It's Super Bowl Sunday. A weekend of sports, bets, beer, and eating things that you otherwise wouldn't touch with a 10 foot pole. So, in the spirit of embracing this weekend's extremes, I made Buffalo chicken dip. I'd never heard of buffalo chicken dip before, but since I've been living in Central New York for about 4 months and have yet to eat a single Buffalo wing, I thought it was the perfect time to make this strange but tasty dip and watch some football!
Lightened Up Buffalo Chicken Dip
Serves 8-10
2 cups shredded chicken
4 oz reduced fat cream cheese
1/2 cup fat free sour cream
1/4 cup light Ranch dressing
1/2 cup hot sauce (most recipes called for Frank's, but I used the Tobasco Buffalo flavor)
1/2 cup finely diced celery
In a medium bowl, mix the cream cheese, sour cream, dressing, and hot sauce until they are well blended and smooth. Fold in the shredded chicken and celery, and add more hot sauce or cooling ingredients like celery or dressing to your taste.
Serve with celery sticks, carrots, and other mixed veggies.
Enjoy!
Showing posts with label party. Show all posts
Showing posts with label party. Show all posts
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Roast Chicken with Carrots and Potatoes
I can't believe I haven't posted since NOVEMBER!
I've already seen more than one snowfall.
I've already experienced the creeping of the Freshman 15.
I've already had my fill of pumpkin spice lattes.
I've already given a million Christmas gifts.
I've already gone to Hong Kong and then lost all my pictures (and food reviews) when my computer crashed!
Yes, I've been away for a long, long time. Far too long, if you ask me.
So what warm, welcoming comfort food do you need to fully understand how sorry I am?
Nothing too rich, as I know those resolutions are still going strong. Nothing too hard, because you're probable all cooked out from the holidays. Still, something warm and homey, because January may be over in just a matter of hours, but we've still got a couple of months of cold left--as evidenced by the snow falling outside my window.
How about a roast chicken with carrots and potatoes in the same pan?
Just like a French rotisserie chicken and potatoes, the vegetables are basted with the juices from the chicken and absorb all the savory, tart flavor from the meat and lemon.
This sweet, savory, and tart chicken is a roast ready for a weeknight meal or a holiday feast.
Roast Chicken and Root Veggies
Serves 6-8
1 4 lb free range chicken
8 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 tbs honey
1 lemon, quartered
1 Tbs coarse sea salt
12 yukon gold potatoes, halved
4 medium carrots, but into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1 Tbs olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat your oven to 350º
Clean and dry your chicken and coat with olive oil, rubbing the oil into the skin, then follow with the honey. Stuff the lemon chunks and 8 cloves of garlic into the cavity of the chicken. Sprinkle the chicken with coarse salt and 1/2 tsp fine ground pepper.
In the bottom of a roasting pan, toss the potatoes and carrots with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Lay out evenly, leaving a gap in the middle of the pan for the chicken
Put a cooling rack over the potatoes and but the chicken on the rack.
Bake the chicken and potatoes for about 20 minutes per pound (an hour and 30 minutes for a 4 pound bird), covering with foil if the skin begins to get too dark. Stir the potatoes every 20 minutes. After the chicken is cooked for 20 minutes per pound, check that the internal temperature had reached 165ºF. If not, continue cooking until the internal temperature is safe to eat and all juices run clear. Remove the chicken from the oven and allow to sit for abut 15 minutes, until the juices have set inside the meat.
Carefully carve your chicken, serve and...
Enjoy!
Here are some of the recovered HK pictures, as the chicken photos couldn't be saved:
I've already seen more than one snowfall.
I've already experienced the creeping of the Freshman 15.
I've already had my fill of pumpkin spice lattes.
I've already given a million Christmas gifts.
I've already gone to Hong Kong and then lost all my pictures (and food reviews) when my computer crashed!
Yes, I've been away for a long, long time. Far too long, if you ask me.
So what warm, welcoming comfort food do you need to fully understand how sorry I am?
Nothing too rich, as I know those resolutions are still going strong. Nothing too hard, because you're probable all cooked out from the holidays. Still, something warm and homey, because January may be over in just a matter of hours, but we've still got a couple of months of cold left--as evidenced by the snow falling outside my window.
How about a roast chicken with carrots and potatoes in the same pan?
Just like a French rotisserie chicken and potatoes, the vegetables are basted with the juices from the chicken and absorb all the savory, tart flavor from the meat and lemon.
This sweet, savory, and tart chicken is a roast ready for a weeknight meal or a holiday feast.
Roast Chicken and Root Veggies
Serves 6-8
1 4 lb free range chicken
8 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 tbs honey
1 lemon, quartered
1 Tbs coarse sea salt
12 yukon gold potatoes, halved
4 medium carrots, but into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1 Tbs olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat your oven to 350º
Clean and dry your chicken and coat with olive oil, rubbing the oil into the skin, then follow with the honey. Stuff the lemon chunks and 8 cloves of garlic into the cavity of the chicken. Sprinkle the chicken with coarse salt and 1/2 tsp fine ground pepper.
In the bottom of a roasting pan, toss the potatoes and carrots with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Lay out evenly, leaving a gap in the middle of the pan for the chicken
Put a cooling rack over the potatoes and but the chicken on the rack.
Bake the chicken and potatoes for about 20 minutes per pound (an hour and 30 minutes for a 4 pound bird), covering with foil if the skin begins to get too dark. Stir the potatoes every 20 minutes. After the chicken is cooked for 20 minutes per pound, check that the internal temperature had reached 165ºF. If not, continue cooking until the internal temperature is safe to eat and all juices run clear. Remove the chicken from the oven and allow to sit for abut 15 minutes, until the juices have set inside the meat.
