Potato Kugel #SundaySupper

"ONLY FIVE INGREDIENTS!?!?!?....." 

Yes, that was my first thought when I read about the #SundaySupper challenge this week.  Five ingredients or less.... but salt, pepper, and water don't count as an ingredient.  (gee, thanks!)   As I started to ponder the dishes I could prepare, my mind immediately flashed to kugel. 

For those of you that have enjoyed a good kugel, you know that there are many, many types of kugel.  (generally, kugels are classified into one of two categories-- either sweet or savory)  And for each type of kugel, there are about a thousand variations on that type.  Also, everyone swears that their kugel is "the" kugel recipe, so you can take it with a big grain of kosher salt when I tell you that my potato kugel recipe is "the" potato kugel recipe.

Ingredients

• 4 large russet potatoes
• 1 large yellow onion
• 3 eggs
• 2 Tbsp flour (can substitute matzah meal during passover)
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil, plus oil for the baking dish
• 1 tsp Kosher salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper (my "free" ingredients)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Peel the potatoes and grate them using a food processor. (you can grate them by hand, but a food processor is much easier!)  Then, remove the skin from the onion and grate that as well.  Place the potato and onion mixture into a large bowl and allow to rest for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, lightly beat the eggs.  Add the 1/4 cup of vegetable oil to the eggs and mix lightly.  Add the flour, 1 generous tsp of Kosher salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper to the egg/oil mixture and combine.  The mixture will be lumpy, but don't worry about that. Set the mixture aside.

Take a 13x9 inch glass baking pan and pour enough vegetable oil on the bottom of it to lightly coat the entire bottom of the pan.  This is not just for "greasing" the pan, but this will help to cook and brown the outside of the kugel.  Place that pan in the pre-heated oven to heat up the oil.

Now, return back to the large bowl of potatoes and onion, and drain the liquid out from the bowl.  Press on the potatoes and onions to try and squeeze and drain as much of the water out of the mixture that you can.  (This is very important otherwise you'll have an extremely soggy kugel! No one likes a soggy kugel.)  When you've drained out as much water as you can, pour the egg mixture into the large potato/onion bowl and mix until combined.

Remove the pre-heated, oiled pan out from the oven and CAREFULLY spoon the potato mixture into the hot pan.  This is the most "dangerous" part of the process because the hot oil can splatter and burn if you're not careful.  Also, you'll want to make sure that your potato mixture is not "cold" because you don't want your hot, glass pan to crack.  I've never had this happen, but I'm very cautious with how I perform this step.

Put the kugel back in to the oven and increase the temperature to 400 degrees.  Cook for 1 hour or until the top of the kugel is golden brown. 


Make sure to check out the rest of the #SundaySupper recipes.  They all feature 5 or Less ingredients!  For a bunch of Foodies, this is quite an accomplishment. 


Breakfast, Starters, Butters and Jams:

• Pa Jun or Korean Scallion Pancakes – Kimchi Mom
• Homemade Instant Oatmeal – Home Cooking Memories
• GlutenFree Apricot Bacon Onion and Cheese Spread or Dip – Cooking Underwriter
• Caprese Bites – My Catholic Kitchen
• So Simple Pizza Puffs – Hip Foodie Mom
• Toast Topper #11: Allspice Peach Butter – What Smells So Good?
• Strawberry Balsamic Jam – The Messy Baker Blog
• Broccoli and Feta Frittata – Kwistin’s Favorites

Main Dishes:

• Fresh Basil and Tomato Pasta – I Run For Wine
• Gulasch – Galactosemia in PDX
• Spaghetti with Kale and Sausage – Dinners, Dishes and Desserts
• Appley Kielbasa – The Meltaways
• Shrimp Stuffed Potatoes – Juanita’s Cocina
• Hawaiian Chicken Sandwiches – Supper for a Steal
• Sun Dried Tomato and Sausage Pasta – Small Wallet Big Appetite
• Pork Loin with Port Shallot Sauce – Vintage Kitchen Notes
• Chipotle Honey Lime Pork Tenderloin – Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Crockpot Chicken Tacos – The Hand That Rocks The Ladle
• Roasted Shrimp With Chili-Lime Sauce – Magnolia Days
• Peanut Butter Noodles – In the Kitchen with Audrey
• Soy, Orange Juice and Red Wine Marinated Flank – That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Beef Tenderloin with Stilton Pecan Butter – Noshing With The Nolands
• Herbed Butter Pork Chops – Brie’s Bites
• Creamy Ham Linguine – The Daily Dish Recipes
• Pesto, Tomato & Feta Pizza – Momma’s Meals
• Quick Black Bean Burritos – Diabetic Foodie
• Lumachine with Fresh Parmesan and Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce – Mama’s Blissful Bites
• Stuffed Shells – Cravings of a Lunatic
• Potato Kugel – From Fast Food to Fresh Food
• Garlic Butter Fried Rice – My Trials in the Kitchen
• Goat Cheese Alfredo – Family Foodie
• Roasted Moroccan Rack of Lamb – Maroc Mama
• Sweet and Nutty Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes – Mama.Mommy.Mom.
• Baked Sweet Potato with Maple-Jalapeno – Comfy Cuisine
• Freezable Bacon Egg and Cheese Sandwiches – Big Bear’s Wife
• Grilled Polenta Cakes – Lovely Pantry

