Hungarian Goulash

I rarely post a recipe while I'm eating the actual dish that I made. This Hungarian Goulash is an exception. It takes a long time for the meal to cook but it's so SOOOO worth it because it tastes so dang delicious!!! In fact, Dr. Sweetpea just walked past and asked me to make this again this week because it's that good. Definitely a keeper recipe in our household!

Hungarian Beef Goulash

(Source: Chef John)

2 1/2 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 2-inch cubes, seasoned generously with salt and pepper

2 onions, chopped

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons caraway seeds, toasted and ground (I omitted because we don’t like caraway)

2 tablespoons paprika

1 tablespoon Hungarian Hot paprika (my addition)

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

1 teaspoon dried marjoram leaves

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

4 cups chicken broth

1/4 cup tomato paste

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1/2 tsp salt, or to taste

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Season beef with salt and black pepper. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over high heat; cook and stir beef in hot oil in batches until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer to a large stockpot and reserve drippings in the skillet. Return skillet to medium heat; stir onions into the reserved drippings, drizzle olive oil over onions, season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until onion has softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer to the stockpot with beef. Combine paprika, caraway seeds, black pepper, marjoram, thyme, and cayenne pepper in the skillet and toast over medium heat until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add 1 cup chicken broth and stir; transfer to the beef and onion mixture. Stir 3 cups chicken broth into beef mixture. Add tomato paste, garlic, vinegar, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and bay leaf; place stockpot over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until a fork inserts easily into the meat, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Chicken Vesuvio

Dr. Sweetpea is a HUGE fan of Chicken Vesuvio. It's one of the dishes that he will regularly order when we're home in Chicago and eating at our favorite Italian restaurants. Most people outside Chicago have never heard of Chicken Vesuvio because it's rarely found on menus outside of the Chicago metropolitan area. Anyway, when Dr. Sweetpea said he is craving this dish, I went online to find several recipes and tweaked Giada's recipe to our liking. Needless to say, I was told that this was one of the best meals that he's had. Definitely a keeper in our household!

Chicken Vesuvio

(Source: Giada De Laurentiis) 

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 chicken thighs with skin and bones

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 pounds small red-skinned potatoes, halved

4 large garlic cloves, minced

3/4 cup dry white wine

3/4 cup chicken broth

1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried thyme

8 ounces frozen artichoke hearts (I used 8 ounces of sliced mushrooms)

1 cup frozen sweet peas (my addition)

1/4 lemon juice (my addition)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Heat the oil in large ovenproof pot over high heat. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Working in 2 batches if necessary, cook the chicken in the pot until golden brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a bowl. Carefully add the potatoes and mushroom to the same pot and cook until they are golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add the wine and stir to scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pot. Add the broth, lemon juice, oregano, and thyme. Return the chicken to the pot. Add in sweet peas and stir to combine. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover and bake in the oven until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a platter. Arrange the potatoes around chicken. Turn heat to low and place pot with sauce back on stovetop. Stir in the butter. Pour the sauce over chicken and potatoes, and serve.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Valentines Day is tomorrow, so I decided to make Red Velvet Cupcakes to share with everyone! These are my favorite cupcakes to make for Valentines Day and by far the best red velvet cupcake recipe that I've tried. These are definitely a keeper for us!

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

(Source: America's Test Kitchen)

1 1/8 cups (5 2/3 ounces) all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

Pinch salt

1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature

1 large egg

1 1/2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon natural unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tablespoon red food coloring

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup (5 1/4 ounces) sugar

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 12-cup muffin tin with paper or foil liners. 

Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together in bowl. Whisk buttermilk, egg, vinegar, and vanilla together in second bowl. Mix cocoa and food coloring into smooth paste in small bowl. 

Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with buttermilk mixture in 2 additions, scraping down bowl as needed. Beat in cocoa mixture until batter is uniform. Give batter final stir by hand. 

Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out with few crumbs attached, 15 - 20 minutes, rotating muffin tin halfway through baking. 

