Rachel's Recipe Blog

Creamy Ravioli with Squash, Lemon, and Chives

2011-07-13T16:19:00.001-07:00

from Keeping Up with the Joneses

kendallandkeith.blogspot.com

We had this for dinner and it was delicious! Definitely on the make-again list.

Ingredients:
16 to 18 oz fresh or frozen cheese ravioli
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 shallot, chopped
4-5 summer squash (yellow squash and zucchini), thinly sliced
Kosher salt and black pepper
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp grated lemon zest
1/2 cup grated pecorino or Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
2 Tbsp chopped fresh chives

Instructions:

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Toss with a little olive oil to keep from sticking.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the squash and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper to the skillet. Cook, tossing often, until the vegetables are just beginning to soften, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the cream and lemon zest and cook until the vegetables are tender and the cream is slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the squash mixture, Parmesan cheese, and ½ teaspoon salt to the pasta and toss gently to coat. Serve sprinkled with the chives and additional Parmesan cheese.

Total Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

2011-04-08T07:28:00.000-07:00

from Lisa Russo Photography (random? Yes.)

Do you ever see something and it looks so good you have to try it? Even when the thought of brussels sprouts makes you want to gag? Well I made this as a side to the bourbon glazed salmon (see below) the other night...DELICIOUS (and healthy!). I made a ton and they were gone. I'll definitely be making these on a weekly basis.

p.s. I used garlic-infused olive oil and that made them extra special!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts:

Preheat oven to 400 or 450 (depending on whether you’re nearby to keep an eye on them).

Rinse sprouts, trim the ends, remove any brown leaves and cut in half. Place on a nonstick baking sheet (non-stick Reynolds wrap works well). Drizzle well with good olive oil and sprinkle generously with kosher or sea salt. Toss to coat, then put in the oven for 20 minutes or so, until they’re nice and dark brown and crispy – some of the loose leaves will almost look burnt, but those are the best part. I usually give them a flip and shake about halfway through.

Crispy Bourbon Glazed Salmon

2011-04-08T07:13:00.000-07:00

from How Sweet It Is.

This was delicious! I will definitely be making it again. I bought about 12 ounces of salmon for the two of us and it was just enough. I made the entire amount of glaze, with the intention of using it again for shrimp or chicken...until Chris cleaned up and poured out the rest. (Argh!) Maybe next time...

Bourbon Glazed Salmon

makes about 1/2 cup of glaze

1 pound fresh salmon

1 tablespoon coarse sea salt

1/2 tablespoon black pepper

3/4 cup bourbon

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 teaspoon ground mustard

Combine the bourbon, sugar, mustard, garlic, honey, vinegar and worcestershire in a small saucepan and whisk. Heat over high heat and allow it to come to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and let simmer for 8-10 minutes, or until mixture reduces by about half. Pour mixture in a bowl and let sit at room temperature while the salmon cooks. The glaze will thicken a bit at this time.

Preheat the broiler in your oven. Make sure the salmon is dry and season it with the coarse salt and pepper on both sides. Lay it on a non-stick baking sheet. Broil for about 5-6 minutes on each side, until the top develops a crispy crust. If your salmon is very thick, you may need to go a little longer.

Remove the salmon from the oven and brush it with the bourbon glaze. Add as much or as little as you would like. Feel free to use it as a dipping sauce too. The glaze can be stored in the fridge for a week or two – just allow it to come to room temperature (or slightly warm it) before using.

Savory Sausage Breakfast Rolls

2011-01-30T11:24:00.000-08:00

from Keeping Up with the Joneses.

These last few weekends have been lazy ones for us, which has led me to search for new breakfast recipes (see pancakes below). As soon as I saw these, I knew they had to be made.

I accidentally added the entire pound of sausage to the rolls (that's what happens when you Skype with your Dad to tell him Happy Birthday in the middle of cooking), but they still came out great. We are already looking forward to the leftovers tomorrow morning!

Ingredients:
1 can Crescent rolls or Crescent creation dough sheets
2 Tbsp butter, melted
2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 tsp salt
8 oz sage (or regular) pork sausage
3/4 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
cooking spray

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350
Cook and crumble the sausage. Drain the grease, or pat with paper towels.
Chop the rosemary. In a small bowl, combine the sausage, rosemary and salt.
Find lengthwise seam in dough. Beginning at seam, gently unroll dough into a rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Roll dough into a 13 x 8-inch rectangle; brush with melted butter, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Sprinkle sausage mixture evenly over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border; top with cheese. Starting with a long side, roll dough up, jelly-roll fashion; press seam to seal (do not seal ends of roll). Cut 1 (1/2-inch-thick) crosswise slice from each end; discard. Slice roll crosswise into 12 (1/2-inch-thick) pieces; arrange in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.
Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until golden.

Sour Cream Pancakes

2011-01-30T11:19:00.000-08:00

from Pioneer Woman's cookbook (link and image via Smitten Kitchen).

I made these a couple weekends ago for Chris and I since I got the cookbook for Christmas and had all the ingredients on hand. And oh my goodness, they were so good! We were both thoroughly impressed (so much so that halving the recipe almost didn't provide enough...) and I'm already looking forward to making them again. These are a definite for breakfasts up at the lake this summer!

7 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/ 2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Butter
Maple syrup

Heat a cast iron skillet or griddle over medium-low heat; you want it to slowly get nice and hot.

Stir the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt together in the bottom of a medium bowl. Dump the sour cream in on top and stir it together very gently; it’s okay to leave the texture a bit uneven. Whisk the eggs and vanilla in a separate bowl and stir them into the sour cream mixture, once again, being careful not to overmix.

Melt about a tablespoon of butter in your skillet or griddle and pour the batter in, a scant 1/4 cup at a time. Cook for about 2 minutes on the first side, or until bubbles appear all over the surface [See Pancakes 101 for this and other tips], flipping them carefully and cooking for about a minute on the other side. Repeat with remaining batter.

Serve in a stack, topped with a pat of butter and a cascade of maple syrup.

Chicken Lasagna with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

2011-01-23T16:08:00.000-08:00

from Keeping Up with the Joneses.

We had Scott & Nikki and Ben & Claire over for dinner last night. I wanted to try something new, but I'm always a little nervous about testing a new recipe with guests. But I went ahead and made this anyway, because it seemed like an interesting twist on an old favorite. I'm very happy to report that not only was it delicious, but it was a huge hit with everyone and I've already had requests to share the recipe!

You must try it soon!

Ingredients:
4 cups shredded cooked chicken
2 8 oz containers chive-and-onion cream cheese
1 10 oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well-drained
1 tsp seasoned pepper
3/4 tsp garlic salt
9 no-boil lasagna noodles
2 cups (8 oz) shredded Italian three-cheese blend
1 12 oz jar roasted red bell peppers, drained
1 16 oz jar creamy Alfredo sauce (I bought Bertolli)
1 3 oz package shredded parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp dried crushed red pepper

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350. In a food processor, combine the drained red peppers, alfredo, shredded parmesan and red pepper flakes. Process until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides. In a bowl, combine the chicken, cream cheese, spinach, pepper and garlic salt.
Lightly grease 11x7 inch baking dish. Layer dish with one-third red pepper sauce, 3 noodles, one-third of spinach mixture and one-third cheese. Repeat twice to finish. Place on a baking sheet and bake, covered, for 50 to 55 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 more minutes.

Banana Butter Rum Pudding

2011-01-23T15:59:00.000-08:00

from Cheeky Kitchen.

YUM YUM YUM!

Excellent comfort food (and it looks great in my glass dessert bowls that I got as a wedding gift!)

3 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup flour

3 cups milk

2/3 cup light brown sugar

3 egg yolks

pinch of salt

1/4 teaspoon rum flavoring

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Nilla wafers

3 ripe banana's

In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat, then whisk in the flour until a thick paste forms. Slowly whisk in the milk. Add the brown sugar, and yolks, whisking until smooth. Continue whisking over medium heat until thickened. Once thickened, remove from heat and whisk in salt, rum flavoring, and vanilla. Serve warm or cold with Nilla wafers and sliced bananas. Top with fresh whipped cream.

Christmas Sugar Cookies

2010-12-28T12:10:00.001-08:00

This was my first Christmas away from home, and I knew the #1 thing I had to do to make it feel like "Christmas" was make these: my Mom's Sugar Cookies with Buttercream Frosting.

I did the baking and Chris helped me decorate them...the only problem now is there are only two of us to finish eating them all! Ack!

Cookies:

1 c. butter
1 ½ c. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
½ tsp. almond extract
4 ½ c. flour
1 tsp. soda
½ tsp. salt

Cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs and extracts. Add sifted dry ingredients to preceding mixture. Chill and roll out.
Bake 10 minutes at 350°F.

Frosting:
(I found this recipe online at Savory Sweet Life, and it worked perfectly!)

1 cup butter (2 sticks or 1/2 pound), softened

3-4 cups confectioners (powdered) sugar, SIFTED

1/2 teaspoon table salt

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

up to 4 tablespoons milk or heavy cream (*I used 2 TBS heavy cream, since I had it in the fridge.)

Beat butter for a few minutes with a mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed. Add 3 cups of powdered sugar and turn your mixer on the lowest speed (so the sugar doesn’t blow everywhere) until the sugar has been incorporated with the butter. Increase mixer speed to medium and add vanilla extract, salt, and 2 tablespoons of milk/cream and beat for for 3 minutes. If your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add remaining sugar (*I added an additional 1/2 cup). If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add remaining milk 1 tablespoons at a time.

Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

2010-12-28T12:02:00.001-08:00

from Rachael Ray.

I also made these for the group up in Vermont. They were great! The original recipe (below) serves 8 but I made enough to serve 12, which means I had 3 layers instead of 2. The middle layer didn't get as done as the top and bottom, so next time I'll probably do it exactly as it says here:

Ingredients:

2 cups milk
3 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
Salt
3 pounds baking potatoes, preferably Idaho, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
3 ounces Gruyère cheese, coarsely grated (about 3/4 cup)
Pinch cayenne pepper
Black pepper
1 cup heavy cream

Directions:

Place a rack in the top half of the oven and preheat to 375°. In a large saucepan, combine 2 cups water with the milk, garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add the potatoes and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to prevent the potatoes from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the potatoes are tender but still slightly firm, about 8 minutes.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and, using a slotted spoon, transfer half the potatoes to a buttered 9-by-13-inch baking dish; arrange the potatoes in an even layer. Sprinkle with half the cheese and the cayenne; season with salt and pepper to taste (*Mine were slightly undersalted...use a little more than you think is necessary). Repeat with the remaining potatoes and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Pour the heavy cream evenly over the top. Bake the scalloped potatoes until golden and crisp on top, 40 to 45 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

2010-12-28T11:58:00.000-08:00

Today must be the day for appetizer recipes. Here's another quick and easy one that was a hit last weekend!

From my friend Kaylie...ready for how easy this is?

1 bag frozen precooked Swedish meatballs (2 lbs.)
1 bottle Sweet & Sour sauce
1 bottle BBQ sauce - I used Honey something or other
1 can pineapple chunks

Combine all ingredients in the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours. Dee-lish!

Baked Brie with Carmelized Pears

2010-12-28T11:48:00.000-08:00

Ok. I know I tend to be a little dramatic when talking about food on here, but I am totally 100% serious when I say: MAKE THIS ASAP.

