Chocolate Cream Cheese Tunnel Cake

I found this recipe on Pinterest:  http://beautyandbedlam.com/easy-chocolate-cream-cheese-cake-with-hint-of-coffee/  I think next time, I would half the cream cheese filling. It was a little much for my taste.









Printable Version
Ingredients:
1-1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 (8ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 - (18.25 oz.) chocolate cake mix
3/4 cup cold coffee
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
2/3 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, grease and flour 10 inch tube or bundt pan
1. Melt 1 1/4 cups chocolate chips in double boiler over simmering water. (I just did mine in the microwave in 30 second increments)
2. With electric mixer, combine cream cheese, sugar, milk, and melted chocolate
3. Beat until smooth. Set aside
4. Combine cake mix, coffee, oil, and eggs, and beat with electric mixer for 4 minutes.
5. Pour into prepared pan.
6. Sprinkle with nuts (optional)
7. Mound cream cheese mixture onto the top of cake mixture around the tube, but do not spread to touch sides of pan.
8. Bake 350 degrees about 55 minutes or until top springs back when pressed lightly in center
9. Cool upright in pan one hour before inverting.
To make glaze:
Heat 1/2 cup cream in small saucepan over medium heat until it just begins to boil. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup chocolate chips until melted and smooth. Drizzle warm glaze over cooled cake. Store, covered, in refrigerator. Makes 12 servings.

Crispy Chicken with Honey Mustard and French Fried Onions

This recipe comes from Six Sisters.   Crispy Chicken with Honey Mustard and French Fried Onions
This is a great recipe. These chicken breasts were big enough that I just gave Jud one and cut the other in 1/2. Now we have enough for another meal.  I absolutely love when that happens.

Crispy Onion Chicken Recipe:

(Makes 4 servings)

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3/4 cup honey mustard (I didn't have honey mustard so I used Dijon Mustard w/ a little mayonnaise and honey. 
2 cups French's French Fried Onions, crushed

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Dip each chicken breast in honey mustard then coat in crushed French fried onions.  Place in a baking dish lined with foil and sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.  Cook for 30-35 minutes, or until cooked through.

Herb and Garlic Roast Pork Loin with Honey Mustard Sauce

This recipe comes from Food Network Kitchen http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/herb-and-garlic-roast-pork-loin-with-honey-mustard-sauce-recipe.html
I was testing it for a dinner party that I am having, but decided to do the pork in a bag. It was not because we didn't like it. We thought it was great, but I needed a dish that I could put in the oven and leave it during church. This was suppose to cook in 45 min. And I wanted it to be warm when I got home from church so it could rest while we got everything else on the table.
Printable Version


Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds boneless pork loin
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup panko crumbs
1/3 plus 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 whole heads garlic, roasted
3 tablespoons honey
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Sprinkle the pork with salt and pepper. Heat a large, ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil; add the pork and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides. Transfer the pork to a cutting board.
2. Return the skillet to medium heat. Add the butter, thyme, parsley, rosemary, and garlic; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 min. Stir in the panko and 1 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring, until the panko is golden brown, about 2 min. Transfer the toasted breadcrumbs to a piece of wax or parchment paper.
3. Brush the pork with 2 tablespoons of the mustard and roll in the toasted breadcrumbs to coat. Return the coated pork to the skillet. Halve the garlic heads crosswise and add to the skillet. Roast until an instant read thermometer inserted into the center of the pork registers 145 degrees F, about 45 minutes. Transfer the pork and garlic to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, place the skillet over medium-low heat. Add the honey, remaining 1/3 cup mustard, and 1/4 cup water and stir until combined. Simmer until the mixture is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Slice the pork and serve with the roasted garlic and the mustard sauce

Cream of Cauliflower and Cheese Soup

This recipe comes from The Big Book of Soups and Stews by Maryana Vollstedt. Love this book. Most of my soup recipes come from this cookbook. I put the fennel fronds on the top just for the picture. Even Jud, who needs meat, liked it. It would make a great first course.





Printable version
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 stalk celery, chopped
4-5 cups chopped cauliflower (about 1 3/4 pounds)
2 cups chicken stock or broth (homemade is best)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper (I used black- I don't mind black on white)
1 cup 1/2 and 1/2
1 cup (about 4 oz. ) grated Monterey Jack cheese
chopped parsley for topping (I didn't have any so I just used the fennel fronds for the picture)
2 tablespoons chopped raw cauliflower for topping (optional) I didn't use it.
In a soup pot over medium heat, melt butter. Add onion, garlic, and celery and saute' until tender, about 5 minutes. Add cauliflower, stock, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until cauliflower is tender, about 15 minutes.

Transfer to a food processor or blender in batches and puree. Return to pot and add 1/2 and 1/2 and cheese. Whisk until cheese is melted and soup is smooth, about 5 minutes. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with parsley and chopped cauliflower, if desired.

Saffron Risotto with Butternut Squash

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/butternut-squash-risotto-recipe.html

    This recipe comes from Ina Garten and I think it may be the best

side dish that I have ever tasted. It is a little labor intensive, but oh so worth it.  I made my massaged kale salad and grilled salmon. May be my favorite meal ever. (Have I said that before?)







Printable version
Ingredients:
1 butternut squash (2 pounds)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
2 ounces pancetta, diced (I bought a 4 oz. package that was already diced and it was not too much)
1/2 cup minced shallots (2 large)
1 1/2 cups Aborio rice (10 oz. )
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon saffron threads (I happen to have some, but you could probably leave it out)
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Peel the butternut squash, remove the seeds, and cut it into 3/4 inch cubes. You should have about 6 cups.  Place the squash on a sheet pan and toss it with the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Roast for 25-30 minutes, tossing once, until very tender. Set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the chicken stock in a small covered saucepan. Leave it on low heat to simmer.

In a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute' the pancetta and shallots on medium-low heat for 10 minutes, until the shallots are translucent but not browned. Add the rice and stir to coat the grains with butter. Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes. Add 2 full ladles of stock to the rice plus the saffron, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stir, and simmer until the stock is absorbed, 5-10 minutes. Continue to add the stock, 2 ladles at a time, stirring every few minutes. Each time, cook until the mixture seems a little dry, then add more stock. Continue until the rice is cooked through, but still al dente, about 30 minutes total. Off the heat, add the roasted squash cubes and Parmesan cheese. Mix well and serve.

Marcella Hazan advises that correct heat is important in making risotto. It should be "lively"; too high heat and the grains don't cook evenly, and too low heat will result in a gluey mess. It should cook in 30 minutes.

You can use bacon instead of pancetta if you so desire.