Lego Cake

A Lego Cake is the perfect idea for my youngest who will celebrate his birthday soon - he loves Legos!

This recipe and photo comes from my co-worker Winnie Browning, the graphic artist at the Blue Mountain Eagle. She used this recipe last year for her son on his birthday. There are no fancy pans to use, just bread loaf pans and marshmallows cut in thirds for the tops of the "Legos." She said the cake was a lot of fun to make. What a creative dessert for kids!

Supplies and ingredients needed:
2 box cakes
2 containers of white frosting
1 bag of marshmallows
3 loaf pans

Use two box cakes to begin the Lego Cake - follow box instructions. To get the look of the Legos use loaf pans. There will be one loaf left over if you make the cake as shown. One box cake will fill two loaf pans. Winnie used chocolate and vanilla cake mixes, but you can use your favorite flavor. After baking, freeze the cakes so they are easier to cut into squares.

To make as shown in the photo, leave the two bottom cakes uncut, and cut the two top cakes in half. Cut marshmallows into thirds to make the Lego rounds. For the frosting, separate two containers of white frosting into four parts and use food dye for coloring; to get make an intense color, more than just a few drops, especially for red and blue, will be needed. Frost each cake and marshmallow separately, then assemble and bring on the party!

Here is my attempt at the Lego Cake. It was a chore to frost, but a lot of fun for the kids to eat! Definitely worth the effort!

Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts
2010 Foster Farms Fresh Chicken Cooking Contest grand prize winner

After their successful first-ever chicken cooking contest, Foster Farms is again encouraging residents of Oregon, California and Washington, 18 and older, to submit their favorite, original recipes for consideration. The winning contestant will receive a grand prize of $10,000 plus a one-year supply of Foster Farms fresh chicken. The deadline to enter is May 31, 2011. See more details below.
While you’re trying out last year’s winning recipe, Spinach Stuffed Chicken, submitted by Alexandria Boswell of La Jolla, Calif., think of your own successful creations to enter in the contest!

4 Foster Farms chicken breast halves, boneless and skinless
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 C. onion, finely diced
1 bag (10 oz) spinach leaves
1/4 C. fresh dill, chopped
1/2 C. Feta cheese crumbles
1/2 C. Monterey Jack cheese, grated
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 eggs, beaten
1 C. panko (Japanese bread crumbs)

Preheat oven to 375̊ F.
In large skillet over medium-high heat, warm olive oil. Add onions to skillet and sauté until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add spinach to skillet, cover, reduce heat to medium and cook until spinach is wilted. Transfer onion and spinach to large bowl. Add dill, Feta cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, salt and pepper to bowl; mix well to combine.
Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Place eggs in small bowl and panko in pie plate. Spray baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside.
Using sharp knife, slit each chicken breast along long side, cutting only about 3/4 of the way through. Divide spinach mixture into four sections and stuff each breast with a portion of the mixture. Dip breasts first in egg mixture and then in panko to coat. Place chicken on prepared pan and lightly coat chicken with olive oil cooking spray. Place in hot oven and cook 45 minutes or until chicken is done.

Here is more information about the contest:
LIVINGSTON, Calif. – The West Coast’s premier Fresh Chicken Cooking Contest is inviting home, amateur and professional chefs to stir up some cooking creativity with its call for entries for the second annual Foster Farms Fresh Chicken Cooking Contest (live on February 28). The winning contestant will receive a grand prize of $10,000 plus a one-year supply of Foster Farms fresh chicken. Hot off the heels of its successful first-ever Cooking Contest, Foster Farms is encouraging residents of California, Oregon and Washington to submit their favorite, original chicken recipes for consideration. Recipes must feature Foster Farms fresh chicken and should be inspired by ingredients grown on the West Coast as a testament to Foster Farms’ commitment to foods that are fresh, locally-grown and always natural. The deadline to enter is May 31, 2011 at 11:59:59 p.m. PDT and the contest will culminate with finals held on September 30 at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in St. Helena, Calif., during National Chicken Month.

