Christmas Wreaths

This Christmas Wreath is one of my favorite holiday treats! Here is how to make it...



Ingredients:


• ½ cup Butter
• 30 Large Marshmallows
• ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• ¼ teaspoon Green Food Coloring
• 3 ½ cups Corn Flakes
• Cinnamon Candies

Directions:

Melt butter and marshmallows in a large sauce pan.


Once it has melted, remove from heat; add the vanilla and food coloring.


Stir in the corn flakes so the marshmallow mixture covers them completely.



To shape the wreaths, drop a spoonful onto wax paper. I usually drop about 10-15 at a time. Then I usually poke a whole in the middle of the ball and form it into a wreath. This is requires patience and lots of butter. The corn flake mixture is very sticky (remember all the marshmallows you added?) so I rub butter on my hands like its lotion. Seriously. I rinse my hands after doing 10-15 otherwise the green marshmallow goo will build up on your hands.


Then place three of the cinnamon candies on each wreath.


It is important to let them sit for a while in order for the wreath to hold its shape. One batch usually makes 12-15 for me so I always double it, sometimes triple it!


I made some for my coworkers and everyone loved them! I have been making these wreaths for what feels like 10 years and they rarely last until the official dessert time. Enjoy!!

Grilled Chicken & Vegetable Penne with Basil Pesto

I went to the Farmer’s Market a few weeks ago and was in heaven with the beautiful fresh produce. They were selling huge bunches of basil for $1.00! So I initially thought pesto. Then with the tomatoes and onions from the market along with what was in our fridge, plus a quick run to the grocery store (who keeps pine nuts on hand, really?), I came up with this colorful, fresh, delicious dish. If you haven’t caught on, everything I usually make feeds about 5-6 people, aka my family. So if yours is smaller or it’s you flying solo, I would cut this in halve. Other than the basil pesto, you can alter whatever you want. If anything, hopefully it inspires you to make something you’ll love.

Grilled Chicken
• 3-4 lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
• Olive Oil
• Salt
• Pepper

Basil Pesto- makes 2 cups
• 6 Cloves Garlic
• 4 cups Fresh Basil Leaves, lightly packed
• 1/3 cup Pine Nuts
• Generous pinch of Maldon or other flaky Sea Salt
• 1 cup Olive Oil (extra-virgin of course)
• ½ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated
• 1/3 cup Pecorino Romano, grated

Vegetables
• 3-4 Tomatoes, halved then quartered
• 1 Red Onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 Orange Pepper, sliced in thin strips
• 1 Yellow Pepper, sliced in thin strips
• Olive Oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• 2-3 cups Arugula

Pasta
• 1 lb. Penne Pasta
• Salt

Directions
Toss the chicken breasts in olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Heat the grill. Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot and add 3 tablespoons kosher salt.

For the Basil Pesto, with the motor running, drop the garlic into a food processor to chop it. Add the basil, pine nuts and salt and pulse until the basil and nuts are coarsely chopped, then process until finely chopped. With the motor running, drizzle in the oil. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the parmigiano and pecorino.



Combine the tomatoes, red onion, orange and yellow pepper into a large mixing bowl, lightly coat with olive oil, season with salt and pepper.



*I just wanted to show how amazing and colorful the vegetables look!

Add to a large sauté pan over medium-high heat to slightly cook the vegetables.


Return to the large mixing bowl and toss the vegetables with the arugula.


Begin grilling the chicken and drop in the pasta and cook until just al dente. Once the chicken is cooked, cut into bite size pieces and add to the vegetables.


Finally, toss the penne, basil pesto, chicken and vegetables together (you will likely need a very large bowl).


Since my brother is allergic to gluten, we make a separate gluten-free penne in addition to the other penne. In this case I can’t toss everything together, so I did it separately in each dish. First add the pasta, then the vegetables and chicken, top with some pesto and toss. It’s obviously more time consuming since you have to make a few smaller dishes, and be cautious or cross-contamination, but this way we can all eat it! And it was very good!!

