Cooper’s Flourless Chocolate Raspberry Cake

Cake

1 cup dark chocolate semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup granulated sugar

½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 eggs

3/4 cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder

Frosting

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 cups fresh whole raspberries

Directions for Cake

1) Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease an 8″ round cake pan; cut a piece of parchment or waxed paper to fit, grease and lay it in the bottom of the pan.

2) Place chocolate and butter in sauce pan on medium heat until the butter is melted and chips are soft. Transfer melted chocolate/butter to a mixing bowl.

3) Add sugar, salt, cinnamon, and vanilla.

4) Mix in the eggs, beating until smooth. Add the cocoa powder and coconut and mix.

5) Spoon the batter into prepped greased pan.

6) Bake cake for 23-25 minutes on middle rack.  No more!

7) Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes then turn onto plate.

8) Loosen edges of pan with knife. Place flat plate on top and flip over, allowing cake to rest on center on plate.

Frosting:

1) Mix chocolate and cream in sauce pan on medium heat until very hot, but not simmering. Remove and stir until smooth.

2) Spoon frosting evenly over cake and dripping over sides. Cover with raspberries on top and allow to set for 2 hours before serving.

Yield: 8ish servings.

CooperBowl Chili

Summary :  “6 months I spent trying to get this one right. I did! It’s got all the things I love…..steak, pork, maple syrup and beer!”

‘Serves: up to 10′

Ingredients

• 2 lbs ground pork
• 2 pounds top round steak, cubed
• 1 red pepper, 1 green pepper, 1 orange pepper, finely diced
• 1 large red onion
• 2 cans (28 oz. cans) crushed tomatoes, San Marzano preferred
• 2 cans tomato paste
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup dark beer
• ½ cup A-1 hickory-flavored steak sauce (or any hickory-flavored steak sauce)
• ½ cup chopped parsley
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 3 medium-sized chipotle peppers (from a can), finely diced
• 3 tsps Worcestershire sauce
• 4 garlic cloves, diced
• 1 Tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp cumin
• 2 cans black beans (15 oz. each)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Fixins:

• Cilantro, chopped
• Shredded cheddar cheese
• Sour cream
• Capers
• Pretzels
• Gold fish crackers
• Popcorn
• Bacon bits
• Fritos
• You name it!!!

Instructions

1. Cook through and set aside pork, top round steak, peppers and onions.
2. In a separate large soup kettle combine all remaining ingredients EXCEPT black beans on medium heat.
3. Stir in cooked pork, top round, peppers and onions and cook on simmer for 2 hours.
4. During the last 15 minutes of cooking, add the black beans (you don’t want to put them in too soon or else the beans will break down and become too mushy).
5. Top chili with fixins and serve over white or yellow rice if desired. Make sure you cook your rice with chicken stock instead of water…it makes a

Food for Thought:

-This chili is best made one day prior to serving! It’s not a super hot or spicy chili. –
-This recipe is inspired by my time living in Mexico and my experience touring in Vermont with my band…it’s a little sweet and a little spice! If you wanna spice it up a little…set aside some bowls of medium and hot salsa for people to add.

Cooper’s Turkey Wild Rice Soup

Ingredients:
4 cups chicken stock
3 cups water
2/3 cup white wine
½ cup butter
1 pinch of red pepper flakes
2 cups cooked chicken or turkey (diced or shredded)
1 large white onion diced
1/3 cup flour
4.5 oz wild rice
2 large garlic cloves minced
1/2 cup cooked ham or bacon diced
½ cup asparagus diced
1 cup carrots diced
1 ½ cup half-and-half (can substitute heavy cream or milk)
Parsley diced (for garnish)
Salt and Pepper to taste
 
Directions:
In a large pot over medium heat, combine broth, water. Bring to boiling then add rice. Cover and keep on low heat until rice has been cooked. (hint:  it will look puffed out)

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and sauté onions, garlic and pepper flakes until cooked through.  Add white wine, cooking for an additional 5 minutes on high heat. Reduce heat to low, while stirring add flour by the tablespoon, to form a roux. Whisk in cream, a little at a time, until fully incorporated and smooth. Cook until thickened, 5 minutes.

