Almond Joy Cake

Every once in a while, I take requests at work...especially if they are willing to contribute to my baking fund. Sometimes I wonder how much more money I would have if I wasn't so obsessed with making food. Well, one of the managers at work wanted an almond dessert...so I told him to find something that looked good, and this is the recipe he picked out. AND he paid me...SUCKER. Sometimes I think I should have a little business on the side....NO, not doing THAT (what kind of girl do you think I am)...I would be BAKING :)

Almond Joy Cake (not exactly sure WHERE this recipe came from)

1 (18.5 ounce) package devil's food cake mix
1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
2-1/2 cups white sugar
25 large marshmallows
14 ounces flaked coconut
1/2 cup butter
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
3 ounces toasted almonds

1. Mix cake mix and bake as directed for one 9x13 inch cake.

2. In a saucepan combine 1/2 of the evaporated milk, and 1-1/2 cups of the sugar. Bring mixture to a rapid boil.

3. Quickly remove from the heat and add marshmallows. Stir until melted. Stir in coconut. Pour mixture over the top of the baked cake.

4. In a saucepan combine the remaining sugar and the remaining evaporated milk. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add butter and chocolate chips. Stir until melted. Mix in toasted almonds. Pour mixture over the top of the coconut topped cake. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving. Cake tastes best if baked the day before.

(Sorry, no picture)

Taste ***** The only thing I wasn't completely sold on was the fact that the cake was pretty crumbly. It was moist, but it kind of ended up being all over the plate. Anyways, the cake was pretty amazing. It was HUGE with all of the layers and everything was just amazing together. I could tell it really was a hit because all but one piece was gone by the end of the day. That doesn't happen every day when I take goodies into work for a bunch of dietitians.

What I learned: I almost think that putting this on a brownie might work out as well. Just to add a little more stability to the base. I also might have overbaked the cake a little, so maybe making sure it isn't left in the oven too long might help as well. It really is pretty easy...just a little time consuming with the different layers, but I PROMISE that it will be a huge hit.

Chocolate Nutella and Sea Salt Fudge

Hi My name is Megan and I am a Nutella addict. It has been one week since my last spoonful of nutella. But I don't think I can hold on much longer...in fact I can feel myself slipping....I am pretty sure that this fudge made me relapse. Just saying.

Chocolate Nutella and Sea Salt Fudge

1 Tablespoon Butter, For Greasing Pan
1 can (14 Oz) Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
8 ounces, weight High-quality Bittersweet (60%) Chocolate Chips
1 cup Nutella (chocolate-hazelnut Spread), Room Temperature
3 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature, Cut Into 1/2-inch Pieces
½ teaspoons (approximately) Sea Salt

Grease the bottom and sides of an 8- by 8-inch baking pan with butter. Line the pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overlap on the sides.

In a medium glass or stainless steel bowl, stir together sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, bittersweet chocolate chips, Nutella, and butter.

Form a double-boiler by setting the bowl over a medium pot of gently simmering water. The water level should be low enough that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Stir until the chocolate chips are melted and the mixture is smooth, 5 to 7 minutes.

Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan, spread the top smooth with a spatula, and sprinkle with sea salt. Refrigerate until the fudge is firm, at least 2 hours.

Once the fudge is chilled, run a knife under hot water, dry it off, and run it around the edges of the pan to loosen the fudge. Using the overhanging parchment paper, lift the fudge out. Peel off the parchment paper. Cut the fudge into 3/4-inch squares. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container or wrapped well in plastic wrap and foil.




Taste ****1/2 The texture on these were REALLY good (and I think I had even burned the chocolate a little bit). The salt was a great addition as well to add a little salty and mix up the flavors. Everyone really liked them. The only thing that made me sad was the fact that the nutella flavor really didn't pop that much. If I hadn't known it was in there, I wouldn't have realized that there was nutella.

What I learned: If I was to make this again, I think I would actually use MILK chocolate chips and maybe the nutella flavor would stand out more.

Brie, Apple and Arugula Quesadillas

So, my apartment lease is up and I have been exploring other apartments or even looking at pictures of houses. Well, do you want to know the MOST important thing to me in a place? The KITCHEN. I have been in heaven looking at all of these different kitchens. I have decided to stay in my itty-bitty apartment for now so I don't have to deal with the stress of moving at the moment. However, now I have dreams and aspiration for what I am going to be looking for next time I move. And it is giving me something to look forward to. Don't get me wrong, I have spent many a hour in my kitchen and I love it, but I can't wait to have a little more elbow room.

So, this recipe I wanted to try because I was intrigued about the idea of a quesadilla made with brie cheese!!! I got the recipe from Cooking Light.

