Black Forest Cake Balls

A few months ago a friend was lamenting the lack of authentic Black Forest Cake options at our local pastry haunts.  Being in a heavily Italian pastry kind of place, it's not all that surprising.  So I promised to provide her with an as-close-to-authentic-as-this-little-Italian-could-make-it Black Forest Cake.

The perfect opportunity for making my friend the long promised cake finally arose but, it wasn't really the best situation for a three-layer cake.  I had to improvise, deciding to modify the recipe I had planned to use and make cake balls instead.

Cake balls are one of those things that I enjoy eating but, I never had much interest in making myself.  As far as I was concerned, they are one step too far over the line for me.  Making a multi-layered cake is just easier.  You don't have to frustrate yourself trying to keep the chocolate melted while you dip an endless number of balls.  I enjoy a challenge, but a girl has to draw the line somewhere. 

In the end I relented - my friend is worth the frustration and I did make a promise. So I provided a quite tasty, but less than authentic dessert for a pot luck dinner.

Black Forest Cake Balls

Ingredients:

Cake

1 2⁄3 c. all-purpose flour
2⁄3 c. cocoa powder
1 1⁄2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1⁄2 c. shortening
1 1⁄2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1⁄2 c. buttermilk

Filling

1/2 c. Kirschwasser

1 c. frozen cherries - pitted

Icing

2 c. heavy whipping cream
1⁄2 tsp. vanilla
1⁄8 c. Kirschwasser
2 Tbsp dry milk
2 Tbsp icing sugar

Dark chocolate melting wafer

Directions:

In a mason jar, combine the frozen cherries and 1/2 cup of Kirschwasser.  Place in the fridge overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350F and line the bottom of three 9 inch round cake pans with parchment paper.

Sift the dry cake ingredients together.

Cream the shortening and sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well.

Add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk and mix well.

Pour evenly into the cake pans. Bake for 30 minutes or until a tooth pick comes out clean.

Remove the cakes and set aside to cool completely. 

Whip the cream until it forms stiff peaks then gently fold in the dry milk and icing sugar.

Add the vanilla and pour in the Kirsch until it's a good consistency.

Now comes the messy bit.  Take 1 of the cakes and remove it from the tin.  Place it in a bowl and combine with a about 1/2 of icing.  Mix well and repeat with each layer of cake. Add as much icing as you feel is necessary and you get a good truffle-like consistency.

Not going to lie, I had a hard time not sitting down in the from the television and eating all of this myself.  If you are good, you will continue on with the instructions.

Take out the mason jar with the cherries and drain the excess liquid.  Cut the cherries in half (optional).

Take a good sized spoonful and create a cup to hold one of the cherries (or cherry halves).

Cover with more cake.

Repeat until you have no more cake left.  

Melt the chocolate wafers and dip each ball.

Repeat until finished!

I ended up with just over 2 dozen cake balls.  The kirschwasser added just a hint of flavor, the taste of alcohol was not defining taste at all.  I'm not a fan of overly alcoholic rum balls, so I was purposely going for a hint versus whoa alcohol.  These were well worth the effort.  They are not too sweet, not too chocolaty (if there is such a thing), they are just right! 

Baked Stuffed Shrimp

Recently I have been trying to be super good about my eating habits.  My weekday lunches have been poached chicken and salad.  The dressing is just oil and vinegar, diluted with a bit of water, and shaken until emulsified.  Yup, my kitchen is exciting folks!

Weekday breakfasts are equally inspiring.  In a mason jar I combine milk, quick oats, a touch of honey, and some fruit.  Shake to combine and then let sit in the fridge overnight.  My cold oatmeal is less about being in on the latest healthy breakfast trend and more about being the fastest breakfast prep on the planet - unscrew top and insert spoon.

Dinnertime roles around and I let myself off the hook a bit.  I am not an anti-starch person.  Potatoes and I get along rather well and I do not intend for the two of us to ever break up.  However, there are times when I feel food abuses my love of starch.

