Coming Soon . . .

I've neglected my blog and my cooking this week (it's been a little stressful), but this weekend - lookout - I'm planning all kinds of great things to make up for it. Here's a little preview:

Pork Chops with Apple & Sage Cream Sauce
Secret Trick 1860 Baking Powder Biscuits
Classic Lemon Bars
. . . and (hopefully) a beautiful looking thing I saw in the March issue of Gourmet (hint: it's in the "Alsatian Sensation" feature)

A Beef Lesson + Bistro Beef Kabobs

Did you know there are five basic tastes? Sweet, sour, salty, bitter . . . and . . . umami. Yes, that's right, umami. A Japanese word, Umami (oo-MOM-ee) is a savory/meaty taste . Since we're on the subject of beef, you would be correct to assume the umami taste is found in beef. Additional umami-rich foods include red wine, tomatoes, mushrooms, cheese, soy sauce, truffles (not the chocolate kind), potatoes, seafood, and more.
When umami-rich foods are paired together, a magnification of flavors occurs, which explains why beef is commonly paired with many of the foods listed above.

My daily dose of umami came in the form of Bistro Beef Kabobs, another recipe from the Healthy Beef Cookbook. While this recipe may not be at the very top of my all-time favorites list, it is good - and extremely easy to prepare (unless you have an irrational fear of using the broiler, as I do . . . more on that later).








Bistro Beef Kabobs
1 1/4 lb. boneless beef sirloin steak, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tsp. vegetable oil
2 tsp. coarse-grain Dijon-style mustard
2 tsp. red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. black pepper

Combine oil, mustard, vinegar, garlic, and pepper in a medium bowl; add beef and toss to coat.
Thread equal amounts of beef onto four 12-inch metal skewers, leaving a small space between each piece. Place kabobs on rack in broiler pan; broil 8-10 minutes (for medium-rare to medium beef), turning occasionally. Let stand a few moments before serving. Enjoy with a glass of red wine, which will enhance the umami . . . okay, that wasn't really in the instructions. But it should have been!

The recipe calls for serving the kabobs with broccoli pilaf . . . but Ken would probably be scared off by the name alone, so I didn't make the broccoli pilaf. Consequently, I'm not sure about the nutrition facts for the kabobs on their own. I also substituted tri-tip steak for the sirloin, and regular Dijon mustard instead of coarse-grain Dijon mustard, because that's what I had in stock.

mocha sweetheart pictures, part two

Mmm . . . Chocolate mocha sweethearts . . .
Happy Valentine's Day!

mocha sweetheart pictures, part one

Chocolate Mocha Sweethearts - before tops are dipped in chocolate













Chocolate mocha sweethearts - still unglazed, but with a red neon glow filter applied















Pictures of the finished product (without cheesy red glow) coming tomorrow!

Chocolate Mocha Sweethearts

I'm planning to make Chocolate Mocha Sweethearts tomorrow night to take to the office on Valentine's Day (so if you know my co-workers . . . shhhh . . . don't ruin their surprise!). I've had this recipe for a few years (long enough to forget where it originated), and seem to make it only on Valentine's Day each year. I'm not sure why . . . they could easily become "Chocolate Mocha Stars" or "Chocolate Mocha Leaves" or even just "Chocolate Mocha Squares."

I'm also going to make some for my friend Amanda, because I messed up our plan to go to Chocolate Night at the Busy Bistro tonight. We went last year, with our friend Amy, and it was absolutely incredible. Every part of the meal included chocolate - the salad, the entree, and the seemingly endless desserts . . . it was heaven . . . but I haven't been feeling well so I stayed home and made homemade chicken noodle soup instead. Maybe I'll host my own chocolate night sometime this spring since we didn't get to go. It would be a daunting task to try to make it as good as Busy Bistro's, but if I don't try, even though I'm sure I'll be feeling better . . . I'm still going to feel bad about causing us to miss the big event.

