Working in the PR biz, we cross paths with many food editors and writers. One of those editors is Jennifer Perillo from Working Mother, In Jennie’s Kitchen and Food 52. We’ve had the opportunity to work with her on stories as well as dine with her a time or two at a great NY hot spot. Sadly, Jennifer’s husband Mikey passed away suddenly earlier this week and the food community has been trying to figure out a way to help Jennifer and their two children. In this touching blog post from In Jennie’s Kitchen, she writes “for those asking what they can do to help my healing process, make a peanut butter pie this Friday and share it with someone you love.” Here’s the SacFoodies take on Jennifer’s recipe. Hope we did her and Mikey proud.
Creamy Peanut Butter Pie
8 ounces chocolate cookies
4 tablespoons butter, melted
4 ounces finely chopped chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup chopped peanuts
1 cup heavy cream
8 ounces cream cheese
1 cup creamy-style peanut butter
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
1 – 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Add the cookies to the bowl of a food processor and pulse into fine crumbs. Combine melted butter and cookie crumbs in a small bowl, and stir with a fork to mix well. Press mixture into the bottom and 1-inch up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan.
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave. Pour over bottom of cookie crust and spread to the edges using an off-set spatula. Sprinkle chopped peanuts over the melted chocolate. Place pan in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.
Pour the heavy cream into a bowl and beat using a stand mixer or hand mixer until stiff peaks form. Transfer to a small bowl and store in refrigerator until ready to use. Place the cream cheese and peanut butter in a deep bowl. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and gradually beat in the confectioner’s sugar. Add the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract and lemon juice. Increase speed to medium and beat until all the ingredients are combined and filling is smooth.
Stir in 1/3 of the whipped cream into the filling mixture (helps lighten the batter, making it easier to fold in the remaining whipped cream). Fold in the remaining whipped cream. Pour the filling into the prepared springform pan. Drizzle the melted chocolate on top, if using, and refrigerate for three hours or overnight before serving.
Makes 10 – 12 servings
Recipe courtesy of In Jennie’s Kitchen
One Pot Dinner
When I think of potlucks, the first thing that comes to mind is comfort food that can be easily prepared in advance and that will be appetizing to a variety of palates. One of my favorite go-to recipes utilizes my favorite cooking technique (aka the “set it and forget it” crock pot). It also satisfies any “meat-atarian” who is looking for an easy way to combine bacon, beef and beans into one delicious dish. Plus, the ketchup, liquid smoke and brown sugar makes a delicious BBQ flavor that can’t be beat!
One Pot Dinner
Ingredients
1/2 – 1 lb. ground beef
3/4 lb. bacon, cut into small pieces
1 cup chopped onion
1 medium size can of pork and beans
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 can lima beans, drained
1 cup ketchup
1/4 tablespoon liquid smoke
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoon white vinegar (I use what I have)
1 teaspoon salt, dash pepper
Directions
Brown beef in skillet.
Add beef and remaining ingredients to crock pot.
Cook on low for 4-6 hours.
A couple SacFoodie tips: 1. Make this dish in advance and refrigerate it the night before to enhance the flavor. 2. Microwave the bacon just a little to remove some of the grease before adding it to the crock pot.
Pigs in a Blanket
Pigs in a Blanket, Franks in Jackets, Devils on Horsebacks, Biscuit Dogs – regardless of what you know them as, these crescent roll-covered sausages sure do hold their own among the grilled cheese sandwiches, potato salads and pot pies of the world.
When we landed on an All-American theme for the SacFoodies potluck, I thought I’d try my hand at making this classic finger food because, well…I had never had a pig in a blanket before (so very un-American of me)! For fear of botching up such a classic dish, I did my research and landed on the below recipe from Pillsbury for what they’ve deemed “Crescent Dogs.” This recipe puts a bit of a twist on the original pig in a blanket recipe by adding in a gooey surprise: melted cheese rolled up in each “blanket!”
Recipe: Pigs in a Blanket/ “Crescent Rolls”
Ingredients
- 8 hot dogs (you can also use mini sausage links)
- 4 slices American cheese, each cut into 6 strips
- 1 can Pillsbury refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375 degrees.
