Sugar & Spice Nuts

As the holidays are approaching, we're all running around trying to get our last minute projects off the ground. Maybe it's picking up a few more things for stockings, or getting that wrapping done, or running to the store to pick up the last few things you need for your holiday baking. Whatever your last minute project may be, we're all in the same boat at this time of year.

If you've left your Christmas baking to the last minute, you're not alone! I've done the same thing -- there's no need to panic! Fresh baked goods should be eaten within 3-4 days after baking, so finishing them as close to Christmas is your best bet (I will add a guide to help you gauge how far in advance you should be baking your treats for optimal freshness).

There are lots of things you can make well ahead of time, so you're not stressed out trying to do everything all at once. Today, I want to share my recipe for Sugar & Spice Nuts. These bad boys are crunchy, sweet and salty, with a hint of heat from my secret ingredients. This recipe is dead easy, too, so if you're in a pinch, or your a novice baker, these nuts are a great starting point.

Sugar & Spice Nuts

Yields: 4 Cups

Ingredients:

4 cups mixed nuts (I used almonds and pecans, but any nut mixture will work)
2 cups brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon chili powder
pinch of salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 egg white

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees; line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.

Pour mixed nuts into a large mixing bowl. Whisk together egg white and vanilla, and pour over nuts. Mix well so nuts are evenly coated.

In a separate bowl, mix brown sugar, cinnamon, paprika, chili powder, and salt; mix well to distribute the sugar and spices evenly. Pour half of the sugar mixture over the nuts, and toss to coat evenly. Pour remaining half of sugar mixture, and mix well.

Turn mixed nuts onto prepared baking sheet. Spread into a single, even layer. Bake for 40-45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove from oven. If you test the nuts now, they will feel chewy, but they will harden up a lot as they cool down. Allow to cool completely.

Place into an air-tight container for storage, or separate into festive bags to give away as gifts. Michael's is a great place to pick up cute, decorative gift package options that won't cost you a fortune.

**Your guide to storage of baked goods and shelf life**

If you are going to freeze cookies, freeze the dough rather than baked cookies. Baked cookies stored in the freezer will lose both flavor and moisture. You can freeze cookie dough in a ball or disc (or spoon individual balls onto a baking sheet, freeze, and place frozen dough balls in a freezer bag). Cookie dough will last up to four months in the freezer. 

Once cookies are baked, ensure they are cooled completely, place in an airtight container, then follow the guide below for keep-fresh dates:

Soft cookies: 2-4 days
Hard cookies: 5-7 days 
Meringues: up to two weeks
Brownies: 3-4 days 
Pie crust (unbaked): refrigerate up to 3 days; freeze up to three months
Cake: unfrosted, and uncut cakes can keep up to a week in the freezer. Frosted, uncut cakes can be kept at room temperature for 4-5 days. 

Classic Chicken Soup

Nothing is more comforting than a steaming bowl of homemade chicken soup on a cold day.  Just the scent of chicken soup simmering on the stove is enough to make anyone's mouth water.  Since we are quickly approaching the middle of November (whaaaaat?!), now is the perfect time to whip up a big batch of this soup.

This recipe uses two whole chickens, and yields a very large batch -- it does halve easily, if you want a smaller batch or only have one chicken available.  I prefer to cook my own chicken ahead of time.  I have a fool-proof, pain-free method of cooking whole chickens in a crock pot the day before, but if you are in a time-crunch, pre-made rotisserie chicken will work just as well.

Classic Chicken Soup

Yields 12 cups

Ingredients:

2 whole, cooked chickens *preparations listed below* OR use 2 whole rotisserie chickens, bones and skin removed, meat shredded
6 stalks celery, chopped
6 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 onions, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
12 C chicken stock (I use chicken flavor Better Than Bouillon in boiling water 1 teaspoon per 8oz or 4 tablespoons for 12 cups water)
Salt, pepper, poultry seasoning (Szeged is my favorite seasoning brand)
2 tablespoons  olive oil

Directions:

Heat a large soup pot over medium heat.  Add olive oil, onions and garlic.  Saute for 2 minutes.  Add carrots and celery, saute 5 minutes until softened.  Add shredded chicken, chicken stock, salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning.  Bring to a boil.  Lower heat, cover and simmer for 2 hours.

Add salt and pepper to taste, serve hot!

