Horseradish Cheddar Cheese Ball

First I would like to apologize to those who do take the time to read this blog for not having posted yesterday.

I attempted to choose a recipe that I could do after work last night and post before midnight but when I came home, I read the instructions and realized that was not going to happen. Oops!

I chose to make a cheese ball because it is suitable to serve at a party. Maybe even a  New Year's Eve party.

I tore this recipe out of the Food Network Magazine but is really a recipe that is supposedly to accompany a lovely bottle of entwine wine. 

Here are the ingredients that are needed to execute this recipe.

You can choose whichever crackers you like. These are the ones my husband brought home. They worked nicely.

The manner in which the first step was to be done was not specific. So, I threw all of the requested ingredients in a bowl and used a wooden spoon to kind of mash it all together.

The second step confused me slightly. I was most likely reading into it too much. Instead of forming the cheese mixture into a ball in the bowl and then covering the bowl with plastic wrap, I scooped it out onto a piece of plastic wrap and formed the ball while wrapping it.

It is at the end of step two were I realized that I should have read the directions before selecting this recipe, as the recipe I would make at 10pm. The words "chill until firm" and "4 hours or overnight" were the cause for this late blog entry. Sorry.

Anyways, this morning I executed step three and four resulting in this:

Although this recipe is time consuming and requires quite a few ingredients, I am going to KEEP it. Next time I will add more Horseradish. You can taste it so, if you aren't a big fan like I am the amount that is requested is enough.

Weight Watchers' followers: I would estimate 1 tbsp of cheese ball on a cracker would be 3 points. It depends on which crackers you choose. You could just eat it with celery. Celery is 0 points!

Happy New Year's Everyone!

Gingersnap Sandwich Cookies with Lemon Buttercream Frosting

Happy Holidays!

With the time of year in mind I chose to make cookies today. This recipe was torn out of an insert that was in the Canadian Living Magazine.

It is another double sided recipe.

I did not have to buy anything to execute this recipe. If you enjoy baking on a regular basis you should have all of the ingredients.

Here are the ingredients for the dough:

I love the way the brown sugar looks.

I made the dough in my mixer and then divided it. Put it in the fridge to chill for 2 hours.

After two hours I took one half and proceeded to roll the dough to the instructed 1/8' thickness. I personally think that is too thin. My first rolling attempt was not successful. The dough stuck to the counter. Solution: more flour. I chose to cut my cookies into stars. Again referencing the holiday theme. I cut out the bases of the cookies and then the tops. The first time I did the tops I cut out the center while it was on my counter. Not a good idea. I had difficulty moving it from the counter to the cookie sheet. After re-rolling the scraps, I cut the tops, put them whole onto the cookie sheet and then cut out the center.

Although the recipe did not instruct it, I placed the cookie sheets into the fridge for approximately 5 minutes. Then I put them in the oven. The instruction say to bake them for 9-12 minutes. My oven seems to be hotter then the ovens used by recipe makers so, I set my timer for 7 minutes.They were not done after 7 minutes so I added 3 minutes and ended up with these.

They were done a little to well for my liking.

The frosting ingredients are staples in my home.

It was easy to make.

I assembled the cookies and took them over the third Christmas dinner I have had this year.

This recipe was ok. Nothing too special. I like the flavour combination. Somewhat time consuming. The cookies could be more spicy. The frosting was sweet and over powered the flavour of the cookies. I am going to TOSS this recipe.

Weight Watcher's followers: 1 sandwich cookies is 4 points.

Slow-Cooker Vegetarian Chili with Sweet Potatoes

Today I chose to do a simple, non labourious recipe.

It was torn out of the Real Simple Magazine.

Here are the ingredients:

I did not use exactly what the recipe called for. The grocery store I chose to do my shopping at did not have 15.5-ounce cans of black beans or kidney beans. I used 28-ounce cans instead. I was concerned that because of the quantity change the chili might have come out drier but it did not. I could not find fire-roasted diced tomatoes so I used regular diced tomatoes. The only other thing I did not end up using was radishes. Not a fan.

The preparation took as stated 20 minutes. Here are all the ingredients in the slow cooker:

I went with the 4-5 hours on high option. I checked on it every hour and gave it a stir.

After 3 hours the sweet potatoes were cooked so, I turned the slow cooker down to LOW.

This is what it looked like after 4 hours and when we chose to eat it:

I have to say after looking at this picture the brown liquid isn't very appealing but the house smelt amazing!

I served myself two ladles full, added some sour cream and scallions (green onions) and ate it with tortilla chips just like the recipe suggests. No radishes.

After smelling it for 3 hours I was eager to eat it. Unfortunately it was underwhelming. It lacked flavour. Next time I would add a diced up jalapeno. My husband would have replaced the sweet potatoes with meat. That completely defeats the purpose of it being vegetarian. I am torn about the decision to keep or toss this recipe. My vegetarian upbringing enjoyed it but my husband the carnivore didn't. I cannot eat it all on my own. Although I could make it and freeze it for myself. Hmmm. I need a stand alone freezer.