I'll post pictures in a few days, but thought I'd post the recipe in case you'd like to make them for your sweetheart this Valentine's Day.

Chocolate Mocha Sweethearts
4 squares unsweetened chocolate (such as Baker's) (4 oz. total, if substituting another brand)
3/4 cup butter
2 cups sugar
4 eggs (room temperature)*
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup flour
1/4 cup instant coffee granules
6 squares semi-sweet chocolate, melted (such as Baker's) (6 oz. total)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (325 if using a glass baking dish). Line 9x13 pan with foil; grease foil.
2. Melt unsweetened chocolate and butter together in double boiler (or microwave . . . about 2 minutes on medium power in a large bowl . . . stir until chocolate is completely melted).
3. Stir in sugar. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well. Add coffee and flour; stir until well blended.
4. Spread mixture into prepared pan. Bake 30-35 minutes or until toothpick comes out with fudgy crumbs. Do not overbake. Cool in pan.
5. Remove foil & brownies from pan. Cut into heart shape (with a cookie cutter**); dip top of each heart into melted chocolate. You might need to refrigerate the hearts until the chocolate has set.

* Tip: to bring eggs to room temperature, immerse them in a bowl of warm - not hot - water for 5-10 minutes.

I rely on this tip often - I can never remember to get the eggs out in advance . . . and the one time I did remember, the eggs rolled off the counter and busted on the floor . . .

** Another tip: freeze the brownie scraps leftover from cutting out hearts in a freezer-type storage bag. Use later for snacking or stir into ice cream.

Post script: I found the original recipe on kraftfoods.com - complete with nutritional information . . . and guess what? They're really not as bad for you as you might think (plus chocolate has heart-healthy antioxidants)! Based on the recipe making 17 total servings (two 1.5 inch hearts are one serving), a serving yields 160 calories, 9 g fat, 1 g fiber, and 4 points. The original recipe also calls for 1/2 cup suisse mocha mix (instead of 1/4 cup instant coffee), which would probably result in a milder, slightly sweeter brownie. If you don't like coffee, you could reduce the coffee flavor by using the mocha mix instead, or by further reducing the amount of instant coffee granules (down to 1 tbsp.). Whatever you do, don't substitute 1/2 cup instant coffee granules for 1/2 cup mocha mix - that will result in brownies with a strong (slightly bitter) coffee taste.

Seven steps to s'more cookie bars

I found this recipe on another blog (Baking Bites, maybe, I can't remember) and have been waiting for an opportunity to try it. Specifically, an opportunity in which other people would eat the majority of these bars, thus not tempting me to eat too many. Turns out, the Super Bowl gathering was a perfect opportunity. If you love s'mores (as I do), I think you'll really like these bars. I thought of a few modifications I'd try next time, so I included those in the recipe below to make preparation a little easier.
















S'More cookie bars

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, at room temperature
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/3 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. graham cracker crumbs
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 king-size milk chocolate bars
1 1/2 cups marshmallow creme

1. Process graham crackers to uniformly fine crumbs in a food processor. If you do not have a food processor, place graham crackers in a ziplock bag and crush them - a rolling pin or other heavy object will help.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees; grease 8-inch square baking pan (9-inch square will work fine too).
3. In a small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugars. Beat in egg and vanilla. Add graham/flour mixture, beating at low speed until combined.
5. Divide dough in half. Press half of dough into an even layer on the bottom of prepared pan.
6. Remove lid and seal from marshmallow creme, heat jar in microwave for about 15 seconds (this will help make it spreadable). Spread marshmallow creme evenly over dough. Break chocolate bars into pieces, arrange in a single layer on top of marshmallow creme. Place remaining dough in even, single layer on top of chocolate (tip: press or roll dough out on a silpat, piece of parchment paper, or piece of wax paper, then invert onto chocolate/marshmallow).
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until lightly golden brown; cool before cutting.

