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Entrees

Edamame, Rice & Ground Turkey Casserole

I first made this dish about five years ago and now make it about once a week. It’s great to have it on hand for a quick, hot lunch for those days when it’s hard to get away from the computer. But I don’t have a name for this dish, and I’m not sure what to call it. So I need your help to name this dish. As you’ll see, it’s not really a hash, or a stir fry, or a casserole. The marketer in me might call it a one-pot wonder or a skillet sensation, but that’s not a real recipe or dish name.

This dish is made with ground turkey, brown rice, edamame, chicken broth and cream of mushroom soup. Sounds like comforting food, right? It is. When I used to take this to the office for lunch and heat it up in the break room microwave, the smell would be so enticing that I always got questions about what I was having. I would joke that it was my version of Hamburger Helper. Except I could spell and pronounce the names of all my added ingredients! Growing up, I loved Hamburger Helper – and thought it was genius! But that was before I knew how to cook for myself and before I knew I could make something much, much more delicious and better for me.

I encourage you to try this dish for yourself – and tell me what you’d call it. Log in below and share your opinion for the best name of this dish.

Name This Dish!

In a large skillet, begin to brown the ground turkey on medium-high. Pour in the chicken broth and, using a cooking spoon or spatula, start to break up the meat. Add in the minced onions and garlic. Stir regularly until the skillet starts to boil.

Then add in the edamame and brown rice. Stir until well mixed, making sure there is still enough chicken broth to cover the ingredients. If necessary, turn down the heat to allow for the dish to simmer on the stove’s burner. Typically, it should take about 15 minutes or so for the rice and edamame to properly cook and absorb the broth. Stir regularly to ensure even cooking.

Watch the level of broth in the skillet. As soon as it almost disappears, remove the skillet from the burner and stir in the cream of mushroom soup until well blended. This dish is high in fiber (thanks to the edamame) and quite delicious.

Ingredients:

1 pound ground turkey
1 tablespoon minced onions
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
32 ounces chicken broth
16 ounces edamame, shelled
1 1/2 cups instant brown rice
10 3/4 ounces cream of mushroom soup

Number of servings: 4

Cooking time: 35 minutes

2,071

Breads

black pepper bacon popovers

Black pepper. Bacon. Butter. Hmm… I can just imagine how good these Black Pepper Bacon Popovers are going to be right out of the oven. The challenge will be leaving some for my guests!

Most people have gotten away from break baking, so any time you make home-baked carb-loaded goodness of any kind, it feels extra special. But these popovers REALLY ARE special. And that’s because of decadent ingredients like real butter, whole milk and crispy bacon.

Black Pepper Bacon Popovers

Preheat your oven to 425° F. Generously butter a standard muffin tin with 12 cups, and set aside.

Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat until crispy. Remove the bacon from the pan and let cool. Coarsely chop the bacon into small bacon bits and set aside.

Whisk together the flour, salt and black pepper in a medium bowl. In a separate large bowl, whisk the eggs and milk together until well blended. Gently whisk in the flour mixture, followed by 3 tablespoons of melted butter. Gently fold in the crispy, chopped bacon. Do not overmix.

Pour batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling about 3/4 full and dividing equally. Bake the popovers for 30 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown. The popovers should be crispy around the edges. Using a spatula, remove popovers from the pan and serve immediately. Pairing these black pepper bacon popovers with a honey butter would be my recommendation!

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
8 slices bacon, cooked crisp and coarsely chopped
3 large eggs
2 1/2 cups whole milk
3 tablespoons butter, melted

Number of servings: 12

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Soups, Salads & Sides

Taco Soup

This taco soup recipe is perfect for your next Taco Tuesday. And because you put it all in a slow cooker, you can either siesta or fiesta while it does its own cooking!

Personally, I don’t like super spicy foods but the beauty of a soup recipe like this is your can “plug and play” or “dial up or down” the ingredients to suit your family’s tastes. For example, you might substitute the kidney beans with black-eyed peas. Or you might use ground beef instead of ground turkey – or go meatless all together.

This recipe also utilizes spices that together make your own homemade taco seasoning. So rather than buying the prepackaged seasoning that has lots of extra ingredients you can’t taste and your body doesn’t really need, just double up a batch of this taco seasoning and store in an airtight container in your pantry. Ole!