Nikki made this one night at her house, and I loved it so much that I asked her to make it in Florida as an appetizer for our BBQ dinner. She did, and I have since had 3 other people ask me for the recipe. If you are looking for something to bring to a party or wow your guests, LOOK NO FURTHER! This is beyond delicious. In fact, all this talking about it has made me want some right now.

from Canadian Living.

Ingredients

*For any gathering larger than 5 or 6 people, I would recommend getting the 15 ounce-size brie wheel and doubling the remaining ingredients.

1 (8 oz) round brie cheese
1 tbsp slivered almonds, toasted

Carmelized pear
2 tsp butter
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1 pear, thinly sliced
Pinch each salt and pepper
1/4 cup pear juice
1 tbsp brandy
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme, (or 1/2 tsp dried)
1 tsp packed brown sugar

Caramelized pear: In nonstick skillet, melt butter over medium heat; fry shallot, pear, salt and pepper until shallot is softened, about 5 minutes.

Add pear juice, brandy, thyme and sugar; bring to boil. Boil, stirring occasionally, until no liquid remains and pear is softened, about 5 minutes *It took me longer, 10+mins*. (Make-ahead: Let cool. Refrigerate in airtight container for up to 24 hours.)

Place brie on foil-lined pie plate or in small cake pan; top with pear mixture. Bake in 350°F oven until cheese is softened, about 10 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with almonds.

Homemade Eggrolls

2010-12-28T11:39:00.000-08:00

from Steamy Kitchen.

For our 3rd annual December trip to Vermont with friends, we decided to do an Asian-themed night. Crab rangoon, tempura, roll-your-own-sushi...the works. I offered to make these homemade eggrolls to bring.

I'm not gonna lie...they're not easy. The recipe yields about 50 eggrolls and it took me a little over 2 hours to make the filling and roll them. However they are SO easy to pop in the freezer and just pull out however many you need and fry 'em up (or bake them, like Chris and I did yesterday). But even more importantly...they are freaking delicious. And worth every second it took to put them together.

Ingredients:

For the filling
1 1/4 pounds ground pork
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 head of small cabbage (about 10 ounces)
3 carrots
8 fresh shitake mushrooms (or dried Chinese mushrooms soaked overnight), stems discarded

1 tablespoon high-heat cooking oil
2-3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon Chinese black vinegar (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper

For the egg rolls
50 Spring Roll/Egg Roll Wrappers, defrosted unopened at room temperature for 45 minutes or in refrigerator overnight (about 2 packages) **I had to go to a specialty Asian market to get these.
Cornstarch slurry: 1 tablespoon cornstarch (or flour) mixed with 1/4 cup of cool water
Oil, for frying

Directions:

Marinate the ground pork with the soy sauce, cornstarch, sugar and sesame oil for at least 10 minutes at room temperature.

In the meantime, shred the cabbage and the carrots using your food processor or by hand. Slice the mushrooms into very thin strips.

Heat a wok or large frying pan over high heat until hot. Add the cooking oil and swirl to coat. Add the garlic, ginger and fry until fragrant, 15-30 seconds. Add the pork and stir fry until no longer pink. Add the cabbage, carrots and the mushrooms and stir fry for 1 minute, until the vegetables are softened. Add the rice wine, soy sauce, sesame oil Chinese black vinegar, salt and black pepper. Continue to stir fry for another minute. Remove the filling to a baking sheet and spread out to cool. Prop up one end of the baking sheet so that it tilts and will allow all the moisture to drain to one end. Let cool for 15 minutes.

Discard all of the accumulated juices. Use paper towels to blot the filling to rid of extra oil or juice. Now, we're ready to wrap!

Place only 1 tablespoon of filling on one corner. Any more and you'll overstuff.

Roll up that corner until you reach the middle of the wrapper.

Fold the sides towards the middle. Make sure that you make these folds tight and leave no air pockets.

Continue rolling. See that little corner? Brush a little of the cornstarch slurry on that end.

Press to make sure that cornstarch slurry holds on tight. Place seam side down, so that the slurry dries in place. See how nice, neat and tight that roll is?

What NOT to do: see how the roll is loose and there are air pockets? Oil will enter in through those air pockets and this egg roll will break.

Keep the rolled egg rolls in neat, single layer and covered with plastic wrap to prevent drying. If you want to stack the egg rolls, make sure you have layer of parchment paper in between the layers to prevent sticking:

Refrigerate up to 4 hours until ready to fry or freeze.

To fry the egg rolls, fill a wok or pot with 2 inches of high-heat cooking oil. Heat the oil to 350F or until a cube of bread will fry to golden brown within 10 seconds. Gently slide in or lower the egg rolls, frying 4-6 at a time, turning occassionaly until golden brown about 1 1/2 minutes. Place on wire rack to drain and cool.

To fry frozen egg rolls, do not defrost the egg rolls - just add them to the oil frozen, frying 4-6 at a time. Add an additional 1 1/2 minutes to the frying time since they are frozen.

*I would strongly suggest going to Jaden's site to check out her other recipes! Everything I have tried from there has been fantastic. I also recommend her cookbook, which I happen to own.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

2010-12-28T11:33:00.000-08:00

Also known as "crack dip", it is essentially the reason my friends keep inviting me to things. Kidding :) (I hope!)

From eHow (So random. Yet so good.)

Approx. 2 lbs chicken, boiled and shredded (do NOT use the canned stuff, please!)
1 block softened cream cheese
1 cup Ranch dressing
1 cup hot sauce (Frank's Red Hot Original)
8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese (sometimes I buy pre-shredded, sometimes I do it myself)
Tortilla chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In an oven proof dish, combine softened cream cheese, Ranch dressing, and hot sauce. Mix until thoroughly combined, but not soupy.

Fold in the shredded chicken and top with cheddar cheese.

Bake 20-25 minutes until the cheese is bubbly. Serve warm with tortilla chips.

ENJOY! You will make new friends with this dip, I promise you that.

Chipotle and Orange Pork Tacos

2010-11-18T16:04:00.000-08:00

from Tasty Kitchen.

I made these for dinner tonight, and they turned out great! The chipotle gives it a nice kick that is different than traditional tacos. And the orange flavor is definitely there but not overpowering.

The below recipe is for 8 servings, I cut it in half and had enough for 2 tacos for Chris, 1 for me, and some leftovers for lunch tomorrow!

1 package (5-gram Packet) Sazon Con Culantro Y Achiote (coriander And Annatto)
2-½ pounds Pork Shoulder, Cut Into Large Chunks
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 whole Large Oranges, Zested And Juiced
3 cloves Garlic, Skin Removed, Smashed
3 whole Chipotle Peppers In Adobo Sauce, Chopped
4 Tablespoons Of The Chipotle Adobo Sauce
1 package Fresh Corn Tortillas, Warmed (I used regular flour tortillas)
½ cups Fresh Cilantro, Chopped
1 whole Avocado, Sliced
½ cups Red Onion, Diced
*Chris requested salsa to put on them next time*

Preparation Instructions

Begin by sprinkling the Sazon all over the pork shoulder chunks. To a large skillet, add the oil and bring to a medium to high heat. Add the pork, in batches, and brown each side. During this time, bring out the slow cooker. You can do this with your Dutch oven, or another large pot if you want to keep it on the stove all day. However, I love my slow cooker, and can be assured that when I place pieces of pork in there and come back hours later, I am guaranteed fall-apart, fork-tender pork.

Zest the oranges and place in the bottom of the slow cooker, along with the juice from both oranges. When the pork is browned, add them to the slow cooker. Top with the pieces of smashed garlic, the chopped chipotle peppers, and the adobo sauce. Place on low, cover, and forget about it for at least 6 hours. I let mine go at least 10-12 hours, which is perfect if you prep the night before, and let it cook while you go to work.

Get some tongs or two forks, and begin shredding apart the pork, while in the slow cooker. You will see just how tender this is, and it really builds excitement when the pork just falls apart.

Now here is the deal, you can place these on your warm tortillas at this stage, or if you are like me, take a small batch of the shredded pork, and add it to a skillet that has been warmed on medium heat, and build a little bit of crisp on the strands of pork. I like doing this as it adds just the right texture to the pork.

When you are ready to serve, add as much pork as you want to two corn tortillas—yes, two of them. That is how corn tortilla-style tacos should be made, in my opinion. Add a bit of cilantro to the top, a bit of avocado, and some chopped onion. Fold and enjoy. The orange citrus note, and a bit of spice really made this taco fantastic and was well-liked. So much so that tacos, nachos, and burritos were made out of this delicious slow cooked pork for the next several days. Enjoy.

Peanut Butter Banana Bread

2010-11-18T15:57:00.000-08:00

from Keeping Up with the Joneses.

I love bananas. And I love peanut butter. So when I saw this recipe, I knew it had to be made! It has been a big hit in our house and I will DEFINITELY be making this again asap.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 bananas)
1/3 cup plain fat-free yogurt *I used Greek yogurt*
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter *Next time I would probably use a little bit more*
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 large eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
6.75 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
Cooking spray

*Next time I will probably add some chopped walnuts, too.

(optional glaze) *I didn't use this. I don't think it really needs it!
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon 1% lowfat milk
1 Tablespoon creamy peanut butter

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. To prepare bread, combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed. Add granulated and brown sugars; beat until blended.
3. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (through allspice) in a small bowl. Add flour mixture to banana mixture; beat just until blended. Pour batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray (I made mine into 4 mini-loaves and they was perfect!). Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 5 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean (I would bake for less time and check them if you're doing mini loaves). Remove from oven; cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack. Remove bread from pan; cool.
4. Optional - to prepare glaze, combine powdered sugar, milk, and 1 tablespoon peanut butter in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle glaze over bread.

Tomato and Sausage Risotto

2010-10-27T16:12:00.001-07:00

from Smitten Kitchen.

I made this tonight after reading all the fabulous reviews...and I must say, it turned out exactly like they said. It makes a lot (for 2) but we are really excited about the leftovers! Yum!

Oh - I also used Hot Italian turkey sausage in place of regular, we couldn't taste the difference.

Serves 4

1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes in juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 pound sweet or hot Italian sausage, casings removed
1 small onion, finely chopped
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 cup Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 bunch flat-leaf spinach (10 to 14 ounces), washed well, tough stems removed, chopped (about 7 cups)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving (optional)
2 tablespoons butter

In a small saucepan, combine tomatoes (with their juice) and 3 cups water. Bring just to a simmer; keep warm over low heat.
In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add sausage and onion; season with salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up sausage with a spoon, until sausage is opaque and onion has softened, 3 to 5 minutes.
Add rice; cook, stirring until well coated, 1 to 2 minutes. Add wine; cook, stirring until absorbed, about 1 minute.
Add about 2 cups hot tomato mixture to rice; simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until absorbed, 4 to 5 minutes. Continue adding tomato mixture, 1 cup at a time, waiting for one cup to be absorbed before adding the next, stirring occasionally, until rice is creamy and just tender, about 25 minutes total (you may not have to use all the liquid).
Remove pan from heat. Stir in spinach, Parmesan, and butter; season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately (risotto will thicken as it cools), and sprinkle with additional Parmesan, if desired.

Buffalo Chicken Burgers

2010-10-14T16:20:00.000-07:00

from Tasty Kitchen.

I tell you what, I'm on a roll this week! Made these tonight and they were SO good. (Cut back on the Buffalo sauce if you don't like things spicy.)

