Cupcake Extravaganza!!

Don't worry, snookums!  Momma didn't forget ya!!

It doesn't get much crazier than Christmas time.  Seriously, from Black Friday all the way to New Year's Day, we Americans are at our busiest and, presumably, most stressed out.

I'm hesitant to say 'most stressed' though because... well... finals week...  

You guys are laughing, but I guarantee you that most high school/college students can actually see some truth in this.

Anyway, every so often, you just need to unwind and decorate a cupcake.

SO I DID!!

We had some cake mix and various toppings to spare, so I went all out and did my best to make some aesthetically pleasing cuppy cakes.  After some extending experimentation, here's what I've concluded:

First thing's first, I'm the realest.  You can kill me for that one later.

 I hate using frosting.  Hate it.  So much.  I've always been terrible at using it to decorate.  Whipped cream, however, easily rose to the top as my favorite topper for cake and cupcakes!  It's lighter, fluffier, tastes better in my opinion, and it's SO MUCH EASIER TO USE.  I had no issues using the icing whatsoever.  Only conflict is that you'll want to use a whole lot more of it, to counter the heaviness of the cake underneath.

(However, drizzling the frosting comes close to second favorite.  As pictured above, I think it gives a sort of chic flair to baked delicacies!  A dash of cinnamon or cocoa powder would probably be an even nicer add-on.)

When in doubt, CANDY.    It's so hard to go wrong with candy on a baked good.  Seriously, think about it: what do M&M cookies, Cosmic brownies, and those little peanut butter-Hershey kiss things have in common?  They're all really cute and everyone loves them.

Also, if you don't have frosting tips (or, in my case, proper piping bags), or just don't want plain, smooth cupcakes, frosting spikes are extremely cool and look like you spent way longer on them than you actually did.  You just blob your icing (or cream) onto a cupcake; then, gently press the base of a spoon into the frosting and pull it up quickly.  You can make random little spikes all over a cupcake, or arrange a pattern!

If you literally just can't make your cupcakes look good at all, you have 2 options:

1.) Make 'em look intentionally messy!  Smear that icing on, spike it, pound it, go gung ho on that bad boy!  Splatter on food coloring or grenadine, drizzle on some syrup, or fleck it with a sweet spice.  Release your inner hipster on this not-so-mainstream canvas!

2.) If crazy isn't your thing, then consider smoothing it out and getting a little more systematic.  Sprinkle on toppings in stripes or polka dots (see above: pink cupcake with coconut).  As a wise man once said, frosting is merely a vessel for tastier things.

That wise man was me.  +1 for gender neutral narcissism 

 Favorite things to do with whipped cream:

1.) Spike it
2.) Frost in tufts to make a cloud
3.) Stuff in Reese's mini cups

Favorite things to do with frosting:

1.) Drizzle it hot
2.) Cover it with chips and coconut
3.) Cry in a corner while shoveling spoonfuls in my gullet

In conclusion, I have decided that making a pretty cupcake is not so unattainable a goal after all-permitting you have the right resources.  Or, at the very least, a proper piping bag.  Which I don't.

NEXT TIME, ON ANGSTY TEEN CHEFS--

What's your favorite way to decorate cupcakes?  Tell me in the comments!  And as always, don't forget to check out The Spartan's Kitchen's official Twitter and Facebook page!

Don't forget to #FeedYourInnerSpartan

ECHO out.

Most Delicious Thing On the Blog?? Double Breaded Chicken Parmesan Alfredo

I don't normally like to brag on my own food.  I like to think I bear a pretty humble mindset.

BUT GUYS, I'M TELLING YOU, THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST DELICIOUS THING I'VE MADE SO FAR.

There are some days when things in the kitchen just go really poorly.  Like, really poorly.  Take yesterday, for example: my dad was here on a Thanksgiving weekend visit, we were all at my brother's house and hungry.  I decided to whip up some chicken fajitas, with tortillas from scratch (like a bawss).

Chicken was too frozen, had nowhere and no appliance large enough to thaw it properly.

Tortilla dough was too sticky, clumpy, hard to work with.  They wouldn't roll out or stretch like they were supposed to.

Then they wouldn't cook properly when I threw them on a griddle.  Probably because I only had a griddle, in place of a stove top.

I had a total of maybe four square feet of space to work on.

A good half hour into the process and all I had was frozen chicken breasts, sticky, melting clumps of dough, and one ripped, rectangular semi-solid attempt at a fried tortilla.

And no shredded cheese.

But sometimes, it all just pulls together.  Like tonight.  Meat thawed perfectly, cooked just right, vegetables were super tender, pasta was the epitome of al dente, sauce came out restaurant quality.  Everything timed PERFECTLY.

I also owe a lot of credit to this awesome alfredo recipe, which only needs sour cream, butter, and Parmesan really.  I planned on doubling it, however, and didn't want it to be too fattening, so I nixed half of the sour cream in place of chicken broth.

Turned out awesome.

Long story short, things went really well tonight and I concluded that this dish is more beautiful than I am.

Double Breaded Chicken Parmesan Alfredo

Yield: 3 servings (pictured above; one plate is plenty for one person)

Ingredients:

3 medium sized boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

3 eggs

4 cups dry pasta (any kind)

1 cup sour cream

1 cup chicken broth OR 1 cup hot water + 3/4 tbsp chicken broth base (that's what I used)

3 tbsp butter

Garlic salt

Italian seasoning

Up to 5 tbsp flour (optional)

2 cups broccoli

1/2 cup sliced or shredded peppers

Canola oil

Instructions:

1.) Preheat your oven to 420 degrees.

2.) In a large bowl, combine panko and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese well.  In another smaller bowl, beat the eggs well.

3.) Individually, coat each chicken breast in raw egg well.  Then transfer to bread crumb mixture and coat.  When well covered, return to egg mixture and coat again.  Apply a second coat of bread crumbs.  Set the breasts in a deep, lightly oiled baking dish (optional: dust the pan with garlic salt or Italian seasoning) and pop in the oven.  Set your timer for 10 minutes.

