Sweet Dreams are Made of...

I think, given the opportunity, I would be nocturnal. I am most aware and creative when the sun goes down. When my mind should be winding down from the busy day and slipping into "hibernate" mode, it is usually doing quite the opposite.

Steve, on the other hand, immediately falls asleep once his head hits the pillow. {And most of the time, when his butt hits the couch.} So that means that when we go to bed at the same time, I spend a lot of time staring at the ceiling and thinking about a bajillion different things.

Many times, this is when I get the best ideas for creative projects, recipes, and completely off-the-wall schemes. I try to jot them down, or even type them into my phone so I won't forget {since it's easier than writing in the dark}, but sometimes the things I thought were brilliant the night before seem to lack appeal in the light of day.

This recipe I dreamed up a few nights ago did not fall into the lackluster category the next morning. Oh, no. In fact, it sounded more and more delightful every time it popped into my head.

Nutella Caramel Sauce

Yes, yes, and yes. When I made my Chubby Hubby Bars a few weeks back, I made some homemade Peanut Butter Caramel to spread over the cookie layer, and it got me to thinking... Nutella has a similar texture to peanut butter... why not try the same thing with Nutella? And so I did.

This stuff is super sweet, but makes a fantastic topping for a big scoop {or two} of vanilla ice cream. I'm sure you could also stir it into coffee & make yourself a Nutella Caramel Latte or drizzle it over a slice of pound cake for a dose of decadence. The recipe makes enough sauce for quite a few servings... and I can't wait to show you what I decided to incorporate it into. It will knock your socks off.

 Here are a few tips you might want to read before you make this:

Do practice safety around scalding hot caramel.

Do stop to lick Nutella off the spoon.

Do Not freak out when your pot of molten caramel and cream starts threatening to boil over. {P.S. It is not bluffing.}

Do Not burn the crap out of your tongue when you lick the spoon. {Use a spoon that you DID NOT just dip into the lava-hot liquid.}

Do Not eat so much of this while you "taste test" that you make yourself ill.

Follow these simple directions and you will soon find you've whipped up the stuff that dreams are made of.

Nutella Caramel Sauce
Inspired by Food Network

1/2 cup half & half 

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

3/4 cup Nutella

1 tablespoon corn syrup

1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pinch sea salt

Warm half & half in a microwaveable cup {about 30 to 1 minute} until steaming.

Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil without stirring, until amber brown. {Keep an eye on this, it can burn VERY quickly.}

Carefully whisk in warm cream until smooth and let cook for 1 minute {caramel will bubble & rise, so use a big enough saucepan so it does not overflow}.

Remove from the heat and whisk in the Nutella, corn syrup, salt and vanilla extract until smooth. Transfer to a heat safe bowl. Allow to cool until thickened, then transfer to jar or container where you will store.

Refrigerate.

Be My Foodie Friend!

Hi everyone!

With the 3 ring circus that is my life, I completely forgot to mention that The Kitchen Prep now has an official Facebook page! So... I want to cordially invite you to "like" it. :)



We're obviously very formal around here. ;)

Why join me on Facebook?

• You'll get updated on the latest blog posts, giveaways, and other assorted goodies before everyone else.
• It's where I share cool kitchen & food discoveries with you such as brands I love, blogs I adore, and gadgets foodies shouldn't have to live without. {Along with any other random stuff that I find interesting enough to share.}
• You can share your own pictures, thoughts, and triumphs {and disasters if you need to vent!} with me and other food obsessed friends out there.
• I occasionally post the ridiculous things that I get myself into, so you can have a good laugh at my expense.
• I won't inundate your feed with stuff. {I typically don't post more than twice a day unless there is something that's just too exciting not to share.}

And finally...

• 'Cuz it's what all the cool people are doing. Duh.

So, if you haven't done so already, hop on over to Facebook and be my friend! :)

Love Muffin

 Are you and your sweetheart big on celebrating Valentine's Day?

I have to admit, Steve and I are not the super traditional sort that go the "roses, chocolate, cupid" route. And that's ok with me.

We don't disregard Valentine's Day altogether, either. It just makes it a little more difficult to go with the V-day flow with a guy who doesn't particularly enjoy sweets, and a girl who isn't a fan of roses. We're weird, what can I tell ya.

I've mentioned before that the real way to Steve's heart is through his stomach, as is the case with lots of fellas out there. But for Steve, there's really just one food category that renders him weak in the knees: Bread.

