Pretzel Dogs, take 1

So Belle's gotten obsessed with the show Chopped on Food Network. She is now insisting on us doing this same idea, where the kids pick out random ingredients and we put them together to make something...it's actually fun!

So tonight the kids picked out:
hot dogs
pretzel dough (we made pretzels the night before)
cheese
guacamole

So, Chris rolled out the pretzel dough, cut it into rectangles, added a hot dog and some cheese in each square, rolled up, and cooked at about 375 degrees for about 15 minutes, or until fully cooked. Served with guacamole and ketchup. The kids LOVED it! Oh, and he sprinkled it with some type of seasoning...don't know what it was, Montreal Steak seasoning maybe?

We ordered some of these at the Pennsylvania Dutch Market recently, and not only do they do the hot dogs with cheese, but they also do ones that have mozzarella cheese and pepperoni inside the pretzel dough, and they serve it with pizza sauce! We'll have to try those soon!

Mom's Pork Chops

These were such a staple during my whole childhood! When my mom went back to work when I was in the 6th grade, this was one of the meals that I learned to cook so I could fix dinner before she got home! They are so good, and such a comfort food for me!

Ingredients:
Pork Chops (1 for each person)
1 cup flour
salt and pepper
2 Tablespoons Olive oil
water
1/2 cup cold water
3 Tablespoons flour

Directions:
1. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium high heat. Mix salt and pepper with flour, and completely coat each pork chop with flour mixture. Place in hot oil and brown on each side for about 2 minutes or until lightly browned.
3. Add enough water to fully cover pork chops. Simmer on low heat, covered, for about 45 minutes, making sure water does NOT boil away! If it does evaporate, add more water.
4. Gravy: Remove chops when fully cooked through. In small bowl, whisk flour and cold water together. Add to hot skillet with the water that the pork chops cooked in. Whisk until fully combined. Turn up heat to medium high, and heat until a light boil. Continue whisking and lightly boiling for about one minute, or until thickened.
5. Serve pork with gravy. Also we always serve this with rice and sauerkraut, also with gravy :)

Asiago Bagels

This was my first ever attempt at bagels, and they were so awesome, and so easy! Will definitely be making these regularly! So long Panera Bread bagels! :)

Italian Cream Soda

We were in Virginia somewhere, and went to a Johnny Carino's when I fell in LOVE with Italian Cream Sodas! I had to ask the waiter how to make them! :)

SO EASY! And isn't it pretty?!

Ingredients:
Ice
Sprite
Flavored Syrup (raspberry, strawberry, cherry, etc)
half and half

Directions:
1. Fill cup up with desired amount of ice.
2. Fill glass half full with sprite. Add shot or so of flavored syrup and shot or so of half and half. Fill glass the rest of the way with sprite.

Chocolate Peanutbutter Cupcakes (Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes)

Cupcakes:

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
3 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup milk
4 ounces milk chocolate, melted
1 recipe of Peanut Butter Frosting
1 recipe of Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting
shaved milk chocolate and/or bite-size chocolate covered peanut butter cups, halved

Directions:
1. Allow butter and eggs to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Line 30 muffin cups with paper liners. In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl beat butter with electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add peanut butter; beat until combined. Gradually add brown sugar and sugar, beating on medium speed until combined. Scrape side of bowl; beat about 2 minutes more or until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Alternately add flour mixture and milk to butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined.
3. Place half of the batter into a separate mixing bowl; add melted chocolate. Beat with electric mixer on low speed just until combined.
4. Fill prepared muffin cups by alternating spoonfuls of peanut butter batter and chocolate batter, filling each cup about 2/3 full. (They WILL puff up a lot at end of cooking!)
5. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in muffin cups on wire racks for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from muffin cups. Cool completely on wire racks.
6. Fit a pastry bag with a round or star tip. Spoon Peanut Butter Frosting along one side of the bag; spoon Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting along other side of the bag (frostings will be side by side in the bag). Pipe frostings in swirls onto cupcakes. Top with shaved chocolate and/or peanut butter cup halves.


Peanut Butter Frosting:
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
6 cups powdered sugar
milk

1. Allow cream cheese to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. In a large mixing bowl beat cream cheese, peanut butter, and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in powdered sugar. Add milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until frosting reaches piping consistency. Divide frosting into two portions (if making Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting)


Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting
1/2 batch of Peanut Butter Frosting
4 ounces milk chocolate, melted and cooled
extra powdered sugar and/or milk

1. In a medium bowl combine one portion of the Peanut Butter Frosting and milk chocolate, melted and cooled. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined. If necessary, beat in additional powdered sugar or milk until frosting reaches piping consistency.

