Celebrate St. Patrick's Day: Irish Cream Dark Chocolate Truffles

For Valentine’s Day Brent surprised me with some Bailey’s Irish Cream Chocolates. They were pretty fantastic and since then I’ve wanted to play around with a boozy truffle.

I used dark chocolate for these since it’s better for you than milk chocolate, but if you don’t dig dark chocolate, use semi-sweet. The older I get the more I prefer dark chocolate and I loved how these truffles came out. The dark chocolate takes center stage while the liquor plays in the background.

There is a fair amount of straight liquor in these so you may not want to serve them to children. Just a warning to all the parents out there! These are probably best served at an adult only party.

Irish Cream Dark Chocolate Truffles

*Makes approx 35 truffles

(printable recipe)

Ingredients:

-          14oz dark chocolate, chopped or chips

-          ¾ cup heavy cream

-          4 tablespoons butter

-          ¾ cup Irish cream liquor such as Baileys (can dial back to ½ cup)

-          ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa, sifted

-          Optional: sprinkles

Directions:

1. Place chocolate in a large metal or glass bowl. Make sure chocolate is room temperature.

2. In a small sauté pan over medium heat bring heavy cream and butter to a slow boil. Stay nearby b/c it can boil over pretty quickly.

3. Once cream/butter comes to a boil pour over chocolate. Gentle shake bowl to ensure all chocolate is submerged and let sit 2-3 minutes. Then whisk mixture until chocolate is smooth.

4. Add liquor and whisk again until incorporated. Place in fridge and chill for 2 hours.

5. Remove from fridge and beat with hand mixer on low for 2 minutes. Chill again for 1 ½ - 2 hours.

6. Remove from fridge and roll chocolate into small balls. About 1 tablespoon worth of mixture. Place on a wax paper lined sheet pan and refrigerate again for 30 minutes.

7. After 30 minutes re-roll any balls that need to be re-shaped. Dredge lightly in cocoa powder or dust lightly on top. 

I dredged them but next time I think I’ll just light dust them since cocoa powder can be a bit overwhelming for some. I also sprinkled some green sugar on some. Crushed walnuts might also be a great addition for topping.

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Pumpkin Cheesecake

Anyone else tired of everything pumpkin yet?

Yea, me neither.

I’m a HUGE fan of cheesecake, but when I was a kid I thought the idea was kind of gross. Cheese + cake? Ewww.... but then I actually tried some and I fell in love.

This particular recipe I’ve been tinkering with for several years. The first time I made it was the same Thanksgiving I made the Smoked Gouda and Sausage stuffed Mushrooms. I’m pretty sure I’ve made it every holiday season since then, and each time I’ve adjusted it a little bit to get the balance just right.

After six years, I’m pretty sure I've gotten it just where I want it. The cheesecake is smooth and silky, and the flavor hits all the pumpkin pie notes you’d expect and could possible want. It makes me happy just thinking about it.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

*Serves 6-8

(printable recipe)

Ingredients:

Got leftover potatoes? Make these!

Recipe for Restaurant Recreation: Arby's Loaded Potato Bites

Thanksgiving is tomorrow and all week I’ve been seeing articles about how to cut the calories in the meal or what to eat so that you don’t consume a bazillion calories. I see it every year and it kinda drives me batty.

Holiday calories don’t count! We all need to splurge a little every now and then. To me, “splurge” means enjoying a piece of pumpkin pie – not three – without any guilt.

The recipe I’m sharing with you today is a great way – other than potato pancakes – to use up leftover mashed potatoes. If you’ve ever been to Arby’s and love their Loaded Potato Bites than you are in luck because they were the inspiration for this recipe. And they are pretty spot on too - crispy on the outside, and soft and cheesy on the inside with bits of bacon and scallions. A guilty pleasure for sure, but share them with some friends and I swear you won’t be sorry.

I should have taken a shot of the inside of these babies for you, but I ate them instead.

Whoops!

Loaded Potato Bites
*Makes 18-24 bites depending on size
Print it!

Ingredients:
- 2 cups leftover mashed potatoes
- 2 tablespoons of flour
- 2/3 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
- 3 strips bacon
- 1/3 cup scallions, chopped
- 1 egg
- 1 ¼ - 1 ½ cups Italian bread crumbs
- Oil for frying
- Salt and Pepper
- Ranch or Honey Mustard for dipping

Directions:

1. Take potatoes out of the fridge and let sit for a few minutes to take the chill off a bit. Meanwhile shred the cheese, chop scallions, and cook bacon then dice finely. Add potatoes and flour to a large mixing bowl and stir to combine well, then add cheese, bacon, and scallions. Take about a heaping tablespoon of mixture and roll with hands into a small ball. It if doesn’t hold its shape, add a little more flour to make the potatoes sturdy. Repeat until done.