Let cupcakes cool in muffin tin on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove cupcakes from muffin tin and let cool completely on rack, about 1 hour. Spread or pipe frosting evenly on cupcakes. Serve. 

Cream Cheese Frosting

(Source: Food Network Magazine)

12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

2 sticks (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature

4 cups confectioners sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Beat the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl with a mixer  on a medium-high speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low; beat in half the confectioners sugar until combined. Beat in the remaining confectioners sugar, the salt and vanilla. Increase the speed to medium high and beat until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes. 

**Note: I halve the cream cheese frosting recipe for my cupcakes since the whole recipe would be too much. 

Smothered Chicken

This is another fantastic meal to make during the week when you just don't want to be spending a lot of time in the kitchen. I came across this recipe a few years ago in Southern Living it was just fabulous. Actually, the sauce was so good that Dr. Sweetpea didn't even know that one of the ingredients is condensed cream of mushroom soup. Both of us devoured our meal and this will definitely be a recipe that I make regularly when I want a quick and easy dinner for the both of us.

Snappy Smothered Chicken

(Source: Southern Living)

1 (8-oz.) package wide egg noodles

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crumbled

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

3 tablespoons butter

1 large onion, chopped

1 (16-oz.) package mushrooms, sliced

1 teaspoons jarred minced garlic

1 (10 3/4-oz.) can cream of mushroom soup

1 cup milk

1/3 cup dry white wine

1 rotisserie chicken, cut into serving pieces

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Prepare noodles according to package directions. Keep warm. Meanwhile, stir together paprika, dried thyme, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add onion and mushrooms, and sauté 8 to 10 minutes or until onion is tender. Stir in garlic and paprika mixture; sauté 2 minutes. Add soup, milk, and, if desired, wine, and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Add chicken pieces; spoon sauce over top of chicken. Reduce heat to low, and cook, covered, 10 to 15 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly heated. Stir in 1 Tbsp. parsley. Serve over hot cooked noodles. Sprinkle with remaining parsley.

Cinnamon Raisin Oatmeal Scones

Dr. Sweetpea and I absolutely love scones, especially if they are light, tender, and not dry. Additionally, we love oatmeal and go through a large container of it on a weekly basis. I wanted to make scones that have oatmeal as ingredient but wouldn't be dense either. After looking at several recipes online, I decided to make the recipe from Cooks Illustrated because their recipes have never failed me. The oatmeal scones were SUPER easy to make on a Saturday morning and they were absolutely delicious. These Cinnamon Raisin Oatmeal Scones hit the spot and will be made regularly in our household! 

Cinnamon Raisin Oatmeal Scones

(Source: Cooks Illustrated)

1 1/2      cups rolled oats (4 1/2 ounces) or quick oats

1/4         cup whole milk

1/4         cup heavy cream

1            large egg

1 1/2      cups unbleached all-purpose flour (7 1/2 ounces)

1/4         teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/3         cup granulated sugar (2 1/4 ounces)

2            teaspoons baking powder

1/2         teaspoon table salt

10          tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1/2         cup raisins

1            tablespoon granulated sugar for sprinkling

Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 375 degrees. Spread oats evenly on baking sheet and toast in oven until fragrant and lightly browned, 7 to 9 minutes; cool on wire rack. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees. Line second baking sheet with parchment paper. When oats are cooled, measure out 2 tablespoons and set aside.

Whisk milk, cream, and egg in large measuring cup until incorporated; remove 1 tablespoon to small bowl and reserve for glazing.

Pulse flour, cinnamon, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt in food processor until combined, about four 1-second pulses. Scatter cold butter evenly over dry ingredients and pulse until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, twelve to fourteen 1-second pulses. Transfer mixture to medium bowl; stir in cooled oats and raisins. Using rubber spatula, fold in liquid ingredients until large clumps form. Mix dough by hand in bowl until dough forms cohesive mass.

Dust work surface with half of reserved oats, turn dough out onto work surface, and dust top with remaining oats. Gently pat into 7-inch circle about 1 inch thick. Using bench scraper or chef’s knife, cut dough into 8 wedges and set on parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Brush surfaces with reserved egg mixture and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake until golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes; cool scones on baking sheet on wire rack 5 minutes, then remove scones to cooling rack and cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Serve.

