Cheddar-Parmesan Puffs

Another fun and fast recipe using the Progresso Recipe Starters cooking sauce I got at BlogHer Food '12.  I tweaked Progresso's recipe slightly, using Bisquick Heart Smart, instead of Original Bisquick, and adding shredded cheddar cheese along with the parm.  The extra cheddar really bumps up the cheesiness and color. 

Progresso suggests serving these with a couple of dipping sauces, but Mike and I loved them plain or with just a little bit of butter.

Ingredients:

• 1 18-ounce can Progresso Recipe Starters creamy three cheese cooking sauce
• 1 egg
• 2 cups Bisquick Heart Smart
• 1 cup shredded Parmesan Cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions: 

• Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
• Spritz cookie sheets with non-stick buttery spray.
• In a medium bowl, beat 1 cup of the cooking sauce and the egg with a whisk until well blended.
• Stir in Bisquick mix and both cheese, stirring until just moistened.
• Drop dough by heaping teaspoonfuls, about 2 inches apart, onto cookie sheets.
• Bake 8 to 10 minutes until golden.

 Adapted from https://www.progresso.com/en/Recipes/cheddar-parmesan-puffs-with-dipping-sauces/0f04ed13-a7dc-44da-8a65-92734ebdf85d.

  

Chubby Hubby Bars



With a name like "Chubby Hubby", you'd think I'd remember when I first heard about these bars. Nope. I can't for the life of me recall what prompted me to do a Google search for recipes.  It's really immaterial, though, because the important thing is that I found a terrific recipe, made the bars for my office peeps, and am now sharing this extraordinary recipe with you.  Yes, you can thank me as profusely as you'd like.  I'd especially welcome lots of adoring comments on this post.

There are actually quite a few recipes out there for these treats.  The best by far is on the Cookies & Cups blog.  Shelly's pictures are, simply put, stunning.  I could feel the caramel dripping down my chin just looking at the screen.  Regrettably, my photos aren't as mouth-watering, but hopefully they are enticing enough to get you bake a batch of these goodies yourself.  You will not regret it!

Ingredients: 

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour  
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temp
• 1 cup organic coconut palm sugar (or brown sugar)
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 1/2 cups coarsely crushed pretzels
• 1 8-ounce bag of Reese’s Mini cups (or 2 cups coarsely chopped full sized Reese’s)
• 14 ounces caramel bits (found in the baking aisle - will take a one full bag and a small part of a second bag) 
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 cups milk chocolate chips, melted

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Spritz a 9×13 pan lightly with non-stick buttery spray.
• Beat together butter and sugars until light and fluffy, for about a minute.
• Add eggs and vanilla and mix until incorporated.
• On low speed, add in your salt, baking soda and flour, mixing until just combined.
• Slowly add in your Reese's and pretzels, mixing until evenly distributed.
• Spread in your prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes.
• Let cool completely, for approximately 30 minutes to an hour.
• When cooled, melt the caramels and 2 tablespoons of water in a microwave-safe bowl stirring every minute until thoroughly melted.
• Pour over the bars.
• Chill in the fridge for 15 minutes to set caramel.
• Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl and spread over caramel.
• Put back in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or until the chocolate is set.
• Cut into squares when ready to serve.

Local Flavor, Cedar City Edition: The Grind Coffeehouse

Skinny Violet White Chocolate Iced Mocha

Praline Smoothie

Looking at the pictures, it's hard to see much of a difference between these two drinks, except for the pile of whipped cream.  Will someone please invent taste-o-net??  

Since there's currently no such thing, it's incumbent upon me to make sure you have a sense (get it? "taste", "sense"? HA!) of the flavors of these summery libations from The Grind Coffeehouse in lovely downtown Cedar City, Utah.

After a hot and bumpy flight in the four-seater DA40, my pilot husband and I dropped our stuff in the hotel and headed out for some refreshment, dragging our Boston Terrier rescue, Sadie, along with us.  We were there for a weekend getaway and for me to do the Groovefest Run for the Music quarter marathon.

