Mini Strawberry Ricotta Galettes

Have you ever tried to type something with one hand (like a blog post, for instance) while nursing a baby, hoping that you can clear your mind and get some thoughts down before your toddler wakes up? This is probably my fifth attempt in three days to do so and I'm almost positive I'll be interrupted by something in the next few minutes. How do you mamas of 3, 4, 5+ babies do it all?

But I will soldier on- you guys deserve some attention, too!

Say hello to my second round of mini galettes this week. To follow up my savory breakfast galettes, I present something a little sweeter- but not too sweet.  These galettes are made with a layer of ricotta, a drizzle of honey and topped with beautiful fresh strawberries. I know I've lived in the South for a few years, but I still can't believe strawberries are in season this early down here. I'm a lucky lady.

If you are a person who doesn't like overly sweet treats, this one's for you. You can eat it for breakfast or dessert, depending on your mood. I like it served hot with an extra drizzle of honey on top- I'm sure I would have added some ice cream or whipped cream, though, if we had any on hand. This is another great choice for brunch as well- perhaps Easter brunch?

If you don't like the idea of the ricotta cheese, you can substitute mascarpone cheese or cream cheese as well- just make sure the cream cheese is very soft and spreadable so you don't tear the pie dough. 

I hope this recipe gets you excited for spring. Spring is my second favorite season, ya'll (after Fall, which is the best of the best)! Spring means strawberry picking, birds chirping, playground equipment that isn't burning hot, slightly fewer annoying bugs, sidewalk chalk, fruit in my water when I feel fancy, toenail polish, asparagus and green, green grass. Spring for the win!

Eat one of these before spring is over.

 

Mini Strawberry Ricotta Galettes
by Oven Love

Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients

• 1 batch pie dough (You need enough for a single crust. See this post for my pie crust comparison. Note: a store-bought crust may not make as many galettes.)
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 4 tsp honey
• 12-16 strawberries, rinsed, hulled and sliced
• 1 egg, beaten
• coarse sugar and fresh cracked pepper for seasoning
• honey, mascarpone cheese, whipped cream or ice cream for serving

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Separate your pie dough into 4 sections. Roll each section into a small circle, about 1/4 inch thick. Place your dough circles onto the prepared baking sheet.

Spread each circle with 1/4 cup ricotta cheese, leaving about an inch of dough around the edge. Drizzle the ricotta with 1 teaspoon honey per galette and layer with strawberry slices. Fold up the edges of the dough, sealing the dough up around the filling. Brush the dough with the beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse sugar and black pepper.

Bake the galettes for 25-30 minutes until the crust is golden. Serve hot with a drizzle of honey, a dollop of mascarpone cheese or whipped cream, or a scoop of ice cream.

Mini Asparagus Breakfast Galettes

Oh, good morning, HEAVEN. How did you end up on my breakfast plate?

Ya'll know I love me some breakfast and brunch. They're the meals best known for being awesome. I have whipped up some tasty breakfasts and brunches in the past, but I think I hit the jackpot on this one, people. Picture it with me:

Flaky, buttery pie crust. Creamy Fontina and Ricotta cheese. Salty prosciutto. Drippy egg yolk. Roasted asparagus. And you can have them all in one bite. Droolfest 2012, my friends.

After reading this post a few months ago, I could not get the idea of a breakfast galette out of my head. I decided to make it my own by creating a single serving version- that way each person is guaranteed a good amount of crust and a whole egg yolk to themselves. I cannot get enough of drippy egg yolks, especially when they come from my own happy chickens. (Yes, all of the beautiful eggs pictured are from our fine, feathered gals in the backyard.)

I'm somewhat obsessed with the egg yolks in this recipe; but I love the asparagus, as well (it reminds me of one of my favorite spring dishes, this Asparagus and Gruyere Tart).  I can think of nothing better on a spring morning than eating one of these galettes, fresh out of the oven. I downed one just minutes after I took these photos. It's a good thing I only made two of them. It is a bit decadent, but worth every bite.