Life is just a bowl of cherries . . .

(Or in this case, a martini glass of cherries - because it looked cooler than any of the bowls I have)

On Saturday, I had to travel for work. I wasn't particularly excited about it, mostly because it involved 5:00 a.m. - which is not my favorite time on a Saturday (or any other day, for that matter!). Good thing I went though, because on my way home I got to stop at Schnuck's (home of groceries I can't find locally) . . . and I bought these beautiful cherries. I took some to the Super Bowl party we attended, and I've been snacking on the rest.

Because they're starting to turn my fingers red, I decided to search for some cherry recipes. In the process, I came across a recipe for a salad that sounds very similar to the Orchard Harvest salad at Panera (which is hands-down one of my favorite foods). I'll post the recipe as soon as I test it to find out just how similar it is!

Beef Tortilla Soup

My last poll - "Which recipe from the Healthy Beef Cookbook should I feature next?" - resulted in a three-way tie between Beef Tortilla Soup, Bistro Beef Kabobs, and Pot Roast with Maple Sweet Potatoes and Cider Gravy. Poor Thai Noodles with Beef & Broccoli - it was left all alone with only one vote.

I've never had a poll result in a tie before, so I decided I will feature all three recipes. I chose Beef Tortilla Soup as the first, because soup sounded like a good antidote for today's snow storm. As mentioned above, this recipe is from the Healthy Beef Cookbook. If you love beef, have a freezer full of beef, eat beef occasionally, or even eat beef only rarely, you should buy this cookbook. I truly think everyone should own this book, even vegetarians. Because I think it might even make vegetarians want to eat beef (and no, I am not getting paid to say this . . . I think my seven readers are already beef eaters, and half of them have received the cookbook from me as a gift). But consider yourself warned, I'll probably continue to gush about this book throughout the next three features.

Without further adieu, here is the recipe:

Beef Tortilla Soup
1 pkg. refrigerated fully cooked boneless beef pot roast
1 tsp. olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 tbsp. ground cumin
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14.5 oz.) petite diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (14 oz.) beef broth
1 cup frozen corn
Optional: 1 tbsp. hot sauce
Optional: 2 tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro
Optional: 1/4 c. shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
Crunchy tortilla strips (recipe to follow)

1. Heat pot roast according to directions on package, but for half the amount of time suggested. Remove beef from package, discard gravy/juice. Shred beef with 2 forks. Set aside.

2. Heat oil in a large saucepan (or small stockpot) over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook 3-5 minutes or until onion is tender, stirring occasionally. Add cumin, cook and stir one minute. Stir in beef, beans, tomatoes, broth, corn (and hot sauce, if using); bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add salt and pepper to taste.

3. Meanwhile, make Crunchy Tortilla Strips: Cut corn tortillas into 1/4-inch-wide strips, place in a single layer on a baking sheet and lightly mist with nonstick cooking spray. Bake 6-8 minutes at 400 degrees or until crisp.

4. Ladle soup into bowls; top each serving with cheese and tortilla strips. Garnish with cilantro, if desired (or add avocado slices if you have an avocado you need to use!).

Makes 4 servings. Per serving: Calories 405; fat 11 g; cholesterol 85 mg; fiber 10.3 g. 8 points.
This soup is an excellent source of fiber, protein, vitamins B6 and B12, iron, selenium, and zinc and is a good source of niacin.

Possible substitutions:
1. Substitute 3 cups shredded, fully cooked traditional pot roast for the packaged pot roast.
2. Substitute 2 small jalapeno peppers, seeded and thinly sliced, for the hot sauce. Cook peppers with onions and garlic.

Note: Next time, I think I'll use an additional cup of liquid - maybe more beef broth or some tomato soup or juice, or maybe a combination. Or maybe not, because it was pretty good the way it was!

Shortcut ingredients . . .









Make this soup easier to prepare than to photograph =) . . .








