Rachael Ray Show

Are you guys ready for some CRAZY fantastic news?  Yes??  

Tomorrow (Jan 7), I will be on the Rachael Ray Show!  Yup, me, who has probably watched every "30 Minute Meals" and even "40 Dollars a Day" from way back when (college = me, watching the Food Network, eating).  I am beyond thrilled about this opportunity, and I can't wait for you to be a part of it (if you watch, please watch!?).  Rachael's style of cooking really embodies what this blog is about: no fuss, no stress, trust your instincts and for god's sake, embrace your mistakes!  I personally think we make a great pair.  You should have fun in the kitchen and TRY things... which is exactly what you'll see me doing tomorrow.  Trying things :)

Check your local listings for channel and time as it varies across the country.  And please tune in!

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#VoiceTailgate: Winning Homemade Tagalongs

Tonight, we crown the Season 6 Winner of The Voice.  Who did you vote for?!  Each and every performance was so incredible (that is, the ones I saw when my 20-month old nut job daughter wasn't demanding my attention - we're going through that super clingy MAMA ONLY phase).  And I expect nothing less from tonight's show, especially with performances by the Top 20, Ed Sheeran, One Republic, Alabama, Justin Moore, Robin Thicke, Tim McGraw and COLDPLAY.  Anyone want to babysit my daughter so I can actually watch this thing?

For my very last #VoiceTailgate and to honor tonight's winner, I chose my winningest recipe EVER: these Homemade Tagalongs.  Time out: how on earth did the dictionary people allow "winningest" to become a word?  It sounds like an adorably incorrect thing my 5-year-old would say.  Anyways, this recipe has experienced more views than any other recipe on my blog, therefore it wins the Siriously Delicious Recipe Hit Contest, which doesn't exist.  How can a homemade Girl Scout Cookie with buttery shortbread, creamy peanut butter and chocolate NOT be a winner?  These are slightly time consuming, but if you don't have a clingy toddler at your feet you should make these, eat a whole bunch as you watch The Voice tonight and freeze the rest.  Winner, winner, chicken dinner!  

Sorry for that.         

Homemade Tagalongs
(Makes approx. 3 dozen)
Printable Recipe

Cookies:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp almond extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt

Filling:
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla
Pinch of salt

Coating:
6 oz. milk chocolate, chopped
6 oz. semi-sweet or dark chocolate, chopped
1 tsp vegetable oil

With an electric mixer, cream butter and powdered sugar until smooth.  Add vanilla and almond extract and mix.  In a separate bowl, sift together flour and salt.  Slowly add sifted ingredients to butter/sugar and mix until combined.  Shape dough into a disc, cover in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.  Preheat oven to 350.  Take chilled dough, and roll out on a lightly floured surface to 1/4 inch thick.

Using a small circular cookie cutter (also lightly floured), cut out cookies and place on parchment lined baking sheet.  Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until edges just begin to turn golden.  Let cool.

While cookies are cooling, with mixer combine peanut butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and a pinch of salt.  Once cookies have cooled, scoop approx. 1/2 tsp of filling on top of each cookie.  Using a knife, place the tip in the middle of the peanut butter, and spread down to the side of cookie.  Repeat that motion as you go around the cookie. It should look slightly domed in the middle.

In a double boiler (or place a heat-proof bowl over a pot of simmering water, making sure the water does not touch the bowl), melt all chopped chocolate. Add vegetable oil and stir until you have a glossy chocolate.  Using 2 forks, dip cookie into chocolate. Make sure to flip over and cover cookie completely. Lift cookie out of chocolate with one fork, using the other to scrape excess chocolate off the bottom.  Repeat with each cookie and place them on foil or parchment paper.  Let cookies cool at room temp and then peel off paper or foil.

Also check out my Homemade Samoas.

And don't forget to watch The Voice Live Finale TONIGHT!

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#VoiceTailgate: Final Three Green Bites

I can't believe there are only two more live shows of The Voice left this season, which means only two more #VoiceTailgates!  We flew to Los Angeles for the final episodes, therefore I've been out of the kitchen and inside the hotel mini fridge (eating snacks only, of course).  So for these last #VoiceTailgates, we're going to take a trip down my blog memory lane.  Won't you come, my neighbor?  Cool, cause you have no choice.

