September 16, 2014 by gn0mel0ver

Root Beer Chocolate Cake

Mmmmm. Hmmmmm. Ohhhhhh. Yeeeeeaaaaaaa. That is what I thought to myself when I watched Carla from The Chew (I love that show. And I love her. Anthropologie lovers, Carla wears a lot of clothes from there, on the show) make her chocolate root beer cake. I went online to get the recipe and I was disappointed to see that the recipe for the cake part differed from the one she made on t.v. I gave it up until I saw that someone in the comments had geniusly used a boxed cake mix and substituted the water it called for for root beer.

I can do that, I thought.

But then I didn’t.

I drank the root beer and ate some chocolate cookies and considered the flavor craving dealt with.

I had forgotten that I know myself well enough to have purchased two bottles of root beer. So when I came across the other bottle sitting unsuspecting on the shelf. Minding its own business. Not knowing that soon it would be meeting its soul mate, chocolate. No need to tell it about the part involving the oven. And then my mouth. Let’s be kind… I had to make the cake.

This is my new favorite cake. I am so excited to share this recipe. The best part about it is that it is incredibly easy to make. Well, and it tastes good. Our cake was gone in two days. We are a family of four. Two days. The math adds up to ~~gluttony~~ deliciousness.

Time to unite the star-crossed lovers…

Cake Ingredients:

1 devil’s food boxed cake mix
3 eggs
1/3 cup melted butter
1 cup root beer plus 3 Tbsp. root beer reserved for cooled cake rounds

Frosting ingredients:

1 cup root beer
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup white chocolate melted (I used Merckens melting chocolates because I had it but she said to use white chocolate chips. Either will work)
A pinch of salt (I just added three shakes of my salt shaker)
1/2 cup (1stick) softened salted butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. If you have a convection oven, preheat at 325 degrees F convect bake. Generously spray two nine inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray.

In your mixer or with a hand mixer in a bowl, beat together melted butter, eggs, cake mix, and one cup of root beer until mixed together. This is about one minute.

Pour cake mix evenly into the two cake pans. Give them each a gentle tap on the countertop to rid them of extra air bubbles. Put the cake pans in the oven and bake cake according to directions on box. Because of the fluffy mix produced from the root beer, my cakes needed two minutes longer than the longest baking time on the package (I baked mine thirty one minutes on convect bake).

Remove cake rounds from the oven. Let cool for five minutes in cake pans.

After five minutes, run a butter knife gently around the edge of the cake and the cake pan. Flip cake over onto cooling rack. Repeat with other layer. Allow to completely cool.

In the meantime, pour the one cup of root beer for the frosting into a small saucepan. On medium low heat simmer the root beer until it reduces to a third of a cup. I actually was overzealous with my simmer and reduced it to a quarter cup. This still worked out fine. This should be about five to seven minutes to reduce.

It will look like this. Turn off burner. Allow to cool.

Now that the cakes are cool, you are going to brush the cake layers evenly with the 3 Tbsp. of reserved root beer (not the reduced stovetop product! That is for the frosting) with a basting brush. Yep. Give the two lovers a wet root beer kiss.

Melt white chocolate (I put mine in a bowl and microwave for thirty second intervals, stirring each time. Usually takes 90 seconds to melt).

In your stand mixer or with your hand mixer in a bowl, beat together softened butter and powdered sugar until fluffy about two minutes. Add salt and mix. Add white chocolate and beat for a few seconds until incorporated. Add reduced stovetop root beer, and vanilla extract and blend until smooth.

I, very helpfully, do not have a picture of this part. I do, however, have a picture of me posing with the frosting. Which I have been told ~~has nothing to do with~~ is very important when baking a cake.

Place one cake round with basted root beer side up on a cake stand. Spread one third of the frosting on the layer towards the middle, leaving a little room at the edges because when you put the other cake layer on top, it will push the frosting further out.

Place the other cake layer on top of the frosted bottom layer. Frost top with remaining frosting. I like to place it in the middle and then gently ease it towards the edge until it barely goes over.

Cover or immediately serve.

Now eat the mingled lovers. Why does something that sounds so wrong taste so right? Don’t try to analyze it, just enjoy.

My daughter has requested this cake as her birthday cake coming up in October. She doesn’t even usually like cake. My husband woke me up the day after I had made this at 9:00 in the morning holding a plate with a half eaten large slice of the cake that he could not resist for breakfast (this is not a breakfast cake. He just has as much self control as his wife). Maybe he was feeling the ingredient love.

I promise, a bite of this cake , and you will feel the romance, too.

P.S. My Giveaway ends tonight at 9:00 PST. Please do not forget to enter.

