Raspberry Lemon Tart

Posted on April 5, 2015 by natbiggs

This tart is simple and elegant, perfect for entertaining. It’s extremely easy to put together and takes little prep work to complete. Plus who doesn’t love the combo of lemon and raspberry? It’s like Spring in a bite! Enjoy!

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed but still cold

4 oz cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup sugar

2 tbsp heavy cream

1/3 cup lemon curd

1 pint raspberries

1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam, warmed

Powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat baking mat. Unfold the thawed out puff pastry on a lightly flour dusted area and gently roll into a rectangle and transfer to your baking sheet. Brush edges with a little bit of water and fold over all 4 sides to form the edge. Using a fork, poke holes all over the center of your tart. Gently brush the entire tart with an egg wash. Bake until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully with the back of a spoon press the center back down if it has puffed. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
In a bowl combine softened cream cheese and sugar. Mix with a hand-mixer until smooth and the sugar is incorporated. Add the heavy cream and mix for about 1 minute. Stir in the lemon curd.
Carefully spread your lemon cheesecake mixture over the center of your cooled tart crust. Arrange berries over the curd and drizzle with the warmed jam. Dust the tart with powdered sugar.

Easter on Mahogany Trail

Posted on April 5, 2015 by natbiggs

If you know me well, you know that holidays are extremely important to me. I grew up with a Mother who was the female version of Clark Griswald. She made an enormous deal out of every last single holiday. I now find myself following in her footsteps and recreating those traditions with my family. So spending the night before Easter at the ER with my little kid due to a double ear infection was not part of the plan. By the way, I’m not really a fan of things not going according to plan. Ha!

So I found myself pretty aggravated on Sunday morning. I’ve never missed Easter in my life, not to mention I had the perfect outfits for the entire family (lol). So I was having a little pity party for myself until my friend facetimed me from church. Oh technology! Then I had a thought, I could stay in my pjs moping or get up and “go” to church. So I got up, put my Easter dress on and watched the live stream of the service right from my kitchen.

Sometimes when life doesn’t go according to plan it’s easy to get frustrated, which is exactly how I felt. Then I remembered all the things to be thankful for, like insurance to pay for the trip to the ER and a church with a great media team. =) I realized, just like my pastor preached last week, I was stuck on Friday. It didn’t get off to a great start, but resurrection Sunday was quickly resurrected for me! Thank you Jesus! Next week the Biggs will be looking really good at church. Lol! #easterdoover #needmyfamilyphoto

The table looked fab and lunch was a huge success. I’ll post all the recipes this weekend.

Easter Menu

Brown Sugar Glazed Ham

Baked Sweet Potatoes

Roasted Lemon Pepper Green Beans

Glazed Carrots

Yeast Rolls

Raspberry Lemon Cheesecake Tart

Easy Weeknight Dinners

Posted on March 8, 2015 by natbiggs

After I posted a pic of my Sunday night meal prep for the week, I suddenly became very popular. The text, Instagram and Facebook messages started rolling in. So I figured it would be easier just to post versus try to respond to all my lovely friends. Here is the menu from Mahogany Trail this week. All of these meals can be prepped ahead and placed in the freezer. Remember to thaw out the night prior to cooking. Enjoy!

Chipotle Pork Tacos

Pork tenderloin
juice of 2 grapefruits
4 cloves of garlic
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
For serving:
Tortillas
Limes
Sour cream
Cheese of your choice
Cilantro

Pour grapefruit juice in blender and and in garlic and chipotle peppers. Pulse until combined. Pour over pork loin into freezer bag and let marinate overnight or freeze. Cook in crock pot on low for 6-8 hours, until meat is tender. Shred for tacos.

Cilantro Lime Chicken

4-6 chicken breast
Juice from 2 limes
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
2 ears of corn
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 tsp cumin
1/2 cup chicken stock
For serving:
Rice
cilantro for garnish

Place all ingredients in freezer bag and shake to combined. At this point you can marinate over night or place in freezer. Cook in crock pot on low heat for 4-6 hours. You might want to add an additional 1/2 cup of chicken stock when you place in the crock pot. Serve over rice with cilantro garnish.

Slow Cooker Italian Chicken

4-6 chicken breast
28 oz can stewed tomatoes (I prefer Cento)
4 tbsp white wine
1 large onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
1 cup chicken stock
For serving:
Pasta of your choice
Fresh grated Parmesan

Combined first 5 ingredients in freezer bag. Marinate in fridge over night or place in freezer. Add the contents of the bag along with a cup of chicken stock to the crock pot. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Remove bay leaves. Shred chicken and serve over pasta topped with Parmesan.