You could go vegetarian with these, but I beg you- don't leave the prosciutto out! It adds the perfect, salty undertone to the egg yolk. It's like bacon and eggs, only 1,000 times better. How's that for an endorsement?

 I also experimented with some sweet galettes which I'll be showing you soon. I love galettes- they are impossible to mess up and always find a way to look fancy. Try serving them up at your next breakfast or brunch gathering- you can make them ahead, then reheat in the oven and add the egg yolks before serving. Or how sweet would it be to make these for breakfast-in-bed? You will definitely get extra points when your hubby takes a bite.

And just so you know..

This post was sponsored by Frigidaire. When you check out Suzanne Goin's springtime recipes at www.maketimeforchange.com, Frigidaire will donate $1 to Save the Children's U.S. programs. Plus, you'll be entered for a chance to win the new Frigidaire Range with Symmetry^TM Double Ovens – featuring two large ovens (that can each fit up to a 28 pound turkey!), providing the flexibility to cook multiple dishes at the same time at different temperatures, so you can get more on the table at the same time.

Mini Asparagus Breakfast Galettes
by Oven Love

Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients

• 1 batch pie dough (You need enough for a single crust. See this post for my pie crust comparison. Note: a store-bought crust may not make as many galettes.)
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 4 slices prosciutto (about 1/4 pound)
• 1 cup shredded Fontina cheese
• 1 bunch asparagus, cut off 2-3 inches below the tip (you can use the rest of the spears in another recipe)
• 1 egg, beaten
• sea salt and fresh cracked pepper
• 4 egg yolks

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Separate your pie dough into 4 sections. Roll each section into a small circle, about 1/4 inch thick. Place your dough circles onto the prepared baking sheet.

Spread each circle with 1/4 cup ricotta cheese, leaving about an inch of dough around the edge. Layer with a slice of prosciutto, 1/4 cup Fontina cheese and a few asparagus tips (I used about 6 for each galette). Fold up the edges of the dough, sealing the dough up around the filling. Brush the dough with the beaten egg and season with salt and pepper.

Bake the galettes for 25-30 minutes until the crust is golden. Remove them from the oven, gently add one egg yolk to each galette and continue to cook for 3-4 minutes or until the yolk is set. Serve hot.

Fridays with Julie - Broccoli Cakes

These things may look weird, but they are delicious.  Often at the dinner table, I ask my husband if a new recipe is "a keeper."  Not this time.  I didn't need too.  He was devouring these broccoli cakes.  He even packed four in his lunch the next day and then told me that the next pot luck supper we went to that we should take these.  All that said - you've gotta try these easy yet delicious broccoli cakes.

Broccoli Cakes (or bites)

via Stacey Snacks

Ingredients:

• 16 oz. package of frozen broccoli
• 1 1/2 cup of grated cheese (I used Monterey Jack - just use what you have on hand)
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup of seasoned Italian breadcrumbs

Instructions:

1. Cook broccoli in microwave or on stove and drain water.
2. Chop or use food processor to make the pieces of broccoli smaller - I just pulsed the food processor 5-6 times.
3. Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl.
4. With your hands, form small patties and lay on a parchment lined or greased baking sheet.
5. Bake at 375F for 25 minutes, turning the patties after the first 15 minutes.

Elliott's Lucky Day: A Green-Themed 2nd Birthday Party

 To me, planning kids' birthday parties is one of the fun parts of parenting. I've always loved birthdays, but it is extra special to celebrate the little growing lives of your children. Elliott's birthday is not actually on St. Patrick's Day, but this year, his party was scheduled for March 17. I had two previous ideas for his party- a big red ball theme and a 'Go Dog Go' theme- but he outgrew them by the time his birthday rolled around. I decided to embrace the holiday and plan a green-themed "lucky day" party.