4.) Not much to do here, so take this opportunity to get everything out and ready if you haven't yet!  After ten minutes, turn the chicken breasts.  Set timer for 10 minutes.

5.) Get about 4 cups of water boiling for the pasta.  When the water begins bubbling, add the pasta and a capful of canola oil.  Keep covered.  After ten minutes, turn the breasts again.

6.) In a separate pot, get 2 cups of water and a tablespoon of butter boiling for the vegetables.  You can add a little chicken broth base should you fancy to do so.  Throw in the vegetables when the water begins to bubble.  Keep covered.

7.) When the timer goes off, turn the breasts again.  Set for one more ten-minute round.  The pasta should be finished up around this time.  Drain and set aside, covered.

8.) When the breasts finish, pull 'em out of the oven and cover.  Set aside (preferably out of the way if you're like me and prone to kitchen injuries... yes, I burned myself tonight.  3 times).

9.) Now for the sauce!  Throw your broth and the other 2 tablespoons of butter into a pot and simmer over a medium-high heat.  Don't boil it!  It just needs to be warm enough to melt the sour cream.

10.) Gradually add the sour cream, stirring constantly until melted and well combined.  Add the last of the Parmesan, still stirring, until thick.  If it's too runny, add flour a tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired thickness.

11.) When the sauce finishes, cover and set aside.  Finally, remove the vegetables from heat.  Don't drain--you'll use a slotted spoon or spatula to drain 'em and serve (I find it keeps them as moist as possible).

12.) Pile some pasta onto your plate, generously spoon on alfredo sauce.  Top with a chicken breast.  Using a slotted spoon, drain scoops of vegetables and add as you please.

Enjoy it while it's hot!

So tell me, fellow Spartans: what are some of the best moments you've ever had in the kitchen?  Some of the worst?  Share with us in the comments, Facebook, or Twitter!

ECHO out.

Hash Brown Omelette

Man, performing in the school play is a stressful endeavor.  Long practices, memorizing page after page of dialogue and stage directions, set problems, being chastised for every little mistake.  Not to mention having multiple formal showings in front of entire audiences.

Yet,

Somehow, all the hard work...

Always ends up paying off in the end.

Tonight is our fourth and final showing of our school play, Up the Down Staircase (third if you don't count the free showing for the school staff and rest home residents).  It's an interesting story about a young teacher, fresh out of college with a master's in English who lands a job at an inner city school in New York... with high, unmet expectations.  Throughout the play, the students and faculty go about dealing with problems at school and in their personal lives.  I play a back-home friend who corresponds with the main character through letters.

It's been a blast, and I know I'll be a little sad when it's over.  But tonight is perhaps the most important showing for me, since the whole family is coming to see!  I'll have more to post on it tonight.

In the meantime, I've found a way to infuse the BEST breakfast foods: hash browns and omelettes.

 BEHOLD!!!!

Hash Brown Omelette

Yields: 4 omelettes

Ingredients:

About 8 oz pork sausage (more or less, depending on how much you like it)

6 eggs

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

2 large potatoes (trust me, they make more than you think)

About 4 tbsp canola oil

 tbsp minced garlic (with juice)

Garlic powder

Italian seasoning

Instructions:

1.) In a seasoned pan (garlic and Italian), fry up your sausage.  Set it aside, covered to retain heat.

2.) Drizzle one tablespoon of oil into a medium sized frying pan, and let it warm up over medium-high heat.

3.) While the oil warms up, whisk your eggs, 2 at a time, with 1 tablespoon of minced garlic.  Add some sausage (however much you want) and mix well.

4.) Shred half of one potato in a bowl.

5.) You'll need to be a little quick with this step.  Generously sprinkle some shredded cheese into the pan, in a solid circle (like a pancake).  Quickly add a generous handful of shredded potato directly on top.  Flatten with your spatula, keeping it on top of the cheese layer.  By the time you do this, the cheese layer should be just crispy enough to flip.  Very carefully, wedge your spatula underneath the 'pancake' and flip it.  The cheese should be a deep orange, slightly brown, but not burnt.

6.) Let the hash brown cook.  You can flip the pancake every now and again to check on it.

7.) When the hash brown is cooked to your liking, lift it with your spatula and hold it.  Grab your egg mixture, and pour about half of it into the pan.  Quickly lay the pancake on top, and press down gently.

8.) As the eggs cook, you can gently scrape up the excess on the outside of the pancake and press onto the edges, like a sort of crust.  Very carefully flip after a few minutes to allow both sides to cook.  Repeat frequently.  *Protip: while the omelette is pancake side down, use your spatula and pry little openings/tears into the egg.  Not big ones--you don't want to chop it up, but the smaller cuts will allow the heat to cook the inside thoroughly.

9.) When the eggs are fluffy and cooked, remove from pan and serve immediately.

10.) Repeat steps 5-9 until you've used all your ingredients.

CONGRATULATIONS!  You've successfully made the world's most delicious breakfast!!

ECHO out.

Brat Kabobs with White Wine Rotini PLUS A CHALLENGE HIGHLIGHT

CHALLENGE HIGHLIGHT: FROZEN PEANUT BUTTER CUP

My dad was awesome enough to accept the ice cream challenge.  Here's his concoction:

I give you... the frozen peanut butter cup.  My commendations to you, dad.  You make every Spartan that ever lived wordlessly proud.

DON'T FORGET TO SHARE YOUR CONCOCTIONS AND HAVE THEM HONORABLY MENTIONED IN THE NEXT POST!!

Moving on...

Is there anything that can compare to a piping hot, all-American meal?

OF COURSE THERE IS, IT'S CALLED FOREIGN FOOD.

I really wanted to make something using the bratwursts we had in the freezer, but not just anything; I wanted to make something that looked irrationally fancy.  Which would require an irrationally fancy side dish.

