Who says Pumpkin is only for the holidays? Pumkpin Creme Brulee. yay!

I am boooored out of my mind and like I stated in an earlier blog, I still have a butt ton of ingredients for different desserts I was planning on making for the in laws. So I figured, why not make a delectable treat for myself? I know the holidays are over and most people think of pumpkin as a Thanksgiving treat, but I'll go ahead and break the mold and make a pumpkin desert in March! I was browsing online and this recipe happened to catch my eye, I left it as is, I like trying recipes first before adding my own touches. I will add that making this recipe made me want to try a sweet potato version, and brulee the marshmallows on top as well as the sugar.! YuM YumS!! I think I will be doing a Smore's creme brulee this weekend. That recipe I'll dibble dabble with and come up with myself. Test my skills. lol. This recipe was divine, the only thing I'd change is more sugar personally. But it is still delicious as is if you're a pumpkin fan. My dogs really enjoyed it too!..I'm only kidding, I wouldn't give them my pumpkin creme SILLY!! I gave them a piece of chocolate instead. I heard Dogs Loove chocolate. :)  recipe as follows

Ingredients:
2 C heavy cream
2 tsp vanilla
8 egg yolks
1/3 C sugar
1 C pureed pumpkin
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 C sugar (for caramelized tops)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together heavy creme, vanilla, egg yolks, sugar, pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Blend well. Strain into a large bowl to remove foam or bubbles.
(I totally forgot to take a picture of straining the mix, so I used the one from the recipe I found)

Divide the mixture into 6-8 ramekins. Place in baking dish...(because it's just me I didn't care they we're a little tilted, my mom always said things taste better when they're tilted...must be an Asian thing...that's a total lie by the way.)

Pour hot water in the baking dish until it reaches half way up the ramekins to create a 'water bath'. Put in oven and bake for 35-45 minutes until edges are firm but center is still loose.

remove from water bath VERY carefully and place in fridge to cool for about 2-4 hours, or overnight.  When ready to serve, sprinkle about 2 teaspoons of sugar over each custard. Caramelize sugar (I used my little torch, but you can place in broiler).  If using a torch, move it around in small circles trying not to concentrate in one spot causing it to burn. Think of Mr Miyagi, wax on, wax off. :) very good grass hoppa!! I like to place it back in the fridge for about 6 minutes before serving. The top stays hard and the creme firms up again after being bruleed. Some like creme brulee room temp. I love it cold!! 

There you've got it! Such a sweet treat to be having in March. Pumpkin Lovers, this is a superb treat. I give it 9 stars.

Raspberry Coulis

Unfortunately I wanted to make a chocolate lava cake topped with powdered sugar and serve it on a plate drizzled with raspberry coulis. I made the raspberry coulis, and when it came time to make desert My in-laws requested my creme brulee again. I made them creme brulee the night before and they requested me to make it every night. It was great because they said it was the best creme brulee they've ever tasted. Creme brulee is my father in laws favorite as well, so he's had his share of cremes. I was so stoked that mine was better than any restaurant they've ever been to.  It's a pretty damn good recipe. So i'll take the compliment. :) Buuut now I have all these ingredients for other desserts I wanted to make. Guess i'll have to unload them on my friends. I'll enclose the recipe for raspberry coulis incase anyone wants to use it for a desert they're making. I'm sure it would be delicious on top of ice cream. Also you could make it using strawberries I would assume. I'll have to try it. recipe as follows

3 cups raspberries
1/4 cup confectioners sugar, plus more if needed
1 tsp fresh lemon juice.

To make the raspberry coulis, in a food processor, combine the raspberries, confectioners sugar...

and pulse until smooth.

