Peanut Butter Molten Lava Cakes

 

  Instead of going for the rich, deep, dark chocolate something for Valentine's Day, how about going for something peanut butter? Some may argue that peanut butter is just as decadent and rich, and is just as perfect to end your delicious sweetheart dinner. Frankly, I love both, so I would have difficulty choosing a favorite! Yes, a regular Chocolate Molten Lava Cake is sheer heaven when you want to celebrate a special evening, but when it's PEANUT BUTTER, then we've reached a whole new level of fabulous. Just the "unexpected and new" factor will make it a hit and seal the deal! So if you worship in the house of peanut butter, you should definitely give this one a try. Drizzle with a little chocolate ganache, and I PROMISE you'll be a hit.
  My niece, Kristin, (whose motto is "the peanut butterier, the better"), found this recipe for me on a blog called bakingamoment.com. Most times, after I make a dessert, I don't come back to the recipe because I'm always looking for new dessert ideas to try. For this one, though, I think I'm gonna have to make an exception. This is seriously one of the easiest, most delicious recipes I've ever made. I can see myself coming back to it again and again. If you like peanut butter, then I PROMISE you will too. It's just that good! Thanx Kristin!


1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 large eggs
1 egg yolk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
optional: chocolate ganache and additional powdered sugar, for garnish

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease (2) 6-ounce ramekins with non-stick spray.
Place peanut butter and melted butter in a bowl and stir together until smooth. Mix in the powdered sugar. Add the eggs, yolk, and vanilla, mixing to incorporate. Sprinkle in the flour and salt and stir until smooth. Divide the batter equally between the prepared ramekins. Bake for 16 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes and then run the blade of a thin knife around the edge of each ramekin to loosen. Invert the lava cakes onto small serving plates. Drizzle with chocolate ganache and sprinkle with powdered sugar (if using), and serve.

For the ganache, use an equal portion of heavy cream and chocolate chips. Heat the cream in the microwave, and then pour it over the chips. Let it stand for a minute or two, then stir until smooth. That's all there is to it! Use any kind of chips you like!

Tips:
-The recipe says to bake the cakes for 16 minutes, but bake yours until you reach your desired level of gooeyness. I like a VERY gooey lava cake, with the lava slowly oozing out when you cut into it. If you bake it a little longer it will tighten up a bit and you'll have a fabulous, deliciously moist cake in the center.
-I added an extra little pinch of salt, just because I always like the peanut butter to be a little salty. Just sayin!
-This is perfect for date night because the recipe makes just two cakes, but they're really quite rich. There's absolutely nothing wrong with sharing one for dessert and then sharing another later!
-The original recipe paired the cakes with grape jam instead of chocolate ganache for a peanut butter and jelly vibe. To do this, just loosen up a few tablespoon of grape jam with a little water, (a few drops at a time), then pour a little into center of the serving plate. Invert the lava cake on top and serve.
-If you don't have ramekins, use oven proof mugs or tea cups!

Red Velvet Pancakes with Cream Cheese Glaze

 Whenever I'm choosing recipes for Valentine's Day, I usually go for the decadent rich chocolate desserts. You have your Chocolate Molten Lava Cakes, or your Browning Pudding, for example. You could also choose something heart-shaped such as Palmiers or Coeur a la Creme. They're all quite delicious and the perfect ending to your romantic dinner.
 But what would you make if you're cooking breakfast in bed for special sweetheart? How about pancakes?? But not just any pancakes, RED VELVET pancakes! Now you've taken an ordinary breakfast and turned it into something special! Lightly chocolatey, richly red, and oozing with cream cheese glaze. It definitely says "I Love You." Dontcha think?
 Now, there are some red velvet pancake recipes that just use cake batter, cooked in a skillet. I'm sure that's delicious and all well and good, but I'm not looking for DESSERT. I don't want a CAKE, I want pancakes! This recipe is perfect because it's definitely still a pancake, but with all the red velvety goodness you get from the red velvet cake. Oh, and the cream cheese glaze is an absolute must! Be sure to include it! So keep this recipe in mind the next time you'd like to make breakfast in bed for your sweetie. I'm sure it will be greatly appreciated!

