Martha's Rum Bundt Cake

Last weekend I met Martha Stewart! I went to a book signing and there she was in all of her beautiful glory (perfect hair, perfect voice, not so perfect shoe and sock combo) and we had her rum cake from her new book, Cakes. I left with 4 books signed for holiday presents and a new recipe. Here goes! I changed a few things to make a full bundt cake instead of mini ones because only Martha has mini bundt cake pans. Serves 9

Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks) butter cut into 8ths, at room temperature
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp coarse salt
2 tbsp dark rum
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
5 large eggs
Baking spray

For glaze
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tbsp milk or half and half

Preheat oven to 325F
Line a bundt pan with cooking spray
Sift together flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl

In a mixer, combine sugars and butter on medium until pale and fluffy
*This took about 4 minutes
Meanwhile, combine buttermilk and rum in a measuring cup
Add eggs one by one to butter mixture
Then on low speed add in 1/3 flour mixture
Followed by half the rum mixture, 1/3 flour, other half of rum mixture, and finish with the remaining flour

Pour into a bundt pan. The batter should be a little more than half way up the pan
If there is left over batter, use in another pan or disregard (don't want overflowing to occur!)
Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the top springs back and a knife inserted comes back clean
Let rest for 10 minutes then flip over onto a cooking rack

Wait about 30 minutes or until cool and top with glaze
*Glaze is made by whisking milk and sugar together.
If too tough, add more milk
If too runny, add more sugar

Healthy Chicken Orzo Salad

I started googling recipes that were low calorie now that this wedding diet really needs to happen! I found a recipe for a chicken and orzo salad that sounded wonderful. I changed up some ingredients and voila! Feel free to add feta or goat cheese to add a little kick. Serves 6

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups orzo pasta
1 half rotisserie chicken, chopped
Juice from one small lemon
1/4 tbsp lemon zest
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 small red bell pepper, diced
1 small green bell pepper, diced
2 english cucumbers, chopped
3 green onions, light green and some green parts chopped
8 cherry tomatoes, cut into fourths
1 tbps chopped fresh dill

Cook pasta according to packaging, drain and rinse with cold water
In a small bowl, whisk garlic, oil, lemon juice/zest, mustard, salt and pepper
Pour pasta into a large bowl and combine with dressing
Toss in chicken and vegetables
Sprinkle with dill
Eat up!

Pumpkin Ale Short Ribs over Mashed Potatoes

Last week I had a pumpkin themed dinner party with ten of my close girl friends. For the main dish, I wanted something hearty that involved pumpkin ale. This recipe was melt in your mouth good and was eaten so quickly that I had to make it again to get pictures for the blog. We ate it all up! This is perfect for a cold fall evening. Pour over hot homemade Blue Cheese Mashers . Serves 4

Ingredients

2 lbs boneless short ribs

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

20 baby carrots sliced or one large carrot 

1 small yellow onion, chopped

2 leeks, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tbsp allspice

1 tbsp cloves

1 tsp whole pepper corns

1 bottle pumpkin ale (I used Sam Adams)

3 cups beef broth

Preheat oven to 350F

In a large dutch oven or large oven-proof pot heat oil over medium 

Add steak and brown on each side (about 2 minutes per side)

Remove and place on a plate

Reduce heat to medium low and add carrots, onions, and leeks

Cook for about 8 minutes, stirring constantly

Add garlic and spices

Stir for 1 minute then add pumpkin ale

Turn heat up to medium high and boil 

When beer has reduced by half add meat and broth

Bring to a boil then remove from heat and place in oven

Cook for three hours, turning meat with tongs every hour

Pour over mashed potatoes and eat up! 

Mexican Quinoa Casserole

To feed my Mexican food obsession without eating all of my calories for the day in one meal, I started making this dish. I jazzed up a dip recipe and pumped it full of quinoa. It's full of fiber, flavor, and will fill you up for hours. My favorite part was making the homemade refried black beans. Who knew they could be so simple?! Serves 4

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa

2 cups vegetable broth

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup water

1 small yellow onion, diced

2 green onions, diced
1 tsp cumin

Juice from 1/2 lime

1 clove garlic, minced

1 jar roasted red peppers, drained, rinsed, and chopped

1 roma tomato, diced

1/4 cup manchego cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 375F

In a pot, heat oil on medium low

Add onions and garlic stirring for 3 minutes
Add in beans and cumin
Add 1 cup broth to the beans

Pour in lime juice

Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes covered

Either puree with an emersion blender OR mash with a fork

Meanwhile, cook quinoa according to package 

(I replaced one of the cups of water for broth for flavor)

Place the quinoa in the bottom of a glass baking dish 

Pour beans over quinoa

Top with roasted red peppers and tomatoes

Sprinkle with cheese and green onions

Place in oven for 20 minutes covered with foil

Remove foil and cook for 5 more minutes, or until cheese gets crispy and golden

Top with green onions and eat up!

