The Blog of Mandi Whiting Photography has MOVED!!

I have officially MOVED my blog to a new location,

http://www.mandiwhiting.com/

Please take the time to update your RSS feeds....I will no longer be posting on this blog.

Thank you for following my blog! :o)

XOXO,
Mandi

Brown Sugar Chewies

I've been wanting to try these Brown Sugar Chewies for a few weeks now. I got an itch to bake something tonight, but I didn't feel like being in the kitchen all night. I rummaged through my stash of "must-make" recipes and landed upon this recipe. 

They are SUPER easy to make! They were seriously done in like 3.5 seconds (prior to cooking, of course). The recipe was claimed to be a Paula Deen recipe, however, after looking it up in one of my Paula Deen cookbooks, the cookbook contained a slightly different version that ACTUALLY (believe it or not) did NOT call for butter. I'm assuming there might be more than one version out there? Anyhoooo, who cares...they were delish!

Brown Sugar Chewies
Courtesy of Paula Deen

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8-inch square pan with cooking spray.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Turn off the heat, add the brown sugar and stir until smooth. Stir in the egg. Stir together the flour and baking powder and stir into the brown sugar mixture. Stir in the vanilla.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes. When cool, dust the top with a sifting of confectioners' sugar.

Mandi's Guacamole

 I've been meaning to photograph my guacamole recipe for quite some time now. We had fajitas for dinner last night (fajitas didn't knock my socks off, so I wont be posting those, sorry!), so I made some guacamole to go along side the fajitas. 

I've been making this guacamole recipe for quite some time now. I created this recipe one day by combining two of my favorite guacamole recipes into one. I tinkered with the recipe for a little while until it was perfected. FYI, the secret ingredient in this guacamole is the cumin...it's awesome! I promise you that this guacamole is delicious! 

Mandi's Guacamole

INGREDIENTS:

3 large ripe Hass avocados, peeled, pitted
2 limes, juiced (approx 1 1/2 - 2 T. lime juice)
1/4 C fresh chopped cilantro
1/4 C white onion, diced
1 medium sized plum tomato, diced
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 serrano chili, finely chopped (if you don't want it spicy, don't add this, or add half as much)
1/4 t. ground cumin
salt to taste
ground pepper to taste

tortilla chips

DIRECTIONS:

Mash up avocado with a fork to desired consistency. (I prefer mine on the chunky side)

Add remaining ingredients, mix together. Chill for a couple hours in order to allow flavors to blend.

Serve with tortilla chips.

YUM!

Banana Bread

I have a stand by recipe that I usually use when making banana bread, however, I was feeling very adventurous a few days ago and decided to try out a new recipe. The recipe is adapted from the cookbook, The New Best Recipe, from the editors of CI. This banana bread turned out VERY well. The texture and flavor were perfect. Out of all the recipes I have tried, this recipe had the most, and best, flavor. It's surely a keeper. I followed the recipe to a "T" with the exception of omitting the walnuts (my husband and I hate nuts). YUM! 

Best if served warm with a pat of butter!! NOM NOM NOM!!

Banana Bread
Adapted from The New Best Recipe from the editors of CI

Makes one 9" loaf
For best results, be sure to use a loaf pan that measures 9" long, 5" across, and 3" deep

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups (10oz.) unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting pan
1 1/4 C walnuts, chopped coarse (I omitted this)
3/4 C (5 1/4 oz.) sugar
3/4 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
3 very ripe, soft, darkly spekled large bananas mashed well (about 1 1/2 C), mashed
1/4 c plain yogurt
2 large eggs, beaten lightly
6 T (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 t vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan; dust with flour, tapping out the excess.

Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and toast until fragrant, 5-10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and walnuts together in a large bowl; set aside.

Mix the mashed bananas, yogurt, eggs, butter, and vanilla with a wooden spoon in a medium bowl. Lightly fold the banana mixture into the dry ingredients with a rubber spatula until just combined and the batter looks thick and chunky. Scrape the butter into the prepared loaf pan.

Bake until the loaf is golden brown and a tooth-pick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. (the bread can be wrapped with plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.)

Enjoy!

Fresh Homemade Flour Tortillas

There is nothing like a soft, warm, fresh homemade flour tortilla. When I was a little girl I used to always help my nanny and grandmother make homemade flour tortillas. My grandmother used to always tell me that I HAD to learn how to make everything just in case she passed on. Well, unfortunately (10 years ago) it was her time, she passed on. The problem is, I know how to make most of her recipes, but I don’t know the measurements (nothing was ever measured..it was all eye-balled). It really sucks 'cause there are MANY things I crave from my childhood, but nobody in the family has the recipes. 

 I found a recipe that sounded pretty close to my grandmothers, so I gave it a wing. For my first time around I think they turned out pretty darn good. I'm going to have my cousin try them tomorrow and tell me if she thinks they taste like the ones we grew up eating. I think they are pretty close (and MUCH better than store bought for sure). Once I perfect the recipe I will let you all know. I used the recipe (below the pictures) as a base. I pretty much ended up following it to a "T", with the exception of the amount of water; I found that 1 cup was plenty.

Fresh Homemade Flour Tortillas

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups unbleached flour
1 1/4 cups warm water (I found that I only needed 1 cup)
5 tablespoons shortening or lard (I used lard)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl.

Add the shortening or lard. Use your clean hands to cut in the shortening or lard.

Add warm water a little at a time until your dough is not sticky. Knead the dough for a few minutes.

Pull off equal sized pieces to make about 12 small dough balls. Let them rest for about 15 minutes or longer.

While dough is resting, heat up the pan. A cast iron skillet works well, or you can buy a comal. This is like a skillet but with low sides. For you cooks that like it authentic, comals are made for cooking tortillas.