Slowly add cream mixture into broth until fully incorporated. Add asparagus, ham chicken/turkey. Cook over medium heat until heated through, 10 to 15 minutes.  Salt and pepper to taste and garnish with parsley.

*Note:  If the soup is too thick for your taste simply dilute with chicken stock or water.

Sweet Pecan Cream Cheese Stuffed Corn Muffins

Ingredients
2 packages of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix (follow directions on box: requires 2 eggs and Milk)
1 cup frozen corn kernels
¾ cup brown sugar (1/2 cup into mix, save ¼ cup for sprinkling on top of muffins)
1 cup cream cheese
1 cup pecans (3/4 into mix, save ¼ for sprinkling on top of muffins)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
 
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease one Texas style jumbo muffin pan.
 In a bowl mix two boxes of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix per directions.
Add corn kernels, brown sugar, cinnamon and pecans and mix thoroughly.
Spoon batter into each muffin tin. Add dollop of cream cheese into each muffin.  Sprinkle pecans and a pinch of brown sugar on top.
Bake as directed.  Make sure pecans do not burn on top of muffins.

Roasted Tomato, Red Pepper & Avocado Soup

A Fall Cleansing Soup Recipe

Mark convinced me to join him on a 21-day-challenge cleanse which is basically all vegetables and fruits.  I’m usually game for anything but I must say it’s been difficult at times. Grrrrr!  Ok, more than difficult at times!  However, in the eye of that difficulty, I’ve been forced to create some new recipes where meat, wheat and dairy don’t exist. This is very new turf for me.

We made our usual sojourn to the Barryville Farmer’s Market and scored a bunch of beautiful veggies.  It’s fall here in the Northeast with a pleasant crispy chill in the air that once again calls for a hearty pot of soup on the stove.  So, given the 21-day challenge, I set out to make an amazing soup without using any dairy, wheat or meat.  Below is what I created and I must say I’m proud of the outcome.  I used an avocado to make it really creamy and I grilled the veggies, before placing them in the food processor, to add a smoky flavor.   Trust me, your friends and family will never ever know this is an all veggie soup.  They will just say….mmmmmm!

Roasted Tomato, Red Pepper & Avocado Soup (AKA… OMG Soup!)

Ingredients:

6 medium tomatoes

2 red bell peppers

2 cups vegetable stock

1 avocado peeled and pitted

1 onion sliced

1 small Serrano chili

3 Tbsp chopped cilantro

4 cloves garlic diced

1 tsp cumin

olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Roast tomatoes and peppers on grill until moderately charred. Set aside to cool.  Once cooled, remove seeds from red bell peppers (leave seeds of tomatoes and Serrano chili).

In a skillet, sauté onions and garlic with a drizzle of olive oil.  Cook until golden and set aside.

Place all ingredients in a blender on medium speed for four minutes or until creamy smooth.

Transfer to a like sized pot on low heat until warm.  Serve with a pinch of chopped cilantro in each bowl.

Triple Chocolate Lava Cookies

Ingredients:

4 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 large eggs

2 cups granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar (for coating)

Instructions:

Place the chocolate and butter in the top of a double boiler placed over (not touching) barely simmering water. Heat, stirring often, until the butter and chocolate melt. Remove from over the water and set aside to cool slightly. In a bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Mixer: In a large bowl, combine the eggs, granulated sugar, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until light in color and thick, about 3 minutes. Beat in the melted chocolate mixture on low speed until blended. Add the dry ingredients and beat until incorporated. Mix in the chocolate chips.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the dough is firm enough to roll into balls, about 2 hours.

