Frozen Almond Joy Mini Pies

mini pies. just those words alone conjure up feelings of unadulterated bliss. no? ummm, ::ahem::

So I found these fabulous creations over at Crazy For Crust. As soon as I saw these, i was thought: "dear merciful lord in heaven, i must make these immediately and post haste"

and so it was. I tried a little bit with my h-bee. I find these delightful for the summer, because it's "mini". this means we can eat one without too much guilt. I share everything with the baby, as he demands it....therefore even less is thrown down my gullet. plus it's floppy hat and tank top season. got to show off the guns, right?! and my floppy hat. ::eeeeeeee:: floppy hats are awesome, hence making summertime awesome. i love it so much i may even wear this to the super market.

floppy hat time.

"Oh did you want this all to yourself big brother? Are thou dreaming?"

enjoy tomato friends and happy memorial day weekend! ciao ~b

Ingredients:

12 Almond Cookies (I used the Stella D'ora Almond Toast)
5 Tblspns of melted butter
1/3 cup of heavy cream
3/4 cups of semi sweet chocolate morsels
2 cups of Cool Whip
3/4 cups of cream of coconut (not coconut milk, and you can find this in the Asian food aisle)
1/2 cup of toasted coconut

Directions:

1. Grind up 12 Almond Cookies until they are a fine powder like substance. Then place them in a medium sized bowl. Add the melted butter to the crumbs and mix together well. Set the crumbs aside.

2. In a small bowl warm the semi sweet chocolate morsels in the microwave. Microwave on high for a minute at HALF the power then microwave at 15 second intervals, stirring in between until the chocolate is smooth. Then add the heavy cream and stir the chocolate until creamy and smooth.

3. Line a cupcake tin with 12 cupcake liners. Then to each cupcake liner add the almond cookie crumb mixture, distributing it evenly among the cupcake liners. Then press down the mixture with the bottom of a shot glass.

3. Now add the chocolate mixture to each liner, distributing the chocolate evenly between the cups. Then freeze the chocolate for about 10 minutes until hardened.

4. In a medium bowl add the cool whip and coconut cream and mix together well. Then distribute the cool whip mixture evenly among the cups, then top with toasted coconut and freeze the mini pies until they are frozen. About 1 1/2 hours. Store the cupcakes in the freezer until ready to serve . When ready to eat, microwave individual mini pies for about 20-30 seconds so it's easier to put your fork through.

Details: Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cooling Time: 1 hour 40 minutes Total Time: 1 Hour & 55 Minutes Yield: 12 Mini Pies

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Skinny Pasta Primavera with Grilled Chicken and Veggies

in the spirit of trying to "be good", I developed my very own "Skinny" version of Pasta Primavera with a little grilled Chicken. I know Primavera is typically a vegetarian dish, but if I served up a main course sans meat, I'm certain there would be a lynching {leaving me as the guest of honor for said lynching}....

anywho, this dish really isn't difficult to make, I would just suggest measuring and slicing then setting aside your ingredients in advance prior to cooking. {it just makes life easier} The sauce is light because I made it with light butter and skim milk, oh and Parmesan cheese. The herbs, spices, garlic and olive oil give this dish plenty of flavor... yummo

i hope everyone enjoys! have a wonderful weekend! ~ciao my tomato friends...

Ingredients:

1 box of pasta of your choice
1/2 cup of olive oil and a little extra for stir frying.
3 Cloves of minced garlic
3 cups of grilled chicken fresh or pre-cooked1 cup of shredded carrots
1 small container of fresh mushrooms slices
1 red pepper sliced 
1 summer squash sliced into thin/medium slices
1 zucchini sliced into thin/medium slices
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Salt
Dried Parsley

Parmesan Cream Sauce:

2 cups of skim milk
1 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
3 cloves of minced garlic
3 tblspns of light butter or margarine
3 tblspns of flour
1 tsp of Salt
1 tblspn of freshly chopped cilantro

 

Directions:

1. Slice your grilled chicken if you have not purchased pre-cooked chicken (pre-cooked makes it a bit easier but fresh is always better), once the chicken is sliced set aside. (Also remember marinades add a little bit of calories and this recipe adds flavor with the sauce and herbs). Then prepare your zucchini and summer squash by slicing them into thin/medium slices, but not too thin. Then place them in a medium sized bowl and pour half a cup of olive oil on them, 3 cloves of garlic, 1 teaspoon of garlic salt, about 1/2 teaspoon of salt, half a teaspoon of pepper and 1 tablespoon of parsley. Mix together well then set aside.