In light of this, I remembered that mom has recently taken a liking to making delicious Marsala wine-based goodies.  However, her concoctions have only made use of dark wines.  And seeing how we've had a few small bottles of white cooking wine that have seen no love--

"Nobody wants to drink my insides."

--I figured I might try my hand at using some to make a cream sauce.  For what you might ask?

Fancy curly pasta.

BUT WHAT TO SERVE WITH FANCY CURLY PASTA???

SHISH KABOBS

Brat Kabobs with White Wine Rotini

Yields about five or six babobs and about seven servings of pasta

Ingredients:

3 bratwursts, sliced into chunks

4 medium sized potatoes, also chunked

1/2 onion, chunked

3 cups whole wheat egg noodles

1 cup heavy cream OR ricotta cheese (Note: I used the ricotta since we didn't have any cream; it came out tasting really good, but still had a very ricotta-y texture.  If you use the ricotta, I recommend melting it beforehand)

1/2 cup white wine

2-3 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon oil

Chicken broth base

Paprika

Garlic powder

Salt

Pepper
Bamboo skewers

Instructions:

1.) Get your chunked potatoes boiling so that they cook while you work (starting them about 10 minutes beforehand wouldn't be a bad idea).  Meanwhile, get five cups of water boiling in another pot for the pasta.

2.) Start frying your brats in a skillet seasoned with garlic powder, salt, and pepper (to taste, obviously).  Shortly into this, the pasta water should be boiling.  Go ahead and get the pasta cooking.

3.) When the potatoes, brats, and pasta are close to being finished, melt your butter in a small pot.  Add the white wine, stirring constantly.  Let it simmer for two or three minutes, to cook out the alcohol.

Unless you wanna get S!*& faced.

...don't get S!*& faced.

4.) Still stirring, add your cream or ricotta.  Stir constantly until the mixture is well combined and thoroughly melted.

5.) While stirring, add your chicken broth and paprika to taste (I recommend probably a tablespoon and a half of the broth base, and about 2 teaspoons of paprika).  Mix well, take off of the heat, and cover.

6.) By this time, your potatoes, pasta, and brats should be done.  Take everything off of the heat.  Keep the pasta and sauce covered for now.  Toss the potatoes in paprika and salt, to taste.

7.) Over a medium high heat, saute your onions (using just a little butter for lubrication).

8.) Once the onions are done, begin threading the brats, potatoes, and onions onto the bamboo skewers.  *leave a little room at the top and bottom of the skewers to hold onto!

9.) Set the kabobs aside (I'd throw 'em in the microwave to keep them warm).  Spoon helpings of drained pasta onto serving plates, and top with wine sauce.  Plop a kabob onto a plate.

10.) REVEL IN THE DELICIOUSNESS.

Like I said, I'd melt the ricotta first if you plan on using it for the sauce, just so it doesn't have that grainy ricotta-ish texture.  I feel like the cream would come out a lot smoother, so I'd go for that if you have the option.  Other than the texture, though, the flavor was excellent!!  My mom said it was "very comforting", and I couldn't help but agree.  The kabobs, well, they're pretty hard to mess up, and so customizable!  Don't be afraid to add or omit ingredients for them, make them your own!!

ECHO out.

Raspberry Ice Cream Parfait

DID SOMEBODY SAY RASPBERRY ICE CREAM AND BROWNIES?

So it was late, I was fenin' for ice cream and happened to find myself wandering the 'ice cream hacks' section of the Internet.  We had some dark chocolate brownie mix in the pantry.  I was desperate and lonely.

You know how these things go.

My original intent was inspired by this beautiful brownie sundae bowl.  Needless to say, my attempt to make them was... less than stellar.  As in, they came out more like cupcakes than bowls.

WHICH GAVE ME AN IDEA.

The cupcake shape and size just so happened to be just the right size for FANCY CUPS.

Thus, the ice cream parfait was born.  Unto The Spartan'a Kitchen, at least.

All you need is some raspberry ice cream, a heapin' hunk of brownie (dark chocolate is the best, because obviousness), toppings to spare, and an imagination!  You can make one of these babies however your heart desires--ingredients, layering, what you serve it in, anything.

In my case, I layered the brownie between scoops of ice cream, so the bottom of the glass didn't have a gargantuan gap, and then topped it with a layer of whipped cream, crushed up crispy brownie bits, and a touch of toasty coconut.

Plus, the smaller serving container made me feel not only less gluttonous, but incredibly fancy to boot.

A wise man once said: "When in doubt, pinky out."

Since this recipe really couldn't get much easier, I challenge YOU to make one.  Yes YOU, with the face and the mortified expression.

I want YOU to make a fancy ice cream parfait of your own and show the world the beauty of your creation.

You can share it via the comments, The Spartan's Kitchen official Twitter page (@SpartansKitchen), or on my Facebook page (Hannah Parsons).  Who knows?  Maybe I'll round a few submissions up and showcase them in my next post!

Don't forget to #FeedYourInnerSpartan

ECHO out.

Simple Vegetable Scramble

My mom thought it would be funny to hide a bunch of bug stickers all over the house.

Haha.

Very funny mom.

MOM

STAHP

So anyway, I was a little under the weather this morning.

BUT THAT DIDN'T STOP ME FROM LOOKING PRETTY FABULOUS.

#Flawless

I figured since I was a little sick, I might as well nom on something that was a good source of nutritional value.

 One of my favorite things to whip up when I don't feel like spending a long time cooking is a quick vegetable scramble.  Seriously, just throw some veggies together (cooked or uncooked), add some toppings/seasonings, and you're done!

In this case, I boiled some potatoes as a filling base and threw on some grape tomatoes and green peppers.  Then, I sprinkled on a little bit of shredder white cheddar cheese and just a leeeeeetle sprinkle of chicken broth base (which tasted AWESOME).  I also added a very slight touch of Italian seasoning and black pepper.