Bake at 325 degrees on parchment paper.

To form each cookie, roll a rounded tablespoon of dough between your palms into a 1 1/2 inch ball (I make them  mini-size since they are so dense), and roll the ball in the confectioners’ sugar. Place the cookies 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Make sure to set them firmly into the baking sheet so they stay into place.

Bake the cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until the tops are puffed and crinkled and feel firm when lightly touched, 13-17 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Rustic Chicken In 10

Summary : “This recipe takes only 10 minutes to prepare. SERIOUSLY! However, I bake it longer at a lower temp. I learned from my Granny that baking chicken at a lower temp over a longer period of time makes the chicken far more tender and flavorful. Think of it as the “crock pot” method without the crock pot! (Yes, I am a child of the 70’s) This chicken is best served with rice, pasta or barley, a green salad, a piece of hot crusty bread and a big glass of Yellow-Tail Merlot. OH YES BABY YOU ARE GONNA SCORE SOME LOVE WITH THIS ONE!”

Ingredients

• 4 Tbsps olive oil
• 2 Portobello mushrooms, coarse chop
• 1 red onion, coarse chop
• 1 cup chorizo diced
• 1 cup green olives, coarse chop
• 1 Chipolte pepper diced (you can add more to adjust for level of spiciness)
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 Tbsp fresh rosemary
• Juice of one lemon
• 8 pieces of chicken with skin
• 1 can (28oz/1lb) crushed tomatoes. UNSEASONED
• 1 cup of grated parmesan

Instructions

1. Salt and pepper to taste (be careful to not over salt…there is a lot of salt in parmesan and chorizo already.)
2. Place enameled cast iron Dutch oven (I use Le Creuset) directly on burner with 4 tablespoons of olive oil.
3. Add mushrooms, onion, chorizo, olives, chipolte peppers, garlic, rosemary and lemon juice. Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes. Remove from burner.
4. Add chicken and tomatoes, covering chicken in sauce and cooked ingredients. Spread parmesan over top.
5. Cover and place in oven @ 300 degrees for 2 hours. Uncover and spoon off fat from top.
6. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Quick notes

Coarse Chop: to cut food, especially veggies, into larger pieces. -Chipotle Peppers: I use Goya brand in a can. You can find them in the Hispanic/Ethnic food section of your supermarket. -Lemon Juice: To get the most juice out of a lemon, microwave it for 35 seconds then juice it. -I prefer to use San Marzano tomatoes

Number of servings (yield): 6

Sticky Buns

Summary:  “These are so amazing, Every single time I make these I get lots of extra love!”

Ingredients

• 1 loaf frozen white bread dough, thawed in refrigerator
• 5 Tbsps white flour, for dusting surface of rolling area
• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp cinnamon
• Butter-flavored cooking spray
• 1 bag whole unsalted pecans
• Table salt (a sprinkle)
• Molasses (drizzle)

Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Place frozen bread dough in a greased bowl covered by a cloth and let it “proof” overnight. In the morning it should be doubled.
3. Roll out white bread dough on a lightly floured or greased surface to form a 15 by 7-inch rectangle.
4. Spread ½ stick of the softened butter on the surface of the dough with a brush then spread evenly with ½ cup brown sugar and cinnamon on top.
5. Roll dough into a log and cut log into 1-inch slices.
6. Use a muffin/cupcake tin to bake the sticky buns. Grease each cup with butter-flavored cooking spray.
7. Use the remaining butter and place a dollop at the bottom of each tin, then sprinkle with ½ to 1 teaspoon of brown sugar and 3 to 4 pecans.
8. Sprinkle a little salt and a wee drizzle of molasses in each cup, fill each with a dough slice and you are ready to ROCK!
9. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven when golden brown and FLIP THEM IMMEDIATELY onto a wire rack or cookie sheet. Serve warm.

Food for Thought: If you cannot find frozen bread loaf dough you can use frozen pizza dough. If you don’t have either get some pre-made cinnamon roles from your grocer.

