Eek! I think I'm a little late for posting Foodbuzz's daily special, but here goes! For the next few weeks, I will (hopefully) be posting about any one of the five given daily specials from Foodbuzz. Today's daily special is the Burton Induction Cooktop, Athena 6000. The way induction cooking works is with electromagnetically, meaning no flames to worry about. The cook top will stay cool as heat is only generated in the cookware it's in contact with. This baby sounds pretty sweet, especially if you have kids or live in a dorm. It would also be great if you don't have access to an oven or need more burners than what you are given.
To purchase this cook top, you can order it online here.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Monday, May 17, 2010
Goat Cheese Pizza
If you were to ask me what my favorite cheese is, I'd immediately say goat cheese. Some people are turned off just by the name, but it's just cheese made with goat's milk rather than cow's milk and tastes like a savory cream cheese. There's really nothing wrong with goat; I've even had goat curry before.
Going through my California Pizza Kitchen Cookbook, I found a goat cheese pizza. It's almost vegetarian because it has bacon, but I'm sure you could omit that and make it all veggie. Or even sub mushrooms. Upon reading the recipe, I thought this pizza would be a little... weird (for lack of a better term) because there is no sauce. You just brush olive oil on the crust. I was surprised since I was expecting it to be dry. The olive oil definitely helps, but the toppings give it such a powerful flavor profile, you don't miss the sauce. As far as the dough, CA Pizza Kitchen does give their recipe, but I was busy and tired, so I made the one I usually make in my bread maker.
Goat Cheese Pizza
Dough for 9 inch pizza
Olive oil
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup crisp bacon, crumbled
1 plum tomato, sliced
Red, yellow, and green bell pepper strips (roughly 15-20)
Red onion strips (roughly 10-12)
2 Tbsp mild goat cheese
1. Preheat oven to 475F. Grease pizza pan.
2. Brush enough olive oil onto rolled-out crust to make a light coating. Sprinkle on 1/2 cup mozzarella. Sprinkle with 2 Tbsp bacon. Place tomato slices on top - do not overlap. Top with pepper and onion strips. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella on top. Crumble on goat cheese.
3. Bake until crust is golden and cheese is bubbly, 10-15 minutes. Remove, slice, and serve.
Makes one 9-inch pizza
Source: California Pizza Kitchen Cookbook, p. 48
Going through my California Pizza Kitchen Cookbook, I found a goat cheese pizza. It's almost vegetarian because it has bacon, but I'm sure you could omit that and make it all veggie. Or even sub mushrooms. Upon reading the recipe, I thought this pizza would be a little... weird (for lack of a better term) because there is no sauce. You just brush olive oil on the crust. I was surprised since I was expecting it to be dry. The olive oil definitely helps, but the toppings give it such a powerful flavor profile, you don't miss the sauce. As far as the dough, CA Pizza Kitchen does give their recipe, but I was busy and tired, so I made the one I usually make in my bread maker.
Goat Cheese Pizza
Dough for 9 inch pizza
Olive oil
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup crisp bacon, crumbled
1 plum tomato, sliced
Red, yellow, and green bell pepper strips (roughly 15-20)
Red onion strips (roughly 10-12)
2 Tbsp mild goat cheese
1. Preheat oven to 475F. Grease pizza pan.
2. Brush enough olive oil onto rolled-out crust to make a light coating. Sprinkle on 1/2 cup mozzarella. Sprinkle with 2 Tbsp bacon. Place tomato slices on top - do not overlap. Top with pepper and onion strips. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella on top. Crumble on goat cheese.
3. Bake until crust is golden and cheese is bubbly, 10-15 minutes. Remove, slice, and serve.
Makes one 9-inch pizza
Source: California Pizza Kitchen Cookbook, p. 48
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Duets by The Madelaine Chocolate Company
Last week, I was contacted on behalf of The Madelaine Chocolate Company to sample and review a new product - double-filled chocolate truffles known as Duets. Not wanting to miss this opportunity, of course I said yes.
A few days later, my package arrived. Inside, I found a cute little gift box ready to be opened, full of wonderfully-wrapped truffles ready to be eaten. There are four flavors - white and chocolate truffle, peanut butter and raspberry, peanut butter and caramel, and white chocolate and raspberry. The wrappers are conveniently color coded so you know which ones are which without reading. That can come in handy if you're grabbing one on-the-go and don't have time to read the little print.
The Madelaine Chocolate Company says on its site that "duets are the first double-filled chocolate truffles." They are perfect for any special occassion because they are elegantly wrapped to make the chocolate look and feel extra special.
The first one I tried was the white and chocolate truffle. Can't go wrong with double the chocolate, right? Next was peanut butter and raspberry. Tastes like a PB&J because the raspberry is more of a jam. The white chocolate and raspberry tastes like, well, white chocolate raspberry jam while the peanut butter and caramel tastes like a caramelly peanut butter cup. The PB and caramel is my favorite out of the bunch.
