Mini Sweet Potato Gratins

I found this really cool recipe by Martha Stewart (or whoever works for her), where she made potato gratins in a cupcake pan.  I had some sweet potatoes that needed to be used up, so I figured I would adapt her recipe to fit what I had in my refrigerator.  You can check out her original, less delicious recipe here.

Potato Gratins are made with very thinly sliced potatoes, cheese, and cream.  This recipe was so easy, and I snazzed it up by adding a Ricotta cheese mixture and switching up sweet potatoes for Russet potatoes.

INGREDIENTS
1-2 Large Sweet Potatoes (I used one for one pan and had left overs)
1/4 Cup Ricotta Cheese
1/4 Cup Shredded Asiago Cheese
1/3 Cup Parmesan Cheese
1/2 tsp.  Rosemary (dried or fresh minced)
1 Tbs. Heavy Cream per each Gratin
1/4 Tbs. Room Temperature Butter
Salt and Pepper

1.  Begin by preheating the oven to 400 degrees, and greasing the cupcake pan with the softened butter.  After peeling the sweet potato, slice it as thinly as possible.  If you have a mandolin, you may use that too.  

2.  Begin layering the sweet potatoes into the cupcake pan.  Put two layers in, top with 1 tsp. cheese    mixture and top with salt and pepper. Top with another two layers of sweet potatoes and sprinkle with more salt and pepper and a bit more Asiago cheese.

3.  Continue this process until the cupcake pan is filled. Then, when the oven is ready bake for 30-35  minutes or until the top potatoes begin to turn golden brown and bubbly.  Remove and let cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. 

Roasted Grape & Goat Cheese Focaccia

Even though it was only a high of 55 degrees today, I couldn't help feeling like it was summer.  The sun was shinning and the birds were chirping.  I decided Blake and I needed to eat something that was summery and light.  Last year, I made something similar, but with cherry tomatoes instead of grapes.  I saw something like this in a magazine, and I really wanted to try it out.  The grapes were just sweet enough, that they played well against the saltiness of the bread and cheese.  And, don't get me started on how easy that bread is! What's better than fresh home cooked bread that you've slaved over all day long? Bread that took no longer than 20 minutes to make! Even if you think you wouldn't like this, I'd recommend you give it a shot.  It'd be a perfect appetizer for get togethers too.

INGREDIENTS: 
1/2 lb. Red Grapes - this amount depends on how much you want to make.
1/4 Sweet Onion - sliced
1 Head Garlic - peeled
5-6 Sprigs Rosemary
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

1.  Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees.  After washing the grapes and drying them, add them to a baking dish.  Add in the sliced onions, peeled garlic, and rosemary.  Pour enough Olive Oil to cover them generously. Stir to ensure everything is well coated.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

2.  Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes.  The grapes should begin to soften and the garlic should look slightly roasted. 

BREAD:
Pre-made Pizza Dough - You can find it at plenty of grocery stores
2 Tbs. Butter - melted

2 Tbs. Grated Parmesan                

1.  Put the pre-made pizza dough on a baking sheet.  Poke with holes using a fork.  Pour half the melted butter on top and spread evenly.

2.  Bake 20-22 minutes, or until golden brown.  Take out of oven and top with the remaining butter.  Sprinkle with Parmesan, and enjoy!

Pomegranate Chipotle Chicken

I cannot claim this recipe, as it was actually Blake who cooked dinner.  My good friend ...cough Connie cough....  bought me this amazing Pomegranate Chipotle BBQ sauce from Pamered Chef a while back, and it's been sitting in my fridge begging to be used.   I kept forgetting about it though, and finally this Sunday presented a perfect opportunity.  Blake was in charge of dinner, and he wanted to marinate his chicken.  We only had two options, Pomegranate BBQ or Sriracha.  Although Blake is a Sriracha lover, I'm not such a big fan.  AKA, we went with the BBQ.  He added a few cloves of garlic and a couple tablespoons of spices and off he went. 


INGREDIENTS:
2 lb Chicken Breasts/Tenderloins
1 Bottle Pomegranate Chipotle BBQ Sauce (or whatever kind you like!)
1 head Garlic - peeled
2 Tbs. Chicken Grill Seasoning (any grill seasoning will work)


1.  In a large plastic Zip Lock bag, add in all of the ingredients, allowing them to marinate for at least an hour or so. 

2.  In a large pot, over medium heat, add in the chicken breasts.  Allow them to sear for a minute or two on each side.  Add in the rest of the marinade from the bag, and cover. 