2. Heat oil in a medium sauce pan – or use your fryer – over medium/medium high heat to about 350-375 degrees. Whisk egg into a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Place bread crumbs in an additional bowl. Dip each ball in egg and then roll in bread crumbs until fully coated. Set aside on a sheet pan.

3. Test oil with one ball. The oil should bubble when potato is in oil and ball should take about 1-2 minutes to brown and cook through. (If takes longer the oil needs to be hotter, if it browned too quickly on the outside and the inside is still cold, the temperature needs to be lower.) Once oil is ready, add potato balls in small batches and fry for 1-2 minutes – it will depend on size. Remove with slotted spoon and place on paper lined plate to allow excess oil to drain off. Repeat until done.

4. Allow to cool for a minute or two and serve with dipping sauce.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Turkey Day Favorite: Green Bean Casserole

Let me start by saying it was never my intention to make and post a green bean casserole recipe for this blog. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of recipes out there claiming to be the best, better than Campbell’s, better than your mother’s, and most are completely made from scratch.

The world didn’t need another one. Yet here I am, posting one.

Why?

Because I needed to use up a lot of green beans and I happened to like the way it came out.

You see, when Brent and I do our major bulk shopping trips, we always pick up some frozen vegetables. Sure, we prefer fresh, but some nights you just don’t feel like shopping so we keep a few options on hand. We decided it was a totally wise decision on our part to buy a 5lb bag of frozen whole green beans for two people.

It’s been 3 months and we still aren’t through the whole bag yet. So one night I decided to take a stab at making green bean casserole since I had mushrooms to use up as well.

Now I’m not going to tell you it is better than anyone else’s, or the best ever, but I will say this…

I can’t tell you what the hell else I made for dinner that night and I might never make the original version again. Even though I always did doctor that recipe up a bit anyway.

It’s good, maybe not the best, but I did add bacon to it, so it does have that going for it. BUT you can totally leave it out of you are a vegetarian. Just substitute with more butter =) Win-win!

So below is my recipe that I totally threw together and it ended up coming out pretty good. For the record, I was planning on frying my own onions up for the top, but Brent said that was ”ridiculousness” and we decided on the panko topping listed below. Which I thought worked pretty well because you need that crispy onion topping on a GBC.

Also, if you want to use fresh green beans instead of frozen, just blanch them first and you should be good to go.

Green Bean Casserole

*Serves 4-6
Print this recipe

Ingredients:
- 1 pound frozen whole green beans, thawed
- 3 slices bacon, cut into strips
- 1 shallot, sliced
- 1 extra large garlic clove, minced
- 2 cups sliced baby bella mushrooms
- 3.5 tablespoons butter, divided
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 pinches nutmeg
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- Scant ½ teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and pepper

Directions:

1- In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat cook sliced bacon until crisp. Remove with slotted spoon – leaving the grease in the pan – and set aside in a medium bowl.

Savory Springtime Tart with Ham and Asparagus

I originally made this tart months ago on a day when I apparently was not “all there”. Not unlike like the day I asked Brent how I could thicken up pasta sauce. The answer of course is tomato paste but I was having a blonde moment.

Well, maybe I should say a “brown out” since I’m a brunette.

When I made this recipe originally it was fantastic and we both loved it. There was one minor glitch however. When I decided to make this for dinner, the store didn’t have gruyere. (Big FAIL to you Mr. Grocery Store.) I was NOT in the mood to try another store, so I went to the deli and asked them to slice me the amount I needed. I found out later that gruyere from the deli doesn’t melt all that nicely. So instead of a nice cheesy, melty layer of gruyere…this had little thin sticks of gruyere. Brent said he liked it like this, but I was bummed for several reasons and even though I kept the pictures, I never posted it.

I decided to make it again since Easter is this weekend, and I think it would be an absolutely fantastic way to use up leftover ham. I made a few adjustments from my first attempt and I think it was for the better. This recipe has ham, asparagus, gruyere cheese, caramelized onions, and a Dijon béchamel sauce. It is the perfect storm of yummy goodness.



Savory Springtime Tart
*Serves 4-6 as an appetizer
(printable version)

What you need:
- 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
- ½ medium onion, diced
- 3 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1 scant tablespoon flour, plus additional for dusting
- 1 cup milk
- couple of dashes ground nutmeg
- 2.5 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- ¾ cup ham, cubed small
- 6-8 medium asparagus spears
- 4 oz gruyere cheese, shredded
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Helpful item: Parchment paper

How to do it:

1 – In a medium sauté pan add 2 tablespoons of butter and diced onion. Sauté over medium low heat, keeping pan covered when not stirring occasionally. Cook until onions are caramelized, about 25 minutes. Click here for more detailed instructions on caramelizing onions.