 It's like a literal potato salad!

*crickets*

It was surprisingly satisfying, and had me feeling a million times better afterward.  Not to worry--I only cooked for myself.  Nobody in my house is down with the sickness.

-1 point for a reference that I doubt anybody will get.

What I would LOVE to make for myself or anybody else in my house that gets sick is a hearty bowl of cozy chicken noodle soup.  In fact... I might just whip some up for the blog when I'm healthy enough to cook for everyone.

...Or I might just be selfish and make a bowl for me tonight.

So what's your favorite comfort meal for when you're sick?  Tell me in the comments!

ECHO out.

Beef Wonton Soup

I personally think the wonton soup came out a lot better (and healthier) this time around!

Second Batch

Excellent amount of broth

Vegetables and wontons had a good flavor

Broth was a little less than stellar (due to less salt), but still very good

Trial Batch

Very little broth (evaporated water left only super concentrated sodium)

Vegetables too salty to enjoy

Pretty much high blood pressure in a bowl

I tried keeping the pot constantly covered, unless I was stirring or adding something, and adjusted the broth--instead of using just bouillon, I only used about four cubes for a HUGE pot's worth of water, and added some other, less salty spices instead.  Also, one of my helpers--Thing 2, Taylor--suggested lowering the heat of the broth.  I took her advice a step further and took the pot off of the hot eye when something didn't need to be boiled.  The results?  Hardly any of the water evaporated!  

Just goes to show--having great friends to help out in the kitchen have a surprising amount of benefits.  Everything was finished in a third of the time it would have taken me alone.  Especially rolling out, filling, and folding probably 30-35 wontons.

Also, a quick note on the wonton wrapper recipe I used--the wrapper came out absolutely perfect once again!  They had an excellent texture and were overall very easy to make.  However, using the original recipe amount, which was supposed to yield 72 wrappers, only came out to about 35.  Now, after cooking this twice and having the same kind of results, I'm inclined to think our pieces of dough per individual wonton may have been a bit too big (even though I thought they were too small, they swelled up after boiling in the broth).  For some of the wontons, the ratio of wrapper to beef was probably 2:1.

But I'd totally use the recipe again, just with smaller pieces of dough.  If you opt to use the recipe, you'll see what I mean.

Beef Wonton Soup

Ingredients

1 prepared recipe for wonton wrappers (they don't have to be rolled out yet, but I think it would be easier on you)
About 1/4 lb. ground beef (depending on how many people you're feeding)
About 8 cups water (I just filled a big pot and added bouillon and seasonings to taste)
4-5 beef bouillon cubes
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Ground ginger (not much)
About 2 sliced cups of each:
     Eggplant
     Green peppers
     Onions
     Mushrooms
Sliced chives (garnish; I had none to use for the picture above)
1 egg
About 1 tbsp water

Instructions

1.) Get your water boiling over a medium high heat.  KEEP IT COVERED!

2.) Meanwhile, start slicing up your vegetables.  Set them aside.

3.) Once the water comes to a full boil, start adding bouillon, garlic and onion powder, and ground ginger to taste.  Once you're satisfied with the flavor, add the vegetables.  Let the soup boil, covered, for about 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft and tender.  Remove from heat, keeping covered.

4.) Get your beef crushed up and cooking over a medium high heat, and season as you like it.  I generously used garlic and onion powder.  Cook until completely browned (maybe even a little crispy); drain.

5.) Whisk the egg and water in a small bowl.  This is your egg wash.

6.) Take one raw wonton wrapper, lay out flat.  Brush/rub on a little bit of egg wash onto the edges (this will help the wrapper seal).

7.) Spoon about 1-2 spoonfuls of beef into the center.  Carefully fold one half of the wonton wrapper over the beef and press against the opposite edge.  Using a spoon, press down the edges to seal.

8.) Repeat steps 6 and 7 with all your wonton wrappers.  You'll kind of get into your own rhythm/method of folding the wontons the more you fold them.

9.) Carefully place all of your wontons into the soup.  Bring the soup to a boil for about 10-15 minutes, or until the wontons are al dente (firm to the touch; the texture will be somewhat similar to that of cooked pasta).

Serve hot and enjoy!!

 Everyone in the house gobbled the soup up.  It was very filling and pretty healthy!  Like I said, the broth was sooooo much less salty--almost a little watery, but hey.  I prefer that over too salty.  Plus, I think the subtlety of the broth really allowed the flavors of the vegetables and wontons to stand out.  Overall, I definitely learned a few lessons from doing a trial run first.

Any suggestions for what to cook next?  If not, I'm sure I'll find more inspiration from Japanese class.  Actually, I have really been wanting to try my hand at homemade green tea ice cream...

hehehe...hehehehahHaHAHaHAHAHAHaHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

ECHO out.

Trial Run: Wonton Soup

Oh man.  Oh man oh man oh man.

We're learning about tabemono (food) in Japanese class.

There's something about Asian food that's just so... indescribable.  I've enjoyed a lot of Japanese and Chinese food (and some spicy chicken curry--kudos, India), and it's pretty evident that a great deal of time and thought is put into Asian cuisine.  Flavors, textures, and appearance all come together in a wordlessly wonderful blend that melts in your mouth.

We formally started our Japanese cuisine unit in Level III Japanese yesterday, and for a good hour and a half after that, I could.  Not.  Stop.  Thinking.  About.  Wontons.  Yes, I know they're native to China, but for some reason, I was hankerin' for wontons.  I came home intending to make some wonton soup, but alas, everyone opted to go out for Chinese instead (which I was not totally unhappy with).

TODAY, however, everyone else was having fish for dinner, and I am no fan of seafood.  So I seized the opportunity and tried my hand at beef wonton soup.

The results?

Personally, I think I did alright!

However, there was one major problem with it.

