Molten Chocolate Souffle Cakes

This recipe is quick and easy and makes a perfect dessert any night of the week. It tastes somewhere in between a molten chocolate cake and a warm brownie that is slightly under cooked. What makes this recipe so great is that you can prepare the cakes ahead of time, refrigerate, and bake them right before you are ready to serve. I have served this with both whipped cream and ice cream, either one is delicious. An added bonus for me, its naturally gluten free!

The unbaked cakes can be refrigerated in ramekins, covered with plastic wrap, for up to 5 days, or frozen for up to 2 weeks. If frozen, thaw in refrigerator. The cold cakes may take slightly longer to bake 10-15 minutes. 

Molten Chocolate Souffle Cakes (Recipe adapted from Sweet and Skinny cookbook)
Serves 6-8

Ingredients:
Non stick spray
1/2 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons semi sweet chocolate chips
2 tbsp (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
2 tbsp unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 egg, lightly beaten or 2 tbsp egg substitute
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt
3 egg whites, from large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 tsp cream of tarter
1/3 cup sugar
Whipped cream or ice cream-optional

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and position rack in center of the oven. Coat 6-8 4 ounce ramekins with non stick spray and space evenly on a baking sheet.

Combine the chocolate chips, butter and 2 tbsp water in a double boiler or microwavable bowl. Heat until you can stir the mixture smooth. Let cool for a few minutes then whisk in cocoa powder, egg, vanilla and salt. Set aside in warm spot.

Using a stand mixer with whisk attachment beat the egg whites on high until they are foamy. Add in the cream of tarter and with motor still running gradually add in sugar a few teaspoons at a time. Continue to beat until soft peaks form (You can also use a hand help mixer for this step)

Fold the chocolate mixture into the white just until there is no more visible white streaks.

Spoon mixture into prepared ramekins and bake 6-8 minutes, until the tops a slightly puffed, the edges are set and the center jiggles when you gently shake. (I found that the cake took a little longer in the oven, just make sure to check them after 8 minutes and continue to cook until they are set) 

The unbaked cakes can be refrigerated in ramekins, covered with plastic wrap, for up to 5 days, or frozen for up to 2 weeks. If frozen, thaw in refrigerator. The cold cakes may take slightly longer to bake 10-15 minutes.

Healthy Snacking for children and recipe for Whole Wheat Carrot Raisin Muffins

Here are some healthy snack ideas for children ages 15 months to 3 years. I have also included a healthy whole wheat carrot/raisin muffin recipe below. Layla loves to eat 1-2 of these mini muffins as a nutritious afternoon snack. I made a large batch and wrapped individual muffins with plastic wrap and placed them in the freezer. I take 1-2 muffins out of the freezer and reheat in the microwave for 15 seconds. These also make a great healthy breakfast for adults. Make a combination of mini muffins for baby and regular sized for yourself.

For calcium:
- Half a mini bagel with tomato sauce and cheese; toasted under broiler
-Single serving of cottage cheese or yogurt topped with fresh fruit, such as blueberries or peaches
(serving size 1/4-1/2 cup)
-Small bowl of whole grain cereal with chopped raisins and milk
-Small bowl of ricotta cheese (1/4 cup to 1/2 cup) with cinnamon and sugar or fruit puree
-Applesauce mixed with cottage cheese

For Protein:
-Thin slices of ham or turkey breast tucked into whole grain pita bread
-Whole wheat crackers with peanut, almond, or soy nut butter (for older children)
-Half a warm wheat tortilla, spread with spoonful of mashed beans, sprinkled with shredded cheese, rolled up
-Hard boiled eggs (sprinkle with mild curry powder or paprika)

For Produce:
-Sliced apples or ripe pears with sliced cheddar cheese
-Ripe banana dipped in strawberry yogurt
-Toasted slices or zucchini or banana bread with cream cheese
-Roasted red and yellow peppers with hummus
-Veggies such as cooked carrot sticks, broccoli with black bean or spinach dips

**Snack ideas from The baby and toddler cookbook

Whole Wheat Carrot Raisin Muffins (adapted from Martha Stewart Living)
Makes 36 mini muffins or 12 regular muffins

Ingredients:

Nonstick cooking spray
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup raisins
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large egg
1/3 cup skim milk
3-4 medium carrots, shredded
1 medium ripe banana, mashed

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a muffin pan with cooking spray or line with muffin liners.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt until there are no lumps. Stir in oats and raisins. Add oil, egg, milk, carrots, and banana and stir until blended.

3.Fill each muffin cup 2/3 way full with batter. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean, check mini muffins between 10-15 minutes (depending on oven) and 23 to 25 minutes for regular sized muffins. Serve muffins warm or at room temperature. Freeze extras.

