Sunday, March 31, 2013

What's for Dinner: Peanut Butter [with Chocolate Chips] Cake

Today, I made a peanut butter cake with [milk] chocolate chips in it, in my bundt pan. The end result? Chewy on the outside, moist on the inside... and you couldn't exactly tell there was peanut butter in it for the picky eaters.

I liked how it turned out, but it took forever to bake: an hour and 50 minutes to be exact.

What you need [besides plenty of time]:
  • 3 cups of all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon of baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon of salt
  • 1 cup of [creamy] peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup of [unsalted] butter, at room temperature
  • 3 cups of sugar
  • 6 eggs
  • 2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • 1 and 1/4 cups of [milk] chocolate chips
  • Non-stick cooking spray
To put your cake together:
  1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Spray your [bundt] pan with non-stick cooking spray.
  2. In a bowl, combine your flour, baking powder, and salt together. 
  3. In a separate bowl, cream together, using your mixer, peanut butter and your butter [at room temperature]. 
  4. Next, add in your sugar and beat for about 5 minutes to make sure it is combined well. 
  5. Add in the eggs and vanilla extract, and beat your mixture together until everything is well combined.
  6. Add your mixture of dry ingredients in portions, beating just until incorporated each time. 
  7. Finally, stir in your chocolate chips. 
  8. Pour your [thick] batter into your [bundt] pan.
  9. The total baking time? Took mine an hour and 50 minutes! At the one hour mark, I loosely covered the top of my pan with foil [to make sure the top doesn't brown too much/burn before the inside was done]. At the 80-90 minute mark, I'd start checking on the cake by inserting a toothpick [or something like that] into the center of the cake. 
  10. Once it is baked, let the cake cool for about 15-20 minutes before flipping it out of your pan.
Update (4/1/13): As I was eating it again this morning, I realized that this is a great make-ahead breakfast cake as well! Perfect to go along with a cup of coffee or tea... or as part of a brunch!

P.S. This post is a part of my "What's for Dinner" series, where I share what I've been cooking and my recipes. Grab and share my button:

Saturday, March 30, 2013

What's for Dinner: Quick and Easy Pasta

Some days are just "use up what's in your pantry" days. Today was definitely one of them. I had grape tomatoes that I wanted to use up. Marinara sauce, pasta and mozzarella cheese are pretty much staples at my house... so I decided to make pasta.

I first cooked the chicken. I had boneless chicken breasts. I used my food processor to mince the chicken into very tiny pieces. Then, I marinated the chicken with: salt, pepper, garlic powder, ginger, paprika, cayenne powder, and chili powder.

Cooked it over low heat [with some non-stick cooking spray] until the chicken was cooked through.

Meanwhile, bring a pot of water [seasoned with salt] to a boil. Then, add in your pasta and cook for the 10-12 minutes the box tells you to. Any pasta would work well, but I'd suggest one that would pick up and absorb the sauce well. I used gemelli pasta: what a fun-looking pasta to make and eat!

While your pasta is cooking, take your grape tomatoes and cut each of them in half. As for the mozzarella cheese? I had a block of cheese this time, so I cut them into small cubes so it melted easily. Shredded cheese would work just as well.

After the pasta is cooked, drain the pasta water. To your pasta, add about half a jar of your favorite marinara sauce. Mix well. The heat will help warm up the marinara sauce relatively quickly.

Add in your mozzarella cheese. Continuously stir over low to medium heat to help the cheese melt nicely.

Finally, add in your cooked chicken and the grape tomatoes that you cut earlier. Stir everything together.

Serve warm!

P.S. This post is a part of my "What's for Dinner" series, where I share what I've been cooking and my recipes. Grab and share my button:

Monday, March 25, 2013

What's for Dinner: Roasted Gold Potatoes and Baked Tilapia [with Crumb Topping]

My mom really liked the roasted red potatoes I made a while back, and wanted me to make that again.

Today, I made a similar, yet different version. I used small gold potatoes. And used a combination of different spice and herbs. Both: equally delicious.

I served it alongside baked tilapia that I topped off with a crumbled topping this time [see below for how I made it], along with biscuits and Caesar salad. Yum!

By the way, my Cheddar Bay Biscuits would be wonderful with this meal in place of these biscuits.

