Chocolate Carmel Cookies

My husband is home from Afghanistan and I couldn't be happier. One thing that makes me happiest is baking. I went on hiatus while he was gone since he wasn't around to enjoy my baking. The first thing that I made for him were chocolate caramel cookies. I had such an enjoyable time making them ( and picking at the cookie dough). Here is the recipe which can easily be halved.



Ingredients:

1 C butter

1 C sugar

1 C br sugar

2 large eggs

2 1/4 C flour

3/4 C cocoa

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp vanilla

1 C chopped pecans

1 TB sugar

1 9 oz Rollos

Beat butter at med speed till creamy. Gradually add sugars, beating well. Add eggs beating well after each egg. Combine flour, cocoa, soda, add to butter mixture Mix well Sir in vanilla and 1/2 C chopped pecans. Cover dough and refrigerate 1 hr.

Combine remaining 1/2 C pecans and 1 TB sugar, set aside Gently press 1 TB cookie dough around 1 candy forming a ball dip 1 side of cookie in pecan mix. Place pecan side up, 2" apart on ungreased cookie sheet Bake at 275 for 8 minutes. They will look soft. Let cool 1 minute on cookie sheet.

Remove to wire rack to cool.

Throw my net into the Sea

Grilled Tuna Steak Baja

4 tuna fillets

2 tbs olive oil

minced garlic

1 tbs shallot or red onion

1 jalapeno

1 lime with juice and zest

1/4 tsp ground cumin

black pepper

Let marinate for a few hours and grill or cook in a frying pan.

One of my favorites songs I learned when living in Hawaii is the Hukilau Song.

If you don't know it , here it is ... if you ever want me to sing it to you, I can guarantee the catchy tune will stick in your head. I always think of it when I go fishing as i seems to draw the fish to me or when I preparing it for some odd reason.

Oh, we're going to a hukilau. A huki, huki, huki, huki, hukilau. Ev'rybody loves a hukilau. Where the lau lau is the kau kau at the big luau. We throw our nets out into the sea, and all the `ama`ama come a-swimming to me. Oh, we're going to a Hukilau. Huki, huki, huki, huki, Hukilau

Cheap, Healthy, Filling Soup

Carrot Ginger Habanero Soup

I was fortunate enough to spend the holidays with my wonderful sister and equally fabulous brother in law ( who is an amazing cook).

Before we had fondue for our Christmas Eve dinner, Luke prepared Carrot Ginger Habanero soup.

I loved it and have been thinking about for months. The other day, I finally got inspired to give it a try.

I made it super healthy. I used no oil, butter, or fat of any kind. It is amazing because it still comes out rich, creamy, and delicious.

This is a great soup for anyone on a diet but is also a good way to impress your guests.

Luke and Stephanie eat this warm in the winter but also serve it cold in the summer. I had a bowl of it cold for a snack today and it refreshing and so filling.

Not only is it filling, easy to make, but it is also cheap!

Here is what my receipt from City Market reads for some of my ingredients:

Pound of carrots was $.39

The ginger root was $. 20

The habanero was $.08

I already had an onion, few cloves of garlic, and some chicken stock at home so this soup is easily less than $ 5.00 for a big patch.

Ingredients:

1 medium onion ( diced)

Few cloves of garlic ( diced)

3 TBS of fresh grated ginger

1 habernero pepper ( de-seeded and diced)

Saute these veggies together in a large pot ( this will be the same pot you cook the soup in)

If you want you can add oil but I did not.

Then, add :

1 lb of carrots ( peeled and chopped)

4 cups of chicken broth

Let this simmer for about 30 minutes or until the carrots are tender. Let it cool and puree it in the blender a few cups at a time.

You are ready to serve it. I served mine with some fresh ground pepper and a dab of plain yogurt ( or sour cream).

Here is my final product!

Acorn Squash Casserole

I keep this casserole in the fridge at all times. It's great in the morning for breakfast, for a snack during the afternoon or as a side dish for dinner.

It can be eaten hot or cold. It fills you up and it's really healthy!

Acorn squash is very high in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Potassium, dietary fiber, manganese, folate, Vitamin B complex, omega 3 fatty acids, copper and tryptophan.

This recipe is fun because you can play around with the vegetables that you put in the casserole.

For a Mexican version, add jalapenos, tomatoes, green chilies and canned corn.



Ingredients:

2 Large Acorn Squash
1 medium onion chopped
2 garlic cloves minced
1/2 green pepper
1/2 c red pepper
2 eggs
1 cup plain yogurt
1 cup feta
salt, pepper, sunflower seeds


Cut squash in half and discard the seeds. Place squash cut side down on a greased pan and bake at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes or till tender. Let it cool and scoop out the squash, place in a bowl and mash.

