Chocolate Cake

Today we celebrated Christmas with my mom's family at Grannie's house. We (read: not Grannie) decided to have different kinds of soup and salad instead of having a huge, traditional Christmas dinner. This idea appealed to us because by today some of us had been eating for four solid days and it would save Grannie a lot of work. So we had chicken chowder, white chicken chili, taco soup, and broccoli soup. I made Baby Blue Salad, and everyone brought dessert. However, Grannie didn't like the idea of soup (even though she made the broccoli one), so she decided to make a ham and Cornbread Dressing as well. As often happens with our family, the menu ended up being over the top!

For dessert, I decided to make a chocolate cake that combined two recipes. The cake itself is Coca-Cola Cake, which is very moist and fluffy. The icing is for Texas Sheet Cake, which I love because it has a grainy quality that reminds me of Grannie's homemade Fudge Icing. Once I had the cake iced, I decided that some melted caramel would make a nice addition. Both of these recipes are super easy, and the whole cake is ready in less than 45 minutes. Enjoy!

Chocolate Cake
1 cup Coke
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup butter, softened
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 bag semisweet chocolate chips (optional)
1 tsp. baking soda
Chocolate Icing

1. Combine Coke and buttermilk; set aside.
2. Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine flour and next 2 ingredients. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with Coke mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Add in chocolate chips, if desired. Pour batter into a lightly greased 13-x 9-inch pan.
3. Bake at 350°‚ for 30 to 35 minutes or until a pick inserted in cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan 10 minutes. Spread icing over warm cake.

Chocolate Icing:
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/3 cup milk or cream
1 (16-oz.) package powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

1. Combine butter and next 2 ingredients in a small saucepan. Cook over low heat 5 minutes or until butter melts. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat, and stir in powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat chocolate mixture with an electric mixer until mixture is smooth and sugar dissolves.

Blueberry-Apple Fritters

For breakfast on this beautiful day after Christmas, my mother-in-law had a recipe for Cranberry-Apple Fritters she wanted to make. (What could be better during this season of excess than fried dough?) The recipe she had called for a lot of unnecessary steps (i.e., separating the eggs and then beating the whites into soft peaks), so I decided to make some changes. Who knows what the original would have tasted like, but our version was yummy. Andy and his mom ate theirs with syrup; I liked them as they were with just a dusting of powdered sugar. Enjoy!

Blueberry-Apple Fritters
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water
1 cup blueberries
1 apple, peeled and chopped
Peanut oil
Powdered sugar

1. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients in a mixing bowl. Stir in eggs and next 3 ingredients until combine.
2. Pour oil in a Dutch oven to a depth of 2 inches and heat. Drop batter in tablespoonfuls in hot oil, and cook, turning if necessary, until golden. Drain fritters on paper towels, and sprinkle with powdered sugar just before serving.

How To Easily Store Soup

We eat a lot of soup at our house and because there are only two of us, we always have leftovers. I prefer to freeze soup in zip-top bags, but it's a pain to get the soup in the bags. I've tried everything to make this process easier, but nothing has worked very well. I had a brainstorm the night we had Black Bean Soup: I placed a quart-size zip-top bag in the round plastic measuring cup that came with my immersion blender and then slowly ladled in the soup. It worked like a charm!

Black Bean Soup

What better meal for a blustery night? This recipe makes a ton and freezes well, so there will be plenty of meals at the ready for later. I usually don't put any meat in this soup, with the exception of bacon on occasion, but tonight I decided to use some Italian sausage links. The flavor addition was subtle, but it was tasty. An immersion blender is a helpful gadget to have when pureeing soups—it saves you the step of pouring the soup mixture into a food processor or blender and then back into the pot to reheat. I served the soup with Homemade Tortilla Chips and a dollop of sour cream. Enjoy!

Black Bean Soup
2 bacon slices, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. olive oil
1 lb. Italian sausage, casings removed
3 cans black beans, drained
1 (28-oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 (10-oz.) can diced tomatoes and green chiles
1 (32-oz.) container chicken stock
1 1/2 Tbsp. cumin
1 Tbsp. chili powder
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Cook bacon in a Dutch oven until beginning to crisp. Remove from Dutch oven, and drain; reserve drippings in skillet. Cook onions in hot oil and drippings until onions begin to soften; stir in garlic, and cook 1 minute. Add in sausage, and cook until meat crumbles and is browned. Remove sausage from Dutch oven. Stir in black beans, tomatoes, chicken stock, cumin, and chili powder.
2. Puree mixture in Dutch oven with an immersion blender until desired consistency is achieved. Stir in sausage, bacon, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until thoroughly heated.

Pumpkin-Pecan Muffins

This week at Grace's Kitchen, we served these muffins and Sausage-Cheese Muffins. Because last week was Thanksgiving, I think pumpkin was fresh on my mind. These have a soft texture and are yummy! The nuts are tasty addition. The first time I made them, I only used cinnamon and felt that the flavor needed something else, so the second time I added a little nutmeg. Delicious!

Pumpkin-Pecan Muffins
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup pumpkin
1 (8-oz.) container sour cream
3 cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. grated nutmeg
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted

1. Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until creamy. Add in eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Beat in vanilla, pumpkin, and sour cream.
2. Combine flour and next 3 ingredients; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until blended. Stir in pecans.
3. Divide batter among 24 muffin cups, coated with vegetable cooking spray.
4. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until done.

