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Brownies from Scratch

2/12/2014

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Ever since getting my hand run over, I haven't been cooking or baking much of anything.  In fact, I was physically unable to do a myriad of everyday tasks I've grown accustomed to over the past 23years.  This was frustrating for many reasons, not the least of which is I'd just bought a bunch of new dishes and was super excited to use them!

A week and a half after my accident, I rolled out of bed and decided to make brownies to take to work.  It was the first recipe I'd made since my hand got smushed, and I'd actually never before made brownies from scratch. 

I started with this "Fudgy Brownies" recipe from All Recipes (something I'd pinned ages ago on my pinterest). Based on reading the comments, I tweaked the recipe a bit.  While the ensuing result wasn't particularly "fudgey" to me, it was incredibly delicious, and I think more of a fudge quality could easily be achieved with some added ingredients.

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A Bit of Nothing and Some PFC

1/28/2013

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Do you ever get the restless urge to do something but can't?  Like today - it's a crappy, gloomy, rainy day out, and I just really want to write.  Problem is - no inspiration.  About what should I even write? I want to write another article for Quarter Life Daily but don't know on what topic to discourse.  I was reading through some articles I wrote for them and they were good.  Very good. Better than anything I've written in quite some time.  It's so easy for me to flesh out a topic, but it's finding the idea, the germ of inspiration, that's got me buggered right now.  So, instead of writing something with weight and worth, I'm here blathering about not knowing about what to write.  Good times.  smh. 

Well, in lieu of anything of note, I'll expound on food. Because I love food.  And there are still several PFC recipes I have yet to share with you, dear readers.  

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An Ending and A Beginning

12/29/2012

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I've never been one for New Year Resolutions.  I figured, people never keep them anyway, what's the point in setting yourself up for failure?  I like to keep in mind some things I'd like to achieve, but I don't make pointless promises to myself. 

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Not Quite

12/11/2012

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Well, it has been a stretch of time since I last posted, especially about food!  It's been a really rough couple of weeks, and we're not outta the woods yet, but like Mr. Baggins and Thorin & Co. in Mirkwood, they didn't listen to sound advice, strayed from the path, had some adventures, encountered many difficult trials, but eventually made it out of the woods and back on their way wiser and more experienced for their pains. 

So, why don't we take a look at some recipes that for various reasons didn't make my ultimatecookbookofdeliciousnesseverytimetriedandtruerecipes, shall we?


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PFC - Wk 27, Level: Hurricane

11/3/2012

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Slowly, but surely, this city is getting back on its feet.  Power has been restored to much of downtown Manhattan, but subways are still not running below 34th st.  Many of the Broadway shows opened on Halloween, but theatres downtown were without power until yesterday - so they are just beginning to check everything and hopefully open today and tomorrow. (I hear The Public (425 Lafayette St) is giving away free tickets to Giant today and tomorrow - if you can, go! It's an absolutely terrific show.) The road to recovery will be a lengthy one, but we are on our way.  The NYC Marathon was cancelled.  I understand why Mayor Bloomberg wanted it to go on - rally the troops, show things getting back to normal, etc. etc., however, I'm glad they finally saw sense and cancelled the race.  They said it wouldn't take away from relief efforts, but that's just not true - and all resources should be going to helping those devastated by Sandy.  For an interesting look into the New York attitude of things, check this out.

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PFC - Vacation Style (wks 21, 22, and 23)

10/8/2012

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One of the great things about visiting home was getting to grocery shop and cook and not have to pay for any of it.  Going to the store with my mom was fantastic - "Whatever you want, get it" she told me.  It was such a new concept for me that for once I didn't actually need to snap up the cheapest items and count every penny.  I was able to splurge on a few things - like a 4 pack of bottled Sprecher's Rootbeer :)  We went to the apple orchard, constantly went to restaurants, traipsed up and down Oktoberfest - in other words, I was constantly eating my entire vacation.  Which is as it should be.  But as time went on, I increasingly felt of one mind with Hwin, when. staying with the Hermit, she proclaimed, "I'm getting as fat as a pet pony - eating all day and getting no exercise." Too true, my friend, too true.  Though, I weighed myself every day, and never gained any weight.  Huh.  I sure felt fatter.

