Lemon Orzo Salad with Tomatoes

Yum-o!

Another delicious find from food gawker. I'm pretty much obsessed with this website. I made a Lemon Orzo Salad with Tomatoes. Pretty much my roommate only used the tomatoes, and I realized I still don't like tomatoes!

I made some modifications from the recipe I found. First, I used feta cheese instead of parmesan. Secondly, I didn't add asparagus.  And lastly, the dressing for the salad was not enough for me. After I mixed it together and gave it a taste, I couldn't really taste it - so I ended up doubling it. Perfect! The recipe listed below shows my doubled version of the dressing items.

Lemon Orzo Salad with Tomatoes
recipe from A Big Mouthful

12 oz. orzo
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
2 lemons, zested and juiced
6 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
2 clove garlic, minced
4 Tbs. fresh parsley, minced
Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper
Feta Cheese

Cook the orzo as directed to al dente. Drain and place in a large bowl. 

Add tomato halves to the orzo.

Mix olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper in a small bowl.  Stir into orzo and vegetables.  Stir in parsley and feta cheese.

This can be served warm, room temperature or cold.

Cake Balls

Adorable!

I made these for a bake sale at work - for the MS Walk. I've heard a lot about these and they seem to be popping up everywhere. These came out delicious -- but seemed like a pain to make. I recommend having a baking buddy to help with these.

I didn't get a recipe from any one website. I looked up a bunch of recipes and morphed the directions to find a version that worked for me. The site that most people will reference to though is Bakerella.

I also learned that you can pretty much mix any cake mix and icing flavor that you want. I mixed Yellow Cake Mix with Chocolate icing - but it turned the mixture brown because of the icing. If I do make these again, I would use a white icing so it doesn't change the cake color.

Cake Balls
from from multiple sources

1 box cake mix (and needed ingredients to make)
1 container icing (16oz)
1 package candy melts
decorations, as desired

Bake the cake as directed on the box in a 9x13 pan. Let the cake cool completely.

Take the cake and crumble into fine pieces into a mixing bowl. It works best to break off a section, and then break that in half. The rub these pieces together -- the cake will crumble easily. I also removed the top crust, since it was a different texture and color.

Take about 3/4 of the icing and put into the mixing bowl with the cake crumbs - and mix. It helps to use the back of a spoon to help these two mix together. You can also use your hands.

Once the mixture is thoroughly mixed, roll into balls. I used a cookie scoop to get the balls the same size and then I rolled the scoop to make sure it was round. Line up the balls on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Put the cookie sheet into the fridge for 30 minutes to help them form.

Once the balls are chilled, take them out of the fridge. Melt the candies as directed (double broiler, microwave, stove top) and roll the balls in the melted candy. I used a spoon to help it be completely covered. Place on wax covered paper and decorate with sprinkles before the chocolate hardens.

Put the balls back in the fridge until firm.

Hot Bacon Cheese Dip

De-lish.

This treat also seemed delicious for the girly weekend, and IT WAS! This recipe was so easy to make, and such a great item to have!

Hot Bacon Cheese Spread

recipe from Buns In My Oven

1 unsliced round loaf bread
2 cups (8 ounces) Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1 cup (4 ounces) Parmesan cheese, shredded
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup finely diced onion
7 bacon strips, diced and fried
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp crushed red chile flakes

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Slice the top quarter off the loaf of bread and set aside. Carefully hollow out the inside, leaving a 1 inch shell. Cube removed bread and set aside for dipping.

Combine remaining ingredients in a large bow, spoon into bread bowl. Place on an ungreased baking sheet and cover with the reserved top quarter of the loaf to prevent the dip from becoming to brown while baking.

Bake for 45 minutes or until heated through.

Serve with bread cubes and crackers.

Pink Champagne Cupcakes

Girly treat!

Once I found this recipe, I knew I was going to have to make it sometime, and I was hoping it would be soon!

We ended up having a girls weekend this weekend -- and so it was the perfect excuse to make this cute cupcakes!

The recipe was really easy, and the final outcome was delicious! There were a lot of compliments on the treat!

Pink Champagne Cupcakes
recipe from Renee Julia


Pink Champagne Cupcakes

1 box of white cake mix
1 ¼ cups of champagne or sparkling wine
1/3 cup of vegetable oil
3 egg whites or 2 whole eggs with yolk
A touch of pink cake frosting coloring or food coloring

Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare baking cups in a muffin pan that holds 24 muffins.

Crack 3 eggs and separate the egg whites from the yolk. Keep the egg whites handy in a bowl.

Mix together with an electric mixer the 1 ¼ cups of pink champagne (or sparkling pink wine) along with the cake mix until smooth. Add in the oil, 3 egg whites, and a just a tiny bit of the cake frosting color (I used food coloring).

Beat with electric mixer at medium speed in a large mixing bowl for about three or four minutes until creamy. Pour batter into the cupcake liners about 2/3 of the way full.

Place in oven and bake for 17 minutes or until toothpick or knife inserted in center comes out clean.

When done, allow pan to cool for 5 minutes and then remove and place cupcakes onto a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely for about 30-40 minutes.

Pink Champagne Frosting

½  cup of soft margarine
4  cups confectioner’s sugar
¼  cup champagne
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
A touch of pink cake frosting coloring or food coloring

To prepare the frosting while the cupcakes are cooling, beat together 4 cups of confectioner’s sugar, one stick of margarine, and ¼ cup of pink champagne (or sparkling pink wine), and a touch of the cake frosting color/food coloring with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes. Then increase the speed to high for 3 more minutes—this makes it extra fluffy.