2 cups All-Purpose Flour
1/2 cup Cocoa Powder
1 cup Powdered Sugar
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 1/2 cups Buttermilk
2 Eggs
1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
3  tbsp Red Food Coloring

Sift together the first six ingredients.  In separate bowl, mix together the remaining ingredients. Stir wet ingredients into the dry. Do not over-mix!
 Heat a large skillet (nonstick or cast-iron) or griddle over medium heat. Spray with a little cooking spray. For each pancake, spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of batter onto skillet, using the back of the spoon to spread batter into a round (you should be able to fit 3 or 4 in a large skillet). Cook until surface of pancakes have some bubbles and a few have burst, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip carefully with a thin spatula, and cook until browned on the underside, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer to a baking sheet or platter; cover loosely with aluminum foil, and keep warm in oven. Continue with more cooking spray and remaining batter.  Serve warm, drizzles with cream cheese glaze.

Cream Cheese Glaze

4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature 

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted  

Pinch of salt 

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice  

3 tablespoons milk, plus more if needed 

 

 In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add sugar and beat until combined, about 1 minute. Add salt, lemon juice, and milk; mix on low speed until smooth. If glaze is too thick to drizzle, add more milk, 1 tablespoon at a time.

 

 

Tips:

If you're not a fan of cream cheese (which just makes no sense to me, btw), feel free to serve the pancakes with butter and maple or other flavored syrup, just as you would with regular pancakes.

Joey's Sausage and Escarole Soup

 So, a couple weeks ago, I was texting with my friend, Sparky. It was the usual "how are you, what are you up to" sort of a conversation and then I said that I was planning on making soup. Whenever it snows or when it gets bitterly cold outside, I always want to put on a big pot of soup. It's how I was raised, it's just what you do! Anyway, I had planned on making another pot of my latest favorite, Sausage and Spinach Soup, but then Sparky mentioned that his favorite is Escarole Soup. I thought oooo now THAT sounds like a good idea.... Maybe I'll do escarole instead of spinach. So I tweaked the recipe a little and came up with something new!
 OMG it turned out so good, I've already purchased the ingredients to make it again! It's SO delicious! I made little tiny meatballs with the sausage, added some aromatics, some broth and a couple heads of escarole, and that was it! Nailed it on the first try! The sausage flavors the whole pot of soup, and I love how the escarole leaves don't just cook down to nothing. They stay just as hearty as the meatballs. It turned out to be just the thing on a cold wintry night!
 So, give this one a try. It's easy to make, feeds a crowd, and will warm you up on the coldest days.
 Thanx again, Sparky, for the idea! I promise I'll make it for you sometime!


2-3 pounds mild Italian sausage
1 medium onion
3 or 4 ribs of celery
3 cloves garlic
2 heads of escarole
2 large (46oz) cans of chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese, (optional)


 Remove sausage from casings. Form sausage into tiny meatballs. Place the meatballs on a baking sheet, and bake in a 350F oven for about 15 minutes or until cooked through. While the sausage is baking, roughly chop the onions and celery. Add it to a big soup pot with a little oil over medium heat. Saute until they begin to soften, and then add the minced garlic. Saute a few minutes longer. While the veggies are cooking, cut off the core of the escarole heads and wash the leaves thoroughly of any sand or grit. (see washing tips following the recipe!) Roughly chop them and then add them to the pot along with the chicken broth and the cooked meatballs. You can drain the meatballs of any extra fat, or you may choose to add a little of it to the soup for a little extra flavor and richness. Add salt and pepper. Let it simmer for about 20-30 minutes. Adjust seasoning, if needed. That's all there is to it! Serve with a sprinkling of grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Tips:
 To wash the escarole leaves, fill a big bowl or pot with cold water. Place the leaves in the water and swish them around until they are clean. Ok, now here's the important part: Do NOT dump them into a colander the way you would drain a pot of cooked pasta. If you do that, you'll be dumping all the sand and grit right back on top of your clean escarole leaves. Instead, swish them around and let the sand fall to the bottom of the bowl. Then scoop the clean leaves out of the water with your hands or a slotted spoon, leaving all the dirt at the bottom of the bowl. Smart, huh?
 When you make the meatballs, make sure you don't make them too big. You want to make them small enough to be able to eat a whole meatball in one bite, about the size of a large marble. I chose to bake them on a sheet because I didn't want to stand there frying tiny meatballs all day. This seemed like a faster way to accomplish the task. I wouldn't throw the raw sausage balls into the soup. Yes, they would cook in the broth, but that might make the soup too greasy.
 The amounts of the ingredients are just guidelines. If you like a lot of something, add a lot!
 If you want a little heat, try using hot Italian sausage instead of the mild, or use a combination of the two. You could also add a few shakes of crushed red pepper flakes for just a little spicy poke.
 For a little variation, and to feed and even bigger crowd, add a can of cannellini beans. Just rinse them, drain them, and add them to the pot with the escarole and sausage. Easy!

