About Carrie Zinnecker

Posts by Carrie Zinnecker:

Baked Asian Turkey Meatballs with Soy Ginger Sauce

The lovely aroma of fresh ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, scallions and cilantro filled my kitchen when I made these for dinner a few nights ago.  Those ingredients alone make my mouth water.  I am almost always up for Chinese or Thai food, but thinking about how a lot of that stuff is prepared makes me have second thoughts a lot of the time.  It’s usually too oily and greasy and even if I opt for a dish with lots of veggies, it is often soaked in overly salty sauce.  And then I somehow find myself ordering egg rolls, fried spring rolls, or maybe an order of crab rangoon…oh, the deep fried goodness of it all.  These meatballs don’t quite measure up to the pleasures of pad thai and sesame chicken, but the flavors are there, and all without the guilt.

My dinner plans were to make these meatballs from this recent Smitten Kitchen post, Scallion Meatballs with Soy Ginger Glaze.  But after reading through the recipe I decided to look for a baked meatball recipe (instead of pan fried) with more substance that would serve as a meal and not a glorified appetizer.  That search led me to this recipe from Skinny Taste, Asian Turkey Meatballs with Sesame Lime Dipping Sauce.  So I combined the two, and with a little tweaking here and there I wound up with these.

Serve these meatballs with some rice to soak up the delicious sauce.  We ate them with white rice, but brown would be a great choice, and a healthier one.  Simple steamed broccoli is a perfect side dish.  There is so much flavor in the meatballs that you don’t really need anything else.  I used a mixture of turkey and beef because I had an extra 1/2 pound of lean ground beef from another recipe I wanted to use, but use all turkey if you like.  Enjoy!

Baked Asian Turkey Meatballs with Soy Ginger Sauce

Meatballs

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup panko crumbs
  • 1 lb 93% lean ground turkey
  • 1/2 lb lean ground beef
  • 1 egg
  • 1 1/2 tbsp peeled ginger, minced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 4 scallions, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
  • 3 tsp sesame oil

Directions

  1. Combine ground turkey, beef, panko, egg, salt, scallions, ginger, cilantro, and soy sauce.  Mix with your hands until combined well.
  2. Shape 1/4 cup meat mixture into a ball and transfer to a baking dish. Repeat with remaining mixture.
  3. Bake at 400°F until cooked through, about 20-25 minutes.

Sauce

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce, reduced sodium
  • 1/2 cup white wine (or mirin)
  • 1/4 cup peeled ginger, chopped

Directions

  1. Bring sugar and water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar melts completely.
  2. Reduce heat to a medium-low and add soy sauce, wine and ginger.
  3. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced, 20-30 minutes.  You can simmer it longer to get a thicker sauce.
  4. Serve sauce on top of meatballs and rice.  You can strain the sauce to get rid of the ginger pieces, but I left mine in the sauce.

Chicken with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

I haven’t been making meals at home much lately.  Lots of taking out, going out, vacation foods and eating holiday meals.  I’m trying to get back into meal planning, buying groceries for the week and hopefully feeling better.  We need to make the change from restaurant fare to home cooked meals.  That is my resolution for the New Year.  Just eat better.  I’m not going to be unrealistic and say I’m going to lose 10 pounds or run a marathon.  Who wants to set themselves up for disappointment?

This recipe is from a cookbook my mother-in-law gave me a few years ago called “Twenty Minute Chicken Dishes”.  If I had made this meal in one sitting, I think I would have been able to do it in twenty minutes.  But with a little guy around, I had to find a way to do some prep beforehand.  I made the sauce in a mini food processor (something I love having around), and kept in the fridge all day.  So all I had to do once we were ready to eat was pound the chicken out, cook it for 5 minutes per side, then warm up the sauce.  Easy.

Pouring this yummy sauce over chicken is but one of the many ways to use it.  It has great roasted pepper flavor, a nice creamy texture (without using any cream) and I think it would be great on beef, fish, vegetables and pasta as well.

This recipe serves 2 with some sauce leftover, probably enough for 2 more chicken breasts.  The sauce could easily be doubled, but I’m not sure if you could freeze it since it contains sour cream.  If you want to freeze the sauce, puree it without the sour cream, then add it in after thawing.