Desserts:

• Nutella Ice Cream – Shockingly Delicious
• Fresh Mint Ice Cream with Mint M&M’s – The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
• Grilled Mango Parfait with Greek Yogurt & Silvered Almonds – Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
• Honey Macaroons – Pippis In the Kitchen Again
• Strawberry Frozen Yogurt – Damn Delicious
• Homemade Caramel Sauce – Chocolate Moosey
• Easy Chocolate Chilli Fudge – Soni’s Food for Thought
• White-Chocolate Raspberry Puff Pastry Doughnuts – The Weekend Gourmet
• Easy No Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars – In The Kitchen With KP
• Chocolate-Caramel Ice Cream – Basic N Delicious
• Pumpkin and Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake – Baker Street
• Peanut Butter Cup Popcorn – Mom’s Test Kitchen

Beverages:

• Five Most Food Friendly Wines – ENOFYLZ Wine Blog

Please be sure you join us on Twitter throughout the day during #SundaySupper. We’ll be meeting up at 6:00 pm (Central) for our weekly #SundaySupper live chat where we’ll talk about our favorite 5 Ingredient Recipes! All you have to do is follow the #SundaySupper hashtag, or you can follow us through TweetChat! We’d also love to feature your recipes on our #SundaySupper Pinterest board and share them with all of our followers.  See you then!

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Apple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting #SundaySupper

Welcome to the #SundaySupper Autumn Apple Event!  For me, this is also the time of year where we eat apples because it's Rosh Hashanah, so I was really excited to see an event where we could showcase our favorite apple recipe.

I love making "apple everything" in the fall.  Apple cakes, apple pies, apple tarts, baked apples, apples with cheese, curry and apples, dipping apple in honey-- you name it! 

What I'm probably best known for is the Apple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting recipe that I received from a coworker of mine, Kristin.  She made it for a baking competition at work, and after one taste, I ran to her and exclaimed that I needed (yes, NEEDED) the recipe!  It was so moist and full of marvelous, chunky apple pieces that I knew it would be perfect for our Rosh Hashanah celebrations.  The cream cheese portion of the recipe has also become the "gold standard" of cream cheese frosting recipes for me. 

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup oil
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 4 cups of coarsely chopped, peeled apples (red delicious work best- 1 large apple = about 1 cup)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Peel and chop the apples. Set aside. (do not worry if they turn slightly brown, however work quickly at this point)  Beat eggs, oil, sugar and vanilla until well combined.  Add in the flour, salt,  baking soda, and cinnamon.  Fold in the apples.  The batter will be extremely thick at this point!  Spread the batter in a 9x13 inch pan.  Bake 45-60 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.  Depending on the moisture content of the apples, the cooking time may vary.  I find that it usually takes closer to the 60 minutes for my cakes.  Once the cake is fully cooled, spread on the cream cheese frosting.

Frosting Ingredients

• 8 oz softened cream cheese
• 3 Tbsp softened butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Frosting Directions

On medium speed, mix the softened cream cheese and butters until combined.  Add the vanilla mix for another minute.  Add the powdered sugar and continue mixing until fully combined. 

If you're interested in other Apple Recipes, make sure to check out the Sunday Supper crew's menu this week.  It looks so great, I don't even know where to start!

Soups, Salads, Starters and Breads

• Cinnamon Apple Chips- Shockingly Delicious
• Apple Celery Salad- In the Kitchen with Audrey and Maurene
• Mini Apple Pumpkin Pancakes – The Daily Dish Recipes
• Overnight Apple Cinnamon French Toast- In the Kitchen with KP
• Curried Apple and Leek Soup-Soni’s Food for Thought
• Endive Spears Topped With Apple, Blue Cheese and Hazelnut Salad- The Hand That Rocks the Ladle
• Homemade Apple Jam – My Trials in the Kitchen
• Caramel Apple Butter Cheesecake Dip- Chocolate Moosey
• Caramel Apple Bread – famfriendsfood
• Apple Pie Bread Baker Street
• Apple, Bacon & Brie Popovers- I Run for Wine
• Apple and Almond Brie Puff Pastry- Family Foodie
• Apple, Leek and Gruyere Tarts- There and Back Again

Main Meals

• Slow Cooker Honey Apple Pork Loin- The Meltaways
• Apple-Glazed Meatballs- The Messy Baker
• Apples & Buttons (Ham, Apples and Dumplings)- Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Skillet Pork with Sweet Spiced Apples- Mama Mommy Mom
• Chicken Apple Meatloaf with Tarragon Tomato Sauce – Diabetic Foodie
• Baked Tilapia Apple Crisp- Daddy Knows Less
• Pork Tenderloin with Calvados Cream Sauce Sustainable Dad
• #SundaySupper Pulled Pork Sandwich With Pickled Red Onions Kwistin’s Favorites

Sides

• Harvest Rice- Webicurean
• Wild Rice with Apples, Dried Cranberries, and Walnuts – Ruffles and Truffles
• Apple Topped Sweet Potato Mash- Momma’s Meals
• Warm Spice Pecan Raisin Apple Chutney- Sue’s Nutrition Buzz

Desserts

• Double Apple Pot Pie- What Smells So Good?
• Apple Walnut Coffee Cake- The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
• Apple Streusel Cobbler- Big Bear’s Wife
• Apple & Moroccan Cinnamon Gooey Sticky Buns- Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends
• Spiced Caramel Apple Pie-Chelsea’s Culinary Indulgence
• Apple Pear Kuchen for #SundaySupper (Apfel Birnen Kuchen)- Galactosemia in PDX
• Apple Strudel - Magnolia Days
• Old Fashioned Apple Crisp with Caramel Sauce-Noshing with the Nolands
• Apple Cheesecake- Vintage Kitchen
• Caramel Apple Crumble Bars- Hezzi D’s Books and Cooks
• Apple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting- From Fast Food to Fresh Food
   
• Cinnamon Apple Dessert Chimichangas- Juanita’s Cocina
• Nutella Apple Quesadilla- Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts
• Apple Crisp Ice Cream- Cravings of a Lunatic
• Bavarian Apple Torte- The Lovely Pantry
• Streusel Apple Crumb Pie + Pie Freezer Kits- Meal Planning Magic
• French Apple Cobbler with Cinnamon-Maple Whipped Cream Weekend Gourmet
• Chunky Apple-Apricot Bread Pudding- Comfy Cuisine
• Apple Butter Spice Cake – Home Cooking Memories
• Apple Pie and Custard- Happy Baking Days
• #GlutenFree Deep Dish Carmel Apple Pie- Cooking Underwriter
• Apple Brownies That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Country Apple Dumplings- Mom’s Test Kitchen
• Apple-Gingersnap Cookies- Tora’s Real Food
• Apple and Cranberry Turnovers- Flour on my Face
• Applesauce Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake with Caramel Glaze- Hip Foodie Mom
• Caramel Frosted Apple Cookies- No One Likes Crumbley Cookies
• Apple and Pecans Cake- Basic N Delicious
• Apple Pull Apart Monkey Bread- Gotta Get Baked

Beverages

• Spiced Apple Ale Small Wallet Big Appetite
• Apple Chia Tea- Pippi’s in the Kitchen Again

Please be sure you join us on Twitter throughout the day during #SundaySupper. We’ll be meeting up at 6:00 pm (Central) for our weekly #SundaySupper live chat where we’ll talk about our favorite apple recipes! All you have to do is follow the #SundaySupper hashtag, or you can follow us through TweetChat! We’d also love to feature your apple recipes on our #SundaySupper Pinterest board and share them with all of our followers!


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Candy Corn M&M Cookies

When it comes to baking with M&Ms, this has to be my absolute favorite time of year!  There's plenty of interesting flavors to choose from thanks to the end of summer, the start of Halloween and the push for retailers to put our their Christmas items. 

To me, fall means Candy Corn M&Ms.  Stay with me here-- they are not as obnoxious as the waxy candy corn that you grew up on.  They are pretty much white chocolate with a subtle hint of candy corn flavor all wrapped up in a wacky colored coating.  This clearly is perfect for cookies!

This recipe is so simple and so fast, and the cookies will be gobbled up in no time-- I guarantee it!  Everyone that's tried these cookies has remarked how unexpectedly amazing they taste.  They aren't overly sweet, and the flavor is unique enough that there's no mistaking the specialness of the Candy Corn M&Ms.  If you locate Candy Corn M&Ms on your local store's shelf, buy a couple of them.  You won't regret it.

Ingredients

• 1 cup of butter, softened
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 bag of Candy Corn M&Ms (9.9 oz bag)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars until they are fluffy- about 2 minutes.  Add the eggs one at a time and continue beating after each addition until combined.  Add the vanilla and beat on medium an additional 2 minutes. 

In a smaller bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt.  Mix until combined and add to the wet ingredients.  Beat on medium until it is all mixed together.  Add the Candy Corn M&Ms and fold in or beat on very low speed just until combined.

Drop rounded spoonfuls onto a parchment lined cookie tray and bake for 10-12 minutes or until the tops are just slightly golden.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes on the cookie tray.  Move to a wire rack and allow to fully cool.  Makes about 2 dozen cookies.
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Plantain Fritters #SundaySupper

This week, the Sunday Supper crew is celebrating Dia de Independencia, or the Mexican Day of Independence.  What a better way to do this than with a Mexican Fiesta filled with delicious food!

I have to admit that Mexican cooking was quite a challenge for me.  Not having any other spice lovers in the house, our Mexican repertoire consists mostly of tacos and taco salads-- hold the extra spice.   

Additionally, our town's Mexican grocery store recently closed, so I was pretty limited due to lack of traditional ingredients.  I almost don't want to admit it, but when I found out about this challenge, I literally wandered down the ethnic food aisle at our big box grocery chain for about an hour, holding a gigantic bag of corn husks in my hand, and silently lamenting about my lack of creatively for this week's dish.

Then, it hit me-- Sunday is another holiday!  Starting at sundown, people of the Jewish faith begin celebrating Rosh Hashanah!  What could I do for a dish that would combine both Jewish and Mexican cuisine?  Okay-- so it's a stretch, but I came up with Plantain Fritters.