He loves it. And around our home, it's more of a treat than a staple since we try to stay away from the starchy stuff when we can. So when I bake bread from scratch... all bets are off. {I usually have to freeze the extra so that there's less temptation teasing from the counter tops.}

When I saw the recipe for heart shaped English Muffins, I automatically thought of Steve. And having just received my new Kitchenaid the day before, I was ready to break it in.

Too bad I didn't think it through, and I started the recipe without checking to make sure I had all the ingredients. {Will I ever learn?!} I will blame it on my excitement to make something for my Valentine.

I wound up using half all purpose flour, and half bread flour and also used rapid rise yeast rather than regular. Basically, I did not follow directions.

The result? Un-English Muffin-like English Muffins. They were cute on the outside. But not quite "nooks & crannies" enough on the inside. Regardless, they were still pretty yummy.

So what do you do with English Muffins that don't meet your standards? Make heart shaped English Muffin Pizzas, of course. And as it turns out, they are one of Steve's favorite childhood treats.

Are you planning on cooking something special up for your sweetie, family, or friends this Valentine's Day? I'd love to know what you're making!

English {Love} Muffins
Found at Disney Family Fun

• 1 cup milk
• 3 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 cup warm water )
• 1 package (1/4-oz.) active dry yeast
• Cornmeal {enough for sprinkling your baking sheet}
• 5 1/2 to 6 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt

Combine the milk, butter, and honey in a medium-size saucepan. Warm the mixture over medium-low heat until the butter starts to melt, then whisk it briefly. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the liquid to cool until lukewarm.

While the milk cools, pour the water into a medium-size mixing bowl and sprinkle the yeast over it. Stir the liquid gently with a fork. Set the bowl aside for 5 to 10 minutes, until all of the yeast has dissolved.

Line two baking sheets with waxed paper and sprinkle on a generous amount of cornmeal. {This is where you'll set the muffins to rise.}

Pour the cooled milk into the dissolved yeast and gently stir the mixture until well blended. Add 3 cups of flour and the salt to the liquid and beat the mixture vigorously with a wooden spoon {or witht the paddle attachment of your stand mixer} until incorporated. Beat in enough of the remaining flour, about 1/3 cup at a time, so that the dough is firm enough to knead and no longer sticky.

Scrape the dough from the bowl onto a floured surface. Dust the top of the dough with flour. Flour your hands as well, and knead the dough for 3 to 4 minutes. Let the dough rest for about 5 minutes. {Alternately, use the dough hook attachment on a stand mixer.}

Roll out the dough with a rolling pin, starting in the middle and pushing the pin from the center out, until the dough is a half inch thick.

Cut the dough into hearts with a heart shaped cookie cutter, or whatever shape you desire. Gather and reroll the scraps and cut out more hearts (you should end up with 16-18).

Transfer the muffins to the prepared baking sheets, spacing them well apart. Sprinkle cornmeal on the tops. Cover the muffins with a dry, lightweight towel and let them rise until they are almost doubled in height--about 35 to 45 minutes.

When the muffins have risen, heat a large, heavy, ungreased skillet over medium heat. {Or you can use an electric griddle heated to 300º.} Carefully lift the muffins from the waxed paper and place them in the heated pan or griddle, spacing them an inch or so apart. {You will need to cook in batches.}

Cook the muffins for about 10 minutes on each side, using a spatula to flip them. You may have to adjust the heat if the muffins are browning too quickly or slowly. Transfer each batch of cooked muffins to a wire rack to cool before splitting and toasting them.

English {Love} Muffin Pizzas

English Muffins

Your favorite sauce {I make my own, here's the recipe}

Your favorite cheese {I used whole milk mozzarella}

Assorted toppings {I used fresh basil & Italian seasoning}

Prehead oven to 375 degrees. Line a small baking sheet with foil.

Split your English Muffins with a fork. Spoon sauce onto each half. Sprinkle with cheese. Top with your favorite toppings.

Place on baking sheet and bake for 6-8 minutes until cheese is melted and muffins are heated through and begin getting toasty around the edges.

Super Bowl Sunday, Slimmed Down

We made it to Friday, friends! In fact, I'd say Friday snuck up on me... and I'm definitely behind on posting. Oops.

Most of my week has been spent filling orders for my little shop {loving the sudden spike in orders, but there's only one person to get them all done!}, working, and bonding with my brand new Kitchenaid. Isn't she pretty??