Anyway, here are the PFC recipes I made while on vacation.  I made many other things as well, but didn't want to take the time to photograph and write them all down.

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Roasted Chicken and Vegetables with Mashed Cauliflower (wk 22 - click the names for links to the original recipes)
Roasting Chicken (I bought a fine fowl fellow named Horatio)
Vegetables - I used 4-5 carrots, 2-3 celery sticks, 1 large onion, 2 sweet potatoes, a bit of garlic, and brussel sprouts (per my brother in law's request)
olive oil
Salt and pepper


1 head cauliflower
A few tablespoons of vegetable broth
1 TBLS butter
Salt and Pepper

(I changed this recipe because Rob can't have cream)

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1. Chop up all the veggies and put in a bunt or angel cake pan seasoned with a bit of olive oil and S/P. Place the bird's butt on top of the hole so he's sitting nicely. (Ok, I know that sounds really dirty, so I'm just going to snigger quietly to myself and move on.) Feel free to season your bird however you so desire.  I used what was in my sister's kitchen - so Basil, Parsley, Oregano, some lemon pepper seasoning, olive oil, and a bit of butter.  Make sure you season under the skin as well.

2. Roast at 400 degrees for 15minutes per pound, plus an extra 15minutes.  I think Horatio roasted for about 2hrs.  A meat thermometer would be a good idea, esp. if your oven is funky. Also, be sure to put a cookie sheet underneath to catch the drips.

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I put the brussel sprouts in for the last 30-40 minutes. I'd never made them before, and read a whole lot of different things about how to make them.  The ones on top turned out fine, but the ones not directly on the surface didn't cook quite enough.  My sister and I aren't partial to them anyway, but Rob enjoyed them.

This was a fine way to roast a bird and vegetables together, and it tasted delicious, but having the bird upright made Horatio come out kind of funny...

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How YOU doin'?
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Anyway, on to the cauliflower:

1. Cut up the cauliflower head into small pieces and put in a microwave safe dish with the vegetable broth and butter. Microwave 5 min, stir, and microwave another 5 minutes.
2. Process in a blender. Season with S/P and cheese if you want, and done! 

I'd never tried mashed cauliflower before, and indeed am not a huge fan of cauliflower in the first place.

However, once I made this dish, I am a firm believer.  It was so light and fluffy, utterly delicious, and super easy! Definitely will be making these instead of mashed potatoes from now on.

Being the Fall time of year, of course I was going to try as many apple recipes as possible. Here they are.

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Apple Cider in an Apple Cup (wk.21)
Ok, ok - I didn't make the actual apple cider, I was just doing this to make a cup out of an apple, because how awesome is that? Pretty awesome. 

So, you cut out the core from the top, then scoop out the insides with a spoon - being careful not to puncture all the way through.  Fill with warm apple cider, garnish with a cinnamon stick, and voila! 

It was the presentation.  Isn't it always? And after you're done, you can EAT your cup!! Awesome!


I got super excited when I found out the cinnamon stick could act as a straw...

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Definitely the highlight of that day. Oh Appleton, the things you do to me.
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Crockpot Caramel (wk 21)
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Cook 8hrs on low, completely submerged in water, in the crockpot. Cool for 2hrs in the fridge. Voila! Well, supposedly.  I, however, found this to be quite disappointing.  I mean, just compare the two pictures (mine here and from the original link)- an obvious difference.  I followed the directions, but heck if I know why it didn't taste (or particularly look) like caramel. I thought this'd be an easier, cheaper alternative to buying the caramel from the store, but it didn't taste like caramel at all - but rather, sweet, thick milk.  Bleg.  Ahh well, can't win 'em all I suppose.

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Apple Oatmeal (wk 22)
1 C Steel Cut Oats
3 diced apples
1 C apple cider
3 C water
Cinnamon/nutmeg/allspice (optional)

Combine everything in a crockpot, cook on high 2-4hrs until you achieve desired consistency.


I've never been one for oatmeal, and the original title was Apple Pie Breakfast, so I expected something amazing.  I was slightly disappointed.  I found it rather bland, as I do all oatmeal.  However, when I decided to add in some of the store bought caramel, it was absolutely delicious!  Maybe it wasn't as sweet because I used fresh apple cider from the orchard instead of apple juice with all its unnatural sweeteners.  But with the caramel it was pretty delicious and made a whole lot.  I'd probably make it again.

