Chopped Challenge: Chocolate, Noodles, Sour Gummy Worms and Dragon Fruit

This weeks “Chopped Challenge” mystery basket was an interesting combination of Noodles, Sour Gummy Worms, Chocolate and Dragon Fruit.

One of the items on my “things I want to make list” was dessert pasta so I decided to combine the chocolate into the noodles and make Chocolate Oreo Spaghetti Noodles.  I then decided to melt down the sour gummy worms, combine them with dragon fruit and ricotta cheese to make a sauce for the noodles.

The result was a delicious, unique dessert, perfect for an Italian dinner night!

Ingredients

• 3 cups flour (divided)
• 1 cup oreo crumbs
• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp sour gummy worms (melted)
• 6 oz ricotta cheese
• 2 oz goat cheese
• 1/2 dragon fruit (peeled and chopped)
• 1 tbsp honey

Begin preparing the chocolate oreo spaghetti by combining the crushed oreos and 2 cups flour.

Next, add the eggs to the flour oreo mixture and combine until the dough forms into a ball.  The dough should be slightly sticky.  If the dough is too sticky, add more flour, if it’s not sticky enough, add a little water.

Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.

In the meantime prepare the sauce by first melting the sour gummy worms.

Total science-experiment look going on!

Take a teaspoon of the melted science experiment gummy worms and combine with the goat cheese, ricotta cheese, honey and dragon fruit.

Next, head back to the pasta dough and prepare the spaghetti in a pasta machine.

Be sure to have that extra cup of flour handy as the oreos make this dough extra sticky!

Place the noodles into boiling water for 2-3 minutes or until they float to the top.  Toss with the Ricotta Dragon Fruit Sauce and serve!

Grab a fork and dig in!

♣ Vegetarian Option: This recipe is vegetarian.

♦ Gluten Free Option: Substitute gluten-free flour for traditional flour in the pasta dough to make this recipe gluten-free.

♥ All pottery seen on the littleleopardbook can be purchased by visiting www.longaberger.com/muffetbond or e-mailing keepsakebl@sbcglobal.net.

Chopped Challenge Thursday: Sprinkles, Hummus, Birthday Cake and Artichokes

This weeks Chopped Challenge was very special because it  just so happened to fall on my birthday!

The ingredients I was given were very interesting, Sprinkles from Allison Davis, Hummus from Arun, Birthday Cake from Krista Lombardi and Artichokes from Angela Garner.

I decided to make a combination of sweet and spicy party dips including Birthday Cake Hummus and Spicy Buffalo Artichoke Dip. The hummus was inspired by my favorite peanut butter hummus at the local farmers market and the buffalo artichoke dip inspired by my consistent need to add buffalo sauce to anything possible!

Ingredients (Birthday Cake Hummus)

• 2 cups birthday cake batter
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter (softened)
  • 1/2 tbsp vanilla
  • 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 15 oz can garbanzo beans (or chickpeas)
• 1 tbsp tahini
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp sprinkles
• pita bread (for dipping)
• vanilla wafers (for dipping)

Begin by combining the flour, salt and baking powder in a small bowl.  In a large bowl beat together the eggs, sugars, butter, vanilla and coconut milk.  Add the flour mixture and beat until well combined.

Place 2 cups of the birthday cake batter (recipe will make slightly more than that so you can bake up a couple little cupcakes on the side , garbanzo beans, tahini, lemon juice and sprinkles into a blender or food processor.

Sprinkles are fun!

Blend well, then serve topped with additional sprinkles!

I loved the vanilla wafers dipped into this hummus for a sweet treat!

I then prepared the spicy buffalo artichoke dip.

Ingredients (Spicy Buffalo Artichoke Dip)

• 1/2 cup vegenaise (or mayonnaise)
• 1/4 cup cream cheese
• 2 tbsp blue cheese dressing
• 2 tbsp buffalo sauce
• 1 tsp garlic salt
• 1 cup artichoke hearts (drained)
• pita bread (for dipping)
• wheat thins (for dipping)

Combine the first 5 ingredients in a blender or food processor and combine well.  Next, add the artichoke hearts and lightly blend for 10-15 seconds.  Pour into a serving bowl with a side of pita bread or wheat thins for dipping.  I topped it with parmesan cheese and chives for a little extra deliciousness and color!

