When Rome, enjoy the food. And when home, make knockoffs

√

Olive Garden Hot Artichoke Spinach Dip

1 Cup chopped artichoke hearts (canned or frozen & thawed)
1/2 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed
8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
dash black pepper
On the side
Crackers
Chips
or Sliced toasted Pitas ( or baguette slices)
Boil the spinach and artichoke hearts in a cup of water in a small saucepan over medium heat until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain in a colander when done.  Heat the cream cheese in a small bowl in the microwave set on high for 1 minute. Or, use a saucepan to heat the cheese over medium heat just until hot.  Add the spinach and artichoke hearts to the cream cheese and stir well.  Add the remaining ingredients to the cream cheese and combine.
Serve hot with crackers, chips, or toasted pitas for dipping.

Cupcake Love

Today was a cupcake kind of day.

I was feeling a bit...blah...so it always helps to DO SOMETHING, so, after seeing these lovely cupcakes from Joanne's month in review, I decided I must have them.

I followed Saucy's spunky, ignore the directions directions, and created these lovely morsels of cupcake goodness.

Quick directions:

You will need: one package of cake mix (use the good kind... Betty Crocker or Duncan Hines), three large eggs, one half cup of butter or margarine, and one cup of water. Saucy usually bakes with butter - she's a butter fan - but for a batch of cupcakes from a mix, margarine will do just fine.  350 for 20 min.

I even learned to toast coconut (5 minutes on a cookie sheet at 350, in case you were wondering).

And I put on my own spunky tank.

(It's true...I will be nicer).

I found I was missing the cream cheese, so I'll have to run to the store to try that kind of frosting later.  I did, however, find a cream cheese BOX in the fridge.  Good thing it didn't spoil. (thanks, kids).  I opted for the almost gone frosting left over from...yipe...St. Patrick's Day.  It was still tasty.

Mmmmm....cupcake love.

And last, but certainly not least, I ordered some yarn for this lovely cardigan from the latest Interweave Knits:

I hope the skinny arms are included.

aj

Veggie Pizza

So easy.  Bake cresent rolls flat for the crust, spread with cream cheese, sprinkle with garlic salt, top with veggies.  Ta Da!

Tip: The 5 Minute Lunch Miracle

We are getting up way too fricking early these days trying to get Steph to school by 7:30, a half hour away (with 6 kids in tow) so I came up with this idea of spending just a few minutes each day on creating lunch items (or, just taking them out of the packaging...that takes work too...sort of). 

Then I have a box (the "Lunch Box"--catchy name, eh?) full of these items.  The idea is that the kids can grab several items and have a lunch ready in no time.  They can even make a sandwich and still pull it together in less than 5 minutes.  And on the days we have one minute, they just grab and go.  Very helpful.

And yes, those are graham crackers with frosting inside.  Did you ever eat those as a kid?  Why do they taste better after sitting in the fridge overnight?  I had a roommate in college, Wendy, that taught me the graham cracker yumminess.

Recipe: Sausage with Potato Pasta

 

Potato Pasta (it has some fancy name...Perigolies?  Pergiolies? I don't know.  It's pasta with potatoes inside and is surprisingly good.  And way to carb it up, eh?)

Veggie Sausage.  I like the links from Morning Star better than the Tofurky Italian...those are too spicy for me.

Mushrooms.

Saute it all in some butter and in about 10 minutes, dinner's ready. Voila!

Recipe: Raw chocolate chia energy bars

These are so yummy.  And healthy too!

Don't be scared.  Sometimes healthy and yummy looks like that.  I ate them too fast to get a finished photo.

Ingredients
1 1/2 c Pitted dates (I just used the date bits at good earth and soaked them in water)
1/3 c Cacoa powder
1/3 c Chia seeds
1/2 t Vanilla extract
1/4 t Almond extract
1 c Slivered almonds
1 Oat flour for dusting

Preparation
Process dates, then add all but almonds. Process. Add almonds. Process. Spread on waxed paper. Chill over night. Cut into bars.

 And these are the date bits that I get from Good Earth.