Brie, Apple and Arugula Quesadillas

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons apple cider
3 (10-inch) flour tortillas
6 ounces Brie cheese, rind removed and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices, divided
1 Fuji apple, cored and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (about 1/2 pound), divided
3 cups arugula, divided
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided

1. Combine mustard and cider in a small bowl; stir well.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Spread each tortilla with about 1 1/2 teaspoons mustard mixture. Place 1 tortilla, mustard side up, in pan. Arrange one-third of cheese slices over half of tortilla; cook 1 minute or until cheese begins to melt. Arrange one-third of apple slices over cheese; top with 1 cup arugula. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Fold tortilla in half; press gently with a spatula. Cook 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Remove from pan. Repeat procedure twice with remaining 2 tortillas, cheese, apple slices, 2 cups arugula, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cut each quesadilla into 4 wedges.



Taste **** The flavor was pretty unique and I loved the creamy cheese and crunky apples. Then the sharp flavor of the mustard. I found it rather enjoyable. It tasted even better when I thought about the fact that it only took ~15 minutes to come together.

Health ****1/2 The cheese obviously is pretty high if fat, but since there isn't a ton of cheese in these puppies, there isn't too much concern. The recipe says that there is 364 calories per quesadilla. That is pretty legit.

What I learned: I almost think that finding a way to incorporate balsamic vinegar instead of the apple cider and mustard, it might taste even better...but maybe that's just becuase I happen to love balsamic vinegar. Oh, and I also used a grill pan to cook the quesadilla so it would have those stylish little lines.

Salsa Orange Chicken Skillet

Ok, this is yet another recipe my mom and I made. And then two more from Alaska. And then 3 (soon to be four, since I am making another recipe tonight) more from since I've gotten back. Phew. I need to stop making food until I can actually get caught up on this fanciness. Whose idea was it to start this blog (...oh yeah)? It used to be that I could make a recipe, show it off to people and impress them...and that was the end of it. None of this fancy typing it up and coming up with something cool to say....so much pressure :) Anyways, this is a pretty amazing recipe. Super easy and worth your time. For sure.

Salsa Orange Chicken Skillet

2 cups uncooked instant brown rice
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 cup chunky salsa
1/4 cup orange marmalade
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

•Cook rice according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large
nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, cook chicken in oil over
medium heat for 5 minutes or until no longer pink.

•Stir in the salsa, marmalade, lime juice, brown sugar and allspice.
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 2 minutes.
Sprinkle with cilantro. Serve with rice. Yield: 4 servings.



Taste ***** Another five-star!!! This was amazing. I don't particularly care for Mexican food and I figured since this had salsa, that it would be very Mexicaneque. However, with the other flavors mixed in there, the flI avor was very unique and....amazing. I would definitely recommend this as an easy and yummy

Health ***** Obviously there are a few things that probably aren't the best...the sugar in the marmalade, and the brown sugar, but it is pretty balanced and I would say considering how easy it is, the recipe is really easy and yummy.

What I learned: Nothing, this recipe went well and I wouldn't change anything!

Bacon and Tomato Spaghetti

I have been feeling a little...unmotivated to blog lately. Don't get me wrong, I love blogging. It's just that every once in a while, I hit a writer's block where I can't think of anything clever to say and I just can't get around to getting my recipes on here to share with everyone. Well, I was trying how best to be productive this evening, and I realized it was
A: Running, Meh
B: Reading, Meh
C: Cleaning, Meh
D: Blogging "writer's block"
E: Doing these dang logic puzzles that I have been addicted to lately that I fail at constantly.

CHOICE D IT IS!!!

This is another recipe that my mom chose and that she and I made while I was in Alaska.

Bacon and Tomato Spaghetti

8 ounces uncooked spaghetti
1/2 pound thick-sliced bacon strips, chopped
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
3 cups fresh baby spinach
1/4 cup balsamic vinaigrette
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Grated Parmesan cheese

Cook spaghetti according to package directions.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove to paper towels with a slotted spoon; drain, reserving 2 tablespoons drippings. Sauté tomatoes in drippings until tender. Drain spaghetti; stir into skillet. Add the spinach, bacon, vinaigrette, salt and pepper; heat through. Sprinkle with cheese.
Yield: 4 servings.

(sorry, I must not have gotten a picture)

Taste **** The recipe was good. It wasn't anything necessarily new, it was just a good recipe. I enjoyed all the different elements and it was really easy to throw together. If you are looking for an easy recipe on a regular weeknight for the family or roomates, this would be perfect.

Health**** The bacon is probably the worst part of the recipe. Everything else is pretty harmless. There isn't enough parmesan to be a problem. I wouldn't eat it to be healthy, but it really isn't terrible.

