The Quotable Kitchen

March 1, 2013

Sweet & Salty Popcorn

 ”Of course life is bizarre, the more bizarre it gets, the more interesting it is. The only way to approach it is to make yourself some popcorn and enjoy the show.” – David Gerrold

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There are many ways to unwind from a busy or stressful week. I usually opt for reading a good book, browsing through cooking catalogues, working out at the gym, or one of my favorite ways to unwind: making a big batch of popcorn and watching a movie.

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Popcorn has always been one of my favorite snacks. It’s a staple item if you’re going to the movie theatre, or a sports game, or any other type of event in a stadium (Cirque du Soleil!). On the weekends I love making it the “old fashioned way” on the stove top and adding in different spices or candies to make a delicious sweet & salty snack. This recipe can easily be doubled to make more, if needed.  And even though candy is candy, there are still ways to be snack healthier, by using options that are all natural. SunSpire and Unreal Candy are two of my favorite options.

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Sweet & Salty Popcorn

By Chef Kel, March 1, 2013

Sweet & Salty Popcorn

Adapted from, Taste of Home

  • Yield:: 4 servings

Ingredients::

Instructions:

  • Cover a baking sheet with alumninum foil and spray with cooking spray; set aside.
  • Place a large pot on the stovetop and heat to medium-high.
  • Add 1 tablespoon of canola oil and swirl to coat the bottom of pot. Add one popcorn kernel. When the kernel begins to pop, add in the rest of the kernels. At this point you can shake the pot a little to make sure all kernels are coated with oil. Then place a lid over the pot and turn down heat to low.
  • When the popping starts to slow down, remove the pot from heat and when the popping stops all-together, transfer the popped popcorn to a large bowl. Set aside.
  • In a medium saucepan, combine brown sugar, light corn syrup and butter; bring to a rolling boil. Boil for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Remove from heat; quickly stir in vanilla and baking soda until mixture is light and foamy. Immediately pour over popcorn; mix well. Add in nuts and mix until incorporated.
  • Bake, uncovered on prepared baking sheet for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through (15 minutes). Cool for 10-15 minutes and add in chocolate candies.
  • Divide mixture evenly into four serving bowls and snack happily.
NUTRITION FACTS (from myfitnesspal): Yield - 4 servings, Calories Per Serving - CALORIES 300, FAT 15.2 (SAT 7g, POLY 1.2, MONO 2.3), PROTEIN 5.1g, CHOLESTEROL 17.5mg, SODIUM 191.7mg, CARBOHYDRATES 41.3g,

February 22, 2013

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

“It’s like peanut butter and chocolate. Each is great, but they’re better together.” – Richard Whitehead

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As I’ve mentioned previously, I’m the DBCB of the family.

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DBCB: Designated Birthday Cake Baker.

Sure, the title holds many responsibilities, but I’m more than happy to do it! I enjoy searching through my favorite cookbooks and websites to find the perfect recipe to celebrate a birthday. Plus, I always believe a homemade dessert adds something special to any occasion.

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Last year for my own birthday I made a Chocolate & Peanut Butter Cake that had everyone asking for seconds, and thirds! This year when I asked my sister what she would like for her birthday she didn’t hesitate in requesting something similar, and I knew exactly what to make for her. I decided to bake cupcakes using my go-to recipe from King Arthur Flour. I also used the same peanut butter frosting from my cake last year. It tasted even better than I remembered. This is the perfect recipe for anyone who loves chocolate & peanut butter!

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

By Chef Kel, February 22, 2013

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

Adapted from, King Arthur Flour and All Recipes

  • Yield:: 15 cupcakes

Ingredients::

Instructions:

  • Preheat oven to 350° and line muffin tins with paper liners.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients.
  • Add the eggs, oil, and vanilla; beating with a hand mixer until smooth.
  • Gradually add the water into mixture, beating until smooth.
  • Pour batter evenly into prepared muffin tins (about 3/4 full).
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
  • Allow the cupcakes to cool and prepare the peanut butter frosting: in a large bowl, beat peanut butter & butter together until light and fluffy. Slowly beat in 1/2 of confectioner's sugar. Mix in one tablespoon of half & half or milk. Add remaining confectioners sugar and, if necessary, add more half & half until the frosting reaches a good consistency for decorating. I used a 1M swirl to decorate these cupcakes.
  • Note: *Can substitute Dutch-process cocoa.
February 19, 2013

Kalamata Olive Bread with Oregano

“Good bread is the most fundamentally satisfying of all foods; and good bread with fresh butter, the greatest of feasts.” -James Beard

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The way I see it, good bread can transform an ordinary meal into something memorable.

