Holiday Healthy Series: I Saved the Best for Last, Dessert!

Leaving milk and cookies out for Santa is so overdone, this year I decided to cleanse the palette of my dinner guests and Santa ;) with something just a tad sweet, slightly bitter and overall refreshing...nothing too decadent...just a bunch of dairy and brandy! YUM.

Tiramisu is a great dessert to serve, because of its light and fluffy, lady finger cookie base; paired well with the bitterness of the coffee, brandy and cocoa powder, I found that just a small slice was all people needed (perhaps with a little Christmas night cap eh!?) We've been eating to our hearts content, so a little something sweet after all the holiday cheer, turned all the of those on the naughty list, into very nice, stuffed, content, jolly, people.

Of course, I left my camera in San Francisco, so I Instagrammed, like back in the day. 

Traditionally, tiramisu is layered at least four or five times, with lady fingers and mascarpone cheese, but I was conservative, deciding on two layers (less overwhelming for health conscience dinner guests) and opted to use a larger dish (a casserole dish to be exact, so think a 9 X 13 inch dish). I served this over two different dinners and well, it was quite the hit!

Best part about this dish... no baking and you can make it a night ahead! WHOOPIE MORE TIME TO PREP FOR DINNER! A dessert you can literally throw together. #tiramisuisthenewblack

Classic Italian Tiramisu

Cocoa powder for daysssss

Adapted from What the Fruitcake?!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups, strong black coffee, cooled to room temperature (instant coffee is fine!)
• 3 Tbl. brandy (or dark rum)
• 2 packages (24 count), plain lady finger cookies 
• 2 eggs, separated 
• 3 Tbl. granulated sugar
• 2, 8 oz. containers of mascarpone cheese
• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped to medium peaks
• Cocoa powder for dusting
• Dark chocolate shavings (optional)

Directions:

1. Brew 2 cups of strong coffee and add 3 Tbl, of brandy. To speed up cooling process place bowl of coffee and brandy in the fridge. Make sure liquid is room temperature, not cold.

2. Beat sugar and egg yolks (the yellow part) with an electric mixer for about 3-5 minutes, or until the mixture becomes thick and pale in color.

3. Beat mascarpone until just combined.

4. Whip heavy whipping cream until medium (meaning semi standing up), peaks form. Gently add in whipping cream to mascarpone mixture.

5. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form (not quite standing on there on, but peaks). Carefully fold in egg whites to make mascarpone light and fluffy. 

6. Assemble tiramisu by dipping cookie for 2-3 seconds in coffee mixture, submerging only one side of the cookie. If you let the lady fingers soak, they will fall apart under the weight of the cheese. Drain any excess liquid as well. Place lady fingers in rows, filling up the dish. One package of lady fingers = one layer.

 

7. Once you've set your first layer of dipped lady fingers, evenly spread half of mascarpone mixture.

8. Dust cocoa powder liberally over layer of mascarpone. Hint! Using a tea stainer works just as well, that is, if you don't have a sifter. It's just a little more wrist action!

9. Repeat second layer: lady fingers, mascarpone, cocoa powder. 

10. Cover dish with plastic wrap and place in the fridge a few hours before serving, or overnight. This allows for the layers to set and the coffee/brandy to really soak in!

11. Optional: Shave some dark chocolate on top of slices of tiramisu. Using a cheese slicers or graters works great for this added touch!
MERRY NEW YEAR! Since Christmas is over... 

Holiday Healthy: "Baked Not Fried" - James Bond

Well I'm sure this is something James Bond would say if he tried these doughnuts.

After being nice to your health this holiday season, I think that it's finally, time to let your hair down a little for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and celebrate all of the decadent confections that the season has to offer. So, go on, let out your naughty side out and indulge in a fanciful Christmas breakfast or post-Christmas Eve dinner treat! 

These pumpkin and cinnamon sugar doughnuts stay true to the Kneading Sass motto of simple and skinnied, and have been baked (instead of fried!) to perfection. Go ahead and dunk these sassy sweets in your morning coffee or perhaps, a piping cup of spiked, hot cocoa. ;)

 

You'll certainly have a sweet start to your Christmas festivities as these baked bounties are only 

253 calories each! JOY TO THE WORLD INDEED!