Note: this recipe could easily be dairy free if you omit the cheese (and it does taste good without the cheese!)

Day-old brioche = awesome French toast

This weekend, I had the opportunity to sample a few treats from My Koog, a new bakery in Quincy. My Koog has French and German breads and pastries; brioche is one of their specialties. I brought home two mini-loaves. Have you ever tried to eat a mini loaf of brioche on its own? Maybe it was just me, or maybe it was the fact that I left it out on the counter overnight . . . either way, I just couldn't eat it plain . . . but it made great French toast. Tender, but not in the least soggy.

The recipe (using the word recipe here might be a little bit of an exaggeration) is: 8 slices of mini-brioche, each 1/2 inch thick, dipped into a mixture of 2 eggs and 3-4 tbsp. milk. Cook over medium-low heat in skillet with butter or cooking spray. Add maple syrup and you have a nice quick Sunday morning breakfast for two. Imagine how good this would be with fresh fruit on top in the summer . . .

Black Russian Cake

I had a request for this recipe today from someone whose husband was having a bad day. I've made this cake for them before, to commemorate good days. That's the thing about this cake, it's equally appropriate for times of sorrow or times of celebration. With a yellow cake mix as a base, it's also easy to prepare.

Black Russian Cake
1 box yellow cake mix
1/2 cup sugar
1 c. oil
4 eggs
1/4 c. vodka
1/4 c. Kahlua
3/4 c. water
1 (3-oz.) pkg. instant Jello chocolate pudding

Glaze: 1/2 c. powdered sugar and 1/4 c. Kahlua

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together on low speed for 1 minute, then beat at medium speed for 4 minutes. Pour batter into Bundt pan and bake at 350 for 60-70 minutes. Cool cake in pan for 10 minutes. Turn onto plate; poke holes in the top of cake. Mix together ingredients for glaze (above); spoon over top of cake.

If you can't wait to celebrate (or drown your sorrows) until the cake gets out of the oven, mix together a Black Russian drink with a vodka to Kahlua ratio of 2:1 and pour over ice.

St Louis Food & Wine Experience

No, I'm not going. If I didn't already have plans I would definitely check out the St Louis Food & Wine Experience this weekend. My favorite healthy-cooking-celeb-foodie Ellie Krieger will be there, and she's having a book signing. Of course, you already know the story of me stalking her new book, The Food You Crave, so we won't get into that . . .

Peanut Blossom Cookies

In my last poll, you voted for the next recipe feature at Kenzie's Kitchen to be Peanut Blossom cookies. I haven't made Peanut Blossoms for ages, but I had an old Better Homes & Gardens recipe that (luckily) had nutritional information, so I was looking forward to baking them. Feeling extra ambitious, I also decided to make a lighter version of the cookies. I substituted light butter for the Crisco, Splenda sugar blend for baking for the sugar, and used Simply Jif instead of Jif (no difference in calories or fat, but fewer grams of sugar and sodium).

I spent my evening baking, calculating nutritional facts, and gathering the opinions of taste testers. In the end, the original cookies were crispier and had more flavor, especially peanut butter flavor. The light version was more moist and lighter in flavor. I thought the originals were a little better, but not a lot. But that was before I calculated the nutritional facts for the light version. After all that work, the lighter cookies (per piece) had 12 less calories and one less gram of fat. The points value did not change - 2 points per cookie for either recipe. The conclusion? Stick with the original recipe (and if you're counting points, I think you can find a more substantial treat for your two points - the angel cups in the "I can't wait to make these" post, or an individual serving of Weight Watchers ice cream, for example). Live and learn . . .