3.  Let the chicken and marinade cook for about 15 minutes or until chicken is completely cooked through. 

4.  Remove chicken when ready and set aside.  To make a sauce out of the remaining BBQ sauce, add in chicken stock or white wine.  Allow this to reduce back down.   This will take approximately 5 or 6 minutes.  Pour the sauce on top of the chicken and serve. 

** The garlic will end up like roasted garlic, which is simply delicious!

Chicken Asparagus Alfredo

Blake and I just got back from Myrtle Beach this Sunday.  We went to visit his dad, and thought it was a perfect place to spend Easter.  It was a LONG drive, but we always have a good time on road trips.  The only negative about driving was that we had to eat out ... a lot.  On our way back, we ate every meal in a fast food restaurant.  When we got home, the first thing we said was that we were excited to make some home-cooked food. I'm pretty sure the both of us put on a few extra holiday lbs in only 4 days.  

A few pictures after a day in the sun!

This recipe is similar to the mushroom pasta I just made a few weeks ago.  I bought a Rotisserie chicken a few days ago, and I needed to find something to make with it, so I adapted that recipe and changed up the ingredients.  It was pretty delicious.  Blake didn't give me a rating today, sorry friends!  

INGREDIENTS: 

1 Box Pasta - use whatever you like 

2 Cups Chicken - I just pulled the chicken off of the Rotisserie that I had left over

1 Container Heavy Cream - 16 oz. 

1 Cup White Wine

1 Bunch Asparagus - diced into thirds

1/2 Cup Frozen Peas

1 Cup Grated Parmesan

1/4 Onion- diced

2 Cloves Garlic - minced 

1 Tbs. Parsley Flakes

1 Tbs. Butter 

1 Tbs. Olive Oil 

Salt and Pepper to taste

1.  Begin by sauteing the onion and garlic in a large pot over medium-high heat.  Use a combination of the butter and oil for sauteing, and make sure to season with salt and pepper.  Once onions have turned translucent, add in the white wine.  Cook on medium-high until wine has reduced to half.  

2.  Add in the heavy cream and stir.  Add in the Parmesan cheese and allow to cook on medium-high until it begins to thicken.  Once cream has began to thicken, reduce heat to medium.  

3.  You will want to cook your pasta at this point, allowing the sauce to continue cooking for about 10 more minutes.  While the pasta still has 3-4 minutes left, add the asparagus, peas, parsley and chicken into the sauce pot.  Stir well and continue cooking until the asparagus becomes slightly tender. 

4.  Using a pasta strainer spoon (AKA a big spoon with holes), add the pasta into the sauce pot directly from the pot they were cooked.  Do not worry about straining separately.  If your sauce looks too thick, add in a spoon full or two of cooking liquid, and it will thin out.  Check if you need any more seasoning, and serve!

Mushroom Pasta

It's been awhile since Blake and I made a nice home cooked meal.  Last week I was house sitting, and this week I had classes and internship that took over my life.  We normally save our weekends for going out to dinner, but this weekend we decided to enjoy the loveliness of our 800 sq. foot apartment. (Can you tell we're ready to move?)

We went to the grocery store without any idea of what we were going to make.  After debating between chicken and pork, we ended up with thin cut chicken breasts (I recommend the thin cut for this recipe because it will cook faster).  I do not like mushrooms, which makes Blake sad.  I refuse to let him order them on our pizza, so today I made an exception and let him pick up a pack.  We decided we wanted to make something with pasta and breaded chicken, and we went from there.  Your mind probably went straight to Chicken Parmesan, but what fun is that? I can honestly say that we went about this with no plan.  We decided half way through making the sauce that we should add cream, and the roasted Garlic that we cooked "just in case" added a wonderful surprise to the dish.

I personally don't think any entree is complete without a dinner salad.  Not only is it a great way to begin a meal, but it's also a great way to get vitamins and fill yourself up a bit.  One of those yahoo updates one time talked about how eating a dinner salad before your meal will help you eat less.  What does this mean??? It means you eat more veggies and less of all that terrible-for-you good stuff.  AKA - Less calories.  With Spring on it's way, this doesn't sound like too bad of a plan.

INGREDIENTS: 
1 Lb. Thin cut chicken breast
1 Large Portabello mushroom- sliced
1 Clove garlic - roasted
1 Lb. Bow-tie noodles
1/4 Cup Bread Crumbs
1/4 Cup Panko
1/4 Cup Dijon Mustard
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
1/4 Sweet Onion -diced
1/2 Cup White wine
1/2 Cup Heavy cream
1/4 Cup Grated Parmesan 
salt and pepper to taste

1.  Begin by pounding the chicken with the flat side of a meat mallet until it is about a quarter inch thick.  Generally spread the Dijon mustard on one side of the chicken breasts.  Cover with the bread crumb and Panko mixture, pressing it gently so it sticks well.

