Chocolate Mug Cake

While we were on holiday vacation visiting my parents, I may have gotten used to finding some kind of sweet treat in the pantry or fridge.  All week I've had a hankering for chocolate and there was one last hershey kiss in our candy bowl.  So last night I hunted down a variety of recipes for chocolate mug cakes on the internet, combined them all together and came up with this one.  Still needs a few tweaks yet - but here's the start for 2 coffee mug sized "cakes".

Ingredients:

• 4 Tbsp butter
• 6 Tbsp almond flour
• 1 Tbsp coconut flour
• 1 Tbsp Truvia or other sugar substitute
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• dash of salt
• 2 eggs
• 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• Optional: 1-2 Tbsp chocolate chips (I had white chocolate chips handy)

Instructions:

1. Melt butter in a small cup/bowl/measuring cup
2. In a larger mixing bowl, mix all dry ingredients: almond flour, coconut, flour, sugar, salt, cocoa powder
3. Add the butter to the flour mixture
4. Then add in the remainder of the wet ingredients: vanilla & eggs
5. Lastly, add in the optional chocolate chips
6. Spray 2 coffee mugs with Pam or use some other non-stick spray/product
7. Divide the batter between the two mugs
8. Place both mugs in the microwave and microwave for 2 minutes
9. Top with toppings of choice: I added strawberries, cool whip, and dark chocolate syrup.

Mediterranean Shrimp and Polenta

A few months back we went to Olive Garden for dinner.  Very adventurous considering all the pasta and stringy, melted, ooey gooey cheese.  But OG does actually offer a gluten free menu and an allergen guide which makes ordering food there pretty easy.  Although finding something dairy free and gluten free is quite a bit harder.    Now, this recipe isn't an "exact replica" of the Polenta Shrimp alla Greca from OG, it's a bit lighter but hits all the right spots.

Aside from the recipe, this is the last Friday of Christmas break.  Come Tuesday I will be celebrating my last "first day of school" forever, or for at least a very long time.  It's hard to believe that this journey to JD is coming to an end.  I'm nervous and excited all at once.  I probably shouldn't get too excited until I submit my bar application....

Ingredients:

      Polenta

• 1/2 c. cornmeal
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 Tbsp butter

      Shrimp

• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small sweet onion, chopped
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 3/4 c. chardonnay or other dry white wine
• 12 oz canned diced tomatoes
• 1 lb raw shrimp, peeled & deveined with tails-on
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/2 c. olives, quartered (I used marinated antipasto olives)
• 1 Tbsp capers
• 1 tsp thyme

Instructions:

1. For the polenta, add water, salt, and oil to a rolling boil over high heat.  Slowly add in cornmeal while mixing to avoid any lumps forming.  Bring mixture to a boil and stir frequently so avoid clumping.  Reduce heat to low and simmer, keep stirring until thickened.  Should be about 15-20 minutes.  
2. After the polenta has boiled... in a pan, warm the EVOO over med-high heat.  Add the onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes.  Cook until onion and garlic are tender.
3. Add in the wine and boil until the wine has reduced by about half.
4. Add in the diced tomatoes and bring the tomato/wine mix to a boil.
5. Place the shrimp in the pan and coat with the wine/tomato sauce.  Season with the salt and pepper.
6. Once the shrimp are pink and just about done, add in the olives, capers, and wine.
7. Continue to simmer until the shrimp are cooked all the way through.
8. Once polenta is done - mix in the thyme and butter.
9. Spread the polenta on a plate and spoon shrimp and sauce over polenta.  Garnish with a splash of EVOO if desired.

Honey Balsamic Collard Greens

Ever since I had my first forkful of collard greens, I haven't turned back.  I still remember when I first tried them... the Marriott hotel lunch buffet next to one of my jobs.  Went out for lunch with coworkers, questioned what these green things reminiscent of spinach were, had a bite, and WAM, fell in love.  Now, I'm on a journey to find recipes that make collard greens likable by everyone!  

