Sunday, 15 August 2010

  • "WHAT are Cake-balls?"

    is usually the question I get asked after speaking of how much I love this dessert. It's super sweet and equally easy to make. If you love chocolate in high-impact, small doses, then have I a recipe for you:

    You will need:
    - 1 box of chocolate cake mix, you choose.
    - 1 pkge. of white chocolate chips.
    - 1/2 container of cream cheese icing.
    - sprinkles, or any other decorative food.


    Step one: Make cake according to cake box.


    Step two: Let cake cool off, break it into pieces to help.


    Step three: Crumble cake into bowl [don't include the edges, they're too hard to mix properly], add the icing and mix into a dough, as shown by my assistant [okay, she's my friend] Alyson.


    Step four: Form balls with dough.


    Step five: Melt the white chocolate and use it to coat your individual cake-balls.


    Step six: decorate and serve

    The white chocolate becomes a shell-like coating and perfect for keeping the cake-balls shaped. You may not be able to eat more than one, so feel free to share. [:

Saturday, 31 July 2010

  • Salad, and why I still love it.

    Being a vegetarian, I get asked, "Aren't you sick of salad?" a lot.
    The answer is no. I could never. Salad has a bad reputation as being "diet food" or "what the food should eat" when really, it's all about how you make it, and you should often create it yourself. After all, salad is best when made with your own blood, sweat, and tears. That's a terrible cliche for this particular context, but you get it. [:

    Making a great salad is about blending what you like together with your favorite lettuce. So what if you like jalapenos, cheddar cheese, iceberg lettuce, and ranch? It's your salad and you're allowed to be a picky eater. That's why I love it. There are no "salad laws" or "salad police" to arrest you if you break them, so experiment away! Personally, I prefer the healthier route..

    My salad:
    -spinach leaves
    -feta cheese
    -fresh grapes
    -dried cranberries
    -mushrooms
    -grated mozzarella
    -raspberry vinaigrette


    I like to add my ingredients to a big mixing bowl first, that way the ingredients are evenly distributed. Also, I tend to get lettuce everywhere when using anything smaller. I'm not really sure how, but I manage.. After your ingredients are in place, add the dressing and mix.

    Enjoy your creation.

Friday, 30 July 2010

  • Sweet Potato Fries & Maple-Chipotle sauce. [:

    A recent visit to Cotton Patch Cafe (Do y'all have those?) made me crave sweet potato fries like a pregnant lady today. I had no idea how they make that sauce of theirs, but I decided to throw together my own. It's pretty good & very simple. Behold:

    I used:
    Two whole sweet potatoes.
    2tbsp. Olive oil
    Paprika
    Salt

    For Sauce:
    Maple syrup [I used sugar-free]
    Ground Chipotle powder [Made by "Spice Island"]
    Aprox. 2tbsp. Flour, to thicken

    I'm a member of the I-don't-measure-things-very-well club, so apply at your discretion.

    Sounds easy, right? Right.
    First, pre-heat your oven to 450. Cut sweet potato into fry-like shapes. Be sure to use a sharp knife, because it's not an easy task. Place your fries into a freezer-size plastic bag and add the oil, paprika, and a pinch of salt. Shake bag vigorously. Empty bag onto oiled cookie sheet. Place in oven for 15 min. Flip, and set them back in for another 15 minutes.
    While you're waiting for the fries, get a small pot and add your syrup, chipotle, and four. Whisk together until you're satisfied. Maybe sing a little song. I like to whisk to a beat [:

    Once it's time to take them out of the oven, do so, then step back and revel in your sweet-potato glory. They look delicious, yes?
    Enjoy.

    :D

Wednesday, 28 July 2010

  • Spinach-Balsamic Pasta- 07/28/10

    Ohh, Pasta. I love it. Every kind. It's like a blank canvas, waiting to be made into art.

    Well, today I'm making it into Spinach-Balsamic Pasta.. I may not be the first to create this dish, but it's new to me and I threw this recipe together.
    I used:
    -Chopped spinach
    -Minced Garlic
    -Balsamic Vinegar
    -Angel hair Pasta
    -Fresh Black Pepper

    There's really no secret here, folks.. Just cook the pasta, add the vinegar, garlic, and spinach and enjoy. Crack pepper over dish for taste. I honestly didn't measure a thing.

     

Tuesday, 27 July 2010

  • Oatmeal Cookies from scratch- 07/27/10

    I could write a song about how much I love cookies. And oatmeal. But mostly cookies =]

    I made this recipe myself, so proceed with caution. It's not super sweet and it pretty healthy. I think they turned out beautifully.

    I used:
    1c. Wheat Flour
    1 1/2c. Oats
    1/2tsp. Baking soda
    1/2tsp. Baking Powder
    1/2tsp. Salt
    1tbs. Cinnamon
    1/2c. Splenda's Brown Sugar
    2tbs. Plain Splenda
    1/2c. [your choice of] Oil
    1/3c Light Mayo [instead of egg, work with me..]
    1tsp. vanilla extract
    2tbs. Sugar free maple syrup, for taste. [=

    Mix in bowl. Bake for 15 min @350 degrees.


    [Sorry about the blur]

    I know it sounds..well, interesting, but my family liked them because they aren't too sweet and they made the house smell nice.

    I hope you enjoy them!

    TIPS & TRICKS:
    -This recipe is great for the health-conscious. Make them bite-sized and share.
    -They aren't that sweet, but chocolate icing is NEVER a bad idea when it comes to cookies.
    -Also, Peanut Butter might be delicious mixed in. omnomnom