Good-Bye January

It has been a productive January in J.J. Land and February looks to be headed in that direction as well. I plan on doing a Chinese Take Out night at my house next month where I prepare the food. I have had some recipes for some of my Chinese favorites fall into my lap and I want to test them before I share them with my adoring public. Also, in case you haven't seen, you can now fan me on Facebook. I look forward to gaining many fans and please be sure to tell your friends! Keep sending those recipes and photos! I will leave you with a pretty simple, yet tasty chocolate pie!

 

Easy Chocolate Custard Pie

 

Ingredients

• 1 cup chocolate syrup
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 4 EGGS
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 prepared crumb crust (9-inch)

Directions

 

1.HEAT oven to 350°F. COMBINE syrup, milk and sugar in small saucepan. COOK over low heat, stirring constantly, until bubbles form at edges. SET ASIDE.

 

2.BEAT eggs and vanilla in medium bowl until blended. Stirring constantly, slowly ADD heated milk mixture until well blended. POUR into crumb crust.

 

3.BAKE in center of 350°F oven until knife inserted near center of pie comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. COOL on wire rack. SERVE warm or refrigerate until cold.

 

Enjoy!

 

Make pie in a graham cracker or chocolate crumb crust. Garnish with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Announcement!

You can now fan me on Facebook! Tell your friends!

 Fan J.J.!

Keep sening me those recipes!

cookingwithjj.baker@gmail.com

Insta-Sunshine

I don't have a lot to say...been playing with the blender. I came up with a Sunshine Shake in honor of my friend the fabulous Melissa.

 

Need a sunny pick-me-up? The orange flavor will burst open in your mouth and put a smile on your face. Orange sherbet makes this fruit-flavored milkshake a real taste treat. It's like drinking orange cream velvet on a beautiful sunshine day.

 

 
Sunshine Milkshake

• 1/2 quart orange juice
• 1 cup vanilla cream
• 1 cup orange sherbet

 

Directions

 

Combine all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.

 

 

 Double Chocolate Banana Cupcakes

 

Bananas and chocolate are a naturally great combination and here they get along particularly well. I call these double chocolate because not only are they topped with the BEST chocolate buttercream frosting ever, I've also sneaked a few chocolate chips into the cupcake batter. These are a great thought with Valentines day around the corner.

 

I should note that the recipe for this frosting makes quite a large batch. This is a good recipe to use up any leftover chocolate buttercream frosting or you could just make a half batch which should be good for a couple of dozen cupcakes.

 

Cupcake Recipe

• 1 cup white sugar
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 3 medium ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ cup orange juice
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Beat sugar and oil in a bowl. Add eggs and mashed bananas.

 

Sift together dry ingredients and fold into banana mixture alternately with orange juice.

 

Fold in chocolate chips.

 

Fill paper lined cupcake pans with the batter and bake at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack before forsting with chocolate buttercream frosting.

 

 

 

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

• 2 cups sugar
• 2/3 cup water

 

Combine and bring to a boil. Continue to boil over medium heat without stirring until the mixture reaches 240 degrees on a candy thermometer.

• Meanwhile beat together to stiff peaks
• 6 egg whites at room temperature
• ¼ tsp cream of tartar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch salt

 

Slowly pour in the sugar syrup hitting the side of the bowl and not the beaters. Continue beating the frosting for 10-15 minutes until the meringue is completely cool. When completely cool, slowly begin to add, a few tablespoons at a time

• 2 cups softened unsalted butter
• Beat until smooth after each addition.
• Combine and melt in a double boiler:
• 1 pound chocolate, chopped in small pieces
• ½ cup butter

Add to the meringue mixture and beat well until frosting reaches a spreadable consistency. This may take 15 minutes or so and you may have to chill the frosting for several minutes before beating it again to get it to stiffen. Alternatively, you can place the frosting bowl in an ice bath while continuing to beat constantly until the icing stiffens sufficiently.

 

 

 

Quickie!

