Red Velvet Mocha Chocolate Chip Cookies - You Must Make These

Holy downpour Batman, it was raining cats and dogs here today.  We had to make a trip across town  and this is what it looked like on Briley Parkway.  Visibility was practically zero at times.

There are lots of hills going around the north and west side of town.  I took this picture trying to show the tops of all the hills encapsulated in clouds.  It didn't work very well, but it was so dark and raining so hard that we could barely see.  Taking pictures from a moving car is not the easiest thing in the world either.  At least, not for me.  Trying to miss the windshield wipers flinging back and forth is a challenge.

I have to remember, April showers bring May flowers.  Otherwise, I am not a fan of these gulley washers.  At least we didn't get the awful storms they had predicted, so I guess I will be happy with lots and lots and lots of rain.  For now.  I have the tools and the gopher wood handy in case an ark is in our future.

Our son mentioned that it was his boss's birthday today and his boss loves to eat according to Tyler.  (Like somebody doesn't?)  So, I told him I would make him some cookies.  My understanding is he really, really likes cookies.  What could be more perfect for such a gloomy day than beautiful red velvet cookies with lots of chocolate chips in them, oh and coffee for the mocha flavor.  Yum.

I found this recipe at petitfoodie.com and they are fantastic.  I decided on red velvet cookies because  -1. I had several red velvet cake mixes on hand, and - 2.  almost everyone loves red velvet anything.  That made for an easy choice.  All ingredients were in house and cookies are easy to make.  Here is what you need:

1 box red velvet cake mix
1 stick butter, slightly melted
1 egg
4 Tablespoons strong brewed coffee
3/4 cup chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl.  I used a hand mixer on medium.  Scoop a tablespoon of batter for each cookie.  Bake for 10-13 minutes, remove from the oven.  Let sit on baking sheet for a minute to cool down before removing with a spatula.  I will tell you, I had to let them bake the full 13 minutes.  Otherwise, they were still really mushy.

Look at the chocolate chips peeking out of that beautiful red cookie.  Outstanding!  These are delicious with a nice cup of hot coffee let me tell you right now.  They were just perfect on this yucky, rainy day.  Oh.  Oh.  Oh,  yes, we did sample a few (oops) before packaging some up for the "Boss".  I am sure he didn't mind.  Really.  Someone had to taste them to make sure they were okay.  Right?

I put some cookies on a little silver plate I had from the Dollar Tree.  Then I wrapped them in clear cellophane to make them look festive and gift like.  Nice.

"Boss"man was so appreciative he walked out to the car in the pouring rain to thank me AND asked me how I knew red velvet was his favorite?  How did I know?  I am a mom.  I am observant.  I listen to people's comments about food.  The majority of people will say red velvet cake is their favorite; therefore, why wouldn't they love red velvet cookies too?   Good call on my part, huh?

I hope these deliciously beautiful cookies brightened his special day.  They certainly brightened ours.  We do have a few here for our enjoyment.  This recipe made 3 dozen good sized cookies and I doubled the recipe.  That made our resident "cookie monster" very happy indeed.  Give them a try.  You are gonna' love them.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

Keep some cake mixes on hand for when you need a quick "gift."  Make a cake, cupcakes, or cookies.  Everyone loves a good sweet treat that has been made with love - especially red velvet and you don't have to mess with all that food coloring when using the cake mix.   donna

Grilled Chicken With Lemon, Thyme And Some Other Good Stuff

Wow, it was a lovely day today.  Sunny, 80 degrees, balmy breeze - perfect weather.  We ran errands all afternoon and got home later than usual.  This is what we have been waiting for all winter.  These are the nights I don't mind cooking a late dinner because we can grill.  Oh yeah.  It was so lovely out of doors.   We ate on the deck and I really didn't want to come inside.

For dinner I made these delicious grilled chicken breasts that are marinated with fresh lemon juice and thyme with some red pepper flakes for a little heat and garlic for depth of flavor.  All of this is added to some good extra virgin olive oil.  Yum.  The recipe is from foodandwine.com.  The lemon and thyme give the chicken such a nice, bright citrus flavor which is perfect for warm weather.  It would be fabulous sliced and served on a beautiful green salad if you are watching your calories.  It would also be wonderful sliced and served as a sandwich.