1 pound Ground Chicken
½ teaspoons Salt
½ teaspoons Pepper
½ Tablespoons Italian Seasoning
¼ cups Parmesan Cheese
¼ cups Buffalo Wing Sauce Plus More For Drizzling
2 ounces, weight Sharp Cheddar Cheese (I used American)
4 whole Wheat Buns
¼ cups Ranch Dressing For Drizzling

Preheat grill or skillet.

In a large bowl combine ground chicken, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, parmesan and buffalo wing sauce. Mix until just combined. Form into patties.

Grill or pan-fry patties until brown on both sides and cooked through, about 8-10 minutes. In the last 2 minutes, place 1/2 ounce of cheddar cheese on each burger. Place burgers on whole wheat buns and top with a drizzle of ranch and buffalo wing dressing.

Halibut (or Haddock) with Chile-Cilantro Aioli

2010-10-13T17:04:00.001-07:00

from Cooking Light.

This is a keeper! We had it tonight and it was delicioso.

Aioli:
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons fat-free mayonnaise
1 serrano chile, seeded and minced
1 garlic clove, minced
Fish:
1 cup fat-free milk
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
2 cups cornflakes, finely crushed
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (about 1 ounce)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 (6-ounce) halibut fillets (*any white fish would do, I used haddock and it was great)
4 lemon wedges

Preparation

To prepare aioli, combine cilantro, mayonnaise, serrano, and minced garlic, stirring well.

To prepare fish, combine milk and egg white in a shallow dish, stirring well with a whisk. Combine cornflakes, flour, salt, and black pepper in another shallow dish.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Dip fish in milk mixture, and dredge in cornflake mixture. Add fish to pan, and cook 4 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Serve fish with aioli and lemon wedges.

Linguine alla Carbonara

2010-10-11T06:32:00.000-07:00

from Emeril Lagasse.

Um, I can't believe I haven't posted this recipe before. It's Chris's favorite thing that I make for him (although I try not to make it too often...pasta, egg yolks, heavy cream, cheese, yikes!). But man is it delicious.

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 yellow onion, minced (I only use 1/2 onion)
4 ounces pancetta, diced (I actually use 6-8 ounces usually)
1 pound fresh linguine
3 large egg yolks, at room temperature
1/2 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
3/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, at room temperature
Freshly ground black pepper

Heat oil and butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and pancetta and cook until the onions are translucent and the pancetta is beginning to crisp. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the linguine according to package directions until al dente, about 2 to 3 minutes. Drain pasta in a colander (reserve a small amount of the cooking liquid in a small bowl) and return pasta to the pot. Return the pot to the heat and add the reserved pancetta and onion mixture. Stir over high heat until pasta is coated with the pancetta mixture.

In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and heavy cream and add to the pasta, along with the Parmesan. Remove the pot from the heat and toss the pasta until it is well-coated. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. If needed, add a bit of the reserved pasta cooking liquid to help toss the pasta if it is dry. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Taco Ring

2010-10-11T06:24:00.000-07:00

Oh, hello there cooking blog. I've missed you. And now that I am no longer planning a wedding, I am looking forward to trying out new recipes and posting them here again! (Chris is excited about this, too.)

Let's start with a fun thing I made last week...a Taco Ring (from here).

Sounds kind of weird but it was actually really delicious. We'll definitely be making it again soon! It would also be great as an app for a party.

2 cans crescent rolls (It was just the two of us, so I only used about 1 1/2)

1 egg white, lightly whisked

1-1.5 lbs lean ground beef (I used a little less than 1 pound)

1 pkg taco seasoning

1 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or the Mexican mix)

2 Tbsp water

Taco toppings of your choosing

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Brown the ground beef. While that's going, unroll the dough into a circle on a baking stone or cookie sheet coated with spray. (See link above for pictures.)

Drain the ground beef, then add a package of taco seasoning. Add 1 1/2 cups of the cheese, and 2 TBS of water. Mix together.

Place meat and cheese mixture into the middle of the ring, and pull the points of the dough over and pinch in the middle to seal. Brush with lightly whisked egg white and top with remaining shredded cheese.

Bake for 25 minutes. (Mine only took about 20.) Top with favorite taco sides.

MY NOTES:

Next time I will probably add some chopped onion and jalapeno to the ground beef.
Very good reheated for lunch the next day! YUM!

Mixed Berry Pie

2010-05-19T07:00:00.000-07:00

from Cheeky Kitchen (with Joy the Baker's Easy No-Roll Pie Crust).

We had friends over for dinner about a month ago and I made this pie from scratch. Even the crust was from scratch. And dare I say that it was the best pie I've ever had? (Can you say that about things you make yourself? Hmm.) Served with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream...it was heaven on a plate. Now I just need another excuse to make it again soon.

I particularly like the "rustic" look of it. After you fill the bottom pie crust with the filling, just press the top pie crust on top however you see fit. There's quite a bit of filling, so I used a 10-inch pie plate that Steve picked out for me for Christmas (thanks, Steve!!)

Easy No-Roll Pie Crust
makes 1 9-inch pie crust *Note that this has to be DOUBLED for this pie.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup (4 Tablespoon) frozen butter that has been grated on a cheese grater *Yes, you read that correctly.
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon cream cheese, at room temperature
2 Tablespoons cold milk

In a medium sized bowl combine flour, salt, baking powder and sugar. Whisk together.

Add frozen butter that has been grated on a cheese grater and tablespoon of cream cheese. With your fingers, work the cream cheese and butter into the flour mixture, breaking the butter and cream cheese up until they’re in well incorporated into the flour. Some butter bits will be tiny, other the size of small peddles. The dough may even begin to some together in a rough, sandy kind of way.

Combine the milk and oil. Whisk together. Add all at once to the flour and butter mixture. With a fork, begin to combine the ingredients, making sure that all of the flour mixture is introduced to the liquid. The mixture does not need to come together into a ball. Leave it a bit shaggy and dump the dough into a clean 9-inch pie plate (half the dough in this case). With your fingers, press the dough evenly into the bottom of the pie plate and up the sides. Try to get the dough as even as possible, but don’t worry too much about finger indentations. You can’t fight that.

Place the prepared crust in the freezer while you preheat the oven (400 degrees for this recipe) and prepare your filling.

Simple Berry Pie

5-7 cups frozen, mixed berries
1 cup honey
1/2 c. flour
1 c. sugar (optional, if you want it sweet) *I used about 1/3 cup

Press half of pie crust into a large pie tin. In a large bowl, drizzle honey (and sugar, if you desire) over berries and sprinkle with flour. Stir with a large wooden spoon to fully coat the berry mixture. (*This will be very messy and you will be wondering if you're doing it correctly...but trust me, there is no wrong way to do it.)

Pour into pie tin, top with remaining pie crust, pressing firmly into place. Bake in an oven preheated to 400 degrees for about an hour. When the crust in nicely browned and berries are bubbling beneath, you'll know it's done. Allow pie to cool completely before cutting, for a pretty slice of pie. Or, if you can't wait, just dig in, let it melt and ooze allover your plate and spoon and cheeks and devour immediately.

New Orleans Style Shrimp Creole

2010-05-19T06:56:00.000-07:00

from Frank on Tasty Kitchen.

I also made this a while back. I don't remember if I made any changes or not but I do remember that it was spicy and delicious! I need to definitely make this again soon.

1 Tablespoon Butter
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 cup Yellow Onion, Chopped
1 cup Celery, Chopped
1 cup Green Bell Pepper, Chopped
2 cloves Garlic Chopped
3 Tablespoons Flour
1 can 8 Ounce) Tomato Sauce
1 can (14 Ounce) Chicken Broth
⅛ teaspoons Black Pepper
⅛ teaspoons White Pepper
⅛ teaspoons Cayenne Pepper
1 pound Medium Shrimp, Peeled And Deveined
1 teaspoon Lemon Juice
2 whole Bay Leaves
2 cups Boiled Rice (I am lazy and just used the 1-minute white rice)
In a black cast iron pot melt butter. Add oil.

Over medium heat sauté all seasonings until wilted, about 5 minutes.

Add flour and blend well.

Add tomato sauce and broth.

Add black pepper, white pepper and cayenne pepper. (I think I may have added some Tabasco sauce as well.)

Bring to a low boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Add shrimp, lemon juice, Bay leaves, cover and simmer for 20 minutes longer.

Remove pot from the heat and allow to stand, covered, at room temperature for about 10 minutes before serving.

Serve over boiled rice.

Chicken and Dumplings

2010-05-19T06:52:00.000-07:00

from theparsleythief on Tasty Kitchen.

I made this a long time ago, before the weather started warming up and feeling like SPRING! But it was so good that I definitely don't want to forget about it next winter. I've never made dumplings before so it was...interesting...at first. But the end result is delicious. Comfort food to the max!

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 cup Flour, Seasoned With Salt & Pepper
1 whole 3 Pound Chicken, Cut Into 8 Pieces
1 whole Medium Onion, Cut Into Large Chunks
2 whole Carrots, Peeled & Cut Large Chunks
2 stalks Celery, Cut Into Large Chunks
1 whole Bay Leaf
1 sprig Fresh Thyme
¼ teaspoons Turmeric
6 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
2 Tablespoons Minced Fresh Parsley, For Garnish

FOR THE DUMPLINGS:
1-½ cup Flour
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
½ cups Ground Cornmeal
1 Tablespoon Sugar
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1-¾ cup Heavy Cream

In a large, heavy pot with a tight fitting lid, heat the olive oil. Dredge the chicken in the seasoned flour and add to the pot, skin side down. Cook for about 3-4 minutes per side, or until evenly browned. Depending on the size of your pot, you may need to do this in batches. Remove the chicken and set aside.

Add in the chopped onion and saute for 2 minutes. Add in the carrots, celery, bay leaf, thyme, turmeric, salt and pepper, and cook for 1 minute more. Stir in the chicken broth and return the chicken to the pot. Bring the soup up to a boil, cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the dumplings. Add the flour, baking powder, cornmeal, sugar and salt to a mixing bowl. Add the heavy cream and stir until just combined.

At this point (before adding the dumplings), you can remove the chicken from the soup, let it cool slightly and remove the chicken from the bones. I did this, as it makes it much easier for kids to eat! Add the chicken back to the pot and return to a gentle simmer.

Drop the dumpling batter into the simmering soup, by the heaping tablespoonful. Cover the pot and simmer for 12 minutes.

Ladle the chicken and dumplings into serving bowls and garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

Mexican Lasagna

2010-05-19T06:48:00.000-07:00

from Rachael Ray.

We like to eat Mexican food one night a week, but it can get repetitive just going between tacos, fajitas, and quesadillas. So, although this is the exact same ingredients as some of those things (isn't all Mexican food that way?), it's a little different and a good way to switch things up. Also very good reheated for lunches!

I cut this recipe in half and there was still plenty left over.

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 pounds ground chicken breast, available in the packaged meats case
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained
1 cup medium heat taco sauce or 1 (14-oz) can stewed or fire roasted tomatoes
1 cup frozen corn kernels
Salt
8 (8 inch) spinach flour tortillas, available on dairy aisle of market
2 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar or shredded pepper jack

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Preheat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil - twice around the pan. Add chicken and season with chili powder, cumin, and red onion. Brown the meat, 5 minutes. Add taco sauce or stewed or fire roasted tomatoes. Add black beans and corn. Heat the mixture through, 2 to 3 minutes then season with salt, to your taste.