Easy Pesto

Recipe: Easy Pesto

Summary :“This blends basil and arugula, giving it a hands down WOW factor.”

Ingredients

• 1 cup solidly packed fresh basil leaves
• 1 cup solidly packed fresh arugula leaves
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
• 3/4 cup Parmigiano Regiano
• 3 cloves garlic, cut into pieces
• 2 Tbsps softened (room temperature) unsalted butter
• coarse salt
• freshly ground pepper

Instructions

1. In a blender or food processor blend basil, arugula, oil and garlic until smooth.
2. On medium heat, toast pine nuts until golden brown (they burn VERY easily so be careful).
3. Incorporate toasted pine nuts, cheese and butter with previously blended ingredients, blending again for 2 minutes on medium speed. Salt and pepper to taste. You can refrigerate the pesto and it will keep for at least a week.

Quick notes

-Don’t heat it! Rule number one is don’t heat the pesto. Let the pesto set at room temperature and add to hot pasta, top vegetables or bread. -Serve over fettuccine or penne pasta. -Toast thin slices of baguette under the broiler. Remove from the oven and top with a couple large teaspoons of pesto. Add chopped fresh tomatoes. -Mix pesto with cream cheese to make the BEST dip for veggies and crackers. -Try to get your ingredients from your local farmer’s market!

Pork and Shrimp Burgers

Summary :  “This rivals any standard hamburger out there hands down. Think sweet meets savory, East meets West, doing the perfect kick-arse 123 Whahooza!!”

Ingredients

• 2 lbs ground pork
• 1 lb cooked shrimp, peeled, deveined and diced (I use frozen shrimp that have been thawed)
• 5 green onions, diced (use the entire green onion)
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/2 cup crushed unsalted peanuts
• 4 Tbsps soy sauce
• 2 eggs
• Zest and juice of 2 limes
• 4 garlic cloves, diced
• 1 Tbsp fresh ginger, finely chopped

Instructions

1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl and form burgers.
2. Freeze burgers for 45 minutes then place grill (medium heat).
3. Cook on each side for about 5-7 minutes with grill lid covered.
4. Serve on toasted potato rolls with Cranny-Chipotle Grilling Sauce and Lime-Mayo Spread!

Food for Thought:

–I use Martin’s brand potato rolls. They ROCK!

CRANNY-CHIPOTLE GRILLING SAUCE
“A little sweet, a little smoky, a little spicy. Easy CAN BE amazing!”

Ingredients:
1 can (16oz) of whole cranberry sauce
4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
5 garlic cloves, diced
2 tablespoons cornstarch
½ chipotle pepper in adobo diced*

Instructions:

1. Blend all ingredients in blender on high for 1 minute.
2. Place sauce in a saucepan on medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Sauce should be bubbling. Spread on top of burger.

*If you want to make this recipe spicier, add more chipotle peppers.

Food for Thought:
The sauce is great with chicken, steak and salmon too! I use Goya brand chipotle peppers in Adobo sauce. Most large supermarkets carry this brand in the ethnic section.

—–

Lime-Mayo Spread

Ingredients:
½ cup Hellman’s Mayonnaise
1 tablespoon lime zest
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Instructions:
Mix thoroughly in small bowl and spread on burgers.

Copyright, 2010 Cooper Boone Inc.

Wanna Print? Click Here: Pork and Shrimp Burger and Cranny-Chipotle Grilling Sauce and Lime-Mayo Spread

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Sweet and Spicy Wings

Pork Rind, Nutella & Sriracha Chicken Wings

*This recipe was developed out of a 3 ingredient challenge where I had to create a dish using Pork Rinds, Chicken Wings and Nutella.  Here you go!