Here is what you need:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (I zested one lemon and added the zest to the marinade)
1/4 tsp dried thyme (I used 5 sprigs fresh thyme)
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (add more if you like more heat)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Mix the lemon juice, lemon zest, thyme, red pepper flakes, minced garlic, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper in a bowl.  Put the chicken breasts in a gallon sized zip lock bag and add all the marinade.  Squish it around until all the chicken is coated in the marinade.  Put the bag in a bowl in case it leaks and put in the refrigerator for at least 1/2 hour.  I moved it around a few times to make sure everything was good and coated with the marinade.  After 1/2 hour, remove the chicken from the marinade and grill until the juices run clear and there is no pink in the middle of the chicken.  Remove from the grill.  Let sit for a few minutes before serving.  Delicious.  If you don't have an outdoor grill, you can use a stove top grill also.

I added a twist of fresh lemon slice to the top of each breast when serving so that we could add a little more lemon flavor by squeezing some fresh juice over the cooked breast.  It's not necessary, but it also looks pretty.

Now is the time to start building up some new recipes for summer grilling season.  Give this one a try.  It's quick, easy, no unusual ingredients and it is SOOOOOOOO good.  It is also pretty low calorie.

Don't know about you, but I am beyond happy for this weather to finally make its appearance.  It was a long winter.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

“Never throw away squeezed lemon, but keep them for the day by the sink. Then you can use them to remove fish, onion or garlic smells from your fingers. Or you can stick them on your elbows while you are reading a book, to soften and whiten your skin.”   Jennifer Paterson, Two Fat Ladies Obsessions

Tortellini Salad Or Entree, You Choose

Happy sunny Tuesday to you all!  Are you as excited for warmer weather as I am?  For flowers and gardens and strawberries, fresh tomatoes and peaches and melons and all the wonderful things of summer?   Do you look forward to grilling summer fare?  To eating outside with gentle breezes blowing?  We love eating on our deck, enjoying balmy evenings, listening to the boats on the river.

There is that issue with cooking in the warm weather.  No one wants heavy food that requires turning the oven on and things that have to cook for hours.  That is winter fare.  We want to soak up every moment of daylight, of sun, of time outdoors with the family, playing, eating, laughing.  Recipes that you can make ahead and enjoy!

Today, I am sharing a recipe with you that is perfect for warm weather.  You can serve it as a side dish or as an entree.  It is full of protein, vegetables, pasta - all the good stuff.  And, it is served cold.  Total warm weather perfection.  Do you love tortellini as much as I do?  Makes my mouth water.  You get a bite of tortellini with some tomatoes and a banana pepper.  I want to make this now.

Here is what you need:

1 16 ounce package tortellini, cooked, drained, and cooled (I used spinach, use your favorite)
1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
2 cups baby spinach, chopped
1/2 cup pepperoncini peppers, cut in rings (I used banana pepper rings)
1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (white kidney beans)
black olives, sliced (optional, use as many as you want)
6 or more Tablespoons fresh Parmesan cheese, grated  (fresh is best)

dressing:

2 Tbsps fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsps extra virgin olive oil

Cook the tortellini according to directions in salted water.    Drain, rinse, and let cool.  Put in a salad bowl.  Add the cherry tomatoes, chopped spinach, banana peppers, black olives, and cannellini beans.

Mix all the ingredients together.  Make the dressing by mixing the lemon juice and EVOO.  Pour over ingredients in the bowl and mix until everything is coated.  I added some fresh cracked black pepper.  Grate fresh Parmesan all over the bowl, as much as you like.  (The more, the better.)

Wowsa, this is a fabulous salad.  You could also add some chicken, tuna, ham, or sliced pepperoni if  you wanted.  This is an excellent side dish or could be eaten as an entree, you decide.  It is SO good.

When there is fresh basil in my herb garden, I will toss in some chopped fresh basil too.  Yummmm.

