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Nov 26 2010

Got Leftovers?

Did you survive the foodfest yesterday? Manage to escape the usual embarrassing questions? Get your much-anticipated annual replay of Uncle Lester’s "pull my finger" trick? Attempt to watch football over the buzz saw snoring of Cousin Earl, who managed to launch into a spirited commentary of the car insurance commercial before abruptly dozing off on the couch?

Has the waistband of your yoga pants asked to be put in the witness protection program?

However you spent your day, we hope it was a good one. And if you had the traditional banquet full of dishes that filled up ever available space on the dining table, chances are you’ve got more leftovers than available fridge space. But don’t worry! Just for you (well, a little bit for us, too), we’re featuring a few great recipes that can transform your leftovers into yet another special dish. In fact, they’re so good that you just might start cooking more so you can make these.

If you want to go light, we’ve got a few turkey salad dishes that won’t scare your yoga pants. Or maybe the chilly weather is calling for a hearty soup to warm you up. We’ve got that too.

Clockwise from top left: steamykitchen’s Curry Apple and Leftover Turkey Salad Sandwich (which you can pile onto lettuce cups so you can skip the bread), Turkey and Mushroom Soup from Kelly @ EvilShenanigans, and Turkey & Wild Rice Curry Salad from afarmgirlsdabbles.

A sandwich is another quick and light meal, and many of you love making sandwiches with all that good turkey. Here are some that caught our eye:

Clockwise from top left: Turkey Cranberry Sandwich from Very Culinary, Thanksgiving Monte Cristo Sandwich from familyfreshcooking, and Turkey, Brie, Pear & Cherry Chipotle Panini from cookincanuck.

Another favorite way to use up leftovers is the classic pot pie. From the usual crust topping to puff pastry or a biscuit topping, there’s just something incredibly comforting about a warm and creamy savory filling topped with pastry.

Clockwise from top left: Roasted Chicken Pot Pie from Natalie (Perrys’ Plate), “Enlighten” Autum Chicken Pot Pie from The Noshery, Hobo Bags from Cooking Ventures, and Chicken Puff Pot Pie from TootSweet.

Of course, turkey isn’t the only thing you might have in excess. Got leftover butternut squash? Turn them into pancakes. Extra sweet potatoes, carrots, and other veggies? Try a nice pureed soup with a hint of coconut and curry. Leftover stuffing? Make some amazing stuffing balls. Got leftover pie? Have it for breakfast.

Clockwise from top left: Whole Wheat Butternut Squash Pancakes from EatLiveRun, Roasted Sweet Potato & Carrot Soup with Pumpkin Seeds from Eating for England, and Thanksgiving Stuffing Balls from patiodaddio.

And there you have it! A post-holiday roundup of recipes for your leftovers. I’m telling you, leftovers never looked better. Do you have a favorite way to re-purpose the remnants of your holiday feast? Come share them with us!

Happy eating! May your table always be full and may your yoga pants never leave you.

Jul 20 2012

Graham Cracker Chocolate Chip Muffins

Posted by HowSweetEats in Baking, Step-by-Step Recipes

If there is anything I love, it’s a warm muffin topped with butter. If there is anything I love more than that, it’s a warm muffin topped with butter and studded with melty chocolate chips. And if there is anything I love even more than THAT? It’s a muffin, with the butter and the chocolate chips, that tastes like a cookie. And that’s what we have here.

I have a very odd and fascinating obsession with all things graham crackers. Most likely because I adore all things s’mores related, but even more so because I totally freak out over graham cracker crusts. You know, tightly packed crumbs with butter and a bit of sugar? So good when it hits your lips. I could eat an entire graham cracker pie crust without any filling and be satisfied. And probably sick, but whatever. Totally worth it! And don’t tell anyone, but sometimes as an easy dessert I melt butter in a bowl inside the microwave, then mash in graham cracker crumbs with a fork. And eat it. Just when you thought you knew it all …

So when this recipe for Graham Cracker Chocolate Chip Muffins from Michelle popped up on my screen, I knew it had to be made. So it was! Let’s do this.

Here’s what you’ll need. Looks promising already, doesn’t it?

To begin, combine the flour, graham crumbs, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt in bowl and whisk it together. Set that aside.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, add oil, egg, vanilla extract and whole milk. Mix it all up, then with the mixer on low speed, add in the dry ingredients slowly.

Once the batter has come together, fold in some chocolate chips. It’s gettin’ good.

Fill each muffin cup a little over halfway. Eat a little batter if you want.

In a small bowl, stir together flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and graham cracker crumbs. Then pour butter over top. Instead of eating this with a spoon, mix it together until it resembles wet sand. It’s difficult, I know.

To each muffin with the graham streusel, then place them in the oven to bake right up.

And about 15 minutes later, you have a pan full of this. Oh yes.

Serve the muffins immediately, with a large pat of butter on top.

Seriously, is there anything better in this world that a warm, steaming muffin with a butter river running through it? I think not.