The prime example is the baked stuffed shrimp.  I see it on restaurant menus or it comes as a dinner option of the wedding rsvp card and I initially think, oooo shrimp!  Then I think, oooo gross stuffing.  Baked stuffed shrimp gets put down in front of you and it's dripping butter in all the wrong ways, the shrimp is rubbery, and the whole thing falls far short of the mark.  Thankfully, I usually remember all of this before I order it.

I found myself thinking about baked stuffed shrimp a few weeks ago.  With the farmer's market in full swing and the weather finally heating up, my mind began to drift to thoughts of water and its contents - seafood! I had bravely attempted swordfish and all of its smelliness.  Now I wanted something I bit easier.  Nothing is simpler to cook than shrimp.  Of course, I realized I wasn't in the mood for simple.

Baked stuffed shrimp isn't simple.  It requires prep work and more ingredients than just a pan, some butter, and a few shrimp.  But, I decided it was time to find a better stuffed shrimp recipe.  Sadly, even Pinterest failed me until I stumbled across a recipe for stuffed squid.

This recipe called for stuffing the tentacles with spinach, tomatoes, and feta.  It sounded wonderful and the perfect substitute for the normal stuffing on shrimp.  I wanted to give mine a bit more Mediterranean flair, so I added kalamata olives.  The result was a baked stuffed shrimp fit for summer!

Mediterranean Style Baked Stuffed Shrimp

Ingredients:

2 lbs. Jumbo shrimp

2/3 lbs. spinach - raw

1 tomato - diced

1/4 c. kalamata olives - sliced

2 oz. feta cheese crumbles

1 egg - lightly beaten

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375F.

Steam spinach in the microwave for about one minute.  Transfer to a heated skillet with a bit of oil and cook for an additional 3 - 5 minutes.  Remove pan from hot burner and let sit as you prep the shrimp and the rest of the stuffing.

Shrimp need to peeled, leaving the tail and that first attached segment.  Carefully butterfly the shrimp, giving yourself a platform to hold the stuffing.  

Once the spinach has cooled down, drain excess liquid.  Place it in a bowl and add the diced tomatoes, sliced kalamata olives, and feta crumbles.  Mix together and then add the beaten egg.  Mix again.  The egg is simply acting as a binder for all of your ingredients.

Place about a tablespoon of stuffing onto each shrimp.  Bake for 20 minutes.

I loved everything about this recipe.  It was nice and fresh with really great flavors.  The olives and feta gave the dish a nice tangy bite.  Most importantly, nothing overpowered the shrimp.  This is a perfect light recipe for summer!

Dandelion Greens

I enjoy using the farmer's market as a way to push my own cooking boundaries.  There are always vendors selling items I've never tried before and the person who grew it is almost always right in front of me.  If I'm curious about the best way to prepare something or what it will taste like when cooked, they have the answer.  This is what led me to pick up dandelion greens when I saw them being sold by Blue Skys Farm.

Blue Skys always has fantastic produce and flowers and always seems to surprise me with their weekly market offerings.  For a few weeks, at the start of the farmer's market season, they were selling bags of dandelion greens.  I had never tried them, never even realized they were edible, but there they were.

I asked what a person would do with dandelion greens and immediately everyone around said I could add them to salads or saute them with other greens.  I probably should have been on guard when the vendor said she didn't really like them, too bitter for her, but I went ahead and bought them anyway.

Once home, I started searching around on the interwebs to find recipe ideas.  Many articles cited the dandelion greens' bitterness as either its attraction or detraction.  After reading about how bitter they can be, I decided it was best to cook the heck out of them and let them stand alone.  Since I had never tried them before, if they were still too bitter for my liking once cooked, I didn't want to ruin an otherwise perfect dish.

Thankfully, my decision to err on the side of caution proved smart.  I boiled them first in salted water for 10 minutes.  While they drained in a colander, I heated some olive oil in a skillet then cooked a sliced garlic clove for about a minute.  I transferred the greens to the skillet and cooked them for about 5 minutes, until they were thoroughly wilted.

