Unicorn Poop Cookies

As I will reiterate from similar posts, people who know me well know that I love the following: pie, Journey, rainbows, unicorns, and glitter. While this is not a "recipe," per se, and more of a tutorial, this combines the last three of that list. Rainbows, unicorns, and glitter. It is quite possibly one of the great achievements of my life. I give you...

UNICORN POOP.


Now, before you freak out, I will assure you that these are INSANELY GOOD. I used THIS TUTORIAL but instead of their sugar cookie recipe, I subbed in my Peeta's Sugar Cookie recipe (since it is the best sugar cookie recipe in the whole world). And you know what? Despite their frighteningly joyous appearance, the cookies taste great. Just don't roll them in sugar like the recipe says. Instead, follow the tutorial and cover them in sparkle gel.

So to sum up how to make the cookies:
1) Make cookie dough (if you're using my recipe, stop before the "refrigerate dough" part).

2) Divide cookie dough into four or five groups and color them with food dye. I used Wilton Gel Icing Colors in teal, pink, yellow, and violet. (Side note: I love these food colorings. My mom uses them to dye the icing for her famous cookies, and they're wonderful.) Refrigerate the dough per the recipe.

3) Take little pieces of each color of dough and roll them into "snakes," then combine them into piles. Roll them all together in a swirly pattern and mush, making sure to keep a little point here and there. Here are my cookies before they went into the oven:



4) Bake per the recipe. They don't really spread. Cool completely.

5) NOW IT IS TIME TO DECORATE and this is where the real magic begins. I used the following:


-Wilton Sparkle Gel in White
-Flower/star sprinkles
-White sanding sugar

The tutorial calls for Disco Dust, an "edible" glitter dust, but the reviews of it online make it sound kinda toxic and not something I want to put on my cookies, hence the sanding sugar instead. So I painted the glitter gel on with a pastry brush (squirt on the cookie and then brush), stuck on some stars and flowers, and then sprinkled the whole thing with the sanding sugar.

Ta-da! Magic cookies. And the best part? They're beautiful AND DELICIOUS.

Spinach Salad with Grilled Red Onion Rings & Sesame Vinaigrette

I wanted something to accompany my Sriracha Mac & Cheese, and I had a bunch of spinach left over from the other night. I decided to make this salad, which was crazy-easy. I grilled the onion on a grill pan. And you know what? It was delicious. It was the perfect accompaniment, and it was very good. I would consider making it again if I needed a side for an Asian-inspired meal.



Spinach Salad with Grilled Red Onion Rings and Sesame Vinaigrette
Cooking Light, July 2007

1 large red onion -- cut crosswise into 12 (1/4-inch-thick) rings (about 10 ounces)
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil -- divided
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
10 cups baby spinach leaves -- (about 10 ounces)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sesame seeds -- toasted

1. Prepare grill.

2. Combine onion and 1/2 teaspoon oil, tossing to coat. Arrange onion on a grill rack; grill 9 minutes or until browned and tender, turning frequently.

3. Combine remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil, juice, soy sauce, and honey in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk.

4. Place spinach in a large bowl; sprinkle with pepper and salt. Add onions. Drizzle oil mixture over spinach, tossing gently to coat. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Servings: 6

Baked Sriracha Mac 'N' Cheese

You may remember that awhile ago I bought a cookbook devoted to my obsessive love of all things Sriracha, and that so far the stuff I've made from it has been disappointing. I was really worried this macaroni & cheese recipe would be like pasta with an add in of Sriracha, since it seems to be an afterthought in a lot of the recipes. But this was REALLY good! I can't gauge the spiciness level, obviously, but for me it was not spicy at all and was just delicious. I really liked it. I did reduce the butter, I didn't toss the panko with butter (the panko didn't need it) and I used light cream instead of full-fat. Small changes! I am taking it for lunch today so we'll see how that goes. I would make this again.



Baked Mac 'N' Cheese (Sriracha)
The Sriracha Cookbook

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup panko bread crumbs
8 ounces elbow macaroni
1/2 small sweet onion, diced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon dried mustard
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/4 cup Sriracha
1 3/4 cups (7 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/3 cup (1 ounce) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly spritz a 2-quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.

2. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter. Add the bread crumbs, stirring gently. Turn off the heat, allow the bread crumbs to absorb the butter, and reserve.

3. In a large stockpot, bring 2 quarts of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the macaroni noodles and stir. Cook until the noodles are just slightly undercooked, 7 to 8 minutes.

4. While the pasta is cooking, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to sweat, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the flour. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Add 1/2 cup of the milk while whisking. Once the milk has been absorbed by the flour and thickened slightly, add the remainder of the milk, followed by the cream. Add the salt, dried mustard, pepper, and nutmeg. Simmer gently for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. Stir in the Sriracha. Gradually add 1 1/2 cups of the Cheddar while slowly whisking, one handful at a time. Once all the cheese has melted, toss in the cooked macaroni, coating the noodles with the cheese sauce. Transfer the noodles and sauce to the baking dish. Top with the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and the remaining 1/4 cup Cheddar cheese. Cover with an even layer of the buttered bread crumbs.

6. Bake, uncovered, until golden brown, 18 t 22 minutes. Allow to sit for 5 minutes so that the molten cheese lava can cool just a touch. Divide into squares, place, and garnish with the parsley.

Yield: 6-8 servings

Parmesan Risotto-Stuffed Portobellos

For some reason tonight, I decided that I was going to make myself a big fancy dinner. It was just me, Emmadog, and "The Ides of March," but I determined that I should have an excellent dinner. Therefore, I made this stuffed mushroom recipe that I've had forever but still hadn't tried, along with some Smashed Parsnips with Mascarpone. It was a delicious dinner and I was very happy. I think I've had better stuffed mushroom recipes before, but this one worked very well with my whole meal. I enjoyed my dinner. Good job, self!



Parmesan Risotto-Stuffed Portobellos
Cooking Light, July 1997

14 1/2 ounces vegetable broth
2 cups water
1 tablespoon olive oil -- divided
1 cup minced fresh onion
1 cup minced celery
1 cup minced carrot
1 cup uncooked Arborio or other short-grain rice
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup minced green onions or chives
20 ounces portobello mushrooms -- (about 6 inches wide)
1/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese -- (1 ounce)
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon chopped onion
3 garlic cloves -- minced
10 ounces fresh spinach -- trimmed

1. Bring broth and 2 cups water to a simmer in a medium saucepan (do not boil). Keep warm over low heat.

2. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add minced onion, celery, and carrot; sauté 1 minute. Add rice; sauté 5 minutes. Stir in wine; cook 5 minutes or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Add broth mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of broth is absorbed before adding the next (about 20 minutes total). Remove from heat; stir in Parmesan cheese and green onions.

3. Preheat oven to 375°.

4. Remove stems from mushroom caps; discard. Place mushroom caps, gill sides up, in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Spoon 1 1/4 cups risotto mixture into each cap; top each with 1 tablespoon mozzarella cheese. Pour 1/2 cup water into dish. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until mushroom caps are tender.

5. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until hot. Add chopped onion and garlic; sauté 2 minutes or until tender. Add spinach; sauté 2 minutes or until spinach is wilted. Arrange 1/2 cup spinach mixture on each plate. Remove stuffed mushrooms from baking dish with a slotted spoon; place on spinach mixture.

Servings: 4

Peeta's Cinnamon Bakery Bread

I made this Monday night and kept avoiding posting about it because then I have to transcribe it out of the book and that is tedious. Translation: I am lazy.

So this is cinnamon bread (actually more of a cake) based off of bread Peeta makes in the Hunger Games at his father's bakery. In Catching Fire, Peeta is described as smelling like cinnamon and dill from the bakery. Is there anything more appealing? No. Except maybe this actual cinnamon bread. Seriously, related to the book or not, this cookbook is great. I'm 4 for 4 so far with recipes from it. They aren't just "good," they've been "amazeballs." This is no exception. It was delicious warm and delicious the next day. I brought it in to work and it was enjoyed by the masses. This is great. I would make this again, especially considering how little effort it takes to prepare.








Peeta's Cinnamon Bakery Bread
The Unofficial Hunger Games Cookbook, page 32

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease one regular-sized bundt pan.

