Jun 19

The Big 4-0 Birthday Cake!

Yesterday was Frank’s 40th. He’s finally catching up to me!

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As per birthday tradition, he got to pick the cake he wanted. I granted his request for cappuccino cake with cannoli filling, and added an amazing frosting. I have to say, this is one of the best tasting cakes I’ve ever made.

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We’ve been celebrating the Big 4-0 all month, but this has definitely been the icing on the cake ;) Looking forward to at least 40 more…Happy Birthday to my honey!

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The Big 4-0 Birthday Cake!
filling and frosting recipes slightly adapted from Baked Explorations

for the cappuccino cake:
your favorite chocolate cake recipe (like this one) or box mix
1/2 cup instant espresso granules

for the cannoli filling:
2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese, drained for 24 hours
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup mini chocolate chips

for the mascarpone whipped cream frosting:
8 ounces mascarpone cheese
1 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup sugar

4 mini cannoli
dark chocolate covered espresso beans (available at Trader Joe’s)

Follow your cake recipe and add coffee to it. Bake as directed in two 9 inch round cake pans (butter pans, then add parchment, then butter and flour). Set aside to cool.

To make the filling, stir first 3 ingredients together until smooth. Add in chips. Refrigerate until ready to use.

To make the frosting, beat mascarpone on medium speed with a hand mixer for a few minutes until smooth. In a stand mixer, with the paddle attachment, beat heavy cream on high speed until soft peaks form. Mix in mascarpone and sugar and beat on low speed until combined.

Place bottom layer of cake on cake plate. Top with cannoli filling. Add second cake layer, then cover with frosting. Top with cannoli and decorate with espresso beans. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Posted in cake, chocolate, dessert, family, mascarpone, ricotta | 3 Comments
Jun 17

Smoky Cheese Ball

We had a fantastic weekend that included Bella’s dance recital, more celebrating for Frank’s 40th, and a fun Father’s Day party! It was filled with lots of laughs and smiles and love…and of course, food. LOTS of food.

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This was one of several great appetizers we had. This recipe makes enough for 2 cheese balls! I served one on Saturday, and brought one to my sister’s on Sunday. It was incredibly easy to make and is perfect if you need something you can make ahead of time.

Smoky Cheese Ball
slightly adapted from Better Homes and Gardens

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
2 cups shredded smoked cheese (I used Gouda)
1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Place cheeses and butter in a mixing bowl and combine. Add milk and Worcestershire sauce and mix on high until fluffy. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours.

Shape mixture into 2 balls. Cover each with nuts. Seal with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to eat. Serve with crackers.

Posted in appetizers, cheese, cream cheese, low carb, make ahead, QuickAndEasy | 4 Comments
Jun 14

Kit Kat Cake

Happy Friday! Hope you all have a fun weekend ahead planned. We will be going to Bella’s first dance recital tomorrow (!!!), then having our family back at our house to celebrate Frank’s 40th (this has turned into his birthday month!). A busy day planned for Father’s Day as well. Lots going on!

I saw this cake on Made in Mel’s Kitchen. It’s actually from last summer, and since I didn’t get a chance to blog it then, I figured now was a great time. It’s easy, a big crowd pleaser, and perfect to bring to a summer get-together. So impressive looking, too!

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I used this awesome chocolate cake recipe (feel free to use your favorite, or a box mix), let it cool, then stand a Kit Kat bar next to it to make sure the cake is a little shorter (trim it if need be), then frost (again, using your favorite recipe).

Break each Kit Kat into 2 and gently place the bars on the cake, against the frosting. Tie with ribbon, then top with a bag of M&Ms. That’s it! Enjoy :)

Posted in cake, candy, chocolate, dessert | 3 Comments
Jun 12

Leftover Steak Salad

You know how much I love repurposing leftovers, cleaning out the fridge and freezer, getting creative with whatever I have on hand…this is one of those posts. Leftover steak + whatever veggies are in the fridge = a quick, easy and delicious dinner. Whole30 friendly, too!

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Remember, these ingredients can be substituted with whatever you’ve got! Get creative. Keep it simple. And enjoy!

Leftover Steak Salad

leftover London Broil, sliced (this recipe is a favorite in our house)
romaine lettuce
grape tomatoes
black olives
artichoke hearts
broccoli florets
red onion slices
homemade dressing (we love EVOO, apple cider vinegar, various spices)

Toss all veggies together and top with steak. Add dressing and serve. That’s IT! :)

Posted in beef, low carb, main dishes, QuickAndEasy, salad, Whole30 | 2 Comments
Jun 10

Citrus, Garlic & Chipotle Marinated Chicken

What a weekend! I surprised my husband with a long weekend full of fun, relaxing, eating, gambling, spa treatments…pretty much anything you could pack into 3 days. We had a great time, but boy am I feeling it now. A few days of eating differently after being so good for a while really does a number on me. Back on track today…

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We loved this chicken a few weeks ago and I definitely plan on making it again soon. Frank grilled it perfectly – it was delicious. The skin was nice and crisp while the meat stayed tender. I marinated this for about 24 hours, and I recommend that you do the same.

Oh, and please excuse the random pieces of grilled asparagus on top ;)

Citrus, Garlic & Chipotle Marinated Chicken
slightly adapted from Grilling Companion

3 pounds chicken thighs, bone in, skin on
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup orange juice
1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
2 chipotle peppers in adobo, chopped
salt and pepper

Whisk juices, oil, garlic and peppers in a bowl. Place chicken in large ziploc bag and pour marinade on top. Refrigerate and let marinate overnight.

Remove chicken from marinade and season with salt and pepper. Place on preheated grill and cook for around 20-25 minutes.

