Archives for posts with tag: #foodies

Chocolate Whoopie Pie!

May 1, 2021 //

Whoopie Pies are a New England classic. Their origin is a controversy though as both Labadie’s Bakery in Lewiston, Maine and Berwick Cake Company in Roxbury, Massachusetts both started making them in the early 1920s claiming them as their own.

Whoopie Pies are two pieces of cake filled with marshmallow fluff frosting in the middle. The good news is that the cakes and filling can both be made ahead a stored at room temperature in airtight containers until you’re ready to assemble them. Assembled Whoopie Pies can be stored at room temperature 1 day.

I learned to make these while I lived in New England. The first I made was a Pumpkin Whoopie Pie at Halloween. Since, then I’ve graduated to my favorite flavor — Chocolate — which I’m sharing!

Chocolate Whoopie Pie

Cake Ingredients:

1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature

1 cup brown sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 large egg, room temperature

1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder such as Hershey’s

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup milk, room temperature

Filling Ingredients:

1 cup vegetable shortening such as Crisco

1 cup confectioners sugar

1 1/3 cups (1 jar) Marshmallow Fluff

1/4 tsp kosher salt dissolved in 1 TBSP water

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees positioning the rack in the middle of your oven. Line two large, rimmed cookie sheets with parchment paper.
In a bowl with a standing mixer with a paddle attachment, or a large bowl using a hand-mixer, beat together the butter, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and vanilla on medium-high until smooth. Scrap down the sides of the bowl continually. Add the egg and beat until smooth.
Add the cocoa powder on low speed until combined.
Gradually, add the flour to the batter, alternating with the milk beating on low until you’ve used both. Scape down the sides and combined until smooth.
Drop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets using a 2″ pastry scoop. Leave a few inches between each since they will expand while baking. I add about 9 to 10 per sheet.
Bake 11 to 12 minutes until they are set and firm to touch. Remove from the oven and let cool on the pans. Then, add them to a baking rack to continue cooling completely before adding the filling.
While they are cakes are cooling, beat the shortening, confectioner’s sugar and Marshmallow fluff in a standing mixer or with a hand-mixer. Start on low and then increase to medium.
Add the salted water to the mixture and then the vanilla. Mix until completely smooth.
Spread the flat side of half the cakes with the filling mixture. I use a piping bag with a star tip to add the filling.
Top each frosted cake with the remaining cakes, flat side toward the filling. Wrap each individually until you’re ready to serve.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar (optional).

Enjoy! XOXO Jill

Tags #Chocoholic, #Chocolate, #Crisco, #Dessert, #Dessert for a Crowd, #DessertsofInstagram, #EasyDessert, #foodie, #foodies, #foodporn, #Ghirardelli Chocolate, #Guittard Chocolate, #Hersheys, #Hersheyschocolate, #KidFavoriteDessert, #NewEnglandDesserts, #whoopiepie, Chocolate, Chocolate Cake, Desserts

Categories Best Dessert, Cake, Chocaholic, Chocolate, Chocolate Cake, Christmas Eve Dessert, Dessert, Desserts, Ghirardelli Chocolate, Holiday Baking, New England Dessert, Pie, Whoopie Pie

Jill’s Cooking! Food Photos

April 14, 2021 //

Food is obviously important for nutritional reasons. We clearly need it to survive but it is also meaningful for social reasons.

Many of us have fond food memories that remind us of a person, place or thing. Food is nostalgic and part of most celebrations with family and friends. It is also tied to cultures and regions. Certain spices, produce or cooking techniques are associated with different countries and parts of the world.

What is your favorite food memory? For me, it is making Carrot Cake from scratch with my grandmother when I was about 5 years old. It is tamales on Christmas Eve. Or, it is Gumbo, Crawfish or Beignets for Mardi Gras and Corned Beef and Cabbage on St. Patrick’s Day.

Cooking my spouse, children, friends and family’s favorite foods and desserts for their birthday, holiday or just because is one of my greatest expressions of love.

Enjoy! XOXO Jill

Tags #Appetizers, #bakingfromscratch, #Chicken, #chocolatechipcookies, #chocolatefountain, #foodblogger, #foodies, #foodphotography, #foodphotos, #foodporn, #fruitskewers, #homecook, #homemade, #homemadesauce, #Italian Lemon Pound Cake, #kitchenaidmixer, #meatballs, #potroast, #Recipes, #Salad, #swordfish, #tomahawkchops, #tritip, #whoopiepie

Categories #Chicken, #Chicken Saltimbocca, #Dinner, #Dinner For Two, #Easy Appetizer, #Easy Dinner, #Elegant Cocktail Party, #Entertaining, #Family Dinner, #Main Dish, Appetizer, Bundt Cake, Chicken Recipes, Chocaholic, Comfort Food, Cookies, Corned Beef, Cornish Game Hens, Dessert, Desserts, Ghirardelli Chocolate, Guittard Chocolate, Ice Cream Cake, Italian, Pasta, Pot Roast, Salad, Simple Appetizer, Sunday Dinner

Hawaiian Chicken with Pineapple and Brown Sugar

March 20, 2021 //

This recipe includes sweet pineapple and a tangy sauce that enhances seared, moist chicken. I used a fresh pineapple that was very ripe. If you can’t find a fresh one or don’t want to master cutting one up, canned pineapple will work just fine. This is a great, family approved dinner that is served over rice.

Dinner does not need to be boring or ho-hum. Creativity is the key to this easy, family dinner!

Hawaiian Chicken with Pineapple and Brown Sugar

Ingredients:

3 pounds chicken tenders, cut into 1/2″ pieces

Salt and ground pepper

3 TBSP canola or vegetable oil

1/4 cup butter

1/3 cup ketchup

1/4 brown sugar

2 tsp cornstarch

1/4 cup vinegar

3 TBSP soy sauce

1/3 cup pineapple juice

1 1/3 cup fresh pineapple, cut into chunks or 9 ounce can crushed pineapple such as Dole or Signature

Sesame seeds and chopped green onions (enough to garnish each serving)

Rice, steamed and ready to serve

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Cut chicken into 1/2″ pieces. Season with salt and ground pepper. Set aside.
Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in ketchup and brown sugar. Mix thoroughly until the brown sugar is dissolved. Then, lower heat.
In a small bowl, whisk cornstarch and vinegar until thoroughly mixed and smooth. Add it to the saucepan whisking consistently. Then, add in 1/2 tsp salt, soy sauce, pineapple juice and chunks of pineapple. Cook until thickened and bubbly, about 3 – 4 minutes.
In Dutch oven or large sauté pan, heat oil on medium high. Add the chicken and sear until lightly browned about 3-4 minutes.
Pour the pineapple mixture over the chicken and mix until it is incorporated thoroughly.
Put the Dutch oven or large sauté pan in the oven or you can add the chicken and pineapple to a buttered casserole dish if you prefer. Cook for 35 to 40 minutes until the sauce is bubbly.
Remove from oven and serve over white rice (or any rice of your choice). Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions.

To complete the meal, I included pot stickers, sautéed sugar peas with garlic and the remaining slices of pineapple.

Enjoy! XOXO Jill

Tags #Chicken, #Cooking, #delicious, #Dinner, #Easy Dinner, #Family Dinner, #Food, #foodblogger, #foodie, #foodies, #foodlover, #foodporn, #foodstagram, #Hawaiian, #Hawaiianchicken, #healthy, #homemade, #instagood, #photooftheday, #yummy

Categories #Chicken, #Dinner, #Dinner For Two, #Easy Dinner, #Family Dinner, #Main Dish, #One Pot Dinner, Hawaiian, Hawaiian Chicken, Pineapple