Taco Soup

Cook Time: 3 hours

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

1 pound ground turkey

15 ounces black beans, canned, undrained

15 ounces garbanzo beans, canned, undrained

15 ounces dark kidney beans, canned, undrained

15 ounces chili beans in chili sauce, canned, undrained

15 ounces Mexican-style stewed tomatoes, canned, undrained

12 ounces corn with sweet peppers, canned, undrained

2 tablespoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon paprika

1 tablespoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons sea salt

2 teaspoons black pepper

sour cream, for garnish

tortilla chips, for garnish

Instructions

In a small bowl, mix together the chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, oregano, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a large skillet, cook the ground turkey over medium-high heat until browned. Break up the meat as it cooks.

In a 5- or 6-quart slow cooker, combine the cooked ground turkey, black beans, garbanzo beans (aka chick peas), dark kidney beans, chili beans, tomatoes and corn. Stir in the seasoning mix until well blended.

Cover and cook on high-heat for 3 hours. (For a low-heat setting, cooking will take 6 to 8 hours - perfect for a daylong siesta.)

Top each bowl with sour cream and tortilla chips, if desired.

http://bakedchicago.com/taco-soup/

Taco Soup

Number of servings: 6

Cooking time: 3 hours

3,901

Breads/ Breakfast/ Snacks & Candies

british scones

After a month of television reruns and holiday not-so-special programs, I’m excited that tonight season 3 of “Downton Abbey” premiers on PBS in America. I’m a bit of an Anglophile, so I find this series very interesting, well-written and well-acted. Anything with Dame Maggie Smith is worth watching in my book. In honor of tonight’s season premier, I decided to make British scones, which is often considered the quintessential British snack. Most Brits will enjoy a scone paired with afternoon tea.

British scones can be sweet or savory, and – as you’ll see in this recipe – are easily made. The secret for making great British scones is to use very cold butter and to work quickly with the dough. Keeping all the ingredients and utensils (including your hands if you rub in the butter by hand) as cool as possible will ensure for a lighter, fluffier scone that rises well.

I decided to make two kinds of scones: one with blackberries and a second batch with raspberries. You could just as easily prepare cheese scones by substituting the same amount of shredded cheese for the fruit. Don’t be afraid to be creative – or to use what’s leftover in the refrigerator.

British Scones

Preheat your oven to 425° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Use a pastry blender to quickly cut the butter into the flour mixture, until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar and milk. Fold in the chopped fruit. I prefer blackberries or raspberries, but any fruit will work (e.g. cranberries, apples, cherries). The higher the water content of the fruit, the less milk you should use in the dough. When all ingredients are combined, it should be a soft dough.

Turn the dough onto a floured work surface. Knead the dough lightly and roll it out to about 3/4-inch thickness. Cut the dough into 2-inch rounds or squares. Place the scones on the prepared baking sheet and brush the tops with the remaining 2 tablespoons of milk to glaze.

Bake for 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack for a few minutes, then serve warm with butter or jam.

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 pinch salt
1/4 cup butter, very cold but not frozen
1/8 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk, divided
1/4 cup blackberries or raspberries, roughly chopped

Number of servings: 12

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Desserts

Chipotle Chocolate Brownies

Like some heat in your chocolate? The smoky chipotle chiles and earthy unsweetened cocoa powder add a depth and richness to this chipotle chocolate brownies recipe. On a 4-alarm rating scale, I’d give this a 2-alarm rating for heat. If you’d like to go full tilt, double the amount of ground chipotle powder to 2 teaspoons. Or if you want to dial it down, just substitute any chipotle powder you remove with additional ground cinnamon for balance.

Chipotle Chocolate Brownies

Preheat your oven to 325° F. Lightly grease the bottom of a 13×9-inch baking pan with butter or shortening, and set aside.

In a small saucepan, combine the dark chocolate and butter. Stir constantly over very low heat until completely melted and smooth. Cool slightly. In a small bowl, combine the flour and cocoa powder; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the sugar, espresso coffee powder, cinnamon and chipotle powder. Add in the chocolate mixture. Beat with a mixer on medium speed for about 1 minute. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Mix in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture, a half cup at a time, beating on low speed just until combined.