To honor the final three - Josh, Jake and Christina - I found another famous trio of sorts (I'm good at math): Three Green Bites.  It's a favorite appetizer that we always order from this restaurant that I've adapted slightly, and it's easy, delicious and the only way my kids will eat green food.  Besides, there's a little something for everyone.  I might go so far as to compare each bite to the three remaining coaches, because I like nerdy analogies: creamy, cool avocado for Usher... healthy, hip edamame for Adam... and tall, fried food for Blake.  How'd I do?  Did that make sense at all?  Well, it doesn't matter, because you'll enjoy all three, regardless of what final team you're on.           

FINAL 3 GREEN BITES

Tempura Green Beans

(Makes enough batter for many, many green beans)

Printable Recipe

Vegetable oil

Green beans, cleaned and trimmed (I like to use French-style cause they're skinnier)

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup light beer (or you could use club soda)

Salt

Soy sauce for dipping

Place 2 inches of vegetable oil (approx. 4 cups) in a deep pot.  Heat oil (over medium-high) until it reaches 350 degrees.  In a shallow bowl, whisk together flour and beer until combined.  Coat about 15 green beans at a time in batter.

Using tongs, place green beans in oil one by one to avoid them sticking together.  Fry for a couple of minutes, until golden brown.

Remove with tongs and place on a paper towel to cool.  Sprinkle with salt to taste.

*Serve Tempura Green Beans with Diced Avocado and Steamed Edamame (which can be found in the frozen food aisle - prepare as directed on package), as well as soy sauce for dipping.

Who do you want to win??

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#VoiceTailgate: Homecoming Sliders + "The Carson"

This is it, my friends, tonight we find out who will make it to the Final 3 on The Voice!  I'm scurred.  Every season, I seem to get more and more attached to these contestants and I practically pee in my pants during the live eliminations.  One of my favorite parts of the Semi-Finals is watching the contestants from years past come back to perform, which is exactly what's happening tonight.  

So in honor of this "homecoming" of sorts, I made a sandwich for tonight's #VoiceTailgate that reminds me of my home.  It's one of those familiar dishes you come to expect when you get anywhere near your childhood zip code.  Everyone has one, and this is mine: deliciously sweet and savory, sticky, gooey, ham & cheese sandwiches on soft Hawaiian rolls.  I'm not kidding, make these for people in your town and you will become an instant local celebrity.  Just go to your town square, you know, the one with the gazebo from olden times, and hand them out to passer-byers.  After one bite, they will skip away, whistling a happy tune and proclaiming you the new town mayor.  In my hometown, our good friend Lucy made these famous.  What's your favorite "homecoming" dish?     

Homecoming Ham & Cheese Sliders

(Makes 12)

Printable Recipe

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon ground mustard

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 pound sliced ham

1/2 pound sliced swiss cheese

12 Hawaiian rolls, sliced in half

Place butter, brown sugar, ground mustard, poppy seeds and Worcestershire sauce in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil for about 30 seconds, remove from heat and set aside.  

Assemble the sandwiches with the rolls, ham and cheese in a baking dish (I like using the easy, aluminum, throw-away kind).      

Pour the sauce all over the sandwiches.  I like to use a basting brush to make sure it's evenly spread.  Cover with foil and refrigerate for as long as possible, a few hours will do just fine but overnight is preferable.   

(I doubled the recipe in the photo below.)

Once ready to bake, preheat oven to 375.  Cook for 10 minutes covered and another 10 minutes uncovered.  Serve warm.

Moving on to drinks...

If we're talking about drinks that remind me of "home" - it would have to be Carson's signature cocktail.  In fact, it's so signature, that at one Voice wrap party it was actually listed on the menu as "The Carson."  It's simple, refreshing and perfect for any time of year.  We often switch up the splash of OJ for a splash of pomegranate, or blood orange, but whatever juice you fancy it's the crisp and bubbly Fresca that makes the drink so good.  Oh, and the vodka doesn't hurt.

"The Carson"

Printable Recipe

Ice

Vodka

Fresca

Orange juice

Lime

Place lots of ice in a glass.  Pour desired amount of vodka, then Fresca almost to the top and a splash of orange juice.  Squeeze in lime slice, drop in glass and stir.  