Ingredients:

12 large chicken wings

2 cup crushed pork rinds

½ cup balsamic vinegar

½ cup Nutella

4 Tbs Sriracha or 6 Tbs of hot sauce

1 Tbs garlic powder

1 Tbs red pepper flakes

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Crush pork rinds and set aside (tip: pulse in food processor).

2. In separate bowl, pat wings dry with paper towel.  Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

3. Over low heat, melt Nutella and remove from heat.  Add remaining ingredients and thoroughly mix.

4.  Add sauce and thoroughly glaze wings.

5.  Dredge wings in pork rind crumbs and place on parchment covered cookie sheet.

6. Place in 400 degree oven for approximately 24-30 minutes.

7.  Sprinkly red pepper flakes evenly over wings and serve with your favorite dipping sauce or eat as is!

* I like a lot of kick on my wings so I pour more Sriracha or hot sauce over the finished wings.  It make for an even better presentation as well!

*** You can find Sriracha in almost any grocery store in the ethnic/asian section.  It’s inexpensive and really good on so many things!

Farmhouse Kitchen Sink Cookies

I always get asked to bake these cookies for get togethers.  Finally, I’ve broken down.  Here ya go…share it with the world.

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter @ room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

2⁄3 cup tightly packed light brown sugar

2 tbs corn syrup

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1⁄3 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp kosher salt

1 cup bitter-sweet chocolate (chips or chopped)

1/2 cup butterscotch chips

½ cup unsweetened coconut

1/2 cup coarsely chopped graham crackers

1⁄2 cup old-fashioned quick oats

2 1/2 tsp used coffee grounds

1 cup rippled potato chips

1 cup pretzel sticks

1 cup corn flakes

½ cup coarsely chopped unsalted pecans

Instructions:

1. Combine butter and sugars in mixing bowl and cream together. Add egg and vanilla, and beat for 10 minutes.

2. On low speed add flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix only one minute.

3. Add chocolate, butterscotch chips, grahams, pecans, oats, and coffee and mix 20 seconds. Add corn flakes and pretzels and chips however  LIGHTLY MIX WITH HANDS so you don’t crush these nummy parts.

4. Form 2 inch balls with ice cream scoop and slightly flatten with bottom of a drinking glass dipped in water. Then add a few chips and pretzels atop of each cookie and  gently press into top of dough.  Chill in refrigerator for 2 hours.  THIS STEP IS CRUCIAL. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP!

5. Heat the oven to 350°.

6. On a parchment lined cookie sheet, place dough discs 3 inches apart and bake for approximately 17 minutes.  Cookie should have a darker edge and lighter center so the cookie with have both crunch and chew!

7. Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool completely on cookie sheets.

Toasted Quinoa and Avocado Salad

Me and my friend and chef Dafna Mizrahi accidentally charred some quinoa today and decided it tasted better than heaven!  Well, low and behold I think we’ve created a memorable salad that will make you a hands down STAR.  If you don’t like quinoa you can substitute Cous Cous.

Ingredients:

2 cups toasted quinoa (see instruction )

1 ripe avocado diced

¼ cup diced red onion

¼ cup pine nuts

¼ cup olive oil

¼ apple cider vinegar

½ lemon juiced and seeded

½ tsp garlic powder

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Cook quinoa per instructions on packaging.  Heat oven to 500 degrees. Place cooked quinoa on parchment lined cookie sheet and spread evenly.  Place on center rack of oven and bake approximately 10 minutes or until dark and crispy. Remove and place in large mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients, toss together and serve with your favorite protein or veggies.  I like it with my roasted Brussels sprouts.

*If you don’t like quinoa you can substitute Cous Cous

Cake Balls

Summary :“These are likely to replace the cupcake as we know it. Imagine cake and frosting living together in a whole new way!”

