Sundried Tomato and Basil Hummus!

The Scoop:
Hummus is so easy to manipulate to your taste and is a healthier snack option!

Suggestions Before Starting:
We use "no sodium added" garbanzo beans in a can.  In the future, we will be boiling our own.  Boiling your own is more cost effective and you can control what is added (preservatives, sodium...) more easily.  Fresh is always better in my eyes when it comes to herbs but if you do not have access, feel free to substitute dried herbs.  Dried herbs require much less than fresh herbs because they are more concentrated.  Remember to thoroughly stir the Tahini before using otherwise the bottom will be completely solid as you finish the container.  Never heard of Tahini?  Tahini is simply ground sesame seeds that is paste-like.  We've found it is cheapest at the local Indian grocery stores but also available at more traditional grocery stores.

Is anybody out there still?

So... we've taken a bit of a hiatus.  During our time away we have made several changes.  When I say we've made several changes, I really mean very little is the same anymore.  Dave and I now live in Michigan and instead of working in mental health, I now work as a Sommelier and an Event Planner.  Dave has been promoted to Senior Engineer.  We now have a beautiful golden retriever puppy named Merlot.  We are constantly going now.

How does any of this have to do with the lone clicker that stumbled upon this ghost blog?  I'm so relieved you asked!  Dave and I are still foodies but now we're looking at recipes from a new angle.  We have both put the effort into eating healthier but not compromising the delicious foods in the world.  Instead of chicken fingers breaded and fried in crisco, we now make whole wheat chicken fingers with hormone free chicken fried in coconut oil.  I honestly barely even taste a difference.  Dave and I will never be vegetarians but we have concerns about what is in the meats we were consuming mindlessly.  When possible, we do hormone free meats and organic produce.  The most important thing about these foods is that they do in fact spoil!  All those great food safety tips probably never mattered until we switched to hormone free and organic.  Food is naturally supposed to have a spoil date unless it's honey.  I cannot promise we will be posting more regularly but we do have a lot of great recipes we want to share.  Also, if anybody is really out there and is looking to make their favorite foods a bit more healthy, please let us know.  We'll get creative and see what we can do!

Stuffed Green Peppers

A great and mildly healthy snack.

The Good: Makes a tasty appetizer or goes fairly as a meal.

The Bad: Takes a bit of time and can be somewhat tricky to cook everything just right.

The Ugly: If we timed it out right, we would have made this recipe from our own grown peppers...

Suggestions Before Starting: 

Basically, we like to have everything as ready as can be before starting anything. That means dicing the tomatoes, cutting the peppers, etc so it's all ready to go. 

Mozzarella Chicken

Succulent and Flavorful

The Good: Easy to prepare, absolutely juicy and fairly cheap.

The Bad: The recipe takes a bit of time to cook up.

The Ugly: I always make a huge mess when breading foods!

Suggestions Before Starting: 
As always, leave items like butter and eggs out for a bit before starting the recipe so it is easier to work with and so it will blend better.  I usually set them out when I start thinking about making dinner (30-40 minutes early).  Please don't forget you set it out and let it spoil after a change of plans!
If you do not have dried bread crumbs, feel free to crush crackers (saltines, cheese Its, butter crackers.. you pick!) and add your favorite spices.  I like to use oregano, basil... and whatever else inspires me that day.
Don't forget to get wax paper if you do not have any!

Pumpkin Ginger Cupcakes

The Perfect Taste for Fall

The Good:  I made these for my co-workers when I worked at the hospital and they were gone quickly.

The Bad: Fall only comes once a year!

The Ugly:  Crystallized ginger is extremely expensive unless you find the right store.

Suggestions before starting:
I like to "seal" cakes and cupcakes with a thin layer of icing while it is still warm to keep in the moisture.  As you can see in the picture, I was a little impatient when I went back to finish icing them so the icing became a bit runny and not so pretty.

If you don't already have ginger, cinnamon or ground cloves and are wondering if this recipe would be worth buying those spices, check out our Chai Tea recipe.  All three of this spices are in both recipes and are delicious!

