I'm Baaaaaack!!

Well, it has been well over a year since my last recipe posting......and a whole lot has happened, so I do have excuses galore! In the past year, I've moved, started a new job, gotten engaged (which sparked the former two events), adopted a pooch with my future hubby, and have just recently settled down a bit. Sighhhhhhh.

So...my recipe posts now take us to a whole new level, as the new place has a gas stove (yippeee!!), a terribly old and temperamental oven (booo!), and I now have some incredible pots and pans (Calphalon Unison non-stick!!) that make me a much better cook altogether! Since life has taken me on some crazy twists and turns over the past year, I am just now taking some "me" time to cook up some delicious meals, spoil the pooches (and cat!), and of course the future hubs. I have an archive of photos of many things I've conjured up over the year....and will start to post these recipes so that I (and perhaps you!) will find it easier to decide what's on the menu tonight! :)

Cheesecake for the Traveling Baker

Sooo....as many of you know, I've had some difficulties transporting cheesecakes solo to their designated spots. My first attempt almost left me in tears, as I had to slam on the brakes during construction season as someone cut me off...the whole thing was a big ol' mess upon arrival.....my next attempt was a bit better, although the sides of the cheesecake suffered a little smushing as I made slow, but sharp turns on the way to work..... I was a bit apprehensive about making another one of these delectable desserts this summer, but since it was our intern's last day at Weg...and he said it was his fave dessert....I figured I'd suck it up and try something different.....

I've modified the original recipe for cheesecake just a little in order to make a more transportable dessert. Follow the instructions for my regular cheesecake, however add 1/2 more block (4 ounces) of cream cheese, and increase baking time to 1 and 1/2 hours, or just until set. This will yield a bit of a thicker cheesecake, but still creamy enough and light/airy enough to be super delicious and not too heavy and/or dry.

I decided to make this cheesecake for Adi a true indulgence and whipped up a recipe for real ganache topping.... This stuff refrigerates well and makes a nice, solid topping....also very friendly for car transportation when you are driving solo! Omit the lemon zest in the original recipe for the cheesecake batter if you are going to top the cheesecake with chocolate.... the lemon zest works much better for a fruit-topped dessert.... instead, add 1-2 teaspoonsful of pure vanilla extract to the cream cheese mixture.

For 1 9-inch cheesecake ganache topping, you will need the following:

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 and 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (use the good stuff....Ghirardelli chips are terrific!)

Directions:

1. Heat the whipping cream and vanilla in medium saucepan just until almost boiling. Stir constantly and do not allow to boil over. (Don't even think about multi-tasking at this point...watch the stove!)

2. Have the chocolate chips ready in a medium bowl and pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate.

3. Stir well until you get a uniform, spreadable chocolate mixture.

4. Spread over cooled cheesecake using a spatula if you have one, or just a plain non-serrated knife.

5. Refrigerate at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

I prefer the fruit-topped cheesecakes when I indulge, but this dessert was pretty over-the-top. It is a total caloric bomb, but totally worth the occasional splurge! I'm pretty excited to finally have a recipe down that will allow for easy transport! :) If you are like me, and love fruit toppings, dip several small strawberries in the ganache and adorn the outside edge with berries for a super fancy decorative addition! If this whole pharmacy thing starts to get dull, perhaps I will be good enough to open up shop some day and have a less stressful job as a baker! ;) Adi- It was great to have you with us for those short five weeks......you will go far in life...keep up the great work!!

Summer Grillin' .....Pork 'N Peaches

As the weather heats up, the last thing any of us want to do is turn up the heat in our kitchens and make our living quarters feel like ovens! Hence, the perfect solution to making awesome meals while it's scorching hot out.....the GRILL! I love the grill, and wish I had more skills using this amazing outdoor "oven"! Everything tastes so good coming in from the outdoor cooking- if I have a deck in the future, I may be a year-round griller and perfect my not-so-great grill skillz!

