If the mention of s’mores doesn’t conjure up fond memories of campfires and roasted marshmallows, well, you’ve led a more sheltered life than most. But it’s never too late to create new memories, and let me tell you, you’ll never forget these s’mores brownies. They’re adapted from a fudge-like brownie recipe that’s been in my family for longer than I’ve been alive, and what better way to preserve their legacy than to share them with the world so that everyone can love them as much as I do? They’re quick, they’re moist, they’re easy, they’ll change your freakin’ life.
Is there anything more delicious than meat which has been stuffed with more meat? Of course not, don't be silly. With that simple philosophy in mind, I set out to find a stuffed chicken recipe that would be sure to blow my mind. Well, I found one. Just imagine the makings of a jalapeno popper stuffed inside a chicken breast - jalapenos, cream cheese, cheddar, green onions, and ground sausage, all wrapped inside. It tastes just as great as it looks and sounds, so get ready for one spicy dinner!
On a side note, I’ve begun working a new job, and next week I’ll be starting classes at Le Cordon Bleu to earn my culinary arts diploma. As exciting as all of this is for me, it means I probably won’t have the time to update the blog quite as often anymore. But don’t despair, I’ll still be making updates as often as possible!
Lava cake is one of those extraordinarily rich and decadent desserts that you often see on the menu of a fancy restaurant. The truth of the matter, however, is that there’s really nothing all that fancy about lava cake. It can be made quickly and easily, and with pretty basic ingredients. When done correctly, what you get is less like an actual cake and almost more like hot pudding that’s wearing a cakey hat. It’s creamy and delicious, and the perfect dessert to top off that impending food coma.
If you’ve never tried Nutella, that rich, sweet spread made of chocolate and hazelnuts, do yourself a favor and go buy some. There’s a reason Nutella is so popular these days – it’s delicious. Having never actually baked with it before, I decided it was time to jump on the Nutella train and whip something up. Cookies are often the least labor intensive choice when it comes to baking, so I went with a simple and tasty sounding Nutella chocolate chip cookie recipe. I’m pleased to report that they're every bit as good as they look, so check it out and bake up a batch of your own!
Macaroni and cheese is one of those old standbys that pretty much everyone with taste buds can love. I’ve had it so many different ways that when it was suggested to me that I make some as a side dish, I really had to dig to find something interesting to do with it. My digging yielded some tasty treasure in the form of baked mac & cheese pies – I’ve definitely never had mac & cheese like this before!
So last night I found myself craving a burger, but was disappointed to find that there was no ground meat in the house. I’d almost resigned myself to making something else when I discovered a nearly full package of bacon in the fridge. “I don’t have any ground meat” I thought, “but I could certainly do something crazy and grind up that bacon”. And what better way to say screw your diet than with a burger patty made entirely out of bacon?
The fact that I served this on my spicy cheddar beer bread instead of a normal bun made for a staggeringly rich and filling meal. I basically couldn't move at all for about half an hour afterward.
Pasta is something I eat pretty often, but mostly I’ve been content using store-bought sauces. This time, I decided to try to make one of my favorite kinds of sauce from scratch – Vodka Sauce. I was mostly inspired by the fact that I had a huge, mostly full bottle of vodka sitting in the fridge. I wanted to put some of it to a use that wouldn't actually be damaging to my liver, and I was quite pleased with the final result.
Spicy, flavorful, and creamy, vodka sauce goes great with almost any pasta dish, and it’s not even particularly difficult to prepare. I made mine with spaghetti rigati and Juicy Lucy meatballs, and boy was it good!
So here’s a method I’m willing to bet most of you have never used to prepare an egg. It’s called Egg in the Clouds, and that name carries more meaning than just referencing the obvious visual similarities between this and actual clouds. The fluffy meringue also has an incredibly airy texture – one might go so far as to call it cloud-like. Just be sure you have a nice, powerful, electric mixer to form the meringue, otherwise you’re going to have one sore arm when this is all over.