Actually, this is one of those recipes where you could add a number of your favorite things.  Otherwise, make it like this and it is delicious.  Keep this recipe handy.  You are going to use it a lot this summer.  It's a nice twist on the everyday, ordinary pasta salad.  Keep it refrigerated and you can enjoy it for several days.  I had it for dinner, lunch, and dinner again.  It's that good.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

If you have a complete set of salad bowls and they all say Cool Whip on the side, you might be a redneck.

 Jeff Foxworthy

 

It's An EARTHQUAKE Cake - No Insurance Necessary

It's a beautiful Monday.  Spring is finally showing all it's flair.  Trees are leafing, flowers are blooming, the sun is shining, birds are warbling, it is warm and breezy, and all is right with the world.  Hope you enjoyed a sunshiney kind of weekend too!  We went to opening day of tee-ball and little league for our two oldest grandsons  and we spent some time out of doors blowing giant bubbles among other things.  I think I enjoyed it as much or more than they did.

You can find directions for the blower and the bubbles on my blog.  We made these for all the grandsons for Christmas.  I posted the "how to" the week before Easter.

We are so eager for warm weather, we even went to Bobby's Dairy Dip and enjoyed a cone.  If you ever come to Nashville, you must go to Bobby's Dairy Dip.  We grilled out AND we ate this fabulous cake that I made.  And, I do mean fabulous!  It has everything you could ever want in a cake.

Why is it called an earthquake cake?  Have you ever experienced an earthquake?  They are not the most pleasant experience, let me tell you as the ground rumbles and shakes and everything around you is in danger of falling or collapsing.  I think this cake is called an earthquake cake because it looks like undulating ground that happens during an earthquake.  The cream cheese filling sinks, the chocolate, nuts, and coconut rise, and it all tastes outstanding in the end.  The good thing is, nobody gets hurt and there is no need for earthquake insurance.  Just eat and enjoy!!

Here is what you need to make this amazing cake.  Did is say it was good?  Yeah, it's better than good. I can't think of the proper term to describe it other than delectable.

1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
1 cup chopped nuts (I used pecans)
1 box chocolate cake mix (I used Devil's Food), made according to directions on the box
1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter softened (1 stick)
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar
3/4 cup chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Grease a 9 x 13 pan.   Sprinkle chopped nuts and coconut on the bottom of the pan.

Make the cake according to directions on the box.  Pour over nuts and coconut.

Beat softened cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla on medium low until well blended.  (Looks like cheese cake batter).  Add the powdered sugar a little at a time so you don't have a powdered sugar explosion.  Mix thoroughly.  Drop by spoonfuls over the chocolate cake batter.  Leave a 1" margin around the edge of the cake so it doesn't run over while baking.

Weave a butter knife through the cream cheese filling in an "S" pattern to create a swirl in the cake batter.  Do not go too deep, stay very shallow - you don't want to disturb the coconut and nuts on the bottom of the pan.

Sprinkle with chocolate chips and bake for 50 minutes.  Remove from oven, let cool slightly and serve.

This may be the ultimate cake.  It has all the good stuff.  Chocolate, coconut, nuts, cream cheese, chocolate chips.  I mean, what's not to love?  Seriously?  This cake is beyond good.  It is magical.  It's other worldly.   It's worth making.  Make sure you have people to share it with or you will eat the whole thing yourself.  I'm just sayin'.

I found this recipe on Cheryl's Recipe Archives at ideascomefrombrownies.blogspot.com.  She has some fabulous recipes and this is Earthquake Cake recipe #2.  Check out her blog if you like good things to eat.  And, make this cake.  You may feel the earth move under your feet.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

“The Earth is God's pinball machine and each quake, tidal wave, flash flood and volcanic eruption is the result of a TILT that occurs when God, cheating, tries to win free games.” 
― Tom Robbins, Even Cowgirls Get the Blues

How About a REAL Kentucky Hot Brown Sandwich?