2. Mix flour, 1 cup white sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs and vanilla. Combine wet and dry ingredients, mixing thoroughly by hand fr at least 3 minutes.

3. In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons white sugar, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter. Mix until crumbly.

4. Pour half of the wet flour mixture into prepared bundt pan. Sprinkle half of the brown sugar/butter mixture evenly on top of flour mixture; pour rest of flour mixture over topping. Smooth batter and remaining topping ver it. Using a knife, swirl topping for a marbled effect.

5. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour. Bread is finished when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes, then remove from pan to rack to finish cooling.

Yield: 1 large bundt loaf

Pan-Steamed Broccoletti

This was a sample they were serving at Wegmans this past weekend. The recipe was on the bag of broccoletti (supposedly "baby broccoli." Whatever). It was so delicious that I bought a bag and have made this for myself a couple of times so far this week. I don't have anchovies but I can vouch that they did add a delicious taste, which I have replicated by just adding extra salt. This is really good.



Pan-Steamed Broccoletti
Wegmans

Heat 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 teaspoons chopped garlic, 1 anchovy fillet [if using] on MEDIUM-LOW. Cook, stirring 2-3 minutes until anchovy is dissolved. Raise heat to HIGH. Add sliced or whole broccoletti, 1/2 cup water, and 1 teaspoon salt; stir. Bring to a simmer; cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes or until water is evaporated. Season to taste with black pepper.

Greek Spaghetti with Tomatoes and Feta

This is a super, super, super simple recipe that was just kind of okay. I'd probably make it again if I had the ingredients but it was nothing special. I even used some Penzeys Greek Seasoning in hopes that it would be a little more exciting, but alas. It was good though!



Greek Spaghetti with Tomatoes and Feta
Cooking Light, September 1995

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 large garlic clove -- minced
3 cups diced tomato
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley -- divided
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 cups hot cooked thin spaghetti -- (about 8 ounces uncooked pasta)
1 cup crumbled feta cheese -- (4 ounces) divided
Freshly ground pepper
Lemon slices -- (optional)
Green onions -- (optional)

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oregano and garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, green onions, 2 tablespoons parsley, and lemon juice; cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

2. Combine tomato mixture, spaghetti, and 3/4 cup cheese; toss gently. Top with remaining cheese and parsley, and serve with pepper. Garnish with lemon slices and green onions, if desired.

Servings: 4

Ultimate Nachos

I think the special thing about this recipe is HOW the nachos are prepared - so that each individual chip has stuff on it and is cooked evenly, versus lumping everything on top and the ones on the bottom are all neglected. However, I was only making enough for myself so I didn't even follow the instructions and just lumped it all on top anyway. I think the method would have been great if I was making it for a large group of people... the recipe itself was okay. Pretty good. I didn't like the oregano on it. That was not a good choice. And I don't know what my deal is but I did NOT feel well after eating this. I'd keep the method in mind but I wouldn't make the recipe itself again.



Ultimate Nachos
Food Network: Alton Brown

80 corn tortilla chips -- approximately 8 ounces
3 jalapenos -- (3 to 4) thinly sliced
4 1/2 ounces diced red onion -- approximately 1 cup
6 ounces finely grated Cheddar -- approximately 2 1/4 cups
6 ounces finely grated Oaxaca cheese -- approximately 2 1/4 cups
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh oregano leaves
2 cups fresh salsa
2 cups sour cream
2 cups guacamole

1. Set 1 of the oven racks on the lowest shelf and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Line a baking pan with parchment paper. Make 8 (2-inch) balls out of aluminum foil. Spray 3 wire cooling racks with non-stick cooking spray and place 1 of the aluminum balls in each of the corners of 2 of the racks.

3. Lay 1/3 of the chips on one of the racks. Top each chip with a jalapeno slice and sprinkle the chips with 1/3 of the red onions, and 1/3 of both the Cheddar and Oaxaca cheeses. Repeat with the remaining chips and the other 2 racks. Stack the racks on top of one another and set into the parchment lined baking pan. Bake in the oven on the bottom rack for 7 minutes or until the cheese begins to bubble. Sprinkle with fresh oregano . Serve immediately with the salsa, sour cream, and guacamole.

