Entries Tagged as 'the pioneer woman'

Layered Salad

October 21st, 2010 · 3 Comments

A while back I came across this recipe for layered salad. It’s basically the same salad that my mom and every Midwestern mom made in a 9×13 cake pan back in the 80s. I have verified this with Kristin, who grew up in Illinois and Jessica who grew up in Iowa, so I know it wasn’t just my mom and it wasn’t just a Wisconsin thing. These days people are making the layered salad in trifle bowls to show off the colorful layers.

I made this salad for a football party we had when the Bears and the Cowboys played each other. Dallas was kind of grossed out by the dressing… and to be honest, maybe our other guests were too. It was not a big hit of the party. Then again, we had a lot of food that day. In any case, I’d probably make this salad again, but not add the bacon til right before serving, so it will stay crispy. Also, I’d probably leave the dressing off. I think the dressing was what turned people off. Chicagoans need to learn that mayo is the way! Actually, I’m positive that in Wisconsin we probably used Miracle Whip in the recipe. Another reason to keep the dressing off the salad: If there is leftover salad, it’s hard to keep with dressing on it. I know the dressing is what makes this salad, but it may have to go anyway.


Layer 0: I don’t have a trifle bowl, so I just used this big bowl.


Layer 1: Lettuce (romaine)


Layer 1: Lettuce (spinach)


Layer 2: Egg


Layer 3: Bacon


Layer 4: Tomato


Layer 5: Green Onion


Layer 6: Grated Sharp Cheddar


Layer 7: Peas


Layer 8: Dressing

Layered Salad
Adapted from: The Pioneer Woman

2 heads Iceberg Lettuce, Chopped (I used romaine)
8 ounces Baby Spinach, Washed And Dried
Salt And Pepper, to taste
8 whole Hard Boiled Eggs, Chopped
16 ounces, weight Bacon, Cooked And Chopped
4 whole Tomatoes, Chopped
1 bunch Green Onions, Thinly Sliced
8 ounces Cheddar Cheese, Grated
1 bag (10 Ounce) Frozen Peas, Partially Thawed

FOR THE DRESSING:
½ cups (real) Mayonnaise
½ cups Sour Cream
1 Tablespoon Sugar (more To Taste)

In a clear glass bowl, layer salad ingredients in the order they appear above, concentrating ingredients around the perimeter of the bowl and filling in the center with lettuce, if needed. End with the layer of peas.

Combine dressing ingredients in a separate bowl and mix well. Pour over the top of the peas and spread to cover, bringing dressing all the way out to the edges of the bowl.

Cover and refrigerate for up to 12 hours. Toss just before serving.

Note: in the Midwest we do not toss this. Just down in through the layers. Also, I used less of each ingredient and just eyeballed it. The Pioneer Woman says this makes enough for 12 people. It is definitely a LARGE salad, which is why it’s hard to store those leftovers with dressing on them, too.

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Pico De Gallo and Gaucamole

September 17th, 2010 · 1 Comment

For years I have made Simply Recipe’s Perfect Guacamole. It really is the perfect guacamole recipe and every time I have made it at parties I’ve gotten a lot of compliments. Well, a while back I got The Pioneer Woman Cooks cookbook. The Pioneer Woman’s recipe for guacamole is much the same as the one on Simply Recipes… but get this.. in the book she talks about how one day it dawned on her that basically the onions and peppers and tomatoes that you’re putting into the guacamole are basically the same as pico de gallo. So…. why not just make a batch of pico and dump some of it into your smashed avocados.. and you’ll have both the perfect guacamole and pico de gallo. Bingo. Two dips for the time of one. Works for me.

I made the pico and guacamole when my family was visiting. Everyone liked them both. There was some pico left and Dallas quickly ate that up when he got back from his business trip.

Pico de Gallo and Guacamole
From: Pioneer Woman

Prep Time: 30 Minutes | Difficulty: Easy | Servings: 8

For the Pico de Gallo:
5 whole Plum (roma) Tomatoes
½ whole Large (or 1 Small) Onion
3 whole Jalapeno Peppers
Cilantro
Lime Juice
Salt To Taste

- – -

For the Guacamole:
3 whole Avocados
Pico De Gallo
Lime Juice
Salt To Taste

Pico de Gallo:
Chop jalapenos, tomatoes and onions into a very small dice. (Leave seeds in your jalapenos for a hotter pico). Adjust amount of jalapenos to your preferred temperature. Next, chop up a nice-sized bunch of cilantro. Just remove and discard the long leafless stems before chopping. No need to remove the leaves from the stems completely. Place all of these ingredients together in a bowl and give it a good stir.
Squeeze the juice of half of one lime into the bowl. Add salt to taste and stir again.

Guacamole:
Start with buttery-soft avocados. Halve them lengthwise and remove the pits. Next, with a spoon scrape the “meat” out onto a large plate. Next, with the bottom of a clean cup (or with a fork) mash the avocados, making sure to leave it relatively chunky. Add just a couple of shakes of salt to taste. Next, add a generous helping of Pico de Gallo. Fold together. Lastly squeeze the juice of half of a lime over the top. Give it one last stir.