2. Now cut up your red pepper into thin slices and make sure the fresh mushrooms are not too large and to cut in half if need be. Then set aside.

3. In a large pot warm up the water for your pasta, while the water is warming up in a medium sized skillet put about 2 tablespoons of olive oil and warm over medium heat for about two minutes. First add the fresh shredded carrots. Stir the carrots around for a few minutes and until slightly tender then add the mushrooms, red peppers, 1/2 a teaspoon of salt, 1/2 a tsp of garlic salt and 1 tablespoon of dried parsley. Stir the ingredients until all the seasonings are mixed thoroughly then cover and move the skillet to a back burner and turn the heat to low. (check on them occasionally stirring, but keep on low heat to keep them warm)

4. (DO NOT throw away the oil the zucchini and summer squash was marinating in, set it aside) Warm your grill skillet (I used a George Foreman Grill). This is to cook your zucchini and summer squash. Once the Foreman Grill or Grill Skillet is preheated add the zucchini and summer squash to its surface and press down on the top or with a spatula to make good contact and make "grill marks". The olive oil the pieces were marinating in should be adequate to prevent sticking but a light non stick spray coat won't hurt. Make sure to watch closely so as not to burn, they only need a few minutes to cook through. Remove pieces from Grill and then set aside.

5. Add the pasta of your choice to the boiling water (it should be boiling by now) and cook for about 8 minutes. Drain the pasta and then place in a large serving dish, now pour olive oil mixture over the pasta that you reserved from the zucchini and summer squash mix. Stir well and then set aside.

Parmesan Cream Sauce:

1. In a medium sauce pan add 3 Tablespoons of light butter and melt over medium heat. Add 3 Tablespoons of minced garlic and stir together until soft for a couple minutes, but do not allow the butter to burn. Then add 3 Tablespoons of flour stir together till thick and clumpy. Add in one cup of skim milk keeping the pan over medium heat and whisk continuously until blended. Then add in the remaining cup of skim milk continuously whisking until the mixture becomes slightly thickened over medium heat. Make sure to prevent sticking or scalding the milk. Once the mixture is thickened remove it from the heat and then add 1 cup of grated Parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon of fresh Cilantro and 1 teaspoon of salt.

2. Place the Cream Sauce in a serving dish and serve on the side to pour on top of the pasta, chicken & veggies. This way people can regulate how much sauce they want on their dish. Drain any extra olive oil from the peppers and mushrooms (they should still be over low heat on your range).

3. Place a small amount of the pasta mixture on each plate, then the grilled chicken ( you may need to reheat it prior to serving), then place the pepper and mushroom mixture and then add some zucchini and summer squash. Serve with cream sauce on the side, and serve with grated Parmesan for topping if desired.

Details: Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cook Time 15 Minutes Total Time: 35 Minutes Yield: 6-7 Servings

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Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu

like me, i'm sure most of you shy away from foods that involve too much prep and hassle. i'm no professional chef....but i think i'm pretty nifty nonetheless. ::ahem:: things like chicken cordon bleu and braciole require things such as rolling, toothpicks or cooking twine, and ingredients spilling here there and everywhere as they bake.  shenanigans i tell ya! well my friends, with this easy recipe you will no longer be running to the hills in terror by the sheer mention of chicken cordon bleu. i mean aside from the utter hassle of traditional cordon bleu, i find that it is usually a bit on the dry side. this particular recipe... it does not come out dry. it is just super moist, delish and best of all easy to make. NO ROLLING REQUIRED! yay!

i did make fresh bread crumbs for this recipe, you may use regular bread crumbs, if you do use regular bread crumbs then use a little less than 4 tablspoons of butter. fyi.... i will say this, fresh bread crumbs look and taste better. it's worth the few extra minutes of work. trust me. 

also, last but not least..... wait for it.....parmesan dijon cream sauce. it puts the yum factor out of this world, it literally sends it sailing into the vast uncharted depths of the universe. {and this all happens in your very own mouth as it sours into your belly, which conjures up smiles and that all too familiar warm fuzzy feeling}. or something like that. 

my kids love it. my ketchup obsessed tween, Myles did not add ketchup. that my friends is what we call a miracle in my house. he literally put ketchup on chicken piccata last week, that's some seriously ketchup love right there. lemon + ketchup = gross, in my book at least. 

ciao my tomato friends, happy baking! have a wonderful weekend. 

