Lemon Bars

I love having a stocked refrigerator and pantry. I hate running out of things - drives me crazy. This is great for last minute dinner ideas or unexpected guests. But what it's not great for is perishables. I've had to, many a times, throw out items because they spoiled on me before I used them - dumb, dumb, dumb. So this morning, I noticed I had basil and lemons that needed to be used, which meant only two things. By 10 am I was making pesto and lemon bars! Yum to both! I love all things lemon, almost as much as finding the perfect pair of gold heels for 1/2 off, almost that much.

These bars had everything I was looking for - a short list of ingredients, not too many steps and the total prep and cook time was minimal. Can you imagine my disappointment when these bars were a complete disaster?? I was so, so discouraged. Discouraged and actually kinda sad. I had built these bars up in my head so much I could hardly wait to taste them. I took out my knife, slowly pressed down only to see the yellow innards ooze out. I'm not talking a slow-creeping-ooze, I'm talking runny-like-water-ooze. Ugh. This sucks. What happened?? The worst part is that it's not the first time this has happened either. If you've been with MMIB since the beginning, you may remember a decidedly similar mishap which left me as equally unhappy. *sigh* Not really sure what went wrong, but I may need to read up on these little guys to see what the secret is. I'm not giving up because the flavor is just too good to ignore. So, I did what any disappointed woman would have done, I ate the sides of the lemon bars...and they were great! If you decide to try this recipe, let me know how it turns out and I'd love any tips you can offer.

Renee’s Lemon Bars

taken from Nordstrom Friends and Family Cookbook

makes about 18 bars

CRUST

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temp,

plus more for preparing baking pan

1 cup powdered sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

FILLING

4 large eggs

2 cups granulated sugar

1 TB grated lemon zest

 6TB fresh lemon juice

1 tsp baking powder

Powdered sugar for dusting

To make the crust, preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a 9x13 inch baking pan.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer set on medium-low speed, cream together the 1 cup butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl once. Add the flour and mix until well blended. Spread the mixture in an even layer on the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pan.

Bake the crust until lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and set on a wire rack to cool completely. Raise the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

To make the filling, in a bowl, using an electric mixer set on medium-high speed, beat the eggs until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add the granulated sugar and beat until thick. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, flour, and baking powder and beat until well blended and pale yellow. Pour the filling over the baked crust, and use a rubber spatula to spread it evenly.

Bake until the filling is set-firm on the edges, but still a little soft in the middle- 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and set on a wire rack to cool slightly. Using a fine-mesh sieve or a sifter, dust the top with powdered sugar while still warm. Cut into bars about 3 by 2 inches and serve warm. Cover and store in refrigerator for up to 3 days.

little tip: use your butter wrapper to coat the baking pan

I don't think I cooked the crust long enough

I went a little over board on the powdered sugar ;0)

Disastrous Lemon Bars AKA "Melting ice in Antarctica" according to my 10 year old

The tops of my bars were super crispy because I cooked them about 20 minutes longer in hopes this would help the center set better. No such luck.

Maple-Nut Granola

I first fell in love with granola as a breakfast cereal several years ago. I decided to surprise my husband one weekend and whisked him away to Santa Barbara, where we stayed at a little B&B (which I highly recommend). *sigh* Just typing about this little gem of a place makes me want to go there again. Anyway, back on topic. The simple beauty of the dining room there was enough to make any meal served within a delight. While I remember loving all the dishes they served for breakfast, I couldn't tell you which one I ordered. What I do remember is the granola. Kinda odd? Maybe. Oh, but it was soo good. It was served in a dainty clear glass bowl with whole milk. I don't normally drink whole milk but it complimented the granola so well. The creaminess of the milk with the crunch of the granola, ahhhh. Now that's a way to start your day.