Posted in chicken, chipotle, garlic, grilling, low carb, main dishes | 2 Comments
Jun 7

Microwave Peanut Brittle

Happy Friday! Any plans for the weekend? Our weather isn’t supposed to be that great, so like Memorial Day Weekend, some of our plans are going out the window :( But we’re making up for it with things that will be just as fun! And since they revolve around lots of surprises I’ve planned for Frank’s 40th birthday, I have to keep quiet for now…

I whipped up a quick batch of this to bring to work – it was gone before I blinked.

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Forgot to take a pic after it was broken…oops! Oh and do yourself a favor…do NOT use wax paper, like I did (I was out of parchment)…you’ll end up peeling it off the brittle for about an hour after it’s cooled. Good times…

Microwave Peanut Brittle
from Plain Chicken

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup peanuts
1 teaspoon baking soda

Mix sugar and syrup together in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 5 minutes on high. Add butter, vanilla and nuts. Stir together. Microwave on high for 90 seconds.

Remove from microwave and quickly stir in baking soda. Immediately pour mixture onto parchment paper lined baking sheet (spray with cooking spray beforehand). Spread and let cool for one hour. Break into pieces.

Posted in dessert, nuts, QuickAndEasy, snacks | Leave a comment
Jun 5

Tequila Marinated Shrimp Skewers

Pretty much anything on a skewer is a must for the grill. There are so many combinations you can choose from. This shrimp was a winner. I just wish I would have measured while making it! I’ll do my best to give you the best estimates I can.

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Yeah, that’s a bottle of tequila back there. Be generous with it.

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And get creative with what you pair it with! I used pineapple and mango chunks, tomatoes, red onion…yum.

Tequila Marinated Shrimp Skewers

2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup tequila
juice from 3 limes
3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
salt
wooden skewers (soaked for at least an hour)
pineapple, mango, grape tomatoes, red onion (or whatever else you’d like to use)

Place shrimp in a bowl. Add tequila, lime juice, cilantro and cayenne pepper. Sprinkle some salt and mix. Let marinate for at least an hour.

Add shrimp and other ingredients to skewers. Grill for a few minutes on each side. Serve.

Posted in grilling, lime, low carb, main dishes, make ahead, seafood, shrimp | Leave a comment
Jun 3

Buttered Popcorn Cookies (Secret Recipe Club)

New month, new SRC post! Love and Flour was my assignment this month and there were lots of great recipes to choose from! Ultimately, I decided on what ended up being a big crowd pleaser (mainly for the adults!) at a friend’s BBQ.

You can’t go wrong here…

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If you’re a sweet and salty fan, you will LOVE these! And I bet if you added M&Ms they’d be even better :)

Hope you enjoy all of this month’s picks!

Buttered Popcorn Cookies
slightly adapted from Love and Flour

4 cups popped popcorn (I used microwave popcorn)
1 1/4 AP flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk flour and baking soda together. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars together until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and mix until combined. Stir in dry ingredients and mix.

Fold in popcorn (it will break a little bit…it’s okay!) and drop heaping tablespoons onto parchment paper lined baking sheets. Space about 2 inches apart. Bake for 8-12 minutes, until edges are light brown.



Posted in cookies, dessert, QuickAndEasy, Secret Recipe Club | 13 Comments
May 30

Beef and Eggplant Ragu over Spaghetti Squash

Today.is.day.30. Whole30 is just about complete! And I feel great. So great that I’m considering doing it again in a few months. For now, I’ll continue on with a low carb diet (I thought about Paleo, but I need my cheese!), which is what I should be following on a regular basis anyway, considering I have PCOS.

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This was one of our favorite dinners this month. After a while, getting creative is necessary, so you don’t feel like you’re eating the same things over and over. And spaghetti squash is a staple on Whole30…it helps you miss pasta a bit less. Kind of.

Now pass the wine, please!

Beef and Eggplant Ragu over Spaghetti Squash

1 spaghetti squash, cut in half, pulp and seeds removed
1 eggplant, cubed
1 large onion, chopped
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
garlic powder
oregano
crushed red pepper
1 pound ground beef
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes

Cook spaghetti squash in the microwave for approximately 8-11 minutes. Time will vary depending on microwave and size of squash. Remove and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add eggplant and onion, and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, crushed red pepper and oregano. Once eggplant starts to soften, add beef. Stir to combine and cook for a few minutes.

Add tomatoes as well as more seasonings to taste. Lower heat and cook for at least 15 minutes to let all flavors combine.

Scrape “spaghetti” out of squash and place on plates. Top with ragu and serve.

Posted in beef, eggplant, main dishes, QuickAndEasy, squash, tomatoes, Whole30 | Leave a comment
May 28

Paleo Bang Bang Shrimp

How was your long weekend?  We had a great time – lots of fun with family and friends – hopefully a strong indicator for what the summer has in store!

And through it all, I stuck it out on Whole30. Today is day 28 and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t looking forward to a big hunk of cheese. It’s actually easy to stay on track this time of year, even when you’re not eating at home. The grill has been my best friend.

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This dish had nothing to do with the grill, but it was a HUGE hit with us. A great change of pace, easy to make, and delicious!

Paleo Bang Bang Shrimp
from Paleo Kitchen Sync

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
3/4 cup homemade mayonnaise
4 tablespoons hot sauce
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons coconut oil
garlic powder
salt and pepper

Season shrimp with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Combine mayo, hot sauce and red pepper flakes in a bowl. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add shrimp and saute until cooked. Remove shrimp from pan and toss in sauce. Serve.

Posted in low carb, main dishes, QuickAndEasy, shrimp | 2 Comments