I gave them a taste test and realized they were still way too bitter for my taste buds.  I ended up sacrificing a handful of pea shoots in an attempt to cut the bitterness.  They were added to the skillet and cooked for about 2 minutes, just long enough to wilt the leaves but leaving a bit of crispness to the stems.

The meal wasn't a complete waste.  I had an excellent piece of swordfish as the main component. And, overall, I was glad I tried them.  Now I know that dandelion greens are not my cup of tea.

Carrot Top Pesto

Yup, you read that right...carrot top pesto.  I've never really been a fan of pesto.  Growing up, pasta sauces came in either red or white, never green.  Plus, I really like a thick sauce that you can drown your penne in.  That's not really an option with pesto, so I never jumped on the pesto bandwagon.

This recipe hasn't made me do a 180 where pesto is concerned.  However, I do like adding to my arsenal of recipes and I don't like to be wasteful.  Now I can buy carrots with greens attached at the farmer's market and they might just find their way into the food processor instead of the trash bin.

The farmer's market is actually where I heard about this recipe.  I was eavesdropping on the woman in line in front of me.  I didn't have much choice, there is not much personal space at a crowded produce table and I was waiting to pay for my arugula. I don't remember if the carrot purchaser asked if there was something she could do with carrot greens or if the info was randomly volunteered, but I walked away with the need to investigate further.

I found more recipes than I would have thought were out there, but they all followed a pretty basic set of ingredients.  They all contained some sort of nut, either basil or parsley, and olive oil.  What really got me interested was the variety of nut choices.  I always though of pesto as strictly calling for pine nuts, but with the carrot greens pesto some people people suggested not only pine nuts, but also almonds, macadamias, or even cashews.  I settled on a recipe with cashews because I have a thing for them. It's the nut I always save for last when eating mixed nuts.

Carrot Top Pesto

Ingredients:

1 c. carrot leaves

1/2 c. fresh parsley leaves

1/4 c. unsalted roasted cashews

1 clove garlic

1/2 c. olive oil

1/4 c. Parmesan cheese

salt to taste

Directions:

Pick the leaves from the larger stems of the carrot greens, until you have 1 cup.  Press down the leaves a pit in the measuring cup as you add them, you want a full cup of leaves.

Once you have the leaves from the carrots and the leaves from the parsley, add them to a food processor with the cashews and garlic.

Grind ingredients together with about 7 to 10 pulses or until coarsely ground.  

Turn the processor on and slowly add the olive oil.  Add the Parmesan cheese and pulse until incorporated.  Salt to taste.

Now I will freely admit to not having the world's best processor, so my version is probably a bit coarser than what other people might get in the end.  Regardless of how it turns out, it makes a great addition to your favorite pasta.

DIY Gin

Gin and tonic is basically my jam come summer time.  It's hot and sunny out - there is a G&T in my hand.  However, as any imbiber knows, hard liquors are expensive.  Then I found out you can make gin at home...thank you knitting club ladies!

Some of you may already be getting nervous.  Have no fear.  Homemade gin is about as simple as it gets.  All you need is your foundation alcohol and your spices/herbs/aromatics of choice.  Let it set for several days, strain, and drink.  No, I'm not kidding.  At the base of it, that is all it took.

Obviously no recipe of mine is complete without a little stress.  But, if you adhere to the PSA that follows, you will avoid my near mishap.  Beware the size of your bottle.  I wasn't really thinking the whole process through and I used a bottle with a thin neck.  Well...what happens to cinnamon sticks after they've been steeping in liquid for several days?  They swell.  What does a swollen cinnamon stick do?  It gets stuck in the neck of the bottle.  Luckily a little patience and a thin knife did the trick.