Pumpkin Spice Doughnuts Topped with Cinnamon Sugar

Adapted from Kirbie Cravings

Ingredients: 

• 1 1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour 
• 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• cooking spray, for doughnut tin

Cinnamon Sugar Topping

• 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 2 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray doughnut pan with cooking spray to prevent doughnuts from sticking. I recommend re-spraying between batches.

2. Mix all the wet ingredients and then all of the dry ingredients until batter is smooth.  

3. Fill greased doughnut pans 3/4 of the way, as the batter will expand when baking. 

4. Allow for doughnuts to bake for 15 minutes. Let doughnuts cool for a few minutes before dipping in cinnamon sugar.

5. Combine 3/4 cup sugar and 2 tsp of cinnamon in a bowl. Dip slightly, cooled doughnuts in cinnamon sugar. Serve immediately. This recipes makes 21 doughnuts. 

Note: If you are not serving immediately, do not dip in sugar. Place in an airtight tupperware, lined with parchment paper. Dip in cinnamon sugar, when it's ready to be served. I served these with some chocolate whipped cream on the side! It altered that calorie count, but it was well worth it!

Holiday Healthy Series: Guilt-Free Carb Loading, Making the Impossible, Possible!

Maybe you're not running a race, but you're craving carbs this holiday and that just seems like the LAST thing you want to consume. If I've learned anything about healthy eating (not just during the holiday!), is that it's important to pay attention to your cravings, because ignoring them is torture! So if you eat regularly, healthy meals, exercise as often as you can and stay active, indulging in a craving certainly won't undue anything! 

I feel like a common craving and overindulgence for many, are carbs...complex carbs to be exact. Pasta is a quick, easy and inexpensive dish to prepare on a moment's notice, but it's gotten a lot of bad rep because it's super starchy and usually piled high with ooey gooey cheese and other gut-busting ingredients. I've had my qualms about using wheat and whole grain pasta, but for heavier,  (sometimes cream based pasta dishes), a wheat pasta holds the thick sauces well and is often masked by the heaviness of the dish all together. Plus wheat pasta rations well, it's heavy enough that hefty second and thirds, are just not possible. Remember, with the right seasoning, no one will never know it's wheat!  

Pumpkin puree is plentiful these days, but pumpkin anything is SO overdone. Adding pumpkin puree in lieu of masses of heavy cream and lots of cheese, makes for the creamiest, most delightful fettuccine! Trust me, you won't lose that creamy texture when reheating days later!

By making this pumpkin fettuccine I've learned you can indulge in the best, without often indulging at all. I know you are thinking lies, but using a few substitutions (that you will barely notice!), will help you stay on track...not just this holiday season, but all year round! 

Make this your go-to carb loading dish with these guilt-free substitutions: 

• 1 cup of canned pumpkin puree instead of 2 cups of heavy cream
• 3/4 cups low-fat milk + 1/2 Tbl. of butter instead of heavy cream
• 8 oz. of whole wheat fettuccine pasta instead of 8 oz. regular fettuccine

Creamy and festive

Note: For those sassy readers that are vegan or lactose-free, almond milk and margarine, nicely replace the milk and butter in this recipe. Shout out to my gluten-free sassy cats! You can always sub the wheat pasta with rice pasta instead. 

Pumpkin and Sage Fettuccine

Piping hot and delicious! 

Adapted from Camille Styles

Ingredients:

• 1 cup, canned, pumpkin puree
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 oz. wheat fettuccine pasta, cooked to pasta instructions (or rice pasta if you are gluten-free)
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 1 Tbl. butter or margarine (for garlic)
• 1 Tbl. butter or margarine, melted (added to milk)
• 3/4 cup low-fat milk (or 1 cup plain, almond milk) 
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning 
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp red chili flakes
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 4-5 fresh sage leaves, stems removed and julienned (this means thinly sliced!)

Directions:

1. Boil pasta as directions recommend. Once pasta is done, set aside and drain, do not rinse with cold water!
2. In a large saucepan, add olive oil and 1 Tbl. butter to medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook until slightly golden and fragrant, about 3 minutes. 
3. Add pumpkin puree, additional, melted 1 Tbl. of butter and low-fat milk. Stir in Italian seasoning (made my own!), nutmeg (brings out that lovely, pumpkin-y flavor), chili flakes salt and pepper. 
4. Stir and simmer sauce until ingredients combine thoroughly and sauce becomes smooth, about 6-7 minutes on medium-low heat. 
5. Add in pasta to sauce, coating evenly. 
6. Garnish with fresh sage (and maybe a sprinkle of Parmesan too!) 