Pass the mixture through a medium-mesh sieve set over a bowl

once done, stir in 1/2 tsp. of lemon juice. Taste and add more lemon juice or sugar,if needed. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, up to overnight.

 since I didn't get to use mine, I stuck it in the freezer. I read online it's freezable so we shall see. lol. I did taste it and it was super yum yums. So excited to make any dessert look fancy. Here is a picture of someone's stuffed french toast plated with raspberry coulis. I'll definitely have to make this someday too!!

stuffed turkey meatloaf

A very wise chef in Connecticut gave me the idea of stuffed meatloaf. :) Who would've thunk!?...lol. I've stuffed, pork, chicken, steak, fish...but never a meatloaf. So I dared to embark on this adventurous journey! I used turkey meatloaf because it's less oily and not to mention less calories. Gotta watch that wasteline ladies...well and gents too! Aaaannnywho, this was a big success when I made it for my husband, so I decided to make the dish for his parents when they we're down last weekend. This was the second dish I made for them this trip, the chicken cordon bleu was a hit, so I thought I'd serve this for day 2.  Super kaduper hit! Mikes mom said "That's so you, everything you make has a touch of class." LOL and it was just a mere turkey meatloaf with some bacon and cheese! So for those of you who want to impress that special someone or the in-laws, this recipe is for you! If you're not a turkey fan, substitute ground beef, but get it extra lean so the loaf isn't drenched in oil. recipe as follows.

 The old man on the toilet is our salt and pepper shaker. So when you see Gramps..it's salt and peppa!
1 pound ground beef or turkey
1 egg
clove of garlic minced
half an onion
1/2 to 3/4 seasoned bread crumbs (depends on the consistency you like, 3/4 makes a firm meatloaf.)
Havarti cheese or ANY cheese for that matter
Bacon
italian seasoning
and any other seasonings you want, I kept it pretty basic so the 'stuffing' would be the main flavor.
also if you want mushrooms, or bell beppers, spinach, whatever your heart desires. :)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
 Dice the onion and throw it in a pan with a little butter or oil. I use EVOO. just brown them until they're clear and a little golden. you don't want to caramelize them and make them sweet, eh well. maybe YOU do. but I like mine savory...and for the sake of this being my blog, we're gonna do things my way. so there Mmmkay! oh yeah, toss in that delicious minced garlic in there as well.  About when the onions are half way done so the garlic doesn't burn.

when the onion/garlic combo is done take the remainder of your ingredients and toss in a mixing bowl. Add the garlic and onion mixture.

Take your fingers and squish that meat! feel the eggs burst between your fingers! sometimes I pretend i'm squishing someones brain. Juuusst kidding. that would be Gross! :) Back to being an adult, you're going to want to mix the meat and remaining ingredients until everything is well blended and starts to feel firm, not a goppy mess. Is goppy even a word? did I mean to type sloppy?...again for the sake of this being my blog, we'll go ahead and wing it with 'goppy'.! So once the mixture is not all 'GOPPY', go ahead and lay it on a piece of saran wrap and flatten it to shape a rectangle. Add whatever ingredients you want to fill it with on top.

Carefully pull up the plastic wrap on one side and slowly roll the meatloaf, into a spiral shape. Just think of Dory from finding nemo. Just keep rolling, just keep rolling, just keep roollliiiiing!! Hey a whale! I wish i could speak whale!...again off track, sorry. You're going to want to roll the meat until you can't roll anymore, the whole time just using the plastic as a guide but making sure not to roll the plastic in with the meat, unless you're into eating plastic. which if you are, I don't know why we're friends. I prefer paper.

When you're meatloaf can not be rolled anymore, you're going to lift up the log with the plastic wrap underneath and gently roll it on a baking dish or baking sheet. whateva. Go ahead and seal your edges with your hands and shape your loaf to the shape you'd like it. Place in oven at 350 for 40-45 minutes.

I took this out of the oven and served it up, It was gone before I could take a picture. Great for me because it means it was yummy, but bad for you because I don't have a picture. Don't fret my pet, I will enclose a picture of the OTHER stuffed meatloaf I made for my hubby, so you get the drift of how the finished product looks.

I used Gouda in this version with mushrooms and bacon, paired it with mushroom and garlic cous cous.

Banana Bread

There is nothing like waking up to the smell of banana bread. Especially if you know it is baked with love. I remember waking up on the weekends and my nose would follow that sweet delectable scent of vanilla and bananas. what's not to love? If I could have my mom live here just to make me her banana bread, I would!! buuuut she's in San Diego...sigh...making banana bread for herself.....thanks mom. :( ...I was feeling experimental and I found a recipe online & thought I'd try it out.  !! recipe as follows.