Today, I used the following to season my potatoes:
  • about 1 teaspoon salt
  • about 1/4 black pepper
  • about 1/4 teaspoon of rosemary
  • about 1/2 teaspoon thyme
  • about 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
  • about 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • about 1/4 teaspoon oregano
Again, I say "about" for all of the above because the quantities will depend on your taste bud. 

To put your potatoes together:
  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil [for easy cleanup] and then spray the foil with non-stick cooking spray [to ensure your potatoes don't stick].
  2. I, then, took small gold potatoes and halved each of them. A few of the potatoes were larger, which I cut into thirds. Essentially, cut them all into similar sizes, so they have even cooking times.
  3. The herb and  spice mixture that I mentioned above? Sprinkle that over your potatoes.
  4. Spray your seasoned potatoes with non-stick cooking spray, and then mix well [with your hands], making sure all the potatoes are coated evenly.
  5. Transfer your potatoes onto your lined baking sheet, facing all of the potatoes skin side down. Bake in the oven for about 40-50 minutes.
Now on to the tilapia: I essentially used the same seasoning that I mentioned in this blog post for my baked tilapia.

But I did several things differently:
  1. I left the fillets whole this time, rather than cutting them into smaller pieces.
  2. I used more lemon juice. This was to help keep the fish moist and help me for #3 below.
  3. Instead of coating each piece of tilapia with bread crumbs, I sprinkled on top a combination of bread crumbs and panko. Because I used extra lemon juice, when I went to mix my fish with the added panko and and bread crumbs... it left me with a nice crumb-like topping that coated the fish. I also had leftover that I liberally sprinkled over my fish on top.
  4. I baked it for about 25 minutes [without flipping them over this time].
The texture was great, and the topping melted in your mouth -- absolutely delicious!

P.S. This post is a part of my "What's for Dinner" series, where I share what I've been cooking and my recipes. Grab and share my button:

[Dresser Drawer] Organization

Slowly, but surely, I have been trying to organize my drawers. Apparently very slowly: months later and all I have to show for it are 4/6 drawers in my dresser.

So what, you ask? Well, apparently it's more of a daunting task than you would think.

For starters, why don't they make organization sets that when you put together use up the drawers space maximally? Ideas anyone?

Let's talk about what I've done so far with my dresser drawers.

I have a bracelet tree that sits in the left most corner of my dresser. And I LOVE it. But considering I wear bracelets quite frequently, and have quite a few of them... I still needed to figure out a [compact] way to organize the rest of my bracelets. Plus my rings, and earrings. I don't really wear necklaces too much as of yet, so that dilemma doesn't apply to me. One less thing to worry about at least.

Several months ago, I found the organizers pictured below and implemented them. I currently have three of them: one for rings, another for earrings, and a third one for the bracelets that I don't have hanging on my bracelet tree.

The good thing about them: they allow me to organize the jewelry in separate compartments [for the most part] and are easy to choose from, keep organized, etc. The bad: the organizers are stacked upon one another inside my drawer. This means that when I need earrings or rings, I need to pull the organizer(s) on top of them out first to reach them. Nuisance. Worse? Wasted space. See picture below:
You see the wasted space I'm talking about?
What in the world am I suppose to do with that space?

Ideally, I'd like to figure out a way to utilize the space in my drawer in a more effective manner [and use the maximal space] and have everything side to side... so when I open the drawer I can see the bracelets, rings, and earrings at one glance. I'm open to stacking less used of all of the jewelry below the more commonly used ones.

What I basically want is: have the drawer divided into three [one each for bracelets, rings, and earrings] that are then divided into smaller compartments like in my jewelry organizer above. I wish they organizers came in smaller sizes that you could combine like puzzle pieces to fit the way you want. ;)

By the way as a side note: for earrings, I found a neat collapsible/fold-able organizer. Unfortunately, it would only work for studs or other small earrings so it was of no use to me. Most of mine are the dangling ones.

Next project I tackled? A never-ending dilemma faced by a Muslim girl/woman who wears a hijab: how in the world to organize said hijabs.

I've tried a basket in my closet, but it was annoying to dig through them to find the one I wanted. Plus, if I don't see it, I don't usually remember it's there as an option.