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Sparkling Cider (wk 23)
half cider
half ginger ale
bourbon (optional)

I wasn't in the mood for bourbon at that time of day, so I just mixed some cider and ginger ale and was pleasantly surprised by the taste - it felt like sparks were dancing on my tongue. Not in a painful way - it was crisp and refreshing.  I will definitely be drinking this again.

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Sausage and Lentil Soup (wk 23)
1 pound green lentils
olive oil
1 lb italian sausage
1 onion, diced
3-4 celery stalks, diced
2-3 large carrots, sliced
1 zucchini, sliced
2 cloves minced garlic
salt/pepper

1/2tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
6 C chicken broth
2 cans diced tomatoes
3 C water

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1. In a large bowl, cover the lentils with boiling water and let sit 15min. Drain. (Even if the bag says they don't need to be soaked, do this - it'll help them soak up less of the broth).

2. In a dutch oven or large stock pot, heat the oil and brown the sausage (if it's not already pre-cooked). 

3. Add in all the veggies and spices and cook for 15 min - stirring often.



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4. Add chicken stock, canned tomatoes, lentils, and water. Cover and bring to a boil.

5. Uncover and simmer for 1 1/2hrs, or until lentils are tender.


This is an absolutely healthy and delicious dish, easy to make, and it makes a lot!  Very warm and filling - perfect for this chilly weather we're getting.

I'm very happy I was able to continue my PFC while on vacation - and it was so nice not to have to buy all my own ingredients.  Hopefully, one day, I'll be as financially secure as my parents.  But aren't you supposed to be a poor penny pincher in your twenties?  Looks like I'm right on track :)
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PFC Catch-up - wks 7, 8, 9, 13, and 14

9/7/2012

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As you may or may not know, I'm a writer for the site Quarter Life Daily. They finally got around to posting my article about traveling in Guatemala!  Check it out: http://qldaily.com/travel-tips-for-guatemala/.

Seeing as how Madam Fury's Traveling Show has taken up all my time the past few weeks, I think it's about time I caught everyone up with some Pinterest Recipes - considering I'm currently in wk 19, and haven't shared any recipes past wk 7. I know, I know. I said a while ago I was going to be better about keeping up - but this time I really mean it!  So, here we go.  We got some good, some mediocre, some delicious, and some disappointing.

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Cookies, Chai, and a Great Big Sigh

8/26/2012

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You know what's really annoying? Making mistakes at work.  It's a smashing great job, but it always seems like I'm doing one little thing wrong after another.  It's annoying to me on so many levels.  And then, because my memory is fleeing me at a rapid pace, I'm can't remember if I rightly deserve the critique/chastisement or not.  Nonetheless, now I know something I didn't know before.  And my bosses are always kind.  But for a girl who really does not do well having to get corrected, I feel pretty lousy right now.  I can't imagine what it would be like having to work with people for my job. Kudos to all my friends who suffer through!

My internet was out for a few days, but now seems to be consistently back, which is quite a relief.  And go figure, during that time I had a whole bunch of stuff to say/write, but now that I can actually get around to writing it, I have nothing.  My brain is slightly fried.  I'm going to go make some chai - maybe that will get my brain juices flowing.  ....That sounded gross.

Mmmm.  Got my Elephant Vanilla Iced Chai in my Lady and the Tramp mug - already feeling better.  I'm a total fan of the Tiger Spiced Chai, but I gotta say, the Elephant Vanilla is really smooth.  Glad I branched out and bought both this time around.

The only time I ever feel like cleaning is when my rm is gone.  So, last night I tidied up the living room table - it's definitely not the disastrous eye-sore it had been for the past few weeks. It's actually pleasant again to sit in here and do my work :) Now, if I could only find that important paper I need...  I really hate this new-found ability to lose things.  It doesn't matter if it's important or expensive, or a piece of junk - I can lose them all just as easily.  I really would've loved to not inherit this trait, mom. Sigh.  And why I can only ever seem to get 2 or 3 rooms looking nice at the same time is beyond me. It's not like this place is a large house or anything.  Ah well. Patience.  It's the little things...