Honey Mustard Chicken

4-6 chicken breast
3 tbsp Dijon mustard
3 tbsp whole grain mustard
3 tbsp honey
3 tbsp chicken stock
Olive oil
Fresh rosemary
For serving:
Roasted Broccoli
Brown Sugar Carrots

Add the first 5 ingredients to freezer bag. Marinate overnight or freeze. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Cook 5-6 minutes per side and finish in a 450 degree oven. Serve with roasted broccoli and glazed carrots.

To-Go Baked Oatmeal

Posted on January 11, 2015 by natbiggs

My son loves oatmeal, so I am always looking for new ways to try it. When I came across this recipes I knew I had to try it. It’s perfect! Oatmeal to-go, yes please! I also love the fact that you can customize it. We made 4 versions- plain, chocolate chip, pecan and cranberry. There are so many possibilities! I also love the fact you can freeze these, however I don’t know if you’ll have any left to freeze. Make them on Sunday night and you’ve got breakfast all week. Makes 18 muffins. Enjoy!

2 eggs
¼ cup canola oil
1 cup packed brown sugar
½ cup applesauce
1½ cups skim milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. salt
1 tbsp. ground cinnamon
3 cups old fashioned rolled oats
2 tsp. baking powder
Toppings of your choice- chocolate chips, nuts, cranberries

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with liners. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, oil, and brown sugar until sugar is dissolved. Add the applesauce, milk, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon. Whisk until well combined. Stir in the oats and baking powder. Fill liners 3/4 of the way and add your favorite toppings. Bake for 30 minutes. Store in an airtight container or freeze in a zip top storage bag.

144 calories per serving.

Parmesan Baked Chicken Nuggets

Posted on January 11, 2015 by natbiggs

These nuggets are going to make me extremely popular on Mahogany Trail. I tested them out this weekend and got rave reviews from my #1 boy. I can’t wait until my #2 boy, who lives on nuggets, gets back from from a road trip with his Dad. I plan to make these when all 4 Biggs are back together next weekend. I didn’t even know I liked nuggets until I tried these! The best part is that they are baked and not fried, which makes them low calorie. This recipe is a win-win! Enjoy!

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in 1 inch chunks
1 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
1 tbsp olive oil
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 400°F. First prepare the panko for the nuggets. Spread panko in a thin layer on rimmed baking sheet and bake for 5-7 minutes, until goldn brown. Transfer the panko to a shallow dish and mix in the Parmesan. Drizzle the oil on top and mix well. Set up your breaking station with the flour and eggs in shallow dishes. Increase the oven temperature to 450°F. Place a wire rack on the baking sheet and spray with cooking spray. In small batches, coat the chicken in flour, shaking off any excess, dip in egg, and lastly coat well with panko. Transfer to the rack. Bake the chicken until cooked through, about 12-14 minutes, turning At the half way point.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Protien Bites

Posted on January 11, 2015 by natbiggs

New year and back on track with our healthy eating. Still not sure how I became a person who drinks protien shakes, but that’s another story. Ha! These are a perfect sweet treats when you’re trying to be good. The recipe makes 12 bites and according to fitpal has 130 calories.

1 1/2 cups oats
1/2 cup unsweetened raw coconut
1/2 cup ground flaxseed
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1/3 cup honey

Add all ingredient into a large bowl and stir until combined. Scoop out spoonfuls and roll into balls. Place on a lined cookie sheet and chill in fridge for 1 hour. Store in an airtight container.

Christmas Breakfast – Liege Wafels

Posted on December 25, 2014 by natbiggs

These waffles, or wafels as they’re called at wafels and dinges, are life changing. You’ll never look a waffle the same way again. Thank you Bobby Flay for showcasing Wafels and Dinges on throwdown and opening my eyes to the liege wafel. They’re crispy and crunchy on the outside, but thick and chewy on the inside. The pearl sugar perfectly caramelizes around the edges. You can eat them plain or with a plethora of toppings. My favorite is speculoos and fresh whipped cream. Now that Sur la Table is stocking pearl sugar, I can make these little gems at home! So thank you Sur la Table for making Christmas morning special!

