Chardonian Cook

Sausage and Cream Cheese Crescents

2009-12-25T22:07:00.000-08:00

These crescents have the perfect blend of cheesiness, spiciness, and sweetness. The cream cheese provides the perfect flavor to complement the spicy-sweet Italian Sausage's flavor. Oh, and they are absolutely DELICIOUS!

1-lb breakfast sausage (any variety--I used Bob Evans' Sage Pork Breakfast Sausage)
1 8-oz package cream cheese (original or low-fat)
2 (8-ct.) canisters refrigerated crescent roll dough (Pillsbury always works for me)

Brown and break up the sausage in a medium saucepan. Turn off heat.
Add the cream cheese to the cooked sausage; stir.
Unroll and separate the crescent roll dough into triangles;
Fill each crescent roll dough triangle with about 1-1/2 (one and a half) tablespoons of the sausage-cheese mixture; roll it up crescent roll-style
Bake for as long as your crescent roll canister's instructions say, (Pillsbury's says about 11 minutes) or until the crescents are golden brown!

Yield: 16 if each person eats one.

This is great on a Sunday morning or for brunch with scrambled eggs and mixed fruit on the side.

Mexican Lasagna

2009-08-03T18:26:00.000-07:00

This lasagna is soo good. It's like eating a taco, only with 10 times more flavor than one.
SERVES 6

1 lb lean ground beef or turkey
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 large red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans
25 oz. mild salsa
2 tsp taco seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
12 corn tortillas, 6 inches
1 container cottage cheese
2 cups sharp cheddar or mexican blend cheese, shredded
sour cream (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Cook meat with onion in 1 teaspoon olive oil until no longer pink; add garlic for last minute of cooking.
3. Add bell pepper, beans, salsa, taco seasoning, salt, cumin, and oregano; simmer on low heat for 10 minutes.
4. Spoon 1 cup meat mixture evenly in bottom of lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish.
5. Layer 6 tortillas over mixture; top with 1 cup meat mixture.
6. Spoon half of cottage cheese over mixture; sprinkle with 1 cup shredded cheese.
7. Cover with remaining tortillas, meat mixture, and cottage cheese.
8. Cover dish tightly with foil.
9. Bake 20 minutes. Uncover; top with remaining shredded cheese.
10. Broil until cheese is melted and begins to brown and/or bubble on top. Can serve with sour cream.

Buttermilk Pancakes

2008-08-07T09:36:00.000-07:00

These pancakes are moist and super-fluffy! They are perfect for a Sunday-morning breakfast or brunch, and even yummy when you make breakfast-for-dinner! Make the caramelized bananas if you are in the mood for a delicious addition to your pancakes.

Pancakes

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)

2 cups buttermilk (or skim or low-fat milk mixed with 1 tblspn of vinegar or lemon juice)

1 tablespoon butter, melted

1 tablespoon applesauce or vegetable oil

1 large egg

Caramelized Bananas (optional)

2 bananas, chopped into one-inch chunks

1 cup maple syrup

1. In medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk, melted butter, applesauce, and egg.

2. In another medium bowl, combine flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

3. Add flour mixture to buttermilk mixture. Mix until just combined; batter should be a little lumpy.

4. Grease a nonstick skillet or griddle and set to medium-high heat. Pour about 1/3 -1/2 cup batter per pancake onto the griddle. When tiny bubbles begin forming on the tops of the pancakes, they are ready to be flipped, 2-3 minutes per side.

5. Meanwhile, heat the maple syrup and bananas in medium skillet over medium heat. Cook until mixture is bubbly and hot, about 5 minutes.

6. Serve pancakes immediately with caramelized bananas on top.

Espresso Brownies

2008-06-25T16:51:00.000-07:00

These are very good. I made these for Father's Day for my father, and he absolutely LOVED these. He said that out of all the brownies that he has ever tasted, these are the best , hands down. Little does he know that these only took 10 minutes to make. Who has to know? :)
The frosting is optional, but it really complements the taste of the brownie and makes all the difference. I strongly recommend making the frosting, unless you are counting calories. These are FUDGY brownies; not cake-like brownies!!

1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs (or whatever your brownie box calls for. Ghirardelli brownies call for only 1 egg, but most call for 2 eggs.)
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
1 (19.8-oz) box brownie mix
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF; grease a 9 x 13 inch baking pan.
2. Whisk 1/3 cup water, oil, eggs, 2 tablespoons espresso powder, and 1 teaspoon vanilla in a large bowl to blend. Add brownie mix.
3. Stir just until moistened, about 40 strokes. Stir in chocolate chips.
4. Bake for about 35 minutes or until a few moist crumbs cling to a toothpick or knife when inserted 2 inches from the edge.
5. Meanwhile, dissolve 2 teaspoons espresso powder in 2 tablespoons water in a medium bowl. Whisk in 1 teaspoon vanilla.
6. Add powdered sugar and butter and whisk until smooth.
7. Pour glaze over brownies and refrigerate until set.

