Rocky Road Bars

Published April 12, 2020April 12, 2020 by expepicurean

I don’t know why I didn’t try these bar cookies sooner. The recipe has been sitting in my saved recipes to try for eons and is super easy. In addition, it is truly a crowd pleaser. Perhaps I always passed it by, since it was published in a December magazine addition and it never won out against all the other “have-to-make” cookies at Christmas time. Thanks to this quarantine I don’t have all the ingredients to try a new cake, nor do I want to use too many eggs on one recipe as my stash is running low. These Rocky Road Bars came to the rescue.

Now these bars will be an anytime cookie. Take for instance, this first batch. I gave them a festive, Easter look with some leftover sprinkles, but I can see them being a staple on a camping trip or used to celebrate any other holiday with color coordinated decoration.

The recipe as it was originally found in Family Circle (did you realize that Family Circle stopped production at the end of 2019? I didn’t until I went to search for a link to the recipe) made a LARGE batch; I cut it down to a third and added extra chocolate to account for the fact that I only had plain graham crackers. My modified recipe is what is written below.

Rocky Road Bars

10 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 ounces mini marshmallows
1/3 cup dry-roasted peanuts
2 whole graham crackers, broken into bite-size pieces

Line an 8-inch square baking pan with foil and coat with cooking spray. Gently melt the chocolate, then stir in the marshmallows, peanuts, and graham cracker pieces to coat. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Place the pan in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours or unto the bars are completely cooled. Remove the foil from the pan, peel off the foil and cut into 9 bars.

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Cannoli Cheesecake

Published December 9, 2018December 9, 2018 by expepicurean

At a gathering just before Thanksgiving, we were discussing everyone’s favorite pie. My husband brought up his love of cheesecake and cannoli, rather than the typical turkey day offerings. The table threw down a challenge that I readily accepted – create a cannoli cheesecake.

While a quick search on the internet brings up a few recipes, most include cream cheese. My goal was to create a ricotta cheese only cheesecake, to keep it as close to tasting like a cannoli as possible. I decided to start with a recipe from Buddy Valastro for a traditional ricotta cheesecake. I modified the recipe to include chocolate chips and a crust made of pistachios and Biscoff cookies.

Using only ricotta results in a lighter texture, which was a nice change from a New York style cheesecake. While the cake isn’t as sweet as cannoli filling, it was still a hit!

If a large cheesecake is too much of a commitment, you can always try my Chocolate Cherry Cannoli Cups instead – either will make for happy guests.

Cannoli Cheesecake

Butter or non-stick spray for greasing pan
24 Biscoff cookies (~1.5 cups once crushed)
½ cup shelled pistachios
4 tablespoons butter, melted
3 pounds whole-milk ricotta
1 cup sugar
4 large eggs, separated
Finely grated zest of 1 large lemon
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
½ cup mini chocolate chips

Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat to 400ºF. Butter a 9-inch spring form panand place on a baking sheet.

Crush the cookies and the pistachios until fine, then mix with the melted butter. Press into the bottom of the spring form pan. Bake for 5 minutes; remove from the oven and let cool.

In a stand mixer fit with the paddle, beat the ricotta cheese, sugar, egg yolks, lemon zest, and vanilla until very smooth.

Put the egg whites in a separate mixer bowl and whip until soft peaks form. Fold the whites by thirds into the cheese mixture, then stir in the chocolate chips. Pour mixture into the pan over the crust and level it.

Put the cake in the oven and immediately lower the heat to 350ºF. Bake until the cake has risen higher on the sides than in the middle and is set but jiggling in the center, 1 hour, 10 minutes. Turn off the oven and prop the door open (using a prop such as a wine cork or large wooden clothes pin; Be careful not to let it fall into the oven). Let the cake cool completely in the oven for 1 hour, then cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 3 hours or overnight before removing the spring form sides. Slice and serve.

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Garam Masala Roasted Butternut Squash

Published January 11, 2018January 8, 2018 by expepicurean

I love butternut, but I despise peeling and chopping it. That is why I joyfully bought pre-peeled and chopped butternut squash from Costco in a handy 2 pound tub. Prep time was instantly reduced by 85% and I could focus on how I wanted to flavor my dish, rather than how to safely peel the squash. I decided on a simply roasting the squash, while adding a ton of flavor with a dose of garam masala (which is a blend of spices that is typically found in Indian cuisine).

To roast the squash, I preheated the pans to set a sear on the underside of the butternut, which is a tip from Stuart O’Keeffe (as published in Optimum Wellness Summer 2017 edition). Once the squash was in the oven, I just had to wait for 40 minutes or so for it to get tender and a nice golden brown color. In addition to the amazing carmelization of the outside, the roasting brings out the natural sweetness of the butternut squash. In fact, you would swear you are eating a sweet potato casserole without all of the added sugar.

