Disaster: Rolls

Hmm, note to self: Follow ones gut

Do you follow the Pioneer Woman's blog? I do. I probably read it a couple times a week, mostly the cooking section.

She's highlighted some rosemary rolls on her blog multiple times that looked divine! They were posted and talked about so often (she must like them, and they really, really look good) that I couldn't help but want them.

Pioneer Woman's Rosemary Rolls - Photo by Ree Drummond

However, I ran into a snafu. My regular grocery store only had refrigerated 'biscuit' dough OR 'crescent roll' dough. Needing dinner rolls, I went with the crescent roll dough. A roll is a roll, right? A roll is definitely NOT a biscuit.

Per the recipe, I greased my new cast iron skillet (love it! just imagine the corn bread I'll be making - yum!), rolled my dough into balls and left them to rise over a few hours. A few hours later, nothing. Crescent rolls do not rise. They are not dinner rolls. I knew this, I saw the picture on the package, but yet... they were the only 'rolls' at the market. So I caved and bought them.

I'll be off to check another store this week and let you know how attempt #2 goes. Meanwhile, we'll be eating crescent rolls this week until they're coming out our ears since I bought 4 packages (it was for a party).

Trust your gut.

White Frosting and a Sneak Peak

Here's a sneak peak at the Chefs Helper's 1st birthday party cake:

We all had a great time celebrating a whole year of wonderful.

Unfortunately, I can not recommend this icing. Ick. I should have known though. Any icing that only uses crisco can't be good.

A couple years ago, I made a very tasty icing for a friends son's birthday party, and I will return to that icing next time. It was so good, we were eating the icing out of the mixer with graham crackers.

Why did I deviate? Hmmm, I like to try new things and... I don't know. My bad.

Stay tuned for the full cake picture and review (great cake) next Friday.

Guten appetit!

Tangy Black Bean and Corn Salad - Dud!

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

While I can't say that Tim and I celebrate Cinco de Mayo very often (or ever, unless a friend is throwing a party), I always think about it. Probably has to do with my love... obsession... desires... for mexican food. If I could have just one food for the rest of my life, it would definitely be something Mexican. A veggie burrito, fish tacos or perhaps enchiladas. It would be a tough choice to choose the specific dish, but it would be Mexican.

A party is definitely not happening this year, but maybe next year, when we're back in the states and resettled. A girl can dream - margaritas, guacamole and enchiladas, anyone?? Mmm.

As for today's recipe, I hope you've liked the last couple Mexican inspired dishes I've offered, cause this one was a dud. Sorry, they do come up on occasion. I whole heartedly can not recommend this recipe or dish. Sad, since it had such potential. And perhaps if I was more inspired, I could play with it to make it better. But when there are so many other yummy recipes out there, why fiddle with mediocrity?

Looks good, right?

The basics were good, but the dressing was very bland. All you taste is the olive oil. If you want to give this recipe a go, perhaps double, or triple, the spices. Or make the salad, and use a different dressing.

I made this salad as the recipe states, but added lettuce. I wanted it a bit more 'salady'.

Tangy Black Bean and Corn Salad
from VegCooking

2 15.5-oz. cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 tomatoes, seeded and diced
6 green onions, minced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 cup olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper


In a salad bowl, combine the beans, corn, avocado, bell pepper, tomatoes, green onions, and cilantro, if desired.

Place the lime juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, and cayenne pepper into a small jar. Cover with a lid and shake to mix thoroughly. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad ingredients and stir gently to coat. Serve immediately or refrigerate for later, stirring again before serving.


As opposed to this salad, I would much prefer a delicious bowl of guacamole and plenty of corn chips for dipping.

Guten appetit!

Butternut Squash and Edamame Pasta

I'm posting this recipe extremely tardy (it's from November!), because honestly, it didn't turn out that great. This belle didn't quite make it to her ball. Frankly, it was bland.

Because I can't recommend it, I also have to tag it as a 'disaster'. I don't think it was terrible, but I wouldn't make it again. Maybe it strikes your fancy though, and you decide to try it out. If so, let us know what you think. Could have just been me and my taste preferences.

I liked the idea of this recipe for two reasons, I love edamame and I love butternut squash. During this time of year, I have hankerings for squash. They call out to me at the market, I swear.

I had actually seen this recipe before, but in it's original version, using lima beans instead of edamame. When I saw this twist on the recipe, I jumped at the chance to make it. Not all recipes can be 'winners' though, so it's ok that it wasn't a favorite of ours. Try everything (or most things!) once. It's a good motto to live by.


Taste was just OK, but it definitely looked good!