In a skillet, saute the onion, garlic, and peppers.


In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and yogurt until blended.

Stir in the squash, onion mixture, feta, salt and peper.

Transfer to a baking dish and sprinkle with sunflower seeds.

Cook at 375 degrees for about an hour.

I like to cook it until it is gold brown.

Mangia, mangia!

For those of you who do not know, Taralli, is an Italian biscuit.

I have searched for a great Taralli recipe and so far this is the best one I have found. I like to eat it with fennel seed but it is also really good with red pepper. I have not ventured into the sweet versions of Taralli as of yet.

I love the unique taste of munching on these little treats. While the ingredients are quite simple, the trick to make them taste really good is to get the dough cooked thoroughly so that they are crunchy.

Here is my recipe:

1/2 cup olive oil,
1 cup white dry wine
flour
1/3 tsp salt
and add a tablespoon of whatever spice you like...
Fennel is by far my favorite but get creative!
Rosemary, garlic, black pepper, sea salt..

Knead until the dough is dry.

I have noticed that sticky dough makes it harder to roll out.

Roll out the dough. You want it to be pretty thin. You can have fun and make them any design you want.

Put them in boiling water (10 at a time). When they are cooked they rise to the top. Drain
the excess water off and let them try on a towel.

Bake them in the oven at 400 degrees until they are golden brown. Enjoy them in the morning
with a cup of coffee or at night with a glass of wine and cheese.

Eat Meat

Hunting season has come and gone. My fluorescent orange hat has been tucked away under the bed until next fall when I will once again bring it out of hibernation.

Every year, our family waves goodbye to my father hoping that he comes back with a beautiful elk. Aside from his bow hunting days, we have had a freezer full of Colorado elk every year.

Now, I could insert pictures of people holding their prized elk heads, showing off the points on the antlers but for me hunting is not about the sport but about the meat. My dad carefully butchers his own elk and the end result is nothing less than spectacular. Here are some recipes I would like to share with you.

One tip with elk is to first soak it in milk for a few hours. This tenderizes it. Then, I like to pound my meat out with a meat pounder and get it nice and thin before cooking it.

Grilled Elk:

The easiest elk recipe is to get fillets of elk, add some salt and pepper, wrap in bacon and throw on the grill.

Elk Piccata:

1 lb elk
salt, pepper, flour ( all mixed together for batter)
3 tbs Butter
1 tbs Olive Oil
2 cloves garlic
1/2 sliced mushrooms
2 tbs lemon juice
1/2 dry white wine
2 tsp caper plus 1 Tsp caper juice
3 tbs minced parsley


Sprinkle elk with the flour mixture. Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet. Add elk and brown on both sides. Remove elk from skillet. Add garlic and mushrooms to pan and cook for one minutes. Return elk to pan. Add lemon juice, white wine, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes. Add capers and garnish with parsley.

Elk Marsala

salt, pepper, flour ( all mixed together for batter
2 tbs olive oil
3 tbs butter
1 lb elk
1/2 c dry Marsala
1/2 heavy cream

Heat oil and butter in skillet. Dredge elk in flour and brown elk quickly on each side and remove from skillet.

Add Marsala to skillet, make sure to stir and scrape the skillet to loosen the residue from the pan. When Marsala has begun to boil add cream and stir constantly over high heat until cream is mixed in with juices and creates a thick dark sauce. Add elk and simmer for a few minutes.

Elk Green Chile

1/2 c. oil
1 lb elk ( roast)
6 garlic cloves
1/2 c. flour
1 14.5 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 30oz de-thawed green chiles (look for them in the International section at the grocery store in the frozen food aisle)
3 cups of Chicken broth

Instructions:

Heat oil in pot, add elk and cook, lower heat and add minced garlic, cook 5 minutes, add flour and slightly brown, add tomatoes, green chiles and simmer for about 15 minutes, add chicken broth ( just to make it less thick so not too much or it will turn out soupy).

Fresh Farm Eggs are the BEST!!!!

There really is something to be said for homegrown! Whether it be produce or meat that is more than "organic" but raised in our beautiful Colorado fields, it just tastes SOO GOOD.

There are 2 store bought things that I will never be able to eat again, those are tomatoes and eggs.

The eggs that I buy from Judy Vader ( now Stickler) just amaze me. If you were to compare her eggs with the "organic free range eggs" at the grocery store just by looks alone it is obvious hers are a million times better.

I love cracking them open. The yolk is bright yellow and you can tell these hens are happy. And for good reason, they do live after all in one of the most beautiful places in the world and each egg is a gift of pure oral joy.