Coat a shallow baking dish with remaining extra-virgin olive oil, about 1 tablespoon oil. Cut the tortillas in half or quarters to make them easy to layer with. Build lasagna in layers of meat and beans, then tortillas, then cheese. Repeat: meat, tortilla, cheese again. Bake lasagna 12 to 15 minutes until cheese is brown and bubbly.

Broiled Salmon with Herb Mustard Glaze

2010-05-19T06:47:00.000-07:00

from Giada DeLaurentis.

YUM! So easy to do on a weeknight.

2 garlic cloves
3/4 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
3/4 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon dry white wine
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
Nonstick olive oil cooking spray
6 (6 to 8-ounce) salmon fillets
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a mini food processor, combine garlic, rosemary, thyme, wine, oil, Dijon mustard, and 1 tablespoon of whole-grain mustard. Grind the mustard sauce until combined, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a small bowl. Add remaining 1 tablespoon of whole-grain mustard to the sauce and stir to combine. Set aside mustard sauce.

Preheat the broiler. Line a heavy rimmed baking sheet with foil. Spray the foil with nonstick spray. Arrange the salmon fillets on the baking sheet and sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Broil for 2 minutes. Spoon the mustard sauce over the fillets. Continue broiling until the fillets are just cooked through and golden brown, about 5 minutes longer.

Carrot Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

2010-05-19T06:40:00.000-07:00

from Smitten Kitchen.

Last week was Nikki's birthday, and on Saturday we all went over to celebrate. Scott told me one of her favorite cakes was carrot cake, so I went out searching for a great recipe. As always, smitten kitchen came through with a great one! I made the layer cake version (my very first!) and it was delicious. Very moist and super yummy, even for people who are not huge fans of carrot cake (like me).

Makes 24 cupcakes (or one two-layer cake, instructions at end)

2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups canola oil
4 large eggs
3 cups grated peeled carrots (omg such a pain...I suggest putting in Legally Blond and watching it while grating)
1 cups coarsely chopped walnuts (optional)
1/2 cup raisins (optional)*I left these out

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line 24 cupcake molds with papers, or butter and flour them.

Whisk flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger in medium bowl to blend. Whisk sugar and oil in large bowl until well blended. Whisk in eggs 1 at a time. Add flour mixture and stir until blended. Stir in carrots, walnuts and raisins, if using them. Divide batter among cupcake molds, filling 3/4 of each.

Bake cupcakes 14 to 18 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center of one comes out clean. Let cool in pans for five minutes or so, then transfer cakes to a cooling rack. Let cool completely before icing them.

To make a carrot layer cake: Butter two 9-inch-diameter cake pans instead of cupcake molds. Line bottom of pans with waxed paper. Butter and flour paper; tap out excess flour. Divide the batter between the prepared pans, and bake the layers for about 40 minutes each, or until a tester inserted into center comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans 15 minutes. Turn out onto racks. Peel off waxed paper; cool cakes completely.

Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

Two (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup pure maple syrup

In a stand mixer beat all the ingredients on medium until fluffy. Chill the frosting for 10 to 20 minutes, until it has set up enough to spread smoothly.

To assemble a carrot layer cake, frost the top of one cake, place the other cake on top. Frost the sides and top, swirling decoratively. Refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes to set up frosting.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

2010-05-19T06:37:00.000-07:00

from Pioneer Woman.

When I lived in Massachusetts, Cheesecake Factory was one of my favorite places to go to dinner. Their Cajun Chicken Pasta was SO good, and I'm hoping that this will taste the same!

3 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, Cut Into Cubes
3 teaspoons Cajun Spice Mix, More To Taste
1 pound Fettuccine
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 whole Green Bell Pepper, Seeded And Sliced
1 whole Red Bell Pepper, Seeded And Sliced
½ whole Large Red Onion, Sliced
3 cloves Garlic, Minced
4 whole Roma Tomatoes, Diced
2 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
½ cups White Wine
1 cup Heavy Cream
Cayenne Pepper To Taste
Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
Salt To Taste
Chopped Fresh Parsley, To Taste

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain when pasta is still al dente; do not overcook!

Sprinkle 1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun spice over chicken pieces. Toss around to coat. Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a heavy skillet over high heat. Add half the chicken in a single layer; do not stir. Allow chicken to brown on one side, about 1 minute. Flip to the other side and cook an additional minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a clean plate.

Repeat with remaining chicken. Remove chicken, leaving pan on high heat.

Add remaining olive oil and butter. When heated, add peppers, onions, and garlic. Sprinkle on remaining Cajun spice, and add salt if needed. Cook over very high heat for 1 minute, stirring gently and trying to get the vegetables as dark/black as possible. Add tomatoes and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Remove all vegetables from the pan.

With the pan over high heat, pour in the wine and chicken broth. Cook on high for 3 to 5 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Reduce heat to medium-low and pour in cream, stirring/whisking constantly. Cook sauce over medium-low heat for a few minutes, until cream starts to thicken the mixture. Taste and add freshly ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, and/or salt to taste. Sauce should be spicy!

Finally, add chicken and vegetables to sauce, making sure to include all the juices that have drained onto the plate. Stir and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until mixture is bubbly and hot. Add drained fettuccine and toss to combine.

Top with chopped fresh parsley and chow down!

Turkey Burgers

2010-05-19T06:34:00.000-07:00

from Martha Stewart.

Trying these this week!

1 1/2 lbs ground turkey
1/2 cup finely grated Gruyere cheese
4 scallions, thinly slice
1/4 cup dried breadcrumbs
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
Coarse salt and ground pepper

Heat grill to high. In a medium bowl, use a fork to gently combine ground turkey with Gruyere, scallions, breadcrumbs, mustard, and garlic; season generously with salt and pepper. Gently form mixture into 4 1-inch thick patties.

Lightly oil grill. Place patties on hottest part of grill; sear until browned, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Move patties to cooler part of grill; continue grilling until cooked through, 5 to 10 minutes per side.

Texas Chili

2010-01-15T06:34:00.001-08:00

Oh. My. Gaaaaaaawd. This was so good.

from Tasty Kitchen.

We cut the servings down to 4:

1-½ pound Boneless Short Ribs
1 tablespoon Vegetable Oil
1-½ clove Garlic
1-½ ounce, fluid Chili Powder (we only had powder, so we used about a tablespoon of that instead)
1 teaspoon Cumin
1-½ tablespoon Flour
1-½ teaspoon Oregano
7 ounces, fluid Beef Broth
½ teaspoons Salt
⅛ teaspoons Pepper
½ cans (15 Oz. Can) dark Kidney Beans (optional - we actually used the whole can)
½ cans (14.5 Oz. Can) Crushed Tomatoes (optional - we included it)
½ cups Dairy Sour Cream, For Topping
½ whole Lime, Cut Into Wedges, For Topping (didn't use this)

Heat oil in a 4-quart pot or heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add beef, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon until meat changes color but does not brown. Lower heat, stir in garlic.

Combine chili powder, cumin, and flour. Sprinkle meat with chili mixture, stirring until meat is evenly coated. Crumble oregano over meat.

Place beef mixture into a crock pot, set on low. Add the broth and stir until liquid is well- blended. Add salt and pepper (and beans and tomatoes if desired). Cook on low until meat is fork tender (about 6 hours). Cool thoroughly, cover and refrigerate overnight to ripen the flavor.

MY NOTES:

Chris actually put this together yesterday (and therefore takes 100% credit for it, but I beg to differ since it was actually my idea). He added some Tabasco and red pepper flakes for a little kick. YUM!
He said it was really liquid-y at first, but it eventually cooks down.
I don't think I'll ever make chili again with ground beef. The tender chunks of short ribs made it extra yummy! We had it with shredded cheddar cheese, a little bit of sour cream, and warm biscuits on the side. So good!

Shrimp Scampi Pizza

2010-01-12T06:17:00.000-08:00

from Food Network.

I don't know what this says about me, but I definitely woke up in the middle of the night thinking about this pizza. I found this recipe last summer (you might remember the Great Pizza Cookoff of 2009? I beat Chris with this recipe). I made it a ton and then completely forgot about it for some reason. Well, until I fall asleep that is...

13 ounces pizza dough
8 ounces shredded mozzarella
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 (1-ounce) cubes butter
2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves, chopped

Preheat oven to 550 degrees F.

Stretch pizza dough to make a 16-inch pizza. Top crust with mozzarella, and bake on a pizza pan or pizza stone for 5 minutes. Crust will only be partially cooked.

In a medium skillet over high heat, heat olive oil until very hot, remove from heat, add shrimp and garlic, and toss. Add wine, chicken stock and lemon juice, bring to a simmer. Add butter, and heat until melted, then remove from heat. Season mixture with salt and pepper. Shrimp will finish cooking on pizza.

Spread mixture over crust and finish baking until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped parsley, let cool a few minutes before cutting.

Butter Sesame Cookies

2010-01-12T06:14:00.000-08:00

These is Chris's mom's recipe, which she was nice enough to share with me. I took a batch up to Vermont and they went pretty quickly. The dough is pretty crumbly, but when you go to roll it into balls it should be fine.

1 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 cup flour

Cream butter & sugar. Blend in vanilla. Add flour and mix thoroughly. Roll into walnut size balls. Roll in sesame seeds. Make thumbprint in each and fill with raspberry jam (or preserves, like I did).

Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Stuffed Shells with Homemade Sauce

2009-12-29T07:57:00.000-08:00

from Giada.

I have a stuffed shells recipe from Rachael Ray that Chris and I both love, but I wanted to try something different so I am giving this a go tomorrow night.

(I am halving the recipe below, as this yields 8-10 servings)

12 ounces (1 box) jumbo pasta shells (approximately 36 shells)
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for greasing baking sheet
6 ounces thinly sliced pancetta, diced
2 teaspoons dried crushed red pepper flakes
2 garlic cloves, minced
5 cups marinara sauce (Also using Giada's recipe; see below)
2 (15-ounce) containers whole milk ricotta cheese (I'm using part skim)
1 1/3 cups grated Parmesan
4 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
3 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh mint leaves (leaving this out)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Lightly oil a 12 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish and set aside. Lightly oil the baking sheet and set aside.

Partially cook the pasta shells in a large pot of boiling salted water until slightly tender but still quite firm to the bite, about 4 to 6 minutes. You will continue cooking the shells in the oven after they have been stuffed. Using a slotted spoon, drain pasta shells and place on oiled baking sheet, spreading them out so that they don't stick together and allow to cool.

Heat the oil in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the pancetta and saute until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes. Add the garlic and saute until tender, about 1 minute. Add the marinara sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer, stirring often.

In a medium bowl, stir the ricotta, Parmesan, egg yolks, basil, parsley, mint, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Spoon 1 1/4 cups of the sauce over the prepared baking dish. Fill the cooked shells with the cheese mixture, about 2 tablespoons per shell. Arrange the shells in the prepared dish. Spoon the remaining sauce over the shells, then sprinkle with the mozzarella.

Bake in the lower third of your oven until the filling is heated through and the top is golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes.

MARINARA SAUCE:

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 small onions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
2 dried bay leaves

In a large casserole pot, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the onions and garlic and saute until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the celery, carrots, and 1/2 teaspoon of each salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and bay leaves, and simmer uncovered over low heat until the sauce thickens, about 1 hour. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Season the sauce with more salt and pepper, to taste. (The sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cool, then cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium heat before using.)