A trip to Cedar City is not complete without a visit to The Grind Coffeehouse on Main Street.  It's a picturesque and artsy cafe, with treats ranging from decadent to healthy and everything in between.  Scanning the chalkboard menu, I was intrigued by the Violet White Mocha.  I asked the server her thoughts on the beverage.  Interestingly, she was not a fan.  She said, for her, the violet flavor was discordant, and she found people were polarized on the drink: either loving it or hating it.  Aren't we all drawn to a little controversy? I know I am, so I ordered one.  Would I love it or hate it?  Either way, I wanted it have less calories, so I made it a 'skinny' by requesting non-fat milk and sugar-free white chocolate syrup.

As the server described, the flavor was odd at first, sharp and almost vinegary.  Sounds awful, doesn't it?!  Well, it got better.  The more I sipped, the more I liked it.  In the end, I really liked it.  The violet was a nice counterpoint to the extreme sweetness of the white chocolate.  That, along with having it iced, resulted in a refreshing brew I'd gladly have again.

My husband wanted to be surprised, so while I was getting my violet on, I unveiled a Praline Smoothie for him to imbibe.  It was thick and icy, topped with fluffly whipped cream, turning it into dessert before dinner.  My husband was thrown off by the hard bits in the bottom of the cup until he realized they were praline pieces.  He found the drink to be super sweet, almost too much so, but he managed to finish it off in a short amount of time. 

Don't know when we'll drop into Cedar City again, but when we do, I know we'll be back at The Grind Coffeehouse to try out their latest creative and refreshing offerings.

 

Crispy Baked Tilapia

Looking for a light but very flavorful entree?  You've found it with this tilapia.  Cook's Country did all the research in terms of the best techniques to achieve a great tasting, crispy-coated, flaky fillet. I modified their recipe slightly, lowering the fat and calories with light mayo and using pre-seasoned panko crumbs.  Even my   non-fish-loving husband Mike said, "I'd eat that for dinner."  Serve it with a side of asparagus, and you're good to go!

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 large shallot, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 3/4 cup Italian seasoned panko bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
• 4 6-to-8-ounce tilapia fillets
• Black pepper

Directions:

• Heat oven to 300 degrees.
• Coat a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet and spritz with olive oil non-stick spray.
• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
• Add shallot and cook until softened, about 3 minutes.
• Add garlic and cook for about half a minute.
• Add panko and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper.
• Stir constantly for 5 to 7 minutes.
• Remove from heat, transfer to shallow dish and let cool for 10 minutes.
• Whisk mayonnaise, egg yolk, lemon zest, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper together in a bowl.
• Pat fish dry with paper towel.
• Coat tops of fillets evenly with mayo mixture.
• Dredge each fillet individually, coated side, in panko mixture, pressing gently to adhere.
• Place fish crumb side up on prepared wire rack.
• Bake 30 to 40 minutes, until centers are opaque and the fish registers 135 degrees.
• Rotate pan halfway through baking.

Adapted from Cook's Country's "Baked Fish with Crispy Crumbs" recipe in the June/July 2012 issue.

I'm linking up this recipe with It's a Blog Party and Tempt My Tummy Tuesday.

Spar for the Spurtle Recipe Contest and Giveaway

Ooo...my first recipe contest and giveaway!

I know you're waiting with baited breath to get the scoop. So...

The contest invites you to submit videos demonstrating a unique recipe that uses Bob's Red Mill's Steel Cut Oats, aka "The World's Best Oatmeal".  There's a unique back story to this contest.  A Scottish village, by the name of Carrbridge, is the home of the Golden Spurtle World Porridge Making Championship. They've been hosting it 19 years, and until 2009, no American had even entered, never mind won, the championship.  Bob's Red Mill entered that year and rocked it, bringing home the Golden Spurtle trophy and earning the title of "World's Best Oats".

In 2011, Bob's invited their their fans and customers to share in the fun with the inaugural Spar for the Spurtle contest.  That year's winning entry was Black Bean Porridge Patties, with pico de gallo, created by Merry Graham.  Yum-o-licious and unexpected. 

The contest was such a hit that it's back again for a second year - so now you can see if your best recipe is a winner.

