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OhMyStinkinHeck, it’s Bacon and Cheese Waffles!

May 082013

Bacon and Cheese Waffles

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. I just LOVE it! And of course when you mention bacon, you have me right where you want me! Bacon, Bacon, Bacon. And then add in waffles…OhMyStinkinHeck! I am THERE! Seriously though, these Bacon and Cheese Waffles are delicious any day of the week, but with Mother’s Day here upon us, these are perfect for the kids to serve to Mom in bed…and she is going to be VERY impressed!

ingredients for bacon and cheese waffles

Gather up the ingredients. You will need flour, milk, butter, cheese, bacon and eggs.

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Heat up the waffle iron, pour some batter on and get ready to be amazed!

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Look at those bits of bacon and cheese. Ohhhhh, I don’t know about you but I can’t wait to dig in!

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We just need to take a minute to mix up some maple butter…

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and slather it on top…and we are ready to eat!!

Bacon and Cheese Waffles

2 1/3 cups self-rising flour

1 3/4 cups milk

3 eggs

1/4 cup butter, softened

8 slices of bacon, cooked, crumbled

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat waffle iron. In a large bowl mix the milk, eggs, butter together, then add in flour, mixing well. Once mixed, stir in the bacon pieces and cheese. Pour about 1 cup of the batter onto the center of the waffle iron and bake for approx. 5-8 minutes. Serve warm with maple butter (recipe below)

Maple Butter

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup maple syrup

Beat the butter and maple syrup together until well blended.

Italian Pork Chops

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Apr 292013

ingredients for Italian Breaded Pork Chops

We love pork chops and they are always something that I can find on sale which is a huge bonus when you have as many folks around the table as I sometimes have. I love it that people like to come for a visit and a meal. I like to cook for folks and it makes my day when they like what I cook. Sometimes there are as many as 12-14 on a given night, throw in a party and we may just be busting at the seams…but that is alright by me! Recently as people gathered round the table, I informed them that they were going to be the Guinea Pigs of something new I just happened to be trying out that night.

egg dip and breadcrumb dip for Italian Breaded Pork Chops

Chop up the garlic. and then I simply made a dip of milk and eggs, and a dip of bread crumbs, parsley and Parmesan cheese. Then I dipped the pork chops in the wet mixture, then dipped them in the dry mix. While you are doing that be letting the olive oil in a large frying pan, that you can also place in the oven, heat up over medium heat, once thoroughly heated, saute the garlic for a few minutes. Once the garlic has cooked for a few minutes remove it from the pan.

brown each side

Add the pork chops to the pan and brown on both sides. It takes about 5 minutes or so.

add to skillet and place in oven

If you have to do this in a couple of batches, that’s ok…I do too.

Once all the pork chops are browned place them back in the skillet to go into the oven for about 25 minutes or so.

plate of pasta and pork chops

I served these with a Garlic Pasta that is absolutely delicious. Everyone was oooh’ing and ahhh’ing with every bite. The conversation around the table came to a stand still as everyone was savoring each bite. And that to me screams THIS IS A HIT!

Italian Pork Chops

3 eggs, lightly beaten

3 tablespoons milk

1 1/2 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons dried parsley

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

4 pork chops

Directions

You want to preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Then in a small bowl, beat together the eggs and milk. In a separate small bowl, mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and parsley. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large, oven-proof skillet over medium heat. Then you want to stir in the garlic, and saute it until it is lightly browned. Remove garlic from the pan and reserve for other uses. I can ALWAYS find stuff to use garlic in…so I just put mine in a little bowl for later.

Dip each pork chop into the egg mixture, coating it well. Then place the pork chop into the bread crumb mixture, coating evenly. Place the coated pork chops in the skillet, and brown abut 5 minutes on each side. Once the pork chops are browned, place the skillet and pork chops in the oven, and cook for about 25-30 minutes.

Then serve with your favorite sides!

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Pizzelle, Cannoli, and my new addiction

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Feb 272013

Have you ever had a Pizzelle?

I hadn’t until my friend Justine recently got married. Her grandmother had made all these homemade Italian cookies called Pizzelle for her wedding, and some of them she made into homemade cannolis. I was hooked at first bite! Delicate and Delicious is about the best way to describe them.

pizzelle maker from Chef's Choice

To make the Pizzelle you need a Pizzelle maker though, it is going to make life much easier. I have heard of people making them like pancakes, but you won’t get the pretty designs and it will take you much longer. So, I went in search of a Pizzelle Iron. After reading up on them, the different types available and reading the reviews of the different makers that are on the market I knew I wanted a Chef’sChoice PizzellePro.

Chef’s Choice received rave reviews, and now, I have to add mine to them. Love it. And as I go, I am finding even more things I can use it for, you will have to wait for another post to find those out though.

ingredients for Italian Pizzelle Cookies

I decided to make chocolate pizzelle. There are MANY different recipes out there for pizzelle. Most make a TON. I knew that I didn’t want to make over 100 cookies, and I knew I wanted chocolate but at the end I will tell you how to make some vanilla ones as well.