Carefully carve your chicken, serve and...
Enjoy!
Here are some of the recovered HK pictures, as the chicken photos couldn't be saved:
SEE YOU SOON!
Friday, May 25, 2012
Make Boxed Cake Mix Better and Buttercream
It's Memorial Day weekend and even though I posted a cake recipe yesterday, I realize that for most people a 2 day cake isn't really family barbecue material. So here's my super fast recipe for a great cake mix cake and 3 different frostings!
There aren't any pictures because this is more of a guide than a recipe, but I'm sure you'll see pictures of similar recipes soon, especially the frostings.
Making Cake Mix Great:
Pour your cake mix into a bowl.
In a different bowl, mix the eggs called for on the box with 1 extra egg yolk.
Replace the water called for on the box with milk, and add to eggs. Mix to combine.
Add the oil called for on the box (or use melted butter), 1 tsp vanilla extract, and 1 tsp instant espresso for chocolate cake
For an extra rich cake, mix in 1/4 cup yogurt or sour cream.
Mix wet ingredients well.
Add the wet mix to the dry mixture, mix well and bake according to the directions on the box.
Mixing the wet ingredients before adding them to the dry will give you a finer crumb.
Feel free to mix and match the above steps and do what's convenient for you! This recipe gives you a super moist cake.
Favorite Cake Mixes:
Yellow: Betty Crocker Super Moist Yellow cake mix tastes almost exactly like the King Arthur version, but is 1/2 the price!
Chocolate:Duncan Hines Devils Food Cake
White: Betty Crocker Super Moist Cake mix in Vanilla
Frosting: Feel free to dye them patriotic colors
Classic Vanilla Buttercream:
3 cups of powdered sugar
1 cup softened butter cut into large pieces
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2-4 Tbs whipping cream
With a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar on low, moving up to medium, until they are combined and slightly sandy in texture. Add vanilla, dye, and 2 Tbs cream. Continue beating, moving up to high speed. If the mixture needs thinning, add more cream very gradually. Whip until fluffy
Chocolate Buttercream:
1 pound powdered sugar
1 cup good quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup softened butter
2-3 Tbs whipping cream
pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp instant espresso
Melt chocolate gently in a double boiler or the microwave. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes. Dissolve espresso in 2Tbs cream, and add vanilla. Beat the butter, sugar and salt together until well combined, about 3 minutes. Add cream mixture and beat to combine. Slowly add chocolate, raising mixer speed to high, until the frosting reached medium peaks. If the mixture is too warm, cool in the refrigerator after the chocolate is completely incorporated. Whisk again to fluff it up before using.
Summery Mint Buttercream:
3 cups of powdered sugar
1 cup softened butter cut into large pieces
1 tsp mint extract
2-4 Tbs whipping cream
3 Tbs chopped fresh mint leaves
With a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar on low, moving up to medium, until well combines-- 3 minutes. Add mint extract and 2 Tbs cream. Continue beating, moving up to high speed. If the mixture needs thinning, add more cream very gradually. Beat until desired consistency, then gently fold in chopped mint leaves with a rubber spatula.
There aren't any pictures because this is more of a guide than a recipe, but I'm sure you'll see pictures of similar recipes soon, especially the frostings.
Pour your cake mix into a bowl.
In a different bowl, mix the eggs called for on the box with 1 extra egg yolk.
Replace the water called for on the box with milk, and add to eggs. Mix to combine.
Add the oil called for on the box (or use melted butter), 1 tsp vanilla extract, and 1 tsp instant espresso for chocolate cake
For an extra rich cake, mix in 1/4 cup yogurt or sour cream.
Mix wet ingredients well.
Add the wet mix to the dry mixture, mix well and bake according to the directions on the box.
Mixing the wet ingredients before adding them to the dry will give you a finer crumb.
Feel free to mix and match the above steps and do what's convenient for you! This recipe gives you a super moist cake.
Favorite Cake Mixes:
Yellow: Betty Crocker Super Moist Yellow cake mix tastes almost exactly like the King Arthur version, but is 1/2 the price!
Chocolate:Duncan Hines Devils Food Cake
White: Betty Crocker Super Moist Cake mix in Vanilla
Frosting: Feel free to dye them patriotic colors
Classic Vanilla Buttercream:
3 cups of powdered sugar
1 cup softened butter cut into large pieces
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2-4 Tbs whipping cream
With a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar on low, moving up to medium, until they are combined and slightly sandy in texture. Add vanilla, dye, and 2 Tbs cream. Continue beating, moving up to high speed. If the mixture needs thinning, add more cream very gradually. Whip until fluffy
Chocolate Buttercream:
1 pound powdered sugar
1 cup good quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup softened butter
2-3 Tbs whipping cream
pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp instant espresso
Melt chocolate gently in a double boiler or the microwave. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes. Dissolve espresso in 2Tbs cream, and add vanilla. Beat the butter, sugar and salt together until well combined, about 3 minutes. Add cream mixture and beat to combine. Slowly add chocolate, raising mixer speed to high, until the frosting reached medium peaks. If the mixture is too warm, cool in the refrigerator after the chocolate is completely incorporated. Whisk again to fluff it up before using.
Summery Mint Buttercream:
3 cups of powdered sugar
1 cup softened butter cut into large pieces
1 tsp mint extract
2-4 Tbs whipping cream
3 Tbs chopped fresh mint leaves
With a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar on low, moving up to medium, until well combines-- 3 minutes. Add mint extract and 2 Tbs cream. Continue beating, moving up to high speed. If the mixture needs thinning, add more cream very gradually. Beat until desired consistency, then gently fold in chopped mint leaves with a rubber spatula.
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