Homemade Vanilla Bean Salted Caramels

Dr. Sweetpea and I absolutely love gourmet caramels, but they are also super pricey! I decided to try my hand at making caramels for us at home and they were a MASSIVE hit. It's definitely time consuming to make, so I finally understand why gourmet caramels are so expensive. These caramels turned out SO GOOD that I will definitely be making regularly!

Homemade Vanilla Bean Salted Caramels

(Source: Cookies and Cups)

2 cups granulated sugar

1 cup light brown sugar

2 cups half and half (I used evaporated milk)

1 cup light corn syrup

1 cup (2 sticks) Salted Butter, cubed (I used unsalted butter)

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon of flaked sea salt (or more depending on your preference)

1 vanilla bean (my addition)

Line a 9×9 baking pan with foil and coat with nonstick spray, or butter. Set aside.

In a medium heavy saucepan combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, half and half (or evaporated milk), corn syrup, and butter over medium-low heat (I also added the seeds of one vanilla bean and the scraped pods into this mixture). Cook and stir constantly until the mixture reaches 250°F on a candy thermometer. The mixture will bubble up and get thick as it cooks, while turning an amber color. The process will take over an hour, so be prepared to stir! When the mixture started to get thick, I removed the vanilla bean pods and kept stirring.  Once it reaches 250°F remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Wait 30 minutes and sprinkle with sea salt.

Cover the pan with foil and place in refrigerator until set. Remove the candy from the pan with the foil. Gently peel the foil from the sides and bottom of the caramel. Allow the candy to come to almost room temperature before cutting into pieces. Wrap each candy with a small piece of wax paper.

Sassy Chicken

Who doesn't love an easy weeknight meal? Especially since I'm working full-time and don't want to cook a meal that's going to take a long time to make after work. That's when grilled chicken recipes are my go-to when it's warm enough to grill outside. This Sassy Chicken marinade is the newest one that I tried and it turned out fabulous. I marinated the chicken overnight and grilled it as soon as I got home in the evening. The chicken was super flavorful and perfect when served with some pita and a delicious salad on the side. As soon as Dr. Sweetpea walked through the front door, his first question was, "What smells so good?". We both devoured our meal and this will definitely be in our regular meal rotation. No pictures this time because we ate the chicken quickly because we were starving!

Sassy Chicken

(Source: Tupelo Honey Cafe)

1/3 cup peeled garlic cloves

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons sweet paprika

1 1/2 tablespoons lemon pepper (I use the no-salt added Mrs. Dash brand)

6 (4- to 6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Heat the grill to medium-high heat. Place the garlic in a food processor, cover, and process until finely minced. Add the olive oil, paprika, and lemon pepper and process until smooth. Place the chicken thighs in a large bowl and pour the olive oil mixture over them, turning the thighs to coat well with the sauce. Marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Drain the chicken thighs, discarding the marinade. Place the chicken on the grill rack, cover with the grill lid, and cook until the meat is no longer pink, 4 to 5 minutes per side.

French Onion Soup

It's been chilly for the last few days in Houston and since we had some on onions laying around, I decided to make French Onion Soup for us for our dinner. It's simple and perfect on a chilly night. The one downside to making this soup at home is that it stinks up your kitchen with a very pungent smell of onion cooking. Don't get me wrong, I love the smell of a SMALL amount of onion cooking, but definitely not 3 pounds of onions. I sucked it up though and in the end we had a delicious soup that both of us devoured. Dr. Sweetpea loved this soup and it's a keeper in our household!

French Onion Soup

(Source: Epicurious)

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

3 pounds Vidalia onions (about 4 medium), halved lengthwise, peeled, and thinly sliced

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups dry white wine

6 cups homemade beef broth or store-bought low-sodium beef broth

10 sprigs thyme

2 bay leaves

1 baguette

1 garlic clove, cut in half lengthwise

2 teaspoons sherry, preferably Fino or Manzanilla (I omitted)

4 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated (about 1 cup)

In a large Dutch oven or other large pot, melt 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the oil and onions; cook onions are until softened, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Add the salt, pepper, and sugar; continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are deep golden brown and caramelized, reducing heat slightly if onions seem to be browning too quickly, 35 to 45 minutes more.