Recipe Rewind: Bacon-Sun-Dried Tomato Pizza

This is absolutely one of my favorite dinners. In fact, I always have these ingredients on hand (buy the pizza dough at Publix and freeze it until ready to use). It's very helpful to have go-to ingredients on hand for those nights when planning dinner is almost too much to handle. The great thing about pizza is its versatility—customize yours to your family's taste. I use my pizza stone (allow it to preheat in the oven); this ensures a crispy-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside crust. Enjoy!

Pimiento Cheese Crostini

This was an appetizer idea I had for Thanksgiving. Andy's dad is a big fan of pimiento cheese and I try to make it for him regularly. Spreading homemade "shimmy" (my family's word for pimiento cheese) on baguette slices and toasting it—how can you go wrong? Everyone really liked this, especially our nephew Aubrey! It's very easy and would be great for holiday parties. Enjoy!





Pimiento Cheese Crostini
Use a food processor to shred the cheese; replace the shredding disc with the knife blade and chop the cheese to achieve the best texture.
2 (8-oz.) blocks Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 (12-oz.) block American cheese, cut into cubes
4 oz. diced roasted red pepper or diced pimientos
1 Tbsp. minced onion
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 baguette, sliced

1. Chop shredded and cubed cheeses in food processor. Place cheese mixture in a mixing bowl, and stir in diced red bell peppers and next 3 ingredients.
2. Spread pimiento cheese on one side of baguette slices.
3. Bake at 350° for 5 minutes or until cheese melts. Serve warm.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

This terrific recipe says "Thanksgiving" to me. I prefer it to pumpkin pie—the subtle cream cheese flavor is nice with pumpkin. Also, the pecan-and-gingersnap crust has won over some gingerbread-haters in our family. The original recipe is from Frank Stitt's Southern Table. The one change I've made to his recipe is that I cook all the cream cheese mixture in the springform pan as opposed to reserving a small amount to spread over the top of the baked cheesecake. The idea of raw eggs is unappealing to me. Instead I serve this with Amaretto whipped cream. Cheesecake is very easy to make and it never fails to impress. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Cheesecake
30 gingersnaps
1/2 cup pecans, toasted
1/4 cup brown sugar
4 Tbsp. butter, melted
4 (8-oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups pumpkin
1/4 heavy cream
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. allspice
Amaretto Whipped Cream

1. Pulse gingersnaps and pecans in a food processor until ground. Combine crumb mixture with brown sugar and melted butter. Press mixture in bottom and up sides of a lightly greased springform pan.
2. Beat cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add in eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Beat in pumpkin and next 3 ingredients. Pour mixture into prepared crust.
3. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes; then run knife around edge of pan and release sides. Cool completely on rack. Chill cheesecake 8 hours or overnight. Top with Amaretto Whipped Cream, if desired.

Amaretto Whipped Cream
2 cups whipping cream
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup Amaretto

1. Beat cream with an electric mixer, gradually adding in sugar and Amaretto. Beat until soft peaks form.

Rosemary Biscuits

I served these with Beef Tenderloin on Thanksgiving. They made great sandwiches for the leftover beef the next day. Enjoy!

Rosemary Biscuits
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
6 Tbsp. butter, cut into cubes
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary

1. Combine flour and next 3 ingredients. Cut in butter into flour mixture until it resembles sand. Pour in buttermilk, and stir until combined. Stir in black pepper and rosemary.
2. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface; cut with a round cutter. Place rounds in a lightly greased baking pan with sides of dough touching. Brush tops with melted butter.
3. Bake at 350° for 15 minute or until done. Serve warm.

Beef Tenderloin

Today we celebrated Thanksgiving with Andy's family. His parents, sister, brother-in-law, our two nieces, and nephew came for dinner. We had Beef Tenderloin with Blue Cheese Butter, my mother-in-law's famous sweet potatoes, Slow-Cooker Green Beans, Rosemary Biscuits, and Pumpkin Cheesecake. We love Beef Tenderloin. It's very easy to make and super impressive! (The only thing you need to know is that it is a pricey cut of meat; Costco usually has the best price.) Enjoy!

Beef Tenderloin
1 (4-lb.) beef tenderloin
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper

1. Drizzle beef tenderloin with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper on all sides. Place in a roasting pan.
2. Bake at 425° for 1 hour or until a meat thermometer inserted in center registers 140° (medium). Remove from oven, and let stand for 20 minutes before slicing.

Apple Fritters

Tonight Mel, Russ, and the girls came for dinner. I made meatloaf, which Russ likes and Mel never cooks (she doesn't care for ground beef). For dessert I made Apple Fritters. (It had been a while since we had fried dough!) This recipe is based on one from The Joy of Cooking. The batter is very thick and it's hard to stir in the apple pieces, but that makes dropping it into the hot oil easy. Lizzie helped me sprinkle the hot fritters with powdered sugar. We ate them with vanilla ice cream (next time, I'll make some caramel sauce too). Enjoy!

Apple Fritters
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2/3 cup milk
1 egg
1 Tbsp. melted butter
Juice of 1 lemon
4 apples, cored and thinly sliced
Vegetable oil
Powdered sugar

1. Combine flour and next 3 ingredients in a bowl. Combine milk and next 3 ingredients. Gradually add milk mixture to flour mixture. Stir apples into batter.
2. Heat vegetable oil in Dutch oven. Carefully drop batter into hot oil using a small scoop. Cook until golden brown and done. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle hot apple fritters with powdered sugar.

