Corn and Poblano Lasagna

December 27, 2012 by Mackenzie

Libby and I came across this recipe in the Food Network magazine and thought we would try it out for a potluck we were going to. Everyone loved it at the potluck so we made it again for ourselves the following week. Then, it’s so good that I had to make it for my family when I went home for Christmas. All that to say, it’s REALLY good!!!
It’s definitely not a traditional lasagna with sausage and tomato sauce… this has a corn cream sauce and is loaded with veggies so it is even on the healthier side!

Corn and Poblano Lasagna
Recipe from Food Network Magazine
Makes one 9×13 – serves 8-10

Ingredients
4 poblano chile peppers
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups frozen corn kernels (thawed)
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup thinly sliced white onion
1 large zucchini, thinly sliced lengthwise
12 (7-by-3-inch) no-boil lasagna sheets
2 cups shredded Oaxaca or mozzarella cheese

Preheat the broiler. Halve the poblanos lengthwise and remove the stems and seeds. Place cut-side down on a baking sheet and broil until browned in spots, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, cover with a plate and set aside 5 minutes. Peel off the skin with your fingers, then cut the peppers into 1-inch strips.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a medium heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and saute 1 minute. Mix in the corn and saute 5 minutes. Stir in the cream and thyme, reduce the heat to medium low and cook 5 minutes to let the flavors incorporate. Turn off the heat and let cool slightly, then transfer to a blender and puree until smooth. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a medium heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining minced garlic clove and cook 1 minute. Mix in the zucchini and poblano strips and cook 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper.

Spread about one-quarter of the corn mixture in the bottom of an 8-by-11-inch baking dish. Cover with 3 lasagna sheets. Layer one-quarter each of the poblano mixture and cheese over the pasta. Repeat the layering 3 more times. Cover with aluminum foil.

Bake until the pasta is tender, about 50 minutes. Turn on the broiler. Remove the foil and broil until golden brown and bubbly, 8 to 10 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Christmas Cookies #6: Mocha Cookies

December 23, 2012 by Mackenzie

Chocolate and espresso beans together in a cookie… yes please! This was the sixth cookie recipe we tried during our Christmas cookie craziness and it was a new recipe for both of us – and we loved it!

Mocha Cookies

Recipe from Fine Cooking

Ingredients:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup plus 2 tsp. unsweetened natural cocoa powder
1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp baking soda
7 tbsp unsalted butter, slightly softened
1.5 tbsp whole milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped coarsely
1/4 tsp finely ground coffee beans, plus 28 whole beans
1/4 cup turbinado sugar

Directions:

In a food processor, combine the flour, cocoa, sugar, salt, and baking soda. Pulse several times to mix thoroughly. Cut the butter into about 12 chunks and add them to the bowl. Pulse several times. Combine the milk and vanilla in a small cup. With the processor running, add the milk mixture and continue to process until the dough clumps around the blade or the sides of the bowl. Add the coffee and chocolate and mix thoroughly.Transfer the dough to a large bowl or cutting board and knead with your hands a few times to make sure the dough is evenly blended.

Shape dough into a log about 14 inches long and 1 1/4 inches in diameter. Wrap in waxed paper and refridgerate until firm, one hour or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Put the turbinado sugar in a small bowl. Slice dough into 1/2 inch slices. Coat both sides with sugar and arrange 1 1/2 inches apart on the lined sheets. Press a coffee bean into the center of each cookie. Bake until the cookies puff and show very faint cracks on the surface, 9 to 10 minutes. Let cookies cool on a rack.

Rosemary Roasted Cashews

December 23, 2012 by Mackenzie

We made these nuts as an appetizer on Thanksgiving and they were amazing! Everyone loved them and they disappeared far too quickly! I made them again for a party last night and I laughed as people kept sneaking back to the table where they were 🙂 They are definitely a hit and perfect to bring along to a party or just to have around your house.

Rosemary Roasted Cashews

Recipe from The Food Network – Ina Garten

Ingredients:

1 1/4 pounds cashew nuts
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon melted butter

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the nuts on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for about 7-8 minutes until they are warmed through, watch to be sure they don’t brown too quickly. Meanwhile, combine the rosemary, cayenne, brown sugar, salt and melted butter in a large bowl. When the nuts are done, let them cool for 2-3 minutes then toss the warm nuts with the rosemary mixture until the nuts are completely coated. They are best if served warm but definitely still great when room temp!

Christmas Cookies #5: Peppermint Bark

December 15, 2012 by Mackenzie

This recipe is from Food Network Magazine and is a copycat recipe to William Sinoma’s peppermint bark! It was fantastic!!