Adapted from The Girl Who Ate Everything. {i simply adore her foodie blog}

Ingredients: 

3 thick boneless chicken breasts

12 slices of good quality deli ham

1-2 cup of bread crumbs (made from fresh bread, I used 4 slices of toasted bread)

4 tablespoons of melted butter (use less butter if you used regular bread crumbs)

6 slices of provolone cheese (if you use swiss cheese you will need about 1/2 a pound of thinly sliced swiss cheese)

Garlic Salt or Adobo all purpose seasoning

Parsley

Salt & Pepper

Italian Seasonings

Parmesan-Dijon Cream Sauce: 

2 tblspns of butter

2 tblspns of flour

1 cup of milk (I used a little more milk as it was a little thick)

1 tsp of chicken bouillon granules (one bouillon cube, crushed)

1/2 tsp of salt

1 tblspn of Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp of worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup of grated Parmesan Cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Toast four slices of bread then tear up the pieces into smaller pieces like so: 

2. Place the toast pieces in the food processor to make the toast into fine bread crumbs. Then pour the bread crumbs into a medium sized bowl. 

3. Melt two tablespoons of butter and then add it to the bread crumbs. Then on a cutting board cut your three chicken breasts in half making 6 chicken breasts. 

4. Sprinkle your chicken with Garlic Salt or Adobo, salt & pepper, dried parsley flakes and a little Italian Seasoning. Spray a 9x13 inch baking pan or line the baking pan with non stick baking paper. 

5. On top of each piece of chicken add a slice of provolone or swiss cheese, then on top of the cheese add the ham, making sure that the ham completely covers the chicken. Tucking the ham underneath the sides of the chicken, kind of like a little chicken pocket. Place all the ham covered chicken pieces in the baking pan and then sprinkle the bread crumbs on top of the chicken. Place the chicken in the oven and bake for about 35 minutes. The juices from the chicken should run clear and the bread crumbs will be a golden brown.

wrap that chicken with the ham like a lil' burrito. 

i did make 8 servings just using an extra chicken breast.

6. While the chicken is baking make the Dijon/Parmesan sauce a few minutes before the chicken is done. In a medium sized sauce pan melt 2 tablspoons of butter, once the butter is melted add in the flour and then stir until thick. Slowly whisk in the cup of milk, making sure to constantly stir over medium heat. Stir in the chicken bouillon and salt, whisk all these ingredients over heat for about 3-4 minutes. The mixture will thicken gradually. 

7. Once the ingredients are thickened remove from the heat and add the Worcestershire sauce, Parmesan Cheese and the Dijon mustard. Stir the sauce until the cheese is melted. If the mixture is too thick add in a splash of milk to thin it out a little. Serve the sauce warm on the side with the chicken. Serve the Chicken Cordon Bleu with a rice or pasta for a side.

Details: Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook Time: 40 Minutes Total Time: 55 Minutes Yield: 6 servings

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Cool kitchen gadget and $25.00 {twenty-five dollars} Target gift card giveaway!!!

So i was thinking the other day.... it's been a little while since i did a giveaway. since my target gift card giveaway was so popular last time, i figured..... i should do that again. this time i am including a couple of extra kitchen gadgets that are wicked le awesome.

here's what you are entering to win: 

the monkey peeler! he's so cool.

nested doll dry measuring cups. adorable

 and last but not least a twenty-five dollar target gift card:

NOW HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO WIN!

* Every like, share or follow is eligible for you to comment. Therefore, leave a separate comment on this blog post for each one of your likes, shares or follows.  You see, each comment on this blog post counts as one entry. Therefore, the more you share/follow or like, the more you may enter an additional comment and be that much more eligible to win. (read details below) easy peasy lemon squeezy. bamm, done.*

1. "Like" Happy Little Tomato on Facebook, then leave me a comment in the comment section below telling me you did so (the comment section of my blog, not on facebook) . Your comment on this blog post will count as 1 (one) entry.

2.  IF you are already a fan of Happy Little Tomato, simply share my facebook page on your wall. Then leave me a comment in the comment section of this blog post telling me you did so. Your comment will count as 1 (one) entry.

3. IF you are already a fan of Happy Little Tomato, you may follow my blog by clicking "Join this Site" under the Heading "Followers". Then leave me a comment in the comment section of this blog post telling me you did so. Your comment will count as 1 (one) entry.

4. IF you would like you may also share a link for this giveaway on Facebook. Then leave me a comment in the comment section of this blog post telling me  you did so. Your comment will count as 1 (one) entry.

You have three weeks to enter for your chance to win, good luck! This giveaway will close on May 29th at Midnight E.S.T. A winner will be announced by May 30th 2012 no later than noon. A winner will be randomly selected using http://www.random.org/

*I have not received any monetary compensation for this gift card mention nor is it sponsored or endorsed by Target or Facebook.  I have purchased all of these products on my own.