Now, one wouldn't necessarily see the Jewish connection until you see how the dish is prepared.  Instead of just battering chunks of plantain, I decided to treat it like a sweet latke.  (in the Jewish tradition, a latke is a pancake traditionally made from grated potato)  What resulted was a delectably sweet fritter with just a hint of tangy banana flavor. 

Plantain fritters coated in sugar and cinnamon then drizzled with chocolate sauce

Ingredients

• 2 large plantains (avoid very ripe plantains as they need to be somewhat firm for grating)
• 1 large egg
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp milk
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp salt
• Vegetable oil for frying fritters
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• Chocolate sauce for drizzling

Directions

Prior to heating any oil for cooking, you need to get all of your ingredients prepped.  Once you start cooking, everything moves very quickly, so it will help to be prepared. 

Peel your plantains, and in a medium sized bowl, carefully use a grater to hand grate the plantains.  (do not use a food processor for this! You must hand grate the plantains or they will turn to mush)  Set the bowl aside.  Working quickly, lightly beat the egg in a small bowl.  Add the brown sugar and milk to the egg mixture and combine.  Set aside.  In another small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt and mix thoroughly.  Set aside.  In yet another small bowl, add the sugar and cinnamon and combine.  You will use this sugar mixture to coat the fritters after they have come out of the hot oil. 

Add the egg mixture to the grated plantains, and lightly mix.  Then, add the flour mixture to the plantains and eggs, and lightly mix that in as well.  You are now ready to start frying!

In a large frying pan, add vegetable oil to the pan until you have about a quarter of an inch of oil in the pan- maybe a bit less.  You do not want so much oil that the fritters are totally submerged.  You only want the bottom half of the fritter to be frying at a time.  Turn on the heat to medium.  Do not turn the heat on too high or you can easily burn the fritters.  When the oil is hot, carefully scoop enough of the plantain mixture into the hot oil so that you have a 2-3 inch diameter fritter.  Fry the fritters on that side until the bottom starts to turn golden. This may only take a few minutes or less!  Flip the fritters and fry on the other side until that side is also golden brown.

Remove the fritters from the oil and allow them to momentarily rest on a paper towel lined plate.  Then, working quickly, individually place them into the small bowl with the sugar and cinnamon mixture making sure to coat both sides.  Serve with a drizzle of your favorite chocolate sauce.  I found that two large plantains made six fritters. 

Now you can't have dessert until you've eaten your dinner!  So make sure to check out the other fabulous recipes from the Sunday Supper crew.  You can find them below, plus we'll be sharing them all day long on Twitter!  We'd also love for you to get in on the party and share your favorite Mexican and Mexican-inspired recipes during our #SundaySupper live chat at 6pm CT.


Sopas (Soups), Ensaladas (Salads), and Entremeses (Starters)

• Chicken Tortilla Soup - The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
• Mexican Paint Soup - Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends
• Jalapeño Popper Dip - Chocolate Moosey
• Vegan Tortilla Soup - Galactosemia in PDX
• Texas Caviar - Ruffles and Truffles
• Cheese-Stuffed Jalapeños w/ a Tequila Sunrise - Mama's Blissful Bites
• Mexican 7 Layer Dip & Chips - The Daily Dish Recipes
• Stoplight Salsa Reisipe - Family Foodie
• Tortilla Soup with Roasted Vegetables - Diabetic Foodie
• Mini Taco Salads - Big Bear's Wife

La Comida (the food)

• Fiesta en tu Boca Enchiladas (Chicken & White Bean Enchiladas w/ Salsa Verde) - The Hand That Rocks the Ladle
• Gluten-Free Chicken Spinach Artichoke Enchiladas for #SundaySupper - Cooking Underwriter
• Mexican Fiesta for #SundaySupper: Chipotle Chicken & 3 Bean Quesadillas w/ Wasabi Guacamole and Mango Salsa - Chattering Kitchen
• Carnitas - My Catholic Kitchen
• Tamale Pie - Noshing with the Nolands
• Eggs Motuleños - The Meltaways
• Grilled Fish Tacos with Black Bean and Corn Salsa - Small Wallet Big Appetite
• Carne Asada - Magnolia Days
• Carnitas Avocado Pizza with Chipotle Avocado Mayonnaise Drizzle - Damn Delicious
• Frijoles Charros (Cowboy Beans) - La Cocina de Leslie
• Puerco Pibil - girlichef
• BLT Quesadillas with Avocado Mayo - Cindy's Recipes and Writings
• Chile Rellenos with Roasted Tomato Sauce - Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen
• Tamales with Green Chili Sauce - Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts
• Beef and Vegetable Enchiladas - Hezzi D's Books and Cooks
• Chicken Con Queso - Momma's Meals
• Baked Flautas - Home Cooking Memories
• Chunky Aztec Chocolate Granola - What Smells So Good?
• Street Tacos Al Pastor - Sustainable Dad
• Shrimp Tacos - Pippi's in the Kitchen Again
• Chile Relleno with Ranchero Sauce - The Little Ferraro Kitchen
• Zippy Chipotle Shrimp & Mango Tostadas - Sue's Nutrition Buzz
• Pork Tacos - Tora's Real Food
• Stuffed Sopapillas - Juanita's Cocina
• Chicken Fajitas - Cravings of a Lunatic
• Blue Crab Tacos - Pescetarian Journal
• Huevos Rancheros - Comfy Cuisine