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Ingredients

  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • salt and pepper
  • 1-2 tablespoons butter and 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 12-ounce jar roasted red (or red and yellow) peppers, drained and patted dry
  • 1/4 cup light sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons salsa (I used Arriba Garlic and Cilantro)
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 2 tablespoons freshly chopped basil, cilantro or parsley (optional)

Directions

  1. Make sauce: Combine peppers, salsa, sour cream, flour, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in food processor or blender.  Blend until smooth. Set aside (or refrigerate for up to 2 days).
  2. Pound chicken to 1/2 inch thickness. Pat dry, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  3. Heat butter and oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.  Cook chicken, 4-5 minutes per side, until done.  You may need to do this in batches if your chicken breasts are too large for your pan.  Remove chicken to a plate and cover with foil.
  4. Add garlic to pan, cook for 1-2 minutes, do not let it burn.  Add red pepper sauce, reduce heat to medium-low, and stir until sauce thickens slightly, 3-5 minutes.
  5. Pour sauce over chicken, sprinkle with herbs and serve.

Holiday Baking: Oreo and Nutter Butter Truffles

If you’ve been part of a cookie exchange or received some gifts from the kitchen this Christmas, then there is a good chance you have seen these.  A super simple, three ingredient treat that looks way more impressive than it actually is.  These cute little goodies are so sweet and so yummy.

When you shape these, make sure to make them small.  They really are rich.  If they are too big you may not be able to eat the whole thing, or you’ll feel too guilty taking a second one, and then you won’t get to try both kinds!

The recipe for the Oreo truffles came from the Kraft website.  I used candy coating instead of chocolate squares.  Melting chocolate just never seems to harden well enough.  Does anyone have any tips for coating with real chocolate?

After I made these I thought I should have used the white candy coating for a nice contrast from outer white coating to inner dark chocolate.  Then I thought about all the possibilities there are with these truffles.  You could use any sandwich cookie.  So I did the same thing with a package of Nutter Butters.  The white coating gave me some issues, so these were not as evenly coated as the chocolate.  The peanut butter truffles would have been delicious with the chocolate coating.  Who doesn’t like that peanut butter and chocolate combination?

I love the sprinkles of cookie crumbs on top of these truffles.  It gives them more of a true chocolate truffle appearance (and it helps to hide any uneven coating).  If you really wanted to dress these up even more and make them appealing to foodies, sprinkle with some flaked sea salt.  Some people might be averse to this sweet and salty combo, but it really is wonderful.  You can find flaked sea salt at many grocery stores.  It isn’t cheap, but you don’t use very much and it goes a long way.  This one by Maldon is the one I see most often.

If you don’t have a food processor, get to work with a large ziploc bag and a rolling pin to break the cookies into crumbs.  Make sure when you start coating the balls that you have 2 cookie sheets prepped with parchment paper, wax paper or Silpats.  This makes clean up a breeze, and removing the truffles much easier.

Oreo Truffles

Ingredients

  • 1 package Oreo cookies
  • 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
  • 1 package chocolate candy coating

Directions

  1. Process Oreos in a food processor to fine crumbs.
  2. Reserve about 1/2 cup of the crumbs in a small bowl.
  3. Combine the remaining crumbs and the cream cheese and mix until evenly combined.
  4. Form dough into ping pong sized balls, between 45 and 55 depending on size.
  5. Melt chocolate coating according to package instructions.  Coat each ball and place on parchment or wax paper.  Sprinkle with reserved crumbs while chocolate is still wet.
  6. Chill truffles for at least an hour, then store in sealed containers in the fridge until serving.

Nutter Butter Truffles

Ingredients

  • 1 package Nutter Butters cookies
  • 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
  • 1 package chocolate or white candy coating

Directions

  1. Process cookies in a food processor to fine crumbs.
  2. Reserve about 1/2 cup of the crumbs in a small bowl.
  3. Combine the remaining crumbs and the cream cheese and mix until evenly combined.
  4. Form dough into ping pong sized balls, between 45 and 55 depending on size.
  5. Melt chocolate coating according to package instructions.  Coat each ball and place on parchment or wax paper.  Sprinkle with reserved crumbs while chocolate is still wet.
  6. Chill truffles for at least an hour, then store in sealed containers in the fridge until serving.