September 8, 2014 by gn0mel0ver

An Easy And Decent Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Remember when we made that crockpot salsa chicken? That was a great night. It was so amazing that we ended up having a bunch of leftovers. As only the greatest of nights will produce.

Leftover salsa chicken has pretty endless possibilities.

As endless as the storyline for this post.

I was actually squabbling with my husband when I served this casserole. I cannot remember what the argument was about. I am sure it was not my fault. It ~~always~~ never is. I loved the casserole. His sole comment at dinner was, “It’s decent.”

My reply was not.

Before I posted this recipe, I made it again. I wanted to be sure it was good. It is. I like it. I really like it. It has a wonderful crunchy top. Good creamy flavor.

It is decent.

Ingredients:

2-3 cups leftover salsa chicken (recipe here) or diced rot. chicken
2 cups plus 1/2 cup (set aside) shredded monterey jack cheese
1 10 oz. can green enchilada sauce
4 oz. softened cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1 4 oz. can of green chiles
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. ground chili powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4-1/2 cup low sodium chicken stock (I have used water and it was fine)
9 corn tortillas
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup crumbled tortilla chips
2 Tbsp. Chopped cilantro
Pinch of paprika

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Pour your vegetable oil in a small skillet and heat to hot enough to fry tortillas. With tongs, lay each tortilla in oil for about five seconds on each side. Keep tortilla flat. Remove to a paper towel lined plate. Repeat with remaining tortillas.

In a skillet over medium heat, combine cream cheese, chiles, enchilada sauce, salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, and garlic powder until well-combined. Add sour cream and mix until incorporated. Add chicken stock until it is a looser consistency. Turn off heat.

In a 9 X 9 casserole dish, pour a little of the sauce in the bottom of the pan. Lay four tortillas in the bottom of the pan until it is covered. Tear one tortilla and fit into remaining holes. Pour 1/2 of the sauce over the tortilla. Layer half of the chicken on top of the sauce. Layer one cup of monterey jack cheese. Place four tortillas over the cheese. With the remaining pieces from the previously torn tortilla, fill in any gaps. Layer the remaining sauce over the tortilla. Layer the remaining chicken. Spread one cup of monterey jack cheese over top.

Place casserole in the oven and bake for twenty five minutes.

In a bowl combine tortilla chips, paprika and the remaining 1/2 cup shredded monterey jack cheese.

When casserole has baked for twenty five minutes, remove from oven and sprinkle tortilla chip cheese mixture over the top. Place back in oven for five minutes.

Sprinkle chopped cilantro on top.

I served mine with Mexican rice.

To a grumbling husband.

It did not, miraculously, descend into his lap*.

I, and this dish, are of the decent sort, after all.

*Plus, I happen to really love the guy. I would hate to ~~waste a serving of casserole~~ ruin his lap. ; )

August 28, 2014 by gn0mel0ver

A Better Crockpot Salsa Chicken

Most of us have done it. Thrown chicken breasts into a crockpot and tossed in a jar of salsa with it. It is easy. It tastes good. And there are so many fantastic ways to use the chicken once it is cooked.

Chicken Tacos. Chicken enchiladas. Chicken salad. Chicken tostadas. Chicken quesadillas. Chicken empanadas. Chicken burritos. Chicken casseroles. Chicken and rice. Chicken…

“That-that’s about it.”

For the last few months, I have been adding a few items to my crockpot salsa chicken to give it a greater depth of flavor. It is still easy. It makes your mouth water. And the best part about it is, it just does not taste like crockpot chicken. And that is…

“All I have to say about that.”

Ingredients:

3-4 pounds of boneless skinless chicken breasts or tenders (Tip: do not ever crockpot chicken breasts with salt water added to them. Those are fine for grilling, but if you put them in a crockpot, the salt water will seep out and create a very salty, watery product)
1 1/2 cups of medium salsa (I used Pace)
1 four oz. can of diced green chiles
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground mexican oregano
1 tsp. garlic powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. Knorr’s chicken seasoning
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper

Directions:

Put chicken breasts in crockpot. Place all other ingredients on top of chicken. Cover and cook on high for four hours or low for six. I was preparing for company coming over that morning so I forgot to take a picture of the chicken in the crockpot. Trust me, it was there. Unlike my brain in my head that day.

Remove bay leaf and throw it away. Take chicken out of the crockpot.

Shred the chicken. Ladle some of the liquid from the crockpot over the shredded chicken until it is moist. This is usually three-four ladlefuls for me. Taste. Add salt as needed.

Serve however you would like.

I make such a big batch because for my family I can eke out three meals from this one batch. With this batch: The first day I always make chicken tacos (fry white corn tortillas in vegetable oil, allow to cool in layers on paper towels. Add shredded chicken, taco veggies, shredded monterey jack cheese, cilantro. Serve with sour cream and taco sauce on the side). The second day we had tacos again and the third day I made my chicken enchilada casserole (post to come next week).

