Cindy's Recipes and Writings

Chocolate Marshmallow and Peanut Butter Stuffed Donuts #DessertChallenge

Posted on January 9, 2014 by Cindy Kerschner

Chocolate Marshmallow and Peanut Butter Stuffed Donuts

What’s better than chocolate donuts? How about stuffing those beauties with fluff and peanut butter?
This month Sheryl from The Lady Behind the Curtain challenged us to another fun Dessert Challenge!

We were asked to pair chocolate pudding or cocoa with marshmallow.
I chose chocolate baked donuts for my cocoa part of the challenge and fluff for the marshmallow gooey goodness. I wanted a little crunch and more texture so I added a layer of crunchy peanut butter.
These chocolate cake donuts are moist and easy to make. Slice when completely cooled and spread one side with marshmallow fluff and the other with chunky (or smooth) peanut butter. I used about a tablespoon of each filling for each donut.

Chocolate Marshmallow and Peanut Butter Stuffed Donuts #DessertChallenge

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Ingredients

1 cup flour
¼ cup cocoa
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup milk
½ cup brown sugar
1 egg
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Instructions

Lightly spray a donut pan with cooking spray or apply a light coating of oil with a paper towel.
Mix flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt together. In another bowl, mix together milk, egg and brown sugar. Cool butter and temper before adding so as not to cook eggs.
Fold wet ingredients into dry mix.
Fill donut cups about ⅔ of the way full. Bake at 325 for 10 to 12 minutes until donuts spring back under slight pressure.
Cook in pan a few minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Slice in half and fill.
adapted from http://hipfoodiemom.com

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chocolate marshmallow stuffed donut held

Ready for more great dessert ideas? We have you chocolate and marshmallow covered!

Posted in #DessertChallenge, chocolate, dessert, peanut butter, What's For Dinner? | Tagged chocolate, dessert, donut, marshmallow, peanut butter | 5 Comments

Wild Blueberry Chicken Salad #RecipeRedux

Posted on January 7, 2014 by Cindy Kerschner

“By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by the Wild Blueberry Association of North America and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.”

Pancakes, muffins, bread, and ice cream are the first things I think about when I hear the word, “blueberries”. When I hear the word, “wild” I think natural, exciting, tantalizing. Put the two together and “wild blueberries” knock me over!

If you never experienced wild blueberries, here are some interesting facts provided by the Wild Blueberry Association of North America.

Wild Blueberries are one of only three berries native to North America. The continent’s earliest inhabitants were first to use the tiny berries, both fresh and dried, for their flavor, nutrition and healing qualities.
Wild Blueberries are wildly different from the regular blueberries you normally find in the produce section. This wild superfruit has a more intense blueberry flavor, double the antioxidants, and a deeper blue pigment – distinctive qualities borne of the harsh climate and thin glacial soils of Maine, Eastern Canada and Quebec.

Don’t be fooled by their size – Wild Blueberries pack more into their tiny blue bodies than any other blueberry on this big blue planet.
Most Wild Blueberries are frozen at harvest, locking in their intense blueberry flavor and antioxidant power.
Frozen Fresh Wild Blueberries are just as nutritious as fresh and may even retain their nutritional value longer

Frozen Fresh Wild Blueberries are available year-round; they can be used right out of the freezer – no thawing required
Frozen Fresh Wild Blueberries offer consumers the most convenient way to have the Antioxidant Superfruit at hand at all times.
Frozen Fresh Wild Blueberries make it easy to get your “Daily Dose of Wild Blue”
Frozen Wild Blueberries are an excellent value, they offer consistent quality, ease of use, high antioxidant content, health benefits, less spoilage, affordability.

Recipe ReDux challenged its members to join in the fun by creating a healthy recipe with wild blueberries. I do love the taste of blueberry and chicken as an entree so I decided to make a salad of chicken and wild blueberries. Lemon and thyme naturally enhance chicken and both go well with wild blueberries. I used light lemon yogurt as my base for the dressing. A little red onion balances out the sweetness.

Wild Blueberry Chicken Salad

Ingredients

1 cup cooked chicken
1 cup *wild blueberries
1/2 cup low-fat or non-fat lemon yogurt
1 teaspoon minced red onion
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest

Mix together yogurt, onion, thyme and lemon zest.
Add wild blueberries and chicken. Toss to coat. Serve on a bed of lettuce or mixed greens. This would taste equally good on hearty whole grain bread.
*I used canned wild blueberries which were available in my area. Check the freezer section for wild blueberries at a store near you.