I am KEEPing it.

Weight Watcher's followers: This is a good one! The recipe the way I made it had approximately 9 cups. I ate approximately 1 1/2 cups. Each cup is 3 points. Not including the sour cream or the chips.

BBQ Chicken Sandwiches and Apple Streusel Coffee Cake

Today theme for my attempts at the following recipes was: use what you've got!

The BBQ Chicken Sandwiches recipe was torn out of the Rachael Ray Magazine.

The Apple Streusel Coffee Cake was torn out of the Canadian Living Magazine. Not a fan of recipes not all on the same page.

I made the Coffee Cake first. It required three different assemblies of ingredients.

These were for the batter,

these were for the streusel,

and these are for the apple filling.

Only thing I had to buy that I didn't already have at home was the sour cream. So, ingredients are familiar and should be staples in a baker's kitchen.

Here are the layers individually ready for assembly.

Here is were the "Work with what you've got" mentality started. I do not have a 9' square metal pan. I thought about using an 8' square pan but then I might run the risk of the cake over flowing. So, I opted for the 9'x13' pan. I also did not line it with parchment. I did the old traditional grease and flour technique. I followed the directions for the assembly part.

Because I chose to use the 9'x13' pan the batter layer was spread out quite thin. After all the layers I ended up with this:

I am kind of glad I do not have a 9' square pan. Look at the way the streusel is spread out on the one I made. In comparison I think the streusel layer would have been way to thick if doing it in a 9' square pan.

I adjusted the baking time accordingly because of the depth difference from a square to a rectangle pan. I baked it for 30 exactly and ended up with this:

I let it cool for approximately half an hour and then cut it into 24, 2' square pieces.

Here is one on it's own:

Now on to the BBQ Chicken Sandwiches. Right off the bat I had to deal with the "Work with what you've got" mentality. I assembled the ingredients for the coleslaw and then the BBQ Chicken.

Et Voila! The first hiccup I encountered was the chicken thighs. I bought boneless, skinless chicken thighs. It is not CLEARLY stated in the ingredients list or in the instructions that I needed bone-in, skin on chicken thighs. Only when it states "shred the meat and skin from the chicken bones" you know which type of chicken thighs to use. Anyways, I went ahead with the advise of my husband and baked it at 400 degrees but only for 30 minutes.  When it came out it was shredded and added to the sauce.

I made the coleslaw and served each element of the sandwich individually so that we could chose how much of what we wanted on our sandwiches. I thought about making my own chips and then remembered how two recipes usually result in myself feeling slightly overwhelmed. I decided to buy a bag of Kettle Sea Salt chips instead.

So, back to the Apple Streusel Coffee Cake. It was tasty. All the ingredients are usually standard in one's kitchen and although the preparation process can be timely, it's assembly is simple and results in a divine dessert. I should have tried it with coffee. I'll do that tomorrow. I am going to KEEP this recipe.

Now for the BBQ Chicken Sandwiches. The sauce is what is making me TOSS this recipe. It's not thick and sticky like traditional BBQ sauce. The flavour that the chicken absorbs is subtle and not reminiscent of BBQ. The chicken turned out tender and juicy so, I will take away a new technique of cooking chicken thighs.

Weight Watcher's Followers: One of the 2' pieces of Apple Cake is approximately 5 points each. The sandwich with the coleslaw and bun is approximately 14 points. That does not include the chips.

Beef and Mozzarella Baked Rotini & Walnut and Brown-Sugar Rugelach

It was suggested this week, seeing as a double recipe attempt is becoming a reoccurring thing, that I mention that a second pair of hands (my husband) is helpful.

Today's recipes resulted in a whirlwind of emotions. The Beef and Mozzarella Baked Rotini recipe was torn out of the Canadian Living Magazine.

The Walnut and Brown-Sugar Rugelach recipe was torn out of the Everyday Food Magazine.

I started with the ingredients for the Rugelach. All of which are easily found at any grocery store.

I proceeded to make the dough in the food processor I have used 3 times now since I got it a couple years ago for Christmas.

It does not come together like a customary dough would. It was very soft.

I set up two pieces of plastic wrap and scooped the dough out as evenly as I could.

Wrapped them up and put them in the fridge for 2 hours.

While the dough was firming in the fridge I made the Tomato Sauce required for the Rotini dish. I substituted both fresh basil and bay leaves for dry. The reason was because I could not find either fresh at the grocery store. I used 1 tsp of dried basil and two dried bay leaves.

It was easy to prepare and it was flavourful.

This is where the second pair of hands became useful. As I assembled the Rugelach, my husband put together the Rotini.

The ingredients for the Rotini were the following.

As my husband proceeded with the preparation of the Rotini dish, (it appeared to be quite easy to assemble) I attempted the Ruglach.