Thanks MP for taking these great photos!

Holiday Healthy Series: The Skinny on Mozzarella Sticks and What To Do with that Leftover Kale?

DOUBLE WHAMMY! Yes, there are two, recipes in this week's holiday healthy series.

I imagine that these skinny mozzarella sticks are perfect for tailgating or freezing for the next party that comes around (these keep VERY well in the freezer, by the way). So the question is, why not just buy store bought? Give this recipe a try and you will taste the difference. The double Panko breadcrumbs layering on these bad boys make these crunchy, gives lots of texture and is way less soggy than anything you might buy store bought. I added my own Italian seasoning to the breadcrumbs and I could really taste the difference.

Frozen sticks? Thaw these guys for at least 15 minutes at room temperature. For long term storage, store in plastic tupperware.

I used about 2 inches of canola oil to fry these puppies! Look at that golden crust!

Run-of-the-mill bar food, or a gourmet appetizer that is not only vegetarian, but will keep hungry party-goers nice and full. 

These sticks are served great with marinara, honey mustard, or chipotle aioli (if you are looking for a kick!)

Skinny Mozzarella Sticks

Adapted from The Vegetarian Ginger 

Ingredients:

Here's how I set up my assembly line!

• 1 pack of 24 low-fat Mozzarella string cheese
• 1 3/4 cups of Panko breadcrumbs
• 4 tsp. of your favorite Italian seasoning blend ( I used: oregano, basil, garlic powder and black pepper)
• 3/4 cup of flour
• 4 eggs, beaten until fluffy
• Canola oil, filling pan at about 2 inches

Directions:

1. In 2 separate plates, pour flour and then Panko breadcrumbs. Season breadcrumbs with herbs and mix well. 
2. Beat eggs in a separate bowl until fluffy. 
3. Unwrap cheese and half mozzarella string cheese, to make 24 whole sticks into 48 halves. 
4. Roll cheese in flour, shaking off any excess. Then batter in egg and finally roll in breadcrumbs. 
5. Repeat battering cheese stick in egg and second layer of Panko, this will make it extra crunchy! 
6. Place breaded mozzarella sticks on a cookie sheet. Once all of the cheese has been breaded, place them in the freezer for at least 2 hrs and cover loosely with plastic wrap. This will allow the breadcrumbs to set, making sure that the breading does not fall apart once it goes  into the hot oil. 
7. In a shallow pan (a wok works well for this as well!), heat 2 inches of canola oil on medium-low heat. Test the oil with a breadcrumb to make sure that it does not sink to the bottom of the pan, but rather floats to the top. Once it does this, fry 5-6 mozzarella sticks at a time. 
8. Remove them as they begin to brown and crisp (about 4 mins.) and let the oil drain on a plate covered in paper towel. Serve immediately, or line tupperware with parchment paper to reheat at 200 degrees later. 

Holiday Healthy Series: A Hearty Winter Salad, Is There Such A Thing?

The answer is a resounding, YES! I know that beginning of the holiday season and winter signals many of us to go into hibernation mode, thus justifying our unhealthy eating habits. So how do we satisfy cravings for something hearty, filling and comforting; a winter salad? Serving this superfood salad at your next holiday party or dinner will not only impress your guests because it's delicious, but actually leave them full!