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Sometimes so much of my attention is focused on the main entrée that I completely disregard the sides that I’ll serve with dinner. More often than not the sides are an afterthought and are something simple such as rice, vegetables, salad or (gasp!) store-bought bread. Although to be fair, some store bought bread is amazing and I may knock you down in order to get my hands on the last loaf….

Anyway – the point is that I’ve been trying to give my side dishes a little more attention, which is easy to do when I have a simple meal to serve. I usually try to find a side dish that takes a little extra time but yields delicious results. This recipe will definitely make many appearances over the winter season as it pairs perfectly with soup! Nothing beats the smell of warm bread baking in the oven while soup is simmering on the stove. I served this bread with my tortellini soup recipe and it was a great combination that had everyone asking for seconds.

Kalamata Olive Bread with Oregano

By Chef Kel, February 19, 2013

Kalamata Olive Bread with Oregano

Adapted from, Cooking Light Everyday Baking

  • Yield:: 1 loaf - 12 slices

Ingredients::

Instructions:

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion to pan: saute 3 minutes or until onion is tender. Set aside.
  • Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture.
  • Combine buttermilk, butter, and egg whites, stirring with a whisk. Add buttermilk mixture to flour miixture, stirring just until moist. Fold in onion, olives, and oregano.
  • Spread batter into a 8 x 4-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
  • Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool on wire rack a few minutes more. Serve slightly warm.
NUTRITION FACTS (from CookingLight): Yield: 12 slices, serving size 1 slice - CALORIES 133, FAT 4.6g (SAT. 1.8g, MONO. 2.2g, POLY. 0.4g,), PROTEIN 3.8g, CARBOHYDRATES 18.8g, FIBER 0.9g, SODIUM 302mg, CHOLESTEROL 6.7mg.

February 13, 2013

Chocolate Kiss Cookies

“All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.” – Charles M. Schulz

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Nothing else quite gets me in the spirit of Valentine’s Day than Hershey’s Kisses!

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 It’s hard not to love Hershey’s Kisses – am I right? These little treats have been around for quite some time and with each new flavor that is introduced they seem to get better and better. I still prefer the plain milk chocolate, but I certainly can’t resist the chocolate & caramel combination!

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With such an outstanding reputation, you can’t go wrong by pressing a Hershey’s Kiss into a chocolate cookie. It’s easy, delicious and a definite way to win over some hearts this Valentine’s day!

Chocolate Kiss Cookies

By Chef Kel, February 13, 2013

Chocolate Kiss Cookies

Adapted from, Hershey's and The Kitchen Is My Playground

  • Yield:: 20 cookies

Ingredients::

Instructions:

  • In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugar until well blended. Beat in egg and vanilla.
  • Stir together the flour, baking powder, salt and cocoa powder in a medium bowl until combined.
  • Gradually beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture in two additions until combined. Add milk, one teaspoon at a time, to help dough stick together.
  • Flatten dough into disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for 1 hour.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Roll dough into 1-inch balls, then roll in sprinkles (if desired) until balls are completely covered. Place on ungreased cookie sheets and bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until cookies are set.
  • Remove from oven and cool 1 minute. Press a Hershey's Kiss into the center of each cookie. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack; cool completely.
  • Yield: about 20 cookies.

January 27, 2013

Fluffy Yellow Layer Cake with Chocolate Frosting

“Cake baking has to be, however innocently, one of the great culinary scams: it implies effort, it implies domestic prowess; but believe me, it’s easy.” -Nigella Lawson

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It’s Birthday season!

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At least - it is for my family! With more than a few birthdays coming up it’s time for me to start organizing some recipes as I always volunteer to make homemade desserts for our family birthdays. A classic yellow layer cake with chocolate frosting is always my go-to for a simple but delicious tasting dessert to celebrate a birthday.

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 This recipe uses a chiffon cake technique to develop a light and fluffy cake with rich flavor. It requires a little focus and attention but trust me, it’s easy. Beating the egg whites and then folding them into the batter helps to develop the texture of the cake.