Garam Masala Roasted Butternut Squash

2 pounds (8 cups) peeled, seeded, and chopped butternut squash
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons garam marsala
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves, chopped

Preheat oven to 425 °F. Place two roasting sheets (15 x 18) in oven to warm. In a large bowl, toss together the squash, oil, and garam marsala, stirring to coat the squash evenly. Carefully remove the roasting sheets from the oven and divide the squash between the two sheets, spreading out the squash on the sheets. Place the sheets in the oven and roast the squash for 40-45 minutes or until beginning to brown on the outside. Transfer to a bowl and stir in pine nuts and oregano. Serve.

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Loaded Peanut Butter Granola Bars

Published December 7, 2017 by expepicurean

If given a choice, my children would eat peanut butter every day for breakfast. On top of the great taste, they enjoy getting to make breakfast on their own (if you can really call smothering a piece of bread with peanut butter cooking). Needless to say, we dissuade them with other, more filling choices.

This week I wanted to make something that was just as easy to serve, yet kept them begging to eat. I made Loaded Peanut Butter Granola Bars. In addition to the peanut butter, the bars are filled with steel cut oats, puffed corn cereal, nuts, dates, and chia seeds. The kids LOVED them, and I am thrilled they get fiber, protein, and omega-3s. A family win!

Loaded Peanut Butter Granola Bars

3 cups steel cut oats
2 cups puffed corn cereal
1 cup chopped dates
1 cup pepitas
¼ cup chia seeds
¾ cup crunchy peanut butter
½ cup honey
3 tablespoons coconut oil

In a large bowl, mix together the oats, cereal, dates, pepitas, and chia seeds. In a small sauce pan, combine the peanut butter, honey, and oil. Heat over medium heat until melted. Pour over the oat mixture and stir to coat. Cover the bottom and sides of a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with foil and cover with cooking spray, then spread in the granola mixture and press firmly. Cover with a sheet of waxed paper and cover with another baking pan and weigh down. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours than cut into bars.

Note: I used the recipe for Chocolate Monkey Bars from BH&G as a starting point for the peanut butter binder and wet to dry ratio. The possibility of mix-ins are endless.

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Maple Cashews

Published November 2, 2017 by expepicurean

At family gatherings, my grandfather would always set out a bowl of cashews for a snack. My guess is that this tradition started my love of cashews, which is why I tend to be the offender who will steal them from the mixed nuts if given the chance.

I use them periodically in my cooking, such as my Cashew Chicken Stuffed Avocados and Asian Salad, but this week I wanted to make a candied cashew for snacking and to serve at this year’s holiday gatherings. I kept them simple – a mixture of maple syrup, oil, and allspice was all I needed to make a sugary glaze for the nuts.

After just 15 minutes of baking the Maple Cashews were ready for snacking. I have enjoyed this treat throughout the week and I can’t wait to share them with my family.

Maple Cashews

¼ cup pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon allspice
2 cups cashews

Heat oven to 350°F. In a small bowl, stir together the maple syrup, olive oil, and allspice. Place the cashews in a medium sized bowl, pour over the maple syrup mixture, and stir to coat. Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray, then spread the cashews over the sheet. Place in the oven for 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from the oven and cool completely; store in a cool, dry container.

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Apple Pie Ice Box Cake

Published July 22, 2017May 22, 2019 by expepicurean

For picnics or other summer gatherings, I find an ice box cake is an easy treat to make. The work is done ahead of time, and they tend to be crowd pleasers. For my latest ice box cake I wanted to make a take on an American classic – the Apple Pie.

This Apple Pie Ice Box Cake layers apple snaps or vanilla wafers with spiced vanilla pudding, and apple pie filling. The final touch is a drizzle or caramel sauce and peanuts, which adds a teaser of candy apple to the cake. It should be no surprise that my kids loved this dessert. A serving or two may have even disappeared at breakfast time!

Apple Pie Ice Box Cake

12 ounces apple snap cookies or vanilla wafer cookies

2 cups vanilla pudding

1 teaspoon apple pie spice

21 ounce can apple pie filing

¼ cup caramel sauce

¼ cup dry roasted peanuts

Line to bottom of an 8 inch x 8 inch dish with 1/3 or the cookies. Stir the apple pie spice into the vanilla pudding, and then evenly pour 1 cup of the pudding over the cookies. Next evenly pour half of the apple pie filling over the pudding. Add another layer of cookies on top and repeat the pudding and apple pie filling layers. Place a third and final layer of cookies on top, and refrigerate overnight or for at least 4 hours. Before serving, drizzle the caramel sauce on top and sprinkle with the peanuts. Cut and serve.