I considered the shoe hanger behind the door method and the hangers for scarves they have now for your closet. Both would require me to iron them for each use. Yeah, that's not happening either. I don't mind ironing them once in a while, but I don't want to have to sit there ironing a completely wrinkled hijab each time. Also the visual problem was there again for the hanger(s) in my closet. I also considered buying individual drawers to put at the bottom of my closet, since that is space I wouldn't be taking from anything else.

I thought I had posted about it on my blog when I organized the hijab drawers this way, but apparently not. Only on twitter and instagram at that time. So since this post is about drawer organization, I figured I'd throw it in this post. You know, considering the hijabs currently take up three out of six of my dresser drawers.

What I ended up doing several months ago, finally, is this: I took the hijabs I wear frequently/regularly and rolled them up. I then organized them by color, and lay them in rows. It's convenient, compact, and organized: which is just what I wanted.
Pictured are two of the three drawers. It has been several months since I implemented this, and so far I like it a lot. 
Now I can just pull open the corresponding drawer [based on what I'm wearing] and see all of the hijabs at once to pick and choose from, rather than digging through a pile of them or anything of that sorts. This method also keeps them organized, because you only pull out the one you need - and are not going through several to get to one at the bottom, for example.

I was, pleasantly, surprised how many hijabs I was able to fit in each drawer this way! And, by the way, another pleasant surprise: rolling the hijabs keep them from wrinkling too - which means less ironing.

Last week, I tackled the drawer with makeup/everyday necessities/ items I frequently use.
This is what I am using for on-top of my dresser
In the organizer on  top of my dresser, pictured above, I housed the lotion, make-up [moisturizer, liners, gloss, lipstick, blush, eye shadow] body spray, deodorant that I use regularly.

All the others [party wear or once in a while use ones], pictured below, I put in the organizer on the front left of my drawer. Don't get me started on the wasted space in the back. Hair ties and clips are on the right [with humongous eye-shadow palette hidden below].
Clothes in my closet? Organized by color. Light to dark: starting with white on the extreme left, black on the extreme right.

Next task? Purses. Probably. I think. But don't expect anything for a few months at this rate. And while I am at it, I should think of a way to organize my cabinet of herbs and spices. Lets see.

Saturday, March 23, 2013

What's for Dinner: Smashed Potatoes

To serve alongside my homemade fried chicken, I made smashed potatoes Thursday night as well.

Here's how:
  1. I took small potatoes in a pot, added water [just enough to cover the potatoes], and let them cook over high heat until the potatoes were fork tender.
  2. Meanwhile, line your baking sheet with foil [for easy cleanup], and drizzle [olive] oil.
  3. Once the potatoes are fork tender, remove the potatoes from the water. Put them on the lined baking sheet, leaving space in between each one to spread. You are, after all, going to "smash" them!
  4. Next, "smash" your potatoes. With a meat mallet, a glass... whatever works. I used my potato masher. 
  5. Then, drizzle more olive oil on top of all the potatoes and season them. I sprinkled salt and pepper on all of them, and rosemary on only about half of them [thanks to the picky brothers].
  6. In a preheated 450 degree oven, bake for about 20-25 minutes [or until they are crispy].
I felt like they could be a bit more crispy, but I didn't want to use too much [olive] oil, and worried about the bottom burning. It tasted really good, so that's all that matters I suppose.

P.S. This post is a part of my "What's for Dinner" series, where I share what I've been cooking and my recipes. Grab and share my button:

Friday, March 22, 2013

What's for Dinner: Fried Chicken

To prove that I don't try to turn every meal into a healthier version (when I can) for my family, I'll share last night's meal:

Fried Chicken. No oven-fried. No skimping on oil.
With smashed potatoes. And biscuits.

I hope the family enjoyed it, because it's not happening again for a very long time!

For the fried chicken, what you need is:
  • 1 chicken, cut into 8 pieces
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Garlic powder, to taste
  • Onion powder, to taste
  • Paprika, to taste
  • Cayenne pepper, to taste
  • [about] 1 cup of buttermilk
  • [about] 2 cups of flour
  • Oil, to fry.
I actually used double the amounts listed above for seven to eight people.

I've never used buttermilk in my fried chicken before, but had some leftover, so I decided to use it up and see what the hoopla is about buttermilk marinated fried chicken. In the end, I do think that the buttermilk helped keep the chicken moist inside.