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Chicken Piccata

I've been making chicken piccata for sooooo long, honestly.... i have no idea where i saw this recipe or if i dreamed this one up on my own. but it's a keeper and its very easy to make. the ingredients are simple and not a lot of food stuffs required for this one. extra awesome.

this one is a great for days that you want to get a little fancy and not break the bank. it's my hubby's favorite dish. i make it because i really like him.

enjoy my tomato friends! happy cooking!

Ingredients:

4 cup all-purpose flour for coating
1/2 tspn salt
1/4 tspn ground black pepper
1/2 tspn dried oregano
1 tblspn of parsley
3 eggs + 3 tblspns of water for egg wash
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - pounded 1/4 inch thick
6 tablespoons butter (2 tablespoons melted)
6 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
1 1/2 cups of Dry white wine
1 box of pasta of your choice
4 lemons
1 small bottle of capers

Directions:

1. Trim the chicken breasts free of excess fat then pound the chicken until a 1/4 inch thick. If you don't have a kitchen mallet then simply cut the breasts in half. Sprinkle salt and pepper on each chicken breast and then set aside.

2. Combine the flour, salt, pepper, oregano and parsley in a small bowl, whisk ingredients together well. In another bowl make the egg wash, whisk together the eggs and water and set aside.

3. Dip each piece of flour in the egg wash and then press each piece of chicken in the flour mixture. Press down each piece well to ensure good contact and a nice even thick layer of flour. Set floured chicken aside on a plate.

4. In a medium sized pan melt 4 tblspns of butter and then add 4 tblspns of olive oil. Once the oil and butter are lightly bubbling over medium heat then add your chicken pieces. Brown each side of the chicken for about three minutes on each side. (do not overcrowd the pan)

5. While the chicken is cooking start boiling the water for your pasta in a large pot. Once the water is boiling add pasta of your choice. Cook pasta for approximately 8-10 minutes until desired tenderness.

6. Once the chicken is browned add the white wine to the pan, then add 2 tblspns of melted butter and 2 tblspns of olive oil. Cover pan and then simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes. After the chicken has simmered for about 7 minutes add in the capers. They only need to be warmed up for a few minutes and you don't have to stir them in with the chicken. They are kind of delicate so just let them sit on top of the chicken and get a lil' warm.

7. Once the pasta is done boiling drain the pasta and then transfer the pasta into a large serving dish. Sprinkle the pasta with some olive oil to prevent sticking. Sprinkle with a little salt and then cut two of the lemons in half and then squeeze 1 and a half of the lemons over the pasta. Reserve the last half of the lemon to squeeze over the top of the chicken.

8. Once the chicken is done pour the chicken and all the juice in the pan over the pasta. Cut one more lemon in half and then squeeze 1 and a half lemons over the chicken and juices from the pan.

9. Slice the last lemon with a mandolin or a sharp knife. I made very small slices with my mandolin and used them for garnish on the picatta. Serve warm and top with grated Parmesan if desired.

Details: Prep Time: 15 Minutes  Cook Time: 15 Minutes Total Time: 30 Minutes Yield: 4 Servings.

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Nutella Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting

let me just say this, when I saw this recipe over at Inspired by Charm, i rushed my lil' butt down to the supermarket like my pants were on fire and all the firemen in town were chilling out in the produce aisle. with haste i peeled out in my rad SUV leaving nothing but a dust cloud in my wake. {ok maybe i didn't do that} btw, i just adore his blog, Michael is his name and i am just in love with his blog and his super craftiness {is that a word? well you get what i'm layin down up in hurr}.

in other news,  i ate a small bite of one of these bad larrys. because, whoa they are not light. but let me just say this.... they are so good your head may explode. seriously. eat with caution. i really made these {aside from their riveting awesome factor, and who doesn't like nutella? crazy people don't like nutella} so why did i make these? well in the morning, getting 3 children out the door in under an hour is nothing shy of a miracle sent from sweet baby Jesus. so this is one step done in advance. one less thing to haggle about with the brood in the early morning hours. breakfast for the week...le done.

alrighty then, let's get on with it shall we?

Ingredients:

1 - 8 count container of Grands Pillsbury Buttermilk Biscuits
1 cup of Nutella Hazelnut Spread
Flour for rolling

Cream Cheese Frosting:

4 ounces of softened cream cheese (I used 1/3 less fat cream cheese)
1 1/2 tsps of pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. With a rolling pin, roll out all 8 of your Buttermilk biscuits on a floured surface. Simply double them in size.