J.J.’s Bean Dip

• 1 16 oz can refried beans – fat free
• 2 – 3 tablespoons of medium white queso
• Taco Sauce or Hot Sauce to taste

Heat beans in microwave safe bowl for 30 seconds to a minute. Stir in queso and hot sauce. Reheat if you want a warmer dip…serve and enjoy with your favorite chips.

Wegmans

Last Wednesday I went on an adventure with the fabulous Melissa. We go on a few adventures but this one was special…she introduced me to Wegmans. Holy Cow! What a store! It is a foodie’s paradise…the cheese section alone was like the size of my house…that’s just specialty cheeses not even including the everyday cheeses you buy at your normal grocery market. I got some beautiful cheeses for a very reasonable price…Jarlsburg and very sharp cheddar. Also on a side note I got my cat litter at Wegmans for $3 cheaper than I pay for it at Wal-Mart. I also found Cheerwine there and I didn’t have to go all the way to North Carolina.  They also had an awesome international section and a crazy hot food bar...again like bigger than my house.  The store is HUGE!

 

I made some brownies with Cheerwine today. I used a box brownie mix and replaced the water with Cheerwine. So very yummy! You can do this with almost any soda you like. I also like to use Dr. Pepper for this. I found this on the Cheerwine website. I plan on trying it soon.

 

 

 

Cheerdevil Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 box Devil’s Food cake mix
• 1 cup Cheerwine soft drink
• 1 tsp almond extract

Directions:

 

Mix the cake mix as directed on the box, but use the Cheerwine in place of water for the liquid. Also, add the almond extract which is not called for on the box mix.

 

Bake the cake as directed on the cake mix box.

 

Then, make the Cheerwine Cake Frosting.

Cheerwine Cake Frosting

Ingredients:

• ½ cup butter or margarine (let soften)
• 1/3 cup Cheerwine soft drink
• ¼ cup cocoa (baking powdered chocolate - usually near the flour in the grocery)
• 1 lb box powdered sugar (or 2 ½ cups if bought in bulk bag)
• ¼ tsp almond extract

Directions:

 

Mix together butter and Cheerwine with a mixer. Add cocoa, powdered sugar, and almond extract and mix until smooth.

 

Spread frosting on cool Cheerwine Cake.

 
That’s how to make an easy Cheerwine Cake using a cake mix. It’s a unique tasting cake and also a very pretty cake. In fact, Cheerwine Cake has become so popular that a local baking company has teamed up with Cheerwine for a ready-made Cheerwine Cake.

 

If you can’t get Cheerwine in your area, then check out the Cheerwine web site. They do ship this great Southern soda. So, you can try this terrific soft drink and cake even if you don't live in the South.

 

Meatloaf, smeatloaf, double-beatloaf.

I love meatloaf. I find it comforting. Here is one of my takes on it…

J.J.’s Meatloaf

• 1 package meatloaf mix *
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 package of onion mushroom soup mix or plain onion soup mix
• 2 eggs
• 1 – 1 ½ cups bread crumbs (or if you want something really good use one cup Cheezit crumbs)
• ¼ cup onion diced
• ¼ cup Ketchup – want a different taste? Use A1 sauce instead. If you go this route, omit salt, pepper, and garlic.
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• ½ teaspoon low sodium season salt
• fresh ground pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 200. Mix all ingredients but bread crumbs. Mix breadcrumbs until mixture becomes a consistency you desire. Form into loaf shape on pan or use bread pan. I like to line a bread pan with parchment paper for easy clean up and removal. Bake low and slow on 200 for 2.5 hours. After 2.5 hours…turn oven up to 350 for ½ hour…Top meatloaf with ketchup at this time if desired. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

I have been dying for a meatball sub lately. I decided to kill two birds with one stone when I made the meatloaf. Tasty stuff and you control the fat.

J.J.’s Meatballs

• 1 package meatloaf mix *
•  1 pound lean ground beef
•  1 package of onion mushroom soup mix or plain onion soup mix
•  2 eggs
•  1 – 1 ½ cups bread crumbs (or if you want something really good use one cup Cheezit crumbs)
•  ¼ cup onion diced
•  ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
•  2 teaspoons minced garlic
•  ½ teaspoon low sodium season salt
•  Fresh ground pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients but bread crumbs. Mix breadcrumbs until mixture becomes a consistency you desire. Form into balls and pan fry or bake.