Postres (desserts)

• Chocolate Cinnamon Flan - Vintage Kitchen Notes
• Caramel Apple Enchiladas for a Mexican Fiesta #SundaySupper - In the Kitchen with KP
• Chilli Chocolate Truffles - Happy Baking Days
• Horchata Ice Cream & Churro Brownies - Kwistin's Favorites
• Strawberry Empanadas - In the Kitchen with Audrey and Maureen
• Plantain Fritters - From Fast Food to Fresh Food
• Fried Cinnamon Sugar Tortillas - The Watering Mouth

Bebidas (beverages)

• Beer Margaritas - That Skinny Chick can bake
• Hatch Chile Margarita - Shockingly Delicious
• Skinny & Spicy Watermelon Margaritas - I Run for Wine
• Refreshing Kiwi Lime Margarita - Mama Mommy Mom
• Wine Pairings for a Mexican Fiesta #SundaySupper - ENOFYLZ

Remember--We’ll be meeting up on Twitter at 6:00 pm Central for our weekly #SundaySupper live chat where we’ll talk about our favorite recipes for a Mexican Fiesta! All you have to do is follow the #SundaySupper hashtag, or you can follow us through TweetChat or Tweet Deck! We’d also love to feature your Mexican Fiesta recipes on our #SundaySupper Pinterest board and share them with all of our followers!  Won't you join us around the Family Table?


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Melting Away My Cares with Caramel

Oy!  This has been quite an eventful week at work!  Actually, I take that back... nothing mind-shattering has occurred.  I just have that overwhelming anxiety that comes with returning to work after a long chunk of time on "Staycation".

So, what do I do when I stress?  I bake.  Or cook.  Or blog.  Today, I wrapped up caramel, and now I'm blogging about it.  Must have been a really stressful day, right? 

All my cares disappeared as soon as I took a look at the glistening pan of homemade caramel that was screaming to be photographed and wrapped up.  Nothing is more soothing than a delicious bite of sweet, buttery, homemade caramel.  What's even better is that it's super easy to make.  Besides the ridiculously sickening amount of sugar needed (Hey-I never claimed this was a low-calorie blog!), it only requires two things-- Patience and a Candy Thermometer.

 

 

Ingredients

• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp salt  

Directions

Place all of the ingredients in a medium sized, heavy saucepan.  Turn the heat on low, and clip your candy thermometer to the side of your pan making sure that the bulb isn't touching the side or the bottom. 


Not the most appetizing picture at this stage, right?

As the ingredients are melting, stir occasionally.  When all the ingredients are melted, increase heat to medium.  (Note: do not leave the mixture unattended! It can bubble up as the temperature is increasing, and since it's so hot and sticky, it could easily cause a huge mess or a bad burn to a pet or little one!)  Keep an eye on the candy thermometer-- when it gets to 245 degrees, carefully pour the molten (yes, molten!) mixture into a prepared 13x9 inch pan.  I used a glass pan that was sprayed generously with butter flavored cooking spray.  Cover and allow to cool overnight.  Once the caramel has set, cut/scoop into pieces and wrap in heavy duty wax paper. 

 

 

I've managed to find a few ways to enjoy this caramel!  We've eaten it plain.  We've dipped apples in it.  We've heated it a bit and drizzled it over ice cream.  We've also combined it with the Candied Pecans from last week, and boy was THAT delicious!

 

 



 

 

 

 

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Candied Pecans #SundaySupper

ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL?

 

This week, the fabulous #SundaySupper crew is having a Tailgate Party!  Now, I know that you're all rooting for the Badgers and the Packers, right?  Right?  RIGHT! 

 

In this house, football is taken very seriously.  Additionally, we like to make a tradition around the food the accompanies the weekend hours of watching sports.  Nuts are a great "sport food" because they're not messy, and you can nosh from pre-game all the way to OT.

 

Sometimes, we'll just dump a bunch of mixed nuts into a fancy bowl, but when the game is really important, I'll whip up a batch of Candied Pecans.  They're simple to make, and they remind everyone in this family of the hot, candied nuts that you can buy at local sporting events.  They're great when served hot or cold, so if it's easier to make them ahead of time, you can do that, too!  Just make sure to store them in an air-tight container when they're cooled.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

• 16 oz. of Pecans, halved
• 1 egg white
• 1 Tbsp of water
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 Cup white sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp (scant) of salt

 

Directions

 

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.  Line a roasting pan with aluminum foil, and spray the foil with non-stick cooking spray. 

 

Combine the egg white, water, and vanilla extract in a large bowl and whip with a whisk until the mixture is frothy and resembles foam.  Add the pecans to the bowl and combine until the pecans are coated in the foam mixture.  In another small bowl, combine and mix the sugar, cinnamon, and salt.  Then, pour the sugar mixture onto the pecans and stir until all the pecans are coated in the sugar mixture.  Pour the pecans into the prepared roasting pan, and spread them out until they're in an even layer.  Cook for 1 hour, stirring the pecans every 15 minutes while they're cooking.  Cool slightly before serving as they will be hot.  Be careful not to overcook/burn.

