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Sunday, September 25, 2011

Prost! (Cheers!) to Oktoberfest!

Get out your Lederhosen and celebrate Oktoberfest!  Oktoberfest  is a 16-18 day beer festival held in Munich, Germany.  It is the world's largest fair and begins at the end of September and goes until the first weekend in October.  For this meal, I made all traditional German Oktoberfest foods. "O'zapft is!" is the phrase the the Mayor of Munich shouts out at the beginning of Oktoberfest, meaning "It's tapped!"
Drink... 
*Chosen and written by Doug W.
Oktoberfest is a beer festival, so what else could we drink with this dinner besides beer?  Doug knows all about beer and chose a perfect Oktoberfest beer to go with my dinner.  Here is his description of the beer and why he chose it:
 
Greetings from your favorite (self-anointed) beer expert!  An important part of Oktoberfest is beer (and loudly singing Ein Prosit).  But before describing the beer, a note on pairing beer and food.  The way I see it, there are three routes one can take in selecting a beer to go with a meal.  First, one might choose a beer that is likely to complement the taste of the food being served (like pairing wine with food).  Second, one can choose a seasonally appropriate brew (many styles of beer were traditionally brewed for a specific season or time of year).  Finally, the choice might be made to satisfy the theme of the meal.  Our choice certainly satisfies the second and third criteria—you can judge whether it satisfies the first.  
             
If you purchase an “Oktoberfest beer” here in the states you are most likely to receive what the Germans call a märzenbier.  This translates to “March beer,” as in a beer that was brewed in the month of March.  Beer brewing is an old pastime and thus many of the seasonal brewing traditions reflect the necessities of pre-modern life, and märzen is no different.  Before widespread air conditioning, brewing lagers, which require cool temperatures for good results, would cease in the spring once the outside temperatures crept up (some sources also claim summer brewing was banned to stem fires).  Märzenbier is brewed in March and stored until late September, which in Bavaria is Oktoberfest, hence its association with the famous German festival. 

            
 Most Oktoberfest beer is medium brown, not very dark, but not pale.  We chose Spaten’s Oktoberfest beer for our celebration and it’s representative of the style (if you like the style, I recommend both Ayinger’s and Hacker-Pschorr’s Oktoberfest beers).  Only six breweries are allowed to serve beer at Munich's Oktoberfest, including Spaten.  Anyone who has attended Oktoberfest in Munich, or seen pictures of the same, probably noticed that most of the beer served is suspiciously pale.  Dirty little secret:  most Germans (and Oktoberfest tourists) are not beer connoisseurs, and like their American counterparts, drink only pale lager (called helles when made in the Munich style).  My advice: try a märzen if you haven’t, but drink whatever brings you Gemütlichkeit

Dinner...
*Recipes from: The Oktoberfest German Food Guide 
Who needs to go to a restaurant to get traditional German food when you can make it right at home? 
Laugenbrezeln (Laugen Pretzels)
While making these, I learned that pretzel making is an art and not just a science.  These pretzels turned out tasty, but not the way I expected.  They were a little harder and crunchier than I would have liked.  The only way I can think of to correct this is to roll the dough thicker and bake for less time.
Ingredients:
(Makes 6-7 pretzels)
For the dough:
  • 2 3/8  cups of bread flour (I did not have bread flour so I added 2 tbs more of flour per cup...maybe this is where my pretzels started to go wrong :)
  • 1/2 pkg of dry yeast (3.5 oz)
  • 1/2 tsp. sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 cup of lukewarm milk
  • 1 tbs. coarse salt (I used sea salt)

For the soda water:

