Owen vs Mom. Secret ingredient: Apples

So, now that you know a lot about my recipes, now I'm going to do some competitions against my mom and my dad with the other parent deciding the ingredient and judging. Does that sound fair to you? Our first challenge was today and our secret ingredient was chosen by my dad, which was apples. I won this first challenge so our ingredient today will be the dish that I won. 

 

My mom made this dish, which was apple spice filling inside a tortilla and fried, topped with caramel sauce, ice cream and chocolate shavings.

I made this dish. It's apple fritters with an apple slaw with homemade dressing. It's actually very simple. Here's the recipe. Mix together Marzetti's dressing with a small amount of worchestire sauce.

A Breakfast for Dinner

So I know we do this little introduction every single post and every day I say something about the next recipe, but this week is actually multiple recipes- it's breakfast for dinner!

French Toast
1/4 cup flour
1 cup milk
1 pinch salt
3 eggs
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp sugar
12 slices texas toast bread

1. In large bowl mix flour and milk. Add salt, eggs, cinnamon, vanilla and sugar and beat well.
2. Dip each slice of bread into egg mixture, let soak slightly, flip, then place on heated and greased griddle.
3. At this point we cover the french toast with a lid or upside down pan to help the middle cook.
4. Cook over medium heat until browned on one side, flip and cook the other side.

Bacon
1 package bacon

Cook in pan over medium heat, flipping to keep from burning. When cooked, remove from heat and place on paper towels to drain grease.

Scrambled Eggs
3 eggs
3 egg whites
1/3 cup milk
salt and pepper

1. Mix eggs and egg whites with milk.
2. Pour mixture into greased skillet heated over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper and stir to scramble. When done, put in bowl.

Hash Brown
Frozen hash brown rectangles

1. Place frozen hash brown on plate. Microwave for 1 minute to defrost.
2. Place on heated skillet and brown.

 

 BONUS TIP: Although your grandmother, or your mother, taught you to crack eggs on the edge of bowls or pans, I specifically tell you to crack it on a flat surface like a plate or counter. When you crack it on an edge it puts shells in the food you want to eat.

 

Roasted Asparagus

As you remember from our cookie episode, I'm a vegetarian. But, of course, I don't eat disgusting stuff. I don't even eat oranges. And I don't eat asparagus. I know, I know, being a vegetarian it's weird that I don't eat asparagus. Speaking of asparagus, lets talk about today's recipe, which is asparagus.

Roasted Asparagus
1 big bunch of asparagus (we get ours from Sam's Club)
1 Tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp garlic salt
Parmesan cheese

1. Cut ends off asparagus and place in big pot filled with water. Boil for 5 minutes.

2. Drain asparagus and place on baking sheets. Mix butter and garlic salt and brush mixture on asparagus. Grate Parmesan cheese over top. 

3. Roast in 450 degree oven for about 15 minutes.

White Chip Macademia Cookies

You know, many people use the term "vegetarian", but I also made up my own term I think you would like- "desertetarian". Speaking of deserts, our recipe today is a cookie. Now let's show our recipe.

White Chip Macademia Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup chopped macademia nuts
1 cup white chocolate chips

1. Cream butter and sugars in mixer on medium speed. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each one. Add vanilla and mix.
2. Add flour, baking soda and salt and mix. Add nuts and chips and mix.
3. Drop by teaspoon onto ungreased baking sheets.
4. Bake for 10 minutes in 350 degree oven. Let cool on cookie sheet for a few minutes before removing to wire rack.

Irish Soda Bread and French Fries

I know these two don't go together- a side dish and a bread- but I just make what I can and I put it in this blog. So don't blame me if you see a meat and desert or a side dish and another side dish. So please, don't come running to me and say "how do these go together?" because I won't say anything.

Irish Soda Bread

4 cups flour
4 tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg

1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup buttermilk

1. Mix flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and butter. Stir in 1 cup buttermilk and egg.

2. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and knead. Shape into a circle and place on a lightly greased pan.

3. Mix 1/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup buttermilk. Brush over top of loaf.

4. Bake bread in 375 degree oven for 45-50 minutes, or until golden brown.

French Fries

3 potatoes
1/4 cup oil
1 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp rosemary

1. Wash and dry potatoes. Slice into potato shapes. Place in large bowl and cover with cold water. Let sit for 1 hour.

2. Drain potatoes and dry. Mix with oil and seasonings. Place on baking sheet.

3. Bake in 400 degree oven for approximately 45 minutes, or until golden brown. The time depends greatly on how thick you cut your fries!

