Peabody's Nutella Truffle Brownie Cookie

Here is where I found this great, easy recipe, and I followed it almost exactly.  Noah gave it a perfect 10, and Owen and I gave them a 9.  Jonah likes them too, and since they are so easy they are a fun thing to make with kids.  The calories for 27 cookies was about 157, but I used way less of the Nutella mixture, so they are an approximate.  I calculated for 1/2 c Nutella and 1/2 c powdered sugar, so try it using those amounts first.  These are great, try them soon :).

Bobby Flay's Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Creme Brulee

This is another of Bobby Flay's desserts from his Mesa Grill cookbook, and although I like the other creme brulee better, this one is so different and delicious.  We all wished this were a little more chocolate and a little less peanut butter, but the texture was great, and it was fun to do something different.  This made 8 servings, and each serving was 610 calories.  We gave this an 8.  Here's what to do:

3 c heavy cream
1/2 c whole milk
1/2 c peanuts, toasted
1/2 c sugar
3 1/2 oz milk chocolate, chopped small
1/4 c smooth peanut butter
7 large egg yolks
pinch of salt
1/2 c sugar for bruleeing

Bring the milk and cream to a simmer over medium heat, remove from the heat and stir in the peanuts.  Let sit, covered, for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator.  Strain the mixture, then return the cream to the heat.
Preheat the oven to 350.
Add 1/4 c of sugar to the cream, bring it to simmering again, make sure the sugar is completely dissolved, then add in the peanut butter and chocolate.
While doing this, beat the eggs and 1/4 c sugar until thick and pale in color.  Slowly whisk in the hot cream mixture.  Strain the mixture, then ladle the mixture into the 8 ramekins.  Place them in a baking dish and pour water into the baking dish so it reaches halfway up the ramekins.  Bake for 40-45 minutes, then cool and refrigerate.  When ready to serve, brulee the remaining sugar over the custards, either with a torch or under the broiler.  Serve.

Bobby Flay's Hummus and Zucchini Quesadillas

We really enjoyed this, as you can see from my messy baby :).  Having the hummus and the bean relish made for a different kind of quesadilla, and it is always fun to have something different around here.  Plus, we really like hummus.  We found this recipe in Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill cookbook, and each quesadilla was 621 calories.  Noah and I gave this a 9, and Owen and Aaron gave it an 8.  Here's what to do:

Hummus:

1 can chickpeas drained and rinsed
6 cloves garlic
1/2 t ancho chili powder
2 T fresh lemon juice
2 T tahini
2 T olive oil
3 T cilantro
salt and pepper

Quesadillas:

6 flour tortillas
6 oz cheddar cheese
1/2 c shredded zucchini
8 oz goat cheese
salt and pepper
Dipping Sauce or Relish to serve

Combine all the hummus ingredients in a food processor, and combine well, adding water if needed.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

Spread hummus on three of the tortillas, spread the goat cheese, the cheddar and the zucchini among all the three tortillas, then season to taste, then top with the second tortilla.  Cook in the oven or on the stove top until the cheeses are melted and the tortillas are crispy.  Serve with dip or relish of choice.

Our Best Bites' Sweet Chili Chicken with Pineapple Salsa

Here is a fun recipe that is easy to put together, and great for the summertime, especially if you like sweet with meat, like my Aaron does.  This really hit the spot with him, he loved it, and gave it a 9, while Owen and Noah gave it an 8, and I gave it a 6, because I don't like the sweet meat thing :).  Anyway, this comes together quickly, especially when I have Aaron around to cut up the pineapple for me :).  Each serving was 236 calorie for the five of us, and here's what I did:

1 lime, juiced
1 1/2 t curry powder
2 t vegetable oil
1 lb chicken tenders
salt and pepper

Salsa
1 1/2 c diced pineapple
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
1 avocado, diced
1 T fresh lime juice
3 T cilantro
salt

Sauce
3 T sweet chili sauce
1 T honey
1 1/2 t soy sauce
1 T warm water

Marinate the chicken with the lime, curry, vegetable oil and salt and pepper for about 4 hours.  Broil the chicken, about 4 minutes per side, checking internal temperature to ensure doneness.

Mix together the salsa ingredients and serve with the chicken.

Mix together the sauce ingredients and serve with the chicken.

Bobby Flay's Crab Salad

So we are finally coming near to the end of my Bobby Flay marathon :), and Noah and I are going to maybe try to develop some recipes together, we'll see how it goes ;).  Today's salad was super delicious, it received a 9 from Aaron, Noah and me, and Owen gave it a 7.  Each serving was 428 calories the way I made it, and I found this recipe in Bar Americain cookbook.  Here's what to do:

3/4 c mayonnaise
2 T red wine vinegar
2 T paprika
1/8 t cayenne
salt and pepper
24 oz crab (Krab) meat
1 avocado, diced
1/2 c pitted Kalamata olives, chopped
1 c cherry tomatoes, chopped
1/4 c green onions, chopped
1 bag arugula

Dressing
1/4 t lemon zest
2 T lemon juice
1 T orange juice
1 T mayonnaise
1 heaping t whole grain garlic mustard
1 t honey
salt and pepper
1/4 c olive oil

Mix the dressing ingredients together, whisking in the olive oil slowly to the rest of the ingredients to emulsify properly.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Set aside, or refrigerate to use later.