Add wine and raise heat to high. Cook until almost all liquid has evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes.

Tie thyme and bay leaves into a bundle with twine. Add broth and herb bundle to pot with onions. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook, uncovered, until broth is thickened and flavorful, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Heat the broiler. Cut two 1/2-inch baguette slices for every serving of soup. Place baguette slices on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in oven until crisp and dry but not browned, about 1 minute per side. Rub one side of each toast with the garlic clove and set aside.

Place ramekins or ovensafe bowls on a rimmed baking sheet, add 1/2 teaspoon of sherry to the bottom of each, and ladle soup on top. Top each serving of soup with two garlic-rubbed toasts. Divide cheese among the servings, covering the bread and some of the soup. Carefully transfer baking sheet to oven and broil until cheese is melted and bubbling, 4 to 8 minutes. (Alternatively, if using regular soup bowls: Top each garlic-rubbed toast with some cheese and return to broiler to melt, about 2 minutes more. Divide sherry and soup among bowls, sprinkle with remaining cheese, and top each serving with two cheese toasts.)

Madeleines

I recently went to a high end bakery where they had the most fabulous madelines on display. They were pricey so I decided to try my hand at making them from home again. I searched for recipes online and came across a recipe from Daniel Boulud, a French chef, that owns several restaurants in the United States. The recipe was SUPER easy to follow and the end result was probably the best madelines that I've had at home. Dr. Sweetpea raved about how good these little treats were and they were perfect with our morning coffee.

Madelines

(Source: Daniel Boulud)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

2 large eggs

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon light brown sugar

1 tablespoon honey

2 teaspoons finely grated lemon or orange zest

6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, melted, warm

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

Powdered sugar

Whisk baking powder, salt, and flour in a small bowl. Whisk eggs, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, honey, and lemon zest in a medium bowl until smooth. Whisk in dry ingredients until just incorporated, then whisk in melted butter until smooth. Transfer batter to a pastry bag or resealable plastic bag and chill at least 1 hour. Preheat oven to 400°. Lightly coat madeleine pans with nonstick vegetable oil spray and dust with flour, tapping out excess. Snip end off pastry bag (or 1 corner of resealable bag) and pipe batter into each mold, filling two-thirds full (you may have a little batter left over). Bake madeleines until edges are golden brown and centers are puffed and lightly spring back when gently pressed, about 5 minutes for mini and 8−10 minutes for regular cakes. Tap pan against counter to release madeleines. Dust with powdered sugar and serve warm.

Chicken Cacciatore

Dr. Sweetpea loves Italian food. We went to several Italian restaurants when we were in NYC visiting my brother because Dr. Sweetpea wanted to eat the best Italian food. Anyway, I had a big pack of chicken thighs in our fridge that needed to be used and I had several cans of canned tomatoes products in our pantry, so I decided to whip up a delicious Chicken Cacciatore dish for our dinner. Plus, it's a super easy weeknight meal since I don't have to stand over the stove while it cooks. This was a huge hit with Dr. Sweetpea and I didn't even have time to take a decent photo because we ate all of it in no time flat.

Chicken Cacciatore

(Source: www.prouditaliancook.com)

1 whole chicken, bone-in,skin on and each breast cut in half for smaller pieces***

1 (8oz package) mixed mushrooms, like crimini and shiitake

1 onion, diced medium

1 small yellow and red pepper, diced medium

2 small carrots, peeled and sliced

5 garlic cloves, shaved

pitted kalamata olives, a large handful

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup white wine

1 (14 oz) can crushed tomatoes

1 (14 oz) can of tiny whole tomatoes or if not available just whole tomatoes.

