Chocolate chip Cookie Cake

So I was a bad wife two years in a row and forgot my husbands birthday..... I know men everywhere are screaming in outrage :) Yes women forget too. So this year I was on the ball and decided to try and incorporate something my husband LOVES into a cake :) First off he LOVES Cookie dough. In ice cream, on a spoon from the bowl, you name it. So I thought ok how can I make a cake and incorporate cookies. So bam this is what I came up with.

Ingredients needed- 1 box Duncan Hines Yellow cake mix, (all ingredients on the box-Vegetable oil, 3 eggs and water) Cooking oil spray(or just oil to grease the pans) 1/2 bag mini chocolate chips, 1 32 oz bag confectioners sugar, 2 tablespoons light corn syrup, 1 cup  shortening, 1 tablespoon butter extract, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, 1/4 c milk or cream(you may need more or less, add until consistency is right), couple tablespoons flour for dusting the pans, One batch of cookie dough or one large tube of store bought cookie dough. I always just use the recipe on the back of tollhouse cookies. You will also need wax or parchment paper and 2 8" pans(I have non stick)

Frosting- In my opinion Wilton has one of the BEST recipes for butter cream, My aunt has used it for years and I continue to use it.

Mix 1 cup solid vegetable shortening  in stand mixer, add 4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (approximately 1 lb.), 1 tablespoon butter and vanilla extract and 2-4 tablespoons milk. Mix until frosting is thick and all mixed together, Add more milk if you need it thinner to frost with. Cover and set aside.( You can find this recipe @ http://www.wilton.com/recipe/Buttercream-Icing)

 

Cake- Mix cake as instructed on the pox and pour 1/4 into a each of the greased(add parchment circles to the very bottom, make sure they do not come up the sides just the bottom) roll out 1 tablespoon balls of cookie dough(you will need about 6 per cake) and flatten evenly. Place them on the batter that has been poured into the pan in a circle and then one in the middle and pour the second half of the cake batter into each pan(You should have 2 pans so 1/4 into each pan firstly is half then after cookie dough is added pour remaining on top evenly between cakes to cover the cookie dough.)

 

Bake at 350 degrees for about 33 minutes or until a toothpick is inserted and comes out clean. Set aside for 20 minutes then remove from pans and let cool all the way.

 

Chocolate Ganache- 1 cup mini chocolate chips 3 tablespoons milk or cream, dash of salt.

 

 

Heat over a double boiler(or a sauce pan with a heat resistant bowl that sits on top with no gaps) You will make this when you are ready to put it in the middle. This way it doesn't harden or crust up.

 

Bake the remainder of your cookies around the same size because you will use them as the border.

 

Once your cakes are cooled flatten the tops by cutting off the excess. Place on surface(either where you or going to decorate or the cake plate)

Put the bottom layer down. Using a piping bag(either with or with out a tip) make a ring around the inner edge so that the ganache does not leak out.  Spread the ganache evenly inside. Place second layer cut side down onto the ganache. Gently push down to make a seal. Frost outer cake. It does not have to be pretty just evenly coated. Push the cooled cookies onto the side.(side note I thought about this after the fact but you could crunch the cookies up and make them a crumble and put that on the edge. Whatever works best for you)  Decorate the top as you like. I used the frosting to make little peaks and then placed a little cookie in the middle I cut out and sprinkled with a handful of mini chocolate chips. It turned out Amazing! 

 

 

 

 

Out of town

Well I missed my Thursday and Friday meal. I had to go out of town to see some family and unfortunately was unable to complete my days 13 and 14 of the 2 week blog. I will be getting some new recipes for this coming week and I am going to be having a leftover week. Should be quite interesting :)  Stay tuned for some amazing dishes to come.

Baked Chicken Breast with Mashed Sweet potatoes and roasted Veggies

Easy, Easy, Easy! Ingredients needed-2 boneless, skinless chicken breast, Salt, Pepper, 1 tsp garlic and onion powder, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 cup broccoli, cauliflower and sliced carrots, 2 sweet potatoes, 2 Tbls butter.


Roasted Vegetables-

Pre heat oven to 425. Add vegetables to baking dish and drizzle with oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and half each of the garlic and onion powder. Put in oven for 1 hour.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes-

Bake sweet potatoes until soft. Remove skin and put in bowl. Add butter and salt and pepper to taste.

Chicken-

Coat chicken breasts with oil and add salt, pepper and remaining garlic and onion powder. Put on a sheet pan on a rack. Let bake for 25 minutes at 425. Remove from oven and let sit 10 minutes before serving.

Make a plate!

