Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

These are seriously my new favorite dessert.  This is one of those things where you kind of want to hate the person that introduces you to them because you just want to eat so many of them.  I have brought them to basically every event I've had to make treats for in the last month.  They are ridiculously fast and easy and they taste SO good.  The saltiness of the Ritz crackers and the pretzels is a perfect balance for the sweetness of the sugar and the chocolate.  These are kind of like Reese's Peanut Butter cups, only way better.  I'm not kidding.  When I make it, I like to crush the pretzels so that I still have a few smallish chunks--it gives a great added crunch to the bars that I really love.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

Number of Servings: 12-24 (depending how big you cut them)
Time to Prepare: 1 hour 15 minutes

• 3/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup finely crushed pretzels
• 1 cup finely crushed Ritz crackers
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar 
• 1 1/4 cups creamy peanut butter, divided
• 1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips

In a medium bowl, combine the butter, pretzel crumbs, cracker crumbs, powdered sugar, and 1 cup peanut butter.  Press the mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 pan.

Place the chocolate chips and 1/4 cup peanut butter in a small bowl.  Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between intervals, until melted.  Pour over pretzel mixture and spread evenly.  Refrigerate for about 1 hour, until chocolate is set, then cut into squares.

Source: slightly adapted from The Girl Who Ate Everything

Unfried Ice Cream

This tasty ice cream has a flavorful, crispy outside that is reminiscent of fried ice cream, but with out the complications and mess of frying.  The cinnamon and honey make it more like Mexican fried ice cream than Asian, but you could really serve this after any meal and nobody is going to complain. You'll need some time for freezing between steps, so make sure to plan ahead, but rest assured that the hands-on time is pretty minimal.  The toasted marshmallows on top are a fun little addition, and the way the outside gets crispy while the inside is warm and gooey is completely awesome, but you can definitely leave this off and just do the ice cream--still delicious.

Unfried Ice Cream

Number of Servings: 6
Time to Prepare: 2 hours 10 minutes

• about 6 cups vanilla ice cream
• 2 cups corn flakes, crushed
• 1/3 cup shredded coconut
• 3/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/3 cup honey
• toasted coconut flavored marshmallows (optional)

Scoop 6 round balls of ice cream (about 1 cup each).  Place on a tray and freeze to harden (about 1 hour).

In a small bowl, combine corn flakes, coconut, and cinnamon.

Place the honey in a small bowl and warm just until easily pourable.

Roll each ice cream ball in the honey, then in the corn flake mixture.  Return to the tray and let harden in the freezer again.

Using a creme brulee torch or your gas stove, toast the marshmallows then stick on a toothpick and poke into the top of the ice cream ball.  Serve.

Source: adapted from a recipe I got in one of my cooking classes in college
Produce Used: Coconut

Confetti Rice and Bean Salad

This chilled rice and bean salad is chock full of good protein and veggies, and it's gluten free!  The dressing has a great tangy-sweet and slightly smoky flavor that ties everything together beautifully.  It makes a nice meatless entree for a lighter dinner, or makes a great side dish too.  It requires a couple hours chilling in the fridge for the flavors to really meld, but that just means that you can make it in advance and have it all ready to go at dinner time.  And other than the chilling time, it really comes together quite quickly.  It's a great salad for potlucks, too--all the fun textures and colors make for a very pretty salad that is sure to impress.

Confetti Rice and Bean Salad

Number of Servings: 6
Time to Prepare: 2 hours 30 minutes

• 3 cups cooked basmati or wild rice (I usually use the Uncle Ben's Long Grain & Wild Rice mix, but I don't know if it is completely gluten free, so you can make your own blend or just use basmati rice if that is a concern)
• 1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 1/2 cups frozen corn, thawed
• 4 green onions, white and green parts thinly sliced
• 1 red or orange bell pepper, diced
• 1/4 cup minced cilantro
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp pepper

Cook the rice.  Chop the veggies while the rice cools.

In a large bowl, toss together the rice, kidney beans, black beans, corn, green onion, bell pepper, and cilantro.