Ingredients:

• 1/2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small sweet onion, sliced
• 1 lb collard greens, rinsed, trimmed, & chopped
• 1/2 c. chicken broth
• 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• 3 Tbsp melted butter

Instructions:

1. In a medium saucepan/pot - over medium-high high, warm up EVOO
2. Add in sliced onions and cook until translucent.  Turn down heat to low-medium.
3. Add in greens and cook for just a few minutes until beginning to wilt.
4. Add in broth and cook for about 5-8 minutes until all greens are wilted and tender.
5. Add in remainder of ingredients and mix thoroughly
6. Serve as a side dish, for example with steak and potatoes

Bourbon Pecan Pie with Cinnamon Roll Crust

When I was a little tot, pecans, really any nuts, were not "my piece of pie".  But as I grew older, I grew into peanuts, then cashews and almonds... eventually pecans and walnuts.  Pecan pie was an "adult" dessert, which I eventually grew into and have a slight addiction to.  Even more special about pecans, is that my parents' home has a few pecan trees and one of these pecan pies was made with freshly picked and cracked pecans from those trees.  This pecan pie has a little bit of southern whimsy in that it includes a splash... or two...of bourbon.  The recipe is divided into 2 sections: the pecan pie filling (in case you purchase a pre-made crust) and a pie crust with an optional cinnamon roll flavoring.  The cinnamon roll pie crust not only tastes extra sweet and pairs beautifully with the pecan filling, but in a glass pie pan, it is stunning on the bottom.  Literally, it looks like cinnamon rolls from the bottom.

Pie Filling Ingredients:

• 3/4 c. sugar
• 1.5 c. dark corn syrup
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1.5 tsp. gluten free flour
• 3 eggs
• 1.5 tsp vanilla
• 2 Tbsp bourbon
• 1.5 Tbsp melted butter
• 2 c. pecans
• 1 Tbsp milk
• 1 tsp sugar
• Optional: 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• Tinfoil

Pie Filling Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 F

2) Either with a hand mixer or a hand beater, combine the sugar, syrup, salt, and flour.

3) When the sugar is well blended, mix in the vanilla, bourbon, and butter.

4) Finally, mix in the pecans.

5) Pour the pecan batter into the pie crust (do not prebake pie crust beforehand)

6) Mix milk and sugar in a small cup, brush crust with milk and sugar

6) Using tinfoil, cover the crust edges to keep it from getting burnt - such as shown here: http://www.areal-lifehousewife.com/2012/07/how-to-easily-cover-edges-of-pie-crust.html/

7) Bake in oven for 1 hour, remove tinfoil, and continue to bake for 15 additional minutes

8) Remove from oven and let sit to cool down to room temperature.  Initially, the inside sugar "gel" will be loose and gooey, as it sets it will harden.

Pie Crust Ingredients:

• 1 c. gluten free all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 c. butter, cold and cut into small pieces
• 1 small egg
• CINNAMON ROLL CRUST ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS:
• 1 Tbsp cinnamon
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1 Tbsp melted butter

Pie Crust Instructions:

1. Either with a fork, pastry mixer, or processor - blend flour, salt, and butter until the flour is like small peas or a fine "meal".  Make sure no large butter chunks are left.
2. Either continuing to use processor or hands - mix in egg until a dough ball is formed that holds together.
3. Using TWO sheets of wax paper about 12" x 12".  Place the dough ball on one sheet of wax paper, place the second sheet on the dough ball.  Using a rolling pin, roll the ball until it is flat and about 1/8" thick or so.
4. For Cinnamon Roll Crust (also able to begin here with a pre-made crust dough such as Pillsbury gluten free pastry dough):
1. Spread melted butter all over top of crust
2. Sprinkle cinnamon & sugar on top of butter
3. Roll into a log
4. Slice log into 1/4" pinwheels
5. Place pinwheels on wax paper in general pie crust shape, just barely touching each other
6. Place wax paper on top of pinwheels and flatten back out into sheet
5. Remove top wax paper sheet
6. Place pie tin upside down on top of rolled out crust and flip everything back over.  Use the wax paper to help guide the crust into the pie tin.
7. Crust is ready for filling!!