Let's just gloss over why this salad is packed with superfoods, great flavors and a delight for any holiday celebration:

• Dark greens: Using a leafy green such as kale, often leads to a full tummy because it's full of fiber. Hint: Kale absorbs dressings and oils pretty slowly, so the longer you let the your kale soak (think like 30 minutes), the better it will taste. This is definitely to your advantage if you are severing kale salad at a potluck or party because you know your salad won't be soggy or ruined if you leave it out for longer than usual. 
• Protein: Adding seeds or nuts give salad a less than boring texture and will trick your mind into feeling fuller with all that crunch! Plus the added benefit of protein in just a 1/4 cup!
• Homemade dressing: Making a dressing using vinegars, oils, citrus and spices; create a few robust flavors that take your dressing from blah to BAM! Add a little greek yogurt to slim down creamier, dressing recipes. 
• Using avocado: Will often do the trick, in place of cheese, especially if you are looking for a creaminess. 
• Balance out flavors with fruit: Use fruit year-round. There are plenty of winter fruits, like persimmon, that are abundantly available. Persimmon is often used in sweeter dishes and puddings, but is perhaps seldom used, all together, because of its faux tomato appearance? Note: Persimmons are for the more patient food enthusiasts, as they are often too hard to eat and ripen over a week or two of sitting on the kitchen counter. BUT if you a forgetful one, maybe this is blessing in disguise? 

Persimmons not quite soft yet? Leave them for a week at room temperature to ripen

While some people don't really view salad as a stand alone meal, pairing it with a lean protein like chicken breast (need a recipe, find it here!) or salmon, might coax you into eating more salad this winter, rather than a side of (your favorite starchy dish here).

Have I convinced you yet?

If these vibrant pictures don't convert you to salad this winter, maybe some "skinny" Mozzarella Sticks and homemade aioli, featured in Kneading Sass's next Holiday Healthy series, will get to your waistline...or not! :)

Persimmon and Kale Salad

This colorful salad is a great addition to any holiday party!

Kneading Sass original

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch of lacto or dinosaur kale, washed, dried, torn off the stem
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 1 persimmon, washed and sliced thinly
• 1/4 cup of pepita seeds, or any chopped nut such as walnuts or pecans (perhaps candied!)
• 1/4 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese (optional)

Dressing:

• 2 Tbl. olive oil
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 Tbl. honey or agave
• 1 Tbl. balsamic vinegar
• 1 garlic clove, minced finely
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Wash kale bunch and dry throughly. Tear kale leaves from stem, which is distastefully, sour. Coarsely chop kale and set aside in a large mixing bowl. Juice half of one lemon over kale and "massage" kale until throughly coated. This process allows the kale to soften a bit and allow for the flavors to saturate the kale better.
2. To make the dressing: In a bowl combine olive oil, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, agave, garlic, salt and pepper with a whisk. Set aside to pour over kale later.
3. Slice persimmon in half, and then into paper thin slices. Add to kale. Slice avocado and add crumbled gorgonzola to kale as well.
4. Toast pepita seeds, or leave them raw (like I did!). There is also the option to use chopped walnuts or pecans in this salad.
5. Toss kale with dressing until it coats leaves evenly. This salad soaks the flavors of the dressing as you leave it out longer, but serving immediately is fine as well!

Holiday Healthy Series: Festive Pesto

The holidays are in full swing for some, but for those who do most of their entertaining around Christmas time (ahem, me), I know many that of you are watching your waistline (or trying to!). Trust me, it can be rather challenging to serve dishes that are healthy, yet satisfying to all types of palates and diets you might be catering to this season. It's very tempting when I see a recipes for homemade peppermint bark, fudge, cookies, cupcakes etc., ooey gooey this or that, stuffed x, y, z...it's all lovely until the holidays are over, leaving many of us feeling sluggish from excessive eating, bitter from the cold weather and participating in little exercise.

Let's change that.

I've decide to write a series of "holiday healthy" appetizers, main dishes, sides and desserts; believe me, your guests will thank you later for thinking of their health! Each week I'll feature a dish that celebrates the slightly cheesy, but cheery spirit of the holidays, while sneakily cutting calories where you don't need them!

So focus on eating and preparing amazing food this holiday. Start 2013 feeling sassy as ever, rather than feeling guilty about indulging this winter!

Let's talk about pesto; it is so universal, that I had to feature it again! It can be used in a number of ways: use it as a dip, perhaps on top of your favorite goat cheese or chevre (alongside some crostini or fancy crackers), get creative and spread it on sandwiches, wraps or homemade pizza, stir it into your favorite pasta (or spaghetti squash!), layer it in a lasagna, or serve it on top of some homemade polenta...as I've done below.