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

This carrot cake is frequently requested for birthdays within the Winslow family. It is dangerously delicious and meets all expectations one would have for a carrot cake. (Except my dad who thinks it needs raisins, but I’ll let you decide. And if you agree with him- throw some in.) To let the secret out….it’s straight out of The Silver Palate Cookbook- which I’m guessing is a classic since our copy is falling apart. It is fairly simple to make but get’s a little tedious when greasing the pan. So if you want to avoid greasing cake pans, go the cupcake route!

Carrot Cake:
• 3 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 3 cups Granulated Sugar
• 1 tsp. Salt
• 1 tbsp. Baking Soda
• 1 tbsp. Cinnamon
• 1½ cups Corn Oil
• 4 Large Eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tbsp. Vanilla Extract
• 1½ cups Shelled Walnuts, chopped
• 1½ cups Shredded Coconut
• 1 1/3 cups Puréed Cooked Carrots
• ¾ cup Crushed Pineapple, drained

For the frosting, I didn’t stay true to the Silver Palate recipe. I always like a frosting that is creamy and thick. Also, I think the main feature should be the cream cheese, not sugar. You want the taste of cream cheese to come through. The Silver Palate recipe has more sugar than fat (cream cheese and butter) so the frosting is more runny than I prefer and the cream cheese flavor gets lost. I found that the recipe I have by Thomas Keller really complements the cupcakes.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
• 3 cups Cream Cheese, at room temperature
• 1 cup Unsalted Butter, cut into chunks, at room temperature
• 1½ cups Powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. If making a cake, grease two 9-inch layer cake pans lined with wax paper. According to my mom- who has made this cake a ton, this means grease the pans, then line them with wax paper, then grease the wax paper. When I made the cupcakes, I sprayed the pan with Pam spray then put the cupcake liners in. (I made 24 cupcakes, and 24 mini cupcakes.) The Pam spray will help if any of the cupcakes rise and cook to the pan.

Start by cooking the carrots. Then sift dry ingredients into a bowl.



Add oil, eggs and vanilla. Beat well.



Fold in the walnuts, the coconut, the carrots, and the pineapple.





Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Set on the middle rack of the oven. If making a cake- bake for 30-35 minutes, if making the cupcakes- bake for about 20 minutes, until the edges have pulled away from sides and a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool completely on a rack, it suggests 3 hours. I waited close to 1 hour with the cupcakes.

In the meantime make the frosting. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the cream cheese at medium speed until smooth. Add the butter and mix until smooth.


Beat in the powdered sugar then add the vanilla. I like to add the juice of ½ a lemon but that is optional. Scrape down the sides and beat for 30 seconds on high speed.

Fill cake and frost sides with cream cheese frosting. Or, frost the cupcakes. I garnished my cupcakes with whole walnuts, finely chopped walnuts, and shredded carrots sautéed in maple syrup.


If you ever want or need to make carrot cake, this is the recipe to use! It is a favorite in my family and could be in yours as well!

Grilled Chicken Salad with Parmesan Breadcrumbs

There was an interesting article in the most recent Food Network magazine that took favorite dishes and turned them into salads. This salad was created to taste like Parmesan Chicken. The recipe states that it serves 4, but I doubled it and had enough for four adults with a little left over (I guess my family eats a lot). Salads are usually a healthier option and can be doubled or tripled easily to feed a small crowd, as long as you have a large salad bowl!

Ingredients
• 1 plum tomato, halved
• 4 sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, plus 2 tablespoons oil from the jar
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 bunch fresh basil, torn
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 8 cups Italian-blend salad greens or baby arugula
• 8 ounces bocconcini (small mozzarella balls), quartered

Directions
Preheat a grill to high. Puree the plum tomato, sun-dried tomatoes, vinegar, garlic, oregano, a few basil leaves and 2 tablespoons parmesan in a blender, drizzling in the sun-dried tomato oil until smooth. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons water, if needed; season with salt and pepper. This pureed tomato mixture will act as the salad dressing so if you add extra salad greens, it is important to double this mixture as well.