*After reading the reviews on Food Network, I think I am going to put the vegetables in the food processor before adding them to the sauce, to make it a little less chunky.

Seared Salmon with Soy and Garlic

2009-12-29T07:50:00.000-08:00

from Rachael Ray's Book "2,4,6,8 Meals for Couples or Crowds".

I used to make this for myself at least once a week when I lived alone. I somehow forgot about it for the past year and a half, but all of a sudden got a craving for it this weekend. Alex & Molly came over for dinner last night, so it was the perfect opportunity to make it again! So good!

(I'm doing this from memory so bear with me. As long as everything is approximate, it'll still taste delicious).

4 salmon fillets, approx. 6 ounces each.
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 clove of garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp. - 1 tsp. ground coriander

Combine the soy sauce, garlic, and coriander in a shallow dish. Place fillets in marinade and flip, let sit for at least 5 minutes.

Coat a saute pan with 1 to 2 TBS of olive oil and heat over medium high heat. Add fillets and cook 3 to 4 minutes per side.

Warm Spinach Mascarpone Dip

2009-12-29T07:47:00.000-08:00

from Steamy Kitchen .

OH. MY. GOD.

Make this.

Make this now.

16 ounces frozen chopped spinach, defrosted
1 small onion, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt (1/4 teaspoon table salt)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (freshly grated if you have)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper powder
8 ounces mascarpone cheese, softened at room temperature
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Take a handful of the defrosted spinach and squeeze and discard the water from the spinach. Squeeze as much of the water out as you can, you should get about a little less than a cup of spinach water.

Heat a saute pan over medium heat. When hot, add the olive oil and swirl to coat. Add the onions and saute until soft and translucent, about 4-5 minutes (take your time, if you do this over high heat, the onions will burn and become bitter). Add the spinach and saute until the spinach is warm, but still bright green about 30 seconds.

Season and toss with salt, pepper, nutmeg and cayenne. Turn off the heat and stir in the mascarpone cheese and the grated parmesan.

Pour into 2 small ramekins (or other oven-safe dish) and bake for 30 minutes until the cheese is bubbling around the edges. Serve warm with pita chips, bread or celery sticks.

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

2009-12-29T07:44:00.000-08:00

from Pioneer Woman.

When we went to Vermont a few weekends ago with some friends, Nikki organized a big turkey dinner. I was in charge of the mashed potatoes, and decided to try out Pioneer Woman's recipe since they could be made the day before. They are just like the name suggests - creamy and delicious! However next time I think I'll try adding a kick to them; maybe some roasted garlic or more seasoned salt. Either way, they turned out great...especially with homemade gravy. Mmm....

5 pounds Russet Or Yukon Gold Potatoes (I used Yukon)
¾ cups Butter
1 package (8 Oz.) Cream Cheese, Softened
½ cups (to 3/4 Cups) Half-and-Half
½ teaspoons (to 1 Teaspoon) Lawry's Seasoned Salt
½ teaspoons (to 1 Teaspoon) Black Pepper

Peel and cut the potatoes into pieces that are generally the same size. Bring a large pot of water to a simmer and add the potatoes. Bring to a boil and cook for 30 to 35 minutes. When they’re cooked through, the fork should easily slide into the potatoes with no resistance, and the potatoes should almost, but not totally, fall apart.

Drain the potatoes in a large colander. When the potatoes have finished draining, place them back into the dry pot and put the pot on the stove. Mash the potatoes over low heat, allowing all the steam to escape, before adding in all the other ingredients.

Turn off the stove and add 1 ½ sticks of butter, an 8-ounce package of cream cheese and about ½ cup of half-and-half. Mash, mash, mash! Next, add about ½ teaspoon of Lawry’s Seasoning Salt and ½ a teaspoon of black pepper.

Stir well and place in a medium-sized baking dish. Throw a few pats of butter over the top of the potatoes and place them in a 350-degree oven and heat until butter is melted and potatoes are warmed through.

Note: When making this dish a day or two in advance, take it out of the fridge about 2 to 3 hours before serving time. Bake in a 350-degree oven for about 20 to 30 minutes or until warmed through.

Jambasta

2009-12-29T07:39:00.000-08:00

from Rachael Ray.

This is an awesome dish for a big group, because it makes a lot! (Although, leftovers are yummy, too). It's a little time consuming with all the chopping, but trust me, it's worth it. Especially if you like things a little spicy!

Salt
1 pound penne rigate
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 pound andouille sausage, any brand, casing removed and diced (I just use regular pork or turkey sausage)
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 poblano pepper, seeded and chopped or thinly sliced (1 large jalapeno my be substituted)
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 ribs celery from the heart with greens, chopped
1 onion, chopped
Salt and ground black pepper
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup beer, 1/2 bottle
1 cup chicken stock
1 (14-ounce) can, crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons hot sauce (recommended: Franks Red Hot or Tabasco) eyeball it
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped
1/2 pound chicken breast, diced into small pieces (sometimes I leave this out and use a whole pound of the sausage instead)
1/2 pound medium shrimp, cleaned and tails removed
1/4 cup heavy cream, eyeball it
2 scallions, sliced

Heat a pot of water to a boil for pasta and add salt to it then pasta. Cook to al dente and drain.

While pasta works, heat a deep skillet over medium high heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, butter and andouille. Brown the sausage 2 to 3 minutes to render the fat. Remove with a slotted spoon. Add garlic, peppers, celery and onions. Saute the veggies for 5 to 6minutes. Season the mixture with salt and pepper and add flour to the pan. Cook flour with veggies 2 minutes more then whisk in beer. Cook beer out, 2 minutes. Add chicken stock, tomatoes, hot sauce and thyme. Bring liquid to a bubble and add chicken and shrimp. Cook 6 to 7 minutes until chicken is firm and shrimp are opaque and firm. Stir to mix in cooking juices then add in cream. Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce. Ladle up the jambasta and top with chopped scallions and reserved crispy andouille.

Chicken Piccata

2009-12-14T17:53:00.000-08:00

from Giada.

This is really easy and one of my favorite things to make, although for some reason I always forget about it. So hopefully putting it on here will fix that!

2 skinless and boneless chicken breasts, butterflied and then cut in half
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
All-purpose flour, for dredging
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup brined capers, rinsed
1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess.

In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter with 3 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add 2 pieces of chicken and cook for 3 minutes. When chicken is browned, flip and cook other side for 3 minutes. Remove and transfer to plate. Melt 2 more tablespoons butter and add another 2 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add the other 2 pieces of chicken and brown both sides in same manner. Remove pan from heat and add chicken to the plate.

Into the pan add the lemon juice, stock and capers. Return to stove and bring to boil, scraping up brown bits from the pan for extra flavor. Check for seasoning. Return all the chicken to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove chicken to platter. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to sauce and whisk vigorously. Pour sauce over chicken and garnish with parsley.

Beef with Broccoli

2009-12-04T06:39:00.000-08:00

adapted from Steamy Kitchen.

lb top sirloin or flank steak, thinly sliced (I couldn't find flank steak, so I used steak tips instead)
11/2 lbs broccoli, cut into bite-size florets (I used 1 "crown", no idea if it was a pound and a half)
1 tablespoon high-heat cooking oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic

BEEF MARINADE
1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon cooking oil
Freshly ground black pepper to season the beef

STIR-FRY SAUCE
3 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine (or dry sherry)
2 teaspoons Chinese black vinegar (or balsamic vinegar)

In a bowl, combine the ingredients for the Beef Marinade. Add the beef and let mari- nate for 10 minutes at room temperature (I actually did this overnight)

In a small bowl, mix together the ingredients for the Stir-fry Sauce. (Ok, I have to admit that I went the lazy route and just bought a bottle of stir fry sauce. Still yummy.)

In a wok or large sauté pan, add 1 inch of water and bring to a boil. Add the broccoli and cover to steam for 3 minutes. The broccoli should be bright green, crisp tender and you should be able to pierce the stem with a fork. Drain.

Discard the water in the pan and dry the pan well. Set the pan over high heat and when hot, add the high-heat cooking oil and swirl to coat. Add the garlic and fry for 15 to 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the steak strips, keeping them in one layer and fry 30 seconds. Flip the strips and fry the other side.

Pour in the Stir-fry Sauce and stir to combine. Simmer until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 30 seconds. Add the cooked broccoli back into the pan and toss to coat well.

We had this with crab rangoon on the side...it was delicious!

Shrimp Quesadillas

2009-12-04T06:34:00.000-08:00

from Pioneer Woman.

I am trying these tonight! Looks yummy.

Flour Tortillas
12 whole Large Shrimp, Peeled And Deveined
8 ounces, fluid Mexican Red Sauce (I'm using enchilada sauce)
1 whole Large Onion
1 whole Red Bell Pepper
1 whole Green Bell Pepper
2 cups Cheese, Grated (Monterey Jack Is Best)
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Salt To Taste

Pour red sauce over shrimp. Set aside.

Chop vegetables into large pieces. Heat skillet over high heat and add olive oil. Cook vegetables over high heat until they start to get brown/black. Remove from skillet and set aside.

Return skillet to high heat, then dump in the shrimp with the sauce. Cook, stirring only occasionally, until shrimp is opaque. Add in a little water if the sauce gets dry. Remove from skillet and chop into bite-size pieces.

In a separate skillet, heat butter. Place a tortilla in the skillet, then layer on ingredients: cheese, vegetables, and shrimp. Top with a little more cheese and a second tortilla. Cook on both sides, adding butter before flipping to the other side so the tortilla isn’t overly dry.Remove from skillet and slice into wedges.

Thanksgiving Breakfast Crepes

2009-12-01T07:09:00.000-08:00

We had crepes at a breakfast place when we were in Florida, and this was my best attempt to imitate them. I ended up combining several different recipes, but they came out pretty close! I made the batter, filling, and whipped cream the night before, and Thanksgiving morning I just made the fruit topping and cooked the batter. To assemble, spoon the filling down the middle of a crepe, roll it up, place seam side down on a plate, and top with fruit syrup, berries, and whipped cream. Voila!

BATTER
(from Food Network)

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
1/2 cup milk
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus some for the pan
1/2 teaspoon salt

In a blender or food processor blend flour, 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons water, milk, eggs, butter, and salt for 5 seconds. Turn the motor off and scrape sides down, with a rubber spatula. Transfer the batter into a bowl and let it stand, covered, for 1 hour. The batter may be made up to one day in advance.

Heat a 7 to 8-inch crepe or non-stick skillet over moderate heat until it is hot but not smoking and remove from heat. Brush the pan as necessary with butter. Stir the batter, half fill a 1/4 cup measure with it, and pour the batter into the pan. Tilt and rotate the pan quickly to cover the bottom with a thin layer of batter and return any excess batter to the bowl. Return the pan to the heat, loosen the edge of the crepe with a spatula, and cook the crepe until the under side is browned lightly. Turn the crepe, brown the other side lightly and transfer to a plate. Crepes can be made in advance, stacked, wrapped in plastic and stored refrigerated for 3 days or frozen.

FILLING

1 c. vanilla pudding
8 oz. cream cheese

Mix together well until no lumps and refrigerate. Can be made the day before.

FRUIT TOPPING
(from Recipezaar)

1 quart berries, divided (I used blueberries)
1/2 c. sugar

Mix 1/2 the berries and sugar in a small sauce pan. Mash berries with a wooden spoon and apply medium heat 20 minutes until the consistency of light syrup. Strain through a sieve or cheesecloth to remove seeds and skin. Serve warm with remaining berries over prepared crepes.