Anyways, this recipe is from Cooking Light magazine and is super duper easy and super duper quick to prepare. For this recipe, which feeds four if you are using 4 ounce pork cutlets.. you will need the following:



4 (4 ounce) boneless center-cut pork loin chops

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, divided

2 Tbsp fresh lime juice

3 tsp chopped fresh thyme (Fresh makes all the difference- avoid the dry herbs in this recipe!)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

4 large peaches, pitted/halved and peeled, if you like

cooking spray

6 cups trimmed arugula

1 tsp turbinado sugar or granulated sugar


Directions:

1. Place each piece of pork between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap and pound each to about 1/4 inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. (I skipped this step.....but the pork does come out more tender if you follow this instruction.....I marinated my pork before I realized it needed pounding!)

2. Combine 2 tbsp vinegar, juice, thyme, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Reserve 1 tbsp of this mixture and set aside. Pour the remaining mixture into a large Ziploc bag, add the pork, seal and marinate in fridge for at least 1 hour, turning occasionally.

3. Preheat the grill to medium heat

4. Place peaches, cut sides UP, on a plate - drizzle with remaining 2 tbsp of the vinegar.

5. Place marinated pork on grill rack coated with cooking spray- grill 3 minutes on each side or until the pork is done. (If you do not pound out the chops, this may take roughly 10 minutes each side....watch the grill so you don't burn dinner! ;)

6. Place peaches, cut sides DOWN, onto the grill rack and grill 4 minutes or until soft and slightly browned. Turn and cook 2 more minutes or until heated through.

7. Remove peaches from grill and slice each half into 4 slices. Slice the pork into 1 inch thick strips.

8. Drizzle the reserved juice mixture on the the arugula and toss to coat evenly. Divide arugula evenly among plates, top with grilled pork strips and peach slices. Sprinkle dish evenly with turbinado sugar.


Viola! Dinner is done! If you marinate the pork the day before, this meal will literally take 20 minutes tops! An added bonus- no hot kitchen to do dishes in, and very little clean-up! :) I will be making this one lots of times this summer- the balsamic vinegar with the peaches is an unusual but delish combo, and pork is a great alternative to the usual chicken! If you don't like arugula, baby spinach would make a great alternative for the bed of greens! Happy grilling everyone! If you have some tried and true grilling recipes for me, feel free to share!! Becoming a master griller is on my list of things to learn this summer! ;)

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bites

All ya need is the kitchen sink. These chewy, addictive delights have it all- we've got the oats, we've got the oooey goooey salty peanut buttery goodness, we've got chocolate chips....... Seriously, people....what more could we add??? (Ok, I guess we could add a lot more...but this is quite the delish combo of flavors- why mess with perfection?!;)

I recently had a weak moment at Barnes and Noble ( I am a total dork and absolutely LOVE this store.....not only because there is a Starbucks in my local one, but because I can always find something that I can read and/or learn about.....Sighhh...I am a bookworm....if only there was more free time to read!). Anyways....I found this great book by Better Homes and Gardens called The Ultimate Cookie Book. I've already concocted a handful of recipes and loooove them all! Everything (so far) came out fantastic ...and these cookies were one of my favorites. The recipe caught my eye because the little blurb about these peanut-buttery treats stated that they were pretty much indestructable and could tolerate even the worst abuse at the post office. (Saaaaweeeeeet!!! ) The post office man knows me by name in my little village and when he asks if there are any perishables ....and I say "cookies"....he always jokes that the package may not make it to its final destination. He's a jolly man and definitely looks like he could down some desserts....I may have to drop off a batch for him and the post office crew sometime this summer...He (so far) has made sure my care packages always make it to their designated spots :)

Soo...if you are looking for a recipe that is sturdy...yet chewy, soft....but not too soft, gooey...but not melty... this recipe is for you. Bake up a batch and mail it to your loved ones....and try to keep your paws (and your furballs' paws!) out of the dough...it is tempting! Add a pair of running shoes or a Jane Fonda video in your care package to ward off the guilt ;)

For 1 batch of cookies (which makes enough to treat your coworkers, as well as your loved ones far away....about 4 dozen).... you will need the following:

1 cup butter, softened ( I love the new I Can't Believe It's Not Butter for Baking- works great and much healthier!)