Since then I've been in search of the perfect granola, but always store bought. Many out there are good and some are even great, but none I've tried have been fabulous...like the one at the B&B. Some are too sweet, some too dry and some are just plain too expensive. So I got this genius idea, duh, make my own! I'm the kind of girl who likes her granola plain and simple - oats and nuts. I'll pass on the dried cranberries or blueberries, raisins, and toasted coconut thank-you-very-much. But lucky for you adventurous ones out there, you can add just about anything to this recipe. This recipe comes from Martha Stewart. My family and I like it, but I wouldn't go so far as to say it's fabulous. It doesn't "clump" up like traditional cereal granola. This may be better used for yogurt topping or something similar. Still looking for the one.

Maple-Nut Granola

by Martha Stewart

makes 4 cups (I doubled the recipe)

3 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1/4 cup chopped pecans

1/4 cup chopped almonds

1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

5 teaspoons vegetable oil

5 tablespoons pure maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, toss together oats, pecans, almonds, salt, vegetable oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract.

Spread oat mixture on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through. Let cool completely. (To store, cover and keep at room temperature, up to 2 weeks.)

Good 'ol Strawberry Shortcake

If I haven't mentioned it already, my husband loves dessert. I've always known that the way to his heart is through his stomach, but if you really want to make him over-the-top happy, make him dessert. He will love you forever. The other night I really wanted to make him a yummy dessert before he got home but didn't want to run out to the grocery store for special ingredients. I had strawberries and cool whip so....... Strawberry Shortcake it was! It's a classic dessert that satisfies kids and adults. AND it takes minutes to prepare.

My Strawberries

serves 4-6 

1-2 lb fresh strawberries (approximately), sliced

2 TB sugar

1-2 TB balsamic vinegar

Slice your strawberries and put in a bowl. Sprinkle over the sugar and then drizzle over the balsamic vinegar. This vinegar gives the berries a little zing and adds depth to the flavor. You can definitely leave it out, but if you haven't tried it yet, you should. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to let the berries soak up all the sugar and vinegar. It's best to let the strawberries sit for a few hours. Meanwhile, make your shortcake....

Strawberry Shortcake

Serves 6

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

2 tablespoons sugar

¾ teaspoon salt

1 ½ cups heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Add heavy cream and mix until just combined. Place mixture in an ungreased 8-inch square pan and bake until golden, 18 to 20 minutes.

Remove shortcake from pan and place on a rack to cool slightly. Cut into 6 pieces and split each piece in half horizontally.

Spoon some of the strawberries with their juice onto each shortcake bottom. Top with a generous dollop of whipped cream and then the shortcake top. Spoon more strawberries over the top and serve.

Chicken Kabobs

I felt really lazy today. My body was beyond sore from the gym yesterday and for some reason all I wanted to do was sleep. I was really glad I cleaned the house and got my homework done yesterday so I could take it easy today. But, I still needed to fix dinner. Ugh, I didn't really feel up to it. I literally wanted to lie on the couch alllllll day. Well, my family has to eat so I thought of one of my favorite meals that requires little effort, Chicken Kabobs.

I love this meal. It's not so much about the chicken as it is everything that goes with it. Grilled veggies (or any cooked veggies, for that matter) are so delightful and refreshing, they add a burst of flavor to every bite. Also, I add a little something to my kabobs - fresh basil. I add a leaf of basil right next to each piece of chicken so when it is grilled, the basil falls and bakes over the chicken. The flavor of the grilled chicken with basil is so satisfying. Really, I've made this dinner so many times and tonight, as I was taking a bite of the chicken with basil, I caught myself saying, "Mmmmm, this is sooo good." It is a meal that never gets old. Bonus, you can grill it outdoors if you're enjoying the lovely weather that we are, or you can do it indoors on a stove top grill. I've done it both ways and it comes out great every time.

The beauty of this recipe is its versatility. You can use as much or as little of anything or make any substitutions according to your taste buds. Have fun with it!

Cassie's Chicken Kabobs
serves 4

4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into large bite size pieces
1-2 TB minced garlic
1 TB Kosher salt
3 TB olive oil
2 bell peppers, I used 3 - 1 red, 1 yellow, & 1 orange, cut into large bite size pieces
1 medium size red onion, cut into large bite size pieces
1 package white button mushrooms, left uncut
1 bunch fresh basil leaves
10 skewers, approximately

Put your garlic, salt and olive oil into a ziploc bag, add the chicken and toss to coat. Put the chicken in the fridge and let marinate for as long as possible, a minimum of 30 minutes (I marinated my chicken for almost 2 hours). Meanwhile, submerge your skewers in a sink full of water. This way they won't burn on the grill.