For a "mocktail" version, simply skip the vodka.  It may sound boring, but Fresca, a splash of OJ and a slice of lime in a nice glass (almost) tastes like the real deal when you're 6 months pregnant.    

So, who do you think will make it to the Final 3?!

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#VoiceTailgate: Usher's Gusher Cookies

What up #VoiceTailgate!!?  I'm sorry for talking like a nerd mom, but I'm so excited for the Top 5 I can hardly stand it.  Who do you want to see make it to the Final 3?? 

Well, if you're on Team Usher, you will enjoy these cookies.  If you're on Team Cookie, you will enjoy these cookies.  If you're on Team Joyful Wonderful Things In Life, you will enjoy these cookies.  I hope you see where I'm going with this nonsense.  For a coach with such a particular mentoring style - one that challenges contestants to push for their best - I knew only a perfect cookie would do.  Also "gusher" rhymes with "Usher," in case you didn't know that.  This is your basic soft and chewy cookie with chocolate oozing out of the center.  Thank you, Usher, for making me strive for perfection!  And for having a name that reminds me of oozing chocolate...      

Usher's Gusher Cookies
(Makes 12 cookies)
Printable Recipe

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temp
1 cup brown sugar
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
3 cups chocolate chips, divided (I use semi-sweet)

Preheat oven to 350.  In a microwave-safe bowl, melt 1 1/2 cups of the chocolate chips in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until fully melted and smooth.  Set aside.  In a large bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer.  Add egg, egg yolk and vanilla, and beat until smooth.  In a small bowl, whisk together flour, salt and baking soda.  Add to dough, and mix until just incorporated.  Stir in remaining chocolate chips.

Divide dough in half.  Lightly grease a muffin tin.  Place a large spoonful of dough into each muffin tin, flattening with fingers and creating a slight well in the center.  Spoon about a tablespoon of the melted chocolate into the center of each cookie.

Using the rest of the dough, cover each cookie, flattening the dough carefully with your fingers.

Bake for 15 minutes.  Let cool completely before removing from cupcake tin.

*Note: These cookies will only ooze when they're warm, so if they cool down you can always put them in the microwave for 20-30 seconds.

If you're wondering if I photographed these cookies on top of a gold, sequined tank top that I haven't worn since my 20's, you would be correct.  I knew I kept it in my closet for a reason!

Tune in on Monday at 8/7 Central on NBC : )

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#VoiceTailgate: Happy Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookies

Anyone else excited for next season when Pharrell Williams and Gwen Stefani join The Voice?!  The two of them performing last night - together at one point - was BANANAS.  They sure do make me happy.  Happy like Mickey Mouse sweaters and big hats and moms of three and bleach blond rockstar hair.  Yes, yours too Adam!  And, "because I'm happeeeeeeeeeee," so are my cookies.

For tonight's #VoiceTailgate and in honor of new coaches, I decided to turn my favorite sugar cookies into "happy" ones.  These are soft and chewy and topped with a buttercream frosting and a chocolate smiley face.  If that doesn't make you happy, then what does?  Kicking puppies?  Eating sad faces?  You're weird.  These cookies are festive and adorable and certain to please your tailgate guests : )               

Happy Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookies
(Makes 2 dozen)
Printable Recipe

For Cookies:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup sour cream

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy - about 3 minutes.  Scrape down sides with spatula.  Add egg and vanilla paste and mix until combined.  In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda.  Add half to wet ingredients, mixing on low speed.  Then add sour cream, combine, and finally rest of dry ingredients.  Mix until a dough forms.  Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes to 1 hour.  Preheat oven to 350.  Roll dough into golf-ball sized balls.  Place on parchment-lined baking sheets, a few inches apart.

Bake for 15 minutes, until edges start to brown slightly.

*Note: you can sub vanilla extract for the paste, but the paste is soooo good.

For Frosting:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp
4 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 tablespoons milk (or cream)
Yellow food coloring
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

In a bowl with an electric mixer, mix butter until light and fluffy, a few minutes.  Add powdered sugar and continue to mix.  Add vanilla and milk (more or less depending on desired consistency of frosting) and food coloring.  Mix until frosting has combined.  Frost your cooled cookies.