I added some sun dried tomatoes to make this pesto festively, red and green. Guests will be impressed with the fact this is homemade, healthy and unbelievably addictive....just don't tell them it took you less than 10 minutes! :)

Okay, so here's the awesome the thing about polenta: it's healthy (the sugar in corn is natural), it's gluten-free (as is the pesto); with a consistency similar to grits, it's a relatively, rich and filling main dish, so a little goes a long way.

Polenta does take some TLC to make it just right, so you might be at the stove, stirring, occasionally, for about 20-30 minutes.

Creamy Polenta Topped with Sun Dried Tomato Pesto and Spicy Andouille Sausage

Ingredients:

For Pesto (slightly, amended recipe below):

This pesto packs a lot of flavor without the calories

• 1 large bunch of fresh basil, washed and dried throughly 
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 3-4 Tbl. extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
• 1/2 cup dried, sun dried tomatoes (I found these at Trader Joe's) 
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

For Polenta:

• 1 cup loose polenta grains (can be found in the baking section of your local grocery store)
• 4 cups water
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 Tbl. butter
• Grated Parmesan to sprinkle on top

Directions:

For Pesto:

1. In a food processor, blend basil leaves, torn off the stems and about 2 Tbl. of extra virgin olive oil. Blend until basil looks like a paste.
2. Toast pine nuts in a skillet for a few minutes on medium heat to rid of its bitterness, when eaten raw. Once toasted, let pine nuts cool and then blend into basil paste.
3. Add garlic, blend; then add Parmesan cheese and blend again. I used the "puree" setting on my food processor to chop the ingredients as fine as possible. 
4. Add sun dried tomato, remaining olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Blend until mixed well. Color will be an slightly, unattractive, red/brown, but let me tell you...the taste is DIVINE!
5. This recipe makes about 1-1 1/2 cups of pesto. Store in air tight container for 5-7 days or freeze in ziploc bag for up 2 months. 

For Polenta:

1. In a non-stick saucepan, boil 4 cups of water with 1 tsp. of salt. 
2. Once water is boiling, add 1 cup polenta and whisk until thick (about 2-3 minutes). 
3. Reduce heat to medium-low, stirring polenta occasionally for about 25-30 minutes until thick. 
4. During last few minutes of cooking add in butter and pepper; continue to stir. Consistency should be thick and similar to cooked grits. 
5. Top with freshly grated Parmesan, sun dried tomato pesto (and spicy sausage, as I've done here!) Shredded chicken or slow cooked chicken, ground beef or turkey would be great on this dish as well. Try topping a runny or sunny side egg for a delicious, gluten-free brunch!
6. Store polenta in air tight container for up 3 or 4 days. 

Gobble Gobble on this post-Thanksgiving meal

Happy Thanksgiving friends! I considered doing the traditional post on, "my favorite dishes", celebrating this Turkey Day, but I decided to change things up a bit...going with something a little more practical, and figure-friendly (since that's what we are all thinking about now, our weight or staying in shape!) While I have no shame or guilt in pigging out on this beloved holiday (oh, and I so did!), I also feel like the day after Thanksgiving, also known as, Black Friday was titled it's ominous name, from regretful over indulgence, undoubtedly happening the day before... like really, I'm still hungry the day after Thanksgiving?! (surprise, surprise!) The first thing I did this morning was a eat a bowl of cereal, still no shame...

So the real question is, what can I eat, the days after Thanksgiving, without feeling like a hefer? the answer is, spaghetti squash my dear friends. Trick yourself into a fake carb overload by tossing your favorite sauce (think pesto, marinara, bolognese etc.) with spaghetti squash. I know your stomaches have already been stretched by Thanksgiving, so this dish is perfect for getting it back into shape, without compromising big flavors and skimping on fullness!

My recipe below includes instructions on preparing spaghetti squash, as well as a hearty, yet healthy Turkey Bolognese sauce. What I love about making my own bolognese is that I can control the amount of ingredients that go into it and it can be frozen and saved for a lazy, rainy day or, perhaps, the days after Thanksgiving part deux, also known as Christmas!

So go ahead and indulge in a delicious dinner that's under 350 calories. You'll fool everyone with how meaty this dish is and how full everyone will feel!

Spaghetti Squash with Homemade Turkey Bolognese

Perfect for a rainy day or post-holiday meal that feeds a crowd!