I focused more on the green idea than the St. Patrick's Day theme, though I did throw in some shamrocks here and there for good measure. There was green food, green activities and everyone was asked to wear green to the party (the "Little Charmer" t-shirt you'll see on the birthday boy is from Target).

I had a lot of fun coming up with the food ideas. I needed semi-healthy snack foods that were simple to throw together- you never know what will happen when you have two kids, a party to prepare for and a house to keep clean. It gets a little crazy- I'm lucky I remembered to snap these photos!

The Menu:
Hot Spinach and Kale Dip (based on this Martha recipe)
Homemade Guacamole and Chips (similar to this Oven Love recipe)
Green Veggies and Hummus
 Green Grape Skewers
Pistachios
Irish Potato Candies
Shamrock Shake Cupcakes
Melon Cooler (similar to this Smitten Kitchen recipe)
Ice Water with Limes

These Shamrock Shake cupcakes are some of my favorites and certainly a hit with our guests. I found the wrappers at Hobby Lobby and the pearlized sprinkles at Michael's.

I sent everyone home with Lucky Charm Treats (made with the natural version of Lucky Charms if you're wondering why they look a little different) and some homemade green play dough for each child (you'll see them pictured below). I used this great tutorial from How Does She to make the play dough- it takes just a few minutes, lasts forever and is much more pleasant than the store-bought type.

I made the No. 2 pinata with this tutorial from Oh Happy Day. I filled it with chocolate coins, Creme de Menthe Hershey Kisses, stickers and small toys. It was easy to construct, but make sure you don't tape it up too tight if you're making it for young kids. It was a little difficult for our kids to break, even though I only used clear tape to seal it up. I made some paper shamrocks, fringed streamers and a "Lucky Number Two" bunting as well, but none of those decorations managed to show up in my photos- we were too busy enjoying ourselves!

The main activity we set up for the kids (besides the pinata) was a big balloon pit. We blew up around 150 balloons with my husband's compressor (no way were we blowing them all up ourselves!) and corralled them in our sunroom. The kids went nuts for it! They loved "swimming" in the balloons, playing catch and kicking them into the air.

Since I was keeping things low-key, I didn't go crazy with a cake for the birthday boy. I just baked up some of the extra cupcake batter into a small round pan and used the extra frosting to make a tiny-layer-cake version of the Shamrock Shake cupcakes. He only had one bite anyway, so I'm glad I didn't spend much time working on it.

Even though it was a simple theme, the kids had a blast and the adults did, too- especially when we decided to break out the Guinness (it was St. Patrick's Day, after all). Hopefully this gives you some inspiration for your next St. Patrick's Day or green-themed party.

Happy second birthday, little man! It was your Lucky Day, but I think we are the lucky ones.

Turnip and Potato Soup with Smoky Cheese Toasts

We are experiencing a crazy March heat wave down here. I am not ready for summer.

I mean, come on.. I'm not done making soup yet!

We got a big bunch of turnips last week from our farmer. At that time, it wasn't 85 degrees, so this was the perfect lunch. I used my typical method for making smooth vegetable soups- saute some onion, add the veggies with broth and any seasonings, simmer until the veggies are tender and then puree with a stick blender. Works every time.

The soup is simple in flavor- make sure you season it well with salt and pepper or it could turn out quite bland. I made the cheese toasts on a whim- the smoky taste goes great with the simple soup.

I hope you get to try this out before it's too hot! Or just bookmark it for next year.. it seems weird to eat turnip soup with a tank top on.

Turnip and Potato Soup
by Oven Love

Ingredients:

•  2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 medium/large turnips, peeled and cubed
• 3 medium/large russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced or crushed
• a few sprigs fresh thyme
• a few sprigs fresh rosemary
• 5 cups chicken stock
• salt and pepper to taste

In a stockpot or dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, 1-2 minutes. Add turnips, potatoes, thyme, rosemary (tie them together with twine if you want the removal to be easier) and stock and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down and simmer until vegetables are tender, 20-30 minutes. Remove the thyme and rosemary stalks. Turn off the heat and blend with a stick blender until smooth. Season well with salt and pepper and serve warm.

