chile rellenos

today’s fabulous guest blogger is in exile here in dc from texas, and she’s always telling me i don’t know what real mexican food is. i have to say, i’m super impressed by how easy, healthy and straightforward this recipe is, but i’m still looking forward to my first trip to the lone star state. hook ’em!

this was my first attempt at making chile rellenos, and i must say that i’m quite pleased. this recipe is the trifecta of goodness: easy, filling and tasty.  it takes only moments to make and has minimal prep work. i didn’t fry the chiles so they are still a bit crunchy, which is a wonderful combination with the melted cheese and green sauce.

what you will need:

enough green chiles for the number of people you want to feed, plus a few extra for the filling
about 5 cups of shredded monterrey jack cheese
green chile sauce

start by cutting off the top of the chile and scooping out the seeds.  next slice the chile lengthwise but leave the very end of the chile intact so it makes a nice pocket for the cheese.

take any extra chiles, dice them, and add them to the shredded cheese. this can be done ahead of time and stored for up to a day in the handy prep bowls ms. ICF shows off. [editor’s note: prep bowls]

use a generous handful of shredded cheese to stuff the chiles. it’s okay if the chiles don’t close all the way.  i love cheese, so my rellenos are usually overflowing.

in a large skillet, over medium to high heat, place up to four chiles and let them bake. turn the chiles as they brown. it’s up to you when the chiles are done, i like mine almost charred.

finally, plate the chiles, sprinkle a little (or a lot) more cheese on top and drizzle green chile sauce over everything. i served ’em with black beans and jalapenos and washed them down with some white trash margaritas.

¡buen provecho!

how cool that she makes these healthy by eliminating the frying!!

white trash margaritas

i can’t even tell you how excited i am to present my first cocktail blog here at icf. today’s guest blogger jumped at the challenge and i don’t think you’ll be disappointed with her results! if anyone knows a good cocktail, it’s her! i would also like to mention that if some of the pictures are blurry, she had already been drinking for several hours when she mixed up this particular batch…

just when you thought icf couldn’t get any better, she starts featuring cocktail recipes!  i am very pleased to make a guest appearance on icf to share my favorite recipe for one of my favorite fun and festive drinks…MARGARITAS!

these ‘ritas are affectionately referred to as “white trash margaritas,” because the ingredient that makes them so special is a bottle of beer.  does the beer component really make it deserving of the title white trash?  i don’t know… i really don’t care … i just drink it.

i was first introduced to the white trash margarita at a baby shower of all places.  as the host of the party poured me one, she proudly explained that this would be one of the best margaritas i will ever have and she would be happy to give me the recipe.  ever skeptical… i took a sip, was hooked and promptly asked for the ingredient list.  now, i like tequila and i like beer… but tequila and beer mixed together? it’s quite magical.

to start, you will need a pitcher, ice cubes, tequila, any variety of lemon-lime soda, one bottle of mexican beer, and one can of frozen concentrate limeade.

fill the pitcher half way with ice cubes and empty the can of limeade into the pitcher.  use the empty limeade can to measure out equal parts tequila, lemon-lime soda, and beer.  ue sure to fill the limeade can to the brim with each ingredient. you wouldn’t want to short change yourself on the tequila or beer… or lemon-lime soda i guess.

mix together and enjoy!

this white trash margarita is the perfect companion to your mexican fiesta, football party, quiet evening at home… or even a baby shower!

mandarin cake

a fabulous and thoughtful friend-of-a-friend made this cake for a recent office birthday. the reviews were outstanding, so i was thrilled when she agreed to share her secret recipe with icf. she notes that this recipe is super easy and quick enough to make on a work night. how perfect for baking week?!

mandarin cake

1 box yellow cake mix (duncan hines works best)
eggs according to instructions on box (usually 3 large)
vegetable oil according to instructions on box (usually 1/3 cup)
1 11 oz can of mandarin oranges in juice

icing

1 large container of cool whip (thawed in refrigerator, larger than 8 oz if available)
1 20 oz can of crushed pineapple
1 box vanilla instant pudding

prepare cake batter according to instructions on box but do not add water. open can of oranges and reserve juice. pour orange slices into large measuring cup. roughly crush oranges with a fork. add juice to measuring cup until the level of liquid reaches the amount of water called for in the recipe on the box. add oranges and juice to other ingredients and beat at medium speed for two minutes. bake according to instructions on box. my recipe says to use three 9-inch pans but I only use two because i prefer high fluffy layers.