Source

{Yep, that's a borrowed pic. I don't normally make it a habit of having random wedding cakes sitting around the kitchen...}

My "To Share" list of posts has grown particularly long {and I promise I'll get to writing up all the good ones at some point}, but before the weekend starts, I want to leave you with a customizable, Super Bowl-worthy recipe that might give you an alternative option for the Calorie Fest about to go down this Sunday in most of your living rooms!

How does a Buffalo Chicken Twice Baked Potato sound?

It's a little something I whipped up last week when I was craving the deliciousness of wings and blue cheese, listened to the angel sitting on my shoulder and went the healthier{ish} route. I found it to be a nice cross between Potato Skins and Buffalo Wings, two game day favorites.

You can make this as healthy as or calorific as you please, and swap out ingredients as you see fit. {or unfit as the case may be} I won't know the difference {but your pants waist might}. ;)

Hope your Super Bowl Sunday is full of more tasty treats and less antacid! ;)

Buffalo Chicken Twice Baked Potatoes
a Kitchen Prep original recipe

• 2-4 baking potatoes
• canola oil
• salt
• Buffalo wing sauce {I use this kind because I love it so much I've considered taking shots of it.}
• Shredded chicken breast {you can make this yourself or buy a rotisserie chicken & shred it}
• Low fat shredded cheddar {or your fave cheese}
• Blue cheese crumbles
• Fat free plain Greek yogurt
• Onion powder
• 2-3 Green onion, chopped {optional}

1. For Potatoes: Scrub potatoes with stiff wire brush. Dry. Puncture each potato a few times with a fork to allow steam to escape. Lightly coat each potato with canola oil, and sprinkle with salt. Place directly onto baking rack, with a foil lined cookie sheet underneath to catch any drippings. Bake at 350 degrees for an hour, or until skin is crispy and potatoes are fork tender. Carefully remove from oven and set aside to cool slightly.

2. When potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut each in half and scoop insides into a medium bowl, careful to leave a thin wall of potato in each skin so that they hold their shape.

3. Add a teaspoon of onion powder, salt to taste, and any other desired seasonings to the potato pulp. Add 1/4 cup of Greek yogurt, and mash with a fork until the mixture is smooth and seasonings are incorporated. {You may want to add a little more yogurt at a time until you reach the consistency you desire.}

4. In a separate bowl, toss about 1/4 - 1/3 cup wing sauce to shredded chicken. Set aside.

5. Fill potato skins with potato & yogurt mixture, careful not to overfill. Top each potato with Buffalo chicken mixture.

6. Sprinkle bleu cheese crumbles on each potato, and top off with shredded cheddar or desired cheese.

7.  Return potatoes to oven until cheese begins to melt and get bubbly and potatoes are heated {7-10 minutes}. *Note: Some low fat cheeses have a tendency not to melt easily. If this is the case, set the oven to broil and stand by. Broil for a minute or two until cheese gets melty.

8. Garnish with green onion or other toppings.

Poppin' Bottles {Happy 1 Year Blog-iversary!}

One year ago today, I sat down at my computer and clicked the "Create New Blog" button on Blogger, and then proceeded to sit there and think, "What the heck am I gonna call this thing?" for about 30 minutes. As always, I thought I'd do some browsing on the internet in hopes of being struck by inspiration, but instead got sidetracked by adorable kitchen accessories, Lilly Pulitzer dresses, and preppy monogrammed homegoods.

And so, The Kitchen Prep was born! {Because you know how much I love a play on words.}

I'm not going to get all mushy on you {as I have here & here}, but I really can't thank you enough for your support over the past year as I've learned by trial and error, bumps and bruises {and burns} about this amazing world of blogging. Whether you read The Kitchen Prep for the recipes or to get a laugh at my antics, I appreciate the fact that you stop by and absolutely love it when I know that there's someone actually reading all my rambling. So, THANK YOU!

Now, on to the celebration!

Our weekend was super busy {though lots of fun}, so we were barely at home long enough to throw together anything more complex than a bowl of cereal. And I almost freaked out when I realized that today, a day when I should obviously have something fabulous and celebratory to share with you, I had little more than some cold, leftover rice in my refrigerator. Nice going.

So, even though I will not be posting any fancy cake or amazing entree, I couldn't let you stop by without a champagne toast at the very least.

{I have not lost my mind. I used less expensive champagne for this recipe, but I thought the bottle of Dom Perignon we've had sitting around since our wedding almost 3 years ago would make a nice photo prop. No Dom was harmed in the making of this granita.}

Around Christmastime, I discovered the wonderful world of granitas {it started with this recipe}. They are basically slushies with a taste for the exotic. And they they are delicious.