I would definitely recommend buying these truffles, whether as a casual snack for your candy bowl (which will empty rather quickly) or as a special gift. You can buy the Duets online or at most Wal Marts. Target doesn't have them yet, but I know the "fancy chocolate aisle" is going to be reset soon. Usually that means new products are introduced along with bringing back the best sellers. Maybe Duets will make it on the new planogram.
A few days later, my package arrived. Inside, I found a cute little gift box ready to be opened, full of wonderfully-wrapped truffles ready to be eaten. There are four flavors - white and chocolate truffle, peanut butter and raspberry, peanut butter and caramel, and white chocolate and raspberry. The wrappers are conveniently color coded so you know which ones are which without reading. That can come in handy if you're grabbing one on-the-go and don't have time to read the little print.
The Madelaine Chocolate Company says on its site that "duets are the first double-filled chocolate truffles." They are perfect for any special occassion because they are elegantly wrapped to make the chocolate look and feel extra special.
The first one I tried was the white and chocolate truffle. Can't go wrong with double the chocolate, right? Next was peanut butter and raspberry. Tastes like a PB&J because the raspberry is more of a jam. The white chocolate and raspberry tastes like, well, white chocolate raspberry jam while the peanut butter and caramel tastes like a caramelly peanut butter cup. The PB and caramel is my favorite out of the bunch.
I would definitely recommend buying these truffles, whether as a casual snack for your candy bowl (which will empty rather quickly) or as a special gift. You can buy the Duets online or at most Wal Marts. Target doesn't have them yet, but I know the "fancy chocolate aisle" is going to be reset soon. Usually that means new products are introduced along with bringing back the best sellers. Maybe Duets will make it on the new planogram.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Stuffed French Toast
"For every failure, there's an alternative course of action. You just have to find it. When you come to a roadblock, take a detour." - Mary Kay Ash
Sorry I haven't been responding very well online, both blogging and email. I'm just trying to get through one day at a time, hoping one day I'll wake up and the sun will be shining. Until then, I'm on a very long detour to my destination. I'm also open for any motivational quotes because I can never find any when I need them lol
ANYWAY
Almost two months ago, McCormick sent me a toolkit and recipes to try. Easter morning, I tried their stuffed french toast, which is a great recipe when you want something special for breakfast. Pretty much it's a cross between a grilled cheese and french toast when it comes to making it. You spread the filling on bread, put it together like a sandwich, dip it in egg mixture, and cook in the skillet. The original recipe called for apricot preserves or jam, but I used blackberry jam since that's what we had in the fridge.
Stuffed French Toast
8 oz cream cheese
1 Tbsp brown sugar
3 tsp cinnamon, divided
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, divided
16 slices bread
1/2 cup preserves or jam
5 eggs
1 cup milk
2 Tbsp butter, divided
1. Mix cream cheese, sugar, 2 tsp cinnamon, and 1 tsp vanilla in small bowl until well-blended. Spread mixture evenly onto half the bread slices. Spread jam on the other slices. Put the halves together and make 8 sandwiches.
2. In another bowl, beat eggs. Stir in milk, 1 tsp cinnamon, and 1/2 tsp vanilla. Dip each sandwich into the egg mixture and drip off any excess.
3. Melt 1 Tbsp butter in skillet. Cook each sandwich a few minutes per side or until golden brown. Use remaining Tbsp butter if you need it.
Makes 8 servings.
Source: McCormick
Sorry I haven't been responding very well online, both blogging and email. I'm just trying to get through one day at a time, hoping one day I'll wake up and the sun will be shining. Until then, I'm on a very long detour to my destination. I'm also open for any motivational quotes because I can never find any when I need them lol
ANYWAY
Almost two months ago, McCormick sent me a toolkit and recipes to try. Easter morning, I tried their stuffed french toast, which is a great recipe when you want something special for breakfast. Pretty much it's a cross between a grilled cheese and french toast when it comes to making it. You spread the filling on bread, put it together like a sandwich, dip it in egg mixture, and cook in the skillet. The original recipe called for apricot preserves or jam, but I used blackberry jam since that's what we had in the fridge.
Stuffed French Toast
8 oz cream cheese
1 Tbsp brown sugar
3 tsp cinnamon, divided
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, divided
16 slices bread
1/2 cup preserves or jam
5 eggs
1 cup milk
2 Tbsp butter, divided
1. Mix cream cheese, sugar, 2 tsp cinnamon, and 1 tsp vanilla in small bowl until well-blended. Spread mixture evenly onto half the bread slices. Spread jam on the other slices. Put the halves together and make 8 sandwiches.
2. In another bowl, beat eggs. Stir in milk, 1 tsp cinnamon, and 1/2 tsp vanilla. Dip each sandwich into the egg mixture and drip off any excess.
3. Melt 1 Tbsp butter in skillet. Cook each sandwich a few minutes per side or until golden brown. Use remaining Tbsp butter if you need it.
Makes 8 servings.
Source: McCormick
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