WHIPPED CREAM TOPPING

1 c. whipping cream
2 TBS sugar

Whip cream until soft peaks form, then add sugar and beat to combine. Can be stored overnight.

Caramel Apple Cheesecake

2009-12-01T07:05:00.000-08:00

from Paula Deen.

1 (21-ounce) can apple pie filling
1 (9-inch) graham cracker crust
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/4 cup caramel topping
12 pecan halves, plus 2 tablespoons chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Reserve 3/4 cup of the apple filling; set aside. Spoon the remaining filling into the crust. Beat together the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Add the eggs and mix well. Pour this over the pie filling.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the center of the cake is set. Cool to room temperature.
Mix the reserved pie filling and caramel topping in a small saucepan and heat for about 1 minute, or until spreadable. Spoon the apple-caramel mixture over the top of the cheesecake and spread evenly. Decorate the edge of the cake with pecan halves and sprinkle with chopped pecans. Refrigerate the cake until ready to serve.

MY NOTES:

I had graham cracker crumbs on hand so I made my own crust...I think it really made a difference and tasted so much better than a premade crust would have.
I didn't use pecans.

Deviled Eggs

2009-12-01T07:01:00.000-08:00

This is my mom's recipe, and I'm finally writing it down here so I don't have to bug her every time I want to make these! (So yummy!)

Eggs
Mustard
Mayo
Zesty Italian Dressing packet

Put eggs in pot on stove, cover with water. Turn on high and cover with lid. When water starts boiling, turn off heat and let sit for 5 or so minutes.

Take eggs out and remove shell (then cuss and yell because it's only coming off in tiny pieces and call someone into the kitchen to help you). Cut in half lengthwise, separate yolk into bowl. Add mustard, mayo, and dressing to taste. Scoop mixture back into eggs and top with paprika.

Taco Soup

2009-10-28T07:50:00.000-07:00

from Page's recipe site.

It's a cold and rainy day here, so I'm in major need of some comfort food! I'm trying this out tonight, will let you know how it goes:

1 lb lean ground beef
1 small onion, diced
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 oz) can pinto beans
1 (15 oz) can Bush's Chili Beans
1 can Ro-Tel
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
16 oz frozen corn
1 packet Taco Seasoning
1 packet Ranch dressing mix

In a Dutch oven, brown the beef and onion together. If necessary, drain the fat. Add in all other ingredients, ending with the seasonings. Simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to low and simmer for additional 10-15 minutes.

Vodka Penne with Chicken

2009-10-28T07:35:00.000-07:00

I combined about 3 different recipes to come up with this one...so! I'm going to call it my own. Done. Easy as that.

1 lb penne pasta
1 lb (or a little less) chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
7 cloves garlic
1 (28 oz) can tomato puree
1/4 cup vodka
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 TBS butter
Olive oil
Red pepper flakes
Grated parmesan
Fresh parsley, chopped
Kosher salt; ground pepper

Set pot of water to boil.

Cook chicken over medium heat in skillet; season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Set aside. (While chicken is cooking, I grated the parmesan and chopped up the parsley).

When the water is boiling, salt it and add the penne.

Heat skillet, add olive oil to coat and add 7 cloves garlic (I used a garlic press, but you could chop it up or just smash them even). Saute garlic until golden brown, then add tomatoes. Add salt and red pepper flakes to taste (I added quite a bit - we like things spicy!). Boil for two minutes. (Be careful here - tomato puree doesn't really "boil". I had to keep stirring it quite a bit.) Lower heat, add vodka, and let simmer until pasta is ready.

When the pasta's just about ready, add the cream and butter and cooked chicken. Mix well. Drain pasta; add sauce. Add in the grated parm and chopped parsley, and stir over low heat for a few minutes to combine. Serve!

Cod with Lemon Shallot Butter

2009-10-28T07:24:00.000-07:00

from Pastor Ryan on Pioneer Woman.

I've been looking for more fish recipes lately, so when I saw this I knew I had to make it. The recipe calls for Sea Bass, but I used cod instead. Mmm! The lemony-buttery sauce is downright delicious. Serve with rice pilaf and a side of asparagus, and you have a yummy meal:

2 - 7 oz. cod filets, skins removed
3 TBS butter
1 lemon
1 medium-sized shallot, minced
3 TBS canola oil
Kosher salt & freshly ground pepper

First mince your shallot, remove the zest from the lemon, and cut the lemon in half. Set to side.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Heat canola oil on high heat in a skillet (preferably one that is safe to go from stovetop to oven, although I do not own such a thing). Salt and pepper both sides of fish. Once the oil is heated, place fish into skillet and let it sit there for 2 minutes without flipping.

After 2 minutes (and still without flipping), place skillet directly in oven (or move it to an oven-proof dish and place in oven) and bake for 8 minutes.

Meanwhile melt butter over medium-high heat. Add minced shallot and lemon zest. Cook over medium-high for a couple of minutes. When the shallots have become a little softer, squeeze in both halves of the lemon. Whisk these ingredients together and reduce the heat to medium until you've got an incredible-smelling sauce.

Once the fish has been in the oven for 8 minutes, it can be removed to rest for a moment. Serve with lemon shallot butter sauce on top. YUM!

Peach Cobbler

2009-10-26T12:02:00.000-07:00

from Paula Deen.

Dare I say this is the best peach cobbler I've ever had in my life? I do. I do dare. I...whatever, here's the recipe:

1 1/2 cup self-rising flour
8 tablespoon (1 stick) butter (GAH! I know. Let's take a deep breath, worry about this for only a few seconds, and move on.)
1/2 cup water
2 cup sugar, divided
4 cup peeled, sliced peaches
1 1/2 cup milk
ground cinnamon, optional (Umm, in my opinion, cinnamon is NEVER optional.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the peaches, 1 cup sugar, and water in a saucepan and mix well. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Put the butter in a 3-quart baking dish and place in oven to melt. Mix remaining 1 cup sugar, flour, and milk slowly to prevent clumping. Pour mixture over melted butter. Do not stir. Spoon fruit on top, gently pouring in syrup. Sprinkle top with ground cinnamon, if using. Batter will rise to top during baking. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes. To serve, scoop onto a plate and serve with your choice of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Apple Pie

2009-09-21T11:55:00.000-07:00

I? Have never made an apple pie before. So I have no idea why, 7 hours before I was supposed to be at the airport last Friday, Chris asked me to make him one. Actually, there was some begging involved. So in-between working, showering, and packing, I made this apple pie from Joy of Baking. I didn't make my own pie crust, instead I used Pillsbury crust (don't tell my Grandma!). I didn't get to eat any of it, it came right out of the oven a few minutes before we left for the airport, but it is reported to be "the best pie I've EVER had EVER" by Chris.

Apple Filling:
2 1/2 pounds (1.1 kg) apples (about 6 large), peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4 inch thick (about 8 cups sliced) (about 900 grams sliced)
1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated white sugar
1/4 cup (55 grams) light brown sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon (15 grams) cornstarch (corn flour)

(My comments in italics)

In a large bowl combine the sliced apples, sugars, lemon juice, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Let the apples macerate at room temperature for about two hours (just an hour works, too).

Then, place the apples and their juices in a strainer that is placed over a large bowl (to capture the juices). Let the apples drain for about 15-30 minutes or until you have at least 1/2 cup of juice. (or don't wait: just drain them, make sure you have 1/2 a cup, and continue on immediately to the next step)

Spray a 4 cup heatproof measuring cup with a nonstick vegetable spray, and then pour in the collected juices and the 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter. Place in the microwave and boil the liquid, on high, 6 to 7 minutes or until the liquid has reduced to about 1/3 cup and is syrupy and lightly caramelized. (Alternatively, you could place the juices and butter in a small saucepan and boil over medium high heat on the stove.) (I used the stove method).

Meanwhile, remove the top pastry crust from the refrigerator (or the Pillsbury box) and let it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes so it has time to soften and become pliable. Transfer the drained apples slices to a large bowl and mix them with the cornstarch (corn flour). Then pour the reduced syrup over the apples and toss to combine.

Pour the apples and their syrup into the chilled pie crust. Moisten the edges of the pie shell with a little water and then place the top crust over the apples. Tuck any excess pastry under the bottom crust and then crimp the edges using your fingers or a fork. Using a sharp knife, make five 2-inch (5 cm) slits from the center of the pie out towards the edge of the pie to allow the steam to escape. Cover the pie with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill the pastry while you preheat the oven. (or forget to do this and just leave it out)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Place the oven rack at the lowest level and place a baking stone or baking sheet on the rack before preheating the oven. Place a piece of aluminum foil on the stone (or pan) to catch any apple juices.

Set the pie on the stone or pan and bake for about 45 to 55 minutes or until the juices start to bubble through the slits and the apples feel tender (not mushy) when a toothpick or sharp knife is inserted through one of the slits. Make sure to cover the edges of the pie with a foil ring to prevent over browning after about 30 minutes. (50 minutes worked for my oven)

Remove the pie from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool for about 3-4 hours before cutting. Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream or softly whipped cream. Store at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.

MY NOTES:

We used local apples from a nearby orchard, which I'm sure helped the taste. We used 3 different kinds - 2 of each - so try that out!

Turkey Chili

2009-09-21T11:49:00.000-07:00

from Food Network.

I made a double batch of this last Thursday for two reasons: So I could use my *new* dutch oven (yay!) and so that Chris won't starve while I am in Arkansas (his words, not mine). I have never made chili with turkey before, and it's definitely a different texture than ground beef. But the flavor was delicious! And it was even better the next day.

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 chipotle chile en adobo, coarsely chopped, with 1 tablespoon sauce (found in the Mexican section)
1 pound ground turkey
1 (12-ounce) Mexican lager-style beer
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, with their juice
1 (15 1/2-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
Sliced scallions, cilantro sprigs, avocado, sour cream, grated Monterey jack cheese, and/or tortilla chips, for garnish, optional

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, salt, chili powder, and oregano and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and the chipotle chile and sauce; cook 1 minute more. Add the turkey, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, and cook until the meat loses its raw color, about 3 minutes. Add the beer and simmer until reduced by about half, about 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes--crushing them through your fingers into the skillet--along with their juices and the beans; bring to a boil. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thick, about 10 minutes. Ladle the chili into bowls and serve with the garnishes of your choice.

MY NOTES:

I had to cook the chili at the end a bit longer (15-20 mins), probably because I wasn't using a skillet.
Wear an apron or poncho or something when squeezing the tomatoes. It was messy but a lot of fun!

Linguine with Shrimp Scampi

2009-09-04T06:19:00.000-07:00

from Barefoot Contessa.

Vegetable Oil
1 TBS kosher salt plus 1 1/2 tsp
3/4 lb linguine
3 TBS unsalted butter
2 1/2 TBS good olive oil
1 1/2 TBS minced garlic (4 cloves)
1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/3 c. chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/2 lemon, zest grated
1/4 c. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 lemon, thinly sliced in half-rounds
1/8 tsp hot red pepper flakes

Drizzle some oil in a large pot of boiling salted water, add 1 TBS of salt and the linguine, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, or according to the directions on the package.

Meanwhile, in another large (12-inch) heavy bottomed pan, melt the butter and olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic. Saute for 1 minute. Be careful, the garlic burns easily! Add the shrimp, 1 1/2 tsp of salt, and the pepper and saute until the shrimp have just turned pink, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from the heat, add the parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon slices, and red pepper flakes. Toss to combine.