  • 2 cups water
  • 1/2 tbs. salt
  • 1/2 tbs. baking soda
Directions:
  1. Create a "starter" by mixing milk, yeast, sugar, and 2 tablespoons of flour. The consistency of the Starter should be like a watery pancake batter. 
  2. Let sit for 15 minutes. Small bubbles should begin to form. This shows that the yeast is alive.
  3. To the Starter, add the remaining flour and salt. 
  4. Knead until dough is smooth and soft. If dough is too dry, add a little bit more liquid. Likewise, if dough is too sticky, add a little bit more flour. (I had to add more milk)
  5. Let dough rest, covered and in a warm place, until it is double in size.
  6. Knead dough one more time to remove all air bubbles that formed during the rising period. 
  7. Divide dough into equal pieces. Roll each dough piece into a pencil-thick 11-inch string (This is where I think it should be thicker so the pretzels don't turn out crunchy). 
  8. Form each string into a pretzel.
  9. Let pretzels rest for 15 minutes, covered and in a warm place.
  10. While the pretzels are resting, prepare the soda water. Do this by combining the baking soda, water, and salt in a wide pot. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat.
  11. Drop each pretzel in the hot soda water. As soon as it rises to the surface, remove it from the soda water and place it on a baking sheet. Repeat this step for each pretzel.
  12. Sprinkle pretzels with coarse salt. 
  13. Bake for approximately 15-20 minutes in a 425°F oven (I would try baking them for a little less time so they are not so crisp).
Kartoffelpuffer Mit Zwiebel (Potato Pancakes with Onions)
These were good, but would be even better (and easier) if I would have had a food processor to cut the potatoes.  If you have one, use it!
Ingredients:
(Serves 4)
  • 3/4 lb potatoes 
  • 1/2 a small onion, finely chopped
  • 1/8 cup flour
  • 2 eggs
  • salt (to taste)
  • vegetable oil (2 tbs per potato pancake)
  • Applesauce or sour cream for topping
Directions:
  1.  Peel and wash the potatoes. 
  2. Finely shred the potatoes into a bowl (I used a peeler to shred the potatoes, but it was very time consuming.  If you have a food processor, use it here to get the potatoes really finely shredded). 
  3. Place shredded potatoes into a clean kitchen towel. Squeeze out excess juice. Return potatoes to bowl.
  4. To the potatoes, add eggs, flour, onions, and salt. Mix together.
  5. Heat oil in a frying pan. Using about 2 tablespoons per pancake, fry pancakes in hot oil until the pancakes are crispy and golden brown. 
  6. Allow excess oil to drip off of pancakes. Serve immediately.  
  7. Top with applesauce or sour cream.
Wiener Schnitzel
This dish is typically made with veal, but that was a little too expensive for me, so I used pork, which worked great.
Ingredients:
(Serves 4)
  • 1/2 lb veal cutlets (I substituted pork cutlets)
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • dash of black pepper
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs (I used Panko breadcrumbs which are obviously non-traditional, but they worked great because they really crisp up nicely!)
  • 2 tbs. butter
  • 2 tbs. oil (I used olive oil)
  • 1 lemon, sliced into wedges for garnish
Directions:
My workstation - ready to bread the pork!
  1. Season each veal cutlet with salt and pepper (both sides). 
  2. Let stand at room temperature for 10-15 minutes. 
  3. In the meantime, prepare your work area. You will need 3 plates - add the flour to the first one, add the eggs to the second one, and add the bread crumbs to the third plate. Arrange the plates in a row, close to the stove. 
  4. Heat the butter and oil in a large, heavy skillet or pan over moderately high heat for about 2 minutes. 
  5. For each veal cutlet, coat the cutlet with flour, dunk it in the eggs, then coat it with bread crumbs. 
  6. Put the coated veal cutlet immediately in the hot skillet. Cook each side for about 3 minutes, or until each side is a deep golden brown. 
  7. Remove the schnitzel and place on a plate lined with paper towels (to absorb any extra oil). Keep warm. 
  8. Serve the schnitzels warm with lemon slices.
  Dessert... 
*Recipes from: The Oktoberfest German Food Guide
Apfelstrudel (Apple Strudel)
The recipe for the strudel dough seemed really complicated so I used frozen Phyllo dough as it suggested.  The Phyllo dough was a little crisp .  I'm not quite sure if that is how a strudel is supposed to be, but it still tasted really good! (I wonder if you could use a refrigerated biscuit or crescent dough rolled very thin in order to get a softer strudel crust?)
Ingredients:
(Serves 6)
  • 1/4 cup ground walnuts
  • 2 cups sliced and peeled apples
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 1/2 tsp. lemon zest
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon (I added more...probably about 2 tsp. total)
  • Phyllo dough (or biscuit dough?)
  • 2-4 tbs. melted butter for basting
Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. 
  2. Grease a large sheet pan or line it with parchment paper.
  3. Combine the filling ingredients.
  4. Roll out the Phyllo or biscuit dough very thin.
  5. Spread the apple filling across the dough, leaving about a 1 1/2 inch border from the edges. Fold over the 1 1/2 inch flaps of dough to the right and left of the filling. Roll up the dough with the filling (kind of like rolling up a burrito).  Brush the outside of the dough with butter to seal it and help it bake golden brown.
  6. Poke a few small ventilation holes on the top of the strudel with a fork. 
  7. Bake the strudel for about 1 hour, basting it occasionally with melted butter, until the strudel is golden brown.
  8. Remove the strudel from the oven. Allow it to cool somewhat, then dust with powdered sugar. 
  9. Serve warm.  It would also be good served with with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream.
Ein Prosit!
Happy Oktoberfest!  Enjoy a meal full of good food, good beer, and hopefully good friends!

