I have two yummy recipes to share with you today! One involves chocolate, the other cheese. Hey, I never said they were healthy recipes. Yummy, people, yummy. Carnation recently sent me a $50 gift card for groceries and some free Evaporated Milk to try in a few recipes. The “mission” was to use evaporated milk in one of my own recipes that calls for milk, and to try out a recipe of theirs. I accepted the mission and proceeded to choose the least healthiest recipes possible…and enjoyed every second of it. (Ironic since one of Carnation’s selling points is that there is more nutritional value per ounce in evaporated milk versus regular milk. So much for that!)

First, I tried Carnation’s recipe for Fudge (recipe below). I’ve gotta say, it’s good. And it was EASY. I followed the recipe verbatim…but next time I make it, I’m going to use a higher quality chocolate. Regardless, it was a nice, simple recipe and tasted good.

For my own recipe, I used evaporated milk in Twice Baked Potatoes (recipe below). The mashed potato filling was mighty fine…Cate couldn’t keep her fingers out of the bowl. And I know that cheese has nothing to do with evaporated milk…but that part was pretty darn good too.

So, there you have it! Mission complete. In case you are wondering what evaporated milk is, it is fresh milk that has been carefully cooked to remove half the water content, upping the protein and calcium content per serving, and creating a creamier texture. Click here if you want to read more about it.

And now, the recipes!

Carnation Famous Fudge

 

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Author: Jane Maynard

Cuisine: Dessert

Ingredients

• 1½ cups granulated sugar
• ⅔ cup (5-oz can) evaporated milk
• 2 T butter
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 cups mini marshmallows (I had big ones, so I broke them up then measured and it came out)
• 1½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• ½ cups chopped pecans or walnuts (I nixed the nuts)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Line 8-inch square baking pan with foil.
2. Combine sugar, evaporated milk, butter and salt in medium, heavy-duty saucepan. Bring to a full roiling boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil, stirring constantly, for 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat.
3. Stir in marshmallows, chocolate, nuts and vanilla extract. Stir vigorously for 1 minute or until marshmallows are melted. Pour into prepared baking pan; refrigerate for 2 hours until firm (I just left it on the counter and it got plenty firm). Lift from pan, remove foil and cut.

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Twice Baked Potatoes

 

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From Jane Maynard

Author: Jane Maynard

Ingredients

• 4 baking potatoes
• ¾ cup sour cream or plain yogurt
• ¼ teaspoon garlic salt
• ⅛ teaspoon pepper
• 4 tablespoons evaporated milk (or more if needed)
• shredded cheddar cheese, optional
• chopped green onion, optional

Instructions

1. Wash potatoes, poke holes with fork. Bake on rack, unwrapped at 425 degrees 40-60 minutes, or until soft all the way through. Cut lengthwise and scoop out potato (I have to hold the potato with an oven mit while I scoop). Mix potato with all the other ingredients, except the cheese, and mash with a potato masher or pastry blender. Spoon potato back into the potato skins, place in casserole dish. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 or so minutes, or until lightly browned. Top with shredded cheese and bake a few minutes more.

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Remember the amazing ribs Nate cooked on the 4th of July? The recipe is from the Weber’s Way to Grill cookbook that I {stereotypically} gave to Nate for Father’s Day. Hey, it worked, I’m already benefiting from the book!

Anyway, the recipe for cooking the ribs is LONG and involved, so I’m just going to share the wonderfully delicious sauce that went with the ribs. I will give a quick overview of the process…the ribs cooked on the grill for HOURS, Nate put a divider in the grill with water under the ribs and coals on the other side, he added hot coals throughout the cooking and he used hickory wood chips for smoking. As for the sauce, when the ribs were cooked, he took them off the grill, laid them on foil, smothered them in the sauce and wrapped the ribs up in the foil for about 30 minutes. Delish!

Soo-Wee Sauce for Baby Back Ribs

 

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Sweet and spicy sauce for ribs!

Author: Jane Maynard

Recipe type: Main Dish

Cuisine: American

Ingredients

• 1 C apple juice
• ½ C ketchup
• 3 T cider vinegar
• 1 T soy sauce
• 2 tsp molasses
• ½ tsp pure chile powder
• ½ tsp granulated garlic (garlic powder)
• ½ tsp dry mustard
• ¼ tsp kosher salt
• ¼ tsp freshly ground pepper
• ~1 T honey (this is our secret ingredient”¦we added to thicken AND sweeten the sauce)
• RUB
• 2 T kosher salt
• 2 T paprika
• 4 tsp granulated garlic (garlic powder)
• 4 tsp pure chili powder
• 2 tsp dry mustard
• 2 tsp freshly ground pepper

Instructions

1. Mix ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer for about 5 minutes (we simmered longer). Remove from heat, add salt and pepper to taste if needed. This is NOT a thick sauce, but it was perfect for the ribs.

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The Weber cookbook is a great resource for grilling…click here to check it out!

There are a few people in my life who are the source of some of my most favorite recipes and tips. My sister-in-law Cora definitely tops the list, but so does my friend Lindsay. Lindsay used to be my neighbor…those were the good old days. She’d call and say, “I’m making this awesome recipe” and I’d go over with my camera, take pictures, eat her food and get awesome recipes. Alas she lives in Seattle now, but I still use her recipes regularly. One of my most favorite recipes of all time comes from Lindsay and her husband Aaron (one of the few male commenters here on the blog!): Aaron and Lindsay’s Chicken Tortilla Soup Extravaganza!