When the pasta is done, drain the cooked linguine and then put it back in the pot. Immediately add the shrimp and sauce, toss well, and serve.

MY NOTES:

I only used the juice of one lemon, and it was plenty! I also left out the lemon half-rounds, and added a little extra red pepper flakes because Chris and I like a little kick.
It was delicious and super easy to do on a weeknight!

Key Lime Pie

2009-09-04T06:14:00.000-07:00

from The Common Man.

Pie
1 Graham Cracker Pie Shells
14 oz. Sweetened Condensed Milk
3 Egg Yolks
1/2 cup Key Lime Juice

Topping
5 oz. Whipped Cream Cheese
1/2 cup Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/4 cup sugar
1 dash vanilla
1/4 cup Key Lime Juice

Mix all pie ingredients and pour into pie shell. Bake at 300 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Cool completely.

Topping: Mix cream cheese, condensed milk, and sugar. Add vanilla and key lime juice while mixing. Mix completely and cover pie with layer of topping 1 inch thick.

(I haven't made this yet, but we had it last week when we went to The Common Man for dinner. It was so yummy, I plan on making it very soon!!)

Berry Trifle

2009-08-28T05:24:00.000-07:00

from Taste of Home.

This is really really delicious! I made it earlier in the summer using fruit from our local farmer's market, and I'm going to make it again this weekend to take to Chris's dad's 70th birthday party. The best thing about this recipe is that it is surprising low-fat and low-cal for a dessert (209 cals and 6g of fat per 3/4 c. serving)...but you would never know just by tasting it!

1-1/2 cups cold fat-free milk
1 package (1 ounce) sugar-free instant vanilla pudding mix
1 cup (8 ounces) fat-free vanilla yogurt
6 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, cubed
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 carton (12 ounces) frozen reduced-fat whipped topping, thawed, divided
1 prepared angel food cake (18 inches), cut into 1-inch cubes
1 pint each blackberries, raspberries and blueberries

In a small bowl, whisk the milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes or until soft-set.

In a large bowl, beat the yogurt, cream cheese, sour cream and vanilla until smooth. Fold in pudding mixture and 1 cup whipped topping.

Place a third of the cake cubes in a 4-qt. trifle bowl. Top with a third of the pudding mixture, a third of the berries and half of the remaining whipped topping. Repeat layers once. Top with remaining cake, pudding and berries. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

Yield: 14 servings.

Perfect Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe

2009-08-20T12:15:00.001-07:00

from my mom!

1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 c. peanut butter
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Sift together flower, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a separate bowl, beat together the peanut butter, brown sugar, and sugat. Add egg and vanilla.

Combine both mixtures in a large bowl. Cover bowl in plastic and set in fridge for 20 minutes. (Try to avoid grabbing a spoon and eating the dough directly.)

Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet and baked for 10-12 minutes.

Passionate Pear Sangria

2009-08-20T12:09:00.000-07:00

from 101 Sangrias and Pitcher Drinks. (Um, hello! Does this book have my name written all over it or what?)

1 bottle dry white wine
1/2 c. Absolut Pears vodka
1 c. pear necar (found in the juice aisle)
1 c. passionfruit juice
2 pears (Anjou or Bartlett) cored & sliced
2 lemons cut into half-wheels
simple syrup as needed
7-Up as needed

Combine the white wine, pear vodka, pear nectar, passionfruit juice, and fruit in a large container and stir well. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours. Add simple syrup to taste. Serve over ice and top with 7-Up.

MY NOTES:

I made this for the Jack & Jill shower last weekend, making QUADRUPLE the amount above. It only lasted a couple of hours. Why? Because the boys were drinking it almost as much as the girls. It's SO good.
I didn't add any simple syrup, and sat out a bottle of 7-Up for people to top off their drinks as needed. I think the bubbles made it even more yummy!

Bacon-Wrapped Jalapenos

2009-08-19T10:31:00.000-07:00

Also from Pioneer Woman.

Also a hit at the shower last weekend...

Fresh Jalapenos, 2-3 inches in size
Cream Cheese, softened
Thin (regular) bacon, sliced into thirds

Cut jalapenos in half, length-wise. With a spoon, remove the seeds and white membrane (the
source of the heat; leave a little if you like things HOT).

Smear softened cream cheese into each jalapeno half. Wrap jalapeno with bacon piece (1/3 slice).

Secure by sticking toothpick through the middle. (At this point, you can freeze them, uncooked, in a Ziploc bag for later use.)

Bake on a pan with a rack in a 375-degree oven for 20-25 minutes. You don’t want the bacon to
shrink so much it starts to squeeze the jalapeno. If, after 20 minutes, the bacon doesn’t look
brown enough, just turn on the broiler for a couple of minutes to finish it off. These are best when
the jalapeno still has a bit of a bite to it.

Serve immediately, or they’re also great at room temperature.

Stuffed Mushrooms

2009-08-19T10:26:00.000-07:00

from Pioneer Woman.

I made these last weekend for Scott & Nikki's Jack and Jill shower. They were a hit! I don't have an opinion, because, well, I don't like mushrooms. But everyone liked them SO MUCH that I don't mind making them over and over again.

24 ounces White Button Mushrooms
⅓ pounds Hot Pork Sausage
½ whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced
4 cloves Garlic, Finely Minced
8 ounces Cream Cheese
1 whole Egg Yolk
¾ cups Parmesan Cheese, Grated
⅓ cups Dry White Wine
Salt And Pepper (to Taste)

Brown and crumble sausage. Set aside on a plate to cool.

Add onions and garlic to the same skillet; cook for 2 minutes over medium low heat. Pour in wine to deglaze pan, allow liquid to evaporate. Add in chopped mushroom stems, stir to cook for 2 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set mixture aside on a plate to cool.

In a bowl, combine cream cheese and egg yolk. Stir together with Parmesan cheese. Add cooled sausage and cooled mushroom stems. Stir mixture together and refrigerate for a short time to firm up.

Smear mixture into the cavity of each mushroom, creating a sizable mound over the top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow to cool at least ten minutes before serving; the stuffed mushrooms taste better when not piping hot.

(No additional notes; they were perfect!)

Quick Chicken Stir-fry

2009-08-05T07:24:00.000-07:00

from Emeril.

I have tried several stir-fry recipes in the past, but haven't found one that has tickled my fancy (I've always wanted to say that. Is that weird?). But I tried this last night and got thumbs up from Chris, CarolAnn, and Steve. It was DELICIOUS! You must make this ASAP.

1 (7-ounce) package mung bean noodles (I found these in the International Foods aisle; they're also called cellophane noodles because that's what they look like. I suppose you could also use rice instead.)
1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth or chicken stock
2 tsp cornstarch
3 TBS soy sauce
1 TBS hoisin sauce (I also found these near the noodles; it was surprisingly inexpensive).
2 tsp packed light brown sugar
1 tsp dry sherry, optional (I didn't use it)
2 TBS peanut or vegetable oil
3 TBS sliced green onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp minced ginger (I didn't use this, I'm not a big fan of ginger)
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into thin strips
1 (14-ounce) bag frozen mixed vegetables (broccoli florets, julienne red peppers, sugar snap peas and water chestnuts), about 3 cups, thawed

While assembling the other ingredients, soak the noodles in hot water to soften, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.

To make the sauce, in a bowl, whisk together the chicken broth with the cornstarch. Add the soy, hoisin, sugar, and sherry, if using, whisk, and set aside.

Heat a wok over high heat. Add the oil and when hot and nearly smoking, add the green onions, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, for 10 to 15 seconds. Add the chicken and stir-fry until turning opaque and nearly cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the vegetables and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the sauce, stir and toss, cooking until the chicken is all the way cooked through and the sauce is thick, about 2 minutes. Remove the chicken and vegetables from the pan. Add the noodles, toss, and cook to warm through, 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Transfer the stir-fry to a platter and garnish with additional green onions. Arrange the noodles on the side and serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings

MY NOTES:

Instead of just soaking the noodles, I would cook them according to package directions and then just throw them in with the chicken, vegetables, and sauce the last minute or two. Mine weren't cooked all the way from just following the recipe.
I had to cook the entire mixture 3-5 minutes longer than it said (I like to make sure the chicken is completely cooked!)
SUPER EASY meal for a weeknight, and yummy!

Zucchini, Black Bean and Chicken Burritos on the Grill

2009-07-21T08:56:00.000-07:00

from Serious Eats.

I am trying these tonight, will let you know how they turn out!

2 medium zucchini (about 2 pounds), cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups cooked black beans (or 1 15-ounce can)
1 small red onion, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced thin
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teasppon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound bone in, skin on chicken breast (1 split chicken breast)
Fresh cilantro leaves for garnish
4 burrito size flour tortillas
Sour cream (optional)
Shredded cheese (optional)

Combine the zucchini, black beans, red onion, garlic, vinegar, olive oil, cumin, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Cover and let marinate for about 30 minutes.

Preheat the grill to medium-high.

Season the chicken breast with salt and pepper, and baste with about 1 teaspoon of oil.

Put the marinated veggies and beans on a sizeable piece of foil (about 24 inches long) and arrange the mixture in a long thin pile. Pull the long sides of the foil up over the pile and tuck the edges together to enclose the mixture. Fold the ends in to seal the foil vessel.

Put the veggie package and the chicken breast on the hot grill grates and grill 15-20 minutes, until the chicken is done and the vegetables are hot and just tender. Turn the chicken once while it cooks.

Let the chicken rest about 5 minutes before slicing into thin strips. While the chicken rests, put the tortillas directly on the hot grill grates and grill about 1 minute per side, until hot and slightly scorched.

Toss the grilled chicken strips with the veggies and beans. Put several heaping spoonfuls of the mixture in the middle of each tortilla, top with cilantro, sour cream and cheese and fold into a burrito.

Mexican Chicken

2009-07-17T07:25:00.000-07:00

from here.

I made this a long time ago, but completely forgot about it until I was CRAVING Mexican food this week. The recipe may sound a little strange, but I thought it was pretty delicious. Chris did, too, apparently, as there was not many leftovers left...uh...over. Ahem. Moving on.

1 lb Velveeta cheese

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1 can Rotel

2-3 chicken breasts

Tortilla chips

Egg noodles

Seasoned salt

Salt and pepper

Heat the cheese, cream of chicken soup, and Rotel in a pot on the stove. While it is melting, boil and shred the chicken breasts. Season the chicken with seasoned salt, salt, and pepper. Mix together the chicken and cheese mixture.

Pour mixture into a 9x13 inch dish and bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes.

When there are 10 minutes left to bake, crunch up some tortilla chips and throw them on top. Continue baking.

While the chicken and cheese mixture is baking, prepare egg noodles are directed on package. Serve the Mexican Chicken atop the egg noodles.

MY NOTES:

Pretty sure I only used 1 can of the soup; tasted fine.
Aaaaand...I completely forgot to season the chicken before adding it to the cheese. I think it would've helped!

Green Beans and Zucchini with Garlic

2009-07-07T05:40:00.000-07:00

from here.

I made this last week to go along with our steak tips & crab legs on Chris's birthday. He couldn't get over the crab legs, but this...this may have been my favorite. It's that good.