Thanks so much for the recipe Michelle! Be sure to check out her blog for more tasty creations as well as creative crafts! And definitely make these muffins.

Printable Recipe

Graham Cracker Chocolate Chip Muffins

by Michelle Day on May 21, 2012 in Breads, Muffins

See post on Michelle Day’s site!

3.60 Mitt(s) 5 Rating(s) 5 votes, average: 3.60 out of 5

Description

Moist delicious muffins that taste like a warm cookie right out of the oven.

Ingredients

FOR THE MUFFINS:
2 cups Flour, All Purpose
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
½ teaspoons Kosher Salt
½ cups Sugar
1 cup Graham Cracker Crumbs, They Can Have Small Bits In Them
1 cup Whole Milk
⅓ cups Canola Or Vegetable Oil
1 whole Large Egg
2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
¾ cups Milk Chocolate Chips
FOR THE TOPPING:
¼ cups Flour, All Purpose
¼ cups Light Brown Sugar, Packed
¼ cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
½ teaspoons Cinnamon
3 Tablespoons Butter, Melted

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Line muffin tins with liners or spray well with cooking spray and set aside.

For the muffins, in a medium bowl whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and graham cracker crumbs until blended. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the milk, oil, egg, and vanilla and beat until incorporated. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Add the chocolate chips and stir in by hand.

Using an ice cream size scoop, fill each muffin liner or tin with 1 scoop, about 2/3 full.

For the topping, in a bowl mix the flour, brown sugar, graham cracker crumbs, cinnamon and stir to combine all the dry ingredients well. Add the melted butter and mix well until crumbly and looking like wet sand.

Top each muffin with 1 heaping tablespoon of crumb topping.

Bake for 16-19 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Moist, delicious muffins that taste kind of like a warm cookie. Makes 15 muffins.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Dwell on Joy.

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Jessica Merchant is a personal trainer turned food writer and blogger. Her blog, How Sweet Eats, is where she proclaims her love for all things sweet, all things bacon, and everything else in between. She works her magic in her Pittsburgh kitchen, which she shares with her husband of 2 years.

Dec 21 2010

Graham Cracker Cookie Bars

Posted by cookincanuck in Baking, Step-by-Step Recipes

Every year at this time, I grapple with the decision of what holiday treat to give my neighbors. The first year we were married—you know, when I was young, ambitious, and naïve—I made a loaf of our favorite zucchini bread for every neighbor. About ten hours into the process and pounds of zucchini later, my holiday spirit was sucked dry and the joyful Christmas carols I had been singing were replaced by depressing 80s pop songs (think “Everybody Hurts” by REM). It was a scene straight out of The Grinch. My heart was at least four sizes too small.

The candy cane-striped lining of this dark snow cloud was that I learned that it is truly the thought that counts. Plus, simplicity is key. Every year since then, I have sought out recipes that take little time and effort, and do not cost a fortune to make. That is where these treats by marathea come in. Drenched in rich caramel and a layer of chocolate, these Graham Cracker Cookie Bars come together in a flash, and are filled with all the flavors of the holidays. I am happy to report that my heart grew five sizes once I tasted these.

In the recipe posted on Tasty Kitchen, marathea tops these treats with slivered almonds. I decided to experiment with candy cane pieces as well. Really, the possibilities are endless. You could try hazelnuts, pistachios, pretzel bits (for that salty-sweet combo), or even dried fruit. Whatever you try, I guarantee that you will not be disappointed.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Line a 11- by 15-inch cookie sheet with graham crackers. There will be a little bit of space left at the end of the pan. That space will later be filled with runaway caramel, which you can peel off and eat in privacy. Or is that just me?

In a medium saucepan set over medium-low heat, combine brown sugar and butter.

Melt, stirring constantly, and bring to a gentle boil. Turn the heat to low and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. If bubbles are not coming to the surface, increase the heat slightly.

Oh yeah, now that’s what holiday baking is all about.

Pour the mixture over the graham crackers. Be careful—this is hot caramel and, believe me, pouring it on any part of your skin will ruin your holiday spirit faster than you can say, “Humbug.”

Spread the mixture evenly over the graham crackers.

Bake for 7 minutes. Don’t worry if the mixture is bubbling up while baking. That just means you are developing a richer caramel flavor. That is all good.

While the graham crackers are baking, put 4 mini candy canes in a small resealable plastic bag and smash with a mallet or rolling pin. Get out all of that aggression so you can avoid the holiday road rage later. Your family will thank you.

Sprinkle chocolate chips over the hot caramel and let sit for 1 minute to allow the chocolate chips to melt slightly.

Using an offset or rubber spatula, spread the soft chocolate chips over the caramel layer.

Sprinkle nuts or candy canes over the chocolate. Or you could do half and half. Or you could sprinkle pretzels over top. The possibilities are endless.

Place the cookie sheet in the fridge and cool for about 20 minutes. If the cookie sheet is still hot, place it on a rack in the fridge. Break into pieces and serve or store in an airtight container.

Thank you to margaretha for this wonderful holiday treat.

Printable Recipe