Lindsay and Aaron named the soup. The name fits perfectly. This tortilla soup is an extravaganza, filled with all kinds of wonderful ingredients that go so well together. Chicken tortilla soup is one of my favorite dinners…as long as I’m making it, thanks to Lindsay. (P.S. I think we should add the word “extravaganza” to all recipes. It makes life more festive!)

This recipe is easy to throw together and one that I always make on weeknights. The leftovers are fantastic. Also, the toppings are key! Don’t skimp on the toppings. If you want truly amazing chicken tortilla soup, you gotta make sure you fill the bowl with all of the good stuff. Hence the “extravaganza.”

Please note: Lindsay fries up her own tortilla strips. Because she’s fancy like that. I am not fancy and always either buy tortilla strip salad toppers in the produce section or just break up tortilla chips on top. It tastes mighty fine even with that shortcut. Promise.

Have fun making and eating this soup. And be sure to bookmark the recipe, I promise you’ll be back for more.

Aaron and Lindsay’s Chicken Tortilla Soup Extravaganza

 

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A little spicy and a lot delicious!

Author: Jane Maynard

Recipe type: Main Dishes, Soup

Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients

• FOR THE SOUP:
• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped (I usually just use half of an onion)
• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced (or pushed through a garlic press)
• 2 green onions, chopped
• A few shakes of cayenne pepper
• ½ - 1 tablespoon chili powder (depending on your spice level desires)
• 1 teaspoon or so of ground cumin
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 2-3 tomatoes or 1 pint cherry tomatoes, chopped
• Half of a bag of frozen corn
• 1 large chicken breast
• 1 can black beans, drained & rinsed
• 2-3 limes
• 2 large handfuls cilantro, chopped
• FOR TORTILLA STRIPS:
• 4-5 corn tortillas, cut into strips
• A few swigs of canola/vegetable oil or cooking spray
• TOPPINGS:
• Diced avocado
• Shredded cheddar or jack cheese
• Sour cream
• Lime slices
• Chopped cilantro
• Tortilla strips or tortilla chips broken up

Instructions

1. TO MAKE THE SOUP:
2. In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat for a few minutes. Add chopped onion and cook until onions soften and become translucent, 3-5 minutes or so.
3. Add garlic, green onions, cayenne pepper, chili powder and cumin. Sauté until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.
4. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower heat to medium low (or the lowest heat that maintains a simmer). Add tomatoes, corn and black beans and simmer for 5-10 minutes.
5. The very best way to prepare the chicken is to sprinkle the raw chicken breast with some cayenne pepper, chili powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper and then grill the chicken. However, you can cook the chicken whatever way works for you. Once chicken is cooked, chop or shred the chicken. If you cooked the chicken another way besides seasoning and then grilling, go ahead and sprinkle those same spices over the cooked chicken to add a bit of flavor.
6. Add the prepared chicken, juice from one of the limes and one handful of the chopped cilantro to the soup. Heat through for a few minutes and then serve!
7. TO MAKE TORTILLA STRIPS (OPTIONAL):
8. Heat canola or vegetable oil in a large fry pan over medium-high heat. Alternatively you can spry the pan with cooking spray. Add tortilla strips to pan and cook until crisp, turning strips every few minutes. Once browned and crisp remove from heat and sprinkle with salt.
9. THE FINAL PRODUCT:
10. Serve soup garnished with avocado, cheese, sour cream, fresh lime and cilantro, and tortilla strips.

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OTHER RECIPES YOU MAY LIKE:

• Cora’s Mexican Ground Beef Tacos
• Pork Carnitas
• Sweet Potato and Black Bean Burritos
• The Perfect Taco Night

EQUIPMENT I USED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE:

• KitchenAid Professional Cast Iron 6-Quart Casserole Cookware
• OXO Silicone Spatula
• Epicurean Kitchen Series Cutting Board
• Wusthof Classic Chef’s Knife
• Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Skillet

Today’s recipe comes from reader, Kate. It was on her menu a few weeks ago and I stole it shamelessly. Nate and I really enjoyed this dish, and it is super easy to prepare. Plus, it’s so pretty!

Featured Recipe: Caramelized Onion & Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

 

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From Robin to the Rescue by Robin Miller, via TWFD reader Kate

Author: Jane Maynard

Recipe type: Main Dish, Pasta

Ingredients

• 12 oz spinach fettuccine (Kate note: I always use regular fettuccine or whole wheat spaghetti with great success)
• 1 Tbs olive oil
• 1 medium onion, sliced into half moons
• 2 Tbs sugar
• 1 cup sliced roasted red peppers (Jane note: I just bought a jar of these at the store)
• 2 Tbs balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup vegetable broth (Kate note: I usually use chicken b/c i have an open container in my fridge)
• salt and fresh ground pepper

Instructions

1. Cook pasta and drain. While pasta is cooking, heat the oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and sugar and cook, stirring a couple of times until the onions are golden brown and carmelized, about 10 minutes (Jane note – took longer for me). Stir in the red peppers and vinegar and cook for 2 minutes. Add the broth and pasta and simmer for 2 minutes to heat through. Season with salt and pepper and serve. The sauce will thicken up a bit upon sitting for a minute or two.

Notes

Kate note: I am only making this for 2.5 of us so I usually make half the pasta, but a full recipe fo the sauce. It’s so good and we like it really saucy! Enjoy!

Jane note: I had a 9 oz package of spinach fettuccine”¦and I thought it was too much pasta for the sauce, so go with Kate’s tip of just doing 6 oz of pasta (half the recipe), but the full recipe of sauce. Also, I’m going to throw some chicken in here next time – I think that would taste good. Great dish!

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