Spread the brownie batter in the prepared baking pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until edges start to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely, about 1 hour, on a wire rack.

Dust with unsweetened cocoa powder and cut into 8 rows by 4 rows to make 32 brownies.

Ingredients:

8 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
1 cup butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground chipotle powder
6 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 tablespoon instant espresso coffee powder

Number of servings: 32

Cooking time: 35 minutes

4,679

Beverages

aztec hot chocolate

Day 5 in Chicago with the daily high temperature doesn’t get above the freezing point. It’s definitely hot chocolate weather – and this Aztec Hot Chocolate recipe is a spicy way to drink yourself warm this winter.

Aztec Hot Chocolate

In a medium saucepan, combine the milk and dark chocolate. Melt the chocolate over medium heat, stirring constantly.

Once the chocolate is melted and the milk is warmed thoroughly, stir in the cinnamon and cayenne pepper. Pour into 4 mugs. Top each mug with a small handful of marshmallows and one cinnamon stick for stirring. And, if you like, a pinch of cinnamon on the melted marshmallow is a nice added touch your mouth will thank you for.

Adapted from Aztec Hot Chocolate Recipe – A Beautiful Mess.

Ingredients:

6 cups milk
10 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
marshmallows, for garnish
4 cinnamon sticks, for garnish

Number of servings: 4

Cooking time: 5 minutes

3,996

Snacks & Candies

German Soft Pretzel Sticks with Bacon

Warm, homemade pretzels have always been a hit with my family at the holidays. When I saw this recipe for German Soft Pretzel Sticks, I really liked how easy it was to make. And, of course, I made a few minor tweaks to personalize it to my tastes.

German Soft Pretzel Sticks with Bacon

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Yield: 24 servings

Ingredients

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

water

2 envelopes active dry yeast

1/4 cup vegetable oil

5 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup crispy bacon bits (approximately 4 slices)

3/4 cup baking soda

1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon of water

flaky salt

mustard, for serving

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450° F. Line 3 large baking sheets with parchment paper and butter the paper.

Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat until crispy. Remove the bacon from the pan and let cool. Finely chop the bacon into small bacon bits and set aside.

In a large bowl, stir the brown sugar into 2 cups of warm water until fully dissolved. Sprinkle yeast over the water and let stand until foamy (5 minutes). Stir in vegetable oil and 3 cups of the flour. Knead in the remaining 2 3/4 cups of flour (dough will be slightly sticky).

Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead until silky (3 minutes). If the dough is very sticky, knead in up to 1/4 cup more flour. Transfer dough to a large, oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature until doubled in bulk (45 minutes).

Punch down the dough and turn it out onto a floured work surface. Knead the dough lightly, flatten it out and cut it into 24 pieces. Roll each piece into a 9-inch stick about 1/2 inch thick. Transfer the sticks to the prepared baking sheets, leaving at least 2 inches between them. Let stand uncovered until puffed (25 minutes).

In a large, deep skillet, stir the baking soda into 2 quarts of water and bring to a simmer over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium high. Using 2 slotted spoons, carefully transfer 6 pretzel sticks at a time to the simmering water for 30 seconds, turning once. Add about 1 cup of hot water after before cooking the second batch of pretzels. Transfer the pretzel sticks to paper towels to drain, then return them to the baking sheets, spacing them evenly.

Brush the pretzel sticks with the egg wash and sprinkle with salt and crispy bacon bits. Bake for 10 minutes, or until dark brown. Serve pretzels warm or at room temperature with your favorite mustard.

Notes

Lightly adapted from German Soft Pretzel Sticks Recipe by Grant Achatz, appearing in Food & Wine.

http://bakedchicago.com/german-soft-pretzel-sticks/

2,841

Desserts

Brownie Pops

Brownie pops are perfect for a wedding, large family gather or a child’s birthday party. Your guests can enjoy a bite of a great dessert to satisfy the sweet tooth without having to feel guilty about eating a gigantic dessert – or worse yet wasting it when they don’t eat it all. I’m not a parent but I’ve got 19 nieces and nephews so I’ve seen first-hand how often a kid will want a bite of something….and that’s it. Brownie pops are fun to eat and the small portions mean that food will most likely not go to waste and you can serve a greater variety of flavors so guests can sample them all.