1 cup creamy or chunky peanut butter (I used Jiff Natural Creamy....one of my faves)

2 cups packed brown sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

2 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups rolled oats ( I used old-fashioned Quaker oats- love 'em!)

1 cup milk chocolate pieces ( I used semi-sweet chips instead.....it was hot and I thought they may be a little more heat-stable!)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In large mixing bowl, beat butter/margarine and peanut butter with electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds or so, until nice and creamy.

3. Add the brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Beat well until combined, scraping bowl at least once. (I absolutely loooooove my new KitchenAid mixer ...my sister spoils me rotten and bought it for me for my birthday, and it is the most amazing gadget ever! Thanks Dorothy!!! I love it!!!:) If you are using a mixer, make sure to use the regular mixing attachment for this portion of the mixing, not the creaming attachment or dough hook.

4. Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined.

5. Beat in the flour.

6. Stir in the oats and the chocolate pieces. Use a spoon for this, or if you do have the fancy mixer, set the speed on "low" to mix everything gently.

7. Drop dough by rounded teaspoonsful, 2 inches apart, on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden brown.

8. Let stand 1 minute on cookie sheet before transferring to wire rack to cool completely.

I am sure this recipe will be making its way into the mail again........it makes a ton of cookies, so even my co-workers got to try this newbie out! A nice change from the usual chocolate-chip....make this recipe next time you feel like sending a lil sweet something through the Pony Express ;)

Next to come....a great (and fast!) summery dinner recipe that involves my favorite summer kitchen "gadget"......the GRILL!!

I hope you are all enjoying the start of summer......it has been off to a busy start for me...as I am sure it is for you too!! Lots of celebrations and congrats are in order.......Congrats to Jen, who has graduated with her nursing degree and will be leaving us this summer...Congrats to Ellen, who is also leaving us soon and getting married!!.... and to Teresa/Dennis on the birth of their first child...Baby Owen!! Lots of exciting things are happening this summer ......and lots of new summer recipes for me to concoct during my "free" time! Enjoy! :)

( I'm including a recent photo of the pooch- all spiffed up after a trip to a new groomer......after rolling in muddy grass from all the recent rainfall......she came out sparkling from the puppy "spa" ! :)

In Memory of Cocoa

I came back from DC to a mailbox overflowing with bills, magazines, junk mail, ......and a small pink envelope from Maddy....Cocoa's adopted mom, who we call "Mom #2". Maddy sent me cards from Cocoa for all sorts of holidays, even for Mother's Day! They always made me smile and reassured me that Cocoa was being a good boy and was also well taken care of.

Before I continue, I should let those of you who are unaware know that I've had a chocolate brown guinea pig by the name of Cocoa since my 3rd year of college (2001-2002). Cocoa was a Christmas gift that year from an old boyfriend and I must admit, the most unusual and most unexpected gift I have ever received. Cocoa kept me company through long nights of studying until dawn, through various car trips home for the holidays, and through my somewhat lonely adjustment from college life in Buffalo to grown-up life in central NY. Cocoa was a sweet, gentle furball who would squeak like crazy every time I opened the fridge, hoping I'd toss him a carrot stick or a dandelion green (one of his fave foods!). He made me laugh countless times and was a very spunky little guy. Maddy adopted Cocoa when Bella came into my life. Maddy's guinea pig (Daizy) had passed and she had more time to devote to caring for Cocoa than I did while training Bella, so Maddy and her husband lovingly welcomed Cocoa into their lives.

I had a feeling the pink envelope would bring sad news.....and it did. After 7 years or so bringing smiles to both Maddy and me, Cocoa passed on May 17th. It's funny how attached you can become to such a small ball of fur and how sad the news is even after three years of living with his "adopted mom". Maddy did a great job taking care of Cocoa and I would not have trusted anyone else with his well-being. She continued feeding him his favorite snacks (loved those yogurt drops and cherry tomatoes!), cleaning out his cage, and spending time with him playing and watching TV. We both know that Cocoa had a fantastic life and, at seven years old, age got the best of him. I admit, I am a sap and cried when I got the note.....people like me should probably not be allowed to have pets because of the inevitable..... but knowing that he had such a great life and was given so much attention and love makes me feel a little less sad.