Ingredients:
1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup sugar ( I used vanilla sugar which you can buy or accomplish by putting a vanilla bean and 2 cups sugar in a jar for 1 to 2 weeks)
2 eggs
2 Tb sour cream1/2 cup oil
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract ( I used 1 whole vanilla bean )
4 very ripe bananas, mashed
Walnuts if you desire, I had to leave them out due to the in-laws preference. 


(forgot to picture oil. sorry...and I meant the eggs to be eyes with a vanilla nose...get your head out of the gutter PEOPLE!!!..lol )

preheat oven to 350 degrees F. grease inside of loaf pan with butter or cooking spray.

Sift together flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda in a bowl. Or if you hate dishes, a disposable cup. :)

In your mixing bowl add the eggs and sugar and beat for about 5 minutes so they're fluffy and a cream color. After the mixture is thick and fluffy, add the remaining wet ingredients starting with incorporating the oil.

Cut vanilla bean down the middle length wise and take a small spoon to scrape out the seeds. Transfer to bowl of wet ingredients.

Once well blended add your dry ingredients and if you'd like to add nuts, go for it!

Pour the mixture into your loaf pan.

and bake for 50 minutes to 55 minutes. Or until toothpick comes out clean. I sprinkle a sugar cinammon blend on top for an added sweetness and crunch.

?? for some reason my sugar cinnamon topping did not stay crunchy like usual. but it made pretty colors. :)

My husband rated this a 7 compared to previous banana breads I've made. Don't get me wrong it's very moist, and the flavors are delicious. But all in all, I've made better. I just recently bought a humongous book from America's test kitchen. I will be trying that version next. Still on a hunt for the best banana bread...in the WOOOOooooooRrrrrrrld!!!!! muahahahA!

Chicken cordon bleu stuffed with prosciutto and smoked Gruyere topped with white wine sauce.

My husbands parents are in town and we all know how that can be. His mom is an amaaazing cook and the last thing I want is for her to think her son married a girl who can't cook!! Even though she has taught me so much, we've been married almost 6 years and she compliments my cooking when they're down.... it's still better to be safe and stay on my toes. :) I never try "new" dishes when they're down. No need to experiment and make them my guinea pigs. I like serving dishes I've made before that have already been stamped with my husbands approval.  We...let me rephrase that, I play a game with my husband called 1 thru 10. In this case 1 means "This is extra shitty and it belongs on the bottom of a SHOE!" and 10 meaning "God damn that's hella bombtastic!".  Well I had Dvr'd Tyler Florence ultimate chicken cordon bleu. I have made chicken cordon bleu a million times, with a white wine sauce. However, I have never used prosciutto and Gruyere cheese, let alone panko bread crumbs. I stick to the traditional seasoned bread crumbs. Sooo of course I want to try this dish when his parents are here, but I couldn't possibly risk everyone not liking it and all of us awkward at the table because the food tastes like a 1!!!  They aren't staying with us until Friday so I thought might as well try it tonight right? I couldn't find regular Gruyere cheese so I bought smoked. It is VERY flavorful, to the point I'm glad I did a trial run because it kind of overpowered the dish. All in all my husband gave it an 8, because of the "too smokey" flavor. Friday, I will pair the prosciutto with Gouda. I think that will get a much better result. 10 worthy even! lol. recipe as follows.

ngredients

• 4 chicken breasts skinless and boneless
• 4 thin slices prosciutto di Parma
• 1/2 pound Gruyere, grated
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and finely minced
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 eggs
• Extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Lay the chicken breast between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Using the flat side of a meat mallet, gently pound the chicken to 1/4-inch thickness.

Remove the top sheet of plastic and lay 2 slices of prosciutto neatly over the top to cover the breast and sprinkle a quarter of the cheese over the prosciutto.

Tuck in the sides of the breast and roll up tight like a jellyroll inside the plastic wrap. Squeeze the log gently to seal and twist both ends tight to form a nice log.

 Repeat with remaining chicken. (I let mine rest in the fridge for about 10 minutes to hold their form)

Season the flour with salt and pepper. Mix the bread crumbs with thyme, garlic and kosher salt, pepper, and melted butter. The butter will help the crust brown. Beat together the eggs and season so the flour, the eggs and the crumbs are all seasoned. 