*Tips*

Thicken with cornstarch and pour over cooked egg noodles, OR add pasta while soup is simmering for Chicken Noodle Soup.

*For the chicken*

Wash and dry two whole chickens.  Cover in poultry seasoning, (use Szeged poultry seasoning or a mixture of salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, sage, marjoram, etc.).  Place chickens in crock pot and cook on low for 10+ hours.  You do not need to add water, the fat from the chicken will allow enough liquid that the chicken won't burn.

Sex in a Pan

Sex in a Pan, AKA, Decadent Delight, AKA, Dessert Lasagna... there are many monikers that suit this dessert, but there is only one true way to describe this rich and delicious treat: perfection!

I grew up murdering this dessert on many occasions over the years, as it was one of my friend's mom's signature recipes (thank you, Tina Blaney).  Imagine this:  a buttery, pecan cookie layer, followed by a rich and tart cream cheese filling, followed by a layer of chocolate pudding, and then a layer of vanilla pudding, followed by a heaping pile of fresh whipped cream, and finished with shaved dark chocolate... it doesn't get any better than this, I promise you!  With just the right amount of sweetness, and just the right amount of tang to balance it out, this incredible treat will never disappoint, and it is sure to please even the most finicky of eaters.  This was my first attempt at making it myself, and I think it turned out pretty well.  I even scored a few rave reviews from some impartial taste testers.

Now, as you know, I prefer to make all my recipes from scratch; however, this recipe does call for instant pudding, so even though most of it was made from scratch, not every element was.  But you best believe that next time I make this dessert, I will be making homemade pudding!  Until then, if you want to try this dessert ASAP, you better keep reading.

Sex in a Pan

Sex in a Pan, AKA, Decadent Delight, AKA, Dessert Lasagna 
Yields: 1-15 servings (depending on how much you like to share)
Ingredients:

For the cookie layer:
1/2 C butter, softened
3 T granulated sugar
1 C all-purpose flour
1 C chopped pecans

For the cream cheese filling:
8oz plain cream cheese
3/4 C powdered sugar
1 C whipping cream

For the chocolate pudding layer:
1 package, instant chocolate pudding
2 C cold milk

For the vanilla pudding layer:
1 package, instant vanilla pudding
2 C cold milk

For the final layer:
2 C whipping cream, 2 t vanilla extract, 1 T granulated sugar
shaved dark chocolate (I used 85%)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9x13" baking pan, set aside.

In a standard mixing bowl, mix together: softened butter, sugar, flour, and chopped pecans.  Pour into the prepared baking pan and press to evenly coat the bottom.  Bake 20 minutes; remove from oven and let cool completely.

In the mean time:  prepare both flavors of pudding, in separate bowls.  Place in the fridge for at least 5 minutes, to set the pudding.

Mix together: cream cheese, powdered sugar, and whipping cream.  Beat until mixture is light and fluffy.  Set in the fridge.

In a large mixing bowl, whip together: whipping cream, vanilla extract, and sugar until the mixture forms stiff peaks.

Once cookie layer has cooled completely:  spread cream cheese layer evenly over top of the crust.  Layer with chocolate pudding, spread to coat evenly.  Layer with vanilla pudding, spread to coat evenly.  Top with whipping cream and shaved chocolate.  Place the final product in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or overnight so it can set.

Remove from fridge and destroy with your forks and spoons until you absolutely cannot fathom eating another bite... wait 10 minutes, then go back for more.

Enjoy and Buon Appetito!

Sweet Potato, Two Ways

For most of us, January brings the resolution to eat healthier, work out more, and improve our health.  And I love that so many people get excited at the prospect of leading more healthful lives; but let's face it, eating healthy can be challenging, mostly because it can be hard to think of what to eat!  So many of us gorge ourselves on candy, junk, and baked goods over the holidays, and I am no exception to that.  We get used to giving into our every craving for sugar, excess salt, and fat.  Some of us do this for weeks in a row, and this can make it difficult to transition toward healthier eating habits, especially if you decide to go cold turkey off the junk!

Alas, have no fear!  I promise there are so many healthy recipes and delicious foods you can make that are much more valuable to your overall health and wellness than you may think.  Today, I am going to feature two completely different recipes, both of which include one common ingredient that is both healthy AND tasty:  Sweet Potato!

Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of Vitamins A (over 400% your daily recommended daily intake in one medium sized spud), C, and B6.  They are also an excellent source of potassium; and while they carry more grams of natural sugar than white potatoes, they are far more nutrient dense and have fewer calories.