Sunday, September 18, 2011

A Lemon Lover's Dinner

If you love the taste of lemons, then this dinner is for you!  None of the components are very difficult to make, but it is sure to impress everyone at the dinner table!
Drink...
Aviation
The Aviation is a classic cocktail created in the early 20th century.  It traditionally consists of gin, maraschino liqueur, and lemon juice.  Some older recipes also include crème de violette.  I changed some parts of the cocktail because of the difficulty of finding ingredients, and for reasons of personal taste.  I was unable to find maraschino liqueur (although I will admit, I didn't try too hard), so I replaced it with cherry brandy, which is why my cocktail is red where it would normally be clear.  Also, Doug enjoyed his with just gin, cherry brandy, and lemon juice, but it was a bit strong for my taste, so I added some simple syrup.  This is a real, grown-up cocktail, so watch out - it is pretty strong!
Ingredients:
(makes 1 cocktail)
  • 2 oz. Gin
  • 1/2 oz. Maraschino liqueur (I substituted with cherry brandy)
  • 1/2 oz. Lemon juice
  • 1/2 oz. Simple syrup (if you would like a sweeter, less strong drink) 
  • Maraschino cherry
Directions:
  1. Put the gin, maraschino liqueur, lemon juice, and simple syrup (if you are using it) into a cocktail shaker with ice.
  2. Shake and strain it into a cocktail glass.
  3. Add a cherry into the glass and enjoy!
Dinner...
This is one of my favorite dinners because it is pretty simple to make, but turns out really impressive (I would say restaurant-quality :).  It's a great dish to make for guests.
Chicken Piccata
*recipe adapted from Giada De Laurentiis
(Serves 4)

Ingredients:
  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts sliced thinly into cutlets.
  • Salt and pepper
  • Flour for dredging
  • 12 tbs. butter
  • 10 tbs. extra virgin olive oil
  • 2/3 cup lemon juice (or to taste)
  • 1 lemon, sliced
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 1/2 cup capers
  • 2/3 cup parsley
Directions:
My chicken is browning!
  1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
  2. Dredge the chicken in flour and shake off the excess.
  3. In a large skillet melt 4 tbs of butter with 6 tbs olive oil.  Add half of the chicken and cook for 3 minutes or until lightly browned.  Then, flip and cook the other side until browned.
  4. Remove the cooked chicken and transfer to a plate.
  5. Melt 4 more tbs butter and another 4 tbs olive oil.
  6. Add the rest of the chicken and cook the same as before.  When finished cooking, transfer the chicken to a plate.
  7. Into the pan add the lemon juice, stock, lemon slices, and capers.  Bring to a boil, scraping up the brown bits. 
  8. Check the seasoning. (This is where I always add more lemon juice because I like mine very lemony).
  9. Return the chicken to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes.
  10. Remove the chicken from the pan to a platter.
  11. Add remaining 4 tbs of butter to the sauce and whisk vigorously.
  12. Pour the sauce over the chicken and garnish with parsley.
Lemon-Pistachio Rice
*Recipe from Maureen K.
(Serves 4)

