Lucky Charms - Mint Oreo Truffles

Happy St Patricks Day! For some reason I got really into this holiday (have no idea...perhaps another excuse to make these darn rich truffles! HA!). I spent all day Saturday looking for those darn shamrock sprinkles but I think because I was soo late in getting into the spirit of the holiday, they were all gone. So I had to substitute and pipe some wording...good thing "Irish" is only a few letters otherwise I'd have to come up with Plan C!!!! Anyways, these truffles speak for themselves and are darn good!! SO G-O-O-D!!!! Did I mention they're darn good?!!!

They're also easy to make, but because this version calls for using the mint Oreos in Double Stuffed, the recipe changed the ratios a little from the regular Oreo Truffle recipe. Still DARN GOOD!!!

These are made for my Irish boss (& the rest of the work clan)! He'd better be at work...he's one of those that takes all holidays near & dear to him off (birthday, etc). I've also joined Sugar High Fridays and their theme this month is right up my alley - sweet gifts. So David, thank Sugar High Fridays for your gift!!! HA!



Mint Oreo Truffles
Adapted from Bakerella


1 pkg. Double Stuf Oreos - Cool Mint Flavor - (1 lb. , 1 oz. pkg.)
• use 22 cookies with cream centers included
• use 10 cookies with cream centers discarded
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, room temperature
1 pkg vanilla bark

Finely crush the cookies in a food processor. Stir in softened cream cheese. Mix well. Roll the mixture into 1" balls and place on wax paper covered cookie sheet. Place covered in freezer or refrigerator for a few minutes to help retain shape when dipping in melted chocolate.

Melt chocolate as directed on the package and then dip balls into chocolate, tap off extra and set aside on wax paper covered cookie sheet to dry.

Refrigerate and enjoy!

Eggplant Manicotti

I love eggplant parmesean but quite frankly don't like the process of frying up the eggplant etc. I also don't like the grease trap of frying!! So when I saw this recipe, I had it in my pile of 'will make soon' for awhile thinking that it was kinda the same process. BOY was I wrong (thank goodness). While the recipe calls for oil, I used it on the first couple of sliced eggplant but then I found that I didn't need the olive oil after that and they turned out just limp enough which is great. I love these rolls and they make a nice presentation also. I served them with garlic bread and a salad. YUM-O!

Eggplant Manicotti
Adapted from Recipes Secrets

2 medium sized eggplants
4 Tbsp. olive oil more if needed
1 cup grated Mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup ricotta
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg well beaten
1 Tbsp. minced parsley
1 Tbsp. chopped prosciutto
1 tsp. dried basil, crushed
salt and pepper to taste
1 (16-oz.) can spaghetti sauce (I used one that had garlic & herbs in it)

Preheat the oven to 350*F.

Peel eggplants cut in half and slice into thin long slices about 1/8 in. thick. In a heavy skillet sauté each slice and cooking just long enough for the eggplant to be limp enough to roil. Cool slices on paper towels. Combine remaining ingredients except spaghetti sauce. Spread each eggplant slice with a thin layer of cheese mixture. Roll each slice and place in a large shallow casserole (I used 9x13 casserole), top with sauce. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly.

Yield 8 to 10 servings.

Greek Meatballs with Tzatziki Sauce

You know how us bloggers can get OCD on a particular type of food? Well, I've gone mad about meatballs!! And boy did I hit the jackpot with these!! OMG! These are really really good! I was kinda hesitant at first about them because they had no breadcrumbs to hold them together but they are SOO flavorful and moist, you forget that there is no bread!! YUM-O! After I had made them I knew they needed some sort of 'sauce' to go with them so what better accompaniment to go with them than Tzatziki Sauce! Double YUM-O. And then I went back and read that these are on the South Beach Diet I almost couldn't believe it! Seriously you've gotta try these!!!