Thank you, Maddy for being such a great Mom #2!!! Your cards and pictures will keep my memories alive and I am glad we could both enjoy Cocoa's company at different stages of our lives! RIP Cocoa- Bella sends kisses.......

Congratulations Graduates!!

Now that things have finally calmed down a bit, I am back in business with the recipe postings...... With Mother's Day, my dad's B-Day, my sis's B-day, and Ryan's graduation all out of the way, I am back into the leisurely art of blogging :) I hope you are all doing well and perhaps have a few new recipes for me to try out? I am happy to say I've acquainted yet another wanna-be chef with Cooking Light's website and have gotten some great feedback- you may want to check the site out yourselves at times I leave you hanging! :)

Anyways, CONGRATULATIONS to all you graduates out there!!!! Grabby (my little pseudo pharmacist) has finished her studies for the time being at St. John Fisher, Jess and Tim are now both awaiting licensure and have hit the ground running out of University @ Buffalo and Albany College of Pharmacy, respectively. (Both will be amazing at their jobs!) ....and of course, congratulations to Ryan....who graduated from University of Maryland this past weekend and definitely made us all proud! (and is solely responsible for my passing of Calc I and II !!)I am excited for all of our graduates......bright futures are ahead of you all, even in this not-so-bright economy! (There is a Mathematics major wanted for even MY field of work!;)I know you guys will change lives and give it your best everywhere you go!!

Where does the time fly?? I still remember when I graduated and it definitely does not seem like almost 4 years have passed since then!! Time seems to be running away from me lately and I am realizing more and more just how important it is to savor the good times and make the most of of life as it comes my way.......speaking of savoring.... a recipe for some summery snickerdoodles is to come.....however laundry is calling, so that must wait until tomorrow. In the meantime, I hope you all had a relaxing Memorial Day weekend and a happy time celebrating with your graduates! (My long weekend in DC was fun- great food, great company, and even a beer or two and a baseball game at the fairly new Nationals Stadium! Thank you to all who made it wonderful....and to Ryan for trying to smile for a million photos in the sweltering heat! You did great! (Check out his snazzy velvet beret in the above photos! ;) May is winding down and summer is close at hand.........finally! :) Hard to believe that we're half-way through the week tomorrow!! Have a great Wednesday everyone!

Double Trouble Double-Chocolate Cookies

Just what the doctor ordered after an Easter season filled with huge chocolate bunnies, bags of jelly beans, marshmallow Peeps, and other healthy delights.......is this recipe for double chocolate cookies!!! These were actually made prior to the Easter season and accompanied the brownies to DC, making a pit stop in Binghamton to share the indulgence!! The cookies are thick, chewy, and very tasty. If you are a fan of my chocolate chip cookies, then you would looooove these!! I prefer chewy cookies over crisp (unless we're talkin' biscotti!), so these are on my list of favorites....

For once batch of cookies....yielding about 1 and 1/2 dozen... you will need the following:

1/2 cup unsalted butter ( I used unsalted margarine instead)

2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 and 1/4 cup SELF RISING flour

3/4 cup rolled oats

4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

4 ounces white chocolate (not white baking pieces....actual chocolate, with cocoa butter)


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets and set aside.

3. Cream the butter or margarine with the sugar in a bowl until pale and fluffy.

4. Add the egg and vanilla extract. Beat well to mix.

5. Sift the flour over the mixture and fold in lightly with a metal spoon.

6. Add the oats and chopped chocolates and stir until mixed well.

7. Place small spoonsful of the mixture in rocky mounds onto the prepared cookie sheets, about 2 inches apart.

8. Bake for 15- 20 minutes until pale golden color develops. Cool 2-3 minutes on baking sheets, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.


