Recipe: Garlic Butter Asparagus

I am not a fan of asparagus, I've tried. Really. I think it's such an elegant, fancy dish... but I just am not a fan of the veggie. I even tried to make it "better" by sauteing it with garlic, thinking that would help me. I wasn't overly impressed, but my family scarfed it down, so I figured I should probably put it down "on paper" before I forget how I did it.

Garlic Butter Asparagus

Ingredients
1 bunch of Asparagus (14-18 spears)
3 tablespoons of butter
3 generous tablespoons of minced garlic

Instructions:
Rinse asparagus and cut spears down to fit the size of saute pan. In large saute pan combine butter and garlic over medium high heat, cook until garlic begins to brown. Add asparagus spears to the pan, making sure not to stack them on one another. cover pan with lid and let cool on medium-low heat until the spears are tender (about 10 minutes). You may have to batch the spears into two groups, do not take out the garlic, just add more butter (1-2 more tablespoons) and saute the second batch of spears. Plate the asparagus and use the garlic butter from the pan as a sauce over the asparagus before serving.

Snow White movie Menu (updated photos)

I'm not going to recap the entire first movie meal ever, but I recently recreated the meal for mother's day. My mom requested it and I was more than happy to oblige as it's one of my favorite meals I've ever made. We didn't watch the movie to go along with the meal, but I wanted to share the recipe again and encourage readers.

Cranberry & Apple Jelly Glazed Pork Loin - Recipe Link

As fancy as the recipe sounds, it is actually really easy and fun. And your kitchen will smell amazing. The glaze is super tasty, but I personally do not like the flavor thyme has, so I tried halfing what the recipe calls for and it was still too much for me. I don't think the glaze *needs* it, so if you're like me, I'd just not put it in at all. Next time I'll try that.

The hardest part of the dish is waiting for it to cook! It smells so good, and the basting every 10 minutes of cook time at least gives you something to do while you die of hunger.

Even if you don't want to watch Snow White, this is a fantastic meal option and I highly recommend you try it. And there are several versions of Snow White to choose from, you don't *have* to watch the first feature length animated film. Or you could check out the first six seasons of ABC's Once Upon A Time, as I think the most perfect Snow White ever is Ginnifer Goodwin.

To round out the meal I cooked up some wild rice (I cheated and used Uncle Ben's boxed rice), and I also tried my hands at sauteed asparagus (a veggie I try so hard to like because it looks so elegant, but I can't). I sauteed the spears with butter and garlic, it was the perfect finisher for the meal.

Recipe: Bienenstich (Bee Sting Cake) Disney Copycat Recipe

Ingredients:

Cake:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup bread flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon yeast
2 tablespoon butter
2 each eggs
6-8 tablespoon milk

Topping:
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 cup almonds

Filling:
3 each instant vanilla pudding mix (3 1/8 ounce box)
4 cups milk
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
**This made about twice as much filling for my cake as needed. I suggest halfing the recipe and then making more as needed.

Honey and Sugar Mixture:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
1/4 cup honey

Directions:

Cake:
Sift together the flours, salt and sugar.
Add the eggs one at a time until incorporated.
Then add the butter until mixed into flour mixture.
Heat milk until it is warm to touch. Add yeast to milk and dissolve.
In a mixing bowl, add the warm milk and yeast mixture to the flour until the dough pulls away from the sides but sticks to the bottom of the bowl.
Place on a floured surface and roll into a 10 inch circle to the thickness of 1/4 inch. Then place in a greased 10-inch cake pan.
Pre-heat oven to 350°.
Let sit in a warm place covered until the dough doubles in size.
Place topping mixture on top of proofed cake and bake in a 350° for 20-25 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
Let cool on wire racks. Once cooled, slice in half lengthwise using a serrated knife.
Brush both sides with the honey and sugar mixture.
Line a 10 inch cake pan with plastic wrap so it over hangs on the sides.
Place the bottom of cake in the pan. Spread the pudding and whipped cream mixture on the bottom of the cake. Then place the top portion of the cake on the pudding mixture.
Place in the refrigerator until cake sets.
Remove from pan carefully from by pulling the plastic wrap. Serve.

Baked, ready for filling.

Topping:
Warm milk. Add the sugar and mix until well dissolved.
Remove from heat and cool. Mix in the almonds.
This will be used as a topping for the cake.

Topping on and ready to bake.