Sunday Night Cider Cocktails

Spiked cider is a drink I've enjoyed since I was young (sorry to sell you out dad) and it's one of my favorite Thanksgiving drinks to have next to a fire. I assumed it was a complicated recipe, since I've never personally made it and it tastes so rich. I also assumed it was only served hot. A few weeks ago I went to a dinner party where the host (shout out to Patti!)  served chilled spiked cider and I got to see how easy it is to make. I hope you "Fall" in love with this drink as much as I did. Serves 6

Ingredients

2 small green apples, thinly sliced

1/2 cup dark rum

1/2 cup cinnamon schnapps 

8 cups apple cider

12 cinnamon sticks

ice

Combine rum, schnapps, and cider,in a large pitcher

Pour over ice and place a cinnamon stick in each glass

String apples on a cocktail stick, or just place a few slices in the glass

That's it

Easy as pie!  

Rigatoni with Spicy Chicken Sausage, Broccoli Rabe, and Tomatoes

Happy October! A month full of pumpkins, candy, and ...... broccoli rabe! Broccoli rabe is a vegetable that I recently became familiar with after an amazing dinner at a friends house. She used it with sausage and spaghetti and I thought I'd try it in a casserole type dish. I liked it so much, I made it two nights in a row for different guests. The second time I made it, I added tomatoes and definitely recommend the addition of this colorful ingredient. This recipe is easy, full of different flavors, and filling on a cool fall night. Serves 6

Ingredients
1 lb rigatoni
1 bunch broccoli rabe, cleaned and chopped (discard tough ends)
2 cups chicken broth
1 large beefsteak tomato, diced
1/2 lb chicken sausage (I used Whole Foods sausage that I squeezed out of the casing)
2 tbsp greek yogurt
1/4 cup milk (I used 2%)
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup grated parmesan
1 tsp red pepper flakes

Preheat oven to 400F
Boil pasta as directed in two cups chicken broth and 3 cups water
With 5 minutes left in boiling add broccoli rabe
Drain

Meanwhile, in a large baking dish combine half of the mozzarella

with the milk, sour cream, and red pepper flakes
While the pasta is still boiling, cook the sausage
I use a fork to stir and make it crumbly
Mine took about 6 minutes on medium heat to cook
Add this to the baking dish
Pour pasta mixture into the baking dish and stir
Top with tomatoes, parmesan and remaining mozzarella

Bake for about 20 minutes, until top is lightly browned

Speck and Onion Brussels

Last week I went to a cooking class with chefs Andrew Ticer and Michael Hudman- writers of Collards and Carbonara. They are two guys from Memphis who use southern ingredients and infuse Italian hints in their dishes. I learned how to spruce up brussels sprouts with speck (Italian bacon). The guys make this recipe with a chili tomato jam, but I decided to leave this out for my meal because it was a tad too spicy.  The one ingredient that I feel makes this recipe have a special kick is the use of lime. I also learned how to fry brussels sprouts, which I had never done before. Instructions are below.Enjoy my new fall favorite side! Serves 4

Ingredients
1 lb brussels sprouts
1/2 yellow onion, diced
juice from one lime
4 slices speck, diced
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

To prepare the brussels, cut bottoms off and slowly peel away leaves
When the sprout gets hard to peel, cut remaining piece into quarters
This will allow the leaves and remaining piece to cook semi evenly

In a pan, saute speck over medium heat until fat is rendered (about 4 minutes)
Remove speck and add in onions and cook over medium high heat for 5 minutes
About half way through cooking the onions, add the lime juice
Return speck to the pan

In a large pan, heat oil over high heat
Add brussels sprouts and stir for about 6 minutes or until crispy
Add more oil if needed half way through

Combine sprouts with speck and onion mixture
Toss with salt and pepper

Eat up!

Oodles of Zuudles!

I looooove pasta, but am trying to start trying to lose some weight for the wedding...count down 300 days! Spaghetti squash is a great substitute and now (thanks to Laura!) I have added another pasta impostor to my menu, zucchini. Laura helped me make this because I wont go near a mandolin- had a big accident with one in 2009. They are dangerous if you don't use them correctly, but can be safe if using the guard! If you're daring, feel free to use a mandolin, if not, slice these veggies super thin with a knife. Top with my chicken meatballs and your favorite sauce. Serves 4

Ingredients
4 zucchini, sliced into strings
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 shallot, diced
1/4 yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 pinch salt and 1 pinch pepper

In a large pan cook salt, pepper, garlic, onions, and shallots in oil over low heat
Add zucchini, and turn up heat to medium
Stir constantly, folding over for about 2 minutes
Taste test, if it's al dente it's ready!
If not, cook for another few minutes

Serve with meatballs and/or sauce

Banana Coffee Cake

Because bananas were 19 cents this week in my grocery store, I had to buy a bunch. After a few days, I realized 6 was a little over kill and decided to make a yummy breakfast/dessert. This recipe originally was in the form of muffins but I found it better to be put into a coffee cake type dish. Serves 10

Ingredients

Cake: 

3 bananas, mashed

3/4 cup sugar

1 large egg, beaten

5 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

1 2/3 cup flour

2 3/4 tsp baking powder

1 pinch salt

Toppings:

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 tbsp almond butter

1 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 tsp cinnamon 

1 tbsp butter

PreHeat oven to 350F

In a small bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking powder

In a large bowl combine bananas, sugar, melted butter, and egg

Whisk or use a mixer to form a batter

Add in flour mixture

Pour into a baking pan

In another small bowl, combine topping ingredients

Drizzle over batter and bake for about 20 minutes

Check to see if it's ready by poking with a knife

Eat immediately