Roasted Cauliflower

Call me lazy! We don't have a lot of side dishes around here—I'm more of a one-dish kind of cook who occasionally throws a salad or green beans into the mix. But my laziness doesn't stop me from looking for yummy-sounding sides. I read a lot of food magazines and lately have noticed several recipes for cauliflower. I've never been a fan of raw cauliflower; it's too strong. It's one of those vegetables that you don't see very often, except leftover on a crudité tray. Andy grew up eating cauliflower and likes it, so tonight I decided to roast it. (I feel strongly that I need to try foods I don't think again. This philosophy has expanded my palate in numerous ways.) I served it with Beef Burgundy and Garlic Mashed Potatoes. I really liked the flavor of the cauliflower; it will probably reappear on my Thanksgiving menu. Enjoy!

Roasted Cauliflower
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
4 slices sourdough French bread
2 Tbsp. butter
1/4 tsp. dried marjoram
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Cut cauliflower florets into slices. Place on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. Bake at 425° for 20 to 30 minutes or until cauliflower begins to brown and softened.
3. Process bread slices in food processor to make crumbs. Melt butter, and stir into breadcrumbs. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste; stir in marjoram.
4. Combine roasted cauliflower and breadcrumb mixture in a gratin dish. Sprinkle with cheese.
5. Bake at 425° for 10 minutes.

Pumpkin Soup

Tonight I decided to make soup from a real pumpkin, not from pumpkin puree (I'm not actually sure you could make soup with the canned stuff). I approached this recipe as I do many—sautéing chopped bacon in my blue Dutch oven. Such an auspicious start! You can't cook with any old pumpkin—I used a small pumpkin labeled "pie pumpkin" from the grocery store. After cutting the pumpkin into thirds and cleaning out the seeds, I drizzled it with vegetable oil and sprinkled it with salt and pepper. Then I roasted it in the oven for 45 minutes. By far, this was the longest part of the process. The flavor is similar to butternut squash soup; adding some fennel was the perfect flavor complement. I topped the savory soup with crumbled bacon and Homemade Croutons (or toast, as Andy prefers to call them—he's not a fan of croutons, go figure). Enjoy!

Pumpkin Soup
1 pie pumpkin, cut in thirds and seeded
Vegetable oil
Salt and pepper to taste
2 bacon slices, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and chopped
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups milk
1/2 cup cream
1/2 cup apple cider
1/2 tsp. fennel seeds

1. Place pumpkin pieces on an aluminum-foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with vegetable oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake at 400° for 45 minutes or until softened. Scoop out pumpkin with a spoon, and discard skin.
2. Sauté bacon in a Dutch oven until browned; remove from Dutch oven. Sauté onion and next 2 ingredients in drippings for 10 minutes or until softened. Stir in chicken stock and next 3 ingredients. Stir in pumpkin, Use immersion blender to puree soup mixture. Stir in fennel seeds and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until thoroughly heated.

Pumpkin-Chocolate Chip Cake

This was a brainstorm I had the other day. Pumpkin, chocolate, and cinnamon are terrific flavor to pair. The combination is spicy and rich. To make the cake, I used a combination of butter and cream cheese, like in Cinnamon-Apple Cake, which yields a moist, tender cake. This batter bakes best in a springform pan. If you've never tried pumpkin and chocolate together, here's your invitation. Yummy!

Pumpkin-Chocolate Chip Cake
1 3/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 bag semisweet chocolate chips
Vegetable cooking spray

1. Beat sugar and next 2 ingredients until blended and creamy. Mix in vanilla and eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition.
2. Combine flour and next 3 ingredients. Gradually add to cream cheese mixture, beating until blended. Stir in pumpkin and chocolate chips. Pour batter into a springform pan coated with cooking spray.
3. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until done. Let cool for 30 minutes in pan; release and remove sides of pan, and cool completely.

Marmalade-Mustard Pork Tenderloin

I do not like the taste of pork (the exception is bacon). So whenever I make it, I choose strong flavors to cover up the meat taste. Tonight's pork tenderloin (I prefer this cut as opposed to a pork roast) was roasted in a combination of Dijon mustard and orange marmalade. This combination gave the meat a sweet-but-not-too-sweet flavor. Orange is a nice complement to pork. I served the tenderlone (as Granny Hunt called it) with Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Bacon and roasted fingerling potatoes. Enjoy!

Marmalade-Mustard Pork Tenderloin
1 package pork tenderloins
Salt and pepper
Country-style Dijon mustard
Herbes de Provence
1 jar orange marmalade
1 Tbsp. water
2 onions, thickly sliced

1. Remove pork tenderloins from package; sprinkle with salt and pepper, and spread Dijon mustard on outside of meat. Use kitchen string to tie tenderloins together. Spread Dijon mustard on outside of meat, and sprinkle with herbs de Provence. Combine marmalade and water in a glass measuring cup; microwave for 1 minute or until marmalade melts.
2. Place onion slices on bottom of roasting pan. Place tenderloin on top of onions. Pour marmalade over tenderloin.
3. Bake at 350° for 1 hour. Remove from oven, and allow to rest 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with pan drippings, if desired.

Roasted Tomato-Mozzarella-Bacon Sandwich

Sunday lunch is the meal each week that I don't plan. We go to church early and by the time we get home, we're pretty hungry and don't want to wait to eat. Usually we have leftovers or sandwiches or, if we can decide what we want, we'll go out to eat. Today's sandwich idea was inspired, if I do say so myself. On the way home from church, I thought we would have bacon-grilled cheese sandwiches, but then I remember the leftovers from Roasted Caprese Salad that were in the fridge. So I melted some butter in the microwave, and spread it on four sourdough bread slices. Then I layered on some of the leftover tomato and mozzarella slices and topped it all with bacon slices. I baked the sandwiches in the oven at 350° until the bread was golden and toasted. They tasted as good as I imagined they would. So easy and so delicious—enjoy!