Filling:
Add the pudding mix to the 4 cups of milk in a bowl.
Beat with a wire whisk or electric mixer at low speed for 2 minutes.
In a separate bowl whip the heavy cream until it forms soft peaks.
Fold the heavy cream into the pudding mixture until well incorporated.

Honey and Sugar Mixture:
Mix together the ingredients. Heat until sugar dissolves. Cool at room temperature.

Recipe: Gluten Free Chocolate and Peanut Butter Cupcakes

My mom was diagnosed with Gluten Intolerance (thankfully NOT Celiac, but it's still pretty bad) a few years ago, so it's been an experience to figure out gluten free baked goods that she can handle. Having been able to eat things with flour for most of her life, the change has been challenging. So I am always on the look out for recipes that will work to help her not feel left out or having to eat something inferior tasting while we munch on good foods.

So in gearing up for our next movie theme (which is in two weeks, but I will announce another day) I went in search for the perfect GF cupcake recipe. I couldn't find anything that I liked, so I decided to modify existing recipes I've tried for other things and come up with my own. I have to say mom is a very happy camper with these, so I think this will be a success for anyone else wanting to bake them, too.

**This recipe makes a dozen regular sized cupcakes or 6 jumbo cupcakes**

Ingredients:

Cake:
½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ cup butter
⅔ cup packed brown sugar
3 eggs, beaten
¾ cup plus ½ tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
cupcake liners


Filling:
½ stick of butter, softened
1 cup of powdered sugar
¼ tsp of vanilla extract
½ cup of creamy peanut butter
½ tsp of milk
couple handfuls of heath toffee bits


Frosting:
¼ cup butter, softened
¼ cup creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup powdered sugar
⅓ cup cocoa powder
1/8 cup heavy cream


Directions:

Cake:
Preheat oven to 375 F.
In a microwave-safe bowl, combine butter and chocolate and melt in 30 second increments until the butter is melted; whisk until the chocolate butter mixture is smooth.
Whisk in the brown sugar, then eggs - one at a time - and mix until smooth.
Sift the cocoa powder into the mixture mix until combined.
Fill each cupcake liner ⅔ full.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, until toothpick test comes out clean (15-20 minutes for smaller cupcakes).
Let fully cool before coring out the center of the cupcakes for filling.
**When cooling, the cupcakes may "deflate".**

Filling:
With a mixer mixer, on medium high, cream butter and peanut butter together for 2-5 minutes until mixture is creamy and smooth (it will be a lighter in color peanut butter look).
Add your powdered sugar and mix until fully incorporated (slowly).
Continue mixing on medium high for 1 minute
Add vanilla and milk, mix for another minute. Filling should be thick and creamy. If it is not the consistency you want, continue mixing until desired consistency.
Do NOT begin filling cupcakes until they are fully cooled.
Take pastry tip and bag to fill (ziplock bags can be cheaper than disposable pastry bags) cupcake. If you do not have pastry tip or bag, use small spoon. Fill to the level of the top of cupcake.

Frosting:
In large bowl, beat softened butter, peanut butter and vanilla extract until smooth.
Slowly mix in powdered sugar and cocoa until combined.
Add heavy cream and whip at least two minutes until light and fluffy.
You can either use a pastry bag and tip to frost, or just use a knife. Whatever you prefer. Top with more toffee bits.
**If frosting is too thick, add more cream one tablespoon at a time until desired consistency. If frosting is too thin, add more sugar one tablespoon at a time until desired consistency.**

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade [Themed Dinner]

Banyan Beef Skewer, Turkish Stewed Green Beans, and rice.

When you think of Indiana Jones - what do you think of? Snakes? Rats? Nazi's melted faces? Monkey Brains? Yeah, it's not the easiest theme to go with... unless you like Monkey Brains and BBQ'd rat (I don't). So I went with a benign option. With it being The Last Crusade I thought middle eastern meets Germany somehow...

With our themed meals also working towards a countdown to a Disney trip (Disneyland this time) I also decided that we could use a recipe or two from the parks - which comes in handy with Indy as Adventureland's food cart is basically outside of the Indiana Jones ride. So off I went to scour the internet for inspiration.

I came away with the Banyan Beef Skewer recipe for our main course. Anytime beef is involved I'm pretty much there. And then I went with a Turkish stewed green beans dish and rice for the side dishes. It tied together very well. The family liked it (I didn't, but that's because I'm picky). There was just enough kick in the sauce to grab your attention and get you ready to fight off the Nazi's to save the world and find the Holy Grail.