Wild Blueberry Chicken Salad #RecipeRedux

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Ingredients

? 1 cup cooked chicken
? 1 cup *wild blueberries
? 1/2 cup low-fat or non-fat lemon yogurt
? 1 teaspoon minced red onion
? 1/4 teaspoon thyme
? 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest

Instructions

Mix together yogurt, onion, thyme and lemon zest.
Add wild blueberries and chicken. Toss to coat. Serve on a bed of lettuce or mixed greens. This would taste equally good on hearty whole grain bread.

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Connect with Wild Blueberry Association of North America (WBANA)

Website: www.wildblueberries.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wildblueberries
Twitter: https://twitter.com/WildBBerries4U
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/wbeditor/

Enjoy wild blueberries in these recipes from our Recipe ReDux members group.

Posted in #RecipeReDux, blueberry, chicken, salad, What's For Dinner? | Tagged brunch, chicken, chicken salad, lunch, salad, wild blueberries | 7 Comments

Cheddar Bacon Biscuit BLT #KraftyCooking

Posted on January 6, 2014 by Cindy Kerschner

This post is part of a case study for +Google on brand awareness. I was not compensated in any way from Google or Kraft for this post. All opinions are my own. *

Cheddar and bacon are a classic combination. BLT sandwiches are for bacon lovers. Combine the two and you’re in bacon heaven!
I first made cheddar biscuits as part of a Twelve Days of Christmas Brunch layout I did for Fresh Magazine. As good as those biscuits were alone or as a sandwich bread, I thought I could make it better with bacon. Bacon makes everything better right? I know that when it comes to bacon it is hard, but remember in moderation, people!
For my cheddar bacon blt I added bacon to the biscuit and a little bacon fat to moisten the texture. Why stop there? I served it with Horseradish Mayo. You could add bacon bits to this too, crazy good right?
Of course you could make a lighter version with reduced-fat options. Even turkey bacon would taste great!

Cheddar Bacon Biscuit BLT with Horseradish Mayo

makes 6 biscuit sandwiches

6 cheddar bacon biscuits

12 strips of crisp bacon

lettuce leaves

tomato slices

horseradish mayo

Biscuit Ingredients

1 1/2 flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided (I used Kraft extra sharp)

1/2 cup milk plus extra as needed

2 Tbsp chopped bacon

2 tsp bacon fat (cold)

Combine flour, baking powder, salt, rosemary and 1.2 cup cheese in a medium-sized bowl.
Cut in cold butter with a pastry cutter or fork until small beads form.
Add bacon and fat.
Add mix and mix to form a ball. If dough is still too dry to come together, add a few drops of milk at a time and knead in.
Your dough should look like this with bits of butter visible.

Flatten the ball out on a lightly floured surface to about 1/2-inch thickness.

Cut rounds out with a circular dough cutter or 2-inch drinking glass dipped in flour.

Space about an inch apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and bake in a preheated 450 degree oven for about 10 minutes until these biscuits are slightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.

Horseradish Mayo

Ingredients

1/4 cup mayo

2 Tbsp sour cream

1/2 tsp horseradish

1/4 tsp dill

1/2 tsp bacon bits, optional

Mix all ingredients together.

Assemble sandwich and you’re in for a little bite of bacon and cheddar heaven!

Cheddar Bacon Biscuit BLT #KraftyCooking

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Ingredients

Biscuit Ingredients
1½ flour
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided (I used Kraft extra sharp)
½ cup milk plus extra as needed
2 Tbsp chopped bacon
2 tsp bacon fat (cold)
Horseradish Mayo Ingredients (mix all together)
¼ cup mayo
2 Tbsp sour cream
½ tsp horseradish
¼ tsp dill
½ tsp bacon bits, optional

Instructions

Biscuits: Combine flour, baking powder, salt, rosemary and 1.2 cup cheese in a medium-sized bowl.
Cut in cold butter with a pastry cutter or fork until small beads form.
Add bacon and fat.
Add mix and mix to form a ball. If dough is still too dry to come together, add a few drops of milk at a time and knead in.
Your dough should look like this with bits of butter visible.
Flatten the ball out on a lightly floured surface to about ½-inch thickness.
Cut rounds out with a circular dough cutter or 2-inch drinking glass dipped in flour.
Space about an inch apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and bake in a preheated 450 degree oven for about 10 minutes until these biscuits are slightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.

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*Chef Dennis invited me to participate in a case study on brand awareness. The study is to show brands the effectiveness of bloggers using hashtags in their social media to promote and connect their products through google plus. Kraft is the brand example we are using and #KraftyCooking is the hashtag.