To make the fried chicken:
  1. About two hours, at least, before you plan on frying your chicken, season your cut up chicken pieces with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Mix well. Add about a cup of buttermilk, coating all the chicken. Cover, and let it sit in the fridge for at least two hours. I marinated mine about 9-10 hours earlier.
  2. [About] ten minutes before you are ready to fry your chicken, take the chicken out of the refrigerator.
  3. Meanwhile, season your flour with salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Mix well.
  4. Individually remove the chicken pieces from the buttermilk, shaking off the excess, and coat in your flour mixture. You can repeat this step twice with all your chicken if you would like an extra crunchy crust, but just once was enough for a nice and thick crust.
  5. On [medium to] high heat, heat up your oil. I'd say the oil should come up half way to the chicken.
  6. Fry your chicken, until the crust is nice and golden brown on both sides.
Tip: Fry your chicken in batches, so you don't overcrowd the chicken and fry similar pieces together [ for even cooking time].

I meant to serve coleslaw with it today as well, but forgot to make it last minute.

Other suggestions to serve alongside the fried chicken: my baked seasoned fries, roasted red potatoesthis biscuit, or this cheddar bay biscuit [my version of the ones served at the Red Lobster chain]!

P.S. This post is a part of my "What's for Dinner" series, where I share what I've been cooking and my recipes. Grab and share my button:

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Halal vs. Zabihah (Meat)

First, and foremost, I want to say that the following is my opinion only!

Growing up a Muslim in a predominantly non-Muslim country, one of the huge challenges has been navigating between what we can and cannot eat in adherence to our religion.

Whether this be meticulously reading through the ingredients lists in products at the grocery store, or being a "vegetarian" at parties [or eat seafood], or anything of that sorts.

Another challenge? When questioned by Non-Muslims why I don't eat pork, drink alcohol, etc. when other Muslims they know that do so. There's just no one answer. Some just adhere more so than others. I, too, know several Muslims that drink alcohol, etc.

Does that make those who adhere "better Muslims"? Only He can be the judge.

Judging. That brings me to what made me write about this topic. We are all guilty of judging others, whether we mean to or not. It happens again and again.

In my tafseer [meaning/interpretation] class [of the holy Qu'ran] that Nanna has been generous enough to do for us, we just started discussing Surah Maidah last week. Amongst other things, part of what is discussed in this Surah are what is considered permissible and prohibited, foodwise, and what I find to be more interesting: the self-imposed restrictions of the pre-Islamic age that have been put to an end.

Zabihah [literally means slaughter I believe] and the term is usually used to refer to the way the animal is slaughtered that makes it permissible to consume in Islam. The restriction doesn't apply to seafood, among a few other things, which is why you'll see Muslims consuming seafood anywhere without an issue.

Another thing to note: there is a difference in what is considered halal [permissible] and zabihah. The animal must abide the condition of zabihah in order to be considered halal. One doesn't equate the other. For instance: consuming chicken is halal, it is allowed, but it must conform to the condition of zabihah. To give the opposite example: a pig, for example, can be slaughtered in what is considered a "zabihah" way, but that doesn't make it halal.

I want to focus, today, on judging those we consider to be consuming haram [prohibited] meat that is actually halal.  Let me state clearly: I am not discussing pork or anything else that is considered haram with no gray areas for "ifs, ands and buts". I'm talking specifically only about what is halal. Chicken is the easy example to use.

As Muslims, we've seen other Muslims [whether they be friends, family members or mere strangers] eating meat at a non-zabihah serving restaurant and were quick to judge them. I will be the first to admit that growing up, I'm guilty of it. But ayat five in Surah Maidah gives that permission:
This day [all] good foods have been made lawful, and the food of those who were given the Scripture is lawful for you and your food is lawful for them. [5.5]
I've had this conversation a million times over, and the stubborn in me refused to accept it. But this week was different. This week, I've read it over and over again. I've thought about it countless times. Before this, I've never really taken the time, shamelessly, to really understand the meaning behind the words properly in the Qu'ran. Alhumdulillah [with the blessings of God], this tafseer class has expanded my knowledge and I'm so thankful for it [and Nanna for taking the time twice each week].

This week: I've come to the realization that it's a cultural norm that we equate zabihah with halal. But we shouldn't equate culture to religion. They are not the same thing. We do so many things, culturally, that are not religiously permissible... but are so quick to jump at something like this.