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The more time I spend baking the more I realize it’s necessary to experiment with a few recipes  because there are so many different combinations of ingredients that can change the taste/texture of a cake. I prefer this cake because it uses a combination of oil and butter which makes the cake moist in addition to the chiffon technique to achieve nice volume and texture.

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My favorite part of the birthday cake baking process is decorating. I usually always decorate with a stiff buttercream frosting because it’s easy to decorate with  and it always tastes great. I used a Ghirardelli Chocolate Frosting recipe as a guideline for decorating this cake. I also use this recipe often for decorating cupcakes, both taste great. I tend to use half & half over milk in buttercream frosting because it creates a more stiff consistency. I also added some colorful sprinkles and few colorful accents I had on hand to finish decorating.

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The cake tasted delicious, the birthday honoree was delighted, and good times were had by all. What more could you ask for?

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Fluffy Yellow Layer Cake with Chocolate Frosting

By Chef Kel, January 27, 2013

Fluffy Yellow Layer Cake with Chocolate Frosting

Adapted from, Cook's Illustrated

Ingredients::

Instructions:

  • Preheat oven to 350° and adjust oven rack to middle position.
  • Grease two 9-inch wide by 2-inch high round cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper. Grease paper rounds, dust pans with flour, and knock out excess.
  • Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and 1 1/2 cups sugar together in large mixing bowl.
  • In a separate medium mixing bowl, whisk together melted butter, buttermilk, oil, vanilla, and egg yolks.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a separate bowl/using a hand mixer) beat the egg whites at medium-high speed until foamy, about 30 seconds. While still beating the eggs, gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar and continue to beat until stiff peaks just begin to form, 30 to 60 seconds (whites should hold peak but mixture should appear moist). Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
  • Gradually pour butter mixture into the flour mixture and mix until almost incorporated (a few streaks of dry flour will remain), about 15 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl and continue to mix at medium-low speed until smooth and fluffy, about 10 to 15 seconds.
  • Using a rubber spatula, stir in 1/3 of egg whites into batter to lighten, then add remaining egg whites and gently fold into batter until no white streaks remain.
  • Divide batter evenly between prepared cake pans. Lightly tap pans against counter a few times to eliminate any large air bubbles.
  • Bake until cake layers being to pull away from sides of pans and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 25 t0 30 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Loosen cakes from sides of pans with small knife, then invert onto greased wire rack and peel off parchment. Invert cakes again and cool completely on rack, about 1 & 1/2 hours.
  • Decorate cake layers as desired.  I used a Ghirardelli chocolate frosting recipe (link above).

January 16, 2013

Blueberry-Banana Smoothie

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act, but a habit.”  -Aristotle

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I always set little goals for myself throughout the year and I find it really helps me stay on track with my larger goals of eating healthy, staying active, and trying new things. Last summer, around the beginning of the season, I made it a habit to start drinking more smoothies. It wasn’t as difficult as I thought it would be, either. I went grocery shopping for smoothie ingredients and bought a few bags of assorted frozen fruits, different flavors of greek yogurt, honey and agave nectar…and then went to the kitchen to experiment and find some great-tasting recipes.

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It makes sense that having healthy ingredients on hand makes it easier to stick to a goal such as drinking more smoothies because everything is there in front of you. This blueberry-banana smoothie is one of my favorites, especially after an early-morning workout.

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And I’ll let you in a little secret: adding a frozen banana to a smoothie creates a wonderful creamy texture. I usually use ripe bananas because they tend to be sweeter. I cut them into chunks, freeze them on a baking sheet for a few hours, and then store them in plastic freezer bags until I’m ready to make a smoothie. Absolutely delicious!

Blueberry-Banana Smoothie

By Chef Kel, January 16, 2013

Blueberry-Banana Smoothie

Adapted from, Whole Foods Market

  • Yield:: 1 serving

Ingredients::

Instructions:

  • Put all ingredients into a blender and purée until smooth.
  • Pour into glasses and serve.
NUTRITION FACTS (From myfitnesspal): Serves 1, Per Serving - CALORIES 280, FAT 1.5g (SAT 0g, POLY. 0.6g, MONO 1.0g), PROTEIN 14.7g, SODIUM 131 mg, FIBER 4.5g, CARBOHYDRATES 53.4g, CHOLESTEROL 10mg.