See, I used four cubes of beef bouillon in about four cups of water for the broth (the ratio is on the label, and I would have gone for said ratio anyway).  At first, there was a decent amount of broth--I was really only cooking for myself, but I increased the broth in case someone else wanted some.  Then I added my veggies (carrots, green peppers, eggplant, mushrooms) and let 'em boil for quite some time while I prepared this** wonton wrapper recipe, which worked REALLY well!  Anyway, by the time I had stuffed, wrapped, and thrown my wontons into the soup, most of the water had evaporated from the pot.  I now had significantly less water and a whole lot of super-concentrated broth.

Which was a little too strong and ridiculously high in sodium, I might add.

So I shared the wontons with my family, who immediately wanted wonton soup for dinner tomorrow!  But I set the broth (and the broth-soaked vegetables) aside and watered it down.  Luckily, there were only four wontons and I only actually had about one and a half, to watch the sodium.  Not interested in high blood pressure.

So here's what I'm thinking.

Tomorrow, I'm going to make a full batch of wonton soup for dinner.  But I'm going to greatly adjust the ratio of broth to water, and I'll half to keep the pot really well sealed while it boils.  I'm pretty sure my problem was that the lid had a bit of a gap in the side that was letting out steam as it cooked, so hopefully those fixes will allow it to retain the water.  I'm open to any suggestions you guys have about this!!

I'll post the full recipe tomorrow.  I'm thinking about doing rice on the side, though I know my history with rice is... less than stellar.

**NOTE: the original yield of the wonton wrapper recipe is 72, count 'em, 72 wrappers.  I reduced the recipe.  So if you're planning on using it, just keep that in mind.  I almost didn't see it!!

ECHO out.

Easy Peasy Cake

*Casually slips into the room and crawls into a corner*

...so I know I've been gone a while.

BUT I BROUGHT CAKE!

Things have been a little hectic lately--I became part of a school play, I've been trying to get a job, and classwork got dumped us like a truckload of bricks.

AND THEN I GOT ACCEPTED TO COLLEGE.

YESSUH, I got word on Tuesday that I was accepted to the Art Institute of Tennessee--Nashville for the Culinary Arts Management program!!!  This time next year, I'll be earning my B.S. in owning my own restaurant!!

But not without some scholarships.

Which is where The Spartan's Kitchen comes in.

So I SHOULD be posting at least SOMETHING every week, be it a recipe, a tidbit about my life and cooking experiences, etc.  And since my mom has recently gotten heavy into learning new recipes, I've got a hefty amount to talk about.

NOW ONTO THE IMPORTANT BUSINESS.

Easy Peasy Cake

This isn't a recipe so much as it is a quick method of making something really appealing.  As someone who SUCKS at making cakes aesthetically pleasing, I've been picking up on tips over the recent months that make it so.  Much.  Easier to make a cake both delicious and fun to look at.

For the cake pictured above, I used a chiffon cake recipe and, having no icing, frosted that bad boy with whipped cream.  I LOVE whipped cream as a topping for anything, because it's impossible to mess up, and instantly makes dessert brighter.  And who doesn't love it?

Quick note: you'll want to really pack on the whipped cream for a cake.  As in, the layer should be at least as thick as the cake.

I also threw on some toasted coconut, for extra deliciousness.  I didn't have much to work with for this cake, but I think some pineapple slices and toasted almonds would have been a great addition to the cake.

I'm planning on making cupcakes soon (with Halloween coming up, and our annual party on Saturday) with another one of my favorite decoration methods: glazing!  (Works well when you have a homemade frosting recipe that goes downhill...)

So keep an eye out for it!

ECHO out.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

I'm willing to bet you know about the 3-ingredient recipe for peanut butter cookies, right?

You know, a cup of sugar, a cup of peanut butter, and an egg?  I've used the recipe a dozen times, and it always comes out the same: really peanut-buttery and a crumbly-yet-not-falling-apart texture.  Everyone in my house loves them.

And since I've also been dying to use those melting chips to dip something in, I thought:

"DUDE I COULD TOTALLY MAKE CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CUPS FOR REALZ YO!"

...only Hetalia fans will appreciate the joke.

Anyway--

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

My only complaint with these is the amount of icing: I think it overpowered the chocolate, so don't be afraid to toy with the recipe depending on your preference in the peanut butter to chocolate to icing ratio.

Ingredients:

1 cup of creamy peanut butter

1 cup of sugar

1 egg

1 cup chocolate chips (you can melt more if you need to)

1/2 container of icing (any kind)

Instructions:

1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.) Combine peanut butter, egg, and sugar.  Dollop spoonfuls of the dough into a lubricated muffin tin (I used butter), until the cups are halfway full.

3.) Cook for about 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.

4.) Pop the cookies... cupcakes?  Cookie-cakes out and allow to cool for about 5 minutes.

5.) Meanwhile, pour the chocolate chips into a microwave safe bowl and heat until melted.  I cooked them for a minute at a time, stirring in between until the mixture became smooth.

6.) Dip the tops of cookie-cakes into the melted chocolate.  Let sit and cool until the chocolate hardens.

7.) Optional: using a wide tip, frost the cookie-cakes.  I started in the center and frosted in a circular motion to make a pinwheel shape, but you can go gung-ho at it however you want.

These were really easy to make and everybody loved them, aside from the excess of icing.  You can adjust your amount if you need to, or nix it altogether.  Next time I make them, it will be without the icing, most likely.

It's a pretty much fail-proof dessert that appeals to peanut butter AND chocolate lovers, and are pretty hard to mess up, both in terms of appearance and taste!

ECHO out.

Open-Faced Breaded Parmesan Sandwich

Some adjustments will be made in regards to my post frequency:

First and foremost, I know I tell you guys a lot that I'll be posting something later in the day or the next day, and then I don't.

My problem is that I do cook, but then have so many other things to do that I forget or am unable to post because it's so late.  I'm really sorry about that.  School and other delinquent teenage stuff, ya know?