Once your chicken is done marinating, you are ready to assemble. You can do this any way you like, but I recommend two things - skewer your chicken in between a slice of red onion and basil leaf - this will add a lot of flavor to the chicken. Once all skewers are ready to go, grill until chicken is done. I typically serve alongside wild rice or a hot potato casserole.

Chicken Marsala in Dijon Mascarpone Sauce

One of Mama's "followers" posted something about making this dinner on her Facebook status a few weeks ago and I knew I had to have the recipe. Ask and you shall receive. Eva sent me the recipe and I got to try it out tonight. Y-U-M! Anything with mascarpone, in my book, is already off to a great start. It adds such a creamy texture that really can't be substituted with anything else. This dinner was so tasty I had to have seconds. You definitely need to try this one out and when you get a chance, stop on by Eva's blog, Bellabini Boutique, or better yet, check her out on Etsy to see all the cool stuff she's been making. Thanks for sharing the recipe Eva!!

Chicken Marsala in Dijon Mascarpone Sauce

serves 4

1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, each breast cut crosswise into 3 pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 tablespoons butter, divided
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 cup dry Marsala wine
1 cup (8 ounces) mascarpone cheese
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves, plus whole sprigs, for garnish
12 ounces dried fettuccine 

Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over high heat. Add the chicken and cook just until brown, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate and cool slightly. 

While the chicken cools, melt 2 tablespoons of butter to the same skillet over medium-high heat, then add the onion and sauté until tender, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic and sauté until the mushrooms are tender and the juices evaporate, about 12 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until it is reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Stir in the mascarpone and mustard. Cut the chicken breasts crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat until the chicken is just cooked through and the sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Stir in the chopped parsley. Season the sauce, to taste, with salt and pepper. 

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fettuccine and cook until al dente, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Drain. Toss the fettuccine with 3 tablespoons of butter and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Swirl the fettuccine onto serving plates. Spoon the chicken mixture over top. Garnish with parsley sprigs and serve.

Sweet and Spicy Asian Pork

Yesterday was a jam packed day. I had many "To-do's" that I needed to cross off my list and knew that if I didn't get to the gym first thing in the morning I never would. So, I rushed to the gym early to get into a spin class only to find that it was full. Grrrr. Now what am I gonna do? Actually run or something? Blech. Or just skip the gym and head out to run my errands? Then I told myself, "Cassie! What are you thinking? You are already at the gym-WORKOUT!" Fine. So, I decided to run and then take a Zumba class. I ran three miles (Hallelujah!!) and had a few minutes to spare before Zumba started and decided I enjoy it by skimming the cooking section of a Real Simple magazine. Planning dinner was one of my "To-Do's". I love when I can kill two birds with one stone - go to gym, plan dinner. Happens all the time ;) I found a delicious crock pot dinner idea with only a handful of ingredients. I proceeded to rip out that page in the magazine (shhhh, they won't mind) and walked happily into my Zumba class. I knew Friday was going to be a good day.

This recipe really appealed to me because I really like Asian inspired dishes. Additionally, the recipe calls for bok choy - something I've never cooked with before, but have been wanting to try. My husband and I really, really liked this dinner. We could definitely taste the sweet and spicy in the pork. I served it over Jasmine rice which added another flavor dimension. Extra bonus, like always, the aroma from the food cooking in the crock pot was fantastic. I'm a huge smeller (meaning I love to smell things) so I really appreciate a meal more when I can smell its goodness when I walk in the door. This recipe is must try but be sure to read my notes at the bottom of the recipe. Have a great weekend everyone!!