January 7, 2013

Tortellini Soup

“To feel safe and warm on a cold wet night, all you really need is soup.” -Laurie Colwin

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It took a little convincing to get my family on-board to participate in Meatless Mondays. I pulled out all my well-researched facts and information about how it helps the environment and how it’s healthy…but to be honest I think the way I won them over was when I said we could have homemade cheese pizza for our first “trial run”. Then I came upon the cookbook Cooking Light Italian and surprisingly enough, most of the recipes were vegetarian. There was my answer – win the people over with Italian food!

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 Cooking light pizza was hit, spinach & cheese calzones were delicious, and any type of pasta dish brought excitement to the table. However, recently I’ve been trying a different approach and I’ve discovered that soup is a fantastic idea for Meatless Monday! Making more soups was a goal of mine at the start of the winter season and now I’ve found my go-to for Meatless Mondays as well. This soup has already been requested a few times. It’s delicious, filling & Italian! What could be better?

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Start by gathering up the short list of  ingredients for this recipe (another bonus!)

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Begin by cooking the onion & garlic for about 5 minutes until the onion is soft and the garlic turns light gold.

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Then add the dried oregano, vegetable broth, tomatoes, and salt & pepper.

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Next, bring the mixture to a boil and add in the tortellini.

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Cook the tortellini according to package directions. Once the tortellini is done cooking, add spinach to the soup & stir to combine. Serve with a side of bread & you’re ready to eat!

Tortellini Soup

By Chef Kel, January 7, 2013

Tortellini Soup

Adapted from, The Well-Fed Newlyweds

  • Yield:: 3 servings

Ingredients::

Instructions:

  • In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and onion. Cook until onion is softened and garlic has turned light gold, about 5 minutes.
  • Add dried oregano, vegetable broth, tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste.
  • Bring soup to a boil and add tortellini. Cook according to package directions.
  • Once tortellini is cooked remove the pot from heat then add in the fresh spinach and stir to combine. Add any additional salt or pepper; if desired.
NUTRITION FACTS (From myfitnesspal): Serves 3, Per Serving - CALORIES 410 FAT 12.3g (SAT. 3.2g), PROTEIN 16.8g, CARBOHYDRATES 57g, FIBER 5.5g, SODIUM 1225.8mg, CHOLESTEROL 33.3mg.

December 28, 2012

Loaded Potato Soup

“As the days grow short, some faces grow long.  But not mine.  Every autumn, when the wind turns cold and darkness comes early, I am suddenly happy.  It’s time to start making soup again.” -Leslie Newman

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Just as I associate the fall season with pumpkin, I always believe that winter is the season for soups!

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 My problem with soup is that as soon as I make one that I love, I only make that single soup throughout the whole winter season. Not that it’s a “problem” per se, but I decided this year I would have to experiment more and make at least a few different kinds of soup. I’m already glad that I have because not only have I made a delicious Chicken Enchilada Soup but now I’ve also discovered this winning recipe which tastes like a baked potato in soup form!  I saw it in Cooking Light Magazine last month and it’s already made the weekly menu plan. It’s simple to make (ready in under 30 minutes) and if you double the recipe there will be plenty of leftovers!

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Per my usual philosophy, anything topped with bacon has to be delicious – right? Right. So dig in & enjoy – soup season has arrived!

Loaded Potato Soup

By Chef Kel, December 28, 2012

Loaded Potato Soup

Adapted from, Cooking Light Magazine November 2012

  • Yield:: 4 servings

Ingredients::

Instructions:

  • Clean and wash the red potatoes, then remove skins. Cut potatoes into cubes and place  in a pot of boiling water with a pinch of salt added. Boil for 10-20 minutes until potatoes pierce easily with a fork. Drain & set aside.
  • Cook bacon according to package directions; crumble & set aside.
  • While potatoes (and bacon) cook, heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion; saute 3 minutes. Add broth.
  • Combine flour and 1/2 cup milk in a small bowl and stir until smooth; add to pan with 1 & 1/2 cups milk. Bring to a boil; stirring often. Cook 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in sour cream, salt and pepper.
  • Coarsely mash potatoes into soup. Ladle soup into four bowls. Top evenly with cheese, green onions & bacon. Serve & enjoy!
NUTRITION FACTS (From CookingLight): Serving Size about 1 & 1/4 cups, Per Serving -CALORIES 325, FAT 11.1g (SAT 5.2g, MONO 4.5g, POLY 0.8g), PROTEIN 13.2g, CARBOHYDRATES 43.8g, FIBER 3g, CHOLESTEROL 27 mg, SODIUM 670 mg.