The show is coming along quite well - lots of fun/creepy choreography.  The show times, ticket info, and creative team bios are up - check out the website, and if you haven't already, there's still time to make a tax-deductible donation.  I need to start trying out the makeup I want to do for my circus character. I was going to try some ideas out tonight, but I'm feeling pretty tired.  I think it will be all I can do to make dinner then crawl into bed and watch Pushing Daisies.

Speaking of Pushing Daisies, I've never been interested in owning a Golden Retriever, but Digby is totally making me change my mind.  I could see myself with one :)  Though I'd still get my Doberman and Saluki first!  But they are wonderfully sweet dogs.  And I want to bake pies.  I think I've ever only baked 2 different types of pies - Pumpkin Pie (my mom's recipe), and an amazingly delicious Sunday Apple Pie (which utilizes 3 different types of apples).  I should definitely make more pies - mound them up with fruit, learn to do cool crusts, make cup pies with honey baked into the crust, etc. etc. etc. :)

I did bake two different kinds of cookies this past week: Oreo Drop and Pumpkin Snicker-doodle.  I had a bit of a mishap with the Oreo Drops.  When I pulled the second batch out to check, it was one of those weird, almost slow-motion experiences where I saw the pan going towards the edge of the rack, thinking it would stop, then realizing it wouldn't; wanting to grab it, but being smart enough not to just reach out and touch it with my bare hand, and then seeing it crash onto the kitchen floor.  Thankfully, only half that pan was lost, and the recipe made at least 4 dozen from the get-go. They didn't turn out like I expected, taste-wise.  I guess I thought they'd be more creamy, or have a slightly different consistency.  Still, they're quite good, and everyone who tried them loved them (indeed, one of my friends called them "...delicious. Almost evilly delicious.") With the Pumpkin Snicker-doodles, the first batch came out perfectly, but the next two batches didn't seem to cook as well, even though I left them in a bit longer - the middles never quite made it.  So, I'm not a fantastic baker, but there is hope for me yet!


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Oreo Drop Cookies (Orig. recipe)
2 sticks butter, room temp.
1 brick cream cheese, room temp.
1 C white sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 C flour
1 C dark chocolate chips
Oreo Crumbles (I used about 1/2 a package)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line cookie sheet with parchment/wax paper.  In a large bowl, cream together butter and cream cheese.

2. Add sugar and vanilla, mix well. 

3. Add flour 1 C at a time, and stir until just combined.  


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4.  Mix in chocolate chips with a spatula.

5. Put Oreo crumbles in a bowl.  Take a spoonful of dough, roll into a ball, and then roll in the crumbles.  Repeat. Many times. This recipe makes 3-4 dozen depending on how big you make them.  I used a large spoon and made about 4 dozen (before I threw some on the floor :P).

6.  Cook 15 minutes.  Remove and let cool at least 5 min before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely - otherwise they will break apart. As I also learned.

And yeah, that's my new Kitchen Aid Chopper - so much nicer and easier than thwacking them with a hammer in a plastic bag.  Though, hitting things with a hammer can be quite cathartic. 



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Pumpkin Snicker-doodle Cookies (Orig. Recipe)
3 3/4 C flour
1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
2 sticks butter, room temp
1 C sugar
1/2 C brown sugar
1 C pumpkin puree
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla extract


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Coating
1/2 C sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
dash of Allspice

1. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
2. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugars.  Next, blend in the pumpkin.  Then add the egg and vanilla and mix until well combined.  Lastly, add in the dry ingredient mixture.
3. Cover the dough and refrigerate 1 hour (you'll want to do this step - if you don't, it'll be super messy and really hard to roll the dough into balls. Just sayin'.)
4.  Preheat oven to 350.  Line cookie sheet with parchment/wax paper.  In a small bowl, combine the coating ingredients. 
5. Roll the dough into balls (again, I used a large spoon, and made about 30 cookies), and roll them in the coating.  Put them on the pan, about 2 inches apart.  Use a glass (I used the bottom of a shot glass), dipped in water and covered in the sugar coating, to flatten out the cookies.
6. Bake 10-12 minutes.  Remove when the centers of the cookies have set.  Let cool on the baking pan a few minutes before removing to a wire rack. 