What hit me the strongest? This next verse:
And do not say about what your tongues assert of untruth, "This is lawful and this is unlawful," to invent falsehood about Allah. [16.116]
That only Allah SWT can attest to what is permissible or not. That we can't deem something to be halal or haram [or call what He has deemed halal to be haram and vice versa].

Does this mean I'm telling you to go out of your way to eat non-zabihah meat? Absolutely not. Especially when in most places in the USA/Canada (at the very least) nowadays, there are plenty of restaurants that serve zabihah-only meals so we don't have an excuse. What I am saying is: [to myself first] don't judge others who choose to do so. It is an allowed option, permissible by He.

Am I going to head out to McDonalds tomorrow and grab a chicken burger? Absolutely not. I don't think I'll ever get to the point where I can justify that to myself or be at peace with it. Mainly because there are SO MANY local restaurants that serve zabihah food, that I don't have a reason to even consider it. Is that a cultural thought in my head? Probably. But at the end of the day, choosing not to partake in it, is not causing me any harm. The negative/wrong interpretation/limitation that I was putting on myself as a Muslim? Brings me right back to the ayats mentioned above. The part about calling something haram that He has allowed? Weighing heavy on my heart this week for sure.

At the end of the day, I think, when there is doubt: it's just better to avoid it. If you can't find the peace of mind, then don't do it. Nonetheless, the negative stigma that we as Muslims associate with other Muslims consuming meat that we consider to be "haram": that's wrong. You don't want to eat it? That's fine. Don't. No one is telling you to or forcing you to. Just don't judge others. Only He knows best.

Religion isn't meant to complicate your life, rather it is to simplify yours. So why is that we over-complicate things?

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

What's for Dinner: Chocolate Chip Cookies

The recipe I used for my Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie? Like I mentioned in that post, I used the leftover batter at the end to make about a dozen chocolate chip cookies.

They were soft, moist, and chewy -- just the way homemade chocolate chip cookies should be! There's nothing like freshly homemade chocolate chip cookies made from scratch right out of the oven. I also tend to find that I don't have the best luck use store-bought dough: they tend to burn at the bottom really quickly while the middle of the cookie hasn't set... and it's just plain annoying.

These cookies, I found, to be perfect!

For quantity purposes, I've halved my Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie recipe, but you can use the original quantities if you are making a huge batch of cookies.

You need:
  • 1 stick of unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1/4 a cup of granulated sugar
  • 1/2 a cup of [packed] light-brown sugar
  • 1/2 a teaspoon of salt
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup PLUS two tablespoons of all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
  • 1 cup of [milk] chocolate chips
To make your Chocolate Chip Cookies:
  1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Line your baking sheet [with foil, etc.] for easy cleanup.
  2. In a bowl, add your butter along with both type of the sugars and then beat on low to medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy. 
  3. Next: add in the salt, vanilla, and egg. Beat until everything is well mixed together. Add in your flour and baking soda and mix to combine everything. Lastly, stir in the chocolate chips.
  4. Take even sized amounts of dough, and roll into a ball. Place on your baking sheet, leaving space in between each one.
  5. Bake in your preheated oven for 12-14 minutes, or until they are golden brown.
P.S. This post is a part of my "What's for Dinner" series, where I share what I've been cooking and my recipes. Grab and share my button:

Monday, March 18, 2013

What's for Dinner: Chicken Kebab over Kabuli Rice

For my parents' anniversary tonight, I made Chicken Kebab over "Kabuli" Rice with white sauce because that's what my mom requested (it's one of her favorites when we go out to eat). I also made a Cheesecake with a Chocolate Center/Filling last night.

I made the Chicken Kebab portion of the meal very similar to how I made my chicken skewers from here.

This time, I marinated boneless chicken cubes [yesterday] with: salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, ginger powder, cayenne pepper, onion powder, yogurt, and some lemon juice. Next, I added in some food coloring [which is something I never do!] to get that color.

I broiled my chicken, once again, today after skewering them. I had three pounds of boneless chicken cubes and that gave me exactly two batches of five skewers with six chicken cubes each]. With your broiler on high, put your chicken in for fifteen minutes. At that point, take it out... flip them over [this part is not fun... they refuse to stay usually] and put back under the broiler for another ten minutes.