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, sugar, garlic, salt, cumin, chili powder, and pepper.  Pour over the salad and toss to coat.  Chill for at least two hours before serving.

Source: slightly adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe
Produce Used: Corn, green onion, bell pepper, cilantro, garlic

Meatball Banh Mi (Vietnamese Sub)

I have been dying to write up this recipe.  It is definitely one of my very favorite sandwich recipes (and quite possibly in my top ten of all recipes).  The vegetable relish is sweet and tangy and complements the savory, salty meatballs perfectly.  Add in the brightness of the cilantro and the creaminess of the sweet chili mayo and you have pretty much reached sandwich nirvana.  Last time I made these, I had some mayo and some relish left after the meatballs were gone so I toasted up some French bread and threw them on there with some crisp bacon, which I definitely did not regret.  Also, the mayo and relish can be made in advance, so when dinnertime comes around you really just have to cook up the meatballs and throw everything together.  It is awesome!

Meatball Banh Mi

Number of Servings: 3-4
Time Prepare: 45 minutes

• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1 1/2 tsp Thai sweet chili sauce
• 1 green onion, finely chopped (white and green parts)
• 1 large carrots, cut into thin matchsticks
• 1/2 cucumber, cut into thin matchsticks
• 1 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp rice vinegar
• 1/4 tsp coarse kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 pound ground pork
• 1 tsp dried basil (or 2 Tbsp chopped fresh)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 green onions, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 tsp fish sauce
• 1 1/2 tsp Thai sweet chili sauce
• 2 1/4 tsp sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sesame oil, for browning
• 3 to 4 (6-inch) sandwich buns (I used this recipe to make my own)
• bunch of fresh cilantro

In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, 1/2 tsp sweet chili sauce, and 1 green onion.  Cover and refrigerate.

Place carrots and and cucumber in a shallow dish (like a pie plate).  Whisk together 1 1/2 tsp sugar, rice vinegar, kosher salt, and 1/2 tsp sesame oil and pour over the carrots and cucumber.  Cover and refrigerate.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  In a large bowl, combine the ground pork, basil, garlic, 2 green onions, fish sauce, 1 1/2 tsp sweet chili sauce, 2 1/4 tsp sugar, cornstarch, pepper, and salt.  Scoop into 1 1/2" meatballs (I have a large cookie scoop that I use, which makes it super easy and I get around 16 meatballs).  Heat the 1 tsp sesame oil  in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot .  Add the meatballs in a single layer and brown on all sides.  Transfer the browned meatballs to a foil-lined baking sheet.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Remove from the oven and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.

Remove the foil from the baking sheet and wipe up any grease that has leaked through.  Halve the sandwich buns lengthwise and place, cut side up, on the baking sheet.  Toast in the oven for 5-10 minutes, just until they begin to brown lightly. 

Spread the sweet chili mayo on the top half of the bun.  Place cilantro to taste on the bottom of the bun.  Drain carrot and cucumber relish and layer on top of cilantro.  Place about 4 meatballs on top of the relish.  Press on the sandwich top and enjoy!

Source: slightly adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe
Produce Used: Green onion, carrot, cucumber, basil, garlic, cilantro

Mushroom and Red Wine Risotto

I know risotto can be a little intimidating for some people (at least it was for me....) but it's really not so difficult.  Just a lot of hands-on stirring!  It's definitely not one of those things you get mixed up and then can leave for half an hour to cook on its own while you do other stuff.  However, it is amazingly creamy and delicious.  This risotto in particular is absolutely lovely--really creamy, of course, but you also get a little hint of sweetness from the red wine and a nuttiness from the mushrooms that all combine into one delicious bite of food.  It is great on its own, but I also love it paired with Braised Italian Chicken.  The tangy acidity of the tomato sauce contrasting with the creamy, rich risotto is absolutely stellar.