Brownie Pops

Cook Time: 22 minutes

Yield: 20 servings

Ingredients

1/2 cup and 1/4 cup butter, divided

2 ounces and 1 ounce unsweetened baking chocolate, divided

1 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

16 ounces almond bark (vanilla or chocolate-flavored)

40 lollipop sticks

nonpareils, jimmies and candies for decoration

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350° F. Lightly grease an 8-inch square baking pan and set aside.

In a saucepan, combine 1/2 cup butter and 2 ounces of baking chocolate. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until melted. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, flour and salt. Pour in the almond bark mixture, and add the eggs and vanilla. Mix well.

Spread the batter evenly in the prepared baking pan. Bake for 22 minutes, or until the brownies begin to pull away from the sides of the pan. Cool pan completely, preferably on a wire rack.

Melt the remaining butter and baking chocolate in another saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly until melted, and set aside.

Crumble the cooled brownies into a large bowl. Add the chocolate-butter mixture and confectioners' sugar and mix well.

Shape 1-inch balls with the crumbled brownie mixture. Place them on a parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm (at least 2 hours, but you may also refrigerate overnight).

Melt the almond bark according to package directions and keep warm. Remove one-third of the brownie balls from the refrigerator and insert the lollipop sticks. Dip the brownie balls into the melted almond bark coating. Swirl or tap off any excess. Press the coated brownie balls into your preferred decorations. I recommend using ramekins to hold each of the different decorations. At this point, you could also enlist the help of your birthday boy or girl to help with the decorating [yes, it's that easy].

Place the coated brownie pops onto parchment paper and let stand until the coating is set. Repeat with the remaining brownie pops until done. You can make these brownie pops up to one day before your event, but refrigerate any items in an airtight container.

http://bakedchicago.com/brownie-pops/

4,063

Desserts

Brownie Tart

This brownie tart recipe is very simple to make, yet it can be quite elegant in its presentation. It’s a great dessert recipe for a dinner party or celebrating a special occasion at home (like Hump Day).

Brownie Tart

Preheat your oven to 350° F. Lightly grease and flour a 9-inch tart pan with removable sides.

In a small heatproof bowl set over a saucepan with simmering water, melt the butter. Add 2 cups of semisweet chocolate chips and remove from heat. Stir until the semisweet chocolate completely melts. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat the eggs, sugar, espresso powder and vanilla on medium-high speed until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Stir in the cooled chocolate mixture.

In a separate medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, 1 cup of semisweet chocolate chips and walnuts. Fold the flour mixture into the batter, until just combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared tart pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the center is puffed (top may crack slightly). Let the brownie tart cool to room temperature before removing from the tart pan.

Melt the remaining 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips with the heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir until smooth and remove from heat. Drizzle the chocolate over the tart and slice into 8 wedges. This brownie tart is great on its own, or perfect for pairing with your favorite ice cream.

Brownie Points: If you don’t have a tart pan, use a standard 9-inch pie pan as a substitute.

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons butter
3 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips
3 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup walnuts, chopped
2 to 3 tablespoons heavy cream

Number of servings: 8

Cooking time: 35 minutes

3,741

Entrees

black-eyed peas with bacon-cornbread dumplings

Happy New Year! Baked Chicago wishes everyone a new year – 2013 – filled with health and prosperity. Eating black-eyed peas (the food, not the band) is a long-time Southern tradition for bringing good luck in the year ahead. This black-eyed peas recipe shares the spotlight with some bacon-cornbread dumplings that make this a hearty, satisfying meal.

Black-eyed Peas with Bacon-Cornbread Dumplings

Cook the bacon in a large, heavy cooking pot over medium-high heat until crispy. Remove the bacon from the pan and let cool. Rough chop the bacon and set aside. Remove 1 tablespoon of bacon drippings from the pan and set that aside.

Increase the heat to medium-high and add the chopped onion with the remaining drippings. Saute the chopped onion for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute more, stirring constantly. Add the chicken stock, water, salt, pepper and black-eyed peas. Bring the entire pot to a boil. Partially cover the pot, reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes or until black-eyed peas are tender. Stir occasionally.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, green onion, corn meal and baking soda. Cut the butter into the flour mixture with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Add the chopped bacon, reserved tablespoon of pan drippings and buttermilk. Stir until just combined and a moist dough is formed. With slightly wet hands, divide the mixture into 12 equal portions. Drop the dumplings, one at a time, into the pan. Cover the pan and cook for 8 minutes or until dumplings are done. Stir occasionally.