Original Peanut Blossoms
1/2 c. Crisco
1/2 c. peanut butter
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. baking soda
1 egg
2 tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. granulated sugar
Hershey's Kisses

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, beat Crisco and peanut butter together on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add 1/2 cup granulated sugar, the brown sugar, baking powder and baking soda; beat until combined. Beat in egg, milk and vanilla. Gradually add flour, mixing in by hand.
2. Shape dough into 1-inch balls (approx. 1/2 tbsp.). Roll each ball of dough in sugar. Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes, or until edges are set and bottoms are lightly browned. Immediately press one Hershey's Kiss into the center of each cookie. Transfer to wire racks to let cool. Makes 54 (small) cookies.
Per cookie: 94 calories; 5 g fat; 0 g fiber; 2 points.




Light cookie on the left; regular cookie on the right.




Lighter Peanut Blossoms
1/2 c. light butter, softened but not melted
1/2 c. less-sugar peanut butter (I used Simply Jif)
1/4 c. Splenda sugar blend for baking
1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. baking soda
1 egg
1 tbsp. low-fat sour cream
2 tbsp. skim milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. Splenda sugar blend for baking
Hershey's Kisses

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, beat butter and peanut butter together on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add 1/4 Splenda sugar blend, the brown sugar, baking powder and baking soda; beat until combined. Beat in egg, sour cream, milk and vanilla. Gradually add flour, mixing in by hand.
2. Shape dough into 1-inch balls (approx. 1/2 tbsp.). Roll each ball of dough in Splenda sugar blend. Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet (use parchment paper or a Silpat if available). Bake 10 minutes, or until edges are set and bottoms are lightly browned. Immediately press one Hershey's Kiss into the center of each cookie. Transfer to wire racks to let cool. Makes 54 cookies.
Per cookie: 81.7 calories; 4 g fat; 0 g fiber; 2 points.

Cookbook Feature: The Food You Crave

I have recently become a fan of Ellie Kreiger, whose show "Healthy Appetite" is on the Food Network. I used to watch Paula, Giadia, and Ina religiously; now it's Ellie. Her food always looks delicious, and her emphasis is on lightened recipes and health without sacrificing that deliciousness. As much as I've come to appreciate her Food Network show, it is not nearly as wonderful as her new cookbook - The Food You Crave.

I have been stalking this book. I bought it last night, two whole days after it was released (good self-restraint, don't you think?). When I got home, I promptly flagged all the recipes I can't wait to make, and calculated the points for each. Almost every recipe in the book sounds/looks good (except the fish/seafood, but that is only because I don't eat either); I actually ran out of page flags. The layout and pictures are good, the recipes seem easy to follow, and it includes lots of tips and useful information. Chapters include:
Breakfast
Nibbles & Noshes
Soups & Sandwiches
Main & Side Salads
Pasta, Pizza & Grains
The Main Course
Sides
Desserts

I haven't decided what the first recipe I try will be, but here are some of the top contenders:
Pumpkin Pie Muffins
Grilled Zucchini Roll-Ups with Herbs & Cheese
Devilish Eggs
Beef & Mushroom Barley Soup
Savory Chinese Chicken Salad
Portobello Lasagna Rollups
Macaroni & Four Cheeses
Cowboy Steak with Coffee and Ancho Rub
Pork Medallions with Cherry Sauce
Parmesan Mashed Potatoes
Garlic Fries
Triple Chocolate Cookies

I think I better go to the grocery store and stock up. Looks like I'm going to be busy cooking this weekend!

Pork Fajitas with Apple-Avocado Salsa

I have to admit that when I posted my "which recipe should I feature next" poll last week, I secretly hoped the Pork Fajitas with Apple-Avocado Salsa would win. They sounded good; not wintry at all, which is what I need right now. I'm done with winter. Unfortunately mother nature is not.

I invited Amy and Amanda over a couple of nights ago for a little break from the monotony of mid-January. Amanda brought salsa and pepper jelly she made this summer. We opened a bag of chili-lime pistachios from Christmas, a bottle of wine, and started cooking. I really wasn't sure how the salsa would turn out; I couldn't find a few of the ingredients I needed, so I did without. But with good friends and a little wine, there were no worries. Good thing, too, because no worry was necessary. The fajitas turned out great - the salsa was fresh, crisp tasting, and summery. Just what we needed.