Heat the pan at medium heat (if you use a comal, setting it between low and medium is best, as medium is just a wee too hot). You don't want the tortillas to cook too fast.

Roll the dough out with your smallest rolling pin, or a palote if you have one. Dust each dough ball with a little flour just before you roll it out.

Lay the rolling pin in the center of the dough ball and roll up and out from all sides. Keep doing that until you get it to a good round shape and fairly thin(about 1/8" or less).

Lay your tortilla on the hot pan. After just about 10-15 seconds, flip to the other side for about 1 minute or slightly less. When they are done they should have lots of little brown spots.

Stack and cover them one-by-one in a clean towel as you cook them. Or you can use a tortilla warmer to keep them warm. They are now ready to be eaten.

Thanks for coming by!!

XOXO,

Mandi

Deluxe Carrot Cake with Buttermilk Glaze and Cream Cheese Frosting

Happy Easter Everyone!! 

If you follow my blog you're probably starting to notice that a lot of recipes I post about come from my dear friend Allison. If you don't follow my blog, and this is your first time here, well, let me tell ya...my good friend Allison is FULL of wonderful true and tried recipes. I, again, took her recommendation and tried this Deluxe Carrot Cake with Buttermilk Glaze and Cream Cheese Frosting. I honestly don't even know where to begin to describe this cake....but I'll just say it's fantastic!! It's SUPER moist, rich, and full of A-mazing flavor. My husband has claimed for yearsssss that he *HATES* carrot cake. Each time I mentioned making this cake he would just cringe and complain, so I kept putting it off. I couldn't hold out any longer; I decided yesterday was the day to give it a try. Well, letttt meeee just tell ya....I should of made this longgggggggggg ago!!! This cake is *SO* A-mazing that my husband even LOVES it!! Who would of ever known??? Anyhoooo, this carrot cake is by NOOOOOO means healthy, BUT you HAVE to give it a try...I promise it WONT disappoint, seriously!!

looks at how moistttttt this puppy is!!! MMmMMMmmm....

Recipes

Deluxe Carrot Cake with Buttermilk Glaze

Adapted from The Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 large eggs
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups grated carrot
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 (3 1/2-ounce) can flaked coconut (plus extra if you decide to decorate the cake with some coconut)
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (I omitted this because DH and I don't care for nuts)
Buttermilk Glaze (recipe below)
Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe below)

DIRECTIONS:

Line 3 (9-inch) round cakepans with wax paper; lightly grease and flour wax paper. Set pans aside. 

Stir together first 4 ingredients.

Beat eggs and next 4 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add flour mixture, beating at low speed until blended. Fold in carrot and next 3 ingredients. Pour batter into prepared cakepans.

Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Drizzle Buttermilk Glaze evenly over layers; cool in pans on wire racks 15 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks. Spread Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake.

Yield: 1 (9-inch) cake


Buttermilk Glaze
Adapted from The Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

Bring first 5 ingredients to a boil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Boil, stirring often, 4 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla.

Yield: 1 1/2 cups

Cream Cheese Frosting
Adapted from Paula Deen

INGREDIENTS:

3 8 oz. containers (1 1/2 pounds) cream cheese, softened
3 sticks butter, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

DIRECTIONS:

Beat cream cheese and butter until very fluffy. Add vanilla and mix until well-combined. Beat in confectioners' sugar.

Tomato-Coconut Lentil Soup

I've made this soup several times and I always feel like I never get enough. It's just *SO* tasty, full of flavor, easy to make, AND healthy. I got this recipe from a gal on one of the food boards I frequent. She has been making it for over 15 years. I follow this recipe to a "T" every time I make it; however, I never add the mint 'cause I feel mint is just wait too overpowering. I have yet to make it with the smoked paprika, but I bet it's delicious too!!

 

 You should really give it a try...I promise you wont be let down.

Tomato-Coconut Lentil Soup
Adapted from chattykathy

This soup is non-dairy, low-fat, very tasty and different. This soup freezes VERY well!!

INGREDIENTS:

1 onion diced
3-4 cloves garlic chopped or crushed
3 tbl olive oil
2 to 3 tsp cumin
1 tsp tumeric
2 tsp oregano
1 tablespoon gr coriander
2 tablespoons fresh (or three tbl dried) mint. (optional, I omitted this)
1 tsp white pepper

4-1/2 cups of chicken or vegetable broth (or water is fine too)
1 cup red lentils (must be red, they will dissolve and thicken the soup)
1 cup green lentils

2-1/2 cups of chicken or vegetable broth (or water is fine too)
1 (28-oz.) can tomato puree or stewed tomatoes) (puree gives better texture)
1 (15-0z.) can coconut milk (I use the low-fat one)
salt to taste (approximately 1-1/2 teaspoons)

DIRECTIONS:

Saute the onions and garlic, add the spices and cook a bit till the rawness is diminished and they are slightly toasted. 

Add 4 cups water (or broth if you are not making this vegetarian), add the green lentils and cook till they are almost done with the lid on...(I cook them for about 45 min to an hour) now add the red ones and you will need to add more water (I added approximately 2-1/2 cups of broth)...add just enough for them to cook. This will be very thick but you will be adding other liquid in a bit so do not worry, you can always adjust liquid later. Cook the red lentils for about 20 minutes, they will dissolve and thicken the soup even more....add a bit more liquid if needed and now add tomatoes and the coconut milk and salt to taste, cook for about 10-15 more minutes till everything is combined. YUM!

Note: I add the mint with the other spices if it is dried, if using fresh, I stir it in at the end of cooking as it tastes brighter and fresher that way. Lately I have been adding a tablespoon of smoked paprika to this and that is quite good! 

Enjoy!

XOXO,

Mandi