Have you ever had a hot brown sandwich?  A REAL Kentucky hot brown sandwich?  If  you are eating the sandwich in the state of Kentucky, it is called a Kentucky hot brown.  If you are in Louisville where the sandwich originated, it is called a Louisville hot brown.  Why?  Because it was created at the famous Brown Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky,  in 1926.

If you are eating the sandwich outside of the state of Kentucky, it is usually called a hot brown.  Rather complicated isn't it?  When I talk about a REAL Kentucky hot brown, I mean one made with mornay sauce for the topping, not cheddar cheese or some other kind of cheesy sauce.  A real open faced hot brown has mornay sauce with just a little fresh grated parmesan in it.  Is it good?  Does the sun come up in the east and set in the west?  Oh my yes, it is one of the best sandwiches ever.

When I first started working back in the dark ages (1966), there was a restaurant in our town called The Lamplighter.  They had amazing food and one of their specialities was a hot brown.  A bunch of us used to go for lunch at the Lamplighter from time to time and I always ordered a hot brown.  Yum.  Yum.  I have had so called hot browns at other places through the years and most of them are fakeroos.  They pretend to be a hot brown, but they have the wrong sauce on them which totally wrecks the whole sandwich in my estimation.  No. Cheddar. Cheese. Allowed.  Only creamy, rich Mornay sauce.

You may be asking what constitutes a hot brown?   It is total yumminess.  It starts with a piece of toasted bread with slices of turkey breast on it.  Then there are sliced tomatoes, covered with mornay sauce which is broiled to bubbly brown perfection and topped by two pieces of crisp bacon - crossed.  Always cross the bacon.   It does not mean X marks the spot, but I guess it could.  The spot where you want to dig in.  Make a concerted effort to try to get a bit of bacon in every bite.  Totally worth it!

My research on this sandwich said the Brown Hotel hosted big dances in the mid-1920's with as many as a 1000 people in attendance on any given evening.  Everyone was hungry after an evening of dancing and music.  The chef came up with this late night open faced sandwich as an alternative to ham and eggs which is what most people ordered.  Thank you Chef Fred K. Schmidt for this delectable piece of food history.  It makes me wonder if he knew people would still be raving about his creation some 87 years later?  I think he would be proud, don't you?  They are as traditional to Louisville as the mint julep is to the Kentucky Derby.

This sandwich was on my mind the other day, so I created some for dinner.  This recipe is from the Brown Hotel web site, so it is the real deal.  They were quite a hit and our youngest son even ate one cold the next day.  He said it was delicious.  (Really?)  Here is what you need for two sandwiches:

1/2 stick whole butter
6 Tbsp all purpose flour
16 ounces heavy cream
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
3/4 pound sliced turkey breast
2 slices toasted bread
4 slices crispy bacon
2 roma tomatoes, sliced thin

Cook the bacon and put aside.

Next, make the mornay sauce.  A Mornay sauce is a French sauce which is basically a Bechamel sauce with some Parmesan or Swiss cheese added.  You use Parmesan for this one.

To make the Mornay sauce, melt the butter in a large saute' pan over medium heat.  Add the flour and stir for several minutes to remove any lumps and to remove the raw flour taste.  Whisk in the cream and cook until the cream begins to simmer, until the sauce thickens.  Stir continuously.  Remove from heat and slowly whisk in the Parmesan cheese until the mornay sauce is smooth.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Time to assemble the sandwiches.

Put two pieces of toasted bread on a foil covered baking sheet.  Cover with a good amount of sliced turkey breast.  Put several thinly sliced Roma tomatoes on the turkey.  Cover each sandwich with a thick helping of Mornay sauce.  Put under the broiler until the sauce is bubbling and brown places appear.  Remove from the oven.

Cross two pieces of bacon on each sandwich.  Serve.

I doubled this recipe and had plenty of sauce for six sandwiches.   Just FYI, these sandwiches are super filling, so many people will not eat more than one.   We enjoyed ours with a beautiful butter lettuce salad and that was plenty!

This is a wonderful, rich, delicious sandwich that would be excellent for brunch also.  You really should give it a try and when you do, thank Chef Fred K. Schmidt for his contribution to food history.  This guy deserves a medal!