Halve the chicken breasts horizontally to make four 1/4-inch-thick cutlets. Brush with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the chicken until marked on the bottom, about 4 minutes, then turn and grill until cooked through, about 3 more minutes. Transfer to a cutting board.


Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the breadcrumbs, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon parmesan and the parsley and cook until toasted, about 1 more minute.


Toss the salad greens and remaining basil in a large bowl.


Cut the chicken into pieces and add to the greens along with the mozzarella. Toss with the dressing, and then sprinkle with the breadcrumb mixture.



This salad is perfect for a nice summer evening. It is a great take on Parmesan Chicken, so if you are a big fan, I suggest you try this salad.

The Taco Burger

When proposed with the challenge of what to make for dinner with ground beef, my family has their go to hamburgers or tacos. Well my dad and I decided to combine them. And it was pretty good!

Begin by seasoning the ground beef with chili powder, cumin, and oregano. We had 4 pounds of meat, so I used about 3 tablespoons chili powder, 4 tablespoons cumin, and about 2 tablespoons oregano. Once the spices and herbs are mixed in, form the patties.


Prepare the toppings: you will need guacamole, salsa, grated cheese (I used the Mexican blend), shredded lettuce, and sour cream. We had some refried beans in the refrigerator that I heated up as well.


Grill the burgers to your preference. Once the burgers are finished, assemble with the toppings of your choice. I did guacamole on the bottom, then hamburger patty, salsa, cheese, and shredded lettuce. I’m not big into sour cream but if you are, I would suggest putting it on the top of the bun.


They are different than the typical burger; obvious lacking ketchup, mustard, and pickles. But if you’re sick of making burgers and you’re sick of making tacos, make these taco burgers. It’ll be a nice change, I promise!

Banana Cupcakes with Honey-Cinnamon Frosting

The recipe for the banana cake came from my great-grandmother. She would bake pies, cakes, and other treats that weren’t good for you to eat frequently, on a daily basis. She wasn’t the smallest lady- from pictures I’ve seen. I’ve heard stories from my mom and aunt and how they would walk by her house on their way home from school and have to stop for a freshly baked piece of pie or cake. Awwwe….the days when everything was homemade from scratch!

The frosting is courtesy of the one and only Martha Stewart. I noticed a strong butter scent, and after I tasted it I was a little worried that the butter flavor was too strong. Then I began thinking…what do you put on banana bread? Butter, of course! And perhaps honey if that’s your style. Needless to say, this frosting complements the banana cupcake perfectly. It is a truly delicious combination!

For the cupcake batter:
½ cup Shortening
1½ cups Sugar
2 Eggs
2 cups Flour
½ tsp Baking Powder
¾ tsp Baking Soda
½ tsp Salt
½ cup Sour Milk
1 cup Mashed Bananas
1 tsp Vanilla

For the frosting:
1 cup Butter (2 sticks), room temperature
2½ cups Confectioners Sugar
2 tbsps Honey
¼ tsp Cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, cream the shortening and sugar together.



Once combined, add the two eggs.



In a medium bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Slowly, in parts, add the flour mixture to the shortening-sugar mixture.



Next add the sour milk (½ cup milk + ½ tsp vinegar = ½ sour milk!), mashed bananas, and vanilla into the large mixing bowl.


Line your cupcake pan with paper liners. I made 18 cupcakes but if you only fill them half way, you should be able to get 24. Place in the oven and bake for about 22-25 minutes.

To make the frosting, beat the butter for about 3 minutes until whipped, light, and fluffy.


Slowly add the confectioner’s sugar one cup at a time beating between additions.


Once the sugar is completely combined into the butter, add the honey and cinnamon.





Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting. Garnish with a slice of banana, or whatever you desire. Eat, Enjoy, and Share!