Ingredients:
  • 2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large shallot, minced
  • 3/4 cup of white rice (I used brown rice in mine to be healthier, but it tastes better with white)
  • 4 tbs. chopped pistachios
  • 8 oz. chicken broth
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 11/4 tbs lemon zest
Directions:
  1. Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat.
  2. Add the shallots and sauté 3 minutes.
  3. Add the rice and 2 tbs of pistachios; stir 2 minutes.
  4. Stir in the chicken broth, lemon juice, and salt; bring to a boil.
  5. Reduce the heat to low; cover and cook until liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender (about 20 minutes).
  6. Mix in the remainder of the pistachios and the lemon zest.
Dessert...
This pie is a refreshing finish to dinner.  The best part is that it tastes delicious, but is SO easy to make!
Raspberry-Lemon Pie
*Recipe from Kraftfoods.com 
(Serves 8)
Ingredients:
  • 1 pkg (8oz) cream cheese, softened
  • 1 pkg (4-serving size) lemon flavor instant pudding
  • 1 cup cold milk
  • 2 tsp. lemon zest
  • 2 cups cool whip, divided
  • 1/4 cup raspberry preserves
  • 1 (6 oz) graham cracker pie crust
  • 1 cup raspberries
Directions:
  1. Beat cream cheese, dry pudding mix, milk, and lemon zest in a large bowl with a whisk until blended.
  2. Gently stir in 1 cup of the cool whip.
  3. Spoon the preserves onto the bottom of the pie crust.  
  4. Cover with the pudding mixture.
  5. Top with remaining Cool Whip and the raspberries.
  6. Refrigerate 4 hours or until firm.
Enjoy!
Sit back, relax, and enjoy all of this dinner's deliciousness.  It's one of my favorites and I hope it soon will be one of yours too!

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Back to School Dinner

Calling all students, teachers, and parents...time to head back to school!  I am a teacher, so I understand how it feels to start a new school year.  Some may feel excited and others...well, not so much.  Whatever your feelings, and whether you are a teacher, a student, or parent, this dinner is sure to be a good start for a fresh, new school year!

Drink...
Jitter Juice
*Idea and recipe from Belinda R.
This is a really cute idea my friend used in her classroom to help the students get rid of their first day of school jitters.  Make up a poem about first day of school jitters to read to the class and then make the "juice" to go along with it.  When you drink the juice, all the worries disappear!  I think it would also work well for parents at home if their child is feeling a bit nervous before the start of school.  Add a little vodka and maybe it could help teachers and parents ease away their jitters too :)
Ingredients:
  • Lemon-Lime Soda
  • Sherbet (Belinda recommended rainbow sherbet, but Trader Joe's didn't have any.  Their Pomegranate Blueberry Sherbet was delicious in this too!)
Directions: 
  1. Pour a glass 3/4 full with lemon-lime soda.  
  2. Add a scoop or two of sherbet.
    Dinner...
    For this dinner I decided to create a nostalgic school cafeteria inspired dinner.  First, I thought of the types of foods we ate at school (and then tried to improve their taste and quality:), then I served the dinner in a cafeteria-style tray with divided sections like my school cafeteria used to have (I re-used the tray from a microwave dinner).