Hot Bacon Cheese Spread

 Are you planning a party? Need some menu ideas? Here's a dip that I made a while back for a small group of friends, affectionately known as the LOBLs, (which stands for Living Our Best Life). Basically we just get together, have some great food, catch up with each other, and spend the entire night laughing. It's clearly a great way to live your best life. I highly recommend it!
 This recipe is perfect because you can make it ahead and it's ALWAYS a big hit. Frankly, I love anything with bacon and cheese, so I knew this one was gonna be a keeper even before I tasted it.
It's from Taste of Home, and it's the perfect party food, whether it's for the big Super Bowl Party, a Birthday Bash, or just simply a group of friends Living Our Best Life.
 DEFINITELY give this one a try!

2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup chopped onion
5 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1 garlic clove, minced
1 unsliced round loaf (1 pound) Italian bread

Heat oven to 350°F.
Cut top fourth off loaf of bread; carefully hollow out bottom, leaving a 1-inch shell. Cube removed bread and set aside. Combine the remaining ingredients; spoon into bread bowl. Replace top. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour or until heated through. Serve with reserved bread cubes.

Tips:
To make it ahead, simply mix up the ingredients and then store it in the fridge until the day of the party. I wouldn't put it in the bread bowl until you're ready to bake it.
 If you'd rather not do the bread bowl, no problem! Just mix everything together and bake it in a casserole dish. Serve with pita or tortilla chips, or cut up a few fresh bakery torpedo rolls,  or even break up a few soft pretzels for dipping. Sheer HEAVEN!
BTW, I doubled the whole recipe because more is more!
Enjoy this recipe with a light-bodied white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio.

Low Carb Brownie Cheesecake

 Ok, so, it's the new year, you're trying desperately to stick to your New Year's resolution to lose weight, but you're struggling. Am I right? The problem with "dieting" is that you always feel deprived. You automatically think to yourself "I can't have that, I'm on a diet." You've also programmed your mind to think that a "diet" version of something is not going to be as good as the real thing. Am I right? WRONG!
 True story: I made this cake for a birthday party, and was greeted at the door by someone who said something along the lines of "Here, let me take that from you!", as if to say "This looks so good, I'm going to eat the WHOLE thing!" And then I said "well, actually, it's low carb", (basically saying I'm going to save this for the guest of honor who is on a low carb diet) and my greeter crinkled her nose and said "Ew, I don't do low carb".  I wanted to say "Wait, are you kidding me?? A minute ago, you wanted to eat the whole thing!" The point is there are LOTS of "diet" recipes that taste as good as the real thing! And frankly, if I hadn't said "this is low carb", no one would have ever known. That's the beauty of a good low carb recipe. So basically the best diet is the one where you don't feel like you're on a diet. No more feeling deprived, and no more "diet" versions of things that don't taste good. Of course, you may have to use a few ingredients that are different from the ones you'd usually use, but isn't that the point? Like I always say, if you go back to eating what you did before, you'll go back to weighing what you did before. Trust me when I tell you you'll forget all about that when you're sporting your new slimmer body this summer!
Oh, and speaking of different ingredients....
 This recipe uses a sugar substitute called erythritol which is becoming increasingly popular. It can be purchased in certain health food stores, or at Whole Foods markets, or simply by ordering it online. Yes, it's expensive, but I think it's worth it, and like I said, you won't care about that when you hit your weight loss goal. I like it because I think it tastes better than some sugar substitutes, (no aftertaste) and it doesn't cause any side effects as some sugar alcohols do, if you know what I mean. It's also gluten free, doesn't promote tooth decay, and doesn't cause any blood sugar spikes so it appears to be a good sugar alternative for anyone who is diabetic. The brand name is called Swerve, and I'm definitely a fan. No, I am not being compensated to say this. I'm just telling you that I tried it and liked it. I'm can't say that I will use it in EVERYTHING, but when I'm craving something sweet like a rich and delicious chocolate dessert, I'll definitely be coming back to this recipe again and again. I found it on a blog called All Day I Dream About Food.
It is DEFINITELY a keeper!