Baked Halibut with mashed sweet potatoes and sauteed vegetables

Tonight was an easy prep night. Ingredients needed-1 lb. halibut, 1 cup seasoned bread crumbs(I use croutons and crush them with my rolling pin. Helps get out any aggression :)   ), 1 cup broccoli chopped, 1 cup cauliflower chopped, 2 carrots peeled and sliced, 3 Tbls shredded Parmesan cheese,1 large sweet potato or yam, 1 Tbls butter,  Olive oil, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder ,salt and pepper to taste.

Halibut-

Cut fish into serving size portions(3-4) and brush with olive oil. Add garlic, onion, salt and pepper to bread crumbs. Toss fish 1 at a time in the bread crumbs. Set in a baking dish.
Bake at 425 for 10 minutes. Let set 5 minutes before serving.

This is a picture before the fish went into the oven.

Sautéed vegetables-

 Take a small drizzle of olive oil and add garlic and onion powder. Add veggies and cook till tender. Garnish with shredded Parmesan cheese. Set aside.

Bake sweet potato at 375 for 1 hour or until a knife inserts and comes out easily. Scoop out inside of potato and mix with salt, pepper and butter.

Tartar Sauce

1 cup mayonnaise, 2 pickles, 1/4 of a white onion, dill weed, 1 Tbls capers and pepper.
Grind the onion, capers and pickles in a small electric chopper or food processor.  Mix mayo, ground pickle, onion and capers, dill weed pepper and a little splash of pickle juice. Set aside and let sit in fridge

Add them all together and what a delicious and healthy dinner!

 

I served my fish with home made tarter.

 

 

Day off

Had to Pass on Day 9 of 14 because my mom made me the most delicious Salmon Alfredo with cheddar biscuits and Salad. It was amazing. I had spent the entire day helping my dad get his deer meat ready for packaging and I helped remove silver skin to ready it for sausage. I was pooped! But I did enjoy a nice day off from cooking :)

Sesame Ginger Teryiaki Salmon with fried rice and Vietnamese Spring Rolls with a peanut dipping sauce

So I am updating this one a little late due to I wasn't home this weekend. The Hubs went deer hunting with my father and me an my Mom spent the weekend together! On Saturday my Mom and I got a wild hair and decided to make some delicious stuff! Compliments to my mom for the fried rice :)

Ingredients needed- 20-30 medium shrimp, 1 salmon fillet(we used 3 smaller pieces of fillet), 1 bunch of cilantro, 1/2 cup teriyaki sauce, Napa Cabbage(2 cups sliced thinly),2 slices of bacon chopped, 4 cups green leafy lettuce, 1 cup chopped basil, 1/2 cup chopped mint, 2 green onions cut thinly into strips about 3-4 inches long, 2 green onions diced, 1 cup cooked rice noodles, 20 rice paper spring roll wrappers, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 3 Tbls sesame oil, 1/8 cup sesame seeds,3 Tbls Vegetable oil or bacon grease, 3Tbls fresh grated ginger, 1/2 finely chopped diced carrot, 2 cloves garlic finely minced, 1/2 tsp pepper flakes, 1/2 cup  peanut butter, 1 lime zested and juiced, 1.4 cup frozen or fresh peas, 2 eggs(scrambled and set aside), 1/4 cup soy sauce, 2 cups cooked and cooled jasmine rice.

Cook the shrimp on medium heat with pepper flakes, a pinch of zest, a little bit of the lime juice, a pinch of garlic and ginger. Cook all the way through and set in fridge to cool. Cut shrimp into 4-5 pieces each.

Spring rolls-

You will need 1 bowl large enough for warm water that you can dip the spring roll wrappers in. Clean counter space and dip wrapper into warm water for 5-10 seconds until it begins to get soft. Set flat on counter. Place a small amount of rice noodles, 2-3 strings of onion, a sprinkle of basil, mint and cilantro and a small handful of cabbage and lettuce in the middle of the wrapper. Pull over one side and roll until halfway then fold the ends in and finish wrapping. Repeat until done.

Salmon-

In a baking dish large enough for the fish to lay flat place garlic, ginger, sesame oil, brown sugar, sesame seeds, most of the lime zest(save about 1/4 tsp for rice) lime juice, 3/4 of the soy sauce, teriyaki sauce and mix. Lay salmon in marinade and let sit for 1/2 hour. Heat grill or oven(if you do the oven put it on 375 and you will cook for 15 minutes) Put on foil on grill and let cook 15-20 minutes or until cooked through. Set aside and let rest.

Fried Rice-

Heat  vegetable(I prefer to use bacon grease in this recipe) oil in a pan. Put chilled rice in pan and break up. Add carrots, diced green onions, peas and bacon into pan. Cook and scrap crispy rice bits off the bottom. Add remaining soy sauce(about 2 Tbls) and mix. Add scrambled egg and break it up into the rice.