Penne A La Vodka

Hearty and tasty

The Good: Absolutely delicious and easy to adjust to your own taste-buds and spicy level!

The Bad: The recipe takes a bit of time to cook up.
The Ugly: Be careful on the type of tomatoes you use.  We have made this recipe several times and it tastes a lot different (and gross) if you use cheap tomatoes or crushed/diced tomatoes.

Suggestions Before Starting:

When buying ingredients, be sure to buy the better tomatoes... We like Del Monte.

It is best to have all ingredients measured and ready before you start.

Be careful when cutting up the tomatoes, sometimes they squirt at you.

We add crushed red pepper instead of black pepper to make the recipe a little bit spicy and so it pairs better with red wine.

As always, feel free to use your favorite noodle type.  I like to use Rigatoni, Penne or Farfalle (bowtie) in order for the noodle to hold in the sauce!  Remember to adjust the time you start the noodles to how quickly your stove heats up and how long your noodles take to cook.  Our stove is generally very quick so we turn the water on when there is 5 minutes left of the vodka step.

If you need help with how to use fresh garlic please visit our older post.

I like to "cook" the sauce into the pasta on low heat for flavor for a couple of minutes, stirring constantly so the heavy cream does not burn.

Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pull-Apart Bread

The Loaf

The Good: Makes the perfect New Years' Eve party appetizer (or any party for that matter)
The Bad: It probably won't be the healthiest in your party-snack lineup
The Ugly: Not good for people with allergies to deliciousness!

Suggestions Before Starting:
Although this particular recipe calls for a round sourdough loaf and bacon bits, don't panic if you can't find or don't have either. It is really quite flexible. We substituted the sourdough loaf with a round Italian loaf, and bacon bits with actual pan-fried bacon. Feel free to substitute the cheddar cheese with any kind you like as well!

Double Tomato Brushcetta

Flavorful and appetizing

The Good: Delicious and easy to make.

The Bad: Tomato seeds are slimy and messy.

The Ugly: Not good for tomato allergies.

Suggestions before starting:

If you are unclear about mincing garlic or what a clove is visit Garlic, Yes Please! for further instructions.  Remember when cutting bread to use a serrated knife.  Allow the blade to cut the bread by using long strokes rather than applying large amounts of pressure.  When spreading the cheese be careful not to leave any on the pan b/c it is extremely difficult to wash off the pan.  Be cautious when using the broiler setting.  Stay close by otherwise you will have burnt bread instantly.

Slow Cooker Pork Chops

"Pork Chops to Live For"

Pork Chops, Smashed Potatoes and Bruschetta

The Good:  Put these succulent chops in the cooker early in the day and forget about it until dinner time!

The Bad: I would like a little more flavor kick but my guests still thought the flavor was perfect.

The Ugly:  Apparently a double batch does not fit in my cooker!

Suggestions Before Starting:

Make sure your slow cooker is big enough before starting! If not, you can cook any extras in a casserole dish in the oven at 400 for an hr.

Next time I would add a couple smashed garlic cloves.  I love garlic!
Make sure you remember to dip the edges of the chops into the flour, as well as, browning them. Don't wear dark colors while using flour! lol

Remember you only are browning the outsides.  This helps to seal in the moisture and give chops a nice color, not to actually cook it.

When placing ingredients into cooker, we started with a layer of soup mixture and did it in layers to make sure everything was evenly distributed.

Come back soon for the Bruschetta and Smashed Potato recipes!

Mint Tea Punch

Mint? Lemon? Orange?  Refreshing overload?

Yes PLEASE!

The Good:  Mint Tea Punch is absolutely refreshing. Great on a hot summer day!

The Bad:  Good things come to those who WAIT! Unfortunately the tea blends together better by the 2nd day.  Hang in there it will be okay!

The Ugly: My mint plant looked beautiful before I took 12 sprigs off of it... now it looks kind of small.

Suggestions before starting:

If you would like a less sugary version feel free to use Stevia or honey instead of sugar and adjust the measurements to your liking.

