Chef Marie: Baking and Cooking

Today I made Deviled Eggs for Easter. Although I work on Easter, I still wanted to be able to make something for tomorrow night's family dinner. I used a simple recipe from the Food Network . Mine didn't turn out as well as I would have liked, but since it was my first time making them, they still taste delicious! Next time I will cook the eggs just a tad bit longer, and I will add oil to the pan so that the eggs peel more smoothly. Here's what you'll need: - 6 eggs - 1/8 tsp. of salt - 1 tsp. of white vinegar - 1 tsp. of yellow mustard - a few dashes of paprika - a pinch or two of black pepper - 1/4 cup of mayo What to do: 1. Place the eggs in a saucepan, fill it with a few inches of water (so that the eggs are covered with water). 2. Bring the eggs to a boil; then cover the pan, remove from heat, and set the timer for 14-16 minutes. 3. Rinse the eggs with cold water. 4. Carefully peel the eggs (mine did not peel very well; next time I'm going to a...

This Zucchini Avocado Pasta is a healthy alternative to pasta. The zucchini is used in place of noodles. The avocado and pine nuts create a rich tangy pesto sauce. Go easy on the garlic, since I did not chop it enough, and it was a little strong. Ingredients: - 3 zucchinis - 1 can of chickpeas - 1 avocado - basil (I used dried basil, just a few dashes) - 1 or 2 cloves of garlic - 1 tbs lemon juice - 1/3 cup of pine nuts - a handful of sun-dried tomatoes (if desired) Directions: 1. Slice the zucchini's into small strips 2. Put the avocado, pine nuts, basil, lemon juice and garlic in a food processor 3. Combine until mixed well, add the mixture to the zucchini in another bowl 4. Add in the sun-dried tomatoes and chickpeas, and enjoy! This recipe is easy to make and only takes about 20 minutes. Make sure to eat it up fast, since the avocado will brown and make it a little slimy.

These Sweet Potato Corn Cakes are amazing! This recipe takes a little more time to make, but they are worth the wait. I also made the garlic and yogurt sauce to dip them in, but for me it was too garlicky. If you like a lot of garlic, the sauce will be perfect for you. Here's what you'll need: 3 or 4 sweet potatoes 1 cup frozen corn kernels 2 green onions ¼ handful of cilantro  ¼ tsp cayenne pepper 1 tsp cumin 1 tsp salt 1 egg ⅓ cup yellow cornmeal 1 cup plain breadcrumbs ½ cup vegetable oil  1 cup plain yogurt 1 clove of garlic  I got this recipe idea from Pinterest, which brought me to Budget Bytes .  Directions: 1. Microwave the sweet potatoes (each one for about 5 minutes) 2. Cut them in half and scoop the inside out 3. Cut the green onions and cilantro 4. Combine the green onions, cilantro, corn, salt, cumin, and cayenne pepper with the sweet potatoes and stir well 5. Add the breadcrumbs, cornmeal and egg, refrigerate for 30 minutes 6...

Another recipe I found this week involved zucchini, meat, and vegetables. Zucchini Boats are easy to make and taste delicious. Here's what you'll need (serves 2): - 2 zucchinis - 1/4 cup salsa - 1 lb. turkey or any meat (I used steak) - a pinch of each: garlic powder, cumin, salt, chili powder, paprika, oregano - 2 cloves of garlic - 1/2 of a bell pepper (cut into small pieces) - 1 cup of a medley of vegetables (I used a frozen bag medley with onions, peppers, etc.) - 1/4 cup tomato sauce - less than 1/4 cup water - 1/4 cup shredded cheese (as topping) Directions: 1. Bring a big pot of water to boil, add in the salt. 2. Cut the zucchinis in half, and use a spoon to scrape out the middle. 3. Place the zucchinis in the boiling water, cook for 1 minute. 4. Chop the removed zucchini and set aside. 5. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 6. Spread salsa in bottom of baking dish. 7.  Brown your meat and add in the spices. 8. Add the water, tomato sauce, garlic, bell p...

What are Cauliflower Breadsticks? Well, they taste just like real breadsticks, but they are a healthier version. When I was first making these, I was thinking, "How does cauliflower turn into a crust-like substance?" Well, after baking, these taste crispy and are just like breadsticks! Indulge in this flavorful recipe. Ingredients: -  1 head of cauliflower (I used purple cauliflower) - 2 cups of any shredded cheese - 4 eggs - 2-3 tsp. oregano - 2-3 cloves of garlic (chopped) - a dash of pepper and salt Directions: 1. Chop the cauliflower and put into a food processor so that the result is small and fluffy pieces of cauliflower. 2. Cook the cauliflower in the microwave (cover it) for about 10 minutes. 3. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. 4. In a large bowl, combine the cauliflower, eggs, cheese, salt, pepper, garlic, and oregano. Mix well. 5. Find a large cookie sheet and put a piece of parchment paper on top. 6. Flatten the mixture onto the cookie sheet and ba...

I have seen different quinoa fritter recipes floating all over the Internet. At first I thought these would taste weird, especially since quinoa isn't my favorite food. But, these are great! They aren't too difficult to make, but they are filling. I recommend only eating 2 at a time, because you will be full in no time. I also did not have any onion, so I just used garlic instead. The recipe that I based my recipe on can be found here: Crispy Quinoa Fritters. Ingredients: - 1 cup of uncooked quinoa - 3/4 tsp. salt - a pinch of black pepper - 1/2 cup shredded cheese - 2 eggs - 1/2 tsp. paprika - 1 small onion (or you can use garlic instead) - 3/4 cup flour - vegetable oil to use when frying the fritters Directions: 1. Rinse the quinoa in cold water and place it in a pot with 2 cups of water 2. Add salt to the pot, bring to a boil, lower down to a simmer, uncovered, and cook for 12-15 minutes 3. In a large bowl, mix together the cooked quinoa, cheese, eggs,...

I love tomatoes, and I had a whole bunch left over for this week, so I made Baked Tomatoes. These are so easy to make! All you need is a few tomatoes, salt, cheese, and oregano. I also bought a Stuffed Mushroom at the grocery store. This is also easy to make at home. All you need is a large mushroom, feta, spinach, onion and tomatoes. Cook at 350 degrees for about 15-20 minutes. This is a fast and tasty meal! Also, since these are vegetables, this meal is pretty healthy. This serves about 2 people as a light meal or appetizer. Ingredients: Baked Tomatoes - 4-6 tomatoes - cheese (Parmesan is probably the best cheese to use) - a few dashes of seasoning salt - dashes of oregano Stuffed Mushrooms - 1 large mushroom - 3 Tbs. feta cheese - 1/2 cup spinach to fill it - a few handfuls of chopped onions and tomatoes to put on top Enjoy! These will make great appetizers.