# 018

Mushroom Turnovers

I probably shouldn't count this one, since I screwed up and bought Filo dough, instead of the puff pastry that the recipe called for. However, I think that they are similar enough, that I'm not gonna make a big deal about it.

Plus, these were yummy! Definitely a better vegetarian alternative than the cabbage tarts. Gabe really liked his, and is taking the extra for lunch tomorrow. It didn't interest Ben too much, but he did have fun throwing the flakes of file dough all over the place (and I had fun cleaning them up after!).

And yes, those are canned green beans on my plate. They are my guilty pleasure. And how lame does that make me that my guilty pleasure is a vegetable?

Soo... anyone want to come over for a filo dough party? I have a lot left over! Maybe I'll see if Martha has a baklava recipe... Mmmmm...

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/mushroom-turnovers-with-sour-cream

# 016 & 017

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes with Seven Minute Frosting.

I made these delicious looking confections on a recent trip Ben & I took to Maine to see my parents. My dad loooooves cupcakes, and I like to make things that are different from the usual vanilla/vanilla combo. He has recently been enamored with some snickerdoodle cookies that my mom buys for him (I did not get my love of baking from her!), so I figured they were worth a shot.


The icing intimidated me at first, because of my last foray into a whipped egg white frosting, and I almost just did a plain vanilla buttercream (which I have mastered, I think), but I figured I had time, and someone to watch my child, so I would give it a shot.

And it worked! It came together just like Martha said it would, and the light, Fluff-like was a great accompaniment to the cinnamon-y cupcakes. I halved the recipe, since there were only 3.5 of us, and they were gone by the end of the next day (my dad especially really liked them!).

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes & Icing

Project #11 Broccoli Gratin

Project #10 Vanilla Pound Cake

I will start this post by saying I am NOT happy! Although this recipe was easy to make and I had every ingredient in my cupboards already, that is where the good news STOPS! I was trying to be nice to my husband because pound cake with strawberries and whipped cream is his favorite dessert. We had strawberries already (and blueberries as a matter of fact) and I was thinking it would be a wonderful treat and delicious dessert after a Martha dinner. NOPE! The pound cake was: hard, tasteless and dry! I really would like to blame this one on Martha...I feel I followed the recipe to the letter. If anyone out there thinks they can do better, try! Let me know! I would love to know if I did something tragically wrong and this could be delicious. Sorry Mark, no pound cake for you for dessert. :(

Project #9 Crispy Chocolate Marshmallow Treats

Also made specifically for a trip in the mail up to UVM, these were made for Stevie herself. I enjoy making bars to mail because they are less delicate than cookies. This recipe was also found in Everyday Food, man I love that magazine! These are as easy to make as regular rice crispy treats, but look soooo much fancier! And are sooo much more delicious! My only gripe (sorry Martha!) is that her bar recipes often are only for a 8 or 9 inch pan! What's up with that? Where's the love for the 9 X 14 in pan Martha? It makes more cookie bars, which only makes more people happier! I suppose I could take it upon myself to double the recipe....
Let me know how they are Stevie!

Project #8 Oatmeal Raisin Bars

I made these delicious Oatmeal Raisin Bars for my sister, Stevie's roommate Sydney. She is one of those rare breeds who doesn't enjoy chocolate! Complete freak right? Just kidding Syd, you know I love ya! She once requested Oatmeal Raisin Cookies be sent to UVM, so when I saw this recipe in Everyday Food I immediately thought of her. Thank god for you Syd, because otherwise I may have passed these by! And what a tragedy that would have been to have never had these delicious cookie bars in my life. That's how delicious I thought they were. I only had one, and Mark had one also, because the rest were for Syd, but that was enough to tell that they were the best ever! I hope you like them Syd! Enjoy (they should be arriving today!)!

Project #7 Lighter Chicken Salad

I found this recipe for lighter chicken salad in Everyday Food and decided to give it a try for Mark. I don't particularly enjoy chicken salad myself, but Mark loves it, so why not be nice to my husband once and a while?
It was fairly uncomplicated and came together beautifully. I wasn't present for the consumption of this chicken salad, which explains the pics of the deconstructed sandwich (I didn't want the bread to get soggy!). Mark said it was delicious and took it for lunch 2 days in a row. He did comment on the overall lack of mayonnaise-ness, but it was suppose to be "lighter" chicken salad, so that explains that (sorry Mark, just add more mayo if you don't care about fatness or your cholesterol).

Project #6 Beef Stew

Believe it or not, I have actually never made beef stew before. Martha's beef stew recipe was completely easy, toss everything in the dutch oven, bring to a boil, toss in the oven. The beef was really tender, which I feel has been lacking in beef stews I have consumed in the past. I realized too late that I had nothing to serve with it, not even some biscuits, but whatever. Everyone was suffering from a cold, so it was a a miracle that we all assembled at the table together.

Verdict....delicious and I would definitely make it again.
(sorry the pics are orange-y I have no clue what's up with the camera sometimes)

# 015

Pulled Pork.

I was skeptical this morning when I was assembling this for the slow cooker. Usually when I make pulled pork, the meat is completely submerged in BBQ sauce and cider vinegar... yet Martha had me just barely coat the meat in a ketchup/brown sugar/spice/garlic mixture. It didn't seem like enough!

Martha was clearly right though, as Gabe said this was the best pulled pork I ever made! The accompanying cabbage slaw was alright, but I think that, out of all the dinner items I've made so far, the pulled pork is #1.

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/pulled-pork-sandwiches-easy-tasty

# 014

Shepherd's Pie

I really like shepherd's pie, but I rarely make it. Probably because while it never turns out horribly, it never turns out very delicious. This was definitely a step in the right direction, though I still felt like the beef part could've had a little more flavor... Maybe some beef stock and wine instead of the water at the end? And I think mushrooms would've been a nice addition.

I assembled this on a Sunday and cooked it on a Monday, and even though I missed Martha's instruction to assemble right before baking, it still turned out pretty nicely. And it was a great treat during this frigid weather we've been having!

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/cheddar-topped-shepherds-pie