You are going to need:

3 eggs

3/4 cup sugar

1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted

2 teaspoons baking powder

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

chocolate Italian pizzelle cookie dough

Beat the eggs and sugar together for about 3 minutes until fluffy and light yellow in color. Slowly drizzle in the butter. Using a spatula fold in the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder until well mixed.

pizzelle maker by Chef's Choice

It took me a few tries to get the right amount of batter. As you can see in the picture the one on the left is a little whop-sided, and needed more batter, the one on the right is almost there. It ends up being about a Tablespoon of batter to get the right coverage to make a full pizzelle. Once you put the batter on the pizzelle iron and close the lid it only takes about 30 seconds and they are done!! Don’t walk away.

roll the cookie while warm

If you want to make cannoli, you will need to wrap the hot pizzelle around the roller that comes with the maker. It only comes with one so you need to be pretty quick or find something in the kitchen that will work along with the roller that comes with it. I am using the handle of a spoon.

pizzelle cookies

Aren’t they pretty!! The cookies are great on their own, but seriously, how can you make these and not make some into cannoli?

ingredients for cannoli filling

For the filling you will need:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 stick of butter, softened

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Cream together the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually stir in the confectioners’ sugar.

frosting decorator

Once you have the filling mixed well you can either put it in the cannoli shells using a baggie with a hole cut in a corner or use a frosting tool thingy-ma-bob. I found mine at Target on clearance.

pizzelle and filling a cannoli makes

And as you can see…it works GREAT!

I will warn you, these are addictive.

Once you get them all made you will need to refrigerate them, unless you eat them all, like we are prone to do.

NOTE: If you want to make vanilla ones, all you have to do is leave out the cocoa powder and replace it with one teaspoon of vanilla. You could also experiment with other flavors, like lemon…that is my next one to try.

“Thanks to Chef’s Choice for providing the PizzellePro to help facilitate this post!!”

IHOP Griddle Melts

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Feb 232013

sign at IHOP

Ohhh IHOP, How I LOVE thee!!

IHOP Logo

My favorite meal is breakfast. I could eat breakfast foods for every meal. So I get absolutely giddy when someone mentions going to IHOP. And when I hear they have a new dish out, that giddyness multiplies.

Have you heard about IHOP’s new Griddle Melts? IHOP’s menu now includes three varieties of Griddle Melt sandwiches, each hand-crafted and made-to-order for each guest, served on artisan sourdough bread with a choice of three fluffy omelets in a large breakfast sandwich, making each sandwich an excellent value for consumers, and you can also order half sandwich servings.

And let me tell you, they are fabulous.

From IHOP:

IHOP®, known for providing guests with everything they love about breakfast, has just introduced new menu items guests are sure to love: Griddle Melts.

IHOP Griddle Melts

“Breakfast sandwiches are the largest selling breakfast items out of the home, with more than 55 billion servings consumed each year. Our new Griddle Melts bring our guests a breakfast sandwich that lives up to our high standards of excellence and value and they can only be found at IHOP,” said Natalia Franco, Senior Vice President, Marketing, International House of Pancakes, LLC. “Our culinary team has created three delicious varieties of Griddle Melts, each using the finest ingredients, and in a hearty size that requires both hands—even for the half sandwich.

“While others may offer guests breakfast sandwiches that are pre-made in advance, every single Griddle Melt sandwich is custom made for each guest,” Franco continued. “Bursting with flavor, Griddle Melts are a meal in themselves, a hearty breakfast sandwich that our guests will want to sit down and savor. And at $4.99 for a half sandwich it’s a great value and I encourage guests to try all three before choosing their favorite!”

Griddle Melt varieties include:

Spinach, Roasted Pepper and Cheese Griddle Melt

Spinach, Roasted Pepper & Cheese

Sautéed fresh spinach in a fluffy egg omelet topped with roasted red peppers and onions, melted Provolone, Parmesan and Pepper Jack cheeses on grilled artisan sourdough bread. Served with your choice of hash browns, French fries or seasonal fruit.

This is the one that I tried, OhMyStinkinHeck, sooo good. Fresh Spinach, sweet roasted peppers and cheese, cheese, cheese.

Wester Griddle Melt from IHOP

Western

Smoked ham and sautéed peppers and onions in a classic omelet, topped with sliced ham, melted American cheese and served on grilled artisan sourdough bread. Served with your choice of hash browns, French fries or seasonal fruit.

Tate tried the Western Griddle Melt, there wasn’t a bite left…I know because I got the last one :0)

Ham and Egg Griddle Melt from IHOP

Ham & Egg Melt

Sliced ham and melted Swiss and American cheeses over a fluffy egg omelet served on grilled artisan sourdough bread. Served with your choice of hash browns, French fries or seasonal fruit.

Bric tried the Ham & Egg Melt. I MIGHT have had a bite of his as well. Sometimes I just can’t help myself.

Banana Caramel Pancakes from IHOP

And seriously, who can go to IHOP and not have pancakes??

I sure can’t. So we ordered a side of their new Banana Caramel Pancakes…

Red Velvet pancakes from IHOP

…and Red Velvet Pancakes.

We had a great night out, and had a great surprise when our friends Justine and Shadow showed up. They ended up joining us at our table and we chatted the night away. The waitress was great about making accommodations for us, of course we always have fabulous service at our IHOP in Dalton GA. It is one of the most dependable restaurants in the area for good service, cleanliness and good food!

For more information about the new Griddle Melts, other menu items or to find an IHOP restaurant near you, please visit www.ihop.com. Follow IHOP on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ihop to keep up with all the great things going on.

“I wrote this review while participating in a campaign for IHOP and I received a promotional item to thank me for my participation.”