A couple of tips before I jump to the recipe.  I did a bit of research and some recipes I found advised using decent vodka while others said it's best to use the cheap store brand.  I went with the cheap store brand that was also labeled as a grain neutral spirit.  I was out to make myself some gin, not make some infused vodka.  I happen to be a Tanqueray fan and Tanqueray is a grain neutral spirit, so that solved my first conundrum. Next, unless you are okay with destroying a britta filter, your gin will be brown.  I'm quite positive the coloration is a result of the juniper berries.  It doesn't affect the taste and once it's mixed with tonic you won't even notice.  The recipes that go low tech will have you strain the gin through a cheesecloth.  I went with a mesh strainer for the first pass and a coffee filter for pass two - it worked just fine.

Homemade Gin

Ingredients:

750 mL 80 proof vodka

1/4 c. juniper berries

6 cardamom pods - coarsely crushed

2 bay leaves

1 cinnamon stick

3 4-inch pieces of grapefruit peel (just the peel, no pith)

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in an air tight glass jar.

Please don't mind the stove.  It happened to be a particularly gloomy day
and the best place for a pic was the kitchen.

Let sit for 1 week in a dark place, shaking the bottle each day.

Strain first through a mesh strainer to catch the larger pieces.  Then do a second pass through a coffee filter.

What you have left is your own personal craft gin.

Homemade vs. Tanqueray Taste Test

Based on taste and aroma, I would guess that Tanqueray is made with orange peel, while mine gets its citrus flavor from grapefruit.  The difference is subtle but still detectable.  Both have a similar spiciness in taste and aroma.  Mine has a distinct cinnamon flavor while the Tanqueray does not.  I am curious to know what difference would be made by substituting a couple of teaspoons of crushed cinnamon for the whole stick. Finally, and most importantly, mine is just as refreshing with tonic over ice!

Wild Rice with Grapefruit and Bok Choy Salad

It's May!  Do you know what that means?  It means the summer farmer's markets are finally starting to open!  I am so excited, it's a bit ridiculous.

In honor of this annually momentous occasion I decided to get out of my cooking comfort zone and try a new vegetable.  The vegetable of choice was bok choy.  Thank you Pak Express Farm!

So, the choice of bok choy was only the first step.  Next comes deciding what to do with it.  Bok choy is a traditional addition in stir fry, but if I was trying to branch out in vegetable choices, it seemed kinda lame to jump to the most obvious food choice.

Since my thinking always tends to be a bit circular, I happened to have wild rice salads on the brain thanks to browsing a new cookbook.  So...we have wild rice and bok choy on the brain so why not use them together?  However, a "salad" with just wild rice and bok choy sounds not so exciting.  Enter grapefruit.  I managed to convince my family to do a Feast of the Seven Fishes in lieu of our normal Christmas dinner and one of the dishes I put together was a squid and grapefruit salad.

I was hit by how fantastic the grapefruit was in a salad.  I also really enjoyed the accompanying grapefruit vinaigrette. Having that sweet citrus-y addition put the squid salad over the top.  My goal was to use the grapefruit to do the same thing here and I feel like I succeeded.  I'm pretty excited about this salad and think it will become a new summer staple.

Wild Rice with Grapefruit and Bok Choy Salad

Ingredients:

3 c. cooked wild rice and long grain blend

2 heads bok choy - sliced, stems and leaves separated

1 medium shallot - sliced

1 grapefruit - 1/2 juiced, 1/2 cut in chunks

1 1/2 Tbsp white wine vinegar

4 Tbsp olive oil

Directions:  

Cook the rice as directed on package, set aside to cool.

Heat some oil or butter in a large skillet over medium and cook shallots until they begin to soften - approximately 3 - 5 minutes.  Add bok choy stems and cook an additional 5 minutes, until they soften.

Add the bok choy leaves and cook until wilted, about another 2 minutes.

Take off the heat and mix with the rice.

Whisk the grapefruit juice, vinegar, and olive oil until emulsified.  Incorporate into the rice mixture along with the grapefruit chunks.

I was really pleased with this salad.  It had a great fresh flavor to it.  This will make an excellent side dish during summer when  you want to keep your meals light.  Enjoy!