once the cake layers have cooled, combine cool whip, can of pineapple with juice and pudding mix in a large bowl. mix at medium speed until combined. fill and frost cake. refrigerate for at least three hours before serving. enjoy!

a note about cutting big round cakes. i picked up the technique at a recent wedding and test-drove it on this cake. first, cut a square in the middle of the cake. next, cut the outside into slices… and then cut the inside square into slices. that way you don’t get huge unwieldy wedges. it worked like a dream!

zucchini bread

today i’m so excited to kick off the first baking week here at icf!

i love baking – maybe even more than cooking – but i know that it intimidates a lot of people. so i’ve picked recipes that go from very simple (tuesday) to not quite as simple (friday), but i promise they are all doable for a beginning baker and produce pretty impressive results! oh, and mama bakes, too.

the first recipe comes from paula dean through a coworker who is also a fabulous baker. (have you noticed a trend? i work in a very multi-talented – and food-oriented! – office.) she is also responsible for the creepy pumpkin in this picture…

zucchini bread

3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup water
2 cups grated zucchini
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans [optional, of course]

preheat oven to 350 degrees.

in a large bowl, combine flour, salt, nutmeg, baking soda, cinnamon and sugar.

in a separate bowl, combine oil, eggs, water, zucchini and lemon juice.

mix wet ingredients into dry, add nuts and fold in. bake in 2 standard loaf pans, sprayed with nonstick spray, for 1 hour, or until a tester comes out clean.

alternately, bake in 5 mini loaf pans for about 45 minutes.

i know i once said that i don’t like sugar with my veggies, but this bread is definitely an exception. sooo moist!

a homemade week

i think i’ve told you about my bestie, the brand new mrs. b. she was the one with the incredible healthy life make-over, so i’m really proud to present her new healthy gallivanting in the kitchen!

good morning ICFers!  i’m so thrilled to have invited myself to write a guest post on my favorite food blog. i was absolutely thrilled when the ICF CEO conceived of this internet glimpse into my kitchen,  as i’ve been following her culinary adventures for almost 4 years {!!} as we are besties here in the district of columbia.  i’ve been threatening to guest post long before ICF was a condo-hold name and i’m ecstatic that i finally have something tasty to contribute to the land of ICF. As a fellow blogger, i find ICF enriching, enlightening and most of all delicious.

now that my flagrant ICF worship is complete, on with the yummies!  as a newly married career gal, i find feeding me and my husband on the week nights to be a challenge and a chore. this resulted, for the entirety of our engagement and the first month of marriage, in our eating out almost EVERY NIGHT of the working week. while we are both able to make good choices and not go hog wild on burgers and fries while we’re out, we quickly realized that our bank account could really use a reprieve from this constant abuse. plus all the fabulous gifts one is given to celebrate marriage {please see:  mixer, kitchen aid; griddler, cuisinart} were collecting dust. so, in a very enterprising move, as part of my day zero project , i’ve challenged myself to make dinner for my husband and i every single night of the week for one entire month. to prepare, i spent this past week scoping out delicious, healthy new recipes to prepare, eat and blog about. here is a sampler of what you’ll see over at wife and blog: {thank you for allowing such blatant blog plugging!!!}

day 1:  stuffed bell peppers

a huge hit. easily my husband’s new favorite dinner!

day 2:  mexican lasagna

no week is complete without some mexican in it! this recipe can really be vegged-out and light on the cheese to make it super healthy and filling! great for left overs!

day 2.5:  red velvet cake

a major icing disaster. ALWAYS consult your friendly neighborhood ICF before trying to make your own frosting!!

day 3:  homemade bbq chicken pizza

inspired by an old ICF favorite, this new twist left my husband begging for more {lucky for him there are about 78 days of left overs from this triumph!!}

day 4:  turkey burgers

getting lazy near the end, but turkey burgers a healthy, nutritious alternative to our favorite fast food guilty pleasure.