For a more natural lemon flavor you can use lemon balm leaves. (Lemon balm has tons of health benefits: decreases depression, anxiety, indigestion...)

I started my mint and tea bags in a bowl to make it easier for mixing and for fetching out the tea bags.  Once we were ready to add the cool ingredients I switched to the pitcher.  As long as the bowl is easy to pour it works great!
The recipe does not specify what type of tea bags to use so we used some cheap black tea bags that we bought in bulk! (Thank you Neko Knit for pointing this detail out!)

Where in the World are the Wicked Chefs?

I wanted to apologize to our followers for our surprise hiatus.  Dave and I have been crazy busy but I know this is no excuse not to be cooking.  While we were gone: we've been moving, cleaning, buying antique furniture (love our dining room table and hutch, hiding in all our new photos!), Dave's working 60+ hrs a week, I'm working 1st, 2nd and 3rd shift... and the list goes on and on!  We have good news though!  We have recipes that will be uploaded soon and they're coming with a surprise new feature!  We miss being in the kitchen and especially miss your feedback.  Tonight we will have a delicious summary recipe for all of you and we can't wait to hear from you all (new feature will not be featured tonight sorry).  As always, we would not suggest it unless we love it ourselves.  O boy, I ramble... anyways we look forward to being back and can't wait to share some more delicious recipes with everyone.  Happy cooking!

Oreo Truffles

Chocolate... need I say more?

The Good:  If you are a chocolate lover, these are for you!
The Bad: These are almost too chocolaty.
The Ugly: NOT INTENDED FOR DIABETICS!

Suggestions before starting:
Use quality chocolate!  Cheaper chocolate is not good for dipping.
I wanted mint chocolate but it was not available so we added a bit of mint extract while melting the chocolate.
In order to evenly melt the chocolate it is common to use a double boiler.  Dave and I do not have a double boiler yet so we created our own... more ghettofied version by using 1 pot on the bottom with water and 1 on top with the chocolate.

Thank you for your support

Thank you so much for everyone that voted for our Cavatini!  It was definitely a close contest.  I especially appreciate all my last minute facebook votes!  I am completely overwhelmed with all of the support we received.  It is definitely a surprise to see so many people supporting our blog.  Its a very nice reminder of why we started this blog.  I would love for everyone to stop by Big K, little a and try all of the recipes.  There really were some great options in the contest and K has a great blog that deserves all the credit for creating the contest.

Please stop by http://www.bigklittlea.com/ :)

Running out of time to vote!

Voting Closes at 2 am on Thurs Morning!!!!

This would be our first contest  as Wicked Chefs :)

We truly appreciate your support.  We are absolutely overwhelmed with your responses.

If you were wanting to vote for our Cavatini, PLEASE DO!  There are only 2 days left to vote and we would appreciate your support :) Big K, little a Recipe contest

Heavenly Angel Food Cake with a Wicked Twist

Light and fluffy, fruity and oooo so tasty!

 

The Good:  You have to like scrumptious desserts to like this.

The Bad: I think it gradually flattened... we had to make it 2 days early.

The Ugly: Be very quiet! Loud noises will drop any cake!

 

Suggestions before starting:

My mother always told me to separate the yolk from the white by cracking the egg in 1/2 and gently passing it back and forth between the two halves.

Do not forget to continue onto the second step while it says wait 30 minutes.

If you do not have a sifter you can use a very small holed screen/strainer.

Italian Cavatini Made It- Now We Need Your Votes!

If you liked this recipe, please vote at Concours d'Cusine !

 

Big K, Little a is having a recipe contest the rules are available on her site.  If you liked this recipe and want it to make it to the final round please vote for it!  Thank you for your support.  Even if you don't like Italian food please vote for someone at Big K, little a

Wicked Chefs attempt at Will Cook For Smile's She Crab Soup

Simple, delicious and great for a stormy day!

The Good:  Absolutely delicious!  This winner of our Soup Contest is completely deserving of the award.

The Bad:  Crab can be a bit expensive!

The Ugly: This recipe is not as good reheated... the crab gets chewy.