Butternut Squash Lasanga with Pork Ragu

Over the summer I watched an episode of Anne Burrell’s show on the food network, she happened to be cooking a gluten free meal. I knew immediately that I wanted to try the butternut squash lasagna recipe, it looked amazing. At the time squash wasn’t in season so I saved the recipe and waited for a better time to try it.

After hurricane Sandy hit us and left us without power for a week, I was really looking forward to cooking and baking as soon as we got our power back. This recipe was perfect for my first night back in the kitchen for two reasons: my mother-in-law offered me fresh picked butternut squash from their garden and it served enough people to allow me to invite my extended family over for a meal to thank them for all the hot showers and dinners over the past week. (They happened to have hot water and a gas stove top, but no power)

I was so happy with how this recipe came out; I wouldn’t change a single thing about it. I would categorize this recipe under intermediate, unless you have a child under 2 years old, then I was put this under the extremely difficult category. At the very least make this recipe during nap time. Layla tore apart the kitchen as I cooked and when I turned around all my tea bags were opened. I was left with a baby covered in blueberry tea leaves!

My suggestion would be to make the pork ragu (which is amazing on its own) ahead of time or the day before. Then you can finish the other components of the lasagna and assemble in less time. You can prepare the entire recipe the day of but it is just a little time consuming…BUT WELL WORTH IT!! I am definitely going to make this again and again and I would feel very confident serving this dish to any crowd of people that make their way into my dining room.

Please don’t think this recipe is for gluten free eating only. It will impress anyone who loves lasagna. I really hope you try this one out. Enjoy!!!!!

Butternut Squash Lasanga with Pork Ragu (Recipe from Anne Burrell- foodnetwork.com)

Serves 8-10

Butternut Squash Lasanga with Pork Ragu

Ingredients:

Pork Ragu:
4 cloves garlic, smashed
3 ribs celery, cut into 1/2-inch lengths
1 large Spanish onion, cut into 1-inch dice
1/2 fennel bulb, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Pinch crushed red pepper
2 pounds ground pork
1 cup tomato paste
1 cup dry white wine
2 cups pureed canned tomatoes
4 bay leaves
1 cinnamon stick
1 fresh thyme bundle

Lasagna:
3 butternut squash, peeled, quartered lengthwise, seeded and cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices, preferably on a mandoline
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
4 cloves garlic, smashed
Pinch crushed red pepper
2 pounds assorted wild mushrooms, or any kind you like, stemmed and sliced
2 pounds washed baby spinach (I used a mixture of baby spinach and frozen)
1 1/2 pounds ricotta cheese
1 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked and finely chopped
2 cups grated Parmesan

For the pork ragu:
1. Place the garlic, celery, onions and fennel in a food processor and puree to a coarse paste.

2. Coat a large, wide pot with olive oil and toss in the pureed veggies. Bring the pan to a medium-high heat and season generously with salt and a pinch of crushed red pepper. Cook the veggies until they start to get brown and form a crust on the bottom of the pan; (be patient...this will take a little time.) Scrape the crud off the bottom of the pan and let it re-form. Stay with it and DO NOT let it burn.

3.Add the ground pork, sprinkle with salt and repeat this process. This takes patience...accept it and move on. THIS is where BIG flavors are formed.

4. When the meat is nice and brown, add in the tomato paste, stir to combine and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the white wine and let it cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

5. Toss in the pureed tomatoes, bay, cinnamon stick, thyme and 2 cups water. Taste and season with salt if needed. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer until the liquid has reduced by half, add more water and reduce again. Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed. Turn off the heat and use immediately or store for future use.

For the lasagna: 

1.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Working in batches, toss the butternut squash slices with olive oil and salt. Lay the squash slices on sheet trays and bake until the squash is tender but still holds its shape, about 20 minutes. Repeat until all the squash is roasted.

2.Coat a large saute pan with olive oil, toss in 2 of the garlic cloves and a pinch of crushed red pepper and bring the pan to a medium-high heat. When the garlic is golden and very aromatic, remove it and toss it in the "thank you for coming bowl". Add half of the mushrooms to the pan, season with salt and cook until they are soft and wilted. Remove from the pan and reserve. Repeat this whole process--starting with the oil and garlic--with the remaining mushrooms, followed by the spinach in 2 batches. Drain and cool the cooked spinach in a colander or mesh strainer.

3. In a large bowl combine the ricotta and parsley.

4. To assemble: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place a ladleful of the pork ragu in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and spread it around to LIGHTLY cover the bottom of the dish.

5. Arrange an even layer of the roasted squash on top of the ragu; be sure the squash completely covers the surface of the baking dish--this acts as the "pasta". Cover the squash layer generously with more ragu. Spoon 1-tablespoon scoops of the ricotta mixture over the ragu. Arrange an even layer of spinach and mushrooms over the ricotta. Sprinkle with the grated Parmesan. Lay another layer of squash over the Parmesan and repeat the process until the baking dish is full, ending with a top layer of squash topped with a little ragu and Parmesan.