Adapted from Personal Chef Appraoch

Ingredients:

• 1 spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise, with the seeds and pulp removed
• 1 28 oz. can season diced tomatoes ( or unseasoned, whichever you prefer)
• 1 1/4 lbs. lean ground turkey
• 2 Tbl. olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 Tbl. red wine (optional)
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• salt and pepper to taste
• pinch of cayenne pepper (for ground turkey)

Directions:

Instructions for roasting spaghetti squash:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Rinse Squash and cut, lengthwise. Remove seeds and stringy pulp. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 
3. In a baking dish, fill dish with 1/2 inch of water. Place squash in water bed and bake for 30-35 minutes. 
4. Remove from oven and water bed and let it stand for 5 minutes until cool enough to touch. 
5. With a fork, begin scraping the inside of the squash. The squash will peel into strings, looking like long pieces of spaghetti. One squash makes about 2 1/2 cups of "spaghetti". Store unused spaghetti in air tight container for up to several days.

Squash disguised as spaghetti!

Instructions for turkey bolognese: 

1. Heat 1 Tbl. of olive oil in a non-stick pan. Add ground turkey and break up into pieces with a wooden spoon. Season with pepper, cayenne pepper, garlic powder and Italian seasoning, to taste.  Cook turkey until no longer pink, for about 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
2. Remove turkey from heat and place on plate. To keep turkey warm, place plate in the microwave to insulate heat. 
3. In the same pan, add 1 Tbl. olive oil, chopped onions and carrots. Cook  on medium-high heat, until soft, about 6-8 minutes. Add chopped garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute. 
4. Add can of crushed tomatoes, red wine and season with Italian seasoning, oregano, basil, salt and pepper to taste. Let this simmer for about 15 minutes. 
5. Remove from heat and add cooked ground turkey.
6. Plate spaghetti squash and top with bolognese. Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and basil. 

Sometimes You've Got To Try S'more

Well Oreo and marshallow sounded like a dream pairing to me, heaven in a cupcake! I was eager to try baking these ooey, gooey, decadent, triple chocolate chip cupcakes, until I realized something terrible had gone wrong. And so I learned a quite a few things about baking with marshmallows (trust me, they are tricky buggers!):

1. Placing a marshmallow in the middle of a cupcake liner makes it pretty difficult to fill the rest of the cupcake with batter. If your batter is thin, consider yourself lucky; if it's on the thicker side, using your fingers is a must.

2. Leave these cupcakes (and perhaps other recipes containing marshmallow) in the over for a tad bit longer, and your marshmallow with evaporate completely! WOMP! (sorry for those few that won't be biting into a s'more surprise!) Luckily, there is a ton of chocolate so you'll get a nice sugar rush still.

3. Expect the marshmallow to overflow a bit, it's not you, it's the marshmallow. Better to undercook these guys than overcook them. Take a look at Batch #2, undercooking actually can lead to a caved in cupcake and some cracking.

Note to self: NEVER buy cupcake liners for Crate & Barrel! They are cheap, cake sticks to the them no matter what, so you must gnaw at your cupcake with your teeth like a barbarian!

I'd like to remake these cupcakes again someday, as they certainly did not turn out the way I expected them too, but the s'more you learn the s'more you know, right?! Yes, I took this s'more thing out of hand, apologies.

Moral of this mishap: Try making these again!

Below a recap, in photos, of the s'more catastrophe, recipe is linked above and here:

Evaporated marshmallow center

Batch #2, a little undercooked, but definitely on to something here!

Caving and cracking, baking is truly a science to be mastered!

Cheap cupcake liners do this.  

See the surprise...

And now you don't! Cupcakes should come out easily, like this one

I'll definitely need to try this recipe again, this time using different liners and adjusting the amount of time they bake in the over (perhaps, also the temperature?)

One day I'll find my baking sweet spot with this one...until then, I'll just have to keep trying!

Go Sassy or Go Home!

You may have noticed a few new changes to Kneading Sass. I'm finally getting around to using my logo, wherever I can, including as the header for this blog! I've also, kindly spammed many of you to like, share and follow my Facebook page found here. (See how I am shamelessly promoting it again!) An just in case you are curious, my Twitter handle is @KneadingSass.