December 17, 2012

Hot Chocolate Cookies with Mini Marshmallows


“Empty?! You took all the cookies!”

“They were crying to get out of the jar… Cookies get claustrophobia too, you know!”

-Charles M. Schulz

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Hot-chocolate with marshmallows has already made its appearance many times in our house this season (and it hasn’t even been very cold outside!). There’s something so comforting about a warm chocolate drink topped with some fluffy marshmallows, and it’s not hard to see why.

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When I saw a recipe for hot-chocolate cookies I wasted no time gathering up ingredients and experimenting with the recipe to obtain the best results. After I tasted one of these delicious cookies I was immediately hooked. I was surprised that even my boyfriend (who usually only eats my cupcakes) happily ate a few of these and requested them the next night. Needless to say they did not last long and if we owned a cookie jar, I’m not sure they would’ve even made it inside!

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Hot Chocolate Cookies with Mini Marshmallows

By Chef Kel, December 17, 2012

Hot Chocolate Cookies with Mini Marshmallows

Adapted from, Dine and Dish. Original Source: Baked Bree

  • Yield:: 25 cookies

Ingredients::

Instructions:

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, hot chocolate mix, salt and baking soda. Set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy. Add in egg and vanilla extract until incorporated.
  • Slowly add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture. Mix until well blended.
  • Place by rounded tablespoons onto parchment lined baking sheets (if needed).
  • Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until slightly firm.
  • As soon as you remove the cookies from the oven, place marshmallows on top of cookies and press down lightly.
  • After cooling for a few minutes on baking sheet, transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
**Note about hot chocolate mix: I experimented with the amount of hot chocolate mix used in this recipe. At first I only used about 1oz of mix and the cookies tasted good but I wanted a more intense chocolate flavor so I doubled the amount of mix. Adding more hot chocolate mix made the cookies darker and much more flavorful. Everyone that tasted the second batch loved them! The hot chocolate packets I use are 1 oz each so I used two total in this recipe, but it equals about 1/3 cup.

December 15, 2012

Chicken Enchilada Soup (Slow Cooker Meal)

“There is nothing like soup. It is by nature eccentric: no two are ever alike, unless of course you get your soup in a can.”-Laurie Colwin, ‘Home Cooking’ 

This is definitely not your ordinary soup recipe, but trust me, if you’re a fan of chicken enchiladas you will absolutely love this soup – because that’s exactly what it tastes like! I really enjoy making chicken enchiladas but I never thought to try it in a soup form…until now. It’s the perfect recipe for when you’re in need of a warm delicious meal on a cold night. Plus, it’s a slow cooker meal and when the soup is simmering in the crock pot the smell is so enticing you can’t wait till it’s done cooking! I topped my soup with avocado, sour cream, and tortilla chips – delicious!

Chicken Enchilada Soup (Slow Cooker Meal)

By Chef Kel, December 15, 2012

Chicken Enchilada Soup (Slow Cooker Meal)

Adapted by: So Tasty, So Yummy

  • Yield:: 6 servings

Ingredients::

Instructions:

  • Melt the unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in the flour; and continue to stir until smooth & mixture bubbles slightly.
  • Remove the saucepan from heat and add the chicken broth and 1/2 cup milk, a little at a time, stirring to keep smooth. Return to heat. Bring sauce to a gentle boil; cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens. 
  • In a slow cooker, combine the drained beans, tomatoes, frozen corn, onion, and bell pepper. Place the chicken breasts on top of the mixture. 
  • Pour the enchilada sauce into the chicken broth mixture. Gradually whisk in remaining milk until smooth. Pour sauce mixture over ingredients in slow cooker.
  • Cover and cook on low heat for six to eight hours or on high heat for three to four hours. 
  • After cooking for desired time, remove chicken and shred with two forks into bite-sized pieces. Place shredded chicken into the slow cooker and stir well. 
  • Ladle the soup into six individual bowls and top with cheese. Additional toppings can be added as well, such as avocado, sour cream, fresh cilantro or salsa. Serve the soup with tortilla chips (about 1/2 cup chips per serving).
NUTRITION FACTS (from myfitnesspal): Yield - 6 servings, per serving - CALORIES 535, FAT 21g (SAT. 8g, POLY. 1g, MONO. 5g), PROTEIN 34g, CARBOHYDRATES 51g, FIBER 7.2g, SODIUM 1110mg, CHOLESTEROL 69.2mg.

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