Assorted herbs, parsley, basil, oregano and thyme

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Season chicken with salt, pepper and sprinkled oregano. Heat a heavy cast iron skillet, drizzled with olive oil. Place chicken skin side down and do not move it until it reaches a deep golden brown and it's easy to turn, brown other side for a few minutes. Remove chicken and set aside. Add vegetables, garlic, salt and pepper to taste, a few twigs of thyme, sauté for 5 minutes. Add wine and let it reduce. Add chicken broth and tomatoes. Toss in 1 teaspoon of salt, pepper and chopped fresh basil. Place the chicken back into the pan and sink into the juices. Simmer on low, stove top, for a couple of hours or until chicken falls off the bone. Uncovered. Garnish with fresh parsley. Serve with cooked pasta, polenta or warm crusty bread.

***Note: I used six chicken thighs that have the bone in them. I also removed the chicken skin before browning the chicken. 

Polish Pierogi

Dr. Sweetpea is half Greek and half Polish. Thus, we absolutely loves Pierogi since he grew up eating them. I've tried making them for him in the past but wasn't successful until recently. I used Martha Stewart's recipe for the dough and it's the best that I've tried. I don't think I'll ever use another dough recipe ever again and it's so foolproof too! Once the dough was made, I rolled it out, cut circles, filled them with mashed potatoes and boiled them. They turned out perfect and Dr. Sweetpea RAVED saying they taste exactly like what he ate growing up.

Pierogi Dough

(Source: Martha Stewart)

1 large egg

2 tablespoons sour cream

1 cup milk

1 cup water

4 1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

In a medium bowl, whisk egg. Add sour cream, and whisk until smooth. Add milk and 1 cup water, and whisk until combined. Slowly add about 3 cups flour, and stir with a wooden spoon to combine.

Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface and work in about 1 cup flour as you knead. Use a plastic scraper to lift dough as it will stick to the counter before flour is worked in. Continue kneading for 8 to 10 minutes, working in another 1/2 cup flour. The dough should be elastic in texture and no longer sticky. Be careful not to add too much flour, as this will toughen dough. Place dough in a lightly floured bowl and cover with plastic wrap and let rest while you prepare filling.

NOTE: I halved the dough since I didn’t want to make a huge batch of pierogies. Since it’s hard to halve an egg, I just used one egg in my dough and added some extra flour. 

French Quarter Beignet

I've never been to New Orleans, in fact, I've never tried a Beignet in my life until I made them from scratch over the weekend. I decided to make Beignets from scratch over the weekend because Dr. Sweetpea and I are doing a road trip to New Orleans in the spring. These were super easy to make and they turned out wonderful. Dr. Sweetpea took one bite and said these remind him of the ones he ate at New Orleans several years ago.

French Quarter Beignets

(Source: Paula Deen)

1 1/2 cups lukewarm water

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 envelope active dry yeast

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

1 cup evaporated milk

7 cups bread flour (Next time I'm going to use all purpose flour)

1/4 cup shortening

Nonstick spray

Oil, for deep-frying

3 cups confectioners' sugar

Mix water, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl and let sit for 10 minutes. In another bowl, beat the eggs, salt and evaporated milk together. Mix egg mixture to the yeast mixture. In a separate bowl, measure out the bread flour. Add 3 cups of the flour to the yeast mixture and stir to combine. Add the shortening and continue to stir while adding the remaining flour. Remove dough from the bowl, place onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Spray a large bowl with nonstick spray. Put dough into the bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a towel. Let rise in a warm place for at least 2 hours. Preheat oil in a deep-fryer to 350 degrees F. Add the confectioners' sugar to a paper or plastic bag and set aside. Roll the dough out to about 1/4-inch thickness and cut into 1-inch squares. Deep-fry, flipping constantly, until they become a golden color. After beignets are fried, drain them for a few seconds on paper towels, and then toss them into the bag of confectioners' sugar. Hold bag closed and shake to coat evenly.