This chicken is so good. It is great to feed a crowd. It goes with everything.

Or as Forrest Gump would say, “~~Me and Jenny~~ crockpots and chicken goes together like peas and carrots.”

August 21, 2014 by gn0mel0ver

Savory Palmiers

Sounds fancy, doesn’t it?

The other day, was my friend’s birthday. And what she wanted for her birthday was to go to a local winery and have a potluck picnic with some of her girlfriends. I wondered what I should bring, but then it hit me.

Enter the palmier.

That sounds like an elaborate made-up foreign boyfriend who drives a Porsche and only drinks champagne as he serenades you with a poem that he just wrote about the way you two first met… Which incidentally, you lied about, too.

But Palmier doesn’t need to know that.

Ahem.

Getting back on track.

Palmiers might sound complicated, but you can use all store bought ingredients and whip up a beautiful little ~~boyfriend~~ appetizer that nobody would ever guess took you less than fifteen minutes to create. The palmiers are flaky and melt in your mouth as they burst with different flavors.

We are making two different types of palmiers here. One is Ina Garten’s Recipe using pesto, feta, and sundried tomatoes. The other palmier is one that I created. It is more of a pizza roll using cream cheese, pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese and sun-dried tomatoes. When I make these I freeze half and then I have an appetizer or spare dinner when I need it. Each log makes about twenty to twenty five palmiers depending upon how thin you slice them.

Ingredients For Pesto Palmiers:

1 package frozen puff pastry
1/4-1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil
1/2 cup of crumbled feta
1/2 cup store bought pesto
1/2 cup flour

Ingredients for Pizza Palmiers:

1 package frozen puff pastry
2 cups mozzarella shredded cheese
8 oz. softened cream cheese
1/2 cup pizza sauce
1/4-1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil
1/2 cup flour

Optional:

Chopped pepperoni

Directions:

Let frozen pastry defrost on counter for twenty-thirty minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Lightly flour your counter and place one pastry sheet on floured surface. Lightly flour pastry surface and roll with a rolling pin into a 9 X 11 inch rectangle.

For the pesto palmiers, layer 1/2 of the ingredients per pastry sheet: first the pesto, then sun-dried tomatoes, then feta.

For the pizza palmiers, layer 1/2 the ingredients per pastry sheet: first the cream cheese, then pizza sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, and mozzarella. You could also cut up some pepperoni and place that in, too. I happen to not like pepperoni, so I do not add it.

When all of the ingredients are layered, take half of the long length of the palmier and fold it in half towards the center. Repeat with the other side until they are touching. Then fold again until the pastry dough is halfway to the center. Repeat with other side so that the two sides meet in the middle again. Whew.

Does your roll look like this?

Or this? Yesterday I made these for my daughter, because she got her braces off and this is what she requested for dinner (these are one of her favorite things I make). The appetizer makes a great fun dinner option served family style in the middle of the table alongside a separate bowl of salad. I accidentally folded mine horizontally yesterday. So, if your roll looks like the ones above, that is okay. You just will not have as many palmiers at the end, but you will have bigger ones. If you want bigger palmiers, fold the pastry sheet width wise. If you want a larger quantity of small appetizers, fold length wise.

Wrap in plastic wrap. If you have made both types of palmiers, you will have four rolls. Refrigerate until needed. You can make these the day before a party and have them on hand. Freeze for thirty minutes before cutting to make cutting easier. Freeze remaining logs (I only use one log of each type of palmier for each event) and just defrost them the next time you need a quick appetizer.

After taking palmier logs out of the freezer, cut palmiers into 1/4 inch slices and place on a parchment lined baking sheet (the parchment is important. I have tried making these without the parchment paper and just cooking spray and the palmiers stick) two inches a part. I do not have a picture of that. I do, however, have a picture of my back. Isn’t that ~~vain~~ helpful?

Bake sliced palmiers for 17-19 minutes. Mine are never as pretty as Ina’s, but they taste good.

Transfer the hot palmiers to a paper towel lined plate and allow to cool before placing on a platter to serve.

Now celebrate your hard work with some champagne alongside Palmier before he takes you for a ride in that Porsche. If he tries to serenade you with another one of his cheesy poems, just shove one of these babies in his mouth. Your ears and your mouth will thank you.

*I could not help sneaking some pictures of my new dress into this post. Blame ~~the champagne~~ Palmier. He told me to do it. Dress is from Anthropologie here.

Gnome Lover

Stumbling through life while still having fun

Food

Root Beer Chocolate Cake

An Easy And Decent Chicken Enchilada Casserole

A Better Crockpot Salsa Chicken

Savory Palmiers