I know, I know - I really gotta start taking better pictures - but it's a struggle for me to remember to even take them, let alone pause long enough in my cooking/baking to make everything look pretty and aesthetically pleasing. Sigh. I should just get one of my photographer friends to take pictures while I'm in the kitchen, then I wouldn't have to worry about it.
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Kitchen Gadgets and Confetti Chicken

8/20/2012

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I do dearly love my kitchen gadgets.  Almost every time I've bought something new for the kitchen, Carolyn will poke fun at me - for my air popcorn popper, salad shooter/chopper, grilled cheese maker, bunt pan, the list goes on.  I tell her that she is not obligated to partake in their glory.  I grew up with all those items, so when I moved to college and had a microwave and a stove top burner and had to make grilled cheese in a skillet, it was ok, but it was never quite right.  And microwave popcorn's got nothin' on air popped.  You can add however much salt and butter you like - unlike microwave, which I find rather grossly over-seasoned.  Maybe it is a bit silly to have so many kitchen gizmos, but I use them, and they make my life that little bit easier.  Like making dinner tonight - instead of chopping up or trying to shred carrots by hand or with the cheese grater, I just popped them into my salad shooter and voila! 3 carrots shredded as the recipe called for in a mere few seconds.  Glorious.  I suppose what would be appropriate to follow this is a series of pictures of me posing with my kitchen tools.  Alas (or maybe Thank God), dear readers, that is not forthcoming.

I will share with you, however, something I did the other day that made me very happy.  I am a fan of lists and organization (even if I'm not the cleanest person around - I have so much stuff), and I was going through my Pinterest Good Lookin' Recipes Board and felt completely overwhelmed.  It had all the recipes I wanted to make, with all the ones I've already tried mixed in.  And as there were over 500 pins, it took quite a while to sift through the pictures trying to find what I was looking for - original links for these posts, names of dishes, etc. So, I went and made a NEW board: Pinterest Food Challenge - Recipes I've Made So Far.  This way, even if I haven't blogged about it yet, you can keep up with what I've made, which week it's from, and I can easily find the source material.  I went through my Good Lookin' Recipes to re-pin and then delete.  I also found I'd pinned certain recipes 2 or 3 times, so I did a bit of deletion there, as well.  As I blog I'll post the corresponding post onto the actual pin - maybe my site will get seen by more people, too!  Next will be condensing - since I've realized not everything on Good Lookin' Recipes is something I'll actually make - but rather cool stuff or things to help around the kitchen.  I'm not sure which I'll keep and which I'll move to a different/new board, yet.  But with this little tidy-up has come a re-invigoration for my goal.  I have some fun new recipes to try out and foist upon my cast! :)

In the meanwhile, enjoy the following recipe from Wk 7.

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Confetti Chicken Pasta in Spicy Cream Sauce (Orig. Recipe)
Box Penne Pasta
Olive Oil
2-3 Chicken Breasts, cubed
salt and pepper
1/2 onion, chopped
chopped garlic
Veggies (anything you have on hand - I used red, green, yellow, and orange peppers, zucchini, and mushrooms)


Spicy Cream Sauce
2 TBLS butter
2 TBLS Flour
2 C Milk
red pepper flakes - adjust according to your taste for spice :)
1 pkg Feta Cheese

1. Start cooking pasta.  In a skillet over medium heat, season chicken with salt and pepper and cook until brown. Remove to a large bowl. 
2. Add more oil and cook the onion and garlic for 2 min.  Add in other vegetables and cook a few minutes - until desired texture (I like mine done, but still with a bit of crunch). Remove veggies to the large bowl of chicken.
3.  In the same skillet, melt butter then toss in the flour and stir, cooking 1-2 minutes.
4. Slowly add in the milk, mixing to avoid lumps. Sprinkle in the red pepper and simmer until it begins to boil, stirring occasionally. When the sauce begins to thicken, turn off the heat and mix in the cheese until it's deliciously melted.
5. You can either mix everything together in the skillet or a large bowl, or pour the sauce over individual servings. I added the chicken/veggies back into the skillet and mixed them all up.  I put my pasta in a bowl and topped with the mixture. 