2. Spread 1-2 Tablespoons of Nutella on each biscuit.

3. Roll each biscuit and then cut each roll into three equal sized pieces.

4. Spray a muffin tin with non stick baking spray and then place three pieces into eight of the muffin tins. Once all eight of the rolls are assembled in the muffin tins place them in the oven and bake for 15 minutes.

5. While the rolls are cooking make the cream cheese frosting. Simply whisk together the softened cream cheese, vanilla and powdered sugar until creamy and smooth. Once the rolls are slightly cooled remove them from the pan and lather on the cream cheese frosting. Serve rolls warm or store in the refrigerator until ready to eat. Microwave to serve them warm if desired.

Details: Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: 15 Total Time: 25 Minutes Yield: 8 Rolls

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Grilled Chicken Pizza with Roasted Peppers & Caramelized Onions

So this pizza is really yummy. it's a cool combo of sweet/spicy. yummo. enjoy my tomato friends!

also, my kids LOVED this... even went for seconds. yeah, crazy talk huh? nope, it was that good.

ciao ~b

Ingredients:

Dough:

2 1/2 cups of flour
1 cup of warm water
1 packet of yeast or 2 1/4 tsps of dry active yeast
2 tblspns of olive oil
1/2 tsp. of salt

 Toppings:

8 ounces of sliced mozzarella (I used a block of mozzarella and sliced it up)
1/4 cup of shredded pizza blend cheese
1 1/2 cups of grilled chicken (you may use the pre-cooked)
1 Vidalia onion
2-3 peppers (preferably red)
1 cup of Marinara (depending on how much sauce you like on  your pizza)
Olive Oil
2 tblspns. Butter
Sea Salt
Red Pepper Flakes
Paprika
Parsley

Directions:

 1. At least one hour in advance make the dough. First adding the warm water to a mixing bowl, then add the yeast, stir and allow the yeast to get frothy and bubbly for a few minutes. Then add the olive oil and slowly add the flour half a cup at a time. The dough should be kind of sticky but not too sticky, and elastic in texture. Knead the Dough a few times and then turn the ball of dough into a lightly oiled bowl. Cover the bowl with a clean towel and allow the dough to rise for about an hour until it is doubled in size. 

2. Right before your dough is ready to be used. Prepare your peppers for roasting. Preheat your oven to 500 degrees. Place an ample amount of olive oil on top of each pepper, then sprinkle with some sea salt. Place the peppers in the oven and roast on each side for about 15 minutes until the skin is blackened and blistered. 

 3. While the peppers are roasting make the caramelized onions. Slice a large Vidalia Onion into large sliced pieces. Melt two tablespoons of butter in a medium sized pan and then add two tablespoons of olive oil. Then add the onions making sure the heat is not to high, a medium high heat is good. Stir the onions over the heat drenching them with the butter and olive oil. After a few minutes, once the onions are soft sprinkle the onions with a little salt and sugar. Continue to cook the onions until they are very brown but not burnt. Caramelized onions take about 20 minutes to cook, but watch them carefully to make sure they do not burn and stir every few minutes to prevent sticking. Add additional water if need be.

4. Once the peppers are done roasting remove them from the oven and allow them to cool for a few minutes before handling them. Cut the stem from each pepper and then cut them in half. Carefully remove each blackened skin from the peppers. Remove the seeds from the peppers and then cut the halved peppers into smaller bite sized pieces.

5. Preheat oven to 475 degree. Punch down the dough and then roll it out big enough to fill a standard pizza dish. Place the dough in the pan and sprinkle the dough with a little olive oil and disperse evenly on top of the dough. Sprinkle some salt on top of the dough. Place the dough in the oven for about 10 Minutes. Remove once the dough is slightly browned and crispy.

6. While the pizza crust is baking, cut the block of cheese into equally sized pieces. Also cut the grilled chicken into slightly larger than bite sized pieces.

7. Once the crust is done, start layering the toppings. Starting with the marinara, I used about a cup of marinara. Then sprinkle with paprika, red pepper flakes and salt. I then added the sliced mozzarella, and then evenly distribute the roasted peppers, caramelized onions and grilled chicken on top of the pizza. Lastly I added about a quarter cup of grated pizza blend cheese and then sprinkled a little parsley {mostly for color}

8. Bake the pizza to melt the cheese and brown the pizza for about 10-12 minutes at 475 degrees.

Details: Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cook Time: 22 Minutes Total Time: 42 Minutes Yield: Approximately 8 Servings

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