chicken Marsala, I made Gnocchi with a creamy pesto sauce and a mozzarella and tomato caprese salad, as well as a dessert that I'll have to post later. I bought the Gnocchi, pesto, sweet Marsala wine and fresh mozzarella from Rodman's in Rockville. Rodman's has a great selection of wines and imported foods from various countries. This recipe has a lot of wine sauce, so the next time I make it I'll make angel hair spaghetti instead so I can put the sauce on it. I also usually make spinach as a side with this chicken. If you like Chicken Marsala, I definitely recommend trying this recipe!

Chicken Marsala

Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence and JoAnn Cianciulli

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 1½ pounds)
All purpose flour, for dredging
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced (optional)
8 ounces crimini or porcini mushrooms, stemmed and halved

½ cup sweet Marsala wine

½ cup chicken stock

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Put the chicken breasts side by side on a cutting board and lay a piece of plastic wrap over them; pound with a flat meat mallet, until they are about 1/4-inch thick. Put some flour in a shallow platter and season with a fair amount of salt and pepper; mix with a fork to distribute evenly.

Heat the oil over medium-high flame in a large skillet. When the oil is nice and hot, dredge both sides of the chicken cutlets in the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess. Slip the cutlets into the pan and fry for 5 minutes on each side until golden, turning once – do this in batches if the pieces don't fit comfortably in the pan. Remove the chicken to a large platter in a single layer to keep warm.

Lower the heat to medium and add the prosciutto to the drippings in the pan, saute for 1 minute to render out some of the fat. Now, add the mushrooms and saute until they are nicely browned and their moisture has evaporated, about 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Pour the Marsala in the pan and boil down for a few seconds to cook out the alcohol. Add the chicken stock and simmer for a minute to reduce the sauce slightly. Stir in the butter and return the chicken to the pan; simmer gently for 1 minute to heat the chicken through. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with chopped parsley before serving.

Photo from the Food Network

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Decadent Turtle Cheesecake

One of my favorite desserts is cheesecake. Years ago I was looking through one of my mom's cookbooks and saw a recipe that looked delicious ~ a turtle cheesecake. It has an Oreo crust and chocolate, caramel and pecans on top. The cake itself is not very tall once it cooks, but each piece is rich enough that you don't need to eat a lot. I often want to try new cheesecake recipes, but this one is usually requested whenever someone hears I'm making a cheesecake. Give it a try, I'm sure you won't be disappointed!

Decadent Turtle Cheesecake

From Favorite Brand Name Best-Loved Chocolate Recipes Cookbook, page 222

2 cups crushed chocolate cookies or vanilla wafers (about 8 ounces cookies)

¼ cup (½ stick) butter, melted

OR

Oreo pie crust

2½ packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened

1 cup sugar

1½ Tablespoons all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon salt

1½ teaspoon vanilla

3 eggs

2 Tablespoons whipping cream

Caramel and Chocolate Toppings (recipes follow)

½ cup chopped toasted pecans

Preheat oven to 450˚.  For crust, combine cookie crumbs and butter; press onto bottom of 9-inch spring form pan.  Or you can use a pre-made Oreo pie crust from the grocery store.  If you use one of these, keep the edges of the foil pan up to prevent the filling from overflowing while baking.

For filling, beat cream cheese in large bowl with electric mixer until creamy.  Beat in sugar, flour, salt and vanilla; mix well.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Blend in cream.  Pour over crust.

Bake 10 minutes; reduce oven temperature to 200˚.

Continue baking 40 to 60 minutes or until set.  Loosen cake from rim of pan; cool completely before removing rim of pan.  Meanwhile, prepare Caramel and Chocolate Toppings.

Drizzle cheesecake with toppings in any order you desire.  I put the toasted pecans on first and then the caramel followed by the chocolate.  This way the pecans are held in place.  Refrigerate.

Caramel Topping:  Combine ¼ (14-ounce) bag caramels (about 12-14 caramel pieces) and 1/8 cup whipping cream in small saucepan; stir over low heat until smooth.

Chocolate Topping:  Combine 2 squares (1 ounce each) semisweet chocolate or 2 ounces semisweet chocolate chips, ½ teaspoon butter and 1 tablespoon whipping cream in small saucepan; stir over low heat until smooth. Add a little more whipping cream if it is too thick.

Makes one 9” cheesecake.

 

Photo by JoJo

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New Food Blog

Yesterday I decided I wanted to start a blog to post recipes that I've made recently or recipes I find that I want to try out. Hopefully I'll remember to take pictures of the ones I try so I can post those as well.

Earlier today I was trying to think of something catchy to name my blog so I could get started on it. My cousin Marina suggested "mangia bene" which means "eat well" in Italian. That blog name was taken so after a little thinking and searching I decided to name it "mangia bene vivi felice" which means "eat well, live happy".

Now, I need to figure out how to use this blog and find some of my favorite recipes to add...