Suggestions before starting:

We used precooked snow crab legs; we just had to de-shell them.  King crab legs are supposed to be "better" but they cost $14 a lb here!

Don't miss the part where it says to saute the shrimp separately for 1-2 minutes.

When cooking with milks always be careful to make sure it is not sticking to the bottom.  You can use a plastic or rubber spatula or spoonula to protect your pan from scratches.

If you are sick... find someone to cook for you :)

Most importantly: Follow Will Cook for Smiles for more great recipes :)

Soup For My Cold - The Champion!

Today's the day! And the winner is:

She Crab Soup by Will Cook for Smiles

When you're sick, you need something warm and soothing to help make your day go a bit better. The natural choice is a bowl of hot soup. Not just any soup though, we needed to find something that was not only soothing and delicious, but easy to make and unique. Out of all the choices of ingredients, we never would have thought of seafood as a contender until we saw the recipe for this appetizing option!

After reviewing all the steps, I went out and bought everything we needed. It seemed like no time at all from the time I got home till the time it was ready to enjoy. Easy to prepare and smelling great, I saw a smile on Linds' face where before was cold-stricken misery.

So without further adieu, here is the winning recipe straight from Will Cook for Smiles!



She Crab Soup

This is one of my favorite soups. It originated in the South Carolina Lowcountry and Georgia coast. The "She-crab" soup got its name because traditionally a gravid female crabs were used for the she crab soup. Crab roe was the main ingredient of she-crab soup and it is what gave the soup orange tint. Today, any crab meat is used. I also added some shrimp, just to see if I like it, and yes I DID!

This is a very easy and quick soup. Makes for a delicious lunch or dinner!
 

 

Ingredients:
 

   

• 3 tbs butter
• 3/4 cup chopped onion
• 3 tbs flour
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce (or 1/4 cup dry sherry)
• 1 to 1.5 lbs crab meat
• 1 cup of small shrimp (optional)
• 3 cups of milk
• 1 cup of heavy cream
• salt/pepper to the taste 

Directions:
1. Melt the butter in the pot in medium heat
2. Saute onions until transperent
 



 
3. Add the flour, stir well
4. Add the Worcestershire sauce (or the sherry). Thin with some milk if needed.
5. Add the crab meat and the shrimp. (Saute the shrimp separately for about a minute or two)
 



 
6. Pour in the milk and heavy cream slowly while whisking.
 



 
7. Bring to a low boil and turn back down to medium (be careful not to boil over)
 



 
8. Cook on medium for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Enjoy!!!



Thanks to everyone who contributed their recipes to the contest, they all truly looked amazing and we had a tough time deciding! And also, stay tuned for tomorrow where we will post our detailed review of this awesome cold-fighting meal.

Sincerely,

Wicked Chef #2-Dave

Soup for my Cold

Cold, bronchitis, tonsilitis... who knows what it is?!?! We all know what it is like to be under the weather but few of us have GREAT soup recipes.  I caught a bug and just when I go to ask Dave to make me some soup I realize I need a recipe!!!! Aye carramba!

Ladies and gentlemen, I need your help!  Please link up great soup recipes.  On 5/17 Dave and I will choose a soup to make and feature it.  All you have to do is link it up!  By the way.... I am on strike until I get more energy and soup :)

Sushi

Nom nom nom...

The Good:  Incredible, versatile and scrumptious.

The Bad: It's really hard to make sushi without rolling mats.

The Ugly: It is difficult to find rolling mats in rural areas.

Suggestions before starting:

If you want to use the same roller multiple times, cover it in plastic wrap and remove when done.

The vinegar we use is rice vinegar but you can use any type of white vinegar.

Before pressing down the rice, it helps to dip your fingers in water so the rice does not stick to your fingers.

The ingredients listed here are for a version of Philadelphia rolls (without avocado). You can feel free to use whatever ingredients/seasonings you like!

We suggest peeling the cucumber.

If you use raw fish do your research well before preparing your sushi. There are certain techniques that you need to use to protect yourself!