 

Bonus Tip: A clean kitchen is a happy kitchen! Please clean your kitchen or you won't be able to cook anymore! 

Handmade Home Fries

If you've been doing all of these, you've probably noticed that I do this little introduction before I do the recipe. I just wanted to say that these home fries are delicious! You can make the seasoning however you want. I make it with garlic salt and rosemary leaves- delicious! 

 

Home Fries

2 medium sized potatoes
1 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp rosemary leaves

1. Wash and dry potatoes.
2. Cut potatoes into cubes.
3. Heat oil over medium heat in large skillet.
4. When oil is hot, add potatoes and seasonings. 
 5. Cook, stirring frequently, over medium heat until golden brown.

Banana Bread

So, this has been my favorite banana bread recipe that I've eaten for years. If you don't like banana bread, you can use the same batter for banana muffins. I like those too.

Banana Bread

1 3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 egg
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup yogurt (I like Yoplait Original Vanilla)
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup mashed bananas (the riper, the better)

1. Mix mashed banana, egg, oil, yogurt and vanilla in a bowl.
2. Add all dry ingredients and stir until moistened.
3. Pour into greased loaf pan.

 

4. Bake in 350 degree oven for 65-75 minutes. Check with a toothpick at 65 minutes and bake until toothpick comes out clean.
5. Cool in pan for 10 minutes before taking out and cooling on a cooling rack. 

Breaded Cod with Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Chocolate Mousse

I should be really lucky that I'm such a good cook. I have a baby brother, and he's always playing with the pots and pans. That's what I did when I was little. When he's older we can open a restaurant together. But, to heck with it. Let's go back to the recipe.

Breaded Cod
3 cod loin fillets
1 cup seasoned flour
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp cheaspeake bay seasoning
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup egg whites

1. Thaw cod loins in fridge or under cold running water. Rinse and pat dry.
2. Whisk one egg then add egg whites and stir together.
3. Put seasoned flour in separate dish.
4. Lightly season both side of cod fillets with chesapeake bay seasoning.
5. Brush egg mixture onto all sides of cod. Dredge in flour.
6. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, gently place each fish fillet into the skillet. Fry for 3 minutes, then turn over. Fry for 3 more minutes then turn again. Fry for 3 more minutes.
7. Remove fish from skillet and place on paper towel lined plate.

Tartar Sauce
4 tbsp Miracle Whip
1 dill pickle spear
2 tbsp pickle juice
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
splash lemon juice

1. Chop up pickle into really small pieces. Throw all the ingredients into a bowl. Stir until looking like a tartar sauce.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts
1 package brussel sprouts
olive oil spray
salt and pepper

1. Cut off stem of each brussel sprout and cut in half.
2. Place all brussel sprouts in a pot and cover with water. Boil over medium high heat for 10 minutes.
3. Drain brussel sprouts and place on baking sheet. Spray with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
4. Cook in a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned.
5. Remove from oven carefully.

Chocolate Mousse
8 ounces chocolate
6 tbsp water
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar

1. Melt the chocolate and water together over low heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat when melted and stir in vanilla. Cool to room temperature.
2. Chill mixer bowl and beater in freezer. When chilled, put in whipping cream and beat on high speed until stiff peaks form.
3. Add powdered sugar and beat until mixed.
4. Put in the chocolate mixture and until thoroughly mixed together. Be careful not to over mix!!
 5. Place mixture in fridge until time to serve. Garnish as desired with grate chocolate, whipped cream or anything you decide!

Introduction

Welcome to Owen's Crazy Confections! If you've read Kiwi Magazine, you probably know me from the Grand Prize Winner of a cooking competition- The Next Great Young Chef.

If you don't know me, I'll just say I'm a very great chef. My goal is to open a few restaurants and to make it on The Next Iron Chef- The Food Network is one of my favorite channels.

So I decided to start this blog so I can teach people recipes and cooking tips so that everyone can be as good as yours truly. If you're here, just sit back, relax and let's make some food!

For our first post, we'll be making a dinner and a desert. We will be making fish with a side of brussel sprouts. And for dessert- a great chocolate mousse.