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs @ room temp
• 2 ¾ cup of all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp of salt
• ½ tsp of baking soda
• 1 Tbsp of baking powder
• 1 cup of whole milk or buttermilk
• 2 Tbsp of Hellman’s mayonnaise
• 2 tsp of vanilla

Instructions

1. In a mixer: cream butter, add sugar slowly, add eggs one at time, add flour one cup at a time alternating with small portions of milk. Add remaining ingredients. Do not over mix!
2. Grease cake pan (bottom and sides) and dust with flour, knocking off any extra flour.
3. Spread batter evenly.
4. Bake at 350 degrees oblong cake pan for 40 minutes or until top is light golden brown and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
5. Remove from oven, allow to cool for 30 minute. Invert onto cooling rack.
6. Crumble cake into very fine crumbs and set aside in a large bowl.

BUTTERCREAM FROSTING Ingredients:
1 cup of unsalted butter (softened at room temp)
4 cups of powered sugar
2 tsp of vanilla
1 tbsp of milk

Directions:
In a mixer on medium speed: cream butter, add powdered sugar one cup at a time then add in remaining ingredients until light and fluffy.

ASSEMBLE CAKE BALLS:

1. In a large mixing bowl, fold frosting into the cake crumble mixture using your hands and thoroughly mix. The end result looks and feels like a dough.
2. Form 1 inch balls and freeze for 1 hour.
3. Remove balls from the freezer and dip in your favorite chocolate (white or dark). You can dip the entire ball or 1/2 in chocolate. Work quickly.
4. After dipping roll chocolate covered ball in your favorite sprinkle concoction (I use toasted coconut, crushed pecans, walnuts etc.) You can get VERY creative in how you finish the Cake Balls so have FUN!
5. Store at room temperature in a tightly covered container. Cake balls will last about a week when store properly.

Cooper's Christmas Crack

“I broke a toe one Christmas after eating this stuff….sugar high gone bad”

WARNING: DO NOT DANCE TO JINGLE BELLS AFTER EATING!

Ingredients

2 sticks butter

1 c. brown sugar (packed)

36 saltine crackers

1 1/2 c. milk chocolate chips

1 1/2 c. toasted pecans, almonds, peanuts (or whatever nuts you prefer)

Instructions:

1. Line cookie sheet with tin foil and lay out saltine crackers.
2. Spray  surface of tin foil with cooking oil
3. Heat butter and brown sugar to boiling; boil for 4-6 minutes until very creamy and bubbly.
4. Pour butter and brown sugar mixture over crackers, spreading evenly. Bake at 375 degrees for 5 minutes.
5. Right after removing from oven, evenly spread chocolate chips over hot crackers with a spatula, creating a chocolate layer.
6. Workly quickly, sprinkle with nuts.
7. Refrigerate until hardened (1 hour) cool then break apart into bit sized pieces

Topping ideas:

Coconut

Pecans

Pretzels

Peppermint candy crushed

M&M’s

Craisins

Raisins

Cashews

Pistachios

AND MORE!

Cozy Black Bean Soup

Cozy Black Bean Soup

Ingredients:

• 3 cups canned black beans (rinsed)
• 6 slices of cooked and crumbled bacon
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• ¾ cup red wine
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 pinch of red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1/2 ripe avocado, chopped for garnish
• olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Sautee onions and garlic in a drizzle of olive oil until translucent.  Add remaining ingredients. Simmer on low for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.  Garnish with chopped avocado and raw onion.

Corn Succotash!

Ingredients:

2 cups frozen corn

1 cup frozen lima beans

1 medium red onion diced

½ cup white wine

3 cloves of garlic diced

3 scallions diced

10 Shitake mushrooms chopped (no stems!)

olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

In a few tablespoons of olive oil, sautee onions until carmelized. Drizzle a little more olive oil over medium heat adding wine, garlic and cooking for 5 more minutes. Then add shitake mushrooms, corn, scallions and lima beans and cook until done. Salt and pepper to taste.

Hazel’s Famous Turkey and other Turkey Tips!