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Pistachio Chai Tiramisu

Published December 8, 2016December 13, 2016 by expepicurean

‘Tis the season for baking, so why not combine it with a cooking contest? This week’s recipe was inspired by the Simply Sesame Blogger Recipe Challenge hosted by Simply Sesame. Simply Sesame sent me their three different flavors of Simply Sesame spread: Pistachio-Cardamom, Vanilla-Almond, and plain. I instantly gravitated toward the subtly exotic pistachio-cardamom (though I enjoy all of the creamy flavors) to make my Pistachio Chai Tiramisu. The other great thing about these spreads is that they are gluten free and peanut free.

Tiramisu is an Italian dessert which typically consists of ladyfinger cookies soaked in a coffee-rum mixture and layered with a mascarpone cream layer then dusted with chocolate. For this recipe I decided to play on the cardamom flavor of the Simply Sesame spread and soaked the ladyfingers in a chai-brandy mixture. Next, I folded the pistachio-cardamom simply sesame spread into the mascarpone (along with a bit of powdered sugar) to create my creamy layer. Finally, the top of the tiramisu was decorated with a bit of caramel syrup and crushed pistachios. The result was a beautifully presented tiramisu unlike any you have tasted.

It received a thumbs up from my hubby who is a tiramisu aficionado. I hope you enjoy it just as much!

Looking for even more sesame spread recipe ideas? Follow Simply Sesame on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.

Pistachio Chai Tiramisu

½ cup boiling water
1 chai tea bag
8 ounces mascarpone cheese
½ cup powdered sugar
½ cup Simply Sesame Pistachio-Cardamom spread
4 tablespoons brandy, divided
16 lady finger cookies
2 tablespoons caramel syrup
2 tablespoons shelled, crushed pistachios

Place the chai tea bag in the boiling water and let steep for 3-5 minutes; set aside. While the tea is steeping, prepare the cream filling. Add the mascarpone cheese to a standing mixer bowl along with the powdered sugar. On low speed, stir until combined. Add the Simply Sesame Pistachio-cardamom spread to the mixing bowl and mix on low speed until combined. Finally, stir in 2 tablespoons of the brandy until well mixed and set aside.

Remove the tea bag from the water and place the tea in a shallow bowl along with the remaining 2 tablespoons of brandy and stir to combine. Dunk the ladyfingers in the chai tea mixture one at a time, 2-3 seconds per side and place in the bottom of an 8 x 8 dish or trifle dish (you should only need half of the cookies to cover the bottom of the dish). Spread half of the mascarpone mixture over the ladyfingers, then add another layer of the soaked ladyfingers on top. Spread the remaining mascarpone mixture over the top to coat the cookies (you should have two layers of cookies and two mascarpone layers). Refrigerate until ready to serve, at least 2 hours. Just before serving, drizzle the top of the tiramisu with the caramel syrup and then evenly cover the top with the crushed pistachios. Cut and serve the pistachio chai tiramisu.

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Fusilli Primavera with Broccoli Pesto

Published June 16, 2016June 16, 2016 by expepicurean

In April I wrote about coming up with creative ways to eat broccoli, setting a goal of discussing seven different recipes. Today I want to discuss four more ideas to bring the tally to seven.

First up is my most creative twist – Fusilli Primavera with Broccoli Pesto. I subbed in steamed broccoli for basil to create a unique and tasty pesto. It worked great as the sauce for a primavera style pasta that was stocked full of baby tomatoes and summer squash.

The next kitchen experiment used a grocery store find I have been waiting to try – sriracha powder. Blanched broccoli and honey roasted peanuts get a kick from a light sriracha mayonnaise dressing.

Third up is flash fried broccoli. I used my recipe for flash fried Brussels sprouts, though you only need to fry the broccoli for 2-3 minutes to get a crisp exterior. This was just as much of a hit with my husband as the fried Brussels sprouts.

As the seventh and final way to eat broccoli in a week I’d be remise if I didn’t go with the classic crudité plate. My dipping sauce these days for fresh broccoli is a poblano ranch dressing.

Phew! Seven different ways to eat broccoli in a week. Now you are either sick of broccoli or an addict.