"We hope to build on the success of last year’s contest which drew thousands of entries ranging from time-tested multi-generational recipes to brand new creations," said Ira Brill, Director of Marketing and Advertising Services for Foster Farms. "As a longstanding West Coast brand committed to bringing consumers fresh chicken grown close to home and delivered fresh to their store in 48 hours or less, Foster Farms is pleased that this contest inspires so many to find new and creative ways to prepare our locally-grown fresh chicken. Our contest is a celebration of the West Coast bounty and all of the fresh produce and foods we are lucky to have at our fingertips."

Foster Farms will host regional semifinal events in San Diego, Calif., Portland, Ore., and Seattle, Wash., in August 2011 culminating with The Final Cook-off September 30 at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in St. Helena, Calif.
· Fifteen semifinalists - five from each state - will receive $100 and compete in person at regional competitions held in Seattle, Portland and San Diego. Six regional winners - two from each state - will receive $1,000.
· The six regional winners will head to The Final Cook-off in St. Helena to compete for the grand prize of $10,000 and a one-year* supply of fresh Foster Farms chicken. The six finalists will receive travel and lodging accommodations in the Napa Valley.
· A special prize will be awarded to the contestant with the best use of fresh, local ingredients (last year’s winning recipe highlighted fresh spinach and dill).
The contest is open to all California, Oregon and Washington residents over the age of 18. Entries will be judged by a panel of leading food media and culinary professionals. Contestants are encouraged to submit their unique chicken recipes featuring Foster Farms fresh chicken and emphasizing fresh, local ingredients. The scoring structure will be weighted to reward contestants whose recipes highlight truly fresh and local ingredients.
For complete contest rules please visit www.fosterfarms.com/cookingcontest. No previous grand prize winners of the Foster Farms Fresh Chicken Cooking Contest are eligible to participate. Entries can be submitted online at www.fosterfarms.com/cookingcontest, by e-mail at cookingcontest@fosterfarms.com or by mail to Foster Farms, Cooking Contest, P.O. Box 306, Livingston, CA 95334.
Click here for Foster Farms Contest link

Hummus Dip with Naan Soft Flatbread

I'd never tried a hummus dip I liked  - I'll admit I hadn't tried too many - until about a month ago at a potluck lunch. Charlotte Pulleiro of Canyon City shared her recipe for hummus which she uses as a dip for vegetables like carrots, celery, etc. The lemon and garlic sing in this recipe and you can adjust everything to taste, including the texture. I made the dip for a gathering and made some Naan, an Indian flatbread (as in India), to go with it. This dip is both a healthy and delicious snack!

Hummus

1 can (15 to 16 oz) garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained, reserve liquid
1/2 tsp. salt
1 garlic clove
1/4 C. lemon juice
1/4 C. olive oil
2 Tbsp. sesame seeds, or tahini (ground sesame seeds)

Place ingredients in blender, or food processor.  Blend until uniform adding bean liquid as needed.  Serve with vegetables, corn chips, pita chips or crackers.

Naan Soft Flatbread

2/3 C. warm water (110 F)
1 tsp. active dry yeast
1 tsp. white sugar
2 C. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1/4 C. butter
2 Tbsp. plain yogurt
2 tsp. onion seed (optional)

Whisk warm water with yeast and sugar until dissolved. cover and let stand 10 minutes in a warm place.
Sift flour and salt into a large bowl, add yeast mixture, half of the butter and all of the yogurt. Mix into a soft dough then knead on floured surface, five minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a large greased bowl, cover and let stand 1 ½ hours or until doubled in size.
Punch down dough then knead five minutes. Divide dough into six balls. Roll each ball into 8-inch round discs.
Cover an oven tray with foil. Brush Naan with remaining oil and sprinkle with onion seed. Cook Naan one at a time in a hot oven - try broil or 450 degrees (watch very carefully). Cook 2-3 minutes or until lightly puffy and browned. Turn and brush with butter and cook another 2-4 minutes.

Tip: Double the Naan recipe for a larger crowd. Cut into triangles if desired.