Smoky Cheese Toasts
by Oven Love

 Ingredients:

• 2 slices sourdough bread
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1/2 cup gruyere cheese, shredded
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• salt and pepper to taste

Turn the broiler on high. Mix butter, cheese, paprika, salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Spread the butter mixture onto the bread. Broil for 2-4 minutes, watching carefully so they don't burn. Serve warm.

Irish Potato Candies

Forget the corned beef and cabbage. This is how to celebrate St. Paddy's Day.

I'm assuming that if you're not from Philly or Central PA, you've probably never heard of Irish Potatoes. Or maybe you have (sorry for assuming, you well-informed-blog-reader, you!) Either way, you're in for a Philadelphia-style treat.

 

 As a Pennsylvania native, I can fondly recall little boxes of Oh Ryan's Irish Potatoes popping up in convenience stores in early March.  For a long time, I just dismissed them because frankly, who wants to eat something that looks like it's covered in dirt? Then I discovered it was cinnamon and never looked back. I have fond memories of my college roommate Fisher rushing to the 7-11 near our workplace to scoop them up for us before they sold out. So good.

This recipe doesn't actually contain potato as an ingredient, although Wikipedia tells us that the original candies did include some cooked potato. The main ingredients here are cream cheese, sugar, coconut and cinnamon and they're a breeze to put together.

If you're making these for the first time, I would suggest halving the recipe like I did. I got about 16 candies and that is plenty for our house. They are pretty sweet little bites- you usually only need one (or half of one) to satisfy your sweet tooth.

This recipe is making me miss Philly and it's St. Patrick's Day celebrations. Shout out to my favorite Irish things in Philadelphia- the Malloys, the Irish Pub and my girl Fisher! I wish I could share these with you over a Guinness.

Happy St. Paddy's everyone- and be safe!

Irish Potato Candies
via Baked Bree

Ingredients:

• 1/2 stick of butter softened
• 1/2 brick of cream cheese softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 4 cups confectioners sugar
• 2 1/2 cups sweetened coconut
• 2 Tablespoons cinnamon

Instructions:

1. Beat together butter and cream cheese. Slowly add the confectioners sugar.
2. Add the vanilla.
3. Add the coconut and mix until combined.
4. You may want to chill the coconut mixture a little before you roll them. I like to use a small ice cream scoop. These are really rich, so you want them to be small.
5. Roll the coconut mixture into a ball.
6. Roll the coconut mixture into the cinnamon and put on a parchment lined baking sheet.
7. Keep the Irish Potatoes in the fridge.

Roasted Cabbage with Quick Balsamic Reduction

So St. Patrick's Day fast approaches.. do you celebrate?

I am in the midst of planning a very lucky, very green birthday party for my 2-year-old. His party falls on St. Patrick's this year, so we decided to embrace the theme and get our green on. As you might imagine, we won't be serving corned beef and cabbage to a room full of toddlers, so I decided to roast up some cabbage for us a few days early.

 

I wanted to add little flavor to the roasted cabbage, so I decided on a quick balsamic reduction. For a true reduction, all you need to do is put some balsamic vinegar on the stove and and wait patiently for it to reduce. I wanted something a little faster, so I added some extra sugar to move the process along. If you're looking to try something a little bit different with your corned beef, this side dish fits the bill.

 

I'm not Irish and neither is my husband, but I think St. Patrick was pretty awesome- so cheers to his memory! I'm looking forward to sharing all of our St. Paddy's party details with you next week- and if you play your cards right, I'll have an 'Irish' treat for you tomorrow, too!

Roasted Cabbage with Quick Balsamic Reduction
by Oven Love

Ingredients:

• 1 head cabbage, cut into wedges or thick slices
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Cover a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Pour olive oil on the cabbage to cover. Place in one layer on the baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Bake at 375 for 30-40 minutes or until the cabbage is soft, flipping over once during cooking.