Holiday Baking: Chewy Ginger Cookies

I’ve always called these gingersnaps, but they cannot accurately have that name since there is very little “snap” to them in texture.  If you’re looking for a crispy gingersnap, this is not the cookie for you.  These cookies are incredibly delicious and something that always makes me think of this time of year.  After I got them in the oven my house finally smelled like it should a week before Christmas. I can’t really say anything else about them.  They are just so very good.

Since this makes a lot of sturdy dough, make sure to use a stand mixer.  Or make half the recipe so that a hand mixer won’t give up on you.  Or, if you’re looking for an arm workout, mix them up with a big wooden spoon.  Enjoy, and Merry Christmas!

Chewy Ginger Cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups shortening
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup molasses
  • 4 cups flour
  • 4 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cloves
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ginger
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Directions

  1. Beat shortening and sugar until light and fluffy, beat in molasses, and then eggs. Mix until combined.
  2. Whisk together flour, soda, cloves, ginger, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl.
  3. Add flour mixture to wet ingredients in 2-3 additions, beat until well combined.
  4. Roll into golf ball sized balls, roll in sugar, and place on a baking sheet with about 2 inches in between.
  5. Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes.
I made these cookies for a cookie exchange I hosted a couple years ago and just realized that I’ve already posted this recipe, so I’ve officially re-blogged on my own blog.  Oh, well.  I think these are worthy of that honor/mistake.

Holiday Baking: White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

Hello, my long lost food blog.  It’s been a while.  Here, have some cookies.

Our family has been busy.  And it’s not just the wonderful chaos that ensues once November hits.  We just moved to Houston from Amarillo, and have been spending the last 3 months living apart and driving all over the great state of Texas.  So I haven’t had the time or the energy to blog.  But now that I have a kitchen of my very own I have started baking and cooking again.  It feels good to be settled…even if I still have a bedroom full of boxes that I have absolutely no desire to unpack.

These white chocolate cranberry cookies were pretty good. I’d say maybe a touch too sweet for some people, but the tang of the cranberry and the right amount of salt balance it out well.  If you’re making cookie plates to give to neighbors and friends a few of these among some spicy gingersnaps and rich chocolate cookies would make for a great gift.

Thanks to Baking Bites for the recipe!  The only thing I changed was to add a little cinnamon.  I didn’t taste it as much as I would have liked, so maybe a full teaspoon of cinnamon would be better.

White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 3/4 cup butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 oz white chocolate, melted and cooled
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2/3 cup dried cranberries
  • 2/3 cup white chocolate chips

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silpat.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
  3. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light. Beat in egg, followed by melted white chocolate and vanilla extract. Gradually incorporate the flour mixture, mixing until no streaks of dry ingredients remain. Stir in dried cranberries and white chocolate chips.
  4. Shape dough into 1-inch balls and place on prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2-inches between each cookie to allow for spread.
  5. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until cookies turn lightly golden around the edges. Allow to cool on baking sheet for 3-4 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

 

Roasted Vegetable Pasta with Bacon and Parmesan

Once it starts to cool down just a touch, as in highs in the 80’s or so, I find that it is time for roasting vegetables at every possible chance.  I saw this recipe in the October issue of Martha Stewart, and immediately added the ingredients to my grocery list.

I changed a few things.  More bacon, of course.  I’m pretty sure I doubled it, but I wasn’t really keeping track.  I also roasted some brussels sprouts along with the other vegetables.  I didn’t think I liked brussels sprouts until about 5 years ago when my husband’s aunt cooked them for Thanksgiving.  It was a huge eye opener for me.  I guess I’d just always thought I was supposed to hate them, so I did, without any good reason.  Thank you, Lynn!  They might be one of of my favorite vegetables now.  I also opted to use medium pasta shells because I was not about to pay $8 for a bag of orcchiette.  Not going to happen, Martha.  I shaved big hunks of Parmesan into the pasta but I wished I’d grated at least some of it, as the recipe suggests.  It’s nice to get those big pieces of salty cheese, but I think smaller pieces that can make their way into the nooks and crannies of the pasta would’ve been better.  A few shaved pieces on top are all you need.

This was a lovely dinner.  A definite comfort food that fed 4 quite generously.  I will be making this again as the weather continues to cool off.  Enjoy!