 

Make sure that the pecans are completely coated with the egg white mixture

 

Pecans cooking in the prepared roasting pan.  I used a 13x9 glass pan lined with sprayed foil

 

 

So, what do you have cooking up for your Tailgate Party?  If you're out of ideas, we've got you covered for the rest of the season. I can't wait to try out this week's featured recipes.  It makes me wish football season was all year long!

 

For more ideas, join us on Sunday as we share our favorite tailgate recipes and tips. Hop on twitter at 6pm CST for the live #SundaySupper chat.  Yes, I know the Packer game will probably be in the 4th Quarter.  If you can't join us right at 6pm CST, then jump in when the game ends.  See you then!

The Lineup

Pre Game Warm-ups:

• Sausage Balls by My Catholic Kitchen
• Edamame Hummus by Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
• Slow Cooker Rueben Dip by The Meltaways
• Buffalo Wing Hummus by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Smokey Guacamole with Bacon by Family Spice
• Pepperoni & Mozzarella Pull Apart by In the Kitchen with KP
• Boneless Honey BBQ Chicken Wings by Juanita’s Cocina
• Candied Pecans by From Fast Food to Fresh Food
• Crispy Coconut Chicken Strips with Sweet Chili Sauce by Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends
• Swabian Mini Meatballs (Schwaebische Mini Fleischkuechle) by Galactosemia in PDX
• Joe Montana’s Touchdown Guacamole by Noshing with the Nolands
• Cheddar Cheese Jalapeno Bites by Mama.Mommy.Mom.
• Hot & Spicy Popcorn Chicken by My Trials in the Kitchen
• Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites by Family Foodie
• Soft Pretzels with Spicy Beer Cheese Sauce by girlichef
• Game Day Loaded Nachos by The Messy Baker
• Buffalo Chicken Dip by Home Cooking Memories
• Southwestern Spring Rolls by Supper for a Steal
• Pepperoni Pizza Puffs by Comfy Cuisine
• Roasted Garlic Bacon Dip with Easy Homemade Tortilla Chips by Daily Dish Recipes
• Beer Battered Spiced Sweet Potato Lentil Fritters by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
• Indian Spiced Chicken Meatballs by Soni’s Food for Thought
• Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers by Real Best Recipe

On the Sidelines:

• Anne’s Best Potato Salad with Bacon and Peas by Webicurean
• Simple Roasted Purple Potatoes by Ruffles and Truffles
• Spicy BBQ Baked Beans by Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen
• Papa’s Potato Salad & Baked Beans by Kwistin’s Favorites

Main Events:

• Gluten Free Breakfast Sandwich by Cooking Underwriter
• Pollo Adobado con Papas (Adobo Chicken with Potatoes) by La Cocina de Leslie
• Poor Man’s Burrito by Shockingly Delicious
• Ham and Mushroom Handpies by Vintage Kitchen Notes
• Individual Muffuletta Sandwiches by Magnolia Days
• Far East Steak Salad by Diabetic Foodie
• Italian Sloppy Joes by The Weekend Gourmet
• Hot Chicken Chili by Momma’s Meals
• Louisiana Sloppy Joes by Sustainable Dad
• Hawaiian Chicken Wraps by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Grandpa Sal’s Sausage and Peppers by Daddy Knows Less
• Fancy Filet Chili by I Run for Wine
• Homemade Italian Sausage by The Little Ferraro Kitchen
• Jalapeno Crockpot Chili by Mama’s Blissful Bites
• Flavorful Fall Marinade by Midlife Road Trip
• Moose Chili by Mrs. Mama Hen

Overtime:

• Peanut Butter-Stuffed Chocolate Cookies by Chocolate Moosey
• Streusel Topped Pumpkin Bread by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Zucchini Cupcakes by In the Kitchen with Audrey
• Oven-Baked Churros by Small Wallet Big Appetite
• Swirl Nutella Cupcakes by Basic N Delicious
• Peanut Butter and Pretzel Truffles by Gotta Get Baked

From the Cooler:

• Sparkling Tropical Lemonade by Dinners. Dishes, and Desserts
• Strawberry Horchata by Damn Delicious
• MVP Bloody Mary Bar by An Appealing Plan

Wine Pairings by Wine Everyday

 





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Simple Meals with Pancetta, Day Two: Slider with Pancetta

Well, I may have over-purchased the pancetta.  After several PLT sandwiches, we needed something new.  Since we are still working on a large number of outdoor projects, we require fast meals.  The Foodie in me needs something special since this is Staycation after all!  Enter the Slider with Pancetta.

Perhaps we're a little bit behind the times, but no one in the family has ever had a slider before.  For those of you that live under the proverbial rock with me, a slider is basically a mini-hamburger.  There are lots of variations on the slider, but they all have the same tiny size in common.  Some folks say they're called sliders because they're "so small, they slide right down" and still others claim they're called sliders because "they're so greasy they slide all over the place."  I'm going to go with option #1 because I really don't want to think about the grease. 

For our sliders, I utilized a Griddler.  I purchased it about a year ago, and I'm so happy with it.  This fabulous machine is both a griddle and a panini press.  In a house that was dependent on Fast Food, it's helped us avoid the drive-thru many times!  You can create a quick meal in a jiffy, and it's usually pretty impressive, too! 