Pumpkin Pancakes

Andy and I really like pancakes—we eat them often on Saturday mornings. I often experiment with flavor combinations. My friend Katie mentioned earlier this week that she thought pumpkin would be good in pancakes; this is my attempt to develop a recipe. We had these this morning and really liked them. Next time, I plan to add toasted chopped pecans to the batter, which would make them even better. We definitely have these again. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Pancakes
This recipe can be doubled easily—this amount makes four pancakes.
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 Tbsp. melted butter
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup toasted chopped pecans (optional)
Warm maple syrup

1. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients in a mixing bowl. Combine butter and next 4 ingredients; gradually stir into dry ingredients.
2. Drop batter onto a hot griddle by quarter cupfuls. Sprinkle top with pecans. Cook until bubbles begin to form on top; flip pancakes, and cook until done. Serve hot with warm maple syrup.

Roasted Caprese Salad

This is my new favorite salad—it tastes like summer. Serve it warm or at room temperature. The inspiration came from a Barefoot Contessa recipe, which uses year-round plum tomatoes; the roasting caramelizes the flavor of the tomatoes. It's very easy to make, but you need to allow 1 1/2 hours for roasting the tomatoes. This salad would also be great topped with a cooked and crumbled bacon. Enjoy!

Roasted Caprese Salad
12 plum tomatoes, halved and seeded
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper
2 tsp. sugar
3 garlic cloves, minced
Fresh mozzarella, sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1. Place tomato halves on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle tomatoes with olive oil and vinegar. Sprinkle evenly with salt, pepper, sugar, and minced garlic.
2. Bake at 300° for 1 1/2 hours. Remove from oven; cool 30 minutes. Layer tomatoes and mozzarella slices on a serving platter. Sprinkle with chopped basil.

Shrimp and Grits

This is one of my favorite dishes. My brother and I make a version of this for our family's Christmas breakfast each year. Tonight some friends came over for dinner, so I decided to serve this dish with a twist. Instead of creamy grits, I made grits cakes instead. These are getting closer to the ones I'm trying to re-create from The Red Bar than my first attempt. The shrimp mixture is a cinch to prepare. Enjoy!

Shrimp and Grits Cakes
4 bacon slices, chopped
1 1/2 lb. shrimp
1/4 Tbsp. butter
2 shallots, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup chicken stock
Juice from lemon half
Salt and pepper to taste
Grits Cakes

1. Peel and devein shrimp.
2. Cook bacon in Dutch oven until done. Drain bacon on paper towels. Remove drippings from Dutch oven. Melt butter in Dutch oven. Sauté shallots and garlic until tender. Stir in chicken stock and lemon juice. Add shrimp, and sauté 3 to 5 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink. Stir in salt and pepper to taste, and sprinkle with bacon. Serve over Grits Cakes.

Grits Cakes:
4 cups Cheese Grits, spread on a sheet pan and refrigerated at least 24 hours
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
Butter

1. Shape grits into patties. Dip each patty in egg; roll in panko. Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in skillet; cook grits cakes, in batches, until golden brown.

Cheese Grits:
2 cups milk
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup quick-cooking grits
1/4 cup butter
2 cups colby-Jack cheese, shredded
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Bring milk and chicken stock to a boil. Gradually whisk grits into milk mixture. Reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes. Stir in butter and cheese until melted; stir in salt and pepper to taste.
1.

Pepper Jelly and Cream Cheese

This is absolutely the easiest appetizer on the planet! In fact, there's really no recipe. Now, if you're not from these parts, you might be a bit skeptical of the name of this spread. But trust me, it's good! All you need is a block of cream cheese (regular or reduced fat, not fat-free) and a jar of red pepper jelly. (I like Braswells brand, which is made in South Georgia, because it has a little kick to balance the sweetness). The creaminess of the cheese is the perfect foil for the sweet-and-slightly spicy flavor of the jelly. To serve, place the cream cheese on a plate and spoon the jelly over the top. Then spread it on crackers, toasted baguette slices, or sea salt bagel chips (my favorite). Enjoy!

Halloween Blondies

This recipe was inspired by one of Andy's and my coworker Katie's favorite candies—Reese's Pieces. I love blondies because they're so easy to make and go well with a variety of flavors. For these, I used a combination of Reese's Pieces, peanut butter morsels, and chocolate morsels (there were several partial packages in the pantry). The colors are reminiscent of Halloween, hence the name. These are a snap to make. The batter is very thick, so I think clean hands are the best tools for spreading it in the pan. Enjoy!

Halloween Blondies
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 package Reese's Pieces
1/2 package peanut butter morsels
1/2 package chocolate morsels
Vegetable cooking spray

1. Beat butter and sugars at medium speed with an electric mixer. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla.
2. Combine flour and salt. Gradually add to butter mixture, beating until thoroughly blended. Stir in Reese's Pieces and next 2 ingredients.
3. Line a 13- x 9-inch baking pan with aluminum foil. Coat with cooking spray. Spread batter into pan.
4. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until done. Cool in pan, and cut into squares.

Beef With Broccoli

Let me begin by saying that Andy is not a fan of Asian cuisine, so we rarely have it. (When he's out of town, I usually get Chinese or Thai takeout.) However, sometimes stir-fry sounds good for dinner. That was the case tonight. I knew when I decided that we would have Beef With Broccoli that he wouldn't like it, but call me an eternal optimist—I hoped that maybe this dish would win him over. It didn't! But I really liked it and have leftovers for lunch. It's very easy and comes together quickly. The brown rice, which takes 45 minutes to cook, was the longest part of the meal prep by far. Enjoy!