Yield: about 2 dozen bars

Spaghetti Frittata

2008-06-11T10:28:00.000-07:00

This recipe was originally developed in order to use up leftover spaghetti from dinner the night before. However, this dish was so good that it is also used in my home as a delicious brunch or lunch dish. You can most definately enjoy this dish during the early hours as well!

This dish is beautiful topped with fresh basil or parsley as a garnish after you have taken it out of the oven. A lot of people have asked for the recipe to this dish once they try it, so here is the recipe!

2 cups cooked spaghetti (with or without sauce)
5 eggs
1/2 cup shredded cheddar, parmesan, or mozzarella cheese
salt and pepper, to taste
garlic powder, to taste
Italian seasoning, to taste

1. In an oven-proof saucepan, heat the spaghetti for about 5 minutes on medium heat. (If it has been in the fridge)
2. Meanwhile, in a separate, small-medium sized bowl, beat the eggs with the salt and pepper, garlic powder, and italian seasoning.
3. Once the spaghetti has been heated, add the egg mixture and cook, stirring the mixture as if making an omelette(move spaghetti, and tip pan to let raw egg cover bottom. Repeat on all sides of pan.) Keep doing this until bottom egg is cooked.
4. Sprinkle shredded cheese over frittata. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake frittata at 375ºF until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.

Serves: 4

You can cut the frittata into pizza-like

slices or just scoop out your serving.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

2008-06-10T19:06:00.000-07:00

I will have to say that these are THE best cookies
me or my family have ever tasted, no joke. I have made dozens of other cookie recipes, but everyone always prefers these each time. With these cookies, I have gotten on teachers' good sides, as well as family and friends' good sides :) I hope you enjoy baking (and eating) these cookies as much as I do.

This recipe is based off the classic nestle recipe, however, I have modified it to make it MUCH more healthier, and not at all thin or crispy. These are definately soft, chewy peanut butter chocolate chip cookies.
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold (from fridge)
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 tsp honey
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 egg, room temperature
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips (ghirardelli is my favorite)

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF. In a medium mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
2. Beat butter, peanut butter, applesauce, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium speed until creamy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla.
3. Gradually beat in flour mixture, on medium low speed, JUST until combined.
4. Stir in chocolate chips.
5. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake 8-12 minutes or until edges are set but centers are still soft.

Yield: About 3 dozen cookies

Before I bake my cookies, I like to freeze the dough

for 10-20 minutes, to ensure a thick cookie.

Simple Spaghetti with Sweet Italian Sausages

2008-06-10T18:36:00.000-07:00

This dish is very delicious and simple. It is very easy to prepare this dish right after work, if you are short on time, or if you just enjoy quick and tasty meals.

This is a delicious dish, although if you use Italian Sausage, some types have fennel in it. Keep in mind that if there are picky eaters in the house, this may dislike the fennel for its licorice-like taste.

8 Italian Sweet Sausages

1 (18 oz.) jar Spaghetti Sauce

1 (16 oz.) package Dry Spaghetti

Garlic Powder, to taste

Freshly ground Black Pepper, to taste

1. Cook the Sausage according to package instructions. (I cooked mine on medium heat in a covered pan with a 1/4 cup water about 10 minutes. I let the water evaporate then let them brown for 5 minutes.)

2. Pour the spaghetti sauce into the pan with the sausages and heat thoroughly. Sprinkle with garlic powder and black pepper, to taste.

3. Meanwhile, cook spaghetti in boiling water until al dente, according to package instructions.

Serves 4

Hamburgers

2008-06-08T18:06:00.000-07:00

Hamburgers, hamberguesas, hamburgery, الهامبرغرات, hamburgere, hampurilaisia, hambúrgueres, hamburgare, 汉堡包, whatever. I don't care how the frick you say it, it is always American. :) Here is my recipe for simple hamburgers. You can modify it is you are feeding a smaller crowd.

This is a very juicy burger and so far everyone that has tried it has loved it.

4 lbs ground beef sirloin

1/4 cup wheat germ

3/4 tsp black pepper

3/4 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp kosher or sea salt

1 large egg

1. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together with hands just until combined. Less handling= NOT a tough burger.
2. Grill on 300°F heat, flipping every 3-5 minutes, until insides are no longer red, about 10-12 minutes.

Yield: 9 medium-large burgers

I put mine on a whole wheat bun with sliced,

sauteed baby bella mushrooms; lettuce; tomato; mustard and ketchup.

The Beginning :)

2008-06-07T19:27:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking about starting a blog for a period of time, but haven't gotten around to it until now. I started this blog because I absolutely love to cook and bake and I think I am pretty good at it if I do say so myself :) I enjoy trying trying new recipes and making up my own, just by using what is in the pantry at the time. I would love to share my recipes with everyone that would like to know. I will provide pictures and my own personal opinion, as well as my family and friends' opinions on the recipes I post. I hope you all will enjoy reading, making, cooking, and baking the recipes I post. :)