2.  Heat up the Olive Oil in a large pan.  When ready place two or three chicken breasts into the pan, bread crumb side down.  Let cook for a few minutes or until the bread crumbs turn golden brown.  While cooking, salt and pepper the other side of the chicken breasts, turn over, and cook for another minute or two.  Drain chicken breasts on paper towel, and save for later.

3.  After cooking all of the chicken breasts, add in extra Olive Oil so that you have 1-2 Tablespoons total.  Add in the diced onion, mushrooms, and roasted garlic.  Let saute for 4-5 minutes on medium heat.  Turn the heat up to medium-high, and add in the white wine. 

4.  When the wine has reduced to half, add in the cream and cook on medium-high.  The goal is that the cream also cooks down a bit.  Add salt and pepper to taste and 1/4 Cup Parmesan cheese.  Continue stirring until sauce is at a consistency you like.

5.  While making the sauce, cook up the noodles.  Add the noodles straight into the pan with the mushroom sauce.  Stir until the noodles are well coated.  Pile the pasta onto a serving plate and top with chicken breast.

**** Tasty Tip: If your sauce becomes too thick, add in a tablespoon of pasta water at a time.  The sauce will begin to thin out.


BLAKE-O-METER
This recipe received a 9.8!!!!! 

___________________________________________________________________________________

Question 6 

Q: What is the hardest thing you've ever experienced

A:  

I'm lucky enough to be able to say I haven't had a very hard life.  I'm not sure I always recognized this, but as I grow up I realize how wonderful my childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood has been.  I have two answers for this I suppose.  The first thing that was very hard for me, was when my mother had a medical emergency six years ago.  She was/is fine, but it was one of the scariest things I've ever had to go through.  I always explain to people that it was an out of body experience.  Medical workers walking through the hallways of our home, neighbors asking if we were okay, my father beside himself, but trying to hold it together for me.  As a 19 year old you don't prepare yourself for something like that.  You don't realize that at any moment a loved one could be taken from you.  Instead you live in a "life is great" mentality thinking nothing will ever happen to you. This is, until it does.  

We were lucky, my mom was okay.  She made a full recovery and had to spend only a week or so in the hospital.  That moment made me realize how difficult something like that is and that you should cherish every moment you have with the people you love.  

The second, is Graduate School.  Hands down this has been the most physically exhausting two years I have ever experienced.  Not only do I not know whether my mind is able to take on any more psychological facts, but I so need a break.  When we do have a break, we have projects to work on, so there truly is no rest.  I can't complain, so many people are going through the same thing, but I had no idea it was going to be so hard.  With that said, it is going to be a wonderful experience when I'm done and I'm looking forward to starting up my career. 

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Cupcakes

Most of you know I'm a candyaholic, along with the rest of the Horn family.  Most people think this includes chocolate, but surprisingly, it doesn't.  Before you gasp, this doesn't mean I don't like chocolate, I just don't love chocolate.  I still enjoy my favorite Caramello or Fruit and Nut bar, but rarely do I get the "MUST HAVE" chocolate craving.  Blake on the other hand probably prefers chocolate, which is why I try and make chocolate desserts once in a while.  Blake loves his mom's chocolate chip cheesecake, chocolate chip crepes, chocolate chip pancakes, anything really.  I want my cheesecake drowning in raspberries, but to each their own.

This was something I made because I had all the items in the house.   I had bought cake mix the other day in preparation for making Guinness cupcakes, but I realized EVERYONE has made those and figured I'd try something new.  Blake loves cheesecake and it's so easy to make I figured what's better then cheesecake than cheesecake AND cupcakes.  These are super easy to make because of the cake mix, but I will warn you I used about 1/8 of the cake mix for 12 cupcakes.  If you plan on making 24, you'll still have more left over, so plan on making a cake or something on the side.


INGREDIENTS:
Chocolate Cake Mix:
**The below three items depend on what mix you buy**
Vegetable Oil
Eggs
Water

Cheesecake:
2 - 8oz. Packages Softened Cream Cheese
3/4 Cup Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1/4 Cup Chocolate Chips ( I used a chocolate bar that I had in the house)

Topping:
1 Chocolate Bar
10 Caramels
 ______________________________________________________________________________________________

1.  Begin by pre-heating the oven to 350 degrees.  Line your cupcake pans and have them ready to go.  Mix the cake mix according to the boxes directions and spoon a small spoonful into each cupcake liner.

2.  In a mixing bowl, add the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla, and mix until well incorporated with a hand mixer.  Once the cheesecake filling is well combined, mix in the chocolate chips. 