Posted in bacon, brunch, lunch, sandwich | Tagged #KraftyCooking, bacon, biscuit, blt, brunch, cheddar, lunch, sandwich | 3 Comments

Chicken and Broccoli Slow-Cooked for #SundaySupper

Posted on January 5, 2014 by Cindy Kerschner

Crock Pot Chicken Broccoli

Welcome to Slowly Bringing in the New Year with Sunday Supper slow-cooker style! I’m so excited to host this week. We have a tantalizing list of over 30 crock pot and slow-cooker meal ideas to share.
I must confess this is the first time I’ve cooked a whole chicken in a slow-cooker. Today’s slow-cookers are almost foolproof. I can set the time, temperature or use a probe. Still, honestly I was a little skeptical all would turn out well.
So I hedged my bet (against myself) and decided to make the fixings for chicken noodle soup at the same time.
So I started with the veggies(2 cups chopped celery, leaves included, 2 cups baby carrots, 1 cup chopped onions,) on the bottom and plopped the lemon-pepper seasoned chicken, breast side down on top. I cut a few small slits to insert garlic cloves.
I cooked the 4 1/2 pound chicken for 6 hours on low. The temptation to peek at it was terrible! But I learned it takes about 20 minutes to build the temperature back up each time you lift the lid. OUCH!

I was glad I waited. When you temp out a whole chicken, all parts should register a minimum of 165 degrees according to http://www.foodsafety.gov . Years ago I was taught 180 was safe for dark meat and 165 was reserved for white meat. As part of ServSafe update training I learned that all minimal meat safety temperatures changed because how meat is handled, processed and stored is much safer now than years ago.
I split the chicken between the casserole and soup.
Look how good those veggies look and it made a rich, flavorful stock. The next day I added a little extra broth and some noodles and I had a delicious soup!

But I promised you a chicken and broccoli casserole. This dish was made in the slow-cooker right after the chicken was finished and cooled enough to handle.

I used some of the rich stock and powdered milk instead of a canned “cream of” soup.

Chicken and Broccoli Slow-Cooked for #SundaySupper

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Ingredients

2 cups cooked chicken
2 cups cooked rice
½ cup cooked wild rice
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup powdered milk
2 cups broccoli florets
½ cup shredded cheddar
olive oil or spray oil

Instructions

Grease the crock with oil or spray oil.
Add chicken, rice, wild rice.
Dissolve the powdered milk into the stock then pour over chicken and rice mix.
Top with broccoli.
Cook on high for 45 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Sprinkle with cheese, replace lid and let stand a few minutes until cheese melts.

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There is no denying 2014 is officially here! Some people embrace the New Year from the get go. Others like to just dip their toes in to test the waters first.
Why rush? We know 2014 will be around for a while.

Ease into 2014 with these great slow-cooker and crock pot ideas from the Sunday Supper Group!

Whet Your Appetite
Whiskey Bacon Onion Jam from The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen.
Orange-Fig Jam from girlichef.
Simmering Soups, Stews and Side Dishes
Chicken and Wild Rice Soup from Peanut Butter and Peppers.
Low-Carb Chunky Beefy Vegetable Soup from Yours And Mine Are Ours.
Beef, Wine and Mushroom Soup from Noshing With The Nolands.
Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan Soup from Foxes Love Lemons.
Beef Stew from The Foodie Army Wife.
Pot Roast and Portabello Stew from Kudos Kitchen By Renee.
Black Bean and Polenta Crock Pot Stew from Mama’s Blissful Bites.
Turkey Stew from Magnolia Days.
San Antonio Chunky Chicken Stew from The Weekend Gourmet.
Pumpkin, Chickpea & Lentil Stew from Take A Bite Out of Boca.
Slow Cooker Chickpeas from Shockingly Delicious.
Main Courses
Football Sunday Teriyaki Pulled Pork from Family Foodie.
Slow cooker Jalapeno Apricot Pork Chops from Hot Momma’s Kitchen Chaos.
Vegan Slow Cooker Hoppin’ John from Killer Bunnies, Inc.
Slow Cooker Coffee Glazed Brisket from That Skinny Chick Can Bake.
Chipotle Honey Slow BBQ Ribs from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures.
Ribs with Apples and Sauerkraut from Cooking On The Ranch.
Slow Cooker Jerk Pork from Curious Cuisiniere.
Slow Cooker Beef Daube Provencal from Momma’s Meals.
Crock Pot Chicken Cacciatore from The Dinner-Mom.
Chicken and Broccoli from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings.
Tacos de Lengua from The Texan New Yorker.
Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken & Black Beans for Tacos from Cupcakes & Kale Chips.
Chinese Chicken from The Ninja Baker.
Slow Cooker Beef Brisket French Dip Sandwiches from Neighborfood.

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more fabulous recipes and food photos.