For the reduction, combine balsamic vinegar and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium heat for about 15 minutes until it reaches your desired thickness. Watch it closely toward the end so it does not burn.

When the cabbage comes out of the oven, drizzle each slice with the balsamic reduction and serve immediately.

Chocolate Beet Cake

  

Recently, I've been getting into baking full-size cakes. It seems like there are never enough occasions that call for a big, beautiful cake. After having my cupcake business in Ohio, I am much more inclined to bake cakes than cupcakes now (like the rainbow cake and the strawberry cake). 

Since I was experimenting with beets last week (see my sweet beet pancakes), I wanted to try out Joy the Baker's beet cake recipe that I'd been eyeing for a while. The recipe is similar to a basic chocolate cake with the addition of grated beets into the batter and the frosting- not too much extra effort to try something new and different.

As the beets were in the oven, I was getting a little nervous- my house was smelling like roasted dirt. But apparently, that's normal when you're dealing with beets. Smells were deceiving in this case- the cake certainly does not taste like dirt. Each chocolate-filled bite is strangely light and dense at the same time. You'll have to bake it to see what I mean.

I served this cake to guests and didn't reveal the secret ingredient until after. Everyone seemed pleasantly surprised.. or maybe just relieved that it wasn't something worse than beets.

Chocolate Beet Cake with Beet Cream Cheese Frosting
via Joy the Baker

For the Cake:

• 2 medium beets, unpeeled but trimmed of their greens
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 6 ounces (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing the pans
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the pans
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk

For the Frosting:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 8 ounces (1 brick) cream cheese, softened
• 4 to 5 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 2 tablespoons finely grated beets, mashed with a fork
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or scrapings of one vanilla bean pod
• 1-2 teaspoons milk, depending on desired consistency
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• pinch of salt

Place a rack in the center and upper third of the oven.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Thoroughly wash beets under running water, and trim their leaves, leaving about 1/2 inch of stem. Place clean beets in a piece of foil.  Drizzle with just a bit of vegetable oil.  Seal up foil.  Place on a baking sheet in the oven.  Roast until beets are tender when pierced with a knife, about 1 hour.

Remove the beets from the oven.  Open the foil and allow beets to cool completely.  Beets will be easy to peel (just using a paring knife) once completely cooled.

Using a box grater, grate the peeled beets on the finest grating plane.  Measure 3/4 cup of grated beets for the cake and 2 tablespoons for the frosting.  Set aside.

Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.  Use butter to grease two 8 or 9-inch round baking pans.  Trace a piece of parchment paper so it is the same size as the bottom of the cake pan.  Cut it out and place inside the cake pan.  Butter the parchment paper.  Add a dusting of flour to coat the pan.  Set pans aside while you prepare the cake.

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugars.  Beat on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes.  Beat in eggs, one at a time, for one minute after each addition.   Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.  Once eggs are incorporated, beat in beets and vanilla extract until thoroughly combined.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

Add half of the dry ingredients to the butter and egg mixture.  Beating on low speed , slowly add the buttermilk.  Once just incorporated, add the other half of the dry ingredients.  Beat on medium speed until milk and dry ingredients are just incorporated.  Try not to overmix the batter.  Bowl can be removed from the mixer and mixture folded with a spatula to finish incorporating ingredients.  Cake batter will be on the thick side… not pourable.

Divide the batter between the two prepared cake pans.  Bake for 23 to 25 minutes (for a 9-inch pan) or 30-32 minutes (for an 8-inch pan).  Cake is done when a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.  Remove cakes from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes.  Invert cakes onto a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting and assembling the cake.

To make the Frosting:
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, beat cream cheese for 30 seconds, until pliable and smooth.  Add the butter and beat for another 30 seconds, until well combined.  Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl as necessary.  Beat in the beets.  Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, milk, lemon juice, and salt.  Beat on medium speed until smooth and silky.  Refrigerate the frosting for 30 minutes before frosting the cooled cakes.