Fusilli Primavera with Broccoli Pesto

¾ lb fusilli
½ lb fresh broccoli
½ cup pine nuts
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup grated pecorino-romano cheese
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 cup chopped baby tomatoes
1 yellow squash, chopped

Cook fusilli according to package directions. Meanwhile, steam the broccoli for 5 minutes. Add the steamed broccoli to a food processor and process until finely chopped. Add the pine nuts and process until mixed, then with the food processor running, pour in the oil. Scrap down the sides of the food processor if necessary, and blend until smooth. Remove the bowl from the food processor and stir in the pecorino, salt, and pepper. One the pasta is done, drain and place in a large bowl. Pour the pesto over the pasta and stir to coat. Add in the tomatoes and the squash, stir until combined and serve.

Sriracha Broccoli salad

½ lb fresh broccoli
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon sriracha powder
¼ cup honey roasted peanuts

Blanch the broccoli, drain and place in a large bowl. In a separate small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise and sriracha powder until a smooth sauce is formed. Pour over the broccoli, add the peanuts and stir to coat. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

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Spinach and Goat Cheese Steel Cut Oat Risotto

Published February 11, 2016 by expepicurean

I’ve mentioned before that I love when I can use a premixed spice blend as a time saving measuring in my cooking. That is one of the reasons I enjoy the Healthy Solutions Spice Blends Blogger Challenge. I get my creative cooking thinking cap on and experiment with a new spice mix, with the goal of creating a recipe that blends healthy eating with tasting great while upholding the low salt and low sugar goal of the spices. Challenge accepted!

Out of the 16 different blends offered by Healthy Solutions Spice Blends, I chose to use the Encrusted Haddock (which is a mix of garlic, celery, onion, and dried cranberry) since I felt it could be used in a wide variety of dishes. While I think this spice mix would be great for both chicken or seafood, I chose to make a meatless dish as my entry – Spinach and Goat Cheese Steel Cut Oat Risotto.

As compared to an Arborio rice risotto, steel cut oats are a much healthier choice. Steel cut oats pack a fair amount of protein, fiber, and iron per serving, making them a great meat substitute for a meal. I was also able to keep my Spinach and Goat Cheese Steel Cut Oat Risotto true to the theme of low salt/low sugar by using an unsalted boxed stock. When I surveyed the grocery store most of the unsalted box stocks had only 40-70 mg of sodium per 1 cup, which is well below the cut-off for low sodium items. Similarly, goat cheese falls into the category of low sodium. See – eating healthy CAN still taste great.

Much like an Arborio rice risotto, I ladled stock into the steel cut oats, letting the stock get absorbed before the next addition. Once all the liquid had been absorbed and the oats were tender-chewy, I stirred in the fresh spinach, Encrusted Haddock seasoning, red onions, pecans, and goat cheese. Simple, yet a healthy, impressive, and satisfying dish. Enjoy!

Spinach and Goat Cheese Steel Cut Oat Risotto

4 cups unsalted chicken stock
1 cup steel cut oats
Zest and juice of 1 lemon (juice is equivalent to ¼ cup lemon juice)
2 ounces fresh baby spinach
1 ounce pecan bits
¼ cup diced red onion
1 tablespoon Healthy Solutions encrusted haddock seasoning
4 ounces creamy goat cheese, crumbled
Chopped parsley for garnish, if desired
Additional lemon zest for garnish, if desired

Heat the chicken stock in a medium sized sauce pan and keep warm. Add the steel cut oats to a large sauce pan (~ 3 quarts), add one ladle of the warm stock and heat over medium heat. As the stock is absorbed, add another ladle of stock, stirring frequently. Repeat until all the stock has been added to the oats, adding the lemon juice with the last bit of stock. Once the stock and lemon juice have been absorbed and the oats are tender and chewy (about 20-30 minutes), remove from the heat. Next, stir in the spinach until wilted, about 1 minute. Then stir in the lemon zest, pecans, red onion, Healthy Solutions encrusted haddock seasoning, and goat cheese until well mixed. Transfer the Spinach and Goat Cheese Risotto to two serving bowls, sprinkle with parsley and additional lemon zest if desired, and serve.

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Christmas Chestnut Salad

Published December 24, 2015January 5, 2016 by expepicurean

“Chestnuts roasting over an open fire . . .” croons a popular Christmas tune. Roasting chestnuts is often associated with the holiday season, however I have found the task tedious and more work than it is worth to taste the tender treat. That is why I was thrilled to find the whole roasted and peeled chestnuts from Blanchard & Blanchard at the grocery store.

Chestnuts, unlike other nuts, are actually low in fat while still providing a good source of both fiber and protein. They are also a good source of vitamin C and provide almost as much potassium as a banana in ½ cup of chestnuts. One of the ways I have enjoyed them this year is in my Christmas Chestnut Salad.