1 TBS olive oil
2 zucchini sliced into 1/2 inch half moons
1/2 lb green beans washed and trimmed
6 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1/2 cup chicken stock
Salt and crushed red pepper flakes
Grated Pecorino Romano cheese, for garnish

In a skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the zucchini, green beans, garlic, and chicken stock. Season with salt and red pepper flakes. Cover and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, or until green beans are tender.

To Serve:Transfer to serving platter and garnish with Pecorino Romano cheese.

MY NOTES:

Simmering for only 5 or 6 minutes leaves the veggies nice and crispy (just like I like 'em)! But if you prefer yours softer, cook a few minutes longer.
I used regular old Parmesan on top, and it was so so so good!

Lauren's 'What's the Dill?' Salmon

2009-06-21T08:00:00.000-07:00

I made this a while back, accidentally using spicy mustard instead of Dijon (oops). But it was still yummy, so I imagine it is especially good when you actually follow the recipe correctly.

4 (6 oz.) skinless salmon fillets
Cooking spray
1/8 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 c. fat free sour cream
1 1/2 TBS Dijon mustard
2 tsp chopped fresh dill
1/4 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
1 1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced

Preheat broiler. Place fish on broiler pan and coat with cooking spray. Sprinkle with 1/8 tsp. pepper. Broil for 8 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with fork.

Combine sour cream and next 5 ingredients.

Spoon sauce over fish and serve.

MY NOTES:

Pay attention to the mustard bottle as you get it out of the refrigerator.
Other than that...yummy!

Emee's Ham & Cheese Roll Appetizer

2009-06-20T08:54:00.000-07:00

My college friend and roomie, Emee, sent me a new recipe to try, and I wanted to post it here before it gets lost in the black hole that is my gmail account. I haven't tried it yet, but Emee is an ah-ma-zing cook (as is her mother, who once made the BEST biscuits and gravy that I have ever had in my life) so I have no doubt that it is yummy.

For One Tin Plate of Sister Schubert Rolls:
1 Stick Butter
2 TBS Spicy Brown Mustard
2 TBS Worcestershire Sauce (Or however the hell you spell this)
2 TBS Poppy Seeds
2 TBS Dried Onion Flakes (I usually use a little more...b/c I love onion)
1 Package of Swiss Cheese
1 Package of Baked Ham (you can use turkey if you prefer...but I like the ham)

Thaw out the SS Rolls. Take the rolls out of the pan (still connected) cut them in half. Put the bottom half back in the tin plate and place the top half off to the side.

In a saucepan melt the butter. Add in the the mustard, poppy seeds, onion flakes, and Worcestershire sauce. Saute all these ingredients for about 10 minutes. Stir Constantly.

After your butter mixture is good and sautéed, brush the sauce onto the bottom of the rolls. Then take your ham and make a layer, then take the swiss cheese and make a layer on the rolls. Next place the top of rolls over the cheese. And take your remaining butter mixture and spread that on top. Cover the pan with foil and cook the rolls according to the directions on the bag!!

These are a little piece of heaven!! They will melt in your mouth.

Easy Peanut Butter Fudge

2009-06-19T10:00:00.000-07:00

Last year I combined recipes from myself, my mom, my stepmom, and my grandmothers and put them in a cookbook as a wedding gift for my sister (which actually turned into a Christmas present, but that's beside the point). When looking through the uploaded recipes on tastebook.com, it would tell you how many recipes you had in each "type" of food. Ours looked like the following:

Soups and Salads (3)
Poultry (4)
Meat (2)
Seafood (0) ...Mary Beth doesn't like seafood
Fruit (6)
Vegetables (4)
Desserts (5,863)

What I'm trying to say is that my family loves desserts, and we really like making them. So there will probably be a quite a few added here. Starting with this peanut butter fudge. It is super sweet, but as someone who doesn't like chocolate it's a nice way to satisfy a sweet tooth with just a little tiny bite.

1/2 c. butter
2 1/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. milk
3/4 c. peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 1/2 c. confectioner's sugar (whoa, I know, feel free to cut back on this a little bit)

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar and milk. Bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat.

Stir in peanut butter and vanilla. Pour over confectioner's sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat until smooth; pour into an 8x8 inch dish. Chill until firm & cut into squares.

Pasta with Zucchini

2009-06-18T16:02:00.000-07:00

from Pioneer Woman Cooks.

Chris has gone up to the lake with a friend for a couple of days, so Nikki came over for dinner last night to keep me company (...and had nothing to do with the fact that we both desperately needed some girl time...) I had been wanting to give this all-veggie dish a try, so I thought it was the perfect time. I knew I loved zucchini in all forms (particularly a la bread) but now I realize that I love it with pasta, too. YUM.

SERVES 4

4 small to medium zucchini
onion
4 cloves of garlic
1 pint grape tomatoes
olive oil
1 glass white wine
1 lb. pasta (she used Farfalle, I used Penne)
Cream (she used heavy cream, I used non-fat half and half)
Parmesan Cheese
1 TBS Arrowroot (What the heck is arrowroot? Never heard of such a thing. I did some Googling and substituted with cornstarch instead)
Fresh herbs (I chopped up basil, chives, and lemon thyme)

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta according to directions.

Dice 1 medium onion. Cut zucchini into bite size pieces. Slice tomatoes in half lengthwise. Dice up garlic (you may want to use less, unless you really like garlic like I do).

Heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil over medium high to high heat. When the oil is hot, throw in half of the zucchini. Don't stir right off the bat; you want the zucchini to brown. Be sure to add salt. When it is slightly browned, remove to plate and repeat with the other half of zucchini.

In the same pan, drizzle in some more olive oil. Add onions and garlic. After a few minutes, add the halves tomatoes on top. Turn heat down to medium or medium low.

Pour half of glass of wine into pan (approx. 1/3 cup). Whisk into sauce, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan.

Pour the rest of the wine into a bowl. Add arrowroot (or cornstarch) and stir to combine. Pour the mixture into the pan and stir gently to combine. Immediately add in 1/2 to 3/4 cup cream and stir.

Add zucchini to pan and turn off the heat. Add plenty of salt and pepper.

To serve, pour the drained pasta into a large serving bowl or platter. Add a ton of fresh herbs. Pour the contents of the pan over the top. Top with Parmesan.

MY NOTES:

I cut the recipe in half for just the two of us, and there were plen-ty of leftovers!
Somewhere along the line of adding the wine, Nikki and I were in the middle of a conversation and I just starting throwing everything in together, not paying much attention. I added the cornstarch directly to the pan, and poured in a little bit of cream without measuring. Oh and the fresh herbs I chopped up? Completely forgot to add those altogether. But! It was freaking fantabulous. It was a very light, garlic-y sauce and the browned zucchini was delicious. I am SO HAPPY there are leftovers (otherwise known as: my lunch for the rest of the week).
Next time, maybe follow the directions and remember the herbs. Or not.

Spaghetti con Olio e Aglio

2009-06-17T09:57:00.000-07:00

(Means 'Pasta with Oil and Garlic'. You should hear Chris prounounce it...I don't even try).

Chris's mother gave me this recipe, given to her by her Italian mother-in-law. It is by no means low-fat or low-caloric...but it is a yummy treat when you want to forget about all that stuff and just enjoy a good dinner!

Serves 4

1 lb. spaghetti
½ c. margarine or butter
½ c. olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
¼ c. finely chopped parsley
½ tsp. dried basil (or 1½ tsp. fresh basil)
½ tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. salt
Dash black pepper
Grated Parmesan cheese

Cook spaghetti according to package directions.

Melt margarine in heavy saucepot; add oil; heat. Saute garlic until lightly browned. Stir in parsley, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper.

Drain spaghetti well; return to pot. Add sauce; toss lightly. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.

Benedictine Sandwiches

2009-06-16T10:09:00.000-07:00

from Paula Deen

I made these to bring to Kristin's baby shower last fall, and Chris ate about 5 of them before I could get out the door. Then he asked if I would bring them to Thanksgiving at his family's house...and now it is a requirement that I bring these to every event imaginable. Funny thing though? I don't even like them! (Not a fan of raw onions.) But as long as they continue to go fast at get togethers, I'll continue to make them...

1 medium cucumber

1 small onion, quartered

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened

½ tsp. salt

Dash hot pepper sauce

1 drop green food coloring

Thinly sliced white bread

Mayonnaise

Peel cucumber and slice in half lengthwise; remove seeds with a small spoon. Place cucumber in a food processor and pulse about 5 times, until cucumber is minced. Place cucumber into a small glass mixing bowl.

Place onion in the food processor, pulsing until it is finely chopped. Add onion to cucumber. (Be sure and drain the cucumber onion mixture very well, or else it will be too watery.

Add cream cheese to mixture and stir well with a spatula. Add salt, hot sauce, and food coloring.

With a round cookie or biscuit cutter, cut rounds out of bread slices. Spread a small amount of mayonnaise on bread rounds. Spread cheese mixture on half the rounds and top with another round.

Kristin's Easy Mexican Dip

2009-06-11T10:19:00.000-07:00

1 pkg. cream cheese
1 can Hormel no bean chili
2 c. shredded Mozzarella cheese

Spread cream cheese in the bottom of a glass pie dish. Spread chili on top of cream cheese. Cover with cheese.

Bake 30 minutes at 350 or until cheese is golden and bubbly. Serve with pita chips or tortilla chips.

Crunch Baked Pork Chops

2009-06-11T09:40:00.000-07:00

from Smitten Kitchen.

Serves 4

The bread crumb mixture can be prepared through step 2 up to 3 days in advance. The breaded chops can be frozen for up to 1 week. They don't need to be thawed before baking; simply increase the cooking time in step 5 to 35 to 40 minutes.

4 boneless center-cut pork chops, 6 to 8 ounches each, 3/4 to 1 inch thick, trimmed of excess fat

4 slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn into 1-inch pieces (I used wheat bread)

1 small shallot, minced

3 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press

2 TBS vegetable oil

Ground black pepper

2 TBS grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp minced fresh thyme leaves

2 TBS minced fresh parsley leaves

1/4 cup plus 6 TBS unbleached all-purpose flour

3 large egg whites

3 TBS Dijon mustard

Lemon wedges

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees.

Pulse bread in food processor until coarsely ground, about eith 1/second pulses (you should have about 3 1/2 cups crumbs). Transfer crumbs to rimmed baking sheet and add shallot, garlic, oil, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Toss until crumbs are evenly coated with oil. Bake until deep golden brown and dry, about 15 minutes, stirring twice during baking time (your kitchen should be smelling pret-ty delicious right about now). Cool breadcrumbs to room temperature, do not turn off oven. Toss crumbs with Parmesan, thyme, and parsley.

Place 1/4 cup flour in pie plate. In second pie plate, whisk egg whites and mustard until combined; add remaining 6 TBS flour and whisk until almost smooth, with pea-sized lumps remaining.

Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees. Spray wire rack with nonstick cooking spray and place in rimmed baking sheet. Season chops with pepper. Dredge 1 pork chop in flour; shake off excess. Using tongs, coat with egg mixture; let excess drip off. Coat all sides of chop with bread crumb mixture, pressing gently so that thick layer of crumbs adheres to chop. Transfer breaded chop to wire rack. Repeat with remaining 3 chops.

Bake until instead-read thermometer inserted into center of chops registers 150 degrees, 17-25 minutes (no thermometer here, I just cut into one to see if it was still pink or not). Let rest on rack 5 minutes before serving with lemon wedges.

MY NOTES:

Next time, try to refrain from taking a spoon and