To assemble the cake, place one layer of cake on a cake stand or cake plate.  Top with a generous amount of pink frosting.  Spread evenly.  Place the other cake on top of the frosting.  Top with frosting.  Work frosting onto the sides of the cake.  You will have extra frosting left over.  Refrigerate for an hour before serving (it will make the cake easier to slice).  Cake will last, well wrapped in the refrigerator, for up to 4 days.

Fridays with Julie - Dessert Skewers

In a hurry for a dessert? Want something quick, easy, and sort of healthy?  Then this post is for you.  As many of you know, I spend more time than I should each week searching Pinterest.  I have seen all sorts of dessert skewers and decided I had to try them.  There really is no set recipe so I will only show you what I created then give you a few tips.  Here goes:

I used strawberries and pineapple because they are my favorite fruit.  And if you put fruit on your dessert it's practically healthy.  LOL!

I bought a store bought angel food cake - remember I said I was in a hurry.  That said, even though it worked, I would probably buy or make a pound cake if I had time because the angel food was to airy to skewer and still look pretty.

I melted chocolate chips to pour on top because that's what we had on hand.  Next time I'll use white chocolate because it's my favorite :)

Whether you have time to make your cake or buy it at the store, dessert skewers are easy, yummy and a hit with company.  Enjoy!

Chicken, Kale and Broccoli Casserole

Let's start this with a .. YUM.

Reasons to try this recipe:

 It's full of healthy greens. 
Dark, beautiful, curly kale and a little family-friendly broccoli. I like greens on their own, but when you add pasta and cheese? That's a win.

It's freezable.
I made the full recipe; baking up half of it for our meal and freezing half of it for a future dinner. I love that I only had to cook once, but I get to eat it twice (and not as leftovers).
 
It's tasty.

Big bites of pasta, creamy ricotta cheese, perfectly moist chicken and dark, flavorful greens.  Pair it with a salad and you can feel great about what you're feeding your family.

This is a solid weeknight meal- try it soon.
(And do not fear the kale! It's your body's best friend, I swear.)

Chicken, Kale and Broccoli Casserole
by Oven Love, adapted from Martha Stewart

Ingredients:

• 3/4 lb. large or jumbo pasta shells
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced 
• 3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
• 1 bunch kale, stems and ribs removed, coarsely chopped
• 1 head broccoli, chopped into florets 
• 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or chopped
• 1 large container ricotta cheese
• zest of 1 lemon
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain; return to pot. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high. Add onion and garlic; cook until onion is beginning to soften, 4 minutes. Add kale and broccoli, cover, and cook until almost tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to pot with pasta.

Stir in chicken, ricotta, lemon zest, and 1/2 cup Parmesan; season with salt and pepper. Transfer mixture to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish; top with 1/4 cup Parmesan. Bake until top is golden, 30 minutes.

To freeze: Cook pasta al dente according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water; return to the pot. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high. Add onion and garlic; cook until onion is beginning to soften, 4 minutes. Add kale and broccoli, cover, and cook until almost tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to pot with pasta. Stir in chicken, ricotta, lemon zest, and 1/2 cup Parmesan; season with salt and pepper. Transfer mixture to a 9-by-13-inch disposable baking dish (or two 8-by-8-inch baking dishes); top with 1/4 cup Parmesan. Let cool to room temperature, cover with aluminum foil and freeze.

To reheat from frozen: Bake casserole (straight from the freezer) at 350 degrees for 60-90 minutes or until completely warmed through, removing the foil for the last 20 minutes of baking. You can also thaw in the fridge the day before and bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes.

Sweet Beet Pancakes

Oh, how the times have changed.

If you told me five years ago that I'd be recommending that you eat beets in any form, I would have laughed in your face. But here I am, about to tell you why you need to make beet pancakes- and soon.