Hazel’s Herb Bacon Turkey

Ingredients:

10 slices of raw bacon

½ cup unsalted butter

2 sprigs of thyme

2 sprigs of rosemary

2 sprigs of sage

1 tablespoon garlic powder

Cracked pepper

1 orange (for cavity)

(Use your favorite herbs and be creative!)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325F.

Food process all ingredients except the orange until smooth. Stuff mixture under the skin of the turkey. Use a knife to cut an opening between the skin and flesh of the turkey, then use a spatula to open up the skin. Stuff orange inside cavity of turkey.Put the turkey, breasts face down, in the roasting pan and cover with aluminum foil and bake. This will keep it moist, as the breasts are the driest part. .

Roast until meat thermometer reads 165 degrees fahrenheit. Broil the turkey skin to make it crisp at the end but don’t overcook it. Once the bird reaches 165F, leave the thermometer inside the bird, remove from oven and leave the foil on. Let it sit for at least 20 minutes then carve.

Click here to print: Hazel’s Bacon Herb Turkey

*If you want to see me do this on TV, check out the show Heirloom Meals with Carole Murko:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oh7LnWxbRQU

Turkey Tips

1. How big of a turkey do I buy?  Well, I go by the old rule of one pound of turkey per guest.  However, we are big fans of leftovers so my formula is 1.5 pounds per person.

2.  How do I make a moist turkey?  My trick is to stuff butter, bacon and herbs under the skin.  The herbs infuse from the fat of the butter while ensuring a perfect balance of moisture and flavor.

3. Crispy Skin?  No problem!  You can produce an extra crispy skin by squeezing lemon juice and sprinkling salt all over before roasting!

4.  Let your turkey sit 20 minutes before carving/serving!  This is key, as the flavor will be superior!

5. How long do I cook the bird?  Roast until meat thermometer reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit

The Art of the Gift

The art of the homemade gift is fading. I remember as a kid making many of the gifts I gave.  In fact, my first tween girlfriend, Julie Lowry,  was the recipient of my basement made agate necklace.  With the help of my crafty neighbor Christopher’s rock tumbler, I fashioned a large polished stone from the corn field onto a cheap silver chain and presented it to her at the Skatin’ Place on a wintery Saturday night in 1976. She loved it, and gave me my first kiss stained with orange Bonnie Bell Lip Smacker.   It makes me sad that the tradition of making home spun gifts is dying.  Yet, I remain hopeful! If you think about it, the art of cooking and baking is one of the last vestiges of the self-made offering.

What I love about my cupcake in a jar, is it that it makes the cupcake more presentational and glam.  Simply take your favorite cake batter (mine is hands down my Chocolate Zucchini Yogurt cake) and fill your mason jar a little over ½, set on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 until complete (about 20-25 minutes). You don’t need a water bath for this I promise.  Allow the cupcakes to fully cool.  Decorate with frosting, candies, sprinkles or shaved chocolate…whatever floats your boat.  Attach your lid and tie a string around the top with an eating utensil and BAM!  You have a killer gift made with heart.  When I serve this for dessert, everyone makes happy sounds when presented with this on the table.  It’s a childhood smile in a jar!

Cooper’s Cheesy Balls (Only 3 ingredients and GLUTEN FREE!)

Ingredients:

1 cup of sour cream (DO NOT USE LOW FAT or FAT FREE…THEY WILL FLOP)
1 cup of finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp of Yucca and/or Tapioca flour (Bob’s Red Mill)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Make small balls by rolling about 1 heaping tablespoon of dough in the palm of your hand. Use the extra yucca flour to prevent the dough from sticking to your hands. Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake in the middle of the oven for 25-30 minutes (Remember no peeking!) Remove from oven and serve immediately piping hot.

Click here to print Cooper’s Cheesy Balls

CHECK OUT COOPER MAKING HIS CHEESY BALLS ON GOOD DAY ATLANTA!

http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/story/23783902/country-living-fair-stone-mountain-park