Roasted Vegetable Pasta with Bacon and Parmesan

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2-4 ounces bacon, preferably slab, chopped
  • 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1 small onion, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 head cauliflower, trimmed into 1 1/2-inch florets (about 2 1/2 cups)
  • 1 bag of brussel sprouts, trimmed and halved
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 8 ounces orecchiette or other medium pasta shape
  • 3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (1 1/2 ounces), plus more, shaved, for garnish
  • 1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Cook bacon until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer to paper towels using a slotted spoon. Reserve drippings.
  2. Toss sweet potato, onion, brussel sprouts and cauliflower with reserved drippings. Season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Roast on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing halfway through, until tender and caramelized, about 35 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup cooking water. Return pasta to pot with cooking water, and toss with grated cheese and vegetables. Stir in parsley. Sprinkle bacon over top. Garnish with shaved cheese.

Gooey Pecan Overnight Breakfast Rolls

This is as easy as it gets folks.  Well, unless you buy a pan of Sister Schubert’s cinnamon rolls and pop those in the oven.   That would be easier.  But these breakfast rolls are truly simple, and incredibly indulgent and delicious.  With an ingredient list of 5 items, the luxury of preparing them the night before, leaving them on the counter all night, then baking for a mere half an hour the rewards are much greater than the work that’s put into them.

I’ve made these twice now, and was more pleased with the second batch.  The first time I used only 1/2 cup of pecans, and this time I just covered the bottom of my dish and probably used close to a full cup.  It was great to have the extra sugary coated guys to snack on from the pan.  Feel free to use less or you could use walnuts.  I used vanilla pudding the first time, and butterscotch the last time.  Both were good, so use what you like.

A 9×13 pan is fine for these, but I used a smaller baking dish, 10×10, this last time.  A smaller area meant more gooey goodness which is never a bad thing in my opinion.  I only used 12 rolls for the smaller pan.  If I do these again in a 9×13 I would add a little more butter and sugar.  Because if you’re already going to eat these, what’s wrong with a little more fat and calories?  Enjoy!

Gooey Pecan Breakfast Rolls

Ingredients

  • 1/2-1 cup pecans, chopped
  • 18 frozen dinner rolls
  • 1 small box (3.5 ounces) Cook and Serve pudding
  • 1 stick butter
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
Directions
  1. Spray a 9×13 pan with cooking spray and spread pecans on the bottom of the pan.
  2. Place rolls on top of pecans, spacing evenly.
  3. Sprinkle pudding mix over the top of the rolls and pecans.
  4. Cook butter and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until sugar has dissolved, stirring frequently to avoid burning or boiling over.
  5. Pour butter mixture over the top.
  6. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit overnight, 8-10 hours.
  7. Preheat oven to 350°F, remove plastic wrap and bake for 20-30 minutes.
  8. Let cool for 5-10 minutes, then invert onto a platter or serve from the pan.

Spinach & Feta Spanakopita

A special thanks to Shallan who owns the cookbook that this recipe came from, Back to Basics, and thanks to Ina Garten who never disappoints me.

Greek food is something I could eat everyday and not get sick of.  If I wanted something light, I could have  a refreshing Greek salad loaded with tomatoes, cucumbers, mint, parsley and feta.  In the mood for something warm and comforting…lamb gyro slathered with tzatziki or a nice plate full of pastitsio.  And then there is baklava…oh, baklava…

These dinner sized spanakopita are not too light or too heavy, but are not exactly easy to prepare.  I found myself quite frustrated with phyllo dough by the last few pies.  My tip to you is this.  Make sure you buy your phyllo a day before you plan to make these and let it defrost in the fridge overnight.  I let mine stand at room temp to defrost and a section of it got too wet from defrosting and was incredibly sticky.  I spent a lot of time and energy wrestling with it.

The spinach and feta filling dotted with yummy toasted pine nuts is simple and delicious.  Taste the spinach and onion mixture before adding the eggs and make sure it is well salted.  I found the filling to be a little lacking in salt.

