I've moved!

Should have posted this a long time ago-but I have a new blog now! Hope to see you there

www.eliteentrees.blogspot.com

I'm Still Here!!!

Lots going on everyone, but I have missed my blog a lot! I have embarked on a new adventure and been trying tons of recipes. This one was worth restarting my blog habit. I saw it on Paula Dean's show over the weekend and it looked wonderful and light. Something to get us amped up for spring/summer, right! This is definately going in the rotation. The rice is excellent and the fish was extremely flavorful. I was surprised at how much marinade the fish absorbed just in 30 minutes! Good job Paula! The rice also introduced me to a new way to avoid condensation in your food. After the rice was done, I put a clean dish cloth over the pot and put the lid on. The towel absorbed the moisture instead of it dripping back into the rice. Love it!

Zesty Grilled Tilapia w/Mango Coconut Rice

6 (6-ounce) tilapia fillets
6 tablespoons olive oil, plus additional for brushing
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
6 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon hot sauce, to taste
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Mango Coconut Rice, recipe follows

Place the fish in a large nonmetal dish. Whisk together the 6 tablespoons oil, the orange zest, orange juice, ginger, hot sauce, salt, and pepper, to taste; pour over the fish. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 to 60 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare grill. Brush the fish with additional oil. Grill until fish just flakes when tested with a fork, about 5 minutes per side for each inch of thickness.
Serve alongside Mango Coconut Rice.


Mango Coconut Rice:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups long-grain rice
1 (14-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk
2/3 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
1 large ripe mango, peeled and cubed

In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the rice and stir to coat with the oil. Add the coconut milk, water, and salt; bring to a boil. Stir in the mango. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer about 20 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed.

Remove the rice from the heat and fluff with a fork. Place a clean, dry dish towel over the pan, cover with the lid, and let steam for 5 minutes before serving.

Happy Valentines Day!

Its been a while since an update and I do apologize. I have been wrapped up in some other matters but I am back for now! I am going to be brief. You must make this meal as soon as humanly possible. Hubs and I both agreed it was the best thing we have ever eaten at home and rivaled a LOT of good steak joints we have been to over the years. Thank you Giada, you never fail to amaze. Please to enjoy....

Petite Filets with Gorgonzola Porcini Cream Sauce
Filet:
1 (4 to 6-ounce) petite filet of beef
Pinch salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
Gorgonzola and Porcini Mushroom Sauce:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4-pound (about 1 cup) dried porcini mushrooms, soaked and strained (I used baby bellas and they were equally delish)
1 shallot, sliced (about 2 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 ounces (about 3 tablespoons) Gorgonzola
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard


For the beef:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Sprinkle both sides of the beef with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in an oven-safe medium skillet over high heat. When the oil is hot, carefully place the filet in the pan. Cook until browned on both sides, about 3 to 4 minutes a side. Transfer the steak to the oven and bake until a meat thermometer reads 130 degrees F. for medium-rare, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the beef from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes.

For the sauce:
Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and the shallots and cook until golden brown and tender, about 5 minutes. Add the thyme, white wine, salt, and pepper and continue to cook until all of the liquid has evaporated, about 5 more minutes.

Meanwhile, put the Gorgonzola, mayonnaise, and mustard in a food processor and combine until smooth. Transfer the Gorgonzola mixture to the skillet with mushrooms and shallots. Gently stir the cheese mixture into the mushroom mixture.

Slice the beef and serve topped with a dollop of the cheese sauce. Reserve leftover sauce for another use.

I also made Giadas Brocolli Puree. It was equally divine

1 large russet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 pound broccoli florets
1/2 cup chicken broth
4 ounces cream cheese
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Salt and freshly ground black pepper


Fill a large pot with enough water to come 2 inches up the sides of the pot. Set a steamer rack in the pot, cover, and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Add the potato chunks and cook until they are very tender, about 18 minutes. Transfer the potatoes to a medium bowl and mash until smooth.
Place broccoli into steamer rack and steam over medium heat until the broccoli is very tender, about 12 minutes. Transfer the broccoli to the bowl of a food processor. Add the broth, cream cheese, and Parmesan. Process until the broccoli is pureed and almost smooth.

Stir the broccoli puree into the mashed potato and blend well. Season the puree to taste with salt and pepper, and serve.

Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Bars

Another great recipe thanks for my friend Tyler Florence. I was hesitant about the blueberries and the lemon cheesecake but it turned out great! Besides the cream cheese there really wasnt' anything horribly unhealthy about these, right? Well, maybe not, but I cut them in bite size pieces so that made me feel a little bit better :)

Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Bars

For the base:
Butter, for greasing
2 tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
9 graham crackers
1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted
For the filling:
16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
2 eggs
2 lemons, zested and juiced
About 1/2 cup sugar, eyeball it
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

Powdered sugar, for dusting


Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
For the base:
Grease the bottom of a 9 by 9-inch baking pan with butter. Then place parchment paper over the top, pressing down at the corners. In a food processor, process the sugar, cinnamon and graham crackers until you have the texture of bread crumbs. Add the melted butter and pulse a couple of times to fully incorporate. Pour into the lined baking pan and gently pat down with the base of a glass. Bake in the oven for 12 minutes until golden. When done set aside to cool.


For the filling:
Add cream cheese, eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice and sugar to the food processor and mix until well combined. It should have a smooth consistency. Pour onto the cooled base and then cover with blueberries. They will sink slightly but should still be half exposed -- as the cake bakes they will sink a little more and break down.

Bake in the oven for 35 minutes or until the center only slightly jiggles. Remove from the oven and cool completely before refrigerating for at least 3 hours. Once set, remove from pan using the parchment lining and slice into 10 rectangular bars. Dust with powdered sugar.

Going back to basics

Last week I tried a few new recipes and they were sort of a bust. I made some sweet and sour turkey meatballs yesterday in the crock pot. It was Robin Miller recipe and I should have read the reviews BEFORE I made them. It was not good-lets just leave it at that. I decided to get back in my comfort zone and make some old favorites. This is a great recipe that I have been using for years and its one of Chris's top 5 favorite recipes. You will not be disappointed with this one! The best part of this dish, in my opinion, is the top layer of tortillas and cheese that gets all brown and crispy around the edges. YUMMY!!!
I am also happy to announce that my light box has been revived once again and I am hoping for more pretty pictures!

Mexican Lasagna

1 pound lean ground beef
6 flour tortillas
Can of mexican style chili beans (undrained)*Strangely enough, the only brand I can find for these is always save...
Taco seasoning
Can of cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup of milk
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Sour cream (I use light or FF)
Olives

Brown ground beef, drain (I also rinse), and return to pan. Season meat with taco seasoning (like half the package) but do not add water. Set aside.
Spray a 9x13 baking dish with non stick coating. Tear 3 tortillas into peices and lay them on the bottom of the pan-they can overlap-as long as the bottom is covered.


Spread meat mixture on top of tortillas, empty entire can of chili beans on top of meat and spread. Take the other three tortillas and tear them into peices and arrange another layer on top of beans.
In a bowl, mix Cream of chicken soup with a 1/2 cup of milk. Spread soup over the tortillas. Cover the top with lots of cheddar cheese (I use almost an entire package)
Bake uncovered for 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

O-M-G

This post is dedicated to my friend Julie who likes to use this computer expression in real life. In this case-its fitting. These cupcakes are wrong on so many levels. Wrong to have in this house for one. The batter was different than any I had ever made before. It was the consistency of whipped frosting but very dense. I think it also helps to have all the ingredients at room temp. The sour cream and buttermilk made them extremely moist. The peanut butter frosting deserves it own post. It was over the top good and well worth making from scratch. It was the perfect topping on a perfectly dark chocolate cupcake!

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter frosting (Courtesy of Ina)

12 T unsalted butter at room temp
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 eggs at room temp
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup buttermilk , shaken at room temp
1 3/4 cup all purpose fires
1 cup good cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350. Line cupcake pan with paper liners. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream the butter and two sugars at high speed until light and fluffy-about 5 minutes. Lower the speed to medium, add the eggs one at a time, then vanilla and mix well. In a seperate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream. In another bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. On low speed, add the buttermilk mixture and the flour mix alternately in thirds to the mixer, beginning with the buttermilk and ending with the flour. Mix only until blended.
Divide the batter among the cupcake pans (one rounded ice cream scoop). Bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.


Frosting..

1 cup confectioners sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
5 T unsalted butter at room temp
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 heavy cream

Beat all ingredients at medium low speed until creamy-scraping as needed....

If you have been living under a rock somewhere

You may not have heard about this delectable yet. There are several versions of it out there floating around, but this is the best in my opinion. Its extremely addictive. If you make it once, you will make it a thousand times. I have passed it on to many people and have had rave reviews!!

Buffalo Chicken Dip (aka Crack Dip)

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts boiled (I steamed mine in the microwave)
8oz of ranch dressing
2 8oz cream cheese softened
8oz shredded cheddar cheese
5 or 7 oz (depending on the brand) hot sauce. I use Franks

Mix all ingredients to desired consistency and bake for 40 minutes at 325. Serve with crackers, tortilla chips and/celery!!