The thickness of the cubes was, of course, much different than using the thin boneless chicken breast fillets that I normally tend to use for skewers, but I wanted to use cubes today as that is how the chicken kebabs are typically served over the "Kabuli rice" my mom wanted.

For the Kabuli rice, I just made it up. I use the term "Kabuli rice" very loosely because I have no idea how to make it, and when I Googled it... it just seemed unnecessarily complicated. So that, obviously, wasn't going to happen. What I did, instead, was: use one part brown rice to two part water with a dash of salt and let it come to a boil on high. At that point, turn the heat to low, and let it simmer until the water is absorbed [took 35 minutes for me]. Fluff your rice with a fork, and add shredded carrots, slivered almonds, and raisins. Mix gently.

When I was plating it, I sprinkled more carrots, almonds and raisins on top... for presentation purposes.

It's a fairly healthy meal, with the exception of the [reduced-fat] mayonnaise in the sauce.

For the white sauce: again, I have no idea what's in the real one or how it's made. What I did to make mine was: mix one part mayonnaise to two parts yogurt. Then, I added salt, [a good amount of] black pepper, garlic powder, a dash of cayenne pepper, a little onion powder, a splash of apple cider vinegar, and a little lemon juice. I thought it turned out just like the white sauce served at restaurants.

The end result? very similar to the components at a local restaurant.

Tip: I used a squeeze bottle to get a nice and thin layer of sauce over the rice and chicken before serving.

P.S. This post is a part of my "What's for Dinner" series, where I share what I've been cooking and my recipes. Grab and share my button:

Sunday, March 17, 2013

What's for Dinner: Cheesecake with Chocolate Center

Today, I made cheesecake with a warm chocolate center [homemade from scratch] as an early dessert for my parents [29th] wedding anniversary tomorrow! It was absolutely melt-in-your-mouth delicious!

Cheesecakes always seem daunting to me, but it really was straightforward, even with my chocolate center filling twist added. It made it look that much more sweet and the flavor combination was great. Did I mention I used pistachios in the crust?

What I used:
  • 1 stick of [unsalted] butter, softened
  • 1 and 3/4 cups of sugar
  • 1 cup of all-purpose flour
  • 2 and 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
  • 1 cup of pistachios, roughly chopped
  • 4 bars (8 ounce each) of cream cheese, softened
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1/2 a bag (of a 12 ounce package) of semi-sweet mini chocolate chips
  • whipped cream, optional
  • Chocolate bar for shavings, optional
To put it together:

Let's start with the crust:
  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Roughly chop your pistachios, and set aside.
  3. Cream together your stick of butter and 1/4 cup of sugar.
  4. Add flour in small batches until it is just combined, with your mixer on the low speed [to avoid getting flour all over you].
  5. Mix in your chopped pistachios and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
  6. Press the crust, gently, into the bottom and along the sides somewhat [I'd say about 1/4 of the way up] of a greased/non-stick springform pan.
  7. Bake in your preheated oven, for 13-15 minutes until the crust turns barely golden brown. Set aside to cool for a few minutes.
Meanwhile, let's start on the cheesecake filling:
  1. In a bowl, beat your cream cheese until it is light, fluffy, and of a creamy texture.
  2. Add your remaining 1 and 1/2 cups of sugar and beat the mixture well, making sure it is incorporated nicely.
  3. Next, add in 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract and all four of the eggs and mix just until the yellow from the egg yolks disappears.
  4. Pour half of the batter on top of the crust you just baked.
  5. Sprinkle about half of a bag of mini chocolate chips, leaving a margin of about an inch around the sides, on top of the cheesecake batter.
  6. Finally, carefully and gently, pour the remaining batter over the chocolate chips. With a spatula, even out the top.
  7. Bake on a baking sheet, as an extra precaution, for approximately an hour at 350 degrees, or until the cheesecake is set [took an additional 2-3 minutes for me].
  8. When it is out of the oven, let it cool/set for a little while. Then, run a knife around the edges of the cheesecake before unlatching the springform pan. 
We all know I didn't do the whole waiting part too well, so the first piece I cut wasn't totally set. Oh well, I'll live. It tasted great... and the rest of the pieces were a lot easier to cut [because it had set]. My excuse? The first piece always is a mess.