6. Cover the baking dish with foil, place on a sheet tray and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 10 minutes more. Remove from the oven and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

Hurricane Sandy Muffins (Pumpkin Nutella Muffins)

I call these Hurricane Sandy muffins because I made a big batch in preparation for the storm. Muffins are a great breakfast/snack that don't need to be refrigerated or frozen. I stumbled upon this recipe on Pintrest and put it on my "Recipes I want to Try" list. A major reason I wanted to try this recipe is to use up the jar of Nutella in my pantry that is slowly expanding my waistline. Unfortunately, for my skinny jeans there is still 1/3 of the jar left. Enjoy, this recipe is a keeper.

Pumpkin Nutella Muffins (Recipe from Alaskafromscratch.com)
Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients:

1 cup pumpkin puree (canned, not pie filling)
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup canola oil
1/3 cup water
1 tsp vanilla
1-3/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/3 cup Nutella


1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 12-count standard or 6 count large muffin pan with baking cups.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, sugar, eggs, oil, water, and vanilla until well-combined.

3.In another bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.

4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, mixing until smooth. Pour batter into the baking cups, filling about 2/3-3/4 full.

5. Put the Nutella into a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 20-30 seconds or until it thins out just enough to swirl.

6. Using a teaspoon, drop a spoonful or two of Nutella onto the top of each muffin and swirl with a knife.

7. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until set. You can eat these at room temperature but they are best served warm. Reheat in microwave for 10- 20 seconds.

Slow Cooked Balsamic Chicken with Swiss Chard and Polenta

I am always looking for a slow cooker recipe that is different from the usual stew or soup recipe. Sometimes you just need an easy recipe to throw together during the week. No fuss, no mess, just let the slow cooker do the work and come back at dinner time.

What I really like about this recipe is that you do not have to brown the chicken ahead of time. There is very little cooking involved for this meal. All you have to prepare is the sauce, which really only consists of sauteing some onions and adding in the rest of the ingredients.

As in most slow cooked meals, the left overs are just as good the next day, if not better. I am already looking forward to eating the leftovers for lunch.

I served this with polenta. I have never made it before and I wanted to give it a try. I loved it! It is a great side dish to this meal to soak up all the delicious sauce. My daughter Layla loved the polenta too. She ate her entire serving with no hesitation. I will definitely be making polenta as a side dish more often. A major plus, it's gluten free and it reminds me of pastina, which I am no longer able to eat.

Definitely give this meal a try the next time you feel like making your slow cooker do all the work.

***If you make this dish with bone-in chicken as recommended, be careful of bones while eating. 

Slow Cooked Balsamic Chicken with Swiss Chard and Polenta
Serves 4-6  Adapted from: America's Test Kichen Slow Cooker Revolution

Ingredients:
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, diced
5 tsp. minced fresh thyme or 1 1/2 tsp. dried
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
3 tbsp all-purpose flour (I used all purpose GF flour)
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup dry red wine
2 bay leaves
10-12 (6 oz.) bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed, trimmed (I used bone in-skinless chicken breasts and thighs)
1 bunch (6 oz.) Swiss chard, stems removed and leaves sliced 1/2 in. thick
Garnish with basil leaves and grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.

1.  Heat oil in medium size skillet over medium heat. Add onion and saute for 5-8 minutes. Add in thyme, tomato paste, garlic and red pepper flakes and cook additional 5-8 minutes until onions are very soft and lightly brown. Stir in flour and cook 1 minute more.

2.  Slowly whisk in vinegar, scraping up any browned bits and smoothing out any lumps.  Cook until slightly reduced, about 3 minutes.  Transfer to slow cooker.

3.  To the slow cooker, stir in diced tomatoes, broth, wine, and bay leaves.

4.  Season chicken with salt and pepper and nestle into sauce in the slow cooker.  Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours.

5.  30 minutes before serving, gently stir in Swiss chard leaves, cover, and cook on high until tender, 20-30 minutes.

6.  Transfer chicken to platter and tent loosely with foil.  Let braising liquid settle 5 minutes, then skim fat from surface using large spoon.  Discard bay leaves.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve with sauce spooned over each chicken piece.

To make polenta: (Makes 4 servings)
Place 3 cups of water and 1/4 tsp salt or low-sodium chicken broth in a saucepan and bring to boil. Whisking constantly, slowly add in 3/4 cup polenta in an even stream. Continue to whisk until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and pulls away from side of the pan; about 7-10 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese. (If the mixture becomes too thick, add a little more water or stock to loosen)