Now that we've got business out of the way...it's time to talk about food... and chicken breast to be exact! Chicken is a very versatile meat and chicken breast can be made a million and one ways. And while that's all fine and dandy, I am notorious for overcooking my chicken. It's pretty awful and I am a bit ashamed to admit it but, frankly, I know many cooking enthusiasts  that are fearful of cooking, chicken (compared to other meats) simply because they are afraid of serving something a little too pink, a tad undercooked...  and well, chicken is one of few meats, that CANNOT be served raw! What a lose/lose, right? Except there is hope!

Breading your chicken is a tried and true way for locking in the natural moisture and juices that make chicken tender and delicious. Let's not forget it creates a wonderful texture and crunch that can really give a little umph to the everyday, boring piece of chicken breast. Now, I know people don't usually equate breading with healthy eating, but using Panko breadcrumbs is a more figure friendly way to bread a sub par piece of chicken.

Panko breadcrumbs are not only less fattening than regular breadcrumbs, but they are much larger than your normal breadcrumbs. You'll need a scant amount of Panko to cover the same amount of surface area as compared to the regular stuff (very scientific sounding I know!) You can also lightly toast your breadcrumbs in a skillet, to bring out its buttery flavor, sans using any butter, as well as add whatever spices to the Panko, to give your chicken even more flavor.

See how I turned that into a win/win?

Goat Cheese, Mozzarella, Olive Stuffed Panko Chicken Breast

So crispy, so delicious

Kneading Sass original 

Ingredients:

• 1 chicken breasts partially halved
• 2 oz. favorite goat cheese, about half of a standard-sized log of goat cheese ( I used Cypress Lavender and Honey, it's my favorite herbed goat cheese)
• 2 pieces, sliced, then halved, mozzarella (or use 2 small, handfuls of shredded mozzarella) 
• 1 Tb. chopped olives
• 1 egg white, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs, seasoned with: dried oregano, dried basil, garlic powder, pepper, Italian seasoning and fresh, grated Parmesan, to taste

Directions: 

1. Preheat over to 400 degrees. Spray cookie sheet with Pam, any other cooking spray, to prevent chicken from sticking to the sheet. 
2. Half chicken breasts, make a deeps slit, but not cutting in half all the way through. Layer sliced mozzarella, crumble desired amount of goat cheese and sliced olives. This order prevents any of the filling from falling out. 
3. In a shallow dish lightly beat eggs whites. In another shallow dish, mix Panko breadcrumbs and herbs. 
4. Carefully coat chicken in egg white mixture. Using a pastry brush to egg wash the top of the chicken breast would be easiest, instead of turning over stuffed chicken (and possibly losing all the good stuff inside!) 
5. Place chicken breast in the dish with breadcrumbs, using your hands or a spoon to evenly coat the top of the chicken as well. 
6. Place in the oven for about 40 minutes, or until the internal temperature is 170 degrees or no longer pink. 
7. This recipe serves 2, but can easily be scaled up to serve more people. I served this dish with a side of garlicky, cooked spinach. 

Speaking of Pumpkin Pie...

Don't you hate when you get five tins of fudge during the holidays?! Somehow I receive three dozen cookies, each year and I am certain that I can barely get through a dozen of any baked goods, on my own, let alone sharing gifted, baked goods with family and friends. I feel a bit guilty, because whoever took the time, effort and love to make those delicious morsels of holiday goodness, was probably overwhelmed by the number of friends, family and neighbors he or she was expecting to give gifts too...now their homemade fudge that took 2 days to make, is now in the trash. It really is a shame.

But the reality of the matter is that you are embarrassed at the fact that you've doubled up (again!) on generic pumpkin pie from Costco, knowing that probably only half of one pie will be eaten? We've all made this blunder, it's the gesture that counts.

So, now, what's an alternative solution to making baked goods that reflect the warmth and kindness of the holiday seasons, without spending too much time, money and (unintentionally) unrecognized effort? 

The answer is tassies and they are fabulous! At first, I thought tassie was a typo or some made up cutes-y name, but it's a real name to describe a miniature sized pie. It seems to have come from the word "taza", or cup, in Spanish, because that is exactly what it is...a mini pastry cup that holds all of the flavor and decadence of a pie, in one small bite. DEFYING SCIENCE (or so I'd like to think!)

