Just call me Martha Stewart!
OK, not really because everything I've been making is super easy. But, I've been enjoying cooking again now that I'm feeling better so I'm definitely taking advantage of it. I LOVE cooking so I'm super excited to be back in the kitchen again. I know it'll be hard once again once baby gets here and who knows what the rest of my pregnancy will bring so I'm taking full advantage of feeling well!
Tonight I made an old favorite of ours from the South Beach cookbook that I usually make during football season (the guys always love it). Thought I'd post the recipe for anyone who wants it:
Buffalo Chicken Bites
Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes
3 tablespoons trans-fat-free margarine
2 tablespoons hot pepper house, or more to taste
1 teaspon canola oil
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into cubes
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 celery stalks cut into skinny pieces
Melt margarine in a medium nonstick saucepan. Whisk in pepper sauce and cook for 1-2 minutes until slightly thickened; set aside.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper, add to pan and cook, turning occasionally until browned on all sides, about 6 minutes. Add margarine mixture to pan and gently toss chicken until well coated, 1 to 2 minutes (I personally drain the chicken before I mix it with the margarine mixture).
Remove chicken from pan and then you can either serve with toothpicks and the celery or skewer the chicken onto kabobs doing one chicken, one celery, one chicken, one celery, etc. Serve with the Blue Cheese Dipping Sauce below.
Blue Cheese Dipping Sauce
Prep Time: 5 minutes
2 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese
1/4 cup reduced fat sour cream
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
Hot pepper sauce
Mash blue cheese in a medium bowl, leaving some small lumps. Whisk in the sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, vinegar, and pepper sauce to taste. Transfer to a small bowl and serve with the chicken.
Makes 1/2 cup
And for dessert I'm making this recipe for the first time from www.epicurious.com so I'll let you know how it turns out:
Brownie Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting
ingredients
Cupcakes
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips (about 8 ounces)
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup walnuts, toasted, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
Frosting
1 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter (do not use old-fashioned or freshly ground)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 teaspoons (about) whipping cream (optional)
Chocolate shavings or chocolate sprinkles
preparation
For cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 10 standard (1/3-cup) muffin cups with paper liners. Combine butter, 1/2 cup chocolate chips, and unsweetened chocolate in top of double boiler set over simmering water. Stir until mixture is melted and smooth. Remove from over water. Whisk both sugars into chocolate mixture, then whisk in eggs 1 at a time. Whisk in vanilla, then flour, walnuts, salt, and remaining 3/4 cup chocolate chips. Divide batter among prepared muffin cups (about 1/4 cup for each). Bake cupcakes until tester inserted into center comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 20 minutes. Transfer cupcakes to rack and cool completely.
For frosting:
Put powdered sugar and next 3 ingredients in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat until mixture is smooth, adding whipping cream by teaspoonfuls if frosting is too thick to spread.
Spread frosting in swirls over top of cupcakes. Sprinkle with chocolate shavings or chocolate sprinkles. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Store in single layer in airtight container at room temperature.)
On a funny note, while cooking the buffalo chicken bites I was whisking the sauce and flung some on my poor belly. I burned by poor pregnant belly! :oP
Tonight I made an old favorite of ours from the South Beach cookbook that I usually make during football season (the guys always love it). Thought I'd post the recipe for anyone who wants it:
Buffalo Chicken Bites
Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes
3 tablespoons trans-fat-free margarine
2 tablespoons hot pepper house, or more to taste
1 teaspon canola oil
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into cubes
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 celery stalks cut into skinny pieces
Melt margarine in a medium nonstick saucepan. Whisk in pepper sauce and cook for 1-2 minutes until slightly thickened; set aside.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper, add to pan and cook, turning occasionally until browned on all sides, about 6 minutes. Add margarine mixture to pan and gently toss chicken until well coated, 1 to 2 minutes (I personally drain the chicken before I mix it with the margarine mixture).
Remove chicken from pan and then you can either serve with toothpicks and the celery or skewer the chicken onto kabobs doing one chicken, one celery, one chicken, one celery, etc. Serve with the Blue Cheese Dipping Sauce below.
Blue Cheese Dipping Sauce
Prep Time: 5 minutes
2 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese
1/4 cup reduced fat sour cream
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
Hot pepper sauce
Mash blue cheese in a medium bowl, leaving some small lumps. Whisk in the sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, vinegar, and pepper sauce to taste. Transfer to a small bowl and serve with the chicken.
Makes 1/2 cup
And for dessert I'm making this recipe for the first time from www.epicurious.com so I'll let you know how it turns out:
Brownie Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting
ingredients
Cupcakes
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips (about 8 ounces)
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup walnuts, toasted, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
Frosting
1 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter (do not use old-fashioned or freshly ground)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 teaspoons (about) whipping cream (optional)
Chocolate shavings or chocolate sprinkles
preparation
For cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 10 standard (1/3-cup) muffin cups with paper liners. Combine butter, 1/2 cup chocolate chips, and unsweetened chocolate in top of double boiler set over simmering water. Stir until mixture is melted and smooth. Remove from over water. Whisk both sugars into chocolate mixture, then whisk in eggs 1 at a time. Whisk in vanilla, then flour, walnuts, salt, and remaining 3/4 cup chocolate chips. Divide batter among prepared muffin cups (about 1/4 cup for each). Bake cupcakes until tester inserted into center comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 20 minutes. Transfer cupcakes to rack and cool completely.
For frosting:
Put powdered sugar and next 3 ingredients in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat until mixture is smooth, adding whipping cream by teaspoonfuls if frosting is too thick to spread.
Spread frosting in swirls over top of cupcakes. Sprinkle with chocolate shavings or chocolate sprinkles. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Store in single layer in airtight container at room temperature.)
On a funny note, while cooking the buffalo chicken bites I was whisking the sauce and flung some on my poor belly. I burned by poor pregnant belly! :oP