Snickerdoodle Bars

When I first heard "Snickerdoodle" as a small immigrant child, I thought I was about to get some kind of candy bar, or at least a ton of caramel on top of chocolate. I was wrong, but I was delighted to be wrong. Snicker doodle cookies are one of my favorite treats because of my love for cinnamon and their very easy assembly.

The recipe I use is from Emeril Lagasse. Instead of making cookies, I made this recipe

into bars by baking the batter in a round cake pan.

I also did not use shortening, just 2 sticks of unsalted butter.

I added 1 teaspoon of vanilla to the batter. I also added some cinnamon into the batter rather than just on the outside. My last personal touch was a little bit of nutmeg. It has a deeper, spicier flavor that was perfect for a rainy day.

Pleasant eating!

Pizza Margherita

I love pizza. I love it's versatility and the abundance of options for ways to enjoy a pie. It's the perfect food for kids, teens, adults, and everyone in between. One of my favorites is an Italian original, Pizza Margherita. Pizza Margherita comes from Naples and is named after the Italian Queen Margherita. It's vibrant combination of tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil is everything that I love about Italian food. It may be simple, but each ingredient is so outstanding that the combination is a perfect Italian romance.

This pizza is my take on the original. I decided to make a simple basil pesto instead of using whole leaves, and then brushed it over the pizza right before it was finished baking. This way, I could taste the delicious floral basil in every bite.

I used pre-made dough from Whole Foods. They sell their house pizza dough fresh, just ask the guy behind the pizza counter. They also have two options, white and whole grain.

Recipe
Pre-made Pizza Dough

1 Can San Marzano tomatoes
3 garlic clove
1/2 white onion
salt/pepper
1 tablespoon of sugar
1 teaspoon of oregano
handful of fresh basil leaves
olive oil (for the pesto, about 4 tablespoons)
fresh mozzarella

1. Slice mozzarella and set aside.
2. Chop fresh basil and add to a food processor. Add 2 cloves of garlic, a pinch of salt and pepper and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Puree. Add more olive oil until a smooth, grainy mustard like appearance. Set aside.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a saucepan. Add 1 pressed garlic clove. Add finely chopped white onion. Cook for 5 minutes. Add oregano. Add chopped San Marzano tomatoes. Add sugar, salt, and pepper to taste. Cook until sauce starts to thicken. (about 10 minutes).
4. Roll out the pizza dough.
5. Puree the sauce in a food processor, or use chunky...your preference. Add to the pizza dough.
6. Cover the pizza with sliced mozzarella. Add some tomato slices on top if you prefer.
7. Bake at 450 for about 15 minutes (depending on your preference of crust thickness).
8. 5 minutes before pizza is done (before the mozzarella really starts to bubble) brush the pesto all over the pizza, or just use a spoon to lightly cover the surface.
9. Bake another 5 minutes and buon appetito!

Enjoy your pie and as always, pleasant eating.

BBQ Salmon and Cod

Fish is by far one of my favorite things to eat and cook. What I love about seafood is its diversity of flavor and texture. Last night for dinner my carnivore wanted Alaskan Cod which was on sale at Whole Foods and I was in the mood for salmon, which by fate or coincidence was also on sale at Whole Foods. Since it is glorious summer, I decided to make the fish with some classic summer BBQ flavors.

The BBQ Sauce

1. 1 Tomato
2. 1 Yellow Bell Pepper
3. 1/4 Teaspoon of garlic powder
4. 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
5. 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
6. 1/4 teaspoon of ground coriander
7. 1/4 teaspoon white peppercorn
8. 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
9. 1/4 cup of white wine
10. 1/4 cup of Ketchup
11. 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
12. 1 teaspoon of ground mustard

1. Mix the ketchup, ground mustard, and Worcestershire and set aside.
2. Chop tomato and pepper and saute in olive oil on medium heat until the vegetables start to get soft.
3. Add the seasonings. Cook for 5 minutes on high heat.
4. Add the white wine, cook for 3 minutes.
5. Cover the vegetables in the sauce made previously and cook for about 5 minutes on medium low heat.

The Fish

I simply pan fried both of the fish, cod and salmon, in olive oil and salt and pepper.

I served the fish smothered in the sauce over basmati rice and asparagus. It was a sweet, tangy, smoky, and slightly spicy summer fish that was perfect for the 75 degree Michigan day we had.

Pleasant eating!

Apple Muffins

It's a little early to start getting out all the apple recipes, but these muffins are so delicious they fit any season. I came upon the original recipe when I was searching for a fruit muffin to give to the children I nanny. As any cook, non-baker, I added "a little of this" and "a little of that" instead of following the recipe precisely and watched my muffins disappear after they came out of the oven. Not only did my three munchkins nod with glee after every bite (their version of "more please") but their parents approved as well.

The original recipe belongs to Emeril Lagasse and can be found on www.foodnetwork.com.

Here are my changes.