Peppermint Bark

Recipe from Food Network

Ingredients:

12 ounces good-quality semisweet chocolate, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract
1 pound good-quality white chocolate, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
3 candy canes or 12 round hard peppermint candies, crushed

Directions:

Line a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with aluminum foil, shiny-side up; smooth out any wrinkles. Heat 1 inch of water in a saucepan over low heat until steaming.

Put all but 3/4 cup of the semisweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Set the bowl over the saucepan of steaming water (do not let the bowl touch the water) and stir until one-third of the chocolate is melted. Remove the bowl from the saucepan; keep the steaming water over low heat. Gradually stir the reserved 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate into the bowl, a few pieces at a time, until all of the chocolate is melted. Return the bowl to the saucepan, 5 to 10 seconds at a time, to help melt the chocolate, if needed. Do not rush this step: It may take up to 10 minutes to melt the chocolate.

Wipe off any moisture from the bottom of the bowl. Stir 3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract into the chocolate, then quickly pour into the prepared baking dish and spread in an even layer. Firmly tap the dish against the counter to remove any air bubbles. Set aside at room temperature until almost set, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, put all but 1 cup of the white chocolate in a large heatproof bowl and repeat the melting process over the steaming water; dry off the bottom of the bowl. Stir in the remaining 3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract; pour over the semisweet chocolate and spread in an even layer. Sprinkle immediately with the crushed candy canes, gently pressing them into the white chocolate. Set aside at room temperature until firm, about 1 hour. Lift the bark out of the pan using the foil and break it into pieces. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Christmas Cookies #4: Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

December 13, 2012 by Mackenzie

I love these cookies! Peanut butter and chocolate… who wouldn’t love this combination?

Peanut Blossom Cookies
Recipe from joyofbaking.com

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoon milk
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup turbinado sugar
48 chocolate kisses, unwrapped

Directions:

Line three baking sheets with parchment paper.

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter until creamy and smooth. Add the peanut butter and sugars and beat until light and fluffy (about 2 – 3 minutes). Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat to combine. Beat in the milk. In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the peanut butter mixture and beat until incorporated. Cover and chill the batter for about an hour, or until firm enough to roll into balls.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and place rack in the center of the oven.

Roll the batter into 1 inch round balls. Place the turbinado sugar in a shallow bowl and roll each ball in the sugar. Place on the prepared baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart.

Bake the cookies for about 8 – 10 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly browned. Immediately upon removing the cookies from the oven, place a unwrapped Chocolate Kiss into the center of each cookie, pressing down gently until the cookie just starts to crack. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Christmas Cookies #3: Spritz Cookies

December 12, 2012 by Mackenzie

If I had to pick one recipe that says “mackenzie”, that people get so excited over, that people know me by… This would be it.

I first tried spritz cookies when I was maybe 9 at our Christmas dinner with my grandparents. My aunt had made them and I took one bite and my destiny was sealed – my and spritz cookies would have a long history together…

I went out and bought a spritz cookie making gun (no idea what they are really called) and set to work. That year and every year after, I made a double batch right before school got out for Christmas break and gave a little bundle to all my friends and favorite teachers. 11 years later… I am STILL bringing spritz cookies back to a couple of those teachers and friends because they love these cookies so much. I have no idea what it is about these cookies, and why these people can’t make them the way I do (one teacher has tried for years!) but for whatever reason… this recipe and I are best friends.

True to tradition, I brought the spritzer out to school with me and Libby and I made them during out cookie baking extravaganza. So good. So so so good. Now I have a whole bunch of friends out here who I’ll need to be baking these cookies for for the next several years! Yay!

Spritz Cookies:

(Spritz “gun” from Crate and Barrel and the recipe is the one in the box :D)

1 ½ cups butter

1 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ teaspoon almond extract

3 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

Sprinkles

Preheat the oven to 375°. Thoroughly cream butter and sugar. Add egg, milk, vanilla and almond extract; beat well. Stir together flour and baking powder; gradually add to creamed mixture, mixing to make a smooth dough. Do not chill. Place dough into Cookie Pro and press cookies onto ungreased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with sprinkles (if you want!) Bake 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned around edges. Remove cookies from sheet; cool on rack.

Makes 7-8 dozen (little) cookies.

A couple of tips:

– Silicone baking mats ensure that these little guys don’t burn and so I highly recommend using them!

– Don’t try to press the cookies onto a warm pan, it needs to be room temp for the cookies to stick

– I have certain pans that work a lot better than others with this recipe. Don’t get frusterated if a batch doesn’t turn out quite right, or burns easily… try a different pan.

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