day 5:  homemade chicken alfredo

HOLY ALFREDO! this recipe made so much i might have to serve alfredo sauce for breakfast — for the next year.

and there you have it. 5 full days of delicious food plus two full weekend days full of delicious flavors. stop on over at wife and blog anytime for more of my forays into wifely kitchen-hood and to see if my new found prowess rubs off onto my husband!!

special thanks to ICF for inspiring this new homemade lifestyle and supplying one or more recipes for next week and countless support and tips!!

i can’t wait for my next dinner invitation from casa de wifeandblog!

mississippi mud cake

today’s guest blogger has been telling me about this recipe for a while and i was SO excited when she promised to bring some to share. let me tell you – it does NOT disappoint! make sure you eat your veggies first, because this dessert is full-on chocolaty goodness!

non-chocoholics need not apply.

coming from a long line of bakers and chocoholics, i’ve always loved making desserts for people. some of my earliest and fondest memories are of helping my mom bake her signature brownies or my grandma bake apple pies, licking many a batter bowl and cracking dozens of eggs. so when i was asked to be an ICF guest blogger, i jumped at the chance.

having spent my elementary school years in georgia before moving to virginia, i’ve always had a soft spot for all things southern. this surprisingly easy mississippi mud cake is no exception.

i started by mixing unsweetened cocoa with eggs, butter, vanilla, and sugar. i then mixed in flour and pecans.

once the cake was completely baked, i added mini marshmallows on top, baking until they were golden brown.

while the cake was baking, i made my simple chocolate frosting again using unsweetened cocoa powder. i then added the frosting to the still warm cake after it was pulled from the oven.

the secret is to put the cake in the refrigerator once it has cooled to let everything solidify. this rich cake is a close cousin to fudge and tastes great for days. i hear a slice and a tall glass of cold milk calling my name…

me too!

kdub’s individual potato casseroles

kdub and i certainly had some adventures in kitchen 805! she has taught me a lot and continues to impress me with her culinary creations. her cake lollipops are a particular favorite of mine, she’s a master of the slow cooker, and she throws a wicked dinner party. look forward to her being a recurring guest here at icf.

i am so honored to be icf’s guest blogger! i’ve known icf for years and i’m glad she’s finally blogging about her kitchen escapades.  this girl is one whiz in the kitchen and i will always cherish the super-secret family recipe passed down through generations (could be!) that she taught me how to make so many moons ago.  while you might think that’s what i’m going to share here today, sadly, you are mistaken. it wouldn’t be super-secret then, would it?? (more on that in my next post.)

“kdub’s individual potato casseroles” are what i made this weekend and take no time at all. i just had a birthday and was lucky enough to get what i’ve always wanted: a mandolin! it cuts foods super thin and in a variety of shapes. i used mine to slice a potato in 1/8” thick slices but you can easily use a knife it you’re careful.

see? easy, and i left the skin on.

next salt and pepper the potato slices and season with a bit of garlic powder. layer the slices in a ramekin with chopped red onion, sliced mushrooms, and some broccoli florets (or pretty much any vegetable you have laying around.)

continue to layer until you reach the top. scramble one raw egg in a bowl and pour over everything in the ramekin. it will drip down during the cooking process.

sprinkle (generously) cheese on top. i used a combo of cheddar and mozzarella. any will do.

bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes until the cheese in bubbling. enjoy right away!

editor’s note: shout out to her iphone for taking such great pictures!

steak

this week, instead of a guest blogger, we have a guest photographer! (and he’s a grade-a grill master, too!)

now THAT’S a plate of food!