3/4 Cup of Whole Wheat Flour

3/4 Cup of White All Purpose Flour

1 Teaspoon Baking Powder

1/2 Teaspoon of Baking Soda

1 Teaspoon of Cinnamon

1 Teaspoon of Nutmeg

1/2 Teaspoon of Dried Ground Ginger

3/4 Cup of Brown Sugar

1/2 Cup of Greek Yogurt

1/2 Cup of Milk

4 Tablespoons of Melted Butter

1 Grated Apple (Granny Smith works best)

2 Eggs

2 Tablespoons of Apple Butter

You can follow the directions on the original recipe, or just keep reading:

1. Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.

2. Whisk together the yogurt, milk, butter, sugar, eggs, apple butter, and grated apple.

3. Separate into muffin pan and bake!

I cooked my batch at 370 degrees not 375. I also cooked them for 17 minutes instead of 25 as the original recipe directs. Because all ovens are different, I would suggest poking your muffins in the middle with a toothpick and taking them out of the oven when the toothpick comes out clean.

I have adapted this recipe to bananas and prunes as well which were a big hit for the girls (my personal sous chefs and bakers which are learning to whisk at the age of 14 months). The first batch I ever made was with one pear and one apple and without the apple butter. One time, I made a batch with zucchini, dill, and cheddar cheese, without any sugar which was also delicious and served perfect as a unique dinner roll.

Enjoy your muffins whether you are 14 months or 41 years old : )

Pleasant eating!

Sour Cream Pie with Blueberries

I found this recipe on the Whole Foods website. It intrigued me because it was a custard like pie made with sour cream. Sour cream is one of the last dairy products that I can still eat. I slowly started to become lactose intolerant when I was 19 years old. The first things that had to be crossed off my menus forever were ice cream and custard. Ever since this terrible discovery, I have been trying to find alternatives for ice creams, custards, and creamy soups and sauces. This pie is the perfect answer. Well done Whole Foods, you win me over again and again.

The texture is similar to a ricotta tart but is not grainy and is a little more light. The only criticism I have is that it was a little too sweet. Next time I will use only 1/3 or even 1/4 cup of sugar.

You can access the recipe via the Whole Foods website: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/946

Pleasant Eating!

Rainy Summer in Michigan

Remember Michigan Spring? If you need a reminder, check my post from March. Well, summer in Michigan isn't that much different sometimes. There are these strange days when it's 75 and sunny, but those are just weird and make me feel all happy and bubbly inside. All sarcasm aside, Michigan is a beautiful state which I am proud to be a resident of, however this rainy summer has put a cloud over my pride. There is no weather that will stop me from cooking. It is officially summer, I am officially grilling...with an umbrella. The chicken in this recipe is worth the sopping wet t-shirt and jeans that I was wearing in 60 degree Michigan summer.

This is where the magic happens.

Blueberry BBQ

I made chicken thighs in a blueberry BBQ sauce, some Mustard and Dill Yukon potatoes, and grilled asparagus.

BBQ

1/4 cup of A1 sauce

1/4 Worcestershire sauce

1/4 ketchup

2 tablespoons of American Spoon Blueberry jam

1 tablespoon of brown sugar

2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon dried dill weed

1 teaspoon dried minced garlic

1 teaspoon dried minced onion

freshly ground pepper to taste

1. Mix ingredients.

2. Add thawed chicken thighs.

3. Marinate for at least 2 hours for best results but can be used as a glaze during grilling.

4. Grill with sizzling flavor for around 10 minutes, depending on your grill. Just check for no pink in the chicken.

Dill and Ground Mustard Potatoes

About 1 pound of small Yukon Gold Potatoes (baby potatoes)

1 tablespoon ground mustard

1 tablespoon of sour cream

2 teaspoons of dried (or fresh..yum!) dill

1 tablespoon of olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

1. Cut potatoes in large chunks and boil until cooked all the way through.

2. Mix the rest of the ingredients.

3. Pour dressing on potatoes and serve.

Grilled Asparagus

1 Bunch of Asparagus

1 tablespoon of olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Do you know how to easily get rid of the woody portion of the asparagus? The best way possible it to hold the asparagus in your with the tip in one hand and the bottom in the other. Bend the asparagus forward and let it "Snap!" in order to get rid of the woody portion. This is one of my favorite things to do, especially after a long day that has been frustrating. : ) Go ahead and snap some asparagus to get rid of some of that stress.

1. Mix the asparagus in the olive oil, salt and pepper.

2. Grill very quick until you get some nice char marks. No more than 5 minutes.

This dish was so perfect for this rainy day. The BBQ chicken was sweet, tangy, and perfectly smokey. The potatoes were a comforting canvas for the chicken while the asparagus reminded me that it was really summer with it's fresh green earthy flavor. I hope that no matter where you are, weather will not stop you from grilling in the summer.

Rain or shine, pleasant eating!

Easy Gooey Brownies

Check these out on my Frittata House Facebook page!

Instead of box instructions, do this:

1/8 cup of water

1/8 cup of vegetable oil

1/4 cup of vanilla yogurt

1 tablespoon of instant coffee

2 tablespoons of cocoa

1 egg

Bake with the instructions on the box!

I used the yogurt to make these a little more dense and moist.

The instant coffee and cocoa make the brownies explode with chocolate flavor.

Pleasant chocolate eating!