This is definitely my new favorite dip, it’s kind of like if Spinach Artichoke Dip and Buffalo Chicken Dip got married, this would be their delicious little baby!

I will definitely be serving this at my Christmas Cocktail Party next weekend!

♣ Vegetarian Option: Both dips are vegetarian.

♦ Gluten Free Option: Replace the flour in the birthday cake batter with a gluten-free flour substitute such as coconut flour and serve each dip with gluten-free cookies and crackers for a gluten-free option.

♥ All pottery seen on the littleleopardbook can be purchased by visiting www.longaberger.com/muffetbond or e-mailing keepsakebl@sbcglobal.net.

Chopped Challenge Thursday: Tomato Paste, Dates, Pastrami and Turnip Greens

This weeks Chopped Challenge was made especially special because it was the first challenge that my dad contributed an ingredient to!  His contribution to the mystery basket was dates, one of our families favorite fruits! In addition to dates, Renee Vaughan added tomato paste, Cassie Vaughn added turnip greens and Thomas Kamakani Jr added pastrami!

It just so happens that my one purchase on black friday was a Panini Press, which I was beyond excited about!  It’s been on my “want” list for a while and I was so excited to get this $50 piece of amazingness for $9.99 on friday!

So obviously this weeks Chopped Challenge had to be a panini!  I turned these 4 ingredients into a Pastrami Panini with a Sweet Tomato Spread, Turnip Greens and Blue Cheese Rosemary Stuffed Dates.

Ingredients (makes 2 paninis)

• 4 slices sourdough bread
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• sweet tomato spread (ingredients below)
• 1/4 cup southern style greens (collard, turnip & kale)
• 4 oz pastrami
• 4 dates (pitted)
• 2 tbsp blue cheese
• 1 tsp fresh rosemary

Sweet Tomato Spread

• 6 oz tomato paste
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp ground ginger

Prepare the tomato spread by combining all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor.

Next, spread the tops of each slice of bread with olive oil.  Flip then spread the sweet tomato spread on the other side.

Top each slice with the southern greens and pastrami.

Next, combine the blue cheese and rosemary, then stuff the mixture inside the dates.  Place two dates on one half of each sandwich.

Place the other half of the sandwich on top and set the sandwiches in the panini press.

And press!

Allow to cook for 3-5 minutes then remove from the press and serve!

The combination of sweet dates, the savory blue cheese rosemary combination and the herb crusted pastrami was so ridiculously delicious!

I’m not going to lie, I might eat this sandwich every day for the rest of the week!

Now slice it open and dig in!

♣ Vegetarian Option: Omit the pastrami and replace with extra veggies such as caramelized onions and roasted red peppers for a vegetarian twist to this dish.

♦ Gluten Free Option: When gluten-free bread is used, this recipe is gluten-free.

♥ All pottery seen on the littleleopardbook can be purchased by visiting www.longaberger.com/muffetbond or e-mailing keepsakebl@sbcglobal.net.

Chopped Challenge Thursday: Yams, Cranberries, Pears and Habanero Peppers

This very special Thanksgiving edition of “Chopped Challenge Thursdays” combined yams from Ashley Caretto, cranberries from Cassie Sue Vaughn, pears from Muffet “LLB Momma” Bond and serrano habanero peppers from Katie Samples.

I created a new Thanksgiving favorite with these ingredients, Baked Yam Wedges with Sweet and Spicy Cranberry Pear Sauce.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs yams (or sweet potatoes)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 pear (peeled, de-seeded and diced)
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 cup cranberries
• 1 small habanero pepper (de-seeded and diced)
• 1 lemon (juiced – not pictured)

Begin by slicing the yams into wedges and placing in a baking dish.  Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle the ginger and cinnamon on top.

Place into a 375° oven for 45 minutes.

In the mean time, prepare the Sweet and Spicy Cranberry Pear Sauce.

Begin by combining the water and sugar in a skillet.  Once the sugar has dissolved, add the diced pear.

Cook for 5 minutes, then add the honey, cranberries and habanero.

Cook until the cranberries begin to pop and a thick sauce forms.

Squeeze the lemon juice into the sauce and mix well.  Pour the mixture on top of the baked yams and place back into the oven for 5-10 minutes.

I served them along side a Turkey and Dressing Thanksgiving feast with favorites like Bacon Wrapped Dates and Garlic Lemon Green Beans!