[recipes for roasted garlic israeli couscous and red cabbage slaw to follow.]

upside-down cake

today’s guest blogger is one of my oldest friends (church choir, what what!) and just got engaged. i think you will all be jealous of her fiance when you see what kind of desserts he’s getting. and did i mention she’s working on her phD, too? what a catch.

the trick to this recipe is having the proper size skillet; an 8-inch skillet is too small and a 12-inch skillet is too large. the ideal size is 9-10 inches.  cast iron is traditional, but any relatively deep ovenproof skillet will do.  if you do not have a skillet of the proper size, simply heat the butter-sugar mixture in a saucepan for 4 min, add the fruit, stir until the sugar is completely dissolved, and then pour it into a 9 x 3 inch cake pan.  pour the batter on top and bake.

upside-down cake
(from christopher kimball’s dessert bible)
FOR the FRUIT
2 c fruit (peaches, plums or pineapple) cut into 1/2 inch slices
1 Tbsp lemon juice
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
3/4 c packed dark brown sugar

FOR the CAKE
2/3 c buttermilk
4 large egg whites
3 large egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 1/2 c all purpose flour
3/4 c granulated sugar
1 t baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 c cornmeal
1/2 tsp salt
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temp

editor’s note: separate your eggs by cracking them gently and pouring them back and forth between the shell halves over a bowl to catch the whites. collect the yolks in another bowl.

preheat oven to 350 degrees

prepare the fruit: toss fruit with lemon juice and set aside.

in a 9 or 10-inch cast iron skillet, melt the 4 tablespoons butter. add the brown sugar and, stirring occasionally, heat for 4 min.  add the fruit and stir until the sugar is totally dissolved.  remove from heat.

make the batter: stir together 1/3 c of the buttermilk, the egg whites, yolks and extracts with a fork; set aside.  in a large bowl, mix the next 6 ingredients (flour through salt) until blended. add butter and remaining 1/3 c buttermilk and beat on low speed or by hand until dry ingredients are moistened.  beat on medium for 1 1/2 min.  scrape down sides of bowl and add half of egg-buttermilk mixture. mix for 30 sec. scrape down sides of bowl, add remaining egg-buttermilk mixture, and finish beating for 30 sec. scrape down sides and beat 20 sec more.

pour batter over fruit in cast iron pan and smooth top.

bake about 30 min, or until top of cake springs back when lightly pressed in the center.  rotate pan front to back after 15 min and check cake after 25 min.

remove skillet to a cooling rack and let rest for 3 min.  place a serving plate over top of skillet and invert cake onto plate.  if any of the fruit sticks to the pan, remove and place on top of cake.

ready to propose yet?! yummm

greek shrimp and a new toy

and here’s another! this fellow polar bear, fellow dc-lover, fellow feminist and fellow shoe enthusiast is also a really great cook.

as a friend of the fabulous ms. akp, i have frequently had the honor of being her dinner guest.  last week i was able to return the favor.  akp asked if i would be willing to blog about my meal, but i think she mostly just wanted me to show off my fun kitchen toy.  so without further ado – the garlic grinder thingamagiger:

i don’t know what the thing is called and can’t find it anywhere online, and since it was a gift to the bf, i’m at a loss as to its origin.  but the little gizmo is quite fun.  simply peel garlic gloves, stick them in the top one at a time and move the device back and forth on the wheels to grind up the garlic.  it produces chunks smaller than hand-chopped, but larger than garlic pressed.  the only downside is that the garlic is somewhat difficult to remove.

this lovely device produced the starting point (what dish doesn’t start with garlic?) for my recipe for the night – greek shrimp over pasta.  unlike the talented akp, i need recipes to make my meals.  this one is a family favorite.

greek shrimp
pan 1 – cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes
2 tbs olive oil
1 tsp chopped garlic (i use more)
2 cups peeled, cubed fresh tomatoes
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup fresh, chopped basil
1 tsp dried oregano

pan 2 – cook until shrimp turn red
3 tbs olive oil
1 1/2 lbs shrimp (with tail on)
1/4 tsp hot red pepper flakes

meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees and cook a box of rigatoni (i used penne here because i already had it in the cabinet).  once the two pans are set, put pan #2 into a small baking dish.  sprinkle with 3/4 lb of feta cheese, then spoon pan #1 on top.

bake for 10 minutes, then combine with the pasta.  and voila:

don’t forget to enjoy the meal with the rest of that white wine and a good friend.

editor’s note: omg YUM. i love when people cook for me. especially when it includes shrimp and feta. this was a quick and very effective recipe that i think anyone can duplicate at home.