Dr. Sweetpea's Grab and Go Breakfasts

Dr. Sweetpea rarely has time to eat breakfast at home before heading to work. He also rarely has time to eat lunch at work. He's always ALWAYS ravenous by the time he comes home for dinner because he hasn't eaten anything all day. So because of this, I've been making him overnight oats and yogurt parfaits to grab in the morning as he heads to work. They are nutritious and keep him full when he has time to eat them quickly. These are a HUGE hit with Dr. Sweetpea and loves eating these whenever I make them for him.

Yogurt Parfaits

Yogurt

Fresh Fruit

Nuts

Granola 

I just layer everything in a 2 cup twist top Ziplock container. 

Overnight Oats

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup almond milk or 2% milk 

Agave Syrup

2 heaping tablespoons of yogurt

1 tablespoon chia seeds

Berries/fruit

Vanilla extract

Mix oats, almond milk, splash of agave syrup, yogurt, splash vanilla extract, and chia seeds together. Pour into a 2 cup plastic container. Top with desired fruit and nuts. Refrigerate overnight. 

Chocolate Banana Crumb Cake

We had some bananas that were all brown and speckled, which are just PERFECT for banana bread or in today's case, Chocolate Banana Crumb Cake. If you've been following me this whole time, then you'll know that I absolutely love Ina Garten recipes. She is my idol and I hope to meet her one day so she can sign cookbooks for me. Anyway, when I saw her recipe for the Chocolate Banana Crumb Cake, I knew I'd use the brown bananas to make the delicious cake to go along with our morning coffee. The recipe did not disappoint and it will be something I make regularly for us. Dr. Sweetpea kept telling me how tasty the cake was while he was eating it!

Chocolate Banana Crumb Cake

(Source: Ina Garten)

1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 extra-large egg, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (3 to 4 very ripe bananas) (see Recipe Notes)

1/4 cup sour cream

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

For the streusel topping:

3/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

3 tablespoons sliced blanched almonds

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour an 8x8x2-inch square baking pan.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together on high speed for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula. With the mixer on low, beat in the egg, vanilla, banana, and sour cream and mix until combined. Don’t worry—it may look curdled. In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ones. Scrape into the prepared pan and smooth the top.

For the streusel, combine the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and butter in a medium bowl and pinch the ingredients together with your fingers until the mixture makes crumbles. Add the chocolate and combine.

Distribute the streusel evenly over the batter, sprinkle the almonds on top, and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan and serve warm or at room temperature.

Chicken Marbella

Okay, if you want to make a dish that will impress everyone, this is it! I cannot believe I waited so long to make this. Don't be put off by the ingredient list because I promise it's worth it! It's savory, sweet, tangy, and just so addictive. Dr. Sweetpea devoured his meal and I know I will be making this when we have guests over for dinner. Definitely a keeper! 

Chicken Marbella

(Source: Ina Garten)

1/2 cup good olive oil

1/2 cup good red wine vinegar

1 1/2 cups large pitted prunes, such as Sunsweet

1 cup large green olives, pitted, such as Cerignola

1/2 cup capers, including the juices (3 1/2 ounces)

6 bay leaves

1 1/2 heads of garlic, cloves separated, peeled, and minced

1/4 cup dried oregano

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 (4-pound) chickens, backs removed and cut in 8 pieces (I used chicken thighs and took the skin off)

1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed (I used 1/4 cup of brown sugar)

1 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio

Combine the olive oil, vinegar, prunes, olives, capers, bay leaves, garlic, oregano, 2 tablespoons salt, and 2 teaspoons pepper in a large bowl. Add the chicken to the marinade. (You can also place the chicken and marinade in a 2-gallon plastic storage bag and squeeze out the air to make sure the chicken is fully covered with the marinade.) Refrigerate overnight, turning occasionally to be sure the marinade is getting into all of the chicken pieces.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Place the chicken, skin side up, along with the marinade in one layer in a large (15 × 18-inch) roasting pan, sprinkle with the brown sugar, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper, and pour the wine around (not over!) the chicken. Roast for 45 to 55 minutes, until the internal temperature of the chicken is 145 degrees. Remove the pan from the oven, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Discard the bay leaves. Transfer the chicken, prunes, and olives to a serving platter, sprinkle with salt, and serve hot with the pan juices.