The colors and smell were divine.

For dessert we traveled to Germany as I created a Bienenstich, which translated means Bee Sting Cake. I was very nervous on how it would turn out as I am not the best at doing cake layers with filling, but I was determined to get it right. I spent most of Friday afternoon and evening preparing it. After it set overnight I was excited (and still nervous) to serve it, but all things considered (I put a little TOO much filling) it came out great! And I even enjoyed the cake! We all agree it could easily be a frozen/ice cream like cake. YUM! Germany, you do things fantastically!

Because Mom is Gluten Intolerant she couldn't have the Bienenstich, so I made her a gluten free black forest type cake. She ate it before I could snap a picture.

Recipes used to create this menu:
Banyan Beef Skewers from Bengal BBQ
Turkish Stewed Green Beans
Bienenstich from EPCOT's Biergarten Restaurant
1-minute Black Forest Cake (Gluten Free)

Recipe: Strawberry Shortcake with Lemon Cornbread

Note: This is not my recipe. This is the recipe given out by Disney. 

This dessert will have your guests raving!

Ingredients:

Grand Marnier Strawberries
7.5 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
1/3 cup Grand Marnier*
3 tablespoons sugar

Lemon Cornbread
1/2 cup canola oil
1.25 cups whole milk
2 eggs
1/2 cup all purpose flour**
1.25 cups sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
1/2 cornmeal
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons fresh lemon zest

Lemon Syrup
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup lemon juice
Zest of 1/2 lemon

Fresh whipped cream, creme fraiche, or vanilla ice cream, for serving.

Directions:
For strawberries:1. Combine 1.5 cups strawberries, Grand Marnier, and sugar in a blender, blending until smooth.

2. Combine remaining strawberries with pureed mixture in a large mixing bowl. Set aside to marinate.

For cornbread:
1. Preheat oven to 300°F. Grease and flour a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan.

2. Beat oil, milk, and eggs in a large bowl using an electric mixer.

3. Sift together flour, sugar, and baking powder in a separate bowl. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet, stirring until smooth.

4. Stir in cornmeal, then lemon juice and zest. 

5. Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, about 40 minutes.

For lemon syrup:
1. Mix sugar and water in a small saucepan; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 1 minute.

2. Remove from heat and add lemon juice and zest. If not using immediately, refrigerate in an airtight container.

To Serve:
1. Cut cooled cornbread into 12 squares, trimming off top crust.

2. Drizzle each square of cornbread with 1 tablespoon of lemon syrup. Allow syrup to soak in for 2 to 3 minutes.

3. In a buttered frying pan, sear both sides of cornbread until golden brown. 

4. Top cornbread square with Grand Marnier strawberries, then top with whipped cream, creme fraiche, or vanilla ice cream.



*We substituted water for the Grand Marnier to save $$
**Since we have gluten intolerance in our family we substituted with our favorite gluten free flour blend.

Recipe: Storytellers Corn Chowder

Note: This is not my recipe. This is the recipe given out by Disney. 

This chowder is so good, you won't just lick the bowl, you'll lick the pot!

Ingredients:

4 ears fresh corn, unshucked
2 slices bacon, diced
1 tablespoon diced onion
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 Yukon Gold potato, peeled and diced
4 cups chicken stock
6 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour*
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup pulled chicken meat
2 slices bacon, for garnish
Coarse Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Hot sauce, to taste
2 teaspoons chopped cilantro, for garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F

2. To roast corn, put whole ears in their husks into preheated oven for 25 minutes. Cool briefly, then peel back the husks and cut the kernels off the cobs, set aside.

3. Saute diced bacon. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the fat and add onion and garlic and saute until transparent but not brown. Add the roasted corn, potato, and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer.

4. Meanwhile, in a separate saute pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour, incorporating with a wire whip until the mixture is smooth. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring, until mixture begins to loosen slightly. Let cool.

5. Add the cooled butter/flour mixture to the simmering broth, incorporating with a whisk. Stir often to keep from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Simmer 30 to 40 minutes.

6. Add the cream and pulled chicken meat and simmer for another 10 minutes.

7. Meanwhile, cook the bacon for garnish until crisp. Drain and chop into small pieces. Set aside.

8. Add salt, pepper, and hot sauce, to taste. Ladle into bowls and top with garnish of bacon and cilantro.

Yields 4-8 servings.

*instead of flour, since we have family who is gluten intolerant, we used cornstarch, only using 4.5 tablespoons.