This one is no exception. Champagne, fresh strawberry puree, grapefruit juice, lemon juice, and simple syrup all combine to form this sweet, tart, icy concoction. The recipe calls for some Grand Marnier soaked strawberry slices to top it off, but I figured we're boozing it up enough with the bubbly. {Plus, I didn't actually have any GM on hand.}

So, friends, I lift my glass to you and to the future of The Kitchen Prep. May your days be filled with laughter, and your glasses with champagne!

CHEERS!

Strawberry, Citrus, and Champagne Granita
Adapted from Epicurious

• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 1/2 pounds large ripe strawberries
• 1 1/2 cups fresh grapefruit juice
• 1 1/2 cups dry Champagne {or whatever bubbly stuff you prefer. I used sweet sparkling wine}
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur {optional}

Combine 3/4 cup sugar and 3/4 cup water in heavy small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil 1 minute. Cool. Refrigerate syrup until cold, about 45 minutes.

Puree enough strawberries (about 6 large) in blender to yield 1/2 cup puree. Transfer strawberry puree to large bowl. Mix grapefruit juice, Champagne, lemon juice and chilled syrup into strawberry puree. Pour mixture into 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan.

Freeze Champagne mixture until icy at edge of pan, about 55 minutes. Whisk to distribute frozen portions evenly. Freeze again until icy at edge of pan and overall texture is slushy, about 40 minutes. Whisk to distribute frozen portions evenly. Cover and freeze until mixture is solid, about 3 hours.

{Optional} Meanwhile, slice remaining strawberries. Place in large bowl and toss with remaining 1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 cup Grand Marnier. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours.

Using fork, scrape granita down length of pan, forming ice flakes. (Granita can be prepared up to 2 days ahead of time. Cover and freeze until ready to serve.) If desired, divide sliced strawberries equally among 6 wineglasses. Top with granita and serve immediately.

Rediscovered

Do you ever go through periods of time where you completely forget about {or outright ignore} certain items in your pantry?

You buy something without a particular purpose in mind and the next thing you know it travels to the pantry abyss, only to see the light of day when you go through one of your mad cleaning fits and declare that you will not rest until your kitchen looks like one of the pages of Real Simple magazine?

No? That's just me then? Oh.

A lot of the things that wind up in this area of my pantry are given to me by my Mom. She is known for giving away almost entirely full bags {or wholesale club sized boxes} of perfectly good stuff because she tried it and didn't like it, bought too much of it, or couldn't eat it because it wouldn't work with her diet du jour. {A lot of times I think she's just being nice and stocking my pantry since she knows I go through the basics so quickly}.

Such was the case with a bag of organic coconut sugar I {re}discovered earlier this week. I know I've seen it a bazillion times since she gave it to me, but it somehow fell into the "I have no idea what to do with this, but it looks interesting, so I'll figure it out later" category.

Well, I figured it out.

Used in place of brown sugar, this little gem sweetened up a pretty yummy glaze for a fish dinner that would have most likely been pretty blah otherwise. {Incidentally, coconut sugar has a low glycemic index and is supposedly better for you than other sweeteners. Who knew?}

Sorry for the tiny pic. Blogger refuses to resize this one. :(

I'm kinda glad I ran out of an ingredient and was forced to scavenge through my pantry. You should go check out what you've got in yours. It could lead to the next great culinary discovery. Or just a really delicious dinner.

Soy-Glazed Fish with Sauteed Zucchini & Rice
Adapted from Real Simple

2 tablespoons brown sugar {or coconut sugar if you happen to have it}
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon fresh grated ginger {or 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger powder}
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
kosher salt
1 to 2 10-oz. package{s} cod loins {thawed}

Optional sides:
White or Brown Rice, Quinoa, Couscous, etc.
Zucchini {2 medium or 1 large, cut how you like it}

Prepare your choice of starch {some suggestions listed above}.

For Fish:

Set oven to broil. {500 degrees}

In a small bowl, combine first 6 ingredients. Mix to form a thick paste. Set aside.

{If you'd like sauteed zucchini as a side, this is the time to make it because the fish cooks in under 10 minutes. I usually just cut it up and add it to a hot pan with 1 tbsp olive oil on medium high heat, sprinkle lightly with kosher salt, and sautee until slightly browned & caramelized in parts. Easy & one of my fave ways to eat zucchini. But you choose whatever veggies make your heart sing.}

Place fish on a foil lined {broiler safe}, baking sheet, and brush fillets with about 1 teaspoon olive oil. Lightly sprinkle with salt & pepper if desired.