Mushroom and Red Wine Risotto

Number of Servings: 4
Time to Prepare: 35 minutes

• 3 2/3 cups chicken broth
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 cup arborio rice
• 1/3 cup red wine
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 8 oz cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup minced red onion
• kosher salt
• black pepper
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 2 tsp dried parsley (or 2 Tbsp chopped fresh)

In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken broth to a simmer.  Set on a back burner and keep warm.

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it just begins to brown.  Add the rice and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.  Add the wine and cook, stirring until the wine is absorbed.  Add about 1 cup of the warm chicken broth and and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until mostly absorbed.  Continue adding broth about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly, until it is mostly absorbed before the next addition.  The risotto is done when the rice is al dente and the sauce is thick and creamy.

While cooking the risotto (not going to lie, I don't stir *constantly*, I do step away briefly from time to time to work on other things, but never for very long), melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the mushrooms and red onion.  Season with kosher salt and black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally until softened and the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes.  Let cook an additional minute or two without stirring to get a little browning on the mushrooms. 

Scrape the mushrooms into the risotto and stir in the Parmesan and parsley.  Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.  Serve immediately.

Source: adapted from Food and Wine
Produce Used: Onion, mushrooms, red onion, parsley

Cinnamon Roll French Toast

So the other day I had some leftover cinnamon rolls that were starting to get a bit dry (I know, how does one even end up with leftover cinnamon rolls??) as well as some cream in the fridge that was getting close to its date.  I started thinking and decided it would be kind of fun to try a cinnamon roll french toast.  I did a quick google search and didn't find any recipes that were really what I was looking for, so I decided to just wing it.  Let me tell you, this definitely worked out.  I didn't add any sugar since I figured the cinnamon rolls were already fairly sweet, plus I knew I'd be adding syrup when I ate it.  The sweet, cinnamon-y flavor really comes through great and honestly, you don't even need syrup--you could just eat this straight out of the oven as is.  Just typing this up, I'm now wanting to make cinnamon rolls again just so I can make this french toast.  Mmmmm.  Now, it does take some advance thought since you have to soak it overnight, but that makes the morning as easy as pie!

Cinnamon Roll French Toast

Number of Servings: 8
Time to Prepare: 8 hours 45 minutes

• 9-10 cups cubed cinnamon rolls
• 1 1/2 cups cream
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 8 eggs
• 1 tsp butter flavoring

Grease a 9x13 pan.  Spread cinnamon roll cubes evenly in the pan.

Whisk together cream, milk, eggs, and butter flavoring.  Pour over cinnamon roll cubes and press the cubes down to make sure they all get coated.  Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

Remove pan from fridge and uncover.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Bake for 30 minutes or until set.  Serve warm, drizzled with maple syrup.

Source: Me

Calico Baked Beans

Until recently, I had never really had baked beans other than the canned Bush's stuff (which is great, don't get me wrong) and when I first saw this recipe I knew it was time to change that.  I love the visual interest that the different beans provide and I love that while it is certainly not dry, it's not the same sloppy mess that baked beans usually seem to be.  You can actually put these on your plate and not have everything else on the plate get attacked by them.  Novel concept, I know.  And with the bacon, plus the sweet and tangy sauce on these, the flavor is just stellar.

Calico Baked Beans

Number of Servings: 6-8
Time to Prepare: 60 minutes

• 15 oz can pinto beans
• 19 oz can cannellini (white kidney) beans
• 15 oz can black beans
• 8-9 slices bacon
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp dry mustard
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup water

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Lightly grease a 9x13 pan and set aside.

Drain and rinse all the beans and set aside.

In a large skillet, cook the bacon until crisp.  Drain on paper towels and crumble.

Leave about 2 tsp bacon grease in the skillet and add the onions, cooking over medium heat until softened, 4-5 minutes.  Remove from heat and add the beans and bacon.

In a small bowl, whisk together the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, brown sugar, salt, cider vinegar, and water.   Pour into skillet and stir well.

Transfer the mixture into the 9x13 pan.  Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 40-45 minutes.  Serve immediately.

Source: slightly adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe
Produce Used: Onion