Home cooks and professional chefs alike can participate.  The recipe used in video has to be an original creation that uses two stovetop burners as the only powered appliances. The video cannot be longer than three minutes, and it has to be posted to YouTube via the submission tool at SparForTheSpurtle.com.  Bob's Red Mill Steel Cuts Oats must be an indispensible element of the recipe. Get the full details here and the entry form here. Don't wait; entries will only be accepted until July 20, 2012.

Three finalists will be chosen from all the entries and flown to Portland, Oregon, to compete in a live cook-off.  The winner gets an all-expenses-paid trip for two to Scotland to compete in the 19th Annual Golden Spurtle World Championship in October! Plus, $2,500 in cash!

If that's not enough incentive, Bob's Red Mill is also sponsoring a giveaway for my blog readers.

The first five readers who enter the competition AND comment on my blog, with a link to their YouTube videos, will receive a fantabulous prize pack from Bob's Red Mill, which will include Honey Oat Granola, Cinnamon Raisin Granola, Scottish Oats and 7 Grain Pancake Mix.

Even if you don't win the contest, it's still a sweet deal. Create, video, and comment soon - I can't wait to see what you come up with!

This post is linked up at Homework Giveaway Link Party.

Disclaimer: Bob's Red Mill is sponsoring this giveway.  However, I only promote products I believe in and use.  All views and opinions expressed on this blog are my own.

Mac-n-Cheese with Sausage Crumbles

Here's my second recipe using the Progresso Recipe Starters cooking sauces I got from BlogHer Food 2012 earlier this month.  You can read about these great sauces and get my recipe for Creamy Parmesan Basil Spaghetti with Pepperoni here.

This time, I used the Creamy Three Cheese sauce.  I made a variation of one of the dishes they served at BlogHer Food, Easy Weeknight Bacon Mac 'n Cheese.  Mac-n-Cheese is one my most favorite meals, and the sample I tasted at the conference was delicious.  They even gave us a handy recipe booklet to take home with our supply of sauces.

I made this on a Sunday evening when my brother-in-law Patrick was over visiting.  I used sausage, rather than bacon, but otherwise, I stayed pretty true to the recipe.  Patrick liked it a lot, particularly the sausage.  My husband Mike, who is a strict Kraft devotee, proclaimed it "very good", which made me so happy.  He's a hard man to please when it comes to cheese and pasta!

Ingredients:

• 3 cups cooked penne pasta (I used Barilla Plus.)
• 1 18-ounce can Progresso Recipe Starters Creamy Three Cheese cooking sauce
• 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk (The recipe calls for just generic "milk", but I generally only keep almond milk in the house.  In most cases, it's a great substitute for dairy.)
• 1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, for topping
• 1/2 cup Velveeta, cubed
• 1 cup cooked sausage crumbles (I used Jimmy Dean's Hearty Sausage Crumbles.)

Directions:

• Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
• Spritz a casserole dish with non-stick olive oil spray.
• Cook and drain pasta according to package instructions.
• In a large saucepan, heat cooking sauce, milk and garlic to boiling.
• Remove from heat and stir in cheeses until melted.
• Stir in pasta and sausage.
• Spoon into a casserole dish.
• Bake uncovered for 20 minutes.
• Sprinkle with additional 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar.
• Return to oven and bake for 5 more minutes until cheese is melted.
• Remove from oven, sprinkle with breadcrumbs or shredded Parmesan cheese if desired.

I'm linking up this recipe with It's a Blog Party.

Fiery Find at Groovefest

How can anyone resist a sweetly packaged, sunset-colored jam disconcertingly named "Triple X"?

Well, my husband shook his head in a vigorous no, but I couldn't help but stop to inquire when I passed by the Jams-n-Things booth at Groovefest 2012 in Cedar City, Utah.

Triple X is made with habanero peppers, so saying it packs a punch is an understatement. I requested a sample, and the proprietors, after repeatedly asking if I was sure, pointed out the closest water fountain.

I took a deep breath and went for it, quickly popping tiny tasting spoon into my mouth before I could change my mind.

Yowsa!! This is hot stuff, baby! My mouth was on fire for a good 15 minutes, until a cool and fruity Texas twister doused the flames.

Even though I'm not a fan of extreme spiciness or heat, I had to buy a jar. I want to develop a recipe using Triple X. I want to see if I can make a dish that's adventurous but palatable.

I'll keep you posted on how that goes.