    Chicken Nuggets, Imperial Style
    *Recipe adapted from my mom, Maureen K.'s Imperial Chicken
    Sometimes chicken nuggets are like mystery meat.  Well, these are just the opposite and are way more delicious than anything I ever ate from a cafeteria!
    Ingredients:
    (serves 4)
    • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
    • 1/2 cup bread crumbs
    • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
    • 1/8 cup dried parsley
    • 1 tsp salt
    • dash of black pepper
    • 4-6 tbs melted butter
    • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
    Directions:
    1. Blend the bread crumbs, cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper in a bowl. 
    2. Sauté the garlic in the melted butter for 1-2 minutes.
    3. Cut the chicken breasts up into nugget-sized pieces.
    4. Dip the nuggets into the melted garlic butter, then into bread crumb mixture, coating thoroughly.   
    5. Drizzle any remaining butter/garlic over chicken.
    6. Bake uncovered on a baking sheet at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
    Best Mac n' Cheese Ever 
     Recipe from:  http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Recipes/story?id=4291479&page=1 
    This macaroni and cheese recipe has bacon in it and bacon makes everything delicious, so you really can't go wrong with this one!
    Ingredients:
    (serves a lot...maybe 6)
    • 1/2 a head of garlic
    • 1/2 tsp. olive oil
    • 1/2 pound of Cavatappi or Macaroni pasta
    • 1/4 pound sliced Applewood smoked bacon
    • 3/4 cup bread crumbs
    • 1/4 cup Parmesan Romano cheese
    • 4 tbs. butter
    • 1/8 cup minced shallots (I used one small shallot)
    • 1/4 cup flour
    • 1/2 quart milk
    • 3 oz Gruyere cheese, grated
    • 4 oz extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated
    • 1/4 tsp pepper
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • dash of grated nutmeg
    Directions:
    1. Preheat oven to 350°.
    2. To roast garlic: Slice ½ inch off the top of the entire head of garlic. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Wrap garlic head tightly in a square of heavy foil and roast until tender — about 45 minutes. Remove garlic pulp by squeezing garlic head. Smash cloves with a fork to form a paste.
    3. Cook pasta according to package directions.
    4. Cook bacon completely. Drain on paper towels. Reserve 1 tablespoon of bacon fat. Crumble bacon when cool.
    5. To make topping: Combine breadcrumbs, crumbled bacon, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, and 1 tablespoon of melted butter. Set aside.
    6. Preheat oven to 375°.
    7. Sauté shallots over low heat in reserved bacon fat for one minute. Add remaining 3 tablespoons of butter and continue to sauté shallots in butter and bacon fat until translucent.
    8. Add flour and continue to cook for 1-2 minutes. Increase heat to medium. Stirring constantly with a whisk, add milk and roasted garlic paste.
    9. Cook until sauce is thickened (coats the back of a spoon). Remove sauce from heat then add salt, pepper, nutmeg, Gruyere and Cheddar cheeses. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if necessary.
    10. Stir in cooked pasta. Pour into baking dish. Sprinkle topping to cover entire top (I used all the topping and it was a little too much, so maybe use less or make less). 
    11. Cover with foil and bake 15 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking until sauce is bubbly and topping is browned. Enjoy! 
     Fruit Salad with a Lemon-Lime Sauce
    I love eating fruit with fruit dip, so I thought...why not make a fruit salad tossed in a tart fruit dip?  It turned out quite good!
    Ingredients:
    (serves 4)
    • 1/4 package of cream cheese (softened)
    • 1 cup whipped cream (or to taste)
    • 1 1/2 tbs. lemon juice (or to taste)
    • 1 1/2 tbs. lime juice (or to taste)
    • Apples (sliced thin like fries)
    • Strawberries (sliced)
    • Raspberries

    Directions:

    1.  Mix the cream cheese, whipped cream, lemon, and lime juice.
    2. Add the fruit and toss.

    Dessert...