So instead of trying to post every day, I'm going to cook stuff all week and post it on the weekends, when I'm not quite as busy.  Everything will still have its own post (for easier browsing), but I'll get everything uploaded at once.

So check back every weekend for great new stuff!  I cook often throughout the week, and take pictures of just about all of it, so there should always be something new :)

NOW ONTO SOME SERIOUS BUSINESS.

I've decided that, since I'm preparing to join the world of professional culinary art, it's time to step my game up.  I'm gonna start delving into some important cooking skills, like knowing the base for something and knowing how to change it and make it my own (like in the recipe you're about to see), as well as about a million other things that I'm too lazy to name off.

So I'll be challenging myself every week to focus on building one culinary skill in particular when I cook.  Starting this week, I'm working on the aesthetics of my food--namely, making it look a little prettier.

But every week, the floor is open for you guys to challenge me!  If I don't get a challenge from the readers, I'll just pick it myself.  

Moving on!

Since I'm focusing on appearance, I thought I would kick it off with something I haven't posted yet, and something that I actually rarely make: an open faced sandwich!

These puppies are so easy to play around with and customize to make your very own, and leaves a lot of room to garnish and touch up to make it look just as appetizing as they are.  Not only that, but they're actually not too bad for you!

This recipe in particular was made for only one serving (I was just cooking for myself), so just double it, triple it, or quadruple it however much you need to accommodate more people.

Open Faced Breaded Parmesan Sandwich

Ingredients:

1/16 lb. Ground turkey (I just took a sliver off of the end of a log)
1 egg
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup plain panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup sliced peppers and onions (mine came from a frozen mix, but you can cut them fresh if you'd like)
1 thick slice Texas Toast, garlic
1-2 tbsp minced garlic
Italian seasoning
Garlic powder
Salt
Black pepper
Chopped scallions (optional)

Instructions:

1.) Preheat oven to 420 degrees.

2.) In a medium sized bowl, combine ground turkey, minced garlic, about 2 tsp Italian seasoning, and a little bit of the egg (the white works better).  *Pour the rest of the egg into a separate bowl and beat it, you'll use it in a minute* Mix well.

3.) Press the ground turkey into a patty, roughly the size of the slice of Texas Toast.  Set aside.

4.) In another bowl, mix together the panko and Parmesan cheese.

5.) Carefully dip the patty into the bowl of egg, laying it flat on one side.  Turn it over and lay the other side down, so that the entire patty is coated in egg.

6.) Quickly transfer the patty into the bowl of Parmesan and panko, coat both sides well.  If you have extra breading, set it aside and feel free to throw some on while the patty cooks!

7.) Lay the patty into a skillet (I pre-seasoned mine with Italian seasoning) and cook on a medium heat for about 15-20 minutes, or until thoroughly cooked.

8.) While the patty is cooking, throw your sliced peppers and onions into a small pot over medium heat and let them simmer.  I added salt, pepper, and some juice from my jar of minced garlic to keep them moist and give them flavor.

9.) When both the turkey and peppers/onions are close to being done, pop the Texas Toast into the oven and let it cook for about 6 minutes, or golden brown on the edges.

10.) When all of it is done, lay the patty onto the Texas Toast, and top it off with onions, peppers, and scallions (if you wish).  Enjoy while it's hot!

I love the breading trick I used--my mom taught it to me when I was pretty young, and the method was originally for breading chicken strips.  I'm not sure why it dawned on me to use the method while I was cooking today, but my sandwich came out great and I'm not complaining!

Plus, the un-healthiest thing about it is probably the Texas Toast.  Other than that, it's a delicious and surprisingly healthy lunch dish.  I reckon it wouldn't be half bad with a bed of homemade fries, either.

I'll have to post my recipe for fries sometime, now that I think of it.

Anyway, I'll be posting more for the appearance challenge next weekend.  In the meantime, you can check out the Asian stir fry and peanut butter cups I made this week!

ECHO out.

Quick Update and Why I Hate Stick Shifts

This won't be a long post; I just wanted to touch base with you guys.

1.) I'll be posting a dessert recipe tonight!  

I've had a hankering to make something awesome with all the icing, cake mix, melting chocolate, fruit, and various other goodies in my pantry.  

BUT.

I'm going to take on the challenge of making a healthier alternative to a great dessert, in honor of national eat-without-feeling-guilty day.  (As declared by me)

So expect to hear from me later on tonight!  Feel free to comment suggestions for what I make!

2.) ALSO, I'm working on expanding my audience.

One of the things I plan on doing is making some short Youtube videos talking about food and the various trials and tribulations that go along with making it.  Nothing too long, maybe 5-6 minutes a pop.  I'm also considering creating a Twitter account and a Facebook page (I hate Twitter, but I really REALLY want #FeedYourInnerSpartan to be a thing), just to get The Spartan's Kitchen on the map.

In other news, I found out that I suck at stick shifting!

As an incredibly generous gift from one of my great-uncles, I've gotten my very first car!!  Just a little '95 Volkswagen Passat.  It's got a few minor kinks, but it runs really well and I already love the thing.

Except the fact that she has a manual transmission.  I'm not too great at it.

SO, until I get back on later tonight, feel free to pass the time by letting me know your opinion in the comments:

1.) What kind of delicious dessert should I tackle making healthier tonight?

2.) How do you feel about trends in the social media, like hashtags?

3.) What's your preference in vehicles?  What brand/model?  Automatic or manual?

DON'T FORGET TO #FEEDYOURINNERSPARTAN

ECHO out. 

Date Night with Myself

So everyone had gone fishing for the day, and I had opted to hang out at the house by myself.

What better to do than cook a supremely fancy meal?

I had gotten all my other stuff done, and as I was readying to satisfy the rumblies in my tummy, a thought dawned on me: I should make something fancy!!!

I began sifting through the Interwebs for something good based on some of the stuff in my kitchen--things like zucchini, beef, corn, tomatoes, and some of the best darn Dunkin' Donuts Glazed Chocolate Doughnut flavored coffee you've ever tasted.