Use a star tip, a knife, or another tip of your choice to frost the cupcakes. Decorate with sprinkles or pearls.

Cast Iron Skillet Pizza

Pizza Sunday!

While randomly looking on foodgawker again, I stumbled across a recipe for pizza in a cast iron skillet. I don't own one, but luckily a friend does and let me borrow it to try another recipe!

The pizza dough was surprisingly easy to make and roll. The final result was okay, I think I cooked the pizza for too long though.

Also, I did not take the time to make the sauce from scratch. I just used Ragu pizza sauce. But, the site where I got the recipe did include a recipe for sauce.

Cast Iron Skillet Pizza

recipe from Macheesmo

Crust:
-2 1/2 Cups bread flour
-1 scant Tablespoon sugar
-2 Teaspoons kosher salt
-3/4 Teaspoon active dry yeast
-1 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil
-1 scant Cup warm water

Sauce:
-Ragu Homemade Pizza Sauce

Toppings:
-8-10 ounces mozzarella cheese
-Italian Seasoning

For the dough, mix together water, sugar, salt, and yeast in a bowl.  Stir it together and let it sit for a few minutes until yeast is dissolved and foaming a bit.  Then add in your flour and stir it together.

Use a hand dipped in water to vigorously work the dough into a ball.

As you work the dough, you might notice that it’s too wet or too dry.  If it is too dry, add a few extra tablespoons of water.  The dough should be pretty moist and flexible.  If it seems firm, let it rest and relax for five minutes, then continue to work it.

After about 8 minutes of kneading it, you should have a very soft ball of dough  

Coat the dough well in olive oil and place it in a plastic bag.  If you’re using the dough the same day, let it rise for an hour at room temperature, then take it out and de-gas it.  Reshape it and store it in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

Then take it out of the fridge at least an hour before you need it.

When ready for the pizza, roll the dough into a large circle and just plop it in the center of your skillet.  You don’t need to oil the skillet or anything.  

Once the dough is in your skillet, use a knife to cut off any extra dough, leaving about an inch of dough up the side of the skillet  Then use your fingers to kind of just fold the dough over itself, forming a crust.

Add a light coating of sauce to the pizza.  Then add on the cheese and Italian seasonings.

Place the skillet on a burner and turn the heat to HIGH and cook for 3 minutes. This won't cook the pizza, but will heat the skillet.

Then move the skillet to a 450 degree oven and continue to cook it until the crust is browned and the cheese melted.  I cooked the pizza for 15 minutes.

When your pizza comes out of the oven, you should be able to get a spatula and just slide the pizza right out of the pan! Let it cool for a few moments and cool.

Slow Cooker Mac & Cheese

Easy Peasy Mac & Cheese!

My coworker told me about this awesome site -- foodgawker.com -- where you can see tons of pictures of food and then click on them to get the recipe. I found a recipe for a slow cooker mac & cheese and it seemed like a good recipe to try.

The site I found it on gave it an 8 out of 10. While it was pretty good, an 8 seems high. However, it was really easy since it was in the slow cooker!

Slow-Baked Mac & Cheese
recipe from A Whisk and A Prayer

1 1/2 cups milk

1 can (12oz) evaporated milk

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted, cooled to room temp

3 large eggs

1/2 tsp salt

3 cups (12 oz) shredded cheese (I used an Italian blend)

1/2 pound elbow macaroni or mini penne tubes, par cooked and drained (this means cook them for about five minutes until tender but not completely cooked)

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook the elbow noodles for 5 minutes. Drain.

Spray the inside of the slow-cooker with cooking spray or grease it with olive oil.

Combine milk, evaporated milk, eggs, butter, and salt in slow-cooker and whisk until until smooth (or you can use an immersion blender to do the whisking for you).

Add the shredded cheese and macaroni, sprinkle with black pepper (and whatever other spices you want to use). Stir gently with a spatula to coat evenly.

Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top.

Cover and cook on HIGH for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, reduce the temperature to LOW and cook for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until custard is set in the center and the pasta is tender. The macaroni and cheese may sit in the cooker on the KEEP WARM setting for 30 minutes before serving. Before dishing it up, sauté some bread crumbs with olive oil and sprinkled them over the top. (I didn't have time to sauté the breadcrumbs, so I just sprinkled them on top).

Chocolate Lovers Cupcakes

Yum!!!

I found this recipe awhile ago on Baked Perfection and have waited until Valentines Day to make them. These cupcakes are super delicious and super chocolatey! The cupcakes and icing didn't take much effort -- for me the most complicated part was making the chocolate hearts for decoration.

Chocolate Cupcakes
recipe from Baked Perfection

1 package chocolate cake mix
1 package instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1/2 cup warm water
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (dust these in flour to keep them from sinking to the bottom of the cupcake)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a large bowl, mix together the cake and pudding mixes, sour cream, oil, beaten eggs, and water. Stir in the chocolate chips and pour batter into 24 lined muffin cups.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until top is springy to the touch and a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
recipe from Baked Perfection

1/2 cup butter, softened
3 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar
6 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 -6 tablespoons milk

Cream the butter on medium speed until it is very light in texture. Add the confectioner's sugar, cocoa powder, melted chocolate, and vanilla extract and mix on a low speed until the sugar and butter are blended, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Increase the speed to medium, with the mixer running, add the milk one tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency.

Chocolate Hearts
recipe from Baked Perfection

1/4 cup white chocolate, melted
1/2 cup semisweet or milk chocolate, melted

Transfer your melted chocolate into a plastic sandwich bag; cut the tip of the corner of the bag. Pipe your chocolate into the shape of a heart (or any other shape) onto wax paper, let harden completely before transferring to cupcakes.