Serve your cheesecake, warm, with.... whipped cream and chocolate shavings on top [or sprinkle mini chocolate chip morsels!] if you want to go the extra mile.

By the way: before I put the pan in the oven, it looked so skimpy -- I thought it wouldn't turn out right. By it rises [a good amount], and then goes down somewhat as it cools/settles... but in the end it turns out just as you would expect a cheesecake to look like, size wise: neither too flat, nor too thick.

The plan is to make an Afghani meal for dinner tomorrow that Ami [mom] loves [and requested!]: Kabuli rice with chicken kebabs. Let's see how that goes.

P.S. This post is a part of my "What's for Dinner" series, where I share what I've been cooking and my recipes. Grab and share my button:

Friday, March 15, 2013

What's for Dinner: Cornflakes Crumbs Crusted [Baked] Chicken Tenders


For dinner tonight, I made Cornflakes Crumbs Crusted Chicken Tenders that I baked.

You need:
  • Chicken tenderloins [or breast pieces that you pound thin and cut into tenders]
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Garlic powder, to taste
  • Paprika, to taste
  • Cayenne pepper, to taste
  • Chili powder, to taste
  • Onion powder, to taste
  • Cornflakes crumbs [about 2 cups I'd say is what I used]
  • Non-stick cooking spray
How to make the Cornflakes Crumbs Crusted Chicken Tenders:
  1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
  2. Season your chicken with all of the spices listed above [salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, chili powder, and onion powder]. Mix it well. Spray non-stick cooking spray over the seasoned chicken.
  3. Run each seasoned chicken tender through the cornflakes crumbs, ensuring it is nicely coated. Transfer each crusted chicken tender onto your lined baking tray. Once you have coated and crusted all of your chicken tenders, spray non-stick cooking spray on top of the chicken.
  4. Bake initially for ten minutes. At that time, take the chicken out to flip them over... and then bake for an additional 8-10 minutes.
By the way, don't forget to check out my recipes for Chicken Pot Pie and Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie that I made yesterday for Pi day [recipe also posted earlier today for both of them].

P.S. This post is a part of my "What's for Dinner" series, where I share what I've been cooking and my recipes. Grab and share my button:

What's for Dinner: Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie

I have to say that the best part of this recipe is that it's everything you would have at home already. I wasn't planning on making a pi[e] themed meal yesterday at all, until the afternoon, when I figured why not?

You need:

  • 2 sticks of unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup of granulated sugar
  • 1 cup of [packed] light-brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 and 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
  • 2 cups of [milk] chocolate chips
  • Non-stick cooking spray
Using the above quantities, I was able to make an eleven inch Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie, plus about a dozen chocolate chip cookies with the leftover dough. If you are using the typical 9 inch pan, the thickness, and extra dough that remains, amongst other things will differ [like baking time!]

To make your Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie:
  1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Spray your [tart] pan [with a removable bottom] with non-stick cooking spray.
  2. In a bowl, add your butter along with both type of the sugars and then beat on low to medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy. 
  3. Next: add in the salt, vanilla, and eggs. Beat until everything is well mixed together. Add in your flour and baking soda and mix to combine everything. Lastly, stir in the chocolate chips.
  4. Press about 3-4 cups of this dough into prepared pan [see step six]. Depending on how thick you want it, I'd say about half way up your pan. It will rise a little bit.
  5. Bake for about 23-25 minutes, until the edges of your pie are golden and center is almost set. Time will vary depending on the size of your pan - a smaller [nine-inch] sized pan will take longer to bake! Let the pie cool for at least 20 minutes before you remove it from pan. 
  6. You'll have some dough remaining. From that, bake cookies! At 325 degrees, I baked mine for about 12-14 minutes.
Also check out my Chicken Pot Pie recipe [that I also made for Pi Day].

P.S. This post is a part of my "What's for Dinner" series, where I share what I've been cooking and my recipes. Grab and share my button:

What's for Dinner: Chicken Pot Pie

Yesterday afternoon, because it was Pi Day, I decided that I wanted to make a pie inspired meal. Because let's face it... it's a lot easier than making a Pi inspired meal.

I wasn't sure what I wanted to make, and I had to work with ingredients I already had at home.

All in all, both the Chicken Pot Pie and the Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie turned out great.