Brownie Base:
½ cup butter
2 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
½ cup almond flour
¼ cup cocoa powder
pinch salt
2 large eggs
¾ cup Swerve Sweetener or granulated erythritol
¼ tsp vanilla
¼ cup walnuts or pecans, chopped

Cheesecake Filling:
1 lb cream cheese, softened
2 large eggs
½ cup Swerve Sweetener or granulated erythritol
¼ cup heavy cream
½ tsp vanilla extract


 For the brownie base, preheat oven to 325F and butter a 9-inch springform pan. Wrap bottom of pan in foil. In a microwave safe bowl or glass measuring cup, melt butter and chocolate together in the microwave in 30 second increments. Whisk until smooth. Alternatively, you can melt them together over low heat in a small saucepan. In a small bowl, whisk together almond flour, cocoa powder and salt. In a large bowl, beat eggs, Swerve and vanilla until smooth. Beat in almond flour mixture, then butter/chocolate mixture until smooth. Stir in nuts. Spread evenly over bottom of prepared pan. Bake 15 to 20 minutes until set around edges but still soft in the center. Let cool 15 to 20 minutes. For the filling, reduce oven temperature to 300F. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Beat in eggs, Swerve, cream and vanilla until well combined. Pour filling over crust and place cheesecake on a large cookie sheet. Bake until edges are set and center just barely jiggles, 35 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Run a knife around edges to loosen and then remove sides of pan. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 3 hours. Serve with sugar-free chocolate sauce or ganache.

Serves 10. Each serving has 6.2 g of carbs and 2.1 g of fiber. Total NET CARBS = 4.1 g.

Tips:
I opted not to add the chopped nuts, but if that's your thing, go for it.
I noticed that the Swerve sweetener didn't really dissolve completely into the brownie layer of the cake, and retained a sort of granulated sugar texture. Not that it was a bad thing, just that it was noticeable. It did, however, completely dissolve into the perfectly dreamy creamy cheesecake layer, which I wanted to dive into, face first. OMG so good.

Red Wine-Braised Beef Short Ribs

 When the weather gets really cold, the first thing I want to cook is something warm and cozy, something that cooks for several hours in the oven, and makes the whole house smell good. Whether it's a beef stew or a roast, it always brings back childhood memories of my mom cooking for my family.
 This is a dish that falls into that category. It's delicious and comforting and always hits the spot. It's also perfect for an intimate and elegant dinner, served with a nice glass of wine and some warm freshly baked bread. It looks and sounds impressive, but no one has to know how easy it is to make! TBH, I'm not even sure where I got this recipe. It's very similar to the way I do a Classic Beef Pot Roast, and it always comes out perfectly. I PROMISE you will love this. It's just absolutely one of my favorite dishes of all time.
Enjoy!


4-5 pounds bone-in beef short ribs, cut crosswise into 2-3" pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 medium onions, chopped
3 medium carrots, peeled, chopped 
2 ribs celery, chopped 
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 
1 tablespoon tomato paste 
1 750-ml bottle dry red wine, such as Cabernet Savignon
10 sprigs flat-leaf parsley 
8 sprigs thyme 
4 sprigs oregano 
2 sprigs rosemary 
2 fresh or dried bay leaves 
1 head of garlic, halved crosswise 
4 cups low-salt beef stock 