Recipe: Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Butterballs

Prep. time (min):10
Cooking time (min):10
Servings:24

Ingredients
1 3/4 cups All-purpose Flour
1/2 cup Powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Salt
1 cup Cold butter
1/4 to 1/3 cup Mini chocolate chips (or go crazy if you are a chocolate lover...the original said 1 cup!  bleck!)
1 tsp Vanilla
1/2 cup Powdered sugar
1 tsp Cinnamon

Preparation
Mix first dry ingredients together. Mix in butter with a pastry blender. Add chips and vanilla. Bake at 400• for 7-9 minutes. After cooling on rack for 25 minutes, roll in mixture of remaining sugar & cinnamon.

Recipe: Lemon Passion Cake -- Macaroni Grill

So, I've been searching for the recipe for Lemon Passion Cake from Macaroni Grill. I found the TSR version (Top Secret Recipes) and I'd give it a 6 out of 10. It's yummy, but seems sweeter than the real deal. I don't remember having a sugar rush hit so fast and furiously at the restaurant...though I do usually share mine with Randy, and then take half of it home with me.

***News Flash***24 hours later, having spent the day in the fridge, this cake jumps up to 8 out of 10. Yummy enough that I'd definitely make it again. In fact, I was going to take it up to my folks to share, but it's rapidly disappearing around here. It must be a hit.

This cake is similar to Tres Leche cakes. Here are some pics and the recipe for your viewing enjoyment:



No way is that all going to sink in....

Hey! It sank in!


Spreading with lemon mousse...



Et voila! If only I had a mint leave and could find my lemon zester... The whip cream lost its oomph in the fridge, but it was yummy.

The taste testers....

Yummy but sweet and Justin thought the cake tasted like corn bread. It doesn't. But it was an interesting critique.


Recipe:

Top Secret Recipes® version of Romano's Macaroni Grill® Lemon Passion
By Todd Wilbur

Menu Description: "Citrus cake soaked in a sweet cream, topped with lemon mousse and finished off with our fresh Italian whipped cream and caramel."

When creating this delicious dessert, chefs at Romano's must have been thinking about the Tres Leches Cake that is popular throughout Latin America. The traditional Mexican recipe describes a dense vanilla cake that is soaked with three types of milk: Whole milk, sweetened condensed milk, and evaporated milk. This creates a very moist and rich dessert that is an excellent finish to pretty much any meal. Romano's twist on the traditional favorite is the addition of citrus juices to the cake, a creamier soaking liquid, and a tangy lemon topping. I first tried recreating the cake with boxed mixes, but they all produce cakes that are much too light and moist, and therefore turn to mush when soaked in the sweet liquid. The final solution is a scratch cake recipe that yields denser, yet still moist citrus cake that holds up to the inevitable drenching. Still, you will want to eat this dessert with in a day or two of the soaking or it may start to get all gooey on you. And be sure to store any leftovers in the fridge.

CAKE

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
4 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup orange juice

LEMON MOUSSE TOPPING

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 drop yellow food coloring
1/3 cup heavy cream

SWEET CREAM

1 1/2 cups half-and-half
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

WHIPPED CREAM

1 1/4 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract


GARNISH

Caramel
Mint leaves

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Sift together the flour and baking powder into a medium bowl. In a separate larger bowl, beat together softened butter and sugar for 1 minute. Add eggs and beat until mixture is a light yellow color. Mix in vanilla and juices.

3. Combine flour with wet mixture a little at a time while beating until batter is smooth. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl while mixing. Pour this batter into a greased 9x9-inch baking pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the top begins to brown and a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool.

4. As your cake is baking make the lemon mousse topping by beating the softened cream cheese with an electric mixer in a medium bowl until smooth. Add powdered sugar a little at a time while blending with the electric mixer on low speed. When all of the sugar is incorporated, add lemon juice and a drop of food coloring. In a separate bowl, beat 1/3 cup heavy cream until it forms stiff peaks. Fold this whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until completely combined, then cover and chill.

5. Make sweet cream by combining half-and-half with sweetened condensed milk in a 4-cup measuring cup with a spout or a small pitcher. Cover and chill this as well.

6. Make whipped cream by combining 1 1/4 cups heavy cream, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on high speed until it forms stiff peaks. Cover and park this in the chiller, too.

7. When the cake is completely cool, slice it down the middle once, then across twice, creating 6 rectangular slices. Run a knife along the edges of the cake as well. Poke holes in the top of each slice of cake with a fork - one poke in the center of each piece will do the trick.