Ingredients:

8 slices applewood-smoked bacon (thick cut), chopped
1 cup onion, chopped
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
3 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
16 ounces black-eyed peas
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup green onions, finely chopped
1/4 cup corn meal
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons butter, chilled and cut into pieces
1/2 cup buttermilk

Number of servings: 4

Cooking time: 38 minutes

3,769

Desserts

Champagne Brownies, with Macerated Raspberries

It’s my favorite time of year again. Yes, you guessed it. It’s National Champagne Day! And while we’re toasting – a very happy New Year’s Eve to you and yours. Remember to celebrate responsibly and most importantly to be safe if you’re venturing out tonight. This champagne brownies recipe is great for using any leftover champagne you might have after the celebration. But let’s be serious: who ever really has leftover champagne? Instead, I recommend breaking open a bottle of your favorite bubbly [mine is Veuve Clicquot]. You’ll only need 3 ounces (about 1/3 cup) for this champagne brownies recipe, so you can pour the rest of the bottle to toast a new year filled with edible adventures for all. Serve with champagne-macerated raspberries and fresh whipped cream topping for an elegant, yet easy, dessert that is sure to impress.

Champagne Brownies with Macerated Raspberries

Preheat your oven to 350° F. Lightly grease the bottom of an 8×8-inch square baking pan with butter or shortening and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine 2 ounces of champagne, raspberries, and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Mash slightly with the back of a spoon to lightly crush the berries and combine. Cover bowl and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Melt (just barely) the butter in a medium-sized, microwave-safe bowl. You don’t want the butter so hot that it’s boiling or steaming. Depending on the power of your microwave, I recommend melting the butter in 10- to 15-second segments on high power. Remember, the butter will continue to melt after the microwave is done.

Add first your 3 ounces of remaining champagne and then the eggs to the melted butter. Stir in flour, baking powder, salt, cocoa powder, granulated sugar and brown sugar. Mix just until blended, then fold in the dark chocolate chunks. Spread the champagne brownies batter in your prepared baking pan.

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the brownies are dry around edges. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out almost clean and slightly moist. Cool the brownies completely before cutting, about 1 hour.

Lightly dust the champagne brownies with confectioners’ sugar and cut into 4 rows by 4 rows to make 16 brownies. Spoon champagne-macerated raspberries onto each serving with whipped cream, if desired.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder [preferably dark chocolate cocoa powder]
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup dark chocolate chunks
3 ounces plus 2 ounces champagne, divided
confectioners’ sugar for dusting
2 pints raspberries
whipped cream, if desired

Number of servings: 16

Cooking time: 30 minutes

4,872

Desserts

Marbled Pumpkin Pecan Brownies

These marbled pumpkin pecan brownies remind me of the holidays, so I like to stash away a can of pureed pumpkin in the pantry so I can break out a batch in the spring (or whenever spirits need a little lift).

Marbled Pumpkin Pecan Brownies

Preheat oven to 350° F. Lightly grease bottom of a 9×9-inch baking pan with butter or shortening. Melt dark chocolate and butter in heatproof bowl, set over a pan of simmering water. Stir constantly until melted and smooth.

In large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In stand mixer with paddle attachment, mix sugar, eggs and vanilla. Beat until fluffy. Beat in the flour mixture.

Divide batter in half between two bowls. Stir chocolate mixture into one bowl. In the other bowl, stir in pumpkin, oil, cinnamon, nutmeg and pecans. Transfer half chocolate batter to the prepared baking pan. Then top with half the pumpkin batter. Repeat one more chocolate layer and one pumpkin layer. Using butter knife, gently swirl the two batters to create marbled effect.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until set. Let brownies cool completely, about 1 hour. Cut into 4 rows by 4 rows to make 16 marbled pumpkin pecan brownies.

Brownie Points: Canned pumpkin contains only pureed pumpkin or squash with low salt. Use this rather than pumpkin pie filling which has added sugar and spices.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter
6 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups canned pumpkin
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup pecans, chopped

Number of servings: 16

Cooking time: 40 minutes

1,464

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