Cocoa Pudding Trifles made with Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats

As seen on Chef Alli's Farm Fresh Kitchen on WIBW 13 News this Morning, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014 with From the Land of Kansas Guest and Director, Stacy Mayo.

Cocoa Pudding

½ cup Hershey’s Cocoa

1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
¼ tsp salt
2 cups Hildebrand skim or 2% milk
½ cup heavy whipping cream
3 TBS unsalted butter
1 ½ tsp pure vanilla extract

In a medium saucepan, stir together cocoa, sugar cornstarch and salt.  Gradually add milk and cream, stirring until smooth.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil; boil 1 minute.  Remove from heat; stir in butter, and vanilla, whisking gently until smooth.  Press plastic wrap directly onto surface.  Cool to room temperature.  Refrigerate 6 to 8 hours.  Garnish with whipped cream topping.  Cover; refrigerate leftover pudding.

 

Makes a delicious cream pie filling.    Makes 6 – 8 servings

Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats

1/4 cup butter, cubed10 oz pkg marshmallows
3/4 cup peanut butter
5 cups crisp rice cereal
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 cup chocolate chips

In a large mixing bowl, microwave butter and marshmallows in 30 second increments, stirring until melted and smooth; stir in peanut butter. Add cereal and stir to combine well; spread into a 9 x 13 pan and gently press to compact slightly. In a small bowl, combine chips and microwave in 30 second increments until melted; stir until smooth then spread over cereal mixture in pan. Cover and chill till chocolate is set.

Peanut butter rice krispie mixture can be pressed into a sheet pan, topped with chocolate mixture and then rolled into a log; chill, then slice into spirals to serve. 

To create Trifles:
Layer Cocoa Pudding with small pieces of Chocolate Peanut Butter Treats into a pretty trifle glass; chill.  Garnish with whipped topping and serve. 

Now You're Cookin',
Chef Alli

Chocolate Peanut Butter Treats

1/4 cup butter, cubed
10 oz pkg marshmallows
3/4 cup peanut butter
5 cups crisp rice cereal
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 cup chocolate chips

In a large mixing bowl, microwave butter and marshmallows in 30 second increments, stirring until melted and smooth; stir in peanut butter. Add cereal and stir to combine well; spread into a 9 x 13 pan and gently press to compact slightly. In a small bowl, combine chips and microwave in 30 second increments until melted; stir until smooth then spread over cereal mixture in pan. Cover and chill till chocolate is set. 

These last about 10 minutes at my house. All good!

Now You're Cookin',
Chef Alli

Kale Salad with Cranberries, Edamame and Feta

Romaine lettuce, torn
Kale, chopped
Sliced almonds
Dried cranberries
Shelled frozen edamame, thawed
Crumbled feta
Combine as desired and drizzle with Orange Marmalade Vinaigrette (recipe below)

Orange Marmalade Vinaigrette
3 Tbs olive oil
1 1/2 Tbs white wine vinegar
1 Tbs spicy brown mustard
2 Tbs orange marmalade
S & P, to taste
Whisk together and go. 

Now You're Cookin',
Chef Alli 

Peasant Bread

2 cups warm water 
2 tsp yeast
1 Tbs sugar
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
5 cups flour
1 tsp Italian seasoning

Add yeast, sugar, and salt to warm water and let sit for 1-2 minutes.  Place flour in large mixing bowl; stir in yeast mixture; dough will be sticky. Place dough into a greased bowl and cover bowl; let rise for 45 min. Stir dough down then divide in half and place each half in a mound on greased baking stones. Let dough rise again for 20-25 min. Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 10 min. Reduce heat to 375 degrees and bake 15-20 min more. Loaves will be flat, crusty, chewy - enjoy!

Now You're Cookin',
Chef Alli

Creamy Tortellini with Ham and Parmesan

1 Tbs olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
20 oz Buitoni mixed cheese tortellini, cooked according to pkg directions
1 cup chopped cooked ham or cooked Italian sausage 
2-3 cups whipping cream
1/3 cup frozen peas, thawed
salt and pepper, to taste

In a large skillet over medium heat, brown off ham a bit, adding in garlic and tossing as it cooks with the ham, approx 1-2 minutes. Add 2 cups cream to same skillet and simmer till slightly thickened, then add tortellini to pan, as well. Add more cream if needed, to make a nice creamy consistency. Continue to gently simmer until mixture is hot throughout and cream has thickened nicely. Toss in peas; garnish with shredded Parmesan to serve. 

Now You're Cookin',
Chef Alli

Cowboy Breakfast Bites

My boys love, love, love these guys.  Bacon is their first choice in this recipe, but I've used cooked sausage, Canadian bacon, leftover ham, and leftover roast in it's place many times - all good!  

8 slices bacon

8 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped, (I love to hard-cook my eggs in the oven!) 

1 1/2 cups shredded Colby-Jack cheese

2/3 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

1 Tbs. spicy brown mustard

1 tsp. grated horseradish

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

6 whole wheat or whole grain mini bagels, split (may substitute English muffins, if desired)

Cook bacon on a rimmed baking sheet in the oven until browned and slightly crispy; remove from baking sheet to a paper-towel-lined plate to cool slightly.  Chop bacon into bite-size pieces and place in a large mixing bowl; add chopped eggs, cheese, mayo, yogurt, mustard, horseradish, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce; gently fold all ingredients together, then season to taste with salt and pepper.   