Broil until the fish is opaque throughout, 5 to 7 minutes. Baste with the soy mixture twice during the last 2 minutes of cooking.

Serve on a bed of rice with sauteed veggies.

PINtervention

How many of you have become hopelessly obsessed with Pinterest? {Raising hand}

C'mon... don't be shy. You can come clean, there are no secrets here. {At this point, you've got to have plenty of dirt on me, so we're even.} ;)

For those of you that haven't yet discovered Pinterest {or are still on the "waiting list"... what's that all about??}, I'll tell you a little about it. Pinterest is a site where you can can keep a visual collection of ideas, pictures, and bookmarks on categorized "Boards", just like you might keep a bulletin board or vision board at home. The only problem with it seems to be that once you sit down and start browsing Pinterest, it's nearly impossible to pry yourself away.

It happens without warning. Starts out with a few innocent clicks and leads to digital idea hoarding. Because, you know, you might actually find the time to brilliantly repurpose every single empty container in your house and find the perfect scrap pieces of wood to build yourself a custom table/cabinet/shelving unit/headboard.

The worst part about Pinterest? You spend so much time finding GREAT ideas that you don't ever get up from behind the computer screen long enough to try them out. And then you feel guilty. Which makes you spend some more time clicking around trying to find pretty things to make yourself feel better.

It's a vicious cycle, folks. One that leads to trips to Home Depot, a longer "Honey Do" list, and more Nutella recipes in your life. {Which isn't necessarily a bad thing...}

You've been warned.

Anyway, now that I've thoroughly forewarned you about getting sucked into the madness, I must share with you a recipe that I found and actually made. It was love at first pin.

Chubby Hubby Bars

If you love the ice cream version of this stuff, you will want to marry the bar version. {Ha, and it has the word "hubby" in it! So clever.}

I adapted the recipe I found on Pinterest just a bit because I wanted to include some homemade Peanut Butter Caramel I had seen on an episode of Throwdown with Bobby Flay.



I also added a little malted milk powder into the cookie dough {which also happens to contain semi-sweet chocolate chips and chopped up pretzel pieces... yum} to mimic the Vanilla Malt Ice Cream that all the Chubby Hubby goodness comes swirled into. 

I have a feeling finds like these are only going to make my Pinterest addiction worse... but this is definitely a recipe you'll want to "repin"!

*You can follow me AND my addiction on Pinterest by clicking here.

Chubby Hubby Bars
Adapted from a recipe found Cookies & Cups through Pinterest


For the Peanut Butter Caramel
From Food Network


1/4 white sugar
1/4 water
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon corn syrup
Pinch of salt


1. Heat heavy cream in microwave or in a small saucepan until steaming {not boiling}.
2. In a small saucepan, heat sugar and water on high heat without stirring until it boils. Allow syrup to turn a light amber color. Keep an eye on this as it can burn very easily.
3. Carefully {it will bubble & boil} add heated heavy cream and whisk. Allow to cook for another 30 seconds to a minute.
4. Remove from heat and wisk in peanut butter, vanilla, corn syrup, and salt until smooth.
5. Pour into a heat safe bowl and set aside to cool.


For The Cookie Base:
2 sticks softened butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup malted milk powder {I used Carnation Malted Milk Powder}
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup heavy cream
Approx. 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Approx. 1 1/2 cups salted pretzels, coarsely chopped
Pretzels for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9×13 pan lightly with cooking spray.
2. Beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy.
3. Add eggs and vanilla, mix until incorporated.
4. On low speed add in salt, baking soda, malted milk powder, and flour a little at a time, mixing until just incorporated.
5. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, stir in approx. 1 cup of the chocolate chips and pretzel pieces by hand, as not to break up the pieces too small.
6. Spread in prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes. Let cool completely.
7. When cooled pour peanut butter caramel over the bars and spread evenly.
8. Chill in fridge for 15 minutes to set caramel.
9. On the stovetop or in a microwave safe measuring cup, heat 1/4 cup cream until steaming, and while hot, pour over approx. 1 cup chocolate chips in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth and chocolate is completely melted. Carefully spread chocolate over set caramel. While still wet, add pretzels for garnish if desired.
10. Put back in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or until chocolate is set.
11. Cut into squares when ready to serve.