Peanut Sauce(used for dipping the Spring rolls)-

4 Tbls peanut butter, 1 tsp finely grated ginger, 1 Tbls sambal(more if you like it spicy),  1 Tbls lime juice, 1 1/2 Tbls soy sauce, 1 Tbls brown sugar and a sprinkle of cilantro. Mix thoroughly.

Make a plate and Enjoy!

Baked "Fried" Chicken Strips

Have a really easy recipe for baked "fried" chicken. Ingredients needed- 3 large chicken breasts or 15 chicken tenders, 2 Tbls light Mayonnaise, Olive oil cooking spray, 2 cups bread crumbs(I use plain and add 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper) 1 tsp salt, 1 Tbls cornstarch and 1/4 cup flour. Cut chicken breast into strips. and set aside.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.


Put bread crumbs, seasonings, flour and corn starch into a gallon zip lock bag, Coat the chicken strips into the mayonnaise and mix around until lightly coated. Put 1-2 strips into the bag and shake.

Cover a baking sheet with foil and coat with olive oil spray. Lay chicken strips out evenly and pray olive oil spray on top.

Bake for 8 minutes then flip and bake another 8 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
 I served mine with a baked potato and Salad.

Chocolate covered strawberries

This is super simple and is delicious! Ingredients needed- 1 lb. strawberries washed and completely dried, 1 1/2 cup  semi sweet chocolate chips and 1/2 cup white chocolate chips, 3 Tbls Crisco( not oil the solid form) You will also need a double boiler or 1 sauce pan filled 1/2 way with water and a heat resistant bowl that fits securely on top(you don't want a ton of steam coming out the sides and getting water in the chocolate or burning your hands)

Put your sauce pan on the stove with the pan on top. put the semi sweet chocolate chips and 1 1/2 Tbls Crisco. Stir with a whisk until melted all the way through. Dip the strawberries one by one.(you may need to whisk here and there to keep chocolate smooth and evenly heated) Set on parchment or wax paper. Set aside and let set. Take the semi sweet of the heat and put a new bowl on the heat with the remaining Crisco and the white chocolate chips. Use another whisk and stir continuously until they are smooth and creamy. Use the whisk to drizzle white chocolate over the strawberries. Let set and enjoy!

Chicken Caesar Salad

Easiest of the recipes mostly because most came out of a bag :) Ingredients needed- Croutons(8-10 per salad. I like the garlic butter croutons), Mixed greens and  large chopped romaine lettuce( I usually give 1-2 cups per person) Your Favorite Caesar dressing(Or home made if you have a good recipe),1 minced garlic clove, 1/2 tsp onion powder 1 chicken breast cut into small cubes, ground black pepper,1 Tbls of olive oil and shredded Parmesan cheese.

Chicken-

Mix 1-2 Tbls of Caesar dressing into cubed chicken. Let sit for 15 minutes.

Heat a medium skillet to medium high heat and add the olive oil. Let heat. Add chicken and sauté until just cooked through. Sprinkle black pepper over the chicken. Set in a shallow dish and place in fridge uncovered for 15 minutes. Just long enough to cool so it wont wilt your salad.

 

Mix your salad greens together and set aside.

Assemble your salad. Place greens on a plate and add your chicken, Parmesan cheese and croutons then drizzle with dressing.

 

Easy night but this is a great Dinner meal that will be a go to favorite! Even better if you double the chicken you can refrigerate and take for lunch salads :)

Ground Turkey Lettuce wraps

This was a nice easy night because I used leftovers from last nights stir fry. Ingredients needed- 2 cups leftover stir fry finely chopped, 10-15 butter lettuce leafs separated, rinsed and patted dry, 1 lb. ground turkey, 4 Tbls peanut butter, 3 Tbls soy sauce, 2 Tbls brown sugar, 2 tsp  finely grated ginger, 1 tsp lime zest, 2 Tbls lime juice, 1 garlic clove finely minced, 2 Tbls Sambal,1 Tbls  vegetable oil, 2 tsp Sesame oil, 1 Tbls sesame seeds, 4 slices of lime and 1/2 cup chopped cilantro.

Sauce for filling-

Mix 2 Tbls peanut butter, 1 Tbls lime juice, 1 1/2 Tbls soy sauce, 1 tsp sesame oil, 2 tsp sesame seeds, 1 Tbls brown sugar and 1 Tbls Sambal. Mix thoroughly.