I removed one disc of dough from the fridge and started to roll it out on the floured parchment paper. My first mistake was not allowing the dough to thaw. Second mistake I rolled the dough out too thin. I had seen early on in the dough making process that it was very soft. I should have known what to expect next. I brushed the egg wash onto the dough, sprinkled the brown sugar and then the walnuts. Used the pizza cutter to cut the dough into the 16 wedges then, expected to be able to roll each triangle into the center only to end up with ripped up dough and a frustration level that was increasingly getting worse. I threw the first disc and all of it's topping into the garbage. The second try was better.

I ended up rolling fourteen of them successfully. Others ripped just like the ones before. I was so frustrated at this point that I put them into the oven and a couple minutes later rushed to get them out. I had forgotten to brush the egg wash on top. Back into the oven they went.

All though the recipe states to bake for 30 to 32 minutes, I ended up taking mine out at the 25 minute mark.

Meanwhile my husband brought together the elements for the Rotini dish.

My husband has never been one for following recipes exactly. He advised me after this was brought together that he has added more sauce then was asked for.

It went into the oven and came out looking like this.

I am glad he added the additional sauce. I think it may have been to dry without it.

So, I am definitely KEEPing the Beef and Mozzarella Baked Rotini dish. It was easy to assemble and tasted very good. I had seconds, even though I shouldn't have. While making the Walnut and Brown-Sugar Rugelach I experienced so many mixed emotions. The dough did not co-operate and the flavour turned out to be nothing special. I really want to burn this recipe. It made me angry. I am ripping it into tiny little pieces and TOSSing it into the garbage.

Weight Watcher's followers: For 1/10 of the Rotini dish it is a hefty 12 points. You could possibly reduce it by not adding so much cheese. One Rugelach is 4 points. I don't know about you but I'm not wasting my points on that. 

Garlic Chicken and Potatoes AND Chocolate Mousse Torte

A couple weeks ago I made Macaroni and Cheese with Corn Dogs. I had a very heavy feeling in my stomach after that meal. Today's combination was a perfect balance of light and heavy.

I chose to make Garlic Chicken and Potatoes, torn out of the Food Network Magazine and Chocolate Mousse Torte, torn out of the Real Simple Magazine but actually a recipe in an ad for Kraft Foods.

I made the Chocolate Mousse Torte first, seeing that it required 3 hours in the fridge. Here are the ingredients I used:

I used the majority of the recommended items in the ingredients list. I already have squares of Semi Sweet chocolate I had bought from Bulk Barn so, why would I buy more?! Cream Cheese is the other ingredients I chose not to buy name brand. Reason 1: I already had a brick of Great Value cream cheese at home and Reason 2: when I am using cream cheese in combination with other ingredients I think it is rediculous to pay the extra money for the name brand. The Nila wafers required me to go to another store after buying all the other ingredients at another. Oh and FYI I didn't realize that Nila wafers were so small. You will only need to buy one box not two.

Here it is before the INVERT step:

I started out thinking that it was going to be difficult to balance the wafers on their sides around the pan but it wasn't.  Just make sure you are spooning the pudding layer and the cream cheese layer into the center and then working your way out the edges.

After the refrigeration period, I took it out, inverted it and then finished it with 1 cup of cool whip (I did not end up using the entire tub), raspberries and chocolate shavings.

I think it turned out pretty close to the picture.

Now for the Garlic Chicken and Potatoes. Here are the ingredients:

I used the same about of ground cumin instead of seeds.

After taking the picture and reading the recipe over, I realized I forgot this:

The potatoes were easy to put together.

I would suggest either putting more oil on the potatoes or lightly spraying the baking dish with cooking spray. Some of the potatoes stuck to the bottom of the dish.

I set my oven timer to 20 minutes and when it went off I added another 5 minutes. During those 5 minutes I made the garlic mixture. I then took the potatoes out of the oven and added the chicken breasts.

I did make 5 instead of 4 chicken breasts. Only because of the number of people that come over to eat my blog entry dinners. I modified the amount of everything buy adding a quarter more of the asked amount.

I've never really been comfortable knowing exactly when a chicken breast is completely cooked. My husband has to let me know. There must be a trick.

Here is it served. The chicken did not brown like the one on the recipe.

The chocolate torte was very good but I have a problem making desserts not from scratch. So surprisingly I am going to TOSS this recipe.

The garlic chicken and potatoes was also good. The chicken turned out nice and juicy and the potatoes had a nice crispy exterior. Next time I will use more salt and pepper when seasoning both the potatoes and the chicken. I will also reduce the amount of lemon juice in the garlic mixture that is poured onto the chicken. I think that is why my chicken breasts did not brown. I am going to KEEP this recipe. It did not take long to assemble and my body was not feeling heavy afterwards.

Weight Watcher's followers: The Chocolate Torte is 7 points for a sixteenth. I weighed the chicken and the potatoes. 90 grams of chicken and 150 grams of potatoes (including the olive oil and brown sugar) are approximately 8 points.