The trick to our moist sliders was to use our Griddler to grill the onions while the burger cooked by "steaming" them underneath the patty.  Also, we did not season our meat because we wanted the flavor of the pancetta to come out.

Ingredients

• Ground Beef (80/20) shaped into tiny patties
• Buns, soft & dinner roll sized
• White Onion, sliced into thin rings
• Pancetta, sliced "thick" if possible
• Cheddar Cheese, sliced
• Tomato, sliced
• Lettuce
• Condiments, if desired

Directions

Place your unseasoned beef patties on a heated griddle (or frying pan) turned up to medium heat.  On top of the patties, place a generous amount of white onion, sliced into thin rings.  After a minute or two (enough for some grease to render), carefully flip the patty over so that the onions are underneath the burger.  If you're using a griddle that can press/heat the top of the patties, close the griddle and heat until done.  If you're using a frying pan, you'll need to flip the patties over halfway during cooking. 

While the meat is cooking, heat the pancetta in a frying pan on medium heat until the edges are getting crispy. (similar to cooking regular bacon) Flip the pancetta occasionally and be careful not to overcook it. When done, place the cooked pancetta on a paper towel-lined plate so that the grease absorbs.

When both the meat and pancetta are done, assemble your sliders to your liking using the buns, cheese, tomato, lettuce and any condiments.   Serve with fries or another side of your choice.  After having these, you may never have a regular hamburger again.

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Simple Meals with Pancetta, Day One: the PLT

This week, my family is on "Staycation".  You would think that I'd be locked in the kitchen and cooking every day, but that hasn't been the case.

#1- There's lot of work to be done around the house

and

 #2- It's been unseasonably warm

In Wisconsin, we have a very short window of time where we can do outdoor work.  We are in that window right now.  The deck has to be stained at ours and our son's house.  Windows have to be caulked.  Driveway cracks have to be patched.  Grass needs to be reseeded.  I could go on with my list of house repairs, but I'll spare you. 

Also, there's a temperature issue lately.  In my lifetime, this has been the hottest summer on record.  I love cooking, but I don't like my house to get up to 95 degrees because I've gone a little berserk in the kitchen! 

These two issues would normally be the perfect excuse for us to head over to a drive-thru and order a couple of items off the value menu.  Why do that when you can make a delicious meal in the same amount of time as it takes to drive to your local fast food joint.  With just a little bit of planning, you can cook up one of the "standards of summer" but put a little twist on it, too!  Hence, the PLT.




PLT- a twist on the standard BLT

What's a PLT?  A PLT is like a BLT (Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato) but substitute Pancetta.  What's Pancetta?  (pronounced "pan-chet-ta") When my family asked, I simply said, "Italian Bacon".  Really, there's a lot of truth in that- except, it's seasoned differently.  When cooked, you can smell the aroma of nutmeg and fennel.  It's very unique and can transform a regular bacon recipe to something really special!  You can find pancetta at your local grocery store or butcher by the deli counter.  If you can find prosciutto, you can often times find pancetta right next to it.  Usually, it's in a plastic package and already pre-sliced or cubed.

I was so lucky to see it carried whole in our local deli case!  They didn't have it opened or priced.  I sat there for 20 minutes while they tried to figure out how to price it and slice it.  Finally, I stepped in and helped. (yeah- I even told them where to find it in their "meat pricing directory"-- bossy, right?) 

Once you buy your pancetta, you'll want to make sure that you have a good bread available.  I used a large ciabatta bread. Individual ciabatta rolls would work, too.  Don't just use white bread for this delicious sandwich. 

Ingredients

• Pancetta, sliced "thick" if possible
• Bread, ciabatta or other high quality bread
• Tomato, sliced
• Lettuce, preferably a darker green/non-iceberg variety
• mayonnaise

Directions

In a frying pan on medium heat, fry up your pancetta until the edges are getting crispy. (similar to cooking regular bacon)  Flip the pancetta occasionally and be careful not to overcook it.  When done, place the cooked pancetta on a paper towel-lined plate so that the grease absorbs.  Now, assemble the sandwich just like you would a BLT.  Spread mayo on some sliced bread, add your sliced tomatoes and lettuce, add a slice or two of pancetta, and close up your sandwich. 

Now, ENJOY!  If you're like my family, you may never eat a regular BLT again!


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Bloody Mary Skirt Steak #SundaySupper

Happy Labor Day Weekend! It's time to fire up the grill and invite your friends over for a potluck!  Don't know what to bring?  No problem! That's where the #SundaySupper crew comes in. This week, we have lots of amazing ideas for any party. From appetizers, to drinks, to sides, to the main course, and yes-- even dessert, we've got you covered.

I decided to make my famous Bloody Mary Skirt Steak. If you're not able to find a skirt steak, you can easily use a flank steak as well.  I like this recipe because it's simple, and it takes a cheaper cut of meat and turns it into something special.  The marinade adds a subtle flavor to the meat.  It's mild enough that even kids will like this!