J.J.’s Meatball Sub

• 3 – 4 J.J.’s Meatballs warm
•  1 mini loaf Italian bread or ¼ loaf garlic bread – warm if you desire
•  2 slices provolone cheese
•  Sautéed mushrooms (optional)
•  Diced Onion (optional sautéed or raw)
•  Your favorite marinara/spaghetti sauce -warm

Layer your ingredients on bread. Use as much or as little sauce as you like. Run under broiler till cheese is gooey…eat and enjoy!

*Meatloaf Mix

• 1 pound ground beef 
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 1/2 pound ground veal

Low Fat Meatloaf Mix

• 1 pound ground chicken
•  1 pound ground turkey
•  ½ pound lean ground beef

Hey Joe...

There is a beautiful little specialty type store called Trader Joes. I do adore it. When I lived in Ohio I had been to Trader Joes once. I always have been one to like unusual type stores. Case in point…Jungle Jim’s, but that is another entry in itself.


The fabulous Melissa started bringing me this trail mix from Trader Joes. It called Tempting Trail Mix. It is a mix of chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, dried cherries, cashews, and peanuts. It's sweet, salty and chewy all at the same time. It is freaking awesome. I don’t like raisins at all and the dried cherries are awesome. Melissa also told me about this Colby-Swiss cheese I got and tried. Very awesome. I was also able to acquire some delicious pastrami from there. I quiet enjoy the place and a lot of their stuff is very reasonable for it to be a specialty store. Now that I know there is one not too far up the road from me…I shall be visiting more often.

I also have found recently a lot of people do not know what pastrami is. Pastrami is a popular delicatessen meat usually made from beef and, traditionally in Romania, also from pork and mutton. Like corned beef, pastrami was originally created as a way to preserve meat before modern refrigeration. For pastrami, the raw meat is brined, partly dried, seasoned with various herbs and spices, then smoked and steamed. In the United States, although beef navels are the traditional cut of meat for making pastrami, it is now common to see pastrami made from beef brisket, beef round and turkey. Tasty stuff it is.



White Cheese Chicken Lasagna

Ingredients

• 9 lasagna noodles
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 cups ricotta cheese
• 2 cups cubed, cooked chicken meat
• 2 (10 ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese for topping

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, and rinse with cold water.

2. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook the onion and garlic in the butter until tender, stirring frequently. Stir in the flour and salt, and simmer until bubbly. Mix in the broth and milk, and boil, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Stir in 2 cups mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Season with the basil, oregano, and ground black pepper. Remove from heat, and set aside.

3. Spread 1/3 of the sauce mixture in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Layer with 1/3 of the noodles, the ricotta, and the chicken. Arrange 1/3 of the noodles over the chicken, and layer with 1/3 of the sauce mixture, spinach, and the remaining 2 cups mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Arrange remaining noodles over cheese, and spread remaining sauce evenly over noodles. Sprinkle with parsley and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.

4. Bake 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven.

Penguins!?!

Aren't these just cute? They are pretty simple too! Impress your next guests!

Cream Cheese Penguins

Ingredients

• 18 jumbo black olives, pitted
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 18 small black olives
• 1 carrot

Directions

1.Cut a slit from top to bottom, lengthwise, into the side of each jumbo olive. Carefully insert about 1 teaspoon of cream cheese into each olive. Slice the carrot into eighteen 1/4 inch thick rounds; cut a small notch out of each carrot slice to form feet. Save the cut out piece and press into center of small olive to form the beak. If necessary cut a small slit into each olive before inserting the beak.

2.Set a big olive, large hole side down, onto a carrot slice. Then, set a small olive onto the large olive, adjusting so that the beak, cream cheese chest and notch in the carrot slice line up. Secure with a toothpick.