Butternut Squash and Edamame Pasta
from A Good Appetite

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or 1 t dried
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
3 1/2 cups butternut squash, peeled, seeded & chopped into 1/2 inch pieces. (about a 2 lb squash)
1 10-ounche package frozen soybeans (shelled), thawed. (or use baby lima beans)
2 cups vegetable broth
10 ounces penne pasta (3 cups)
1/4 cup grated parmesan


Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over med-high heat. Add onion & saute under tender and golden, about 10 minutes.

Add garlic, thyme and crushed red pepper & stir 1 minute. Add squash & beans & saute 3 minutes.

Add broth & bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover & simmer until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes, or until the squash is mostly soft. Season to taste with salt & pepper.

Meanwhile cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente. Drain & return to pot. Add squash mixture to pasta. Toss to blend, adding more broth by 1/4 cupfuls to moisten if necessary (our was overly soupy and I had to drain most of the broth). Season with salt & pepper.

Transfer to bowl & sprinkle with cheese.

Other Butternut Squash pasta recipes I'd like to try:
- Fettucini with Butternut Squash, Sage and Brown Butter, from Apartment Therapy
- Butternut Squash and Sage Ravioli, from La Tartine Gourmande
- Baked Pasta with Butternut Squash and Ricotta, from Urban Drivel

Guten appetit!

Gingered Carrot Soup

I hate to do this to you, just before Valentines Day. But, this recipe gets slotted under 'disasters', as it didn't turn out for me. But hey, they can't all be winners, right?! Otherwise, I might have my own cooking show or cookbook. And besides, for your Valentines menu, I just posted some super stellar recipes... the pesto scallops and coconut shrimp.

I found this recipe a couple months ago, as I was searching for easy make ahead recipes or fast go-to recipes for after the baby's arrival. Grace recommended a recipe site called Mollie Katzen and I probably spent about 2 hours drooling over the recipes (thanks for the great tip, Grace!). I am amazed at myself, having spent so much time on the website. Most recipes don't have pictures, which is usually a must for me. But just the food combinations captured me!

For example... carrot and ginger. Oooh, sounds like such a winner for cold weather. Doesn't it? Healthy and warming, can't ask for much better. Unfortunately, it didn't turn out quite as good as I'd hoped, but that may have partly been due to my spice substitutions. I did not have fennel, allspice or dried mint. I used 1/4 teaspoon chili powder instead. Smelled wonderful, but the end flavor wasn't there.


It wont keep me from trying some of her other recipes though. I have a long list to experiment with.

Our feedback: Tasted like you are eating a carrot, and fairly bland. I'm not sure why I found this surprising, but carrots have a strong flavor. Therefore, you need equally strong spices or other ingredients to temper it, or they get lost in the carrot. Again, our outcome can't truly represent the recipe, as I omitted some significant ingredients.

What I did: The original recipe called for only 1/4 teaspoon of each spice, and it's not nearly enough. I bumped it up to 1 full teaspoon. The ginger only gave a slight hint of flavor, and the cashews were lost in the soup, but they do add some protein (I would still keep them). I added milk, as the texture also needed more creaminess. You could also try adding a cooked potato for some creamy texture and to thin out the carrot a bit. I ate the soup with a large dollop of sour cream, which I liked.

I think Mollie's original recipe could be great as a sauce or side to another dish. She recommends this recipe with her Samosas, which I can see being very tasty. As a soup though, I'd pass.

Gingered Carrot Soup
adapted from Mollie Katzen

2 pounds carrots
4 cups water
1 tablespoon butter or oil
1 1/2 cup chopped onion
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon ground fennel
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon all spice
1 teaspoon dried mint
3-4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup lightly toasted cashews
1/4-1/2 cup milk or heavy cream


Peel and trim carrots, then cut into 1 inch pieces. Place in a medium-large saucepan with water, cover, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until carrots are very tender (approximately 10-15 minutes, depending on the size of the carrot pieces).

Meanwhile, heat the butter/oil in a small pan. Add onions and saute over medium heat for approximately 5 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, salt and spices. Turn heat to low, and continue to saute for another 8-10 minutes, or until everything is well mingled and the onions are very soft. Stir in the lemon juice.

Use a food processor or blender to puree everything together (including the toasted cashews). You may need to do this in several batches.

Ladle into soup bowls, garnish with sour cream if desired. Serve with whole wheat crusty bread, or grilled cheese sandwiches. Serves 4.

Other carrot soup recipes I'd like to try:
- Laura's Carrot Soup, from Kitchen Parade (think I will try this one next time)
- Roasted Tomato and Carrot Soup with Ginger, from Daily Unadventures in Cooking
- Indian Spiced Carrot Soup with Ginger, from Epicurious
- Carrot Soup with Dill Pesto, from Epicurious

Guten appetit!

Chocolate Cupcakes - A disaster!

Let's just say, this was not one of my finer cooking moments.