Beef With Broccoli
1 shallot, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. minced fresh ginger
2 carrots, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
Peanut oil
1 lb. thin-sliced steak
Salt and pepper
Cornstarch
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. hoisin sauce
1/2 Tbsp. honey
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1/2 cup beef stock
2 broccoli heads, cut into florets
Hot cooked rice

1. Sauté shallot and next 4 ingredients in hot oil 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from pan.
2. Sprinkle steak with salt and pepper; toss with cornstarch. Cook steak in pan until it begins to brown. Stir in soy sauce and next 4 ingredients. Remove steak from pan, and bring soy sauce mixture to a boil. Stir in carrot mixture, steak mixture, and broccoli. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve over hot cooked rice.

Beef Burgundy

I bought a sirloin tip roast and wanted to make a take on the traditional Boeuf Bourginon. The roast itself was pretty inexpensive, so serving it this way really elevates the humble cut of meat. This is a conglomeration of a couple of recipes. I served the rich stew over Loaded Mashed Potatoes. Just right for a cool fall evening. Andy thought this recipe was a winner!

Beef Burgundy
1 (1.75-lb.) sirloin tip roast
Montreal steak seasoning
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. flour
2 slices bacon
2 onions, chopped
4 celery ribs, chopped
5 carrots, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups red wine
2 cups beef stock
8 oz. sliced portobello mushrooms
3 Tbsp. melted butter
2 Tbsp. flour

1. Cut roast into cubes. Sprinkle with Montreal steak seasoning, and cook in hot oil over high heat until seared on all sides. Remove from oven-safe Dutch oven, and toss with 2 Tbsp. flour to coat.
2. Sauté bacon in Dutch oven until brown and crispy. Remove from Dutch oven, reserving drippings. Sauté onions and next 3 ingredients in hot drippings until vegetables begin to soften, about 10 minutes. Add in red wine, stirring to loosen browned particles on bottom of pot. Stir in beef stock, mushrooms, beef, and bacon. Return to a boil. Combine melted butter and flour, and stir into beef mixture. Cover pot with oven-safe lid.
4. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes.

Orange Rolls

You have to try Orange Rolls, a recipe developed by one of the Test Kitchen pros at SL. They are delicious! I made them for a baby shower brunch this morning. (Instead of baking them in round pans, I used muffin pans. This gave each roll a crispy crust and soft inside.) Don't be intimidated when you see that this is a yeast-based dough that must have time to rise. It is totally easy! The one thing you have to keep in mind is that the dough needs to rise for about two hours. As long as you allow enough time, you're good to go. You can make the rolls in advance, add the Honey Topping, and freeze them. To serve, thaw them overnight in the fridge, bake as directed, and top with Fresh Orange Glaze. Last year for Christmas, I made several pans of the rolls, froze them, and gave them as gifts to my friends. It was a nice change from my usual cookie assortment. Sister Schubert orange rolls are yummy, but these are even better and totally worth the effort. Enjoy!

Pear Cupcakes With Caramel Frosting

This dessert was inspired by last Saturday's Cinnamon-Apple Cake. Basically, I used the same cake batter, replaced the vanilla with a little maple flavoring, and replaced the apples with pears. Then I baked the batter in muffin cups instead of a springform pan. The simple caramel frosting that tops them is totally easy! You start with brown sugar, instead of white sugar, so as soon as the butter melts, the mixture looks like caramel. This pairing is terrific and really tastes like fall. Enjoy!

Pear Cupcakes With Caramel Frosting
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 (8-oz.) block cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. maple flavoring or 1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. apple pie spice or cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
4 pears, cored and chopped
Caramel Frosting

1. Beat butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in sugar. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, until blended after each addition. Stir in maple flavoring.
2. Combine flour and next 3 ingredients. Gradually add to butter mixture, beating until blended. Stir in pears. Scoop batter into lightly greased muffin pans.
3. Bake at 350° for 30 to 35 minutes or until done. Remove from oven, and cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely.
4. Spread caramel frosting on each cupcake.

Caramel Frosting:
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup buttermilk
3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. almond extract

1. Melt butter and brown sugar, whisking constantly, at medium heat. Cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in buttermilk. Return to heat, and bring to a boil.
2. Pour mixture into a mixing bowl. Stir in powdered sugar and almond extract. Beat at medium speed until spreading consistency.

Fried Chicken and the Fixin's

Tonight Mom, Mel, Russ, and the girls came for dinner. It's been a while since we had a family dinner. The girls provided wonderful entertainment as usual. They were super-excited because they got to take a bubble bath in the "big bathtub." For dinner, we had Fried Chicken, Loaded Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, and Cheese Biscuits. The girls liked the "chicken nuggets" (with ketchup, of course) and the potatoes.

Fried Chicken
1 (1.5-pound) package boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut each breast in half)
Buttermilk
All-purpose flour
Salt and pepper
Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
Peanut oil

1. Marinate chicken in buttermilk to cover in refrigerator for 8 hours.
2. Combine flour, salt, and pepper in plate. Roll chicken in flour mixture, dip in buttermilk, and roll in panko.
3. Heat oil in large Dutch oven. Cook chicken in hot oil until golden and cooked through. Drain on paper towels, and sprinkle with salt.