 Preheat oven to 350°.
Season short ribs with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in 2 batches, brown short ribs on all sides, about 8 minutes per batch. Transfer short ribs to a plate. Pour off all but 3 tbs drippings from pot.
Add onions, carrots, and celery to pot and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until onions are browned, about 5 minutes. Add flour and tomato paste; cook, stirring constantly, until well combined and deep red, 2-3 minutes. Stir in wine, then add short ribs with any accumulated juices. Bring to a boil; lower heat to medium and simmer until wine is reduced by half, about 25 minutes. Add all herbs to pot along with garlic. Stir in stock. Bring to a boil, cover, and transfer to oven. Cook until short ribs are tender, 2–2 1/2 hours. Transfer short ribs to a platter. Strain sauce from pot into a measuring cup. Spoon fat from surface of sauce and discard; season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Serve in shallow bowls over mashed potatoes with sauce spooned over.

Tips:
-Always choose a wine that you would like to drink, and never use anything called "cooking wine."
-If you don't have fresh herbs, go ahead and use dried ones, but fresh herbs are just SO much better in this instance.
-Many recipes of this type only use the aromatics to flavor the sauce but then discard them afterwards. I think that is just wasteful. So I still strain the sauce, but then I save the aromatics and serve the vegetables along with the rest of the dish. I always peel and chop the garlic cloves and I also tie the sprigs of herbs into a bundle for easy removal. (neither of which is required if you are choosing to strain and discard the aromatics.)

 

Joey's Easy Sausage and Spinach Soup

 I was recently foraging through the fridge, looking for something I might throw into a pot of soup. I started with a few aromatics, then added a few main ingredients and some broth, then a few herbs and seasonings, and before I knew it I had a fabulous pot of delicious and hearty soup, simmering away on the stove. Then I thought, "wait, what did I just do????  I need to write this down!!!!" You'd think I'd know by now to write it down as I go, right?
 Now I don't even have to write it down. I've made it so many times, I know it by heart. It's been my go to recipe for several reasons. Besides being delicious and satisfying, it doesn't cost much to make, it goes really far, and on top of that it's very low in carbs, which is how I'm rolling these days. I sort of used my Feel Better All Over Tomato Soup as a starting point, and went from there. I served it to a few friends not too long ago.... Nathan and Wyatt, in particular, were immediate fans. My brother Chris loved it too! So make this the next time it snows, or if someone close to you is feeling a little under the weather. I betcha it'll warm you right up and make them feel better in no time.
Hope you like it!


a few glugs of olive oil
3 or 4 ribs of celery, roughly chopped
1 large onion, roughly chopped
3 large cloves garlic, minced
2 lbs Italian Sweet sausage, removed from casings
1 tsp ground fennel seed
1 tsp dried thyme or a few sprigs of fresh thyme
1 29oz can crushed tomatoes
1 48oz can chicken broth
1 10oz package frozen chopped spinach
Salt and pepper to taste


In a large heavy pot or Dutch oven, over medium heat, saute the celery and onions in olive oil until they begin to soften. Add garlic. Saute for a few minutes longer. After removing the sausage from the casings, add it to the pot by breaking off small chunks and throwing them into the pot. Cook, stirring often, until the sausage is brown. Add the remaining ingredients. Give it a good stir. Reduce heat. Simmer, partially covered for at least 30 minutes. I like to go a little longer, even an hour or more. Serve with a sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.


Tips:
You can use bulk sausage instead of removing it from the casings, but I tried it both ways, and the bulk sausage wound up breaking down into much smaller pieces. I wanted it to be much chunkier, so I've decided that removing it from the casings was a better way to that end.
You don't even have to defrost the box of spinach. Just take it out of the box, and throw the frozen brick right into the pot. It will melt soon enough.
To grind up the fennel seeds, I used a mortar and pestle, but a spice grinder works equally as well.
If you'd like to toast your fennel seeds before adding to the soup, just throw them into a small dry pan over medium heat and toast them for a few minutes. As soon as you can smell them, they're done and ready to be ground. Easy!
If you don't have any fennel seeds, you can also use caraway seeds, star Anise, or even use a little splash of Anisette liqueur. Or just leave it out! The fennel in the sausage will still flavor the soup!
Come to think of it, you could even chop up a fresh fennel bulb and saute it with the celery and onions... I bet that would do the job as well. Anything to carry over the the flavor of the fennel in the sausage will do nicely!