Mini Greek Meatballs
Adapted from Kalyn's Kitchen

Makes about 24 small meatballs

1 pound ground turkey
1/2 small onion, minced
1/2 cup very finely crumbled feta cheese
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large egg
1 T extra virgin olive oil, plus more for baking dish
1 T dried Greek oregano
4 tsp. red wine vinegar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp. Greek seasoning

Preheat oven to 400*F. Grate the onion, then drain if it seems like there is a lot of liquid. Combine all ingredients in a bowl, then use your hands to mix ingredients.

Lightly oil a 9 X 13 baking dish. Shape meat into 1 tablespoon size meatballs and place on baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes, after which time you will see some liquid oozing out. Turn meatballs and bake 10 more minutes. Turn again, and bakd 5-10 more minutes, until meatballs are well-browned and cooked through.

Meatballs are delicious served with Tzatziki Sauce.

Tzatziki Sauce

Tzatziki is one of the classic sauces in Greek cuisine, and there are as many versions out there---most of them very good. If you've had a Gyro (pronounced yeero), Tzatziki is the type of white sauce that's often served with the Gyro. SOOO GOOD!

You can cut the recipe in half, but it's so good, you probably shouldn't cuz you'll kick yourself when you're scraping the bottom of the bowl wanting more.

Tzatziki (Greek Yogurt and Cucumber Sauce)
Adapted from Kalyn's Kitchen

Makes about 3 1/2 cups

3 cups Greek Yogurt (or regular plain yogurt, strained as described below*)
3 Tbsp fresh lemon (juice of one lemon)
1 garlic clove, chopped
2 medium cucumbers, seeded and diced
about 1 Tbsp kosher salt for salting cucumbers
1 T finely chopped fresh dill (can substitute mint leaves for a slightly different version)
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

If you don't have Greek yogurt, strain plain yogurt as described below.

Peel cucumbers, then cut in half lengthwise and take a small spoon and scrape out seeds. Discard seeds. (If you use the small seedless or European cucumbers with few seeds, you can skip this step.) Dice cucumbers, then put in a colander, sprinkle on 1 T salt, and let stand for 30 minutes to draw out water. Drain well and wipe dry with paper towel.

In food processor with steel blade, add cucumbers, garlic, lemon juice, dill, and a few grinds of black pepper. Process until well blended, then stir this mixture into the yogurt. Taste before adding any extra salt, then salt if needed. Place in refrigerator for at least two hours before serving so flavors can blend. (This resting time is very important.) This will keep for a few days or more in the refrigerator, but you will need to drain off any water and stir each time you use it.

*If you can't find Greek yogurt, a good substitute for something similar is straining regular plain yogurt for several hours to remove the liquid and thicken the yogurt. You can also use two coffee filters inside a colander placed inside a bowl to catch the liquid. Let the yogurt drain on the counter for 2 hours, or until it reaches the thickness you want.

Chicken Breasts with Mediterranean Stuffing

This weekend was action packed. My birthday was Thursday, I picked my aunt from the airport that evening, went home, got up the next morning, drove to Fresno (yes of COURSE we stopped at Gilroy outlets...duh!!!), did some last minute party shopping, went to bed, got up and prepped for the party, attended the party, and literally pooped out that evening. THEN...got up the next day (lost the hour for daylight savings!) and headed back home from Fresno so I could pick up my baby from my friend's house (yes of COURSE I stopped at Gilroy outlets...again...duh!!!).

I had been meaning to make this for some time when I first saw it but just hadn't had the time. It really was very simple once I got all the ingredients! The only thing I changed was I closed up the chicken with toothpicks and it seemed to work perfect! Dinner was yummy tonight and a perfect finish to a very busy weekend!

Chicken Breasts with Mediterranean Stuffing
Adapted from Cara's Cravings

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, chopped
5 ounces baby spinach, or regular spinach, stemmed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 4 medium)
4 ounces soft goat cheese or mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil
2 tablespoons black olive tapenade, available in specialty food stores
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
1/2 cup dry white wine

In a medium microwavable bowl, add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, garlic and the spinach and season with salt and pepper. Cook on high for 5 minutes or until the spinach has wilted completely and excess liquid has evaporated. Remove the spinach to a small plate and set aside to cool slightly.

Using a small, sharp knife, cut one chicken breast almost in half horizontally so it opens like a book - the breast meat should still be held together on one long side. Repeat with the remaining chicken pieces. Season the outside of each breast with salt and pepper and open the chicken breasts up on the cutting board.In a small bowl, mix the goat cheese and sun-dried tomatoes until well blended. Using your hands, squeeze the excess moisture out of the sauteed spinach. Chop it and spread a quarter of it on one half of each chicken breast. Spread equal amounts of the cheese mixture over the spinach. Then, using a small spoon, spread some of the tapenade on the empty side of each chicken breast. Close the tapenade side of the chicken breast over the cheese, and press gently to adhere.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining olive oil and about 1 teaspoon of butter. When the butter has melted, gently place each chicken breast in the pan. Cook for about 6 to 8 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the breast, or until chicken is golden and cooked through and the cheese has melted. (Lift up the pocket flap to check to see if the chicken is thoroughly cooked; there should be no signs of pinkness.)

Remove the chicken to a serving plate and cover loosely with foil to keep warm.Raise the heat to high. Add the wine to the skillet. Let the wine cook off for 2 to 3 minutes, scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the pan with a spatula or a wooden spoon. Add the remaining tablespoon butter to the pan, stir until the butter melts, and then pour the sauce over chicken.

Serve the chicken whole or sliced.

Granola

So I've been craving granola lately...you know...the homemade kind. But of course having no time make any I go to my friend TJ's and buy their Maple & Pecan Granola -- YUM-O. But I still miss that good ol' fashioned get your hands dirty homemade granola. I remember when I was growing up my mom used to make it in the kitchen sink then transfer it to a huge jellyroll pan and turn it every so often in the oven. I remember that was my job...to watch the clock and then flip the granola!! I LOVED IT!


So a couple days ago I'm in a meeting with my boss and we get on the subject of breakfast, etc, etc and he says...I have a really good recipe for granola...I say BRING IT ON and so he begins to dictate the recipe. I scrambling to write it down because of course I never took short-hand and god forbid that I ask him to repeat it. So I write down what I can and say thanks. Then I go email my caterer aunt and ask (aka BEG) her for her granola recipe and then compare the two. The recipe here is a combination of both. And all I can say is...I have a winner!! The taste brought be back to the days of my mom's kitchen sink granola! YUM!

Granola
Adapted from My Boss & My Aunt Hope


1 large box old fashioned oats (42oz)
1 cup roasted Wheat Germ
1 cup Honey
1 cup oil
1 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 cup macademia nuts, chopped
2 cups coconut
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
2 Tbsp vanilla
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 3/4 cup orange juice
1 cup dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, dried blueberries, etc)

In a large bowl, mix oatmeal, nuts, coconut, wheat germ, sunflower seeds. Mix well. Measure oil into the measuring cup and swirl it around befor epouring into bowl. Then measure out the honey in the same, unwashed cup. The oil will help the honey exit the cup. Toss everything together until evenly coated. Add vanilla and orange juice. Mix well.


Pour out into a large jellyroll pan. Bake @ 300*F for 1-1/2hrs. Stir every 20 minutes or so. Let it get golden brown. Let stand for 40 minutes, break it up with a fork then add the dried fruit.

Food Blog Search

I just stumbled upon this really cool search feature from another fellow blogger (Simply Recipes) who recently unveiled Food Blog Search! Its a really cool search engine that searches over 1800 food blogs for content utilizing Google technology. Started in October 2006, Food Blog Search now searches over a thousand hand-selected, high quality food blogs. Add the banners to your site as well (see my sidebar for an example). Check it out!