Liege Waffles
3 1/2 cups of flour
1 pack dry yeast
3/4 lukewarm milk
2 sticks butter, softened
2 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 bag (8 oz) pearl sugar

Dissolve yeast in milk. Add all ingredients together, except the pearl sugar. It will be a thick dough, not a batter. Let the dough rise until it doubles in size, approximately 30 minutes. Add in pearl sugar. Place spoonful (about 3 ounces) in prepared waffle iron. Do not remove with your hand! The pearl sugar is extremely hot. Top with Nutella and strawberries, speculoos (cookie butter) and bananas, dulce de leche and whipped cream.

If you don’t know, now you know! Get it at central market.

Jason on totally rocked this amazing ham, gruyere and thyme breakfast bake. Guest blog post coming soon!

Buon Natale from Mahogany Trail

Posted on December 25, 2014 by natbiggs

What a fantastic Christmas Eve dinner with my loves. We opted for a more traditional holiday meal this year, versus our usual Italian feast. In typical Clark Giswold style, Jason completely outdid himself. Bourbon glazed ham, roasted thyme potatoes, maple balsamic Brussel sprouts, cornbread dressing and sugared carrots with pecans. Buon Natale!

Crispy Roasted Thyme Potatoes
3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
3 tbsp olive oil
4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled
4 shallots, thickly sliced lengthwise
coarse salt
1/2 tsp red-pepper flakes (optional)
8 sprigs thyme

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl, combine butter and oil. Brush bottom of a round 9-inch baking dish with some butter mixture. With a sharp knife or mandoline, slice potatoes very thinly crosswise. Arrange potato slices vertically in dish. Wedge shallots throughout. Sprinkle with salt, red-pepper flakes (if using) and thyme. Brush with remaining butter mixture. Bake 1 hour, until edges are crispy.

Brussel sprouts already posted in Fall 2014.

This is Jason’s secret cornbread dressing. Maybe one day I’ll convince him to share!

Sugared Carrots with Pecans
1 tbsp olive oil
6 cups carrots, peeled and sliced
1 tsp minced fresh ginger
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cups pecan halves

Heat oil in a nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add carrots and cook, stirring frequently, 4 minutes. Stir in ginger and sugar and cook, stirring, until sugar melts, about 2 minutes. Add pecans and cook until carrots are tender when pierced and mixture is glazed in sugar, 3 to 5 minutes.

Bourbon Glaze
1/2 cup orange marmalade
3 tbsp bourbon
1 tbsp spicy Dijon mustard
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp maple syrup

Combine ingredients and pour over top of scored ham. Cook according to directions.

White Chocolate Cranberry Cake

Posted on December 25, 2014 by natbiggs

This cake tastes even better than it looks! The tart cranberries are complemented by the perfectly sweet white chocolate icing. It’s the perfect cake to celebrate the winter season and the holidays. The cake is so rich and buttery, it’s reminiscent of an old fashioned pound cake. I think this would be awesome with raspberries or blueberries. The possibilities are endless! This cake is sure to please and impress everyone at your holiday party!

For the Sugared Cranberries:
2 cups fresh cranberries
1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
1 cup water

Bring 1 cup sugar and water to a simmer in a saucepan and cook until sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Pour cranberries into syrup and coat fully. Place berries on a wire rack to dry, about an hour. Add sugar to a large ziplock bag. Add berries and shake until fully coated with the sugar. Set aside and allow to dry for another hour.

For the Cake:
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups butter, softened
3 eggs
2 tbsp vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream
1 cup milk
2 cups fresh cranberries

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare three 8 inch cake pans. Whisk together flour, sugar and baking powder in a large mixing bowl. Add butter, eggs, vanilla, sour cream and milk and mix on medium speed until smooth. Gently stir in cranberries by hand. Divide batter between the prepared pans. Bake 35-40 minutes, until slightly golden brown on top. Allow to cool completely before icing.

For the White Chocolate Icing:
12 oz white chocolate chips
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream +2 tbsp to finish
1/2 cup butter, softened
6 cups powdered sugar

Place white chocolate chips in a metal bowl. Heat heavy cream until it starts to boil. Pour over chocolate chips and cover the bowl with saran wrap for 5-7 minutes. Whisk chocolate and cream until smooth. Allow ganache to sit until thickened and cooled. Beat the ganache with a mixer for about 2-3 minutes, until smooth and fluffy. Add butter and beat until it is fully combined. Slowly add powdered sugar a cup at a time, mixing after each addition. Add remaining 2 tbsp of heavy cream to finish the icing.

Ice cake and top with sugared berries and garnish with rosemary sprigs.