Loaded Mashed Potatoes
2 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into cubes
1/4 cup butter
1 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
4 slices chopped bacon, cooked
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Cook potatoes in water to cover in a large Dutch oven until tender. Drain and return to pot. Stir in butter and next 3 ingredients. Stir in salt and pepper to taste. Spoon mixture into a 13- x 9-inch baking dish.
2. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes.

Green Beans
2 bags frozen green beans
5 bacon slices, chopped
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
1/4 cup butter
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Combine all ingredients in large saucepan. Bring to a boil, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes or until beans are tender.

Cheese Biscuits
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1/4 cup butter, cut into cubes
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
3/4 cup buttermilk

1. Combine flour and butter until mixture resembles sand. Stir in cheese and buttermilk. Spoon mixture into lightly greased muffin cups.
2. Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden.

Recipe Rewind: Cinnamon-Apple Cake

This is a terrific recipe for fall! Anna Claire told me that it tastes like a cinnamon roll—high praise from 5-year-old. There's not much better than warm Cinnamon-Apple Cake, right out of the oven, topped with ice cream. Yummy! When I made it today, I replaced the 2 teaspoons of cinnamon with 1 1/2 teaspoons of apple pie spice. Definitely try this cake!

Sweet Potato-Potato Soup

This was an inspired idea I had this week. On Tuesday night we had filet mignon, Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Yukon Gold Potatoes, and Onions (I also added a red bell pepper), and steamed broccoli. I made extra of the roasted potatoes and tonight I pureed the potatoes, onions, and bell pepper, and stirred in some chicken stock and milk to make a rich, creamy soup. Andy and I both gave it two thumbs-up! This will be a staple for us this winter. Enjoy!

Sweet Potato-Potato Soup
3 cups Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Yukon Gold Potatoes, Onions, and Red Bell Pepper
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups milk
1/2 cup cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Chopped cooked bacon

1. Combine roasted potato mixture and next 3 ingredients in a Dutch oven. Cook over medium heat until heated. Use an immersion blender to puree mixture until desired consistency. Cook until thoroughly heated. Stir in salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls, and top with bacon.

Caramelized Onion-Blue Cheese Burgers

Tonight we had burgers and Onion Rings. However it's not in my cooking nature to just make plain burgers. I decided to caramelize onions to mix in with the ground sirloin and then added a little crumbled blue cheese for good measure. The onions were cooked in a little butter, which added to the richness of the burger. The best part is that I have two more burgers in the freezer for later. Enjoy!

Caramelized Onion-Blue Cheese Burgers
2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 small or half large onion, chopped
1 lb. ground sirloin
1 tsp. Montreal steak seasoning
2 ounces crumbled blue cheese

1. Melt butter in a skillet. Stir in onions, salt, and pepper; sauté for 10 minutes or until onions begin to caramelize.
2. Place ground sirloin in a bowl; stir in steak seasoning, caramelized onions (including melted butter), and blue cheese. Shape into patties.
3. Cook in a grill pan or on grill until done. Serve with buns and desired toppings.

Blueberry Pancakes

Today is the first cold day we've had this year, so I thought blueberry pancakes would be a good comfort-food breakfast. (There are still a couple of bags of blueberries in the freezer that I froze this summer.) I used my favorite basic buttermilk pancake recipe and then sprinkled a few frozen berries on top of the batter once I had scooped it out on the griddle. We enjoyed them with warm maple syrup, bacon (of course), and my favorite Jamaica-Me-Crazy coffee from O'Henry's. Yummy!

Mini Caramel Macchiato Cheesecakes

Cheesecake is one of those desserts that seems intimidating, but it is very easy and everyone loves it. For a coworker's birthday, I made two kinds of cheesecakes. Because I love small desserts, I made them in a mini cheesecake pan instead of in a 9-inch springform pan. We had the ever-popular Chocolate Chunk Cheesecake and a new-to-me recipe, Caramel Macchiato Cheesecake, which originally ran in the October 2006 issue of SL. My mini cheesecake pan only yields 12, so I halved the both cheesecake recipes and ended up with 24, which is much more manageable than 48. The one thing about cheesecake is that it usually cracks on top (that's my experience anyway), so I serve it with some kind of topping, like the chocolate ganache and caramel sauce for these recipes. If you've never tried cheesecake, now's the time—think how impressed your family will be!

P.S. Thanks to Katie and her fancy flat phone for the photograph and to Jen for the lovely styling.

Baked Ziti With Ricotta

This dish is super-easy, super-quick, and makes a lot of leftovers—in other words, the perfect weeknight meal. I added some balsamic vinegar to the tomato sauce for a little tangy sweetness and depth of flavor. Definitely a good addition!



Baked Ziti With Ricotta
1 onion, chopped
1 (8-oz.) sliced portobello mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. olive oil
Salt and pepper
2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 lb. ground sirloin
2 links Italian sausage, casings removed
1 (28-oz.) can whole tomatoes
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 tsp. dried crushed red pepper
8 to 10 oz. cooked ziti
1 (15-oz.) container ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded Italian cheese blend
4 provolone cheese slices

1. Sauté onion and next 2 ingredients in hot oil, stirring regularly. Stir in salt, pepper, and oregano. Add in ground sirloin and sausage, and cook, stirring often, until meat is browned and crumbled. Stir in tomatoes, breaking them into chunks with spoon. Stir in vinegar and basil. Reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring occasionally, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in salt, pepper, and dried crushed red pepper.
2. Combine ziti, ricotta, and salt to taste. Spread into bottom of a lightly greased baking dish. Pour tomato mixture over the noodles. Sprinkle with shredded cheese, and layer top with provolone.
3. Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Cream Cheese-Banana-Macadamia Nut Muffins

Tonight I did a trial run of the muffins that we're planning to serve Thursday morning through Grace's Kitchen. I wanted to see how long it would take and how many it would make so that I allow the right amount of time on Thursday. This recipe, Cream Cheese-Banana-Nut Bread, is from the January 2005 issue of SL. I'm not a fan of bananas or banana bread and didn't expect to like this. However, I made myself try one and really liked it—the banana flavor is very subtle. It and the cream cheese make a rich, moist muffin. The original recipe calls for toasted chopped pecans; I was out, so for this batch I substituted chopped macadamia nuts. For the topping, I used the recipe for Peanut Butter Streusel. The combo was tasty, but when I make them on Thursday, the streusel will go in the middle of the muffins instead of on top. This will give better distribution of the banana-peanut butter flavor. Yummy!