Ingredients

• 1 skirt steak (or flank steak)
• 2 cups of vegetable juice like V8
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp horseradish
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 15 shakes of Tabasco sauce
• Juice from 2 limes
• Black pepper to taste

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients except for the steak. Mix well.  Place the steak in a 1 gallon plastic freezer bag.  Pour the mixture over the steak.  Seal the bag and make sure the steak is coated in the liquid.  Place in the refrigerator so that the steak is flat and soaking in the mixture on all sides.  Marinate for a minimum of 3 hours or overnight.  Every few hours, turn the bag.

When time to grill, discard the marinade and pat the steak dry with a paper towel.  Place on a very hot grill, and cook for about 3-4 minutes on each side. (if using a flank steak, it will need longer to cook-- likely 5-6 minutes per side) 





Make sure the grill is nice and hot so that you get a good sear on the meat

After grilling, let the meat rest for a few minutes.  When serving cut into portions by slicing against the grain of the meat. Serve with your favorite sides. I suggest a nice salad and maybe even corn on the cob!

Join us this week around the family table for our #SundaySupper and we will share with you our favorite cookout recipes .  We hope to inspire you with these fabulous recipes from our talented contributors.  We will be sharing them all day long and would love for you to share your favorite cookout recipes during our #SundaySupper live chat at 6pm CT.

Labor Day Cookout Recipes:

Starters & Snacks

• Lobster Salad with Avocado, Corn and Tomatoes by The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
• Grilled Vegetable Spread by Magnolia Days
• Toast Topper #8: Tomato Confit for #SundaySupper by Yummy Smells
• Honey BBQ Wings and Cool Ranch by Big Bears Wife
• Finger Lickin’ Chicken Drumettes by Noshing with the Nolands

Main Dishes

• Baked Shrimp and Pasta Caprese by Mama’s Blissful Bites
• Korean chili by Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends
• Newfangled Cowtown White Chicken Chili by Shockingly Delicious
• Strawberry BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches by The Weekend Gourmet
• Spicy Seoulful Pulled Pork Sandwiches by Kimchi Mom
• Smoked Pork Butt (A How-To) from Juanita’s Cocina
• Soy Glazed Chicken Thighs by The Messy Baker Blog
• Stuffed Green Chili con Queso Cheeseburger Sliders by Damn Delicious
• Adana kebab by Small Wallet, Big Appetite
• Portabello Paninis by The Hand That Rocks the Ladle
• Bloody Mary Skirt Steak by From Fast Food to Fresh Food
• Tuna and Roasted Pepper Packets by Cindy’s Recipes & Writings
• Mint Marinated Beef Kabobs with Garlic Sauce by Sustainable Dad
• Creamy Latin Style Pasta by Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen
• Spicy Portuguese Style Sliders by Daily Dish Recipes
• Aromatic Glazed Salmon by Happy Baking Days
• Pork sliders by Basic ‘N Delicious
• Foil Packet Chicken by In the Kitchen with Audrey

Salads & Sides

• Mom’s Savory Pork’n’Beans by Webicurean
• Ranch Potato Salad by My Catholic Kitchen
• Gluten Free Penne hot salad with basil, asparagus, cherry tomatoes fresh mozzarella and chicken with a mustard vineagarete for #SundaySupper by Cooking Underwriter
• Southern Surprise Potato Salad by Granny’s Down Home Southern Cooking
• #SundaySupper Marinated Ginger Chicken & Spinach Salad by Kwistin’s Favorites
• Roasted Potato & Corn Salad w/ Bacon by GirliChef
• Vegan Caprese Salad by Galactosemia in PDX
• Picnic Friendly Grilled Vegetable Salad by Mama Mommy Mom
• Smokin Hot Caribbean Spiced Corn-On-The-Cob by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
• Potato salad with Stilton and bacon by Tora’s Real Food
• Tomato Feta Orzo Salad by Family Foodie

Drinks

• Frozen Sangria by Supper For a Steal
• Persian mint & cucumber cooler (sekanjabeen) by Family Spice

Desserts

• lightened lemon pound cake by The Meltaways
• Root Beer Float Cupcakes by Chocolate Moosey
• Strawberry Cream Squares by Dinners, Dishes and Desserts
• Fresh Mango Pie by La Cocina De Leslie
• Brown Butter M&M Cookies by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Gluten Free Lemon Blondies by No One Likes Crumbley Cookies
• Blueberry Lemon Cream Cheese Coffee Cake by Baker Street
• Strawberry Pie + White Sangria by Vintage Kitchen Notes
• Grilled Banana Splits by Diabetic Foodie
• Easy Desserts: Frozen Chocolate Bananas by Home Cooking Memories
• Ice Cream Sandwich Cake by Comfy Cuisine
• Blueberry Lemon Whoopie Pies for a Holiday Cookout #SundaySupper by In the Kitchen with KP

Wine Pairings

• Labor Day Cookout Food And Wine Pairings by ENOFYLZ

Please be sure you join us on Twitter throughout the day during #SundaySupper. We’ll be meeting up at 6:00 p.m. CST for our weekly #SundaySupper  live chat where we’ll talk about our favorite cookout recipes!  All you have to do is follow the #SundaySupper hashtag, or you can follow us through TweetChat!
We’d also love to feature your Cookout recipes on our #SundaySupper Pinterest board and share them with all of our followers!

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