 (Look at the well rested beautiful ball of chicken! and best part, NO TOOTHPICKS NEEDED!!)

Remove the plastic wrap. Lightly dust the chicken with flour, dip in the egg mixture and gently coat in the bread crumbs.

 (all dipped and coated and ready to be baked.)

Lightly coat a baking pan with olive oil and carefully transfer the roulades onto it. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until browned and cooked through. 

For the white wine sauce you'll need

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream

I cut the recipe down drastically because I was just making it for me and my husband. This makes a lot of sauce.  If you don't like a strong wine flavor, I would cut the wine down to 1/4 with the rest of the amounts staying the same. If you cut the recipe down, maybe put just a few splashes of wine, and add more to your liking. You can always add, but you can't take out.

1. Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the wine and bouillon. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes.    
2. Blend the cornstarch with the cream in a small bowl, and whisk slowly into the skillet. Cook, stirring until thickened, and pour over the chicken. Serve warm. 

Paula Deens Magical Peanut Butter Cookies....low carb. :)

PD is my food network go to girl! I don't know if it's that southern accent I love, the fact that she resides in Savannah, Ga which is gorgeous, or just the fact that she uses about a truck full of butter in every recipe. Unfortunately in these Low Carb cookies, there is not butter. Maybe we'll experiment next time, but for this time I stuck to the recipe as is. They we're tasty, for a low carb treat they serve your sweet tooth craving. They're a bit on the 'crumbly' side for peanut butter cookies, but you can't be too picky at 3 net carbs for 2 cookies. recipe as follows.

Ingredients

• 1 cup peanut butter, creamy or crunchy
• 1 1/3 cups baking sugar replacement (recommended: Splenda)
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a large baking sheet.

In a mixing bowl, combine the peanut butter, 1 cup sugar replacement, the egg, and vanilla, and stir well with a spoon.

Roll the dough into balls the size of walnuts. Place the balls on the prepared baking sheet. With a fork, dipped in sugar replacement to prevent sticking, press a crisscross design on each cookie.

Bake for 12 minutes, remove from the oven, and sprinkle the cookies with some of the remaining sugar replacement. Cool slightly before removing from pan.

Holy Fantastic Low Carb Pizza!!

I'm currently on Atkins again...Because I have this problem and it's called 'Loving Cheese'!...I literally would eat different cheeses every night, gouda, asiago, dill havarti, cream havarti. muentser, and the list goes on.  So I gained 10 pounds in about 2 months. Not to mention the Martha Stewart cupcake book I bought! oh that did wonders for my figure! :) So Atkins is a diet I can be on and still enjoy cheeeeeese! I've done it in the past and kept the weight off for a year (well until I met Martha's cupcakes) so I thought "Why not do it again Mish? You can have cheese again! and be the carnivore that you are!" My thoughts won the battle. . Sooo tonight I decided to take a chance and make a low carb pizza recipe I found online. Not sure what the total net carb count is but it seems pretty low due to just being cheese, sauce, and toppings. recipe as follows.

Batter:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 eggs
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Blend softened cream cheese and eggs together until smooth in a medium mixing bowl Add in Parmesan cheese and heavy cream and continue mixing.

Grease a cookie sheet and evenly spread out about 2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese.

Pour the batter evenly over the cheese "rebar" and assist in getting the mixture all the way to the edge and leveled out. Bake for 25-30 minutes (at 375 degrees). Cooking times will vary based on your oven and altitude so check on it after about 20 minutes and then again every couple minutes and remove when the top starts to brown.

On the top:
1/2 cup (or less) pizza sauce or tomato sauce (the lowest carb you can find)
@1 cup mozzarella cheese
pizza toppings (choose wisely based on your daily carb limit)

Sparingly spread some of the pizza sauce and then cover with the remaining mozzarella cheese and any other toppings you have on hand.  The more low carb toppings you add, the more filling each slice will be.  Put the pizza back in the oven for another 5-10 minutes to melt the cheese and warm up your toppings.

 This pizza was Fantastic! and the best part is it actually makes a crust!! not just some flimsy low carb pizza crust you can't pick up. It smelled and tasted like carbtastic pizza!