8. Pour the sweet cream mixture over the cake while its still in the baking pan. Frost the cake with the lemon mousse. Serve each slice on a plate that has been drizzled with caramel. Top each slice with whipped cream and a garnish of a couple mint leaves stuck into the whipped cream.

Makes 6 servings.

More Food Stuff...

Do you ever shop for a bunch of recipes, come home with a ton of groceries, get them all put away, and then wonder what's for dinner? Or "What was I going to make again?" I didn't want that to happen, so I armed myself with my camera. Pictures say a lot to me!


We did the Eggplant Parmesan...the kids loved it. No, we didn't add pickles. (how'd they get in this photo?)



This was for some Raspberry muffins from Marie's recipes I mentioned last post. Very tasty.


This was the best for coming home ready with a snack. Fuji apples are my favorite, and this caramel is the best!


We did a whole oven-fried tofu meal with lots of goodies from Marie. The family all like this one as well. I didn't know which Tony seasoning to buy, so we grabbed both. That's an English Cucumber up front.


And for a yummy smoothie.

Hmmm....I need to head to the kitchen find some more goodies. I think we have the caramel...but not apples. How did I manage that with the kids? Hiding the caramel, of course. Should have hid me some apples too! =)

whip cream heaven...

Banana Chocolate Cream Cake

Inspired by Cafe Gratitude's I Am Rapture

This recipe is for a 6" diameter pan or tub.Serves 8

Cake

1 cup soft dates, chopped

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla

Pinch salt

1/2 cup raw carob and cacao powder (I used 1/4 cup of each)

1 1/2 cup finely ground almonds or loosely packed left-over pulp from making milk (wet pulp is fine)

1 cup finely ground dried coconut

1/2 cup finely ground cashews

Whipped Cream

1 cup cashews or a mix of cashews and macadamia nuts

1 cup fresh coconut milk (simply blend 1 part dried coconut with 3 parts water in high speed blender)

1/8 - 1/4 cup honey or agave (depending on how sweet you like it)

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon vanilla

Pinch of salt

1/2 cup coconut butter, melted

1 tablespoon lecithin* (1 tbs + 1 tsp psyllium)

*Lecithin is derived from soybeans and acts as an emulsifier. Look for lecithin (preferably non-GMO), in granules or powdered form, at your local HFS. If using granules, make sure to grind them up in a high speed blender of coffee grinder.

Banana Layer and Decoration

2 or 3 ripe bananas, sliced

To make the Whipped Cream:

Blend all ingredients except lecithin until smooth. Add lecithin and blend until thoroughly mixed. Set in fridge for about 1 hr.You should have extra whipped cream but I'm sure you'll find other ways to use it. lol

To make the Cake:Place dates in food processor and process until a smooth paste forms. You may need to add a little water.Then add the rest of the ingredients and mix until smooth.Assembly:Grease a spring form pan with a little coconut butter or line a medium margarine tub with plastic film.Next form an even layer on the bottom with half of the cake mixture.Top with banana slices, followed by some of the whipped cream. Set in fridge.When very firm, form another cake layer. Then top with more banana slices. (Remember to save some for decoration).Again top with whipped cream and set in fridge.When firm, gently remove cake from the pan or margarine tub and place on serving plate.Decorate with banana slices and serve.

Carmella's Notes:

~ For the whipped cream, I used psyllium husks instead of lecithin, as suggested in Cafe Gratitude's recipe. As a result, I found that I had to let the cream set in the freezer rather than in the fridge. The consistency also made it difficult for the cake to hold its shape well once at room temperature. However, this may not be a major issue if you keep the cake in the freezer, thawing pieces as needed.

~ It is key that you grind your nuts finely in a coffee grinder or a high speed blender before processing them with the other ingredients. This will ensure that your cake layer has a lovely smooth texture.

~ In order to apply the cake layer easily, the whipped cream needs to be quite firm (set in the fridge or freezer first). If you find that the cream tends to yield while patting down the cake, try forming the cake layer on a different surface (such as the counter or a plate) then transferring it over to the pan.~ For a simpler version of this, simply put a cake layer, followed by banana slices. Top with whipped cream and let set in the fridge/freezer. Decorate and serve.