Mexican Chicken Soup, take 2

It's been getting cooler during the last couple of weeks, so I decided it was time to break out a soup recipe. Last September, I posted this recipe for Mexican Chicken Soup. Andy and I really liked it, but I'm always up for trying new things. Earlier this week, my friend Cindy, who lives in San Antonio, sent me a recipe for Chicken Tortilla Soup that she got from the wife of a coworker. I decided to combine that recipe with the one from Barefoot Contessa to create my own version. The main thing that changed is the proportion of broth to the other ingredients; what I ended up with was more of a stew. I served the soup with Queso and Homemade Tortilla Chips. Enjoy!

Mexican Chicken Soup
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
4 carrots, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
1 (28-oz.) can whole tomatoes in puree
6 cups chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tsp. cumin
2 lb. boneless chicken breasts, cooked and chopped*
Juice from 2 limes
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Toppings: diced avocado, sour cream, tortilla chips, shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1. Sauté onions and next 4 ingredients in hot oil 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and next 5 ingredients. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes. Stir in lime juice and cilantro. Serve with desired toppings.
*I baked mine (it was still frozen) at 350° with 1 cup orange juice, 1/2 cup butter, cumin, salt, and pepper for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

German Potato Salad

Tonight's menu was an ode to Oktoberfest: Pork Chops With Apple Gravy, Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Bacon, and German Potato Salad. The potato salad recipe was inspired by one in an issue of Cook's Illustrated. There was a lot of acid in this menu—vinegar in the pork chops and potato salad and lemon juice in the Brussels sprouts—but the combination was just right. The other main ingredient was our favorite pork—you can't have too much bacon. Enjoy!

German Potato Salad
1 1/2 lb. small red potatoes, cut into uniform cubes
6 thick-sliced bacon slices, chopped
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 cup white vinegar (apple cider would be good as well)
1 Tbsp. whole-grain mustard

1. Cook potatoes in water to cover until fork tender. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, and drain potatoes.
2. Cook bacon in a large skillet until browned and crispy. Use a slotted spoon to remove bacon from pan; drain on paper towels.
3. Sauté onion in hot bacon drippings until tender. Stir in sugar, vinegar, and reserved 1/2 cup cooking water; cook, stirring to loosen browned particles on bottom of skillet, until liquid reduces to about 1 cup. Remove from heat, and stir in mustard. Add potatoes and bacon to skillet; toss to coat.

Chicken-and-Sausage Jambalaya

Last week I was flipping through my recipe box and came across a jambalaya recipe from an old friend and his mother-in-law. I had completely forgotten about the recipe (it's probably been eight years since I've made it), but I remembered it being yummy. When I made it last night, I put my own stamp on it. I think you'll like this recipe—it is a little spicy without being overwhelmingly so. It would be great to serve at a ballgame, take to a sick friend, or freeze in small portions to pull out on a busy weeknight. There's a lot of chopping involved, but the flavor profile (I mean taste) is completely worth it. We had this with roasted garlic bread. Enjoy!

Chicken-and-Sausage Jambalaya
3 onions, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
5 celery stalks, chopped
5 garlic cloves, chopped
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. butter
1 to 2 Tbsp. Creole seasoning (taste to make sure the flavor is right)
1 lb. sausage (Italian or andouille), casings removed
3 cups rice
5 to 6 cups chicken stock
3 Tbsp. tomato paste
1/4 cup pureed tomatoes
2 lb. shredded cooked chicken

1, Sauté onions and next 3 ingredients in hot oil, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften (about 15 minutes). Stir in garlic, and sauté 2 minutes. Add in sausage, and cook, stirring occasionally, until sausage is cooked. Stir in Creole seasoning. Stir in rice, and sauté for 3 minutes. Stir in chicken stock and next 2 ingredients.
2. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring often. Reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring often, until rice is done (about 20 minutes). Stir in shredded chicken, and cook 5 more minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Caramelized Pear Pie

Pears taste like fall to me, so I decided a pie with pears was in order for dessert. While thinking about the method, I remembered that Andy thought the apples in last week's Streusel-Topped Apple Pie were too firm (they were just right to me). My solution for this pie was to sauté sliced pears in butter and brown sugar to soften them before adding them to the piecrust. The lovely star cutouts on top are complements of Andy. Maybe a job in food styling is in his future!

Caramelized Pear Pie
1/2 cup butter
5 Bosc pears, halved, cored, and thinly sliced
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 cup brandy
2 recipes Pastry Dough
Vanilla ice cream (optional)

1. Melt butter in a large skillet. Add in sliced pears, brown sugar, and next 3 ingredients. Cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until pears begin to soften. Remove skillet from heat, and stir in brandy. Return to heat, and cook stirring occasionally, 10 more minutes.
2. Roll out 1 recipe Pastry Dough, and place in pie plate. Spoon in pear mixture. Roll out remaining Pastry Dough, and place over top of pear mixture. Crimp edges to seal. Use cookie cutters or cut slits in the top with a sharp knife to allow steam to escape.
3. Bake at 425° for 20 to 25 minutes or until top is golden. Serve with vanilla ice cream, if desired.