Let cookies sit for 15 minutes.  In the meantime, melt chocolate in heat-proof bowl in microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until chocolate has melted.  Let cool briefly, then pour chocolate into plastic baggie.  Snip a tiny portion of the corner of the bag, and then pipe the smiley faces onto each cookie.  

Who do you think made the Top 5 tonight?!

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#VoiceTailgate: Nacho Bites + Grapefruit Cocktail

Our Monday night #VoiceTailgate will be dedicated to Mr. Shelton.  Oh, Blake.  Blake is probably the coach I know best, he's like the tremendously tall older brother from the South I never had.  We all know how funny he is, how well he points at the top of his own head, and how that's probably not Starbucks in his Starbuck's cup during the show.  But what I like best about him is how genuine he is, and how he truly cares about people.  He'll meet any stranger and instantly want to know something about their life.  Even if he annoys the heck out of me by sending me ugly photos of myself he sneakily snaps with his iPhone camera.  So for the giant teddy bear, I thought I'd make something tried and true, and manly, of course, like iddy biddy bite-sized nacho cups.             

(By the way, I did not mean to make that one on top look like a cartoon character.)

Nachos are awesome anyway you make them.  But messy, and almost always accompanied by a cluster of hands reaching and grabbing at the same time.  So I thought, why not make them individual sized?  These are three-bite snacks that can be customized with a variety of toppings.  You can even make a basic nacho, create a toppings bar, and let your guests go to town on their own appetizer.  

THAT'S NACH-YO MAMA'S NACHO!!

I don't, I'm sorry, I had to.  

 I decided to keep these Blake-themed and make them Tex-Mex.  Even though Usher's the one from Texas, not Blake.  But just go with it.  So these are smothered with sweet and spicy BBQ sauce.  Yum.  They would make great Cinco de Mayo party food as well!  

And they are "Blaked," like Blake, but with a "d" at the end.       

"Blaked" BBQ Chicken Nacho Bites

(Makes 12)

Printable Recipe

4 flour tortillas

Cooking spray

2 cooked chicken breasts, shredded 

1/2 cup BBQ sauce

1 cup shredded Mexican cheese

Desired toppings (like diced tomatoes, black olives and chopped cilantro)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Using a 3-inch round cookie cutter (or a glass similar in size), cut circles out of tortillas.  I was able to cut 3 out of each.  

Spray a regular-sized muffin tin with cooking spray.  Place tortilla rounds into muffin tin, pressing down lightly with fingers to create a small bowl.  Spray top of each tortilla with more cooking spray.  Bake for approximately 10 minutes, until slightly golden around edges.  Remove from oven, and turn heat up to 400 degrees.  

In a small bowl add BBQ sauce to shredded chicken and stir.  Place about a tablespoon of chicken into each tortilla bowl.  Top with cheese.  

Place back in oven, and bake for another 8-10 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly.  Carefully remove nacho bites from muffin tins, top with desired toppings and serve.    

On to the liquid portion of our diet.  This is a summer staple in our house, often consumed on our annual camping trip.  It's great with tequila or vodka (definitely Carson's preference), and the combo of grapefruit and pepper is so enticing.  A perfect beverage for your Cinco de Mayo, Blakey Blake #VoiceTailgate.  (Above coasters purchased here.)

Carson's Spicy Grapefruit Cocktail

Printable Recipe

2 parts fresh grapefruit juice

2 parts tequila (or vodka)

1 part cointreau 

Thin slice of Serrano pepper

Shake the above liquids in iced martini shaker and pour into glass if making individual cocktails.  Add a slice of Serrano pepper per glass.  For bigger quantities, pour into closed pitcher that can handle being shaken, then pour over ice in glass.  

*Note: the longer you let the pepper sit in the cocktail, the spicier it will get.  If you remove the seeds from the pepper, it will be less spicy.

*Another note: that is a Jalapeño pepper above because I could not find a Serrano pepper.  Find Serrano peppers, they are better.

*Ohmygosh one more note: if you would like a virgin spicy grapefruit mocktail, omit the alcohol and add fresh lime juice and some simple syrup to taste.

Make sure to watch the Top 8 perform tomorrow night at 8/7 Central on NBC!

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