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

If you ever visit Louisville, Kentucky, this is still the signature sandwich of the Camberley Brown Hotel.  Don't miss having one!

Monterrey Chicken - You Can Make 1 or 100 Using This Recipe

Does it frazzle your brain to come up with ideas for dinner day after day after day?  Sometimes I think it would be interesting to know how many dinners I have made through the 43 years we have been married plus all the years I cooked at home growing up.  I was 12 when I started cooking the family dinner.  That's a lot of years and a lot of dinners.

Needless to say, the worst part is variety - not fixing the same meals over and over again.  I love cookbooks and magazines with recipes in them.  I have spent hours studying recipes, reading them, making them.  Now, there is the addition of the internet which has taken cooking to a whole new level. There are a bazillion recipes at your fingertips at any given moment!  I mean seriously, how fabulous is that?

We have four children and I cooked in large quantities for many years.  It is difficult to make things in smaller batches, but I do  - OR I invite people to join us for a meal.  That takes care of the over cooking part.  It is really difficult to cook for two people don't you think?  Sometimes you think it's just not worth the effort or it's easier to eat out.  But, it's so much healthier to prepare food at home where you know what has gone into the recipe and it is less expensive  - unless you are eating really cheap fast food which is not healthy.

This monterrey chicken recipe can be prepared for 1 or 100 just by dressing each chicken breast in the same way and it's easy and delicious.  If you get tired of bland chicken, try this recipe.  It will take care of that issue for you in one easy meal.

Here is what you need:

boneless, skinless chicken breasts (however many you want to prepare)
your favorite barbecue sauce (I use Sweet Baby Ray's original)
real bacon bits - I used real bacon (yum)
colby jack cheese (I used pepper jack)
1 can RoTel tomatoes with chiles, drained

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Pound the chicken breasts with a meat mallet or something heavy to flatten them out a bit.  It really does help keep all the toppings on if you are wondering why it is necessary.

Grill the chicken breasts just until done.  That means juices will run clear and there will be no pink in the middle.  Dan cooked ours on the grill, but you could use a George Forman grill if you have it or a stove top grill.  That is up to you.

When the chicken is done, place the breasts on a baking sheet and top each one with the following.

2 Tbsps. barbecue sauce
1 Tbsps. bacon bits or regular bacon
1/4 cup grated cheese (colby jack, monterrey jack, or pepper jack)
1/4 cup Rotel

Place the baking sheet in the oven for a few minutes until the cheese is melted.  It doesn't take very long, so keep an eye on them.

Remove the baking pan from the oven and let sit for a few minutes before serving.

This is one of the easiest, tastiest ways to fix chicken breasts.  It's also very colorful and looks so appealing on a plate.  You can make it as spicy as you like or as mild as you like by changing the ingredients just a bit.  If you don't like spicy, don't use pepper jack cheese.

Warm weather is on the way and this is a wonderful way to enjoy chicken without too much effort.  Your kitchen doesn't heat up from using the stove for a long period of time and it goes beautifully with so many side dishes.  We all love this.  I think you will too!

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember

Chicken Facts

•  Americans consume an average of 8 billion chickens each year.
• That's a lot of chicken, so you need some new recipes.  Try this one.  : )

Maple, Sausage, Bacon, and Waffle Casserole (with a gluten free option)

Well, another Easter has come and gone.  Mr. E. Bunny was good to all this year.  Now, it is April 1 and spring may finally be starting to truly rear it's head.  Yesterday was misty/rainy and cool all day.  That meant the annual Grandma and Pawpaw egg hunt was indoors, but the grandsons still had a lot of fun.  Today, the sky is cerulean blue and the sun is shining, birds are singing, and trees are blooming.  It is going to be in the 70's by the weekend.  Yeeha!  Yes, I really said the 70's. Awesome.  That is why we can now be assured that spring is finally making it's way to mid-Tennessee.  All I can say is thank you, thank you, thank you!  Oh, and little league games start Saturday.  Whew, just in time.