Servings: 6

Mushroom & Artichoke French Bread Pizza

I made this Saturday night because I'd had a long day and I was tired. This was easy. It was okay. I'm not going to pretend it was insanely good, but it was okay. The suggestion says you could add sausage to make it not-vegetarian, which actually maybe would make it more exciting if any of you carnivorous readers want to try that. I personally wouldn't make it again.



Mushroom and Artichoke French Bread Pizza
Vegetarian & More! (2000) by Linda Rosensweig, p. 124

2 teaspoons olive oil
6 ounces mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 bunch scallions, chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 large loaf French bread, split lengthwise
1 jar (4 1/2 oz) artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
1 can (14.5 oz) diced Italian-style tomatoes, drained
1/4 cup (1 oz) grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 375.

2. Warm the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, scallions, and oregano. Cook, stirring frequently, for 4-5 minutes, or until the mushrooms are tender.

3. Place the bread halves on a large ungreased baking sheet. Top each with the mushroom mixture, artichokes, tomatoes, and cheese. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the pizza is heated through. Let stand for 5 minutes. Cut into 4 pieces.

Servings: 4

Hearty Ham & Egg Tart

Another recipe from The Hunger Games Cookbook, another winner. This is super delicious. I did skip the homemade crust and used crescent rolls because it was a weeknight, and I used vegetarian sausage instead of ham. It was wonderful! And you know what's bizarre? It passed the lunchbox test. It was great heated up the next day. Awesome. I would consider making this for overnight guests. It was very tasty.



Hearty Ham & Egg Tart
The Hunger Games Cookbook, page 2

In a time crunch? Never fear! You can skip steps 1-3 by using a premade tart shell or, for a more buttery and flaky crust, use one 8-ounce package of refrigerated crescent rolls. Unroll the crescent roll dough into one long rectangle and press into the tart pan. You will likely have to patchwork the dough into the pan, so be sure to seal the seams and perforations before adding filling.

Crust:
2 tablespoons ice water
2 tablespoons whipping cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Filling:
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 cups fully cooked ham, cubed or shredded
6 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese

1. Combine ice water, chilled whipping cream, and vanilla extract. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking powder. Scatter butter pieces over dry ingredients. Using your fingertips, quickly pinch butter with flour mixture until butter is coarsely mixed in (you'll have pieces f dough in varying small sizes; you should aim for the size of peas).

3. Add the ice water and cream mixture t dough. Mix in with hands or a wooden spoon until moist clumps form. Add more ice water if dough is still too dry. Gather dough into a ball; flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic; chill for at least 1 hour. Let soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out into tart pan.

4. Butter a 9" tart or springform pan with a removable bottom. Place softened dough in middle of pan and, using floured fingertips, spread out evenly across the bottom and up the sides of the tart pan, pressing lightly with your fingertips to ensure an even crust. Use your thumbs to press dough to the side of the pan. Make sure dough on the side of the pan is evenly thick (otherwise you will have uneven baking).

5. Preheat oven to 375.

6. In a skillet, saute onion and bell peppers in butter until tender and slightly browned. Add ham and let sit for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; pour evenly over dough in pan.

7. In a bowl, beat eggs, milk, cream, salt, and pepper. Stir in Cheddar cheese. Pour evenly over ham mixture. Be wary of overflow.

8. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over top of tart. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes or until knife inserted comes out clean.

Fearfully Fried Potatoes

I made some "breakfast for supper" earlier this week, solely from the Hunger Games Cookbook as I continue my way through it. I made these potatoes and a quiche-like tart.

I have to say, out of the 3 recipes I have tried, all 3 have been amazingly good. This cookbook is fantastic.

So this is a very basic hash brown recipe, and the thing that makes it amazing is really the castiron pan. If you have a well-seasoned pan, it will make it even more delicious. My potatoes were wonderful and tasted like they came from a diner. I was so happy! Yum yum yum. Would make again.



Fearfully Fried Potatoes
The Hunger Games Cookbook, page 4

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup onion, diced
3 cups potatoes, peeled and boiled
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet. Saute onions until they are translucent. Add potatoes and cook until golden brown and warmed through.

2. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Servings: 3