3.  Spoon a heaping spoonful into each cupcake liner on top of the cake mix.

4.  Bake in the oven for 18 minutes.  Once finished, remove from the oven and let cool.  While the cupcakes are cooling, melt the chocolate bar either in the microwave or in a double boiler.  At the same time, over medium - medium high heat melt the caramels.  Add a splash of water to the pot to help the caramels along their way.

5.  When the caramel and chocolate are finished melting, drizzle the chocolate and caramel on top of each cupcake, and put in the refrigerator until completely cooled. 
_______________________________________________________________________________________________

QUESTION # 5

Q: What are 5 things that make you happy right now?

1.  My Fiance - The fact that I can call Blake my fiance is enough to put a smile on my face.  The other day we went ring shopping and seeing him try one on made my heart flutter a bit.  I'm not one to openly be emotional, but I will say that I was smiling the rest of the day after that.  When I think about our wedding, as hectic as planning can be, I'm so excited.  

2.  My school- This is not because I love going to school or love Wayne State.  The reason this made it to number two, is because I'm very close to being done.  I cannot wait to finish and never look back.  Wayne State was great and has given me more knowledge than I could have ever planned for, but I am so over being in school and poor.  I need a job, not want one, need.  

3.  My cat - How many of you are actually surprised that Izzy made it on this list? None? I figured.  People already know I'm a freak about my fat cat, but it's because she gives me unconditional 24/7 love.  Plus, since we're having an amazing sunny week, she is even cuter.  She rolls around in the sun and meows out of delight.  There is truly nothing cuter.  I also love that I can come home and always count on her to greet me at the door.  One dislike: Izzy's body thinks it's spring and she is officially shedding like a mo fo.

4.  The past month - I have officially had my first month since last August of not having a migraine.  I cannot even begin to describe how exciting this is, and I'm hoping I have finally gotten them under control forever. There was a period of my life in which I had a migraine or two a week.  This is debilitating, especially when you are in Graduate School.  Not to mention, they are exhausting and beyond painful.  My latest worry, the season change. This usually causes a migraine here and there and I really don't want my streak to end. 

5.  Family - Obvious again right? Well, it's true.  I literally would not be able to make it through the past two years without them.  They either help me, take my mind off it, or remind me I'm doing the right thing.  This also includes Blake. He's been more than supportive at times that I know it wasn't easy.  the first semester of school, I don't think we hung out but one day a week (we live together by the way).  My parents have been great as well.  They are helping me whenever possible and are always happy to put my report card on the fridge. 

Spicy Corn

 

I needed a side for today's dinner, and since it was one of the warmest days in months, I had no choice but to go with corn.  Corn is one of those veggies that tastes good no matter how you prepare it, so I wanted to do something that worked with the natural sweetness.  To play against that sweetness, I added a few spicy elements, and of course bacon.  Why bacon you ask? Because bacon is awesome, enough said. If you don't like jalapenos or bacon, walk away now.  If you do, it's because you're cool; move forward and continue on to the recipe below.  

INGREDIENTS: 

2 Stalks of Corn  (1 stalk per person - adapt if necessary)

2 Jalapenos - diced 

2 Slices Bacon - diced 

1 Tbs. Cajun Spices 

1 Tbs. Butter

1.  First, cook the corn in boiling water for about 5 minutes.  Drain the pot and let the corn cool until it's easy to handle with your fingers.  While doing this, cook the bacon until crispy.  Remove and let drain on a paper towel.  Remove all but 1 Tbs. bacon grease.  Turn down the heat to low.

2.  Cut the corn off the cob and add back into the pan with the jalapenos.  Chop the bacon and add to the pan with the Cajun Spices.  Let these ingredients cook for a few minutes and meld together.  Serve on the side of any dish and it will surely delight you! 

This received a 7.3 on the Blake-O-Meter!

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

QUESTION #4

Q: List 10 things you would tell your 16 year old self, if you could.

1.  Stop wasting birthday wishes on bigger boobs - it's not gonna happen. 

2.  Once you graduate, your grades don't matter 

3.  College is NOT harder than high school 

4.  You might actually find the love of your life in high school - even though friends and possibly   family may disagree at the time. 

5.  No one actually notices that pimple so stop covering it up with more and more concealer

6.  Cherish the moments on the field/court because after high school it's rare you'll spend time there 

7.  Forget about Calculus, pay attention to Consumers Math- It's probably the most important class you could take. 

8.  Don't be afraid to embarrass yourself. No one will remember or care. 

9.  Be nice to everyone, for everyone has their own struggle. 

10.  Don't change a thing, because everything works out wonderfully in the end.