Spinach & Feta Spanakopita

Courtesy of Ina Garten, Back to Basics

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup good olive oil
  • 1 cup chopped yellow onion
  • 3 scallions, white and green parts, chopped
  • 2 (10-ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, defrosted
  • 4 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • Plain dry bread crumbs
  • 1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 cups small-diced feta (12 ounces)
  • 3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
  • 24 sheets frozen phyllo dough, defrosted
  • 1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
  • Flaked sea salt, such as Maldon, for sprinkling

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Heat the olive oil in a medium saute pan, add the onion, and cook for 5 minutes over medium-low heat. Add the scallions, and cook for another 2 minutes until the scallions are wilted but still green.
  2. Meanwhile, gently squeeze most of the water out of the spinach and place it in a large bowl.
  3. When the onion and scallions are done, add them to the spinach. Mix in the eggs, Parmesan cheese, 3 tablespoons bread crumbs, the nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Gently fold in the feta and pine nuts.
  4. Place 1 sheet of phyllo dough flat on a work surface with the long end in front of you. Brush the dough lightly with butter and sprinkle it with a teaspoon of bread crumbs.
  5. Working quickly, slide another sheet of phyllo dough on top of the first, brush it with butter, and sprinkle lightly with bread crumbs. (Use just enough bread crumbs so the layers of phyllo don’t stick together.) Pile 4 layers total on top of each other this way, brushing each with butter and sprinkling with bread crumbs.
  6. Cut the sheets of phyllo in half lengthwise. Place 1/3 cup spinach filling on the shorter end and roll the phyllo up diagonally as if folding a flag. Then fold the triangle of phyllo over straight and then diagonally again. Continue folding first diagonally and then straight until you reach the end of the sheet. The filling should be totally enclosed.
  7. Continue assembling phyllo layers and folding the filling until all of the filling is used. Place on a sheet pan, seam sides down.
  8. Brush with melted butter, sprinkle with flaked salt, and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the phyllo is browned and crisp. Serve hot.

Mini Cornbread Puddings

In preparing for our move to Houston I am trying to get rid of things.  I have a stack of old Everyday Food magazines that I’ve kept on a bookshelf for years, but haven’t used them for recipes in quite some time.  I decided to go through them, rip out recipes I could see myself making (or have made before), and then throw the rest away.  This recipe for mini cornbread puddings came from one of the many pages torn from one of those magazines.

They were a cinch to prepare, a little tough to remove from from the pan (despite being greased) and a pleasure to eat, warm and at room temperature the next day.  They could maybe use a kick from some cayenne pepper, chopped jalapenos or green chiles.  These little treats are much more  moist than your regular corn muffin, and I am sure could be done in a regular sized 12-cup muffin tin with some changes in cooking time and temperature.

Mini Cornbread Puddings

Courtesy of Martha Stewart Everyday Food 

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled)
  • 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 1/2 cups sour cream
  • 1 package (10 ounces) frozen corn kernels, thawed and patted dry
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees, with rack in upper third. Butter 24 mini muffin cups; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.
  2. Make a well in center of flour mixture. In well, whisk together egg, sour cream, and corn. Mix with flour mixture just until incorporated (do not overmix).
  3. Dividing evenly, spoon batter into prepared muffin pan. Bake until tops have browned and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, 10 to 15 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes in pan; turn out onto a cooling rack. Serve, or cool completely and store at room temperature in an airtight container, up to 2 days.

 

Mom’s Lemon Bars

These really are my mom’s lemon bars.  I’m not sure exactly where the recipe came from, but I think I remember her saying she cut it out of a magazine years ago, like before I was born years ago.

Lemon bars are one of my favorite bar cookies.  The zesty lemon, the buttery crust, the gooey center with the crunchy top covered in powdered sugar.  I love them, and I’m wishing right now I hadn’t sent so many of them up to Ben’s office!

I didn’t grease my pan because I figured there is so much butter in there, they won’t stick.  The crust didn’t, but some of the filling clung a bit to the sides of the pan.  You could spray the pan with cooking spray or grease it, but it wasn’t a disaster without doing so.  Do it if you’re worried about them sticking.

Mom’s Lemon Bars

Ingredients

Crust

  • 2 sticks (1 cup) butter, slightly softened
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
Filling
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • 5-6 teaspoons lemon juice, from about 1 large lemon
Instructions
  1. Sift together flour, powdered sugar and salt in a large bowl.  Cut in butter with a pastry blender until fine crumbs form and there are no huge chunks of butter.  Pat the crust mixture into the bottom of a 9×13 pan.  Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes.
  2. About 5 minutes before the crust is done baking, in the same bowl whisk all the filling ingredients together until combined and foamy.
  3. Pour filling mixture over warm crust, then continue to bake for 20-25 minutes.
  4. Dust with powdered sugar while bars are warm from the oven, then let cool completely before cutting.