Mix the Mayonnaise, vinegar, paprika, cayenne, salt and pepper together, then add in the Krab.  This can be made ahead.  When ready to serve, add in the avocado, olives, tomatoes, and green onions. Salt and pepper to taste.  Toss the arugula with the dressing, then top with the crab mixture.

Bobby Flay's Kentucky Hot Brown

I love me some hot sandwiches, and especially open faced ones, because I have never been a huge fan of traditional sandwiches.  Cold cuts just don't do it for me :).  Anyway, this hot sandwich from Bobby Flay was so delicious, and I loved the cheese sauce with the chicken and bacon.  I changed the recipe to fit our needs a little bit, so it isn't a traditional Kentucky Hot Brown, but try it anyway, it's great.  Each sandwich was 519 for 8 servings, and Owen and Aaron gave this a 7, I gave it a 9, and Noah gave it a perfect 10.  Here's what I did:

around 2 lbs chicken breast tenders well seasoned and cooked
2 c whole milk
2 T butter
2 T flour
1/2 lb sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 c Parmesan cheese, grated

4 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 c whole milk
salt and pepper
8 slices bread
2 tomatoes, sliced
1/2 c cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 c Parmesan cheese, grated
8 slices bacon, cooked
Parsley to garnish

Cook the chicken as desired, I used my crockpot :).  Melt the butter in a large pot, and add the flour.  Whisk the milk into the roux, and cook until thickened.  Add in the cheeses and stir until melted and combined well, then season to taste.  Set aside.
Heat a griddle over medium heat.  Beat together the milk, eggs, and salt and pepper.  Dip the bread slices into the mixture, and coat on both sides.  Cook until well browned on both sides.
Preheat the broiler, then spray a pan with cooking spray, place your tomato slices on the tray, and salt and pepper the tomatoes.  Broil them, and flip half way through your broil time, about 2 minutes through.  Serve the sandwich with one slice of bread, some chicken, some cheese sauce, more cheese, a slice of bacon, tomatoes, and parsley.  Eat and enjoy :).

Picky Palate's Peanut Butter Butterscotch Cookies

See my little stinker stealing a cookie off my plate while I was taking a picture?  Jonah makes me laugh.  We all really enjoyed these cookies, Aaron included, which surprised me because he isn't a fan of butterscotch.  He said that these are like the filling in a Butterfinger bar, and he's right.  They are really delicious, and were a big hit around here.  Here's where you can find this recipe, and I followed the recipe exactly, making these 137 calories each for 44 cookies.  Owen gave this a perfect 10, Noah and I gave them a 9, and Aaron gave them an 8.

Bobby Flay's Oven Baked Pizza

This was a fun, delicious idea for a pizza, and although the kids didn't love this, Aaron and I thought it was great.  This seems to be a theme with Bobby Flay's recipe, they are catered to a more adult palate.  Noah didn't like the onions, but he really loved the gruyere cheese, and Owen wished there were more cheese, funny guys.  I used an easy crust recipe, rather than the one in the Bar Americain cookbook, but the toppings for this are listed here with the method I used.  This averaged an 8 in our house, and each slice was 365 calories.  Here's what to do:

Make pizza crust according to recipe, then cook for 10 minutes or so on hot pan.  Top with 8 oz Gruyere cheese, 6 slices crispy bacon, chopped up, 3 c caramelized onions, sour cream, parsley, fried garlic pieces (garlic cooked in oil for about 1 minute, checking constantly), and some oil if desired.  After the pizza has been in the oven for 10 minutes, top with the cheese, bacon and onions, cook for about 10 more minutes, then serve with the sour cream, parsley, garlic pieces and oil.  Super delicious.

CJ's Spiced Banana Pancakes from Flour 2

These are a great, easy breakfast that we tried one morning, and the boys and I really enjoyed them.  I found them in my Flour 2 cookbook.  The pancakes are quick to put together, and since there is so much banana in them, they are super moist, sweet and kind of healthy :).  The allspice is kind of strong, I love allspice, but maybe play around with the spices if you don't like allspice.  Noah and I gave them a 9, and Owen gave them an 8 because of the allspice.  Each pancake, for 11 pancakes, was 135 calories, and here's what to do:

1 c flour
2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1 1/2 t allspice
1/4 t pepper (you can use more, I didn't want very much, but the recipe called for more)
2 T packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 c milk (I used 1%)
2 T vegetable oil
4 medium ripe bananas, 3 chopped up or mushed up, 1 sliced to go on top
Syrup, butter, etc. for toppings

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, slat, allspice, pepper, and brown sugar.  In another bowl, whisk together the egg, milk and vegetable oil.  Add in the mushed up banana, then fold the wet ingredients into the dry ones.  Cook at a low heat on a griddle or pan, and brown well on both sides.  Serve with banana slices and toppings.