2- While onions are cooking, take asparagus spears and trim the ends. (To find out where to trim, take a few and “snap” them by bending. They will naturally break where you will want to cut.) Next slice them thin and on a bias. Set aside.

10 Favorite Recipes from 2010

Yet another year is coming to an end. It’s ridiculous how fast time goes by. Every year I say that the New Year will be better than the last but life happens and each New Year has its ups and downs. So in 2011 I’m hoping that life will be filled with a lot of joy, few sorrows, and a hell of a lot of good food!

Here are ten of my favorite recipes from the past year in no particular order. It was hard to choose, so I went with the first ones that jumped right out at me.

Sweet lil Smokies

These babies are simple perfection. I’ve not met one person who could resist them. Thanks again for the recipe K!

Prosciutto-Wrapped Shrimp with a Chipotle Bourbon BBQ Glaze

Oh how I love this recipe… Sweet, sticky, and tangy. Perfect for dinner or as an appetizer.

Beef Stroganoff

Brent would not stop eating it when I made this a while back. He keeps asking me to make it again.

Cajun Scallop Tacos

In 15 minutes you can have dinner on the table. That is all the time these delicious little tacos take. They are light and fresh yet still filling.

Arugula Walnut Pesto

 Still my favorite pesto to date. I was eating it with a spoon.

Steak and Portobello Ciabatta Sandwiches

If I ever enter a sammie contest, this would probably be my entry. I loved everything about this sandwich and how it all just blended so perfectly together.

Pancetta, Sage, and Shallot Mashed Potatoes

 These mashed taters take just a teensy bit of extra effort but the payoff is huge. We made these for Mother’s day and they went beautifully with the Prime Rib dinner.

Zesty Crab Dip with Wonton Chips 

 I ate this entire dish by myself in one sitting. My thighs have still not forgiven me.

Chorizo and Jalapeno Cornbread Stuffing 

 I love pretty much every type of stuffing except maybe the boring old plain cornbread kind. This one is different with a nice spicy flavor that is anything but ordinary.

Yankee Meatloaf

Sometimes I am so thankful for this blog because it forces me to write down every recipe I make. This was one of those recipes that came out so perfect that I’m glad I will never have to wonder “What the hell did I put in that again?”

Honorable Mention: Creamy Leek Gratin. When I made this dish, my camera malfunctioned and I was unable to get a photo. I’ve been thinking about it ever since and should make it again. The only thing I will do differently is double the recipe so I can eat more of it!


I wish you all a Happy and Healthy New Year! Cheers!

Cherry Almond White Chocolate Swirl Bark

Can we postpone Christmas for just a week? Maybe two? I swear there is not enough time to get everything that needs to be done – done! On the upside I only need to buy one more gift and I’m done with shopping!

Here is a very simple treat for the holiday season. Only 4 ingredients, takes less than 20 minutes to make (not counting the couple of hours it needs to set), and it’s fairly inexpensive as well… all plusses in my book during an always busy time of year.

Cherry Almond White Chocolate Swirl Bark

* Makes about 2 dozen pieces
(printable recipe)

Ingredients:
- 16oz semi sweet chocolate, best to use the baking bar and not chips
- 4 oz white chocolate, ditto^^^
- 10oz jar or maraschino cherries
- ¾ cup whole almonds, toasted and chopped

Directions:

1. Prep your cherries by draining the liquid, rinsing them, squeezing out the excess liquid and chopping.

2. Break up both white chocolate and semi sweet chocolate bars. Set aside in separate bowls.

Chorizo and Jalapeno Cornbread Stuffing

Or for you Southern Folk – Chorizo and Jalapeno Cornbread Dressing

In a word… this is NOM. Stuffing is by far my favorite item on a Thanksgiving Day menu. Personally, I love when there is a more traditional savory stuffing and then a different one to eat as well. I actually went to one home a long time ago and they had THREE stuffing dishes. It was heaven, let me tell you.

This stuffing is a bit spicy, so I probably wouldn’t stuff the bird with it if that is your thing. But the good thing about it is that it’s delicious and I believe would make an awesome side dish anytime of the year.

Chorizo and Jalapeno Cornbread Stuffing

*Serves 8-10
(printable recipe)

Ingredients:
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 tablespoons of butter, divided
- 2 cloves of garlic, smashed and minced
- ½ teaspoon celery salt
- ¼ cup sliced jarred jalapenos, rinsed and diced*
- 1 lb raw chorizo*
- 5 cups cornbread, dried and crumbled**
- 4 cups chicken broth
- pepper, to taste

* As I mentioned above this is a spicy dish. If you don’t like very spicy things you can reduce the jalapenos to 1 tablespoon and the chorizo to ¾ a pound.
** You can use fresh cornbread or the bag variety. If using fresh, crumble and dry out in the oven on a low heat.

Directions: