Steak with Wine Sauce and Potato Gratin

Ok, I don't have a pic from my own cooking (well, I do, but its a pic that has the food in tupperware...soo not blog PC!!) so I'll just point you to Everyday Food website where I got it off their latest episode (don't you just love TiVo??!!). Also seeing that I don't eat beef I make it alot for my BF or others but don't partake (mainly because I don't like the taste of beef, and like it soo well-done--I don't like my cow moo'ing on my plate--that all I do is chew on a hockey puck so never mind!!!!). Anyways, the recipes were soo easy to make, I was done in a little under an hour and had a full course meal. This is my kinda cookin'!!!!!

Steak with Wine Sauce and Potato Gratin
Adapted from Everyday Food

Pear and Granola Muffins

So Martha Stewart's Everyday Baking made these muffins the other day (watched on my TiVo) and they just looked waaaay too good. Ok, I have to say it, I can't contain myself any longer...what's up with John Barricelli face? Did he stray on that tan or what? I mean, come on...it looks really bad! He looked completely normal when he was co-hosting Everyday Food with the rest of the girls, and then when they break him off a new show...he goes BRONZE??? I mean I know he's italian and olive skin and all but COME ON!!!!! Either he's seriously got to lay off the cheap tanning lotion or tell his makeup artist to slow down...ok, I digress...

So I couldn't think of a better muffin to submit for Greedy Gourmet's SnackShot#3. Muffins is the theme and boy are there tons out there! But what’s the difference between a muffin and cupcake? Well, a muffin contains less sugar and doesn’t have an icing top, so that means healthier right? Riiiiiiiiiiiiiight! So I finally tried these muffins out and big HUGE Y-U-M--O...they are soo good! I love the combination of granola in and ontop fo the muffin. They were very simple to make (I didn't even have to take out the Kitchenaid!!!!) These are definitely going into the 'signature' file.

Pear and Granola Muffins
Adapted from Everyday Baking

For Muffins:
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 large eggs
3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
2 D'Anjou pears (2 cups), peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice

For Granola Crisp Topping:
1/2 cup granola
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
3 Tbsp chilled unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper liners; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.

In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, brown sugar, yogurt, and butter. Make a well in the center of flour mixture. Add egg mixture to well, and mix in flour mixture until just combined. Gently fold in the granola and pears.

Make Granola Crisp Topping: In a bowl, toss together 1/2 cup granola, 1/4 cup each all-purpose flour and packed light-brown sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cut 3 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter into pieces; add to granola mixture, and rub in with fingertips until clumps form.

Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each 3/4 full. Sprinkle with granola topping. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before removing from tin. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 12 muffins

Matcha Cookies

So last year (pre-CIA blog) I was seeing a lot of activity of baking with matcha, the Japanese green tea. You know, the kind they make Green Tea Ice Cream with. Anyways, there were tons of bloggers baking with matcha. I'm a year behind schedule but I'm catching up blog people!!!! I'm still a baby blogger!!!

I'm heading off to Washington DC for a conference this week/end and had this recipe in the fridge chilling since this weekend so had to make it seeing that my last day in the office is tomorrow and my 'testers' are my co-workers.

Matcha (Green Tea) Shortbread Cookies
Adapted from RecipeZaar

2 cups bleached all purpose flour bleached all purpose flour
1-2 Tbsp Matcha
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temp
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Sift the flour, powdered tea and salt into a bowl.

In a mixer bowl, beat butter and powdered sugar until fluffy.

Add flour mixture to mixer bowl and mix slowly until dough just comes together.

Pull dough together carefully in a log, approximately 2 inches in diameter.

Wrap dough log and place in freezer for 30 minutes or until dough has firmed to the touch.

Slice dough into 1/4 inch rounds and place on a parchment or Silpat lined cookie sheet, approximately 1 inch apart.

Bake in a preheated 325*F oven for 16 to 18 minutes (or until the cookies are just starting to turn golden around the edges), turning the pan halfway through the baking time.

Remove cookies immediately from the cookie sheet and cool on a wire rack.

Store in an airtight container or wrap well and freeze.

The well-chilled cookie dough can also be rolled out and cut into desired shapes before baking.

Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Cheese, Tomato, and Basil

I TiVo several cooking shows off the FoodNetwork and also PBS. Martha Stewart's 'Everyday Food' is one of my favorites. After I watched an episode this weekend, I knew I had to make this stuffed chicken recipe soon and what better time than the present! So I whipped it up (real quick as usual) and even got the approval of my non-chicken-breast-eatin' BF!!!!! He loved it!!! It was sooo moist and flavorful! I really believe that the skin of the chicken holds in all the moisture so that the breast doesn't dry out. This is definitely the new way that I'll be cooking 'stuffed' chicken! YUM-O!

I also made one of Giada's vegetable recipes, Asparagus, Artichoke, and Mushroom Saute with Tarragon Vinaigrette. This simple yet super flavorful side dish was the perfect accompaniment to the stuffed chicken.

Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Cheese, Tomato, and Basil
Adapted from Everyday Food

4 bone-in chicken breast halves (14 ounces each)
1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves
1/3 cup drained oil-packed sun-dried tomato halves, about 8
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tsp finely grated orange zest
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2oz Fontina or mozzarella cheese, cut into four pieces
2 tsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil; set aside. With a paring knife, cut a 1-inch-long slit in thick side of each breast. Insert knife, and without enlarging opening, carefully work around inside to form a pocket (make sure you do not go through the other side).

On a cutting board, pile basil, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, zest, 1 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper; finely chop. Divide mixture evenly, and spoon into breast pockets, spreading it around. Insert one piece of cheese in each breast pocket.

Close pockets, using 2 to 3 toothpicks per breast; arrange, skin side up, on baking sheet. Rub with olive oil, and season generously with salt and pepper. Roast until well browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part of breast (avoiding bone) reads 165 degrees, 30 to 35 minutes. Let chicken rest 5 minutes; remove toothpicks before serving.

Asparagus, Artichoke, and Mushroom Saute with Tarragon Vinaigrette

Asparagus, Artichoke, and Mushroom Saute with Tarragon Vinaigrette
Adapted from Everyday Italian

Vegetable Saute:
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large shallot, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
8oz mushrooms, sliced
1 bunch asparagus (1 pound), sliced into 3-inch pieces
1 (8-ounce) package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
1/2 pint teardrop tomatoes, halved
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Tarragon Vinaigrette:
6 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp white wine vinegar
2 Tbsp chopped fresh tarragon leaves
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

For the Vegetable Saute:
Warm the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallot and the garlic and cook until tender, about 2 minutes.

Add the mushrooms and cook until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the asparagus and artichokes and cook until the asparagus is tender, about 5 more minutes. Turn off the heat and add the tomatoes, salt and pepper and reserve.

For the Tarragon Vinaigrette:
Combine the oil, vinegar, tarragon, salt and pepper in a glass screw-top jar. Seal the jar and shake vigorously to mix the vinaigrette.

Toss the vegetables with the vinaigrette and serve.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

I've been dying to make some peanut butter cookies ever since my cousin (the caterer) turned me onto these mini peanut butter cups that they have at Trader Joes (they are by the slabs of chocolate on top of the freezer section)...and then I found this recipe...BINGO...and I'm at a loss for words...O..M..G! These are so freakin good! And Nicole was right, they made EXACTLY 2 dozen cookies!!! It was the perfect taster sample!! I was a little worried about making them with no flour (what? a baker not using flour?? GAAAA!) but I dredged ahead and finished making the recipe as is! I didn't have any crunchy peanut butter so I just used creamy peanut butter and then chopped up some peanuts I had and tossed them in there...T-D-F!!!! Can't...stop...eating...them...take...them...away...FAST!!!!!!!

Flourless Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
Adapted from Baking Bites

1 cup crunchy peanut butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp water
1/2- 3/4 cup chocolate and/or peanut butter chips

Preheat oven to 350*F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, whisk together cocoa powder and water until smooth. In a large bowl, stir together all ingredients, including cocoa powder and water mixture. Add chocolate chips at the end of mixing. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheet and flatten slightly with a moistened finger.Bake for about 10-13 minutes until golden brown at the edges. Cool on pan before removing to wire rack to cool completely.

Makes 2 dozen.

Mango Bread

I love mangos. I mean really L-O-V-E mangos. I grew up on mangos, papayas and guavas instead of oranges, strawberries and apples so mangos are my total go-to-fruit!!! So of course I bought some presliced mangos from Costco (don't ask me why I bought so much for just me!) and of course even my love for mangos can't eat them fast enough before they go rancid on me so I had to hurry and come up with some ways to incorporate them into some baked goods. I was thinking mango crisp but I couldn't find a good recipe so I settled for this bread recipe. I made it quickly and took the loaf to work and all I have left is this one slice that I had to hide in my office before it was all gone. It is sooo moist! Co-workers gave it rave reviews so its a keeper!! I did have to cook it a little longer than 1hr (about 1 1/2hrs) but other than that I didn't change anything in the recipe. Ooh I did make it with pecans instead of macademia nuts because my macademia nut supply is running low (my Hawaiian supplier--aka my aunt--didn't replenish my supply when she came to the mainland last month...course I guess she's not a mind reader because I forgot to remind her to bring any with her!!!! Gaaaaa!).

This is also my entry for Cinco de Mango! Chris over at Mele Cotte had a cute idea to celebrate Cinco de Mayo with a mango theme along with the National Mango Board.

Mango Bread

Adapted from RecipeZaar

2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
3 egg, lightly beaten
2 cups mango, peeled and diced (2-3 ripe mangos)
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts or pecans

Preheat oven to 350*F.

In a large bowl, mix vegetable oil, sugar, vanilla and eggs. In a smaller bowl sift the dry ingredients. Slowly blend the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Fold in mango, raisins and nuts. Pour into a greased and floured 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan and shake until well distributed.

Bake for 1hr or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.