What I learned: Apparently bacon is easier to cut when it is frozen or just barely thawed from being frozen.

Risotto with Shrimp and Peas and Chive Popovers

Here is another recipe that my mom found us to try while I was home. I have a phobia of risotto now after several sad, sorry attempts that fell short. However, I decided to give it another go, and I think that this time I was closer to what the final product should really be.

My mom also found a recipe for chive popovers. Let me just tell you that they were CUTE. I didn't know that it was possible for a food to be cute, but I guess you learn something new everyday.

We ate both these recipes at the same meal, so I am multitasking by including both reipces on the same post...that and because I am getting more and more ridiculously behind in posting my recipes.

Risotto with Shrimp and Peas

1 can (14.5 oz.) chicken broth
3 tbsp. butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 cup arborio rice
Salt and pepper
8 oz. peeled, cooked small shrimp
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
1 lemon, zested

In a small saucepan, heat the chicken broth and 1 3/4 cups water over high heat until steaming; cover and keep warm. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt 1 tbsp. butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and 1/2 tsp. salt and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. 2. Stir in 1 cup of the broth mixture, bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, until the liquid is absorbed, 2 to 3 minutes. Maintaining a low simmer, continue to add the broth mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently and allowing the rice to absorb the liquid. Cook until the rice is tender and creamy, 20 to 25 minutes. Add the remaining 2 tbsp. butter, the shrimp, peas, and 1/2 cup cheese and cook, stirring, until the cheese has melted. Stir in the lemon zest; season with salt and pepper. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese.

Taste **** Pretty good. It didn't change my life, but I would definitely eat it again.

Health ***1/2 The recipe has butter, chicken broth (which is high sodium) but most of the other ingredients are pretty healthy.

What I learned: Just the same old lesson from my last risotto run-in. Make sure all of the broth is absorbed in the rice before adding more broth.



Chive Popovers (not sure where my mom found this recipe...sorry) :(

1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1 Tbsp chopped fresh chives
6 tsp vegatable oil

1. Heave oven to 375 degrees. In blender or food processor, puree flour, salt, eggs and milk 30 seconds or until smooth. Let sit 1 hour. Stir in chives.

2. Lightly coat 12-well muffin pan with cooking spray. Pour 1/2 tsp oil into each well. Place pan in oven; cook 5 minutes. Divide batter among wells.

3. Bake 20 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Immediately remove from pan and serve warm.



Taste ***1/2 These were good, but I think that I prefer sweet popovers than savory. Just a personal preference.

What I learned: My mom made these while I was working on the risotto and she said that she probably would use butter in the muffin wells instead of oil to add just a little more flavor.

Southwestern Chicken Scaloppine

I am pretty sure that I have mentioned this, but I went to Alaska for a couple of weeks :) Well, I think I have also mentioned at one point on my blog that my mom has these mad skills when it comes to finding good entree recipes...something that is definitely not my forte. So, this is one of the many entree recipes we made while I was visiting. It was amazing. Like, I am love. This was definitely one of my two favorites that we made. If I am raving about something that doesn't have sugar in it, you know it has to be fabulous.

Southwestern Chicken Scaloppine

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/4 lb)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon red pepper sauce, if desired
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1.Between pieces of plastic wrap or waxed paper, place chicken breast half with smooth side down; gently pound with flat side of meat mallet or rolling pin until about 1/4 inch thick. Repeat with remaining chicken. Cut chicken into smaller pieces if desired.

2.In shallow dish, mix flour, cumin and salt. Coat chicken with flour mixture. Reserve 1 teaspoon flour mixture.

3.In 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add chicken; cook 3 to 5 minutes on each side or until golden brown and no longer pink in center. Remove chicken from skillet; cover to keep warm.

4.In small bowl, stir reserved 1 teaspoon flour mixture into broth. Gradually stir broth mixture and red pepper sauce into skillet. Heat to boiling; stir in lime juice and cilantro. Serve sauce over chicken.



Taste ***** I am giving this a solid 5 stars. AMAZING. The flavors were so strong but went so well together. You could taste the cumin, lime and cilantro and somehow it just really worked. I would like to hug whoever came up with this recipe.

Health ****1/2 This recipe calls for lean meat and using canola or olive oil would be a healthy choice. The only thing really questionable is the broth and just because of the sodium. Definitely a good healthy choice for a meal.

What I learned: My mom and I just followed the recipe. It was pretty straightforward. We just didn't add the red pepper sauce. One thing to keep in mind is that this recipe is REALLY quick to make. So...if you are going to make some wild rice as a side, start it early so you don't end up having to wait to eat your chicken until your rice is done. Just sharing my learning experience with you!