Chicken Souvlaki

My friend Katie turned me on to this Skillet Chicken Souvlaki recipe from the August issue of Cooking Light, and I used it as a springboard for tonight's dinner. For side dishes, we had a salad dressed with a red-wine vinaigrette dressing and Homemade Pita Chips, my latest foray into fried bread which is very popular at our house. This dinner came together very quickly—perfect for a weeknight.

Chicken Souvlaki
Olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 lb. chicken cutlets, sliced into strips
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. lemon zest
Salt and pepper
Pita bread
Tzaziki Sauce

1. Sauté onion and bell pepper in hot oil for 5 minutes. Add in chicken strips, and cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until done. Stir in garlic, and cook 1 minute. Stir in oregano, lemon zest, salt, and pepper.
2. Spoon chicken mixture into pita bread halves; top with Tzaziki Sauce.

Tzaziki Sauce:
1 (7-oz.) container Greek yogurt
1/2 English cucumber, peeled and diced
1 tsp. lemon zest
Juice from 1/2 lemon
1/2 tsp. dillweed
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Stir together all ingredients.

Homemade Pita Chips
Peanut oil
Pita bread, cut into triangles and split
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat peanut oil in a Dutch oven; fry pita bread, in batches, in hot oil until golden. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.


Greek Salad
1 small head green leaf lettuce, chopped
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 English cucumber, chopped
3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
3 Tbsp. olive oil
Salt and pepper
Crumbled feta
1/4 cup chopped kalamata olives

1. Combine lettuce and next 2 ingredients in a bowl.
2. In a small bowl, combine red wine vinegar and next 4 ingredients until combined. Pour over lettuce mixture, tossing gently.
3. Divide salad among plates, and sprinkle with feta and olives.

Streusel-Topped Apple Pie

It happens every year at this time—as soon as apples and pears come into season, I start craving fall comfort foods. It's hard to beat apple pie, especially served with ice cream, and I'm always trying new ways to make it. This is my latest version. For the piecrust, I followed pastry dough recipe I use for fried pies. It's super-simple because you can mix the butter into the flour mixture with your hands, no pastry blender or food processor required. (I included a little bit of apple pie spice in the crust so the cinnamon flavor continues throughout every bite.) A streusel top is so easy and who doesn't like brown sugar, oatmeal, and butter all mixed together? One more thing, I'm too lazy to peel the apples—how easy is that? Enjoy!

Streusel-Topped Apple Pie
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. apple pie spice
6 Tbsp. butter, cut into cubes and chilled
1/4 cup ice water
2 Granny Smith apples, cut in half, cored, and thinly sliced
2 McIntosh apples, cut in half, cored, and thinly sliced
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. apple pie spice
Pinch of salt
Streusel
Vanilla ice cream

1. Combine flour and next 3 ingredients. Use hands to incorporate butter into flour mixture. Stir in ice water. Shape dough into a disk; cover with plastic wrap, and chill at least 1 hour.
2. Combine apple slices, 1/2 cup sugar, apple pie spice, and pinch of salt in a large bowl. Let stand 10 minutes; drain, if needed.
3. Roll out dough and fit into a 9-inch pie plate. Spoon apple mixture into piecrust. Top with Streusel.
4. Bake at 425° for 30 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.


Streusel:
1 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter, cubed

1. Combine oatmeal and next 3 ingredients. Gradually incorporate butter into mixture.

Chicken and Dumplings

Tonight the 3Cs and their parents came for dinner. I decided to make some good old-fashioned comfort food: Chicken and Dumplings. I recently bought a Cook's Illustrated that focuses on soups and stews (two of my favorite things). I don't subscribe to this magazine, but I love the detective-like approach they take with their recipes. I've only made a few recipes from CI and have been pleased with the results. I followed the recipe for Chicken and Dumplings pretty closely. My changes were using chicken stock (Kitchen Basics brand) instead of chicken broth, substituting an additional 3/4 cup chicken stock for the same amount of sherry, and omitting the English peas and chopped parsley. Next time I make it, I plan use the sherry and to pre-bake the dumplings a bit before adding them to the stew. The taste-testers at dinner thought this was a keeper!

Chicken and Dumplings
5 cups chicken stock
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
5 Tbsp. butter
4 carrots, sliced
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
6 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sherry or chicken stock
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder (this isn't a typo)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/3 cups heavy cream

1. Bring stock to a boil in Dutch oven; add in chicken breasts. Return to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 10 minutes or until chicken is just cooked. Place chicken on a cutting board, and cool for 30 minutes. Pour stock into another bowl. Once cool, shred chicken in the mixer with the paddle attachment or use 2 forks.
2. Melt butter in same Dutch oven. Add in carrots and onion, and sauté for 10 minutes or until vegetables begin to soften. Add in garlic, and cook 1 minute. Stir in 6 Tbsp. flour, and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Stir in sherry, scraping bottom of pan. Gradually stir in reserved stock,shredded chicken, cream and next 4 ingredients. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring often, 20 minutes.
3. Stir together 2 cups flour and next 3 ingredients.
4. Discard bay leaves and increase heat to medium. Use a small scoop to drop dumplings into stew; cook until dumplings have doubled in size.