The yams were sweet and delicious, with a very slight kick at the end from the habanero!

♣ Vegetarian Option: This recipe is vegetarian.

♦ Gluten Free Option: This recipe is gluten-free.

♥ All pottery seen on the littleleopardbook can be purchased by visiting www.longaberger.com/muffetbond or e-mailing keepsakebl@sbcglobal.net.

Chopped Challenge Thursday: Cranberries, Spam, Serrano Chilies and Dark Chocolate

When life hands you lemons, you make lemonade.  When Dusty Duprel hands you spam, you make fancy spam tacos!

This weeks mystery basket included Cranberries from Olivia Reyes, Serrano Chilies from Kate Ouzounian, the aforementioned Spam and Dark Chocolate from Angela Cho.

I decided to combine the cranberries, dark chocolate and Serrano chilies into a mole sauce to top the spam which I marinated in a chili lime mixture (in my opinion you have to put some work in to make spam delicious!)

The final result of “Chopped Challenge Thursday” Week Twelve:  Chili Lime Marinated Spam Tacos with Cranberry Mole Sauce!

Ingredients

• Cranberry Mole (makes 4 cups)
• 1 lb tomatillos
• 3 large pasilla chilies (chopped)
• ½ cup cranberries
• ¼ cup sliced almonds
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp allspice
• ½ tsp ground cloves
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 onion (chopped)
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• 6 small Serrano chilies (de-seeded and chopped)
• 1 very ripe plantain (sliced)
• 2 oz dark chocolate

• Chili Lime Spam (makes 1 ½ cups)
• 12 oz can Spam
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 lime (juiced)
• ½ tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 tsp olive oil

• Tacos (makes 6 tacos)
• 12 corn tortillas
• 1 lime (cut into 6 wedges)
• 2 avocados
• 2 tbsp fresh cilantro
• 2 tbsp queso fresco

We’re going to start by marinating that spam to infuse it with the chili lime flavors and take away the canned taste.

Simply whisk together the brown sugar, soy sauce, chili powder lime juice, red pepper flakes and olive oil.  Then open up that can of spam and dice it up.

Add the spam to the marinade and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

While the spam is marinating, prepare the mole sauce.

Begin by roasting the tomatillos.  Because my HOA busted me for having a grill on my balcony, I will now roast my tomatillos in the oven!

Allow to roast for 15-20 minutes of until slightly charred on the outside. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

Next, lightly brown the pasilla chilies in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes.

Remove from the skillet and add to a medium bowl with the cranberries.  Cover with warm water then set aside.

In the same skillet over medium heat add the almonds, ground cloves, cinnamon, black pepper and allspice.

Toast for 2-3 minutes then place in a spice grinder and ground until a powder forms. If you do not have a spice grinder a coffee grinder works well or a small food processor.

Still using the same skillet add the olive oil, onions, garlic and serrano chilies.

Brown in the skillet until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.

Now peel the cooled tomatillos and place in a blender or food processor with the ground spices.

Next add the dark chocolate and plantains to the blender.

Then add the cooked onions and chilies, pasilla peppers, cranberries and a small amount of the soaking liquid.  Start with about 1/2 cup, then add more if the sauce is too thick.

Blend until creamy, then pour back into the skillet over low heat.

Simmer for 5-10 minutes while cooking the spam.

Pour the spam and marinade into a skillet over medium-high heat.

Cook for 7-10 minutes or until no liquid exists and the spam is slightly caramelized.

To make the tacos, place the spam into warmed tortillas.

Then top with the cranberry mole sauce.

Finish the tacos off with cilantro, cojita cheese and avocado.

These tacos have a great balance of sweetness, acidity and spice!

The chocolate, chili pepper, cranberry combination in the mole sauce is divine! I’m thinking about making this for Thanksgiving to put on the turkey, Yum!

These tacos would be delicious with a side of Grilled Pineapple Tomatillo Guacamole or Deconstructed Mexican Street Corn!

If Spam is not your thing, you could easily substitute shrimp, chicken or beef in this dish!

Or if you’re vegetarian, Tofu Tacos!

Now it’s time to dig in!

♣ Vegetarian Option: Substitute spam with tofu.

♦ Gluten Free Option: This recipe is gluten-free, just make sure the brand of soy sauce you purchase is gluten-free! (Fresh & Easy is not.)