Pork Fajitas with Apple-Avocado Salsa
2 tbsp. water (1 cup water if using dried chiles, see below)
1 tsp. chili powder (original recipe called for 4 dried cascabel chiles)
3 tbsp. fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp. salt
3 large garlic cloves, peeled
1 (1-lb.) pork tenderloin
8 flour tortillas (7-inch)
2 cups Apple - Avocado Salsa (recipe follows)

1. Combine water and chili powder (or boil water and chiles; remove from heat; cover and let stand 15 min.; drain, reserving 2 tbsp. liquid).
2. Combine chili water (or chiles and reserved liquid), lime juice, salt, and garlic in food processor, blender, or Magic Bullet. Process until smooth.
3. Trim fat from pork loin; place loin in a shallow dish. Pour chili/chile mixture over loin; cover and refrigerate 1-2 hours.
4. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
5. Coat broiler pan with cooking spray; remove pork from dish and place on broiler pan. Brush excess marinade over pork. Bake at 425 for 20-30 minutes, or until meat thermometer reads 160 degrees in thickest part of loin. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing. (Make salsa while pork loin cooks)
6. Warm tortillas according to directions on package. Cut pork loin diagonally across the grain. Arrange 1/8 of pork slices and 2 tbsp. Apple-Avocado(A-A) Salsa. Fold tortilla over fillings. Top with 2 tbsp. A-A salsa (or you could just put all 4 tbsp. of salsa in the fajita, which is what we did).

Servings: 4
Serving size: 2 fajitas
Adapted from Cooking Light

Apple-Avocado Salsa
1 cup diced Granny Smith apple
1/4 c. diced red bell pepper
1/4 c. diced red onion
1/2 tsp. grated lime rind
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 garlic clove, minced (or 1 tsp. minced garlic from jar)
1/8 tsp. black pepper
optional: 1 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
optional: 1 1/2 tsp. minced jalapeno
1/2 c. diced peeled avocado

Combine all ingredients except avocado in a medium bowl. Gently stir in avocado.
(Make this salsa the same day you serve it; mine didn't keep all that well)

Per serving of 2 fajitas, each with 4 tbsp. A-A salsa:
Calories 462; fat 13.4 g; protein 32.2 g; carbs 52.5 g; cholesterol 79 mg; iron 4.4 mg; Points - 10*
* it would be easy to reduce points by reducing the amount of A-A salsa used per fajita, by leaving the avocado out of the salsa, or by eating only 1 fajita (with sides or appetizers, 1 is quite filling). If you're not counting points, add more avocado . . . yum!

We also made the angel cups from my previous post . . . they were good!

I can't wait to make these!

I don't have the ingredients on hand to make these, but I couldn't wait to share the recipe! If they taste as good as they look and as good as the recipe sounds, I'm pretty sure they'll become regulars around our house (and they're only 2 points/serving, for those of you who are counting!).

Strawberry Angel Cups
12 slices angel food cake, about 1/2 inch thick
1 cup chopped strawberries
2 tbsp. powdered sugar
1 tbsp. orange liqueur
3/4 cup frozen light whipped topping, thawed

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Press cake slices into bottom and sides of 12 greased muffin cups (make cup shape with cake slices). Bake for 15 minutes or until bottoms are golden brown. Remove to wire rack to cool. Cups become crisp as they cool.

2. Combine strawberries, powdered sugar, and orange liqueur in a small bowl. Stir well.

3. Spoon whipped topping into cake cups; top with strawberry mixture. Serve immediately.

12 servings. Per serving: Calories 99; fat 0.8 g; 21 g carbs; 0 g cholesterol; 2 g protein; 1 g fiber. 2 Points.

Recipe and picture courtesy of Healthy in a Hurry by Company's Coming.