Squash Casserole

We finally set up a new garden this year (it's been 3 years since we moved from our old house, and thus 3 years since we've had a garden!)...and one of the things I'm most excited about is that this year Derek has outgrown his allergies to milk, wheat, and eggs!!!! And that means...we can make Dana's Squash Casserole!
Between this recipe and my grandmother-in-law's Squash soup recipe, I'm praying we get a super huge harvest of squash this year!!!!! :)
This is totally worth making! It's a-mazing!

Ingredients:
3 lbs (or 10 medium-small) yellow squash and/or zucchini
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup butter, melted
4 eggs, beaten
3 Tablespoons sugar
salt and pepper
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 lb white crackers, crumbled
shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
1. Trim ends and thickly slice squash/zucchini. Boil in deep pot for 15-20 minutes; drain and press out as much water as possible. Finely chop.
2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Saute onion in butter. Add to squash and mix well. Mix in eggs, sugar, salt, pepper, and baking powder. Stir in cracker crumbs. Mix well. Place in buttered 2-quart casserole dish and bake for 25 minutes.

Cherry-Almond Butter Frosting

Allow 1/2 cup butter to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Gradually add 1 cup powdered sugar, beating well. Beat in 3 Tablespoons maraschino cherry juice and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract. Gradually beat in 3 cups additional powdered sugar. If necessary, beat in additional juice, 1 teaspoon at a time, until frosting reaches piping consistency.

Cherry Almond Vanilla Cupcakes

1/2 cup butter
4 egg whites
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup maraschino cherry juice
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
12 maraschino cherries, halved
1 recipe Cherry-Almond Butter Frosting
Maraschino Cherries with stems (optional)

1. Allow butter and egg whites to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, line 24 muffin cups with paper baking cups. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. In a 2 cup measuring cup combine buttermilk and cherry juice; set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, vanilla, and almond extract; beat until combined. Add egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk mixture to beaten mixture, beating on low speed after each just until combined.
3. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each about 2/3 full. Press a cherry half into batter in each cup.
4. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched. Cool cupcakes completely on wire racks.
4. Using a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip, pipe Cherry-Almond Butter Frosting over cupcakes. If desired, top with cherries with stems.

Raspberry Lemonade Frosting

Ingredients:

3/4 cup butter
7 cups powdered sugar, divided
3 Tablespoons milk
3 Tablespoons Raspberry syrup
2 teaspoons lemon zest


Directions:
1. Leave butter out to soften for about 30 minutes.
2. In large bowl, beat butter with electric mixer on high for about 30 seconds. Gradually add 2 cups powdered sugar. Beat in milk and raspberry syrup.
3. Beat in remaining 5 cups of powdered sugar slowly.
4. Either stir in lemon zest or sprinkle on top of each cupcake after being iced.

Raspberry Lemonade Cupcakes

The recipe I found for these calls for raspberry liqueur, but I used some raspberry flavoring syrup I had on hand! It worked out great, and I didn't need to add any food coloring, as called for in the original recipe!

Raspberry Lemonade Cupcakes

3/4 cup butter
3 eggs
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
2 Tablespoons raspberry syrup
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 recipe Raspberry Frosting


Directions:
1. Allow butter and eggs to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Line 18 regular sized muffin cups with paper baking cups.
2. In medium sized bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with electric mixer on high speed for about 30 seconds. Add sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and raspberry syrup; beat until fully combined, scraping sides of the bowl with spatula if needed. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour and buttermilk, alternating between the two, mixing with electric mixer on medium speed.
4. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each one about 2/3 full.
5. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in muffin pan for about 5 minutes. Remove to wire rack and let sit until completely cool.
6. Spread Raspberry Frosting over cupcakes.


***If I were going to make this WEMP free, I would substitute these ingredients:

3/4 cup shortening for the butter
1 3/4 cups wheat free flour mix for the wheat flour
4 1/2 teaspoons egg replacer and 6 Tablespoons water for the eggs
2/3 cup soy buttermilk (make homemade using 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice, then fill the measuring cup up to the 2/3 cup mark with soy milk)

OH MY GOSH!!!!!!

So I feel like I need to post about our good news!
My son was retested 2 weeks ago, and a few days ago we found out that he is no longer allergic to eggs or milk! And is only BARELY allergic to wheat!
We've been giving him wheat and dairy foods over the last week or so now and so far so good!
SO, this blog will be going back to a regular cooking blog...
BUT, the things I learned over the course of the last year will be very useful because I have decided to compile an allergy cookbook!
More on that later!