In my opinion a celebratory holiday dinner isn’t complete without a festive starter salad. For this recipe I started with a blend of arugula and endive, dressed with a balsamic vinaigrette, and then topped the greenery with blue cheese, dried cranberries, chestnuts and golden beets.

The resulting Christmas Chestnut Salad is a vibrant starter with well-balanced flavors. I also love that it sneaks in a serving of in-season root vegetable!

Christmas Chestnut Salad

¼ cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 T white sugar
½ teaspoon salt
4 cups arugula
4 cups chopped Belgian endive
1 cup crumbled blue cheese
½ cup dried cranberries
½ cup whole roasted and peeled chestnuts, chopped
1 cup sliced golden beets

Make the dressing by pouring the oil, vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small container and mixing until well blended; set aside. Place the arugula, endive, and blue cheese in a large bowl, then pour the salad dressing over the salad mixture and stir to coat and mix the leaves. Divide the dressed leaves between four salad plates. Evenly top the four plates with the dried cranberries, chestnuts, and sliced beets. Serve immediately (makes 4 servings).

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Spiced Pecans

Published November 19, 2015January 5, 2016 by expepicurean

Ever since I can remember my family has been making these spiced pecans for Christmas. The recipe is a slight adaptation of the one found in the Joy of Cooking cookbook. The most notable change is that we have always made it with four-times the amount of nuts as compared to the original recipe. I have also added cloves and tweaked the ginger and nutmeg quantities since a 1/3 teaspoon measuring spoon isn’t common.

Oh, and we have simplified the prep – instead of dropping the nuts one-by-one into the sugar mixture, we have found the dump-and-coat method to work just fine.

Before baking the Spiced Pecans

After baking the Spiced Pecans

The hardest part is waiting for the sugar coating to dry in the oven. The nuts are baked at a low temperature to dry out the egg whites, to create the crunchy & spicy coating. One bonus of this baking process is that your house will be perfumed with the smells of the holidays, more so than any candle could provide.

These spiced pecans last for quite a while, making them a good early baking item. They are also versatile too – they can be served as a dessert, sprinkled on a salad, or poured into a pretty container and given as a gift. Alternatively, you can eat them just-because any time of the day, like my family. It’s a great way to build your holiday spirit!

Spiced Pecans

½ cup white granulated sugar
¼ cup cornstarch
½ tablespoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon allspice
½ teaspoon ginger
¼ teaspoon cloves
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 large egg white
1 tablespoon water
1 lb shelled pecans

Preheat oven to 250 °F. In a medium sized bowl, mix together the sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and salt. In a separate large bowl, mix together the egg white and water, then add the pecans and stir to coat. Once the pecans have been coated with the egg whites, sprinkle on the sugar mixture and stir until the pecans are evenly coated. Spread the pecans onto a large baking sheet and bake for ~1 hour, stirring twice, or until dry. Cool and store in a tightly covered container.

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Maple Hazelnut Fudge

Published November 5, 2015January 5, 2016 by expepicurean

In my opinion, it is never too early to start experimenting with recipes for holiday treats and goodies. When time allows, I like to prepare a spread of cookies and invite all my friends over for a cookie & tea party a few weeks before Christmas. With two little ones I haven’t been able to throw my party the last few years, but maybe if I start now with ideas and freezer cookies I can pull it off this year.

This week I decided to tinker with my rum raisin fudge, switching out the rum extract for maple and the raisins for toasted hazelnuts to make this Maple Hazelnut Fudge. It is just as simple, and absolutely decadent.

In fact, cutting the fudge into 1 1/2 inch squares is more than enough to get a heavy dose of chocolate.

The flavor combo in the Maple Hazelnut Fudge is perfect for fall, and pairs perfectly with my favorite spice tea. This batch most certainly won’t make it to my party, but the recipe will make the list!

Maple Hazelnut Fudge

1 cup hazelnuts
¼ cup butter
3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
14oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 tablespoon maple flavoring

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Place hazelnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake in the middle of the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until skins are blistered and nuts are fragrant. Wrap nuts in a kitchen towel and rub nuts in towel to partially remove loose skins; set aside.

Place butter in a microwave safe bowl. Place in microwave on high for 30-60 seconds until just melted. Stir in the chocolate and sweetened condensed milk. Place back in microwave and heat on high for 1-2 minutes longer, stirring every 30 seconds. Once chocolate is smooth, remove from the microwave and stir in toasted hazelnuts and maple flavoring, then pour into a parchment paper lined 8-inch by 8-inch dish.

Refrigerate until set, then cut into squares. Keep in refrigerator until ready to serve.

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