Pumpernickel Bagels

During one of my library's recent cookbook book club meetings, we all made recipes out of the Smitten Kitchen.  I decided to make the pumpernickel grissini for no other reason than I wanted an excuse to use the word grissini.  It's just the Italian word for breadstick, but it's fancy!  It was also an excuse to work with a type of flour that I never use - rye.  

However, it was more economical to purchase the five pound bag of rye flour.  However, I only need to 1/4 cup for the recipe.  What do these howevers equal?  It equals me needing to find other things to make with rye flour.  Enter pumpernickel bagels.

Bagels are a breakfast treat in my world.  I think college Sunday hangovers, stumbling to the coffee shop or diner to for greasy hangover-cure-food.  There is still something so devilishly wonderful about butter dripping off of eggs and sausage on a toasted bagel.  But...bagels are not something I ever considered making at home.  It just seemed like too much of a bother when I can just walk to the coffee shop and get a bagel.  With nearly five pounds of rye flour in the pantry though, my thoughts on bagels made the necessary shift to being my next culinary adventure.

Pumpernickel Bagels

Ingredients:

1 1/4 c. warm water
1 c. whole-wheat flour
4 tsp. active dry yeast
1 c. rye flour
1/2 c. molasses
1/3 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 Tbsp caraway seeds
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour

Directions:

Mix warm water, whole-wheat flour, and yeast together in a small bowl. Let stand until the yeast softens and begins to froth and bubble, about 10 minutes. 

Look at those bubbles!

Mix rye flour, molasses, cocoa powder, vegetable oil, caraway seeds, and salt in a large bowl. Add the yeast mixture and all-purpose flour.  Mix until it becomes a gummy dough then turn out onto a floured surface. 

 Knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Transfer dough to greased bowl.

Cover with warm damp towel or plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm area until doubled in size, about 1 hour. It was a pretty cool day so my apartment reflected that temp.  I let my oven heat at the lowest temp while I was making the dough, then when it was time for it to proof, I turned the oven off and put in my dough.

Once the dough has risen, preheat an oven to 450F and grease a baking sheet. Bring water to a boil in a large pot. 

Divide dough into 13 pieces and shape into balls. Using your thumb, press a hole into the center of each dough ball.  Pull the dough a bit to form a 1-inch hole in the center, keeping dough about 1/2-inch thick. 

Drop dough circles into boiling water, 3 or 4 at a time, and boil for 45 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain for about 1 minute. Arrange boiled bagels on prepared baking sheet. 

Bake bagels in the preheated oven until just starting to brown on the bottom, 8 to 10 minutes.

The bagels came out a lot smaller than I expected them too.  I really thought they would grow in the oven, but they didn't.  I'm not complaining though.  They baked up beautifully.  The outside was nice and chewy and they were completely cooked.  Because they were smaller, two made for a perfect breakfast with a little jam.

Natchitoches Meat Pies

Let's take a trip down south, to northern Louisiana. Why?  Because I decided to try my hand at it's State Meat Pie, the Natchitoches meat pie.  In case you were wondering, it's is pronounced NACK-uh-tush.  Unfortunately, I have been pronouncing it phonetically for awhile now and I think I'm past the point of no return.  

There is an entire festival dedicated to this delectable pie.  And yes, this festival has officially made the "must travel to" list. That, of course, means I need to start pronouncing Natchitoches properly...wish me luck.

When weekend rolled around and I was putting my shopping list together, I decided that since I really had no idea what I was doing, I would (aside from adding a few spices) follow the official recipe.  Except for a few differences in filling, it seemed to be very much in the empanada family.  No complaints there!  I did choose to bake these pies.  My track record with fried foods is horrendous and I figured this recipe could withstand a healthier cooking method.

Natchitoches Meat Pie

Ingredients:

Filling:

1 tsp. shortening 

1 lb. ground beef 

1 lb. ground pork meat 

1 bunch green onions - chopped 

1 pod garlic - minced 

1 orange bell pepper - chopped 

1 medium onion - chopped 

1 Tbsp flour
1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. paprika

1/2 tsp. chili powder

Dough:

4 c. All purpose flour
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder 

1/2 cup shortening + 1 T
2 eggs
1 cup milk

Directions:

Melt the shortening in a large stock pot. Add the meat and cook until it is no longer pink - about 10 minutes.  Add the vegetables and seasoning, cook for another 10 minutes.