- Slit hot dogs to within 1/2 inch of the ends and insert 3 strips of cheese into each slit (SacFoodies note: using mini sausage links, I found it easier to simply place a couple pieces of cheese on top of the sausage links).
- Separate dough into triangle and wrap around each hot dog.
- Place on ungreased cookie sheet, cheese side up.
- Bake at 375 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Quick and Easy Chicken Pot Pie
When challenged to come up with an All-American entrée for our recent Sac Foodies potluck, I must admit I was stumped. I thumbed through all my recipes two times over and finally stumbled upon a Chicken Pot Pie recipe I never made before. While I hesitated to make a dish I’d never made before for a large group, I figured if it wasn’t good, I wouldn’t be blogging about it – so, the good news is they liked it!
I can’t even give proper credit where it is due since the edges of this recipe were so poorly torn from the page of a magazine – remember, I had to dig deep for this one. Anyway, I definitely give it high praise for perfectly meeting my quick and easy criteria: less than 10 ingredients and preparation in less than 45 minutes start to finish.
For busy moms like me, leftovers are a saving grace some nights, especially in the early part of a busy week. This recipe makes a great night-two meal with left-over grilled or baked chicken, and the beauty of it is you can experiment with added vegetables of any combination you prefer. So, get creative and enjoy!
Recipe: Quick and Easy Chicken Pot Pie
Ingredients
- 1 package (12 oz) frozen mixed veggies – carrots, green beans and peas, or other combination
- ½ cup chopped yellow onion
- 2 chicken breasts, baked or pan fried, then cubed. Or, if you’re in a hurry, buy 2 packages of the pre-cooked diced chicken breast (6 oz each)
- 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup OR cream of mushroom soup
- ¼ cup reduced fat sour cream
- 2 tablespoons spicy mustard
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 package crescent roll dough
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375.
- Spray 11×7-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Mix frozen veggies and onion in baking dish and cover, then microwave for 4 minutes on high or until just tender.
- In a separate bowl, stir together remaining ingredients (except dough) until thoroughly mixed.
- Add chicken mixture to vegetable mixture and stir gently, then microwave covered for 2 minutes on High.
- Stir, then microwave 2 more minutes until steaming hot.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Remove dough from package and unroll into 2 long rectangles. Pinch perforations together to seal. Place over chicken mixture in baking dish and press against edges to form a rim.
- Bake 17 to 20 minutes until dough is golden brown and mixture underneath is bubbly.
- Serves 6.
Macaroni and Cheese
Potluck recipes- as promised!
My approach to potlucks has changed over the years. Previously, I would use the party goers as my guinea pigs to try new recipes I found interesting. However, after many failed dishes, I’ve changed my strategy and have tried to hone in on a few signature dishes that work well in any crowd. For desserts, it’s usually my Peach and Raspberry Crisp, but when I want to bring something savory, I like this Macaroni & Cheese recipe that I made a few small changes to from AllRecipes. I like my Mac & Cheese to have a little bite, so I don’t skimp on the dry mustard and prefer to use an extra sharp cheddar. We’ve used this recipe as a base and have added bacon, peas, even a little cayenne pepper for a kick. Enjoy!
Recipe: Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 8 ounces macaroni
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 small onion, minced
- 1 tablespoon flour
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 1/2 cup milk
- 2 cups shredded extra sharp Cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Grease a 2-quart casserole dish.
- Place the panko crumbs into a small bowl and mix well with the melted butter; set aside.
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
- Add macaroni and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain, then place into prepared casserole dish.
- While the pasta is cooking, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Stir in the minced onion and cook until the onion softens and turns translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the flour, salt, pepper and dry mustard until incorporated, then pour in the milk and bring to a simmer.
- Simmer, stirring constantly until the milk has thickened, about 10 minutes.
- Take the milk off of the heat and stir in the Cheddar cheese until melted.
- Pour cheese sauce over the macaroni, then sprinkle evenly with buttered bread crumbs.
- Bake until the top is golden and bubbly, about 20 minutes.
- For an extra crispy top, broil for a few minutes, but we keep a close eye on it so it doesn’t burn.