This recipe, and the brownie recipe as well, are both from an old cookbook by Hilaire Walden called Cookies: Irresistible Biscuits, Brownies, and Bars. I used 8 ounces of semisweet chocolate and only 2 ounces of white chocolate in this recipe because I had a weak moment and devoured the ears off of the white chocolate bunny I had purchased to make this recipe with. Ooops. (Note to self: never bake cookies before dinner, while you are starving for real food. You may not have enough recipe ingredients to finish your baked product! Oh well.....the ears were yummy and my dinner ended up being a bowl of Campbell's soup as punishment!)

These double chocolate cookies travel well and would be a nice treat with a tall glass of milk on a chilly evening. The kiddies would go nuts for these too- nuke them in the microwave for a few seconds and serve them with cold milk for the occasional sweet snack. You never want to dig into a plate full of cookies without a protein accompaniment, as this can cause a rapid rise in blood sugar and eventually may lead to diabetes if you are not careful. This is why desserts are less of a danger if you have them following an actual meal...and unhealthy snacks such as cookies are a little bit less of a danger paired with milk or yogurt. I think all foods are ok in moderation, but there are definitely ways of incorporating the less healthy options without sacrificing the health of your loved ones. Diabetes is now an epidemic in the US and even though I love to bake, I try to limit how often I serve up the truly naughty stuff! All in all, cookies are treats- not meals (unless you have a cookie monster in your house- then hide these bad boys in a safe place!!)- so a cookie or two once in a while isn't gonna kill anyone:) Ok. That is my pharmacist health and safety disclosure on the sugary stuff ;)

Today is a super duper gloomy day, thus confining me to the indoors and allowing me to update this blog with all my latest creations. The rain is falling, it is unusually dark, and the smiling face of Paula Deen is on my TV as I catch up on emails, type out these recipes, and run around cleaning. I've managed to do a massive load of laundry this weekend and am trying to finish spring cleaning my spare room. There is just so much stuff in there- magazines stacked on the floor and a pile of bills and receipts to be filed away- I hate paperwork. I've recently switched most of my stuff to paperless options and am hoping this will help with the overabundance of mail. I'm halfway there- my goal is to finish this week so I can finally start organizing.

I love organization- it makes me feel at peace and less crazed! Clutter kills me and I have once again made a decent pile of bags for donation. I really like the concept of "out with the old, in with the new"- if a new outfit enters my closet, an old outfit that has not been worn in years must leave. Sadly, the sparkly RU21 shirts really have no place in my closet anyways...I am too old to even own clothing from stores like that! The remainder of my stash has been laid to rest. So sad....but I'm coming to terms with this and dressing my age, finally. I guess I don't wanna become a 30-year old in teen's clothing....looking like I haven't really grasped the concept of maturity. I always make fun of those ladies...hehe...I admit it, they look ridiculous!! The too-short, too-cleaveged, too-tight "look" hardly looks classy! One of my favorite shows on TLC ( I realize that I am a total nerd) is What Not to Wear and I realized that some of the things you shouldn't do, I do. What's wrong with going out in my Buffalo tee shirt and 3 inch shorts to grocery shop? Apparently, at almost 30, a whole lot. I've donated my short shorts and kept ones that don't make me look like a wanna-be 18-year old. Here's to looking like a nun! (Hehe kidding....only kidding....there are lots of cute clothes for ladies in their late 20's!!) I can't part with my PINK collection from Vicky's Secret though...those comfy, cozy, super soft sweat pants and sweatshirts are appropriate at any age, TLC be damned! ;)

Anyways, on the concept of organization...I'm trying to follow the same concept with my dog's toys, too. I know it sounds trivial, but those half-chewed, half-shredded, de-squeaked toys can really start to accumulate if you let them! They overtook my living room before I stepped in and tossed the ruined ones....they were everywhere!!! I'm definitely in Spring mode.....out with the old, in with the new!!! I'm excited about starting the organization process......now if only I could get off my tush and go back to the stash of papers in my spare room....... Happy Spring Cleaning (and sweet baking!!) Everyone!! :) (Bella seems to have devoured her food a little too quickly again as I sat here typing....I hear my first mess to spring clean. Yuck!!!)