This weekend, I had my first experience cooking with beets. Hubs brought home four beets for me from our farmer (Hilton) and I knew it was time to experiment. Is it weird that I am not ready to eat a plain roasted beet, and that I'd rather put it in a pancake first? Weird or not, that's what I did. I roasted those babies up, trimmed and pureed them (all with GLOVED hands, which I highly recommend unless you want stained beet fingers), and mixed them up into my batter. 

The verdict? Sweet and delicious. Hubs thought they could use a little extra syrup, but I didn't think the earthiness of the beets came on too strong. The little guy enjoyed them, too (that means he actually took a few bites and didn't run the other way asking for M-I-L-K).

If you're new to beets, too, I would encourage you to start with this recipe. It's a fairly safe introduction into the world of beets. Some day soon, I hope to face my fears and actually eat a beet on its own.. but until then, I'll be sitting down to a plate of these sweet, pink cakes.

P.S. Like most pancake recipes, these are freezable!

Sweet Beet Pancakes
by Oven Love, adapted from Weelicious

 Ingredients:

• 1 Cup All Purpose Flour
• 3/4 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
• 3 Tbsp Light Brown Sugar
• 1 Tbsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 Tsp Kosher Salt
• 2 Medium Beets, roasted & pureed (about 3/4 Cups)
• 1 1/4 Cup Milk
• 1/3 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt
• 1 Large Egg
• 3 Tbsp Canola Oil
• 1 Tsp Vanilla extract

1. Sift the first 5 ingredients into a bowl.
2. Place the rest of the wet ingredients in a separate bowl and whisk thoroughly to combine.
3. Add the dry ingredients into the wet and stir until just combined (you don’t want to overstir the batter — some lumps are good).
4. Drop about 2 tbsp of the pancake mixture onto a greased griddle or pan over medium heat and cook for 3 minutes on each side.
5. Serve with desired accompaniments- butter, syrup, honey or jam.

 To freeze: Place the pancakes in labeled zipper bags and freeze for up to 3 months.

Fridays with Julie - Fish Tacos

Cooking for other people can sometimes be a challenge but is always something I enjoy.  I had the pleasure to cook for my friend Sara and her husband Will while I was in GA.  The only problem was, Sara is lactose intolerant.  Having never thought about cutting dairy out of my meals (remember I love butter almost as much as Paula Deen), I had to make a plan.  It was a little too chilly to grill and I didn't want to have to ask for help - I wanted to prepare the entire meal.  

The menu -

Fish Tacos with Purple Slaw

Homemade Salsa and tortilla chips

Canned refried beans (no cheese on top)

Mexican Rice (from a box)

I also made some dessert skewers with a little chocolate drizzle on them because even a girl who's lactose intolerant needs a little chocolate sometimes.  PS-I did ask here before I drizzled her's with the chocolate.

First up - the fish.

Seared Tilapia for Tacos

• 4 tilapia filets
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/8 tsp cumin
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil - EVOO

Mix all spices together and sprinkle over both sides of tilapia.  Heat EVOO in a pan over medium high heat on stove.  Place all 4 filets in pan.  Sear for 4 minutes on each side.  Don't worry if they fall apart because next you want to cut them into slices or shred them for tacos.

Next, the Slaw.

Purple Slaw

• 1/2 small purple cabbage - grated (I used a food processor)
• 1/4 red onion - diced into small pieces
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 4 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tsp olive or canola oil
• salt 
• pepper

Mix the sugar, brown sugar, vinegar, and oil.  Refrigerate for 1-8 hours.  Grate cabbage and mix with onion.  When you take the "dressing" out of the fridge, you need to mix it well before pouring it over the slaw mix.  Mix well and salt and pepper to taste.

Finally the tacos-

• Cooked tilapia filets
• Purple Slaw
• Tortillas
• Sour Cream
• Homemade Salsa

Put a little bit of everything into the tortilla and enjoy!