My curiosity piqued when I stumbled upon something called Piroshki.  Turns out it was a sort of Russian dish consisting of dough pockets filled with various meats and vegetables.

Much like a Hot Pocket, but without a side order of Pepto!

I set to work on a recipe I found on Allrecipes, attempting to follow it as closely as possible.

I mean, I'm all for making something my own way IF I know the in's and out's of what I'm making.  Say, pasta, for example.  But I'd never even heard of Piroshki.

Granted, I had to work with what I had, since the recipe called for a few different vegetables and such, but they weren't detrimental to the outcome of the dish.

At least, I hadn't thought so.

I was having an absolute BALL that night.  I don't mind sharing the kitchen, and I can't really afford not to going into my field of career choice, but there's just something so enjoyable about having free reign of the kitchen all.  To.  Yourself.  You can make whatever you want, however you want, and reap the rewards and/or consequences all for your own. You can go at your own pace.  And as soon as you sit your dish down on the table, everyone immediately knows: "Oh yeah.  Name here cooked this."

Plus, nobody can complain about your choice of music while you work.  I found myself on a binge of hilarious video game music video parodies by Hiimrawn on Youtube.  Fellow gamers, if you haven't heard of him, I'd fix that.  Dude's a genius.  Start with the Zelda Rap.

ANYWAY, I thought the cooking was coming along pretty well.  I had my ground beef and vegetables all wrapped up in dough pockets and baking, my zucchinis were halved, hollowed, and stuffed with MORE vegetables, and I even found a simple sponge cake recipe that utilized coffee.

SCORE!

Finally, while everything was finishing up baking or staying warm in the microwave, I ran and dolled myself up.

Personally, I don't think I clean up too badly!

I had already set up the table, and everything was ready to be served.

Yes, sir, I was ready to dine on some Class-A, 5 star International cuisine.

It.  Was.  Terrible.

First of all, the Piroshki pockets were hard and crunchy, almost to the point of being painful to eat.  The meat and veggies inside were ridiculously bland.  As it turns out, I hate zucchini in all forms, even when stuffed.  My sponge cake ended up hardening on the outside and staying raw on the inside, but it actually tasted pretty good.

So, in the end, I just nommed on chunks of sponge cake brittle and watched Avatar: The Last Airbender on the laptop.  Not a bad way to end date night.

This was definitely a learning experience, and the more I look back on it, the more things I realize didn't go over well. 

I didn't season the meat well, and my pairings of vegetables were just poor choices.  

I should have heeded the warnings about the dough on the website, since it had no yeast and no rest time.  Evidently, Piroshki are supposed to be more of a bread pocket than a tortilla/pizza roll pocket.

Not only that, but it could definitely have used some cheese.  

The stuffed zucchini should have been nixed altogether and replaced with something better, like a rice-stuffed tomato.

And I don't know WHAT happened with my sponge cake, I'm guessing it had to do with the heat and the temperature I baked it at.  Or the egg.  I scold myself for it, but I cut the recipe down for about 1 person, which called for an egg yolk AND an egg white, and I only used the yolk.  I now realize that it doesn't work like that.

But the flavor was phenominal!

All in all, I had a lot of fun and learned a good deal about cooking from this.  And I definitely won't refrain from trying something like this again, knowing what I know now.

My question for you is: what would YOU have done differently for Date Night Alone?  Tell me in the comments!!

ECHO out.

103 VIEWS?!?!

My literal reaction.

I'm not gonna lie, I didn't think I'd breach over 100 views, at least not that fast.

I can't even begin to tell you guys what this means to me.  The fact that people actually consistently listen to what I have to say really touches me.

And I just wanted to say 'thank you' somehow.

What I'd like to do is get to know my readers a little better.  I don't know how many of you there are (I have a feeling that many of my views are from the same people over and over), but I would love to hear what YOU wonderful people have to say for a change.

So here's my request.

Tell me a little bit about yourself in the comments.

You DON'T have to include your name, or any other information you don't want to share.  

But I'd love to hear about why YOU love food; what your cooking style/experiences are like, what you want to see from me, your aspirations, and what keeps you coming back to The Spartan's Kitchen.

All of you guys out there who take time out of their day to read my little blog, you humble me with your attention.  I love you all.

ECHO out.

Creamy Italian Chicken and Rice

So my mom pulled out a package of chicken breasts, plopped it on the counter, and said, "There you go, Han."

We didn't have a lot of stuff in the kitchen to go with chicken, so I hit one of my FAVORITE websites: supercook.com!!!

If you've never used Supercook, it goes like this: you type in what you have in your kitchen, and it pulls up all kinds of recipes based on what you have.

This is chef's best friend.  If you're a chef and this isn't your best friend, FIX THAT.

Anyway, I ended up finding an awesome recipe from Kraft.com that I had to adjust a bit since I didn't have instant rice, only regular white rice.  Other than than, I followed it really closely and it came out with a creamy, tangy flavor that everyone at the dinner table loved.  

Personally, I don't see any reason to post the whole recipe, since it's not my own and I didn't really tweak it to make it my own (Hannah: 1, Copyright Infringement: 0).  You can just follow the recipe from the link, except with the rice, get it in a pot and cooking before anything else.  Let it cook in its own pot, and do the chicken/vegetables separately.  Then, if you'd like, combine it all before serving.

I also added some of the broth to the chicken and the rice, which I think added a nice balance of flavor through everything.  And since I was short of some of the vegetables, I used green peppers and broccoli.

Bene, no?

Hannah: 0, Italian Language: 1

I think in the near future, I'll try to sway a little farther out of my comfort zone and try some new things.

I have noticed that I have a tendency to make variations of the same dishes, which is only due to the fact that we have a somewhat limited food budget and I often worry about using up every ingredient in the house on something that comes out badly.