Yummy :)

Bobby Flay's Chicken Cutlet

This is a different take on chicken cordon bleu, and I prefer it to the original, mainly because it doesn't have hollandaise sauce on it :).  Eggs and I aren't always the best of friends, so I prefer to avoid hollandaise whenever possible.  This was a quick meal, and the brie made it super delicious, and the boys are always excited to try different cheeses, so we all enjoyed this.  For six servings, each serving was 435, and Noah gave this a perfect 10, Owen and I gave it a 9, and Aaron gave it an 8, but he didn't have it fresh, so who knows :).  I found this recipe in Bobby Flay's Bar Americain cookbook, and here's what I did:

1/2 c flour
1 egg, beaten
1 c Panko bread crumbs
salt and pepper
3 T butter
2 T olive oil
4 oz Brie cheese, thinly sliced
8 slices bacon, cooked

2 T red wine vinegar
1 t whole grain mustard
salt and pepper
2 T olive oil
1 bag arugula

Place flour in one bowl, egg in another, then Panko in a third bowl.  Season the chicken tenders well.  Season the flour, then dip the chicken in the flour, then then eggs, then lastly the Panko.  Melt the butter and olive oil in a large skillet, then brown the chicken tenders on both sides.  Cook until chicken is done, then top with the Brie immediately and 2 bacon strips.
Mix the vinegar, mustard and salt and pepper together, then whisk in the olive oil to emulsify.  Toss with the arugula and serve over the chicken.

Picky Palate's Chocolate Cherry Chips Cookies

These are super cute cookies, with the red chips, but I don't think these are as delicious as the other Picky Palate recipe with cherry chips.  However, Owen gave these a perfect 10, and Noah gave them a 9, so they were well loved by my boys, even if Aaron and I only gave them a 7.  Here is where you can find the original recipe, and I followed the recipe exactly.  Each cookie, and I made 36 cookies, was 168 calories.  If you have some cherry chips, these are a good way to use them up.  

Bobby Flay's Lobster Club

Summer vacation is here, and I am totally losing track of what day it is, so another late posting, sigh :).  Anyway, this was a fabulous sandwich, and it was on some chipotle brioche which was a fun change.  The chipotle brioche can be found in Bobby Flay's Bar Americain cookbook, but I am just going to give the lobster club recipe.  Each serving without the bread is 614, for 5 servings, and Owen, Aaron and I gave this a 9, while Noah gave it a 7, because he didn't really like the lobster/crab meat.  And this was the fake stuff again, since no way can I afford real lobster for my kids :).  Here's what to do:

10 slices bacon, cooked
3/4 c mayonnaise
salt and pepper
2 T lemon juice
1 heaping T Dijon mustard
1 heaping T whole grain mustard
1 stalk celery, diced
2 green onions, diced
1/4 c red onion, diced
1/4 c minced parsley
1 1/2 lb lobster (fake) and Krab meat
Green Onion Dressing (recipe follows)
1 oz arugula
10 slices bread of choice, toasted

Whisk together the mayo, salt and pepper, lemon juice, Dijon, whole grain mustard, celery, onions, and parsley.  Fold in the lobster meat.  Spread each slice of bread with the green onion dressing, then top the sandwich with some arugula, the bacon, and the salad.  Serve.

Green Onion Dressing

1/4 c mayonnaise
3 T white wine vinegar
2 t honey
1/4 c canola oil
salt and pepper
5 green onions, roughly chopped

Mix all the ingredients in a food processor, and process until the dressing is mixed, but not totally smooth.  Smear on bread and serve.

Bobby Flay's Lime Vanilla Creme Brulee

So I loved this creme brulee, but the rest of the family had a less enthusiastic response.  Aaron gave it a 7, Owen gave it an 8, and Noah and I gave it a 9.  This recipe from Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill cookbook was easy and super delicious.  Each serving was 352 for 12 servings.  Here's the easy recipe:

3 1/2 c heavy cream
1/2 c whole milk
grated zest of 3 limes
2 t vanilla
7 large egg yolks
1 egg
1 c sugar, divided
1/4 t salt

Combine the milk, cream and zest, and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally.  Remove from the heat, and let sit at least 30 minutes.  Return the pan to a simmer after letting sit.
Preheat the oven to 300.
Whisk together the egg yolks, egg, 1/2 c sugar and salt until thick and pale.  Slowly whisk in the hot cream mixture until combined, then the vanilla, then strain into a bowl.  (I did all the mixing in my electric mixture)
Fill the ramekins, then place them in a baking dish and fill the baking dish with hot water until the water reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins.  Bake 40-45 minutes, until the custard is set around the edges, but still jiggly in the center.  Let the custard cool to room temperature, then cover each ramekin and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.  When ready to serve, sprinkle the remaining sugar on the custards, then with a brulee torch, or under a broiler, brulee the sugar until browned and crackly.  Serve.