Below is recipe for Pumpkin Almond Tassies; it's buttery, full of vibrant pumpkin spice, a touch of sweet maple and a nice crunch of almonds to finish; it aspires to quell the desire to overindulge, especially alongside other tempting desserts lingering around the Thanksgiving table. 

Behind, a whole slice of pie, in one bite! Pinch yourself, THIS IS REAL.

Pumpkin Almond Tassies

Feel like you can never have too much pumpkin pie!

Adapted from Lauren's Latest

Ingredients:

• 15 oz packaged rolled refrigerated pie crust (2 crusts) (or you can make your own pie crust as well!)
• 3/4 can of pumpkin
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/3 cup of sliced almonds (or any other nut you have on hand would work nicely with this dessert)
• 2 Tb brown sugar
• 1 Tb melted butter
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• pinch of salt
• maple syrup (optional, for drizzling over cooked tassies)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare mini cupcake tins by unrolling pie crust. Using 2 1/2 inch round cookie cutter.  I used a small leaf-shaped cookie cutter and used 4 leaves to fill the bottoms, ensuring that there were no gaps for the filling to seep through. 
2. To make the filling: combine pumpkin, sugar, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Add in egg and stir until combined. Gradually add in milk, until just combined. 
3. For almond topping: stir together almond slices, brown sugar and melted butter.
4. Spoon 1 teaspoon of filling into each pastry-lined cup. Top each with a sprinkling of almond topping.
5. Bake for about 35 minutes, until filling is set and crust has a golden brown coloring. Removing tassies might be difficult when the tin is hot out of the oven; try waiting about five minutes and use a spoon to aid in removing finicky tassies. If desired, when tassies are still warm, top with a drizzle of maple syrup, it should soak up quickly into the filling. 
6. Serve warm or at room temperature. These bad boys would go amazingly with a small dollop of whipped cream. Serving size for this recipe is 24 (or two dozen)

To store: Place tassies in a single layer in an airtight container; cover. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months; thaw about 1 hour at room temperature before serving.

Poppers perfect for any potluck party

See the alliteration going on here? Yes, I went there. So I am very excited to be ramping up Kneading Sass into a catering service, of sorts! It's all very new, exciting and a bit daunting, but I just have to take it with stride and LOTS of sass. 

So I've been cooking up a storm (ah! Sorry no pun intended, especially with Sandy going on), but I have been in the kitchen a good amount, trying new recipes, perfecting old ones and catering to parties more than 6. (Yikes! I can so do this!)

While I've been pinning to my Kneading Sass Pinterest, yes I am shamelessly plugging myself in my own blog, I stumbled upon this great recipe for jalepenos poppers. Now don't get me wrong, I love the deep fried version of these bad boys, but let's be realistic, with the holidays approaching and numerous parties to help us consume deliciously, decadent finger foods, we are in real danger. I wanted to keep the crisp and bite that makes jalepeno poppers so awesome, without compromising on flavor or texture, BUT skipping out on the grease and fat. 

The trick, wonton papers people! Anything wrapped in wonton paper is instantly presentable and gourmet. So let's take this sloppy popper and turn into delicate appetizer, with all the flavor, heat and gooey goodness of the real thing. 

Baked Wonton Jalepeno Poppers

Prior to baking, wrapped and ready to go!

Used my handy Silpat here, baked these bad boys. Next try, I want to try pan frying them!

Adapted from Heart Mind & Seoul

Ingredients:

• 1 can (4 oz.) diced jalepenos 
• 1 package (8 oz.) light cream cheese
• a few handfuls of Mexican blend shredded cheese
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• olive oil or cooking spray, such as Pam
• cookie sheet, lightly greased
• 1/2 package (about 28) wonton wrappers

Directions

1. Combine cream cheese, jalapeno peppers, and spices in a small bowl and mix well. 
2. Place a spoonful of the mixture in the center of wonton wrapper. Wet all edges of the wrapper using fingertips. (Wet your fingertips with water.) Roll gently and seal.
3. Spray the prepared wontons with cooking spray and bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes, or until the wrappers are golden brown.
4. Serve with sweet chili sauce. This recipe can be easily doubled, using all of the wonton wrappers. I plan on trying this recipe again, this time pan frying the second batch.