I really like the color that the bell pepper adds!

Once everything is cooked through, stir in the flour.  Continue stirring until sauce thickens - about 3 minutes.

Take the filling off the stove and set aside while you make the dough.

Sift the dry ingredients together. Cut in the shortening, creating crumbles.  Beat the eggs and milk together.  Gradually stir then knead into dry ingredients until proper consistency to roll. Break into small pieces and roll very thin. Cut into rounds using a bowl as a guide.

To assemble:

Place about 1 1/2 spoonfuls of filling onto one half of the round.

Wet the edge of the meat half of the round with water and fold the other half over, making edges meet and seal. 

 Form edges with a fork and cut slits into the pie to allow steam to vent during baking.

Preheat your oven to 400F.  Brush the pies with an egg wash and bake for 30 minutes or until brown.

These things were so amazing.  The crust came out nice and crisp.  The smell of the filling was phenomenal, the spices really came through in the smell.  Standing by the oven while they were cooking was sheer torture.  This is comfort food at its finest!

Manicotti with Meat Sauce

Growing up, this recipe was like a unicorn.  It only came out a few times a year and required the use of a cast iron pan we NEVER saw until it was manicotti time.  Let me repeat that for you...this recipe requires it own pan!  How cool is that, it's a recipe that requires its own special equipment. Hmm, I'm not sensing the level of awe, wonder, and reverence that one should have when faced with a manicotti recipe of this caliber.  But that's okay, my enthusiasm is enough for all of us.

I can still remember sitting in the kitchen, watching my mother make the crepes.  Not in a creepy way, in an awe filled way.  Crepes have always seemed like they have this really intense creation process.  And it does.  It requires both precision and swiftness.  I'm still working on my technique.  Thankfully manicotti also involves sauce, so all of the not quite great looking crepes are hidden.

When I finally received the coveted family recipe (and MY very own special crepe pan), I was surprised to find out that crepes do not require a lot in the way of ingredients or batter-making effort.  Eggs, water, flour, salt and mix - that is it.  Very anti-climactic.  The creation process, however, is stressful.  You need a spoon that is just the right size to pour just the right amount of batter in the pan.  You need to swoop the pan at just the right time in just the right angle to get all of the batter all over the pan.  You need to leave the crepe for just the right amount of time before flipping. Oh my word, just thinking about it raises my blood pressure.

Or, I really could be exaggerating.  I am exaggerating.  But, you really do need to be quick.  More so because the crepes are meant to be this, which means they set after only a couple of seconds.  You are not trying to brown the crepes, they are not tortillas.  You want something that is firm but soft and pliable.  Does that sound weird when describing a food substance?  Whatever, it's accurate.  And tasty. Don't forget tasty.

The nice things is, once you master the technique and are comfortable making the crepes, you can use that recipe in so many other ways.  Oh how the jars of Nutella and bananas and strawberries dance in my head.  For now, though, it's time to make the manicotti.

Manicotti with Meat Sauce

Ingredients

Crepes:

6 eggs - beaten
1 1/2 c. water
1 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt

Sauce:

1 onion - chopped
2 garlic cloves - minced
1 1/2 pounds Italian sausage - casings removed
28 oz. crushed tomatoes in puree
6 oz. tomato paste
2 Tbsp parsley - chopped
1/2 c. basil leaves - chopped

Cheese filling:

2 lbs. Ricotta cheese
1/2 lb. mozzarella - shredded
4 oz creamy goat cheese
2 eggs
1 Tbsp parsley - chopped
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. salt

Directions

I recommend making everything in the same order as I listed the ingredients, i.e., make the crepes, then make the sauce, then make the filling.  You want the crepes to cool down before the assembly begins.