Filling-

In a large skillet heat to medium high heat and add a small amount of  vegetable oil. Ad the finely chopped vegetables, garlic, 1 tbs ginger and lime zest. Cook for 1 minute and stir. Add ground turkey and stir and break up the turkey. Pour the first sauce over and let simmer for about 5 minutes occasionally stirring. Add 2/3 of the cilantro. Once cooked through remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Peanut sauce-

2 Tbls peanut butter, 1 tsp finely grated ginger, 1 Tbls sambal,  1 Tbls lime juice, 1 1/2 Tbls soy sauce, 1 Tbls brown sugar and remaining cilantro. Mix thoroughly.

Serve

Enjoy.

Chicken Stir Fry and Pan fried carbless noodles in peanut sauce

This is probably my favorite recipe so far! The ingredient list is long but so worth it! Ingredients needed-2 chicken breast cut into 1in cubes, 1 red bell pepper sliced thinly, 1/2 green bell pepper thinly sliced, 8-10 mushrooms sliced, 2 stalks celery chopped , 4 green onions cut diagonally, 4-5 stalks bok choy, 1 medium crown of broccoli chopped, 2 regular or 10 small carrots sliced thinly, The zest and juice of one lime(separated), 2-3 garlic cloves finely minced or grated, 2 Tbls ginger finely minced or grated, 1 bunch of cilantro roughly chopped, 1/2 bag bean sprouts, 1 bag sugar snap peas(make sure to snap the ends and pull the little tough strings off), I can sliced water chestnuts, 1 can bamboo shoots, 1 can pineapple chunks(save the juice to pour over the chicken while cooking), 1 or 2 bags of Zero Carb noodles(I posted pictures so you know what they look like. You can find them by the tofu), 1 Tbls sesame oil, 2 Tbls vegetable oil, 1/2 cup teriyaki sauce, 1/4 cup soy sauce, 3 Tbls unsweetened peanut butter, 2 Tbls sesame seeds, 2 Tbls brown sugar, 2 Tbls Sambal(you can add more or less depending how spicy you like it) 1 tsp corn starch.

The stir fry sauce-

In a bowl add the teriyaki, half of the soy sauce, corn starch, 1/2 of the brown sugar, 1/8 cup of the chopped cilantro, 1/2 of the lime zest, 1/2 of the lime juice, 1/2 of the ginger, 1/2 of the garlic and 1 Tbls of the Sambal. Mix until completely combined. Set aside

Peanut Sauce-

In a small bowl mix unsweetened peanut butter, 1/2 Tbls Sambal and the remaining soy sauce and  brown sugar. Set aside.


The Chicken-

Take the 2 chicken breasts and cut into 1 inch cubes or slightly smaller. In a skillet on high, heat 1 Tbsl vegetable oil and 1/2 Tbls sesame oil till almost smoking point. Add the chicken and stir immediately.(have a large lid near by because we are cooking on high heat and the oil may spatter). Add the 1/2 Tbls ginger, garlic, lime zest and remaining Sambal. When almost finished cooking through 2 Tbls of the pineapple juice that you set aside. Cook for 2-3 more minutes stirring frequently. Pour into bowl and set aside.

The Veggies-

Everything should be chopped, diced and sliced and set aside.

Time to begin cooking!

In a LARGE skillet or wok(I lost my wok in the move so I have to use a skillet but a wok would be ideal) heat 1Tbls vegetable oil and 1/2 sesame oil to almost smoking point.(Keep the skillet or wok on high the entire time) This next step must be done fast and I recommend having that lid handy because this is gonna snap crackle pop all over! Add the remaining ginger and garlic to the hot oil and as soon as it starts to pop dump the carrots, broccoli, celery, bamboo shoots and water chestnuts to the pan and stir. Let cook for 1 minute. Then add the peppers and pineapple and continue to stir. Let cook 2 minutes. Add the bok choy and sugar snap peas. Stir.  Add mushrooms and bean sprouts. Stir. Let cook about 4 minutes while stirring the entire time.(continue to keep folding the ingredients from the sides into the middle and the middle to the sides) Add the chicken to the vegetables and stir. Add the Stir fry sauce and let simmer 2 minutes or until it starts to get thicker. Remove from heat and sprinkle some sesame seeds and cilantro on the top.  This part of the dish is complete!

The Zero Noodles-

Add just enough oil to the pan to coat(maybe half of a tsp). Remove the noodles from the bag and rinse with cold water. Let drain.  Get the oil hot and add noodles to pan. Let cook for 2-3 minutes and add the peanut sauce. Stir to coat all of the noodles. They are done!

Serve up some noodles and stir fry. I like to sprinkle with a little more fresh cilantro and sesame seeds. YUMMY1