But, as a budding chef, I would very much like to expand my horizons, as well as put together some of my own 100% unique recipes.  Plus, who doesn't like experimentation?

Hannah: 0, Awkward Word Choice: 1

So be on the lookout for some interesting dishes soon, as well as a reflection on Date Night with Myself.  Can't wait to tell you guys about it!!

ECHO out.

Toasty Tomato and Cheddar Breakfast Sandwich

Don't you just love waking up to the enticing aroma of warm maple syrup and sizzling sausages as your parents prepare a delightfully hearty breakfast?

...Yeah, that never happens to me either.

I've found that one of the simplest yet most enjoyable breakfast concoctions ever to be introduced to man is, in fact, the breakfast sandwich.  I mean, come on: fluffy egg?  Crispy bacon, sausage, and ham?  Creamy cheese all atop a piping hot pancake, waffle, or English muffin?

I imagine the heavens just opened up one day and out came a hot breakfast 'wich, descending gracefully from golden clouds.

BUT ENOUGH OF MY ENDLESS BABBLE.

Since everyone was hungry one morning and I was in the mood to cook, I thought up a simple twist on one of my mom's favorites: the tomato and cheese sandwich.

Toasty Tomato and Cheddar Breakfast Sandwich

Ingredients:

2 eggs

1/8 block cheddar cheese, cubed

1/2 small tomato, sliced thickly

Italian seasoning

Garlic powder

1 slice American cheese (white is better)

1 tablespoon flour or dry pancake batter

2 slices wheat toast

A little butter (for lubricating the pan)

Instructions:

1.) In a small bowl, beat the eggs until completely broken up and combined.  Garnish generously with seasonings, and gradually beat in flour until well mixed.

2.) Mix in the chunks of cheddar cheese.  +1 for awkward alliteration.

3.) Over a medium heat, pour the egg mixture into a light buttered pan.  Stir/flip frequently.

PROTIP: one of my favorite ways to lubricate anything when I cook is to use a stick of butter much like a glue stick.  Just peel a little of the wrapping off and go at it.  Then, when you're finished, make sure there's nothing on the stick and cover it back up.  Simple, easy, efficient.  Works on warm toast, too!  Just scrape the crumbs off, afterward.

4.) When the eggs are done, set them aside (preferably somewhere like the microwave, to keep the heat).

5.) Lay a slice of cheese onto a piece of toast.  Top with a bed of fluffy eggs and tomatoes, and enjoy!

I whipped up, like, four of these within fifteen minutes.  Very easy to make as well as adjust for more or less.  Plus, I'm willing to bet it wouldn't be half bad with some meat or hash browns.

But that's just me.

Well, I'm off to work on my college application essay!!  I'll post some time after I finish working.  Or procrastinating.

Whatever comes first.

ECHO out.

Long Awaited Return... With Lots of Goodies!

Ahem.  *Clears throat, shuffles through a stack of scrambled note cards.*

So I know I've been away for quite a while.  I deliver my sincerest apologies directly through your screen.

Feel that?  That's me cuddling you tenderly in spirit.

Long story short, school happened and I was simultaneously pelted with various projects, events, and a lot of apples.

And I was being literal about the apples.

Anyway, on an exciting note: I'll be updating my blog a lot more frequently now, and have a lot more to say.

Because I found out that The Spartan's Kitchen might score me a scholarship for the Art Institutes of America!!!!

Yes, sir, I recently sent in my First.  Ever.  College application the other day, and the positively lovely admissions counselor that guided me and my mom through the whole process mentioned that a food blog might count toward a project-based scholarship!!!  

As if my love of food and my dearest viewers weren't enough of a drive to keep this ole blog alive and kickin'!

So in celebration of this, I've got a handful of things to post for you guys, tonight.  Like, right now.  Right this second.  All of it.  No more, 'it can wait 'till tomorrow, sleep is important' nonsense.  This blog is now my source of oxygen.

So what's in store?  Well, let's see...

Creamy Italian Chicken and Rice

Toasty Tomato and Cheddar Breakfast Sandwich

Mexican Stir-Fry Tacos with Fried Potatoes and Rice

And a short recap of 'Date Night with Myself', including my failed attempt at a Russian meal.

SO LET'S GET CRACKIN'.

ECHO out.  Sort of.

Fancy, Flavorful Sugar Cookies

Aaaaaand we're BACK!

So I now have even MORE stuff to show you, thanks to an adorable young duo of helpers showing up at my house yesterday!

So I started out giving them a drawing lesson that didn't go over so well, and when the idea of collaborative cooking came up, well...

You know how these things go.

We decided to make cookies--using this sugar cookie recipe as a base, we divvied up the dough into thirds, 

And everyone was left to develop their own flavor of cookie.

We also ended up making a glaze for the cookies, in place of frosting, which actually didn't turn out too bad!

THE RESULTS:

Taylor's concoction: Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cookies (with a touch of cocoa)

What she used: cinnamon, pumpkin spice, allspice, ground coffee, cocoa powder, ginger

Tasted like a delightful spice cake!

Lizzie's concoction: Pumpkin Chocolate Cookies

What she used: Cocoa powder (lots of it), cinnamon, brown sugar, pumpkin spice

Had a really nice, moist-in-the-center texture, and just so darn chocolate-pumpkiney...

My concotion: Lemon-Lime Cookies

What I used: Lemon juice, lime juice, food coloring for a pretty garnish

Came out more like a cupcake (probably because I added more liquid), but had a unique citrus-y flavor.

Overall, we got some good ratings from our professional taste testers.

(Our parents)

But I think the girls learned a lot about putting flavors together, things that compliment each other, and things that don't.  We had the laptop on the counter for anyone who wanted to look anything up, and I was hit with a lot of "Would this taste good with..." and "Should I add..."s, and I know they had a lot of fun doing it.

I had a blast myself.

Don't go anywhere: I've got a breakfast sandwich and a tasty Italian chicken dish for you next!!!

ECHO out.