 

Cattleman, Randall Debler, from Waabaunsee Co. joined us for
Chef Alli's Farm Fresh Kitchen on WIBW 13 News This Morning
to talk about Calving Season on the Ranch.

 

Preheat oven broiler to low and rack in LOWEST position of the oven.  Meanwhile, place bagel halves onto a baking sheet, dividing prepared egg/bacon mixture evenly, using a 1/3 cup disher (a large scoop) to place mixture onto each bagel half.  (Use your fingertips to compact mixture slightly and to secure filling on top of each bagel half.)  Place baking sheet onto prepared oven rack under broiler and broil them for 3-4 minutes, taking care not to burn them, just until filling is hot throughout and cheese is slightly melted.

Chef Alli Upgrade (for when teenage sons aren't staring you down because they are starving to death OR you want to impress the guests you've invited for brunch) 

1 small onion, diced

1 sweet red bell pepper, diced

1 jalapeno, seeds and membranes removed, minced

1-2 tsp. olive oil

 

Saute veggies in oil over medium heat until slightly softened; cool slightly and add to egg and bacon mixture with other ingredients.  Proceed with remainder of recipe steps.  

Now You're Cookin',
Chef Alli

HUNGRY HUSBAND POT ROAST

1 chuck roast, 3-4 lbs.

½ tsp. dried thyme mixed with ½ tsp. dried oregano

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 Tbs. canola or vegetable oil

1 yellow onion, sliced

2 carrots, cut into pieces on the bias

2 celery ribs, chopped

2 Tbs. tomato paste

14 oz. can stewed tomatoes, with juice

1 bay leaf

1 cup red wine (or sub more broth)

3-4 cups beef broth

1 batch of your favorite mashed potatoes, warm

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  Remove roast from refrigeration; season with thyme, oregano, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper; let roast rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

In a large enameled cast-iron casserole or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium high heat; sear roast until very nicely browned and crusty on all sides. Transfer roast to a plate.  Add onion, carrots, and celery to same pot and cook over moderate heat until lightly browned and softened, approx. 5-6 minutes.  Stir tomato paste into vegetables and cook for a few minutes until tomato paste begins to brown.  Add tomatoes, bay leaf and wine; bring to a boil and cook this mixture until reduced by half, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of pot, approx. 5 minutes.  Add beef broth and bring to a simmer; add roast and cover pot.  Braise roast in oven for 4-5 hours or until meat is very fork-tender.

 

Transfer roast to a baking sheet. Strain liquid from stock pot, discarding fat that rises to the surface; boil over high heat, whisking often, until liquid is reduced to 1 cup sauce, approx. 12-15 minutes. 

 

Serve roast over a bed of creamy mashed potatoes, drizzled with lots of sauce. Feed lovingly, by hand, to your handsome, hungry husband.

 

Now You're Cookin',

Chef Alli

 

Pan-Roasted Brussels Sprouts

As seen on WIBW 13 News This Morning, Feb. 13, 2014, with Chris Fisher and AnnaRose Hart, From the Land of Kansas. 

 

**Please don't turn your nose up at my Brussels Sprouts! I've turned many so-called "BS-Haters" into fans with this recipe. Brussels Sprouts get a bad rap, especially if you remember them from your school cafeteria days when they were most likely boiled in water before serving....please wipe those completely from your mind, if possible. THEN, try this recipe below and give them another shot.  PLEASE.

2 lbs. fresh Brussels sprouts, stems trimmed and loose leaves removed, sliced in half
2-3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil, divided use 

1/3-1/2 cup broth
 ¼ cup chopped cooked ham
1 Tbs. good balsamic vinegar
1 Tbs. pure maple syrup
Zest from 1 orange
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste



AnnaRose Hart, From the Land of Kansas,

my partner in crime on WIBW 13 News This Morning

In a large mixing bowl, toss sprouts with 1 Tbs. olive oil. Meanwhile, heat remaining olive oil over medium high heat in a large cast iron skillet; when oil is shimmering, add sprouts, in a single layer and cook for 3-4 minutes or until nicely caramelized. Turn sprouts over and cook an additional 8-10 minutes, adjusting heat as necessary and tossing sprouts occasionally so they don’t burn, adding a small amount of broth at a time to help "steam" Brussels sprouts.  In a small bowl, combine the ham, vinegar, maple syrup and orange zest; drizzle over cooked sprouts; season to taste with salt and pepper and serve at once.

Now You're Cookin',

Chef Alli

Preparing Hard-Cooked Eggs the Easy Way: In the Oven!

This couldn't be easier.  I mean who really wants to wait for that saucepan of water to boil?  Besides, with this method, it's much easier to cook 12-18 eggs all at one time. No more overcooked, tough, green yolks - yea!  

Eggs (I always bake as many as my mini muffin tin will hold, which is 12 or 18) 

1 mini muffin tin

1 large bowl of ice water

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. 

• Stand eggs in mini muffin tin and place into the preheated oven.

• Bake eggs for 30 minutes. 

• Using a pair of rubber-tipped tongs, remove hot eggs from tin and plunge immediately into bowl of prepared ice water.  

• Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes.  

• Peel and eat as usual, or store in the fridge until ready to use.

**You may notice some brown dots on the bottom of the eggs when you remove them from the muffin tin. Don't be alarmed - these will come off in the water bath. 

Now You're Cookin',
Chef Alli