There are not very many people I know who don't like sweet potatoes... in fact, I can't think of one person I know that doesn't like it.  However, any ingredient will become boring to you if you run out of ways to use it in recipes -- even if you love it!  Sweet potatoes are just as versatile as white potatoes, and you can easily create tons of recipes that are tasty, healthy, and exciting!  Below are two completely different recipes, both featuring our lovely ingredient of the week:

Sweet Potato Fritters

Everyone loves a fritter!  And these sweet potato fritters are so easy to put together, it really doesn't take much cooking, the work is really all in the prep and these bad boys are easy as eating pie (because actually baking a pie from scratch isn't as easy as the cliche makes it out to be).  This recipe can easily be doubled to make extra, and it freezes very well, whether they are cooked first or frozen raw.

Try this recipe this weekend, and make a batch for yourself.  These are delicious eaten on their own, or topped with an egg for breakfast.  Try playing around with the spices, too; it's all about having fun, and making food the way you want it to taste.  I will be making these on a weekly basis, as they are the perfect make-ahead recipe to grab and go when life gets hectic.  

Sweet Potato Fritters
Yields:  12 fritters
Ingredients:
2 C shredded sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 to 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and shredded with a grater)
3 scallions, diced
2 large eggs, beaten
1/4 C coconut flour
2 T manioc starch (*if you aren't restricted to a grain-free diet, substitute with corn or tapioca starch)
1 T onion powder
1 T garlic powder
1/2 t paprika
Pinch cayenne powder
Salt & pepper

Directions:

In a large bowl, using a fork, mix together shredded sweet potato and beaten eggs.

In a separate bowl, mix together coconut flour, manioc starch, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne, and salt & pepper.  Mix well and add to the sweet potato-egg mixture.  Mix well with a fork.  Add scallions and mix to combine.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare a baking sheet with tin foil or cooking spray.  Spoon 2 heaping Tablespoons of the fritter mixture into your hands and shape into patties.  Place each one on the prepared baking tray, leave about 1" room between each.

Bake for 10-15 minutes, flipping once.  They are ready when edges are crisp and center is stiff.  Remove from oven, let stand at least five minutes before consuming.  Top with cilantro, a spritz of fresh lime juice, and a few drops of hot sauce to really punch these babies up!

*Tip:  Alternative to baking, you can heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat.  Fry in heated oil for about 3-4 minutes per side, until edges are crisp and center is stiff.

****************************************************************************

Sweet Potato-Butternut Squash Curry Soup

One of my favorite things about Winter is SOUP.  If I started listing all the different kinds of soup, I would be writing for days... weeks even.  If you think sweet potato on its own is versatile, just look at a few soup recipes and tell me you couldn't find one you don't like:  Cream of Mushroom, Classic Chicken Noodle, Vegetable Minestrone... these classics are what most people think of when they hear the word, soup.  I love all of those, and there are still thousands of other soups ringing in my ears... but this recipe is all about our feature ingredient:  Sweet Potato!

I decided to compliment the sweet potato with butternut squash.  Butternut squash is less sweet and less starchy, adds great color, and a beautiful nutty flavor to this already delicious soup.  Flavors of cumin, turmeric, cardamom, and coriander are brought forward, leaving you with a feeling of warmth from the inside out as you devour this beautifully fragrant soup.  It freezes beautifully and thaws quickly over low heat in a pot for easy consumption later on... that is if you can manage not to eat it all at once.

Sweet Potato-Butternut Squash Curry Soup
Yields:  12 Cups
Ingredients:
3 C sweet potato, peeled and chopped
3 C butternut squash, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 onion, diced
2.5 liters chicken stock (veggie stock would also be beautiful, for all our Veggie/Vegan friends out there)
2 cans lite coconut milk (68% less fat)
2 T curry powder
Salt & pepper

Directions:
In a large stock pot, throw in chopped sweet potato and squash, diced onion, chicken stock, curry powder, and salt & pepper.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer and let simmer until potato and squash are fork tender.  Remove from heat, and blend using an immersion blender until completely smooth and free of lumps.  Add both cans of coconut milk, blend to combine.

*Tip:  try adding a peeled, cored, Granny Smith apple to this soup.  It adds a pleasant sweet, but also tart element to this already amazing soup.

Enjoy and Buon Appetito!