Sweet and Spicy Asian Pork Shoulder

taken from Real Simple

serves 4

½ cup low-sodium soy sauce

½ cup brown sugar

1-2 TB chili-garlic sauce (found in the Asian aisle at supermarket)

1 TB grated fresh ginger

1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder (optional)

Kosher salt and black pepper

2 ½ pounds pork shoulder, trimmed of excess fat & cut into 2-inch pieces

1 medium head bok choy, thinly sliced (about 8 cups)

2 scallions, sliced

In a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine the soy sauce, sugar, chili-garlic sauce, ginger, five-spice powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Add the pork and toss to coat. Cook, covered, until the pork is tender, on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 7-8 hours.

Before serving, skim off and discard any fat from the pork. Gently fold the bok choy into the pork and cook, covered, until heated through, 2 to 4 minutes. Serve with rice and sprinkle with the scallions.

My notes:

*My husband and I love all things spicy – kids not so much. I used 2 TB of the chili-garlic sauce and it was toooo spicy for the kiddos. Ooops! This was my first time cooking with this sauce so I wasn’t sure how hot it would be. Next time I make it I’ll probably use 1 TB.

*Fresh ginger can be expensive sometimes, so click HERE to see how you can preserve it to use later.

*I used the Chinese five-spice powder and really liked it! It’s a blend of cinnamon, cloves, fennel seed, star anise and Szechuan peppercorns.

*This meal is extremely quick and easy to put together – except for prepping the pork. It seemed like it took me forever to trim the fat from the pork and cut it. If you can find it pre cut in store, buy that. Otherwise, just allow extra time for this step.

*Last, I didn’t use anywhere near 8 cups of bok choy-maybe 4 and that was perfect.

PINK Flowers!

As you know, I LOVE fresh flowers! I picked up these gorgeous pink Gerbera Daisies the other day and adore how they add a fresh and pretty feel to my kitchen. I couldn't resist the pink daisies because it just makes me feel like Spring is here! What is your favorite flower? If you don't already, spoil yourself and pick up some fresh flowers today! They are sure to put a smile on your face.

guacamole makes everything better

Happy Tuesday everyone! I hope you all had a great day. Here in Southern California, we didn't have much to complain about. Now, I am going to forewarn you, if you live somewhere where it might be cold, raining, or snowing right now, you may want to pass on reading this post. Not because I don't appreciate you being here - because I DO - but because I don't want you to resent me for what comes next.

My dear friends, it was a glorious 80 degrees today and I was in absolute heaven. There wasn't anything that could upset me today. The weather made me too happy. You see, the sun is like medicine for me. No matter what is going on in my life, as long as I can go in my backyard, sit in my adirondack chair, lay my head back and feel that sun soak into my skin, I am reassured everything will be okay. Honestly, I had no ambition to do anything other than soak up that sun today. It felt amazing. I knew the perfect dinner to go along with this amazingness - carne asada burritos with homemade guacamole. Mmmmmm, doesn't that just sound heavenly. I mean, what goes better with 80 degree weather, right? Want to join us at the dinner table? Sure, come on over!

Lucky for us who live in So Cal, it is really easy to get our hands on some good carne asada. On my husband's way home from work, he stopped at a local Carniceria and bought a couple pounds of marinated carne asada. While he grilled it on the BBQ, I made homemade guacamole, Spanish rice and beans. It was the perfect ending to the perfect day.

While I know this recipe is not my invention nor do I claim it's the only way to have your guacamole, the simple version is how I like it best. I sincerely love the taste of avocados and want my guacamole to taste like avocados-not like everything else you can put in it. I use a couple ingredients to enhance the avocado's natural flavor and shy away from other common ingredients such as cilantro, onion, tomatoes, etc which seem to overpower the raw flavor of the avocado.

Cassie's Guacamole
yields 1 heaping Cup

3 ripe avocados
garlic salt
1/2 lemon

Slice the avocados in half length wise and peel. Discard of the seed and any sign of over ripening on the flesh. (Some claim that the seed actually keeps the guacamole from browning and I beg to disagree. The lemon or lime will help with that.) Using a flat bottom bowl and a potato masher, smash the avocados until you reach a desired consistency. I prefer a semi-lumpy over a pureed guacamole any day. Then add the juice of 1/2 lemon and garlic salt to taste. Chill until ready to serve.