This recipe is incredibly delicious!  And I like to think it's healthy because of all the veggies ;)



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PFC weeks 5 and 6 Roundup

8/6/2012

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I've been doing a lot of thinking this past week - more than usual, I'd say, contemplating a lot of things I've grown up believing, what I should do, who I thought I was, and who I am.  It's fascinating and confusing, and I've barely scratched the surface. So, instead of vomiting stray thoughts all over this here blog, I'm going to do some PFC catchup.  Enjoy these recipes :)
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Lemonade Jello Shots (Orig. recipe here)
12 Lemons
1 C pink lemonade
1 Box (4 little packets) plain gelatin
1 C vodka

This recipe wasn't very precise, so I improvised based on my gut instinct. 


1.  Cut lemons in half lengthwise - scoop out the insides.  This was by far the most time consuming and annoying part - and be sure you don't put a hole in the flesh, or the liquid will run out before it sets.
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2.  Put lemonade in a sauce pan, and sprinkle gelatin on top. Let sit for 2 min. 
3.  Heat lemonade over low heat and stir until gelatin is dissolved - about 5 minutes.
4. Stir in vodka. Pour into lemon halves - I used a turkey baster.

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5. Refrigerate until set - about 4hrs.
6. Cut into wedges and serve!


Notes - ok, this recipe involved a lot of guess work on my part, because the original recipe isn't very clear.  I ended up adding more lemonade into the mix (probably around 1/2-1 Cup extra) because I was worried the lemonade flavor wouldn't be strong enough, and that it would just taste like gelatin/pig.  Gross.  I think this recipe could definitely be made using a regular packet of lemonade (or whatever flavor you want) jello. 

When I first took them out of the 'fridge and tried them I was not impressed. They were hard with not a lot of flavor - I was worried the grill out I was taking them to would be disappointed (well, not technically the grill out, but the people AT the grill out...anyway..).  However, it was super hot out, and walking the whole 8 blocks to the party, they started "melting", and by the time I got to the roof, their flavor had really burst out.  They were softer and the lemonade flavor mixed nicely with the flavor of the lemon rind - so they were actually pretty delicious! And the presentation of a jello shot in the lemon rind = win.  You'll be the hit of the party with these babies!  Though scooping out the insides was a pain in the tush.

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Aaand, you'll probably have extra.  Enjoy!

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Vodka Rootbeer (If you really care, here's the original recipe)
Ice
Vodka
Rootbeer
Whip Cream
Cherry

1. Fill glass with ice. Cover in Vodka, add Rootbeer. Top with whipped cream and a cherry.  Drink as you make the following recipe from week 5.


Roasted Red Pepper and Basil Pesto Penne (Orig. recipe here)
4-6 Cloves Garlic
1/3 C Pine Nuts
1/3 C freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
1 C Jarred Roasted Red Bell Peppers
1 C fresh Basil Leaves
Salt and Pepper
Olive Oil
Penne
Rotisserie Chicken
*cherry tomatoes - optional topping
*1/2 C heavy cream - I didn't use any cream or milk, because I thought it was rather unnecessary.  The recipe is totally delicious without it, and cream has a tendency to make me feel sick (and is more fattening, anyway).  Feel free to use it if you want to thicken it up, but it's also fine without.


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The lovely players.
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1. Start cooking your pasta.  Put garlic in a skillet and heat with the cold olive oil - this way the oil becomes flavored (versus heating the oil in the skillet first, then adding the garlic).
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2. Add pine nuts to the skillet and heat 1-2 minutes.  I'm drooling just looking at this.
3. Add oil, pine nuts, and garlic to blender/food processor and pulse until they are a fine paste.
4. Add Parmesan cheese and pulse.

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5. Add the Red Peppers, salt and pepper, and pulse again.  I added a bit of the juice from the Jarred Peppers because it wasn't blending well.
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6. Add Basil and pulse.
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Mmmmmm. Yummy.
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7. Add sauce to your cooked and drained pasta.
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8. Add chicken.
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9. Add toppings (cherry tomatoes/pine nuts/basil/cheese), serve with a nice red wine, and Enjoy!!

Notes - Seriously, this is one of the best recipes I've made from my PFC.  Despite the number of steps, it's pretty fast and easy to make, and utterly delicious.  The only annoying thing was I couldn't find pine nuts, and when I finally did they were $10!!!! For a tiny little container! But, they are vital to the recipe - so don't leave them out. 

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