Here's what I used to make my Chicken Pot Pie:
  • 1-2 Boneless Chicken Breast(s)
  • Salt, to taste
  • Pepper, to taste
  • garlic powder, to taste
  • Paprika, to taste
  • Onion powder, to taste
  • Cayenne pepper, to taste
  • Chili powder, to taste
  • Red pepper flakes, to taste
  • Thyme, to taste
  • Parsley, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons of butter
  • 2 tablespoons of flour
  • 1 cup of chicken broth [homemade recipe below]
  • 1/2 cup of 1% milk
  • 2 tablespoons of cornstarch
  • 3 cups of frozen mixed vegetables [mine had peas, corn, carrots, and beans]
  • 1 sheet of puff pastry, defrosted
  • 1 egg, for egg wash
  • Non-stick cooking spray
I know the ingredient list sounds very daunting, but trust me, the top half of the ingredients is for the chicken portion. It's actually not too difficult to make.

To put my Chicken Pot Pie together, this is what I did:
  1. Start off with your chicken. Cut your boneless chicken into tiny bite size pieces. I seasoned mine with salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, cayenne pepper, chili powder, red pepper flakes, thyme, and parsley. Spray your pot [so the chicken doesn't stick] and the seasoned chicken with non-stick cooking spray. Cook over low heat, until the chicken is cooked through.
  2. When the chicken is almost cooked through, in a deep skillet, melt your butter over low heat. When the butter is melted, add in your flour and whisk to combine [and ensure there are no lumps]. At this point I add a pinch of salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder cayenne pepper, and red pepper flakes as well.
  3. After a few minutes of it cooking, add in your chicken broth. Continuously whisk throughout to make sure there are no lumps! Next add in your milk... and whisk! This part gives that nice creamy milk color we all love so much in chicken pot pie... without the fatness/heaviness of cream, half and half or anything of that sorts!
  4. At this point, after a few minutes, my sauce/filling still wasn't thickening as I'd like, so what I did was: I combined 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with a little water [enough to dissolve the cornstarch]. Pour this milky mixture into your sauce, turn the heat to high for a few minutes and whisk!. This is basically the same way you would thicken corn soup. Make sure you continuously whisk, especially with the heat on high at this point, to be certain there are no lumps.
  5. Once your sauce/filling has thickened, add in your frozen vegetables [they will soften in the sauce and even more so in the oven] and your cooked chicken. Mix everything together.
  6. Spray your baking dish [I used about a nine-inch round baking pan] with non-stick cooking spray. Pour in your filling/sauce mixture. Don't fill the pan too much. The filling will bubble and you don't want the crust to be soggy because of the filling. Trust me, I learned this the hard way.
  7. For the puff pastry topping. You could either just cut a circle and make a crust that way. Don't forget to cut a few slits in the top to allow for some steam to escape! I wanted to make a lattice top crust for mine, so I cut my puff pastry into [thin] strips. If you don't know how to make a lattice top crust, I tried my best to explain down below... or you can just Google it to find an explanation with a video/image.
  8. Whichever top crust method you choose, don't forget to brush on an egg wash on top to help you get the nice golden brown color on top.
  9. In a preheated 400 degree oven, bake your Chicken Pot Pie for about 15 minutes. Just keep an eye on it: your filling is already cooked -- all you are waiting for is the puff pastry to bake [and be nice and golden brown].
Here's a look at the lattice top.
Do you see how they criss-cross over one another?
To make a lattice top crust: Cut your pastry into strips. Line the top of your pie dish with strips heading in one direction. Now fold back every other strip half way. In a perpendicular direction [or just turn the pan for convenience], add in another row of pastry strips that you cut. Now, take the strips that you folded back, and unfold them over the strips you layered below. Repeat the process on the other half. Confusing much? It's much easier than it sounds Like I said, I tried my best to explain down, but you can just Google it to find an explanation with a video/image.

To make my homemade chicken broth, what I do is: In a pot, I add wings and bones of chicken [basically pieces of the chicken that are mainly bone], some frozen mixed vegetables, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and ginger. Fill the pot about 3/4ths of the way with water. Turn the heat on high and let the broth come to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, turn the heat down to low, cover your pot, and let it simmer for about 2 hours. At that point, strain your broth.

P.S. This post is a part of my "What's for Dinner" series, where I share what I've been cooking and my recipes. Grab and share my button:

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