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Martha Stewart’s Outrageous Chocolate Cookies

March 30th, 2009 · 15 Comments

24_chocolate_chocolate_cookies

I first saw these Martha Stewart cookies on Steve’s Flickr photostream. His fiance Laura bakes and he takes photos of what she makes for her blog. So, I clicked through and loved how these cookies sounded. Chocolate on chocolate is what I am into. I have since made the recipe twice and each time they were the perfect brownie consistency and taste with melted chocolate pools on the inside. The first time I made the cookies was for my dad’s birthday and the second time was as a hostess gift for Alpana and Charles when they threw a party a few weeks ago.

1_ingredients

Here’s what you need. Salt, vanilla, brown sugar, baking powder, flour, butter, eggs, and semi-sweet chocolate. It’s not too much. You should be able to handle it.

2_weigh_chocolate

Weigh out 8 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate. I just used chocolate chips, since that’s what I had in the house. I never get the measuring right on the dot the first time, which is ok. That means I get to eat the chocolate, chip by chip, until the number says 8.00. Yes, I use a Weight Watchers-branded scale to measure my chocolate. Ironic, dontcha think?

3_add_butter

Add the butter to the bowl.

4_20_seconds

Microwave for 20 seconds and stir. Not quite melted and smooth enough.

5_40_seconds

Microwave for 20 more seconds and stir. Lookin’ good now. If yours is still not melted enough, do 20 more seconds, but don’t go too far with this. You want the chocolate and butter melted but you don’t want to scorch it. Also, later on, if you happen to lick this bowl you might die and go to heaven. Butter? And chocolate? Yum!

6_flour

Set aside that tempting chocolate for now. Mix together the dry ingredients. I always use a whisk. I’ve also lately been using coarse salt in baked recipes. I don’t know if you’re supposed to, but I like to taste a bit of a salt tang with my sweets and I think coarse salt is better at that.

7_egg

In 12th grade I had met all my required credits for high school except for in English. So I took some easy Lit. class, took some easy home economics classes and worked in the afternoons on an internship program. I don’t remember much about the home ec class except that our instructor told us always to crack your eggs into a small bowl before adding to a recipe. I’ve never had a bad egg, but I always follow her advice anyway.

8_mixing_bowl

Dump the eggs, brown sugar and vanilla into your mixing bowl.

9_beat_on_high

Kitchenaid action shot! Beat on high!

10_add_chocolate

Add in melted chocolate.

11_blend_in_chocolate

Blend on low.

12_add_flour

Dump in the flour mixture.

13_blend_til_combined

Mix til just combined. This means turn the mixer off as soon as things look blended. Don’t overbeat.

14_12_oz_choc

Measure out 12 ounces more of the semi-sweet chocolate. Feel free to eat a few chips.

15_add_choc_chips

Dump the chocolate chips into the chocolate batter. Lookin’ decadent already.

16_blend_in_choc_chips

I don’t think you’re supposed to mix in the chocolate chips with the Kitchenaid. It kind of makes a funny noise. But I’m lazy, so I do.

17_fridge

Refrigerate the dough for about 15 minutes. Or 25 if you fall asleep, like I did. Oh, and yes, we do have a shelf in our fridge dedicated to beer (and one bottle of tonkatsu sauce). Yes, it is just a ploy to get our friends to come over and visit more often. Yes, it does work. Our friends are suckers.

18_dough_scoop

Now that you’re rested up from your nap and the dough is set up more, it’s time to dig in.

19_cookie_scoop

Drop heaping tablespoons of dough 2-3 inches apart. I use this cookie scoop because it’s easier and my hands don’t get messy, but you can just use a regular spoon.

20_silpat

I always bake on silpat, but you can use parchment paper or a plain baking sheet if you don’t have a silpat mat.

21_cookies_oven

Bake. This photo is all askew because I was drunk on the thought of how tasty these look…. and the smell.. omg!

22_cookies_cooling

Cool on a wire rack. If The Hawaiian was home I’d have had to slap his fingers away from these cooling cookies but luckily he was off watching March Madness at Messner’s.

23_melty_cookie

I only had to try to control myself, which was not easy. Also? I need a manicure.

24_chocolate_chocolate_cookies

So delicious with an ice-cold glass of milk. These cookies, along with a fridge shelf full of beer, will win you over new friends!

Can you tell I’ve been reading The Pioneer Woman‘s cooking section a lot lately?

Martha Stewart’s Outrageous Chocolate Cookies
Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

8 ounces semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2/3 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 package (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chunks

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat chopped chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl in 20-second increments, stirring in between, until almost melted; do not overheat. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.

In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla on high speed until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low; beat in melted chocolate. Mix in flour mixture until just combined. Stir in chocolate chunks. Refrigerate dough for about 15 minutes.

Drop heaping tablespoons of dough 2 to 3 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are shiny and crackly yet soft in centers, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on sheets 10 minutes; with a thin metal spatula, transfer to racks to cool completely.

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