I didn't drop dinner on the kitchen floor, or make the kitchen smell of burnt rubber (I may tell that story in the future). This was a full fledged, I messed up the recipe SO badly, cooking disaster.

Ay, yay, yay.

Getting right to the point, here is what I'm moaning about...


Where did I go wrong?? Did I whip the batter too much? Did I miss a critical ingredient? Did I not whisper enough sweet nothings to the chocolate gods? What?

As you can see, the cupcakes did not rise properly, and most caved into themselves in the middle. I salvaged 2 of them and gave them to the neighbors kids. They tasted OK, not the best chocolate 'cake' I've ever had, but obviously looked terrible. Not bake sale worthy.

If you have suggestions on what may have gone wrong, please share. Since the strawberry cupcakes turned out great, I can't be a total baking dummy.

Here is the recipe I used, but, I can not recommend it...

Chocolate Cupcakes
recipe from Kitchen Link

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted*
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

* To melt the chocolate, place in a double boiler over simmering water on low heat for approximately 5–10 minutes. Stir occasionally until completely smooth and no pieces of chocolate remain. Remove from the heat and let cool to lukewarm 5–10 minutes.


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers. Set aside.

In a small bowl, sift together the flour and baking soda. Set aside.

In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugars and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the chocolate, mixing until well incorporated.

Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the buttermilk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated, but do not overbeat. (hmmm... my error?)

Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended and the batter is smooth. Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about three-quarters full.

Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean.

Cool the cupcakes in the tins for 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before icing.


Since these did not turn out well for me, I can't recommend them. There must be easier, fool-proof chocolate cake recipes better than this. Someday, I'll retry chocolate cupcakes and let you know which recipe is a winner!

Guten appetit!

Curried Egg Salad, Pasta Casserole and a Disaster

Welcome Recipe Box Swap readers!

While this is an old post, it's one of our top 3 favorite meals and one I'd like to share with you. After making it a couple times, it's super easy to whip up. It's also great to double (or triple!) and to freeze (up to 2 months). Did I mention, it's delicious?!

I hope you enjoy. Thanks for visiting my food blog.

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A number of days ago, I promised more egg salad recipes- curried, to be exact. Well, sit back and enjoy the internet aromas of delicious curried egg salad recipes...

Mmmm, do you smell that? No? Sniff harder. Maybe it would help if you put your nose right up next to the screen... now?

Well, maybe you don't smell anything because there has been no curried egg salad cooking at my house this past week. Sorry- April Fools? No, no. I suppose that doesn't work for promises made days earlier, does it?

Well, I will give you a consolation prize AND curried egg salad (But later this week. Please, as if you don't STILL have colored eggs in your fridge to use, I've got time).

As a consolation prize, I'm giving you our make-it-three-times-a-month, can't-get-enough, gift-to-all-our-food-loving-friends, pasta casserole. I first made this 2 years ago, and since then, I kid you not, I triple any batch I make and we have this once a week. I also gift this casserole to all friends I feel are worthy.

It is de-licious, and I feel it's time to share the pasta casserole love with you. Enjoy!

Pasta Casserole
AKA Chipotle Macaroni & Cheese, from Cooking Light

1 (7-ounce) can chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained
4 cups hot cooked elbow macaroni (about 2 cups uncooked)
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup 1% low-fat cottage cheese
1 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Cooking spray
3 tablespoons dry breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 350°.

Remove 1 teaspoon adobo sauce from can; set aside. Remove 2 chipotle chiles from can; finely chop to measure 1 tablespoon. (Use half the chilis/sauce requested if you are not a spicy fan!)

Reserve remaining chiles and adobo sauce for another use. (I separate the remaining chilis and sauce into recipe portions, then put into ziplock sacks to freeze for the next time I make the casserole)

Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chopped chiles, onion, bell pepper, and garlic; cook 4 minutes or until onion is tender, stirring frequently. Sprinkle with flour; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly.

Reduce heat to medium; add tomatoes. Cook 3 minutes or until thickened. Add reserved 1 teaspoon adobo sauce, pasta, cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, milk, Parmesan, and egg; stir to combine.

Spoon pasta mixture into a 2-quart baking dish coated with cooking spray; top with breadcrumbs. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until bubbly. (We like a crispy top, so it usually takes up to an hour for our casserole to cook as we like it)

Last, but most importantly, remove CAREFULLY from the oven. Otherwise, you risk this:


Yep, that's fresh, yummy, delicious pasta casserole on our kitchen floor. The pan slipped right out of my mitted hands and onto the floor as I was removing it from the oven. Drats, drats, drats.

Guess it was about time for one of my usual kitchen disasters. Karma was coming back to haunt me today for all the jokes I played. The final April Fools was on me!

Hope you enjoy your casserole more than we did, this time around.

Guten appetit!