Begin with the crepes and in a large bowl combine the flour and salt.  In another bowl, beat the eggs with the water then add to the dry ingredients.  Beat together then let stand for 5 minutes.

While the mixture stands, preheat your 6 1/2 inch cast iron skillet greased with olive oil.  When ready, pour a scant amount of the crepe mixture into the pan and allow it to cover the entire surface.  Once the mixture is set, flip.

Cook for a few more seconds then move to a plate to cool.  Repeat.  This mixture should make approximately 40 crepes.

While the crepes are cooling, move on to the sauce.  Also, at this point, turn on the oven and set to 350F.

Heat some olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the onions and cook until tender, approximately 7 minutes.  Add the garlic and give a couple of stirs.  Add the sausage and cook for about 10 minutes, breaking up the links as they cook.

Once the sausage is no longer pink add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, parsley, and basil.  Reduce heat to simmer and cook for another 20 minutes.

Isn't great how everything looks so unappetizing while you are making it?

While the sauce simmer, move on to the filling.  Mix together the ricotta, mozzarella, goat cheese, eggs, parsley, Parmesan, and salt.  I realize making the filling was extra difficult but have no fear, we're almost done.

Making the manicotti

Line up all of your main necessities - 9x13 casserole dish, sauce, cheese, crepes.  Coat the bottom of the casserole dish with a thin layer of sauce.  Take one crepe,

slap a spoonful of cheese filling into the center,

I realize I'm not winning any awards for this photo, but it gets the point across.

flop one side over,

and then the other.

And we have achieved crepehood!

Now you will need to repeat this about 15 more times, placing each one into the casserole dish.

Create alternating layers of sauce and crepes until you are out of crepes.  Be sure to reserve enough sauce to end with a sauce layer.

Bake, covered for 30 minutes. Remove cover and bake for another 15 minutes or so.  It is ready when the sauce is bubbling.

I love this recipe.  It is one of my all time favorite family meals and making the crepes instead of using store bought shells add a nice personal touch to the meal. Pair it with a side salad and you are good to go. 

Stuffed Artichokes

Stuffed artichokes have been on my mind for awhile.  They are a fun meal that require any annoying amount of prep works, which is why it took so long to muster up the nerve to actually put a recipe together.  Obviously I put a little twist into the typical artichoke stuffing and this twist was crab meat.

I'm not really sure why I decided on crab meat, but it was one of those random ideas and it got stuck in my head.  So I rolled with it.  FYI...crab meat is not cheap, so feel free to not to use it.  I, however, really enjoyed the addition.  It provided just a light, added flavor.

Stuffed Artichokes

Ingredients:

4 artichokes

2 c. Seasoned breadcrumbs

1/2 c. crab meat - finely shredded

1/4 c. blanched slivered almonds - toasted

3 Tbsp Parmesan cheese

2 Tbsp Parsley - chopped

1/4 c. olive oil + 2 Tbsp

Directions:

First, prep your artichoke for stuffing.  Cut the stem and snip off the pointed tips of the leaves.  Rap the artichoke on the counter a couple of times to help separate the leaves to allow for easier stuffing. I also suggest snipping as many points off the leaves at the center of the artichokes.

Preheat a small skillet on the stove and lightly toast the almonds.  It should only take about three minutes.

Mix the breadcrumbs, crab meat, almonds, cheese, and parsley.  Slowly add the 1/4 cup of olive oil, mixing the filling just until it moistens and is "pack-able."

Stuff each artichoke, pressing the stuffing down to make sure each one is completely stuffed and you get a bit of stuffing each time you remove a leaf.

Place the artichokes into a dutch oven and add about 1 1/2 inches of water.  Add the rest of the olive oil to the water.

Place the dutch oven on the stove and bring the water to a boil.  Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 80 minutes or until the leaves become soft enough to pull out easily.

Because these were steamed, they will not have a browned, crunchy top.  They are however, just as good, and on a hot day it's nice to not have the oven going for over an hour.

These made a great light lunch and the almonds provided a nice contrast in the stuffing's texture.