Because our grandsons are 9 and younger, we had the egg hunt in the morning followed by a family brunch.  If the wait is too long and the excitement builds to a fever pitch, there will be meltdowns in our future if you know what I mean.  So hunt eggs early, then eat.

The 3 youngest boys nap in the afternoon and moms and dads were looking forward to a respite after all the morning excitement.  (Grandma and Pawpaw were too)  The 2.5 and 3 year old were shoveling candy in their mouths at a record breaking rate which can possibly lead to a lot of hyperactivity in the near future.  Wow. How you forget.   None of them eat much candy normally and yesterday was an all out candy-thon on every front.    Therefore, brunch was an excellent idea because it offered them some good food with lots of protein in place of sweets.

For brunch, I made this maple, sausage, bacon and waffle casserole adapted from a recipe I found at Plainchicken.com.  You know that I use her recipes often and this one is another keeper.  It can be made the day before, refrigerated and then baked the morning of your event.  It would also be fabulous as a "breakfast for dinner" casserole.  The kids really loved it.  Why wouldn't they?  It has all their favorite things in one dish.

I made ours with Van's gluten free waffles so our son in love could enjoy it too.  Otherwise, the recipe calls for Eggo frozen homestyle waffles.  Here is the original recipe and then I will post my adaptation.

Original recipe for 8x8 casserole:

8 frozen Eggo homestyle waffles, cubed
2 pounds maple flavored breakfast sausage
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
6 large eggs
1 1/4 cups milk (whole or low fat)
1/4 cup real maple syrup
salt and pepper

This is to be baked in an 8 x 8 baking dish, but layered together just the same as the larger casserole  I made.  Here is how I made mine.

Casserole for 9 x 13 baking dish.

12 Van's gluten free frozen waffles (or Eggo waffles if not making gluten free), cubed
1 pound breakfast sausage  (I used plain sausage, but you can use maple flavored if you wish)
1 pound bacon, fried crisp and crumbled
12 large eggs
1 8 ounce block cheddar cheese, grated
2.5 cups milk (whole or low fat)
1/2 cup real maple syrup
salt and pepper

Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish.  I sprayed mine with Pam.

Cube all the waffles.

Cook sausage over medium heat, breaking apart until well browned.  Drain fat if needed.

Cook the pound of bacon until crisp, drain.  Break into good sized pieces.

Add 1/2 the cubed waffles to the bottom of the baking dish.  Top with half of the sausage and bacon and 1/2 of the cheese.  Layer the remaining waffles, sausage, bacon and cheese.

Whisk together the eggs, milk, maple syrup, salt, and pepper (about 1/2 tsp. each).  Pour the egg mixture evenly over the layers in the baking dish.

Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap for at least 1 hour before baking or up to one day if using the next day.  Store in the refrigerator.

Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 to 50 minutes.

As soon as eggs look set, remove from the oven and let sit for about 5 minutes before serving.

Mmmmmm, waffles, sausage, bacon, eggs, cheese, AND maple syrup in one dish.  This is soooooooo good and really easy to make.  (The gluten free waffles do give it a slightly different consistency than regular waffles, but it's still really good.)  If you prefer sausage over bacon, use 2 to 3 pounds of sausage for a big casserole.  If you only want bacon only, use 2 pounds of bacon.  We liked the mixture of the two, but it's up to you.

This is a wonderful make ahead dish anytime you need something for breakfast, especially if you are entertaining guests.  Don't forget about it for a "breakfast for dinner" meal also.  The grandsons LOVE bacon and sausage, and anything with syrup.  (Imagine)  You could even pour a little warmed maple syrup over the top for a little extra flavor. Yummmmo.

Mother's Day will be coming up in May and this would be a wonderful recipe to serve for a Mother's Day brunch - or any brunch or breakfast for that matter.  Graduation will be right around the corner too.  Lots of opportunities coming up where you can use another great breakfast casserole recipe.  Seems you can never have too many recipes.

Now, it's time to put away the bunnies and eggs, do a few spring crafts and enjoy the beautiful weather.  It's also time for some spring cleaning and yard work.  Looks like we are going to be busy.  Talk to you all soon.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn. Hal Borland  (Thankfully!)