    Apple Cake Pops
    *Recipe from Bakerella
    It's a cute idea to give an apple to your teacher, but I guarantee they would prefer to get an apple made out of cake!
    Ingredients:
    • 1 box cake mix (I used red velvet) + the ingredients on the box to make the cake
    • 1 tub of vanilla frosting
    • 1 pound red melting chocolate
    • Lolipop sticks
    • Large round green sprinkles
    • Pretzel sticks
    • White fondant
    • Black edible marker
    Directions:
    1. Bake the cake according to the directions on the box.
    2. After the cake is completely cooled, crumble it using a fork until there are no more large pieces.
    3. Mix in 2/3 of the frosting.
    4. Form the cake/frosting mixture into balls, pressing the top and bottom with your finger to create an apple shape.
    5. Place the cake balls in the freezer for 15 minutes to firm up.
    6. Melt the chocolate in the microwave.  I melt it in a mug because you need it to be at least 3 inches deep for dipping.
    7. Dip the tip of a lollipop stick into the melted frosting and then insert halfway into a cake ball.
    8. Dip the cake ball into the melted frosting covering completely.  
    9. Gently tap the lollipop stick to let the excess chocolate drip off.
    10. Put part of a pretzel stick in the top of the cake pop.
    11. Add 1/2 a green dot sprinkle for the leaf.
    12. Put the cake pop in a block of Styrofoam or a piece of cardboard with holes punched in it so the pop stands up to dry.
    13. Once dry, add fondant eyes and draw on the facial features.
    Good Luck in the New School Year!
    This dinner is a bit involved, but is well worth it.  I made the cake pops the day before and then did the prep work (like cutting things up and measuring ingredients) earlier in the day to help things move more smoothly.  After eating this dinner you will be ready to conquer anything the new school year brings you!





      Saturday, September 3, 2011

      Summer's Last Hurrah - A Perfect Labor Day Picnic Meal

      With Labor Day comes the sad ending to summer. As a teacher I have to go back to work and everyone starts getting ready for the cooler weather. However, everyone enjoys a long holiday weekend and hopefully this Labor Day meal will help you enjoy it even more! Get your grill ready...or your stove if you live in an apartment like me :)

      Drink...Shandy
      It's still summer, so I decided to make a light, refreshing drink that tastes great on a hot day.
      Shandy originates from the United Kingdom. It is simply beer mixed with carbonated lemonade. How much more refreshing can it get?
      Ingredients:
      (makes 2 drinks)
      • 2 12oz bottles of beer (I used Paulaner Hefeweizen because it is a light wheat beer that goes well with citrus flavor. However, my beer expert, Doug, thinks a Belgian wheat beer would go better in this. Ex: Hoegaarden)
      • 8oz of sparkling lemonade (I used Trader Joe's brand, but I think other brands taste much better. Try using San Pellegrino.)
      • Raspberries for garnish
      Directions:
      1. Pour each 12oz beer into a glass.
      2. Add 4oz of sparkling lemonade to each glass. Stir.
      3. Garnish with a few raspberries floating on top.
      Dinner...Grilled Brats with a Savory Beer Sauce
      *recipe taken from http://www.bratwurstpages.com/bratrecipe1.html
      Everyone knows bratwurst is delicious
      and a great picnic food. This recipe improves upon traditional American bratwurst by adding a sauce. 
      Ingredients:
      (Serves 4)
      • 4 bratwurst
      • 2 12oz bottles of beer
        (Use a dark, flavorful beer. I used Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout.)
      • 1 onion
      • 1/2 a green pepper
      • 7 oz (1/2 a can) of stewed tomatoes
      • 1 tbs brown sugar
      • 1 tbs flour
      • 4 brat buns
      • mustard
      Directions:
      1. Cut 1/2 of the onion into slices and place in a skillet.
      2. Put the bratwurst in the skillet with the onions and pour one of the bottles of beer over the brats and onions.
      3. Parboil the brats for 20 minutes. (Do not let the beer boil or the brats will burst...just a light simmer)
      4. While the brats are cooking, begin making the sauce in a saucepan. Chop the other half of the onion and the green pepper and place in a pan.
      5. Add the stewed tomatoes, brown sugar, and the other bottle of beer to the onion and green peppers. Simmer the ingredients together for 15-20 minutes. Do not let it boil. After the sauce has cooked for at least 15 minutes stir in the flour to thicken it.
      6. When the brats are done parboiling, pour out the beer and either grill the brats, or if you don't have a grill, cook them in a pan until all the sides are golden brown.
      7. Place the brats in the buns. Top with the sauce and mustard.
      Corn on the Cob with Smoky Lime Butter
      *This recipe was created by Doug 
      This is a great twist on the original corn on the cob. The lime flavor makes it extra summery! 
      Ingredients:
      (serves 4)
      • 4 ears of corn
      • 4 tbs butter
      • 1 tsp of ground cumin
      • 2 tsp of chili powder
      • 3 tsp lime juice
      • Salt
      Directions:
      1. Cook the ears of corn. (You can boil the corn, but I use a method I learned from my Grandad - microwave it! Wrap the ears in Saran Wrap and microwave for 2 minutes or until hot. Surprisingly, they come out just as crisp and delicious as when they are boiled...as long as you don't microwave them too long.)
      2. Melt the butter in a saucepan.
      3. Add the cumin, lime juice, and chili powder and mix well.
      4. Pour over the ears of corn.
      5. Salt the corn before eating.
      Dessert...Cheeseburger Cupcakes with Sugar Cookie Fries
      These are perfect for a picnic. They taste delicious and look so real they even fooled one of my friends who thought she was biting into a real cheeseburger, but was pleasantly surprised with a cupcake!
      Ingredients:
      • 1 box chocolate cake mix + ingredients listed on box to make cake
      • 1 box yellow cake mix + ingredients listed on box to make cake
      • 1 tub of vanilla frosting (divided and dyed green, yellow, red, and tan)
      • 1 log of refrigerated sugar cookie dough
      Directions:
      1. Bake the chocolate and yellow cupcakes according to the directions on the box.
      2. After cupcakes have cooled, remove liners and cut the tops off the chocolate cupcakes and discard, or eat :)
      3. Slice the bottoms of the chocolate cupcakes in half horizontally so you have thin round cakes that look like hamburger patties.
      4. Cut the yellow cupcakes in half horizontally (this will be the top and bottom of the bun).
      5. Place the bottom of a yellow cupcake on a plate, then put the sliced brown cupcake (hamburger patty) on top of it. Add green, yellow, and red icing around the top of the patty to represent lettuce, mustard, and ketchup.
      6. Place the top of the sliced yellow cupcake on top of the patty and icing. Put dots of tan icing on top of the bun to look like sesame seeds.
      7. Roll the sugar cookie dough out until it is flat and 1/4 inch thick. Bake the dough according to package directions. You will probably need to add extra time since you are baking it as a whole large cookie.
      8. Get ready to move fast because you must cut the "fries" out while the cookie dough is still hot or they will crack and break! As soon as the cookie dough is done baking, remove from the oven and use a pizza cutter to cut the dough into small strips for the fries.
      9. Let the fries cool and place them around the hamburgers. You can even add a little cup of red icing as "ketchup" to dip the fries in.
      Happy Labor Day!
      Now you have a summer meal to help celebrate the long weekend, so, grab some friends, a picnic basket, and find a patch of grass to relax and enjoy a holiday meal without doing too much labor!




      Welcome!

      Since moving to New York City I have noticed that my fiance and I are eating less and less home-cooked meals and more and more frozen Trader Joe's meals. This has happened partly because of cost (groceries are a bit more expensive here), partly because of taste (Trader Joe's has some delicious frozen foods), and mostly because of convenience (frozen meals cook faster and we don't have to go to five different stores to get all the ingredients we need).


      Even though the frozen meals are delicious, we get tired of eating the same thing over and over. I also enjoy cooking and miss doing it.  Even more so, I love eating!  So...along came my idea for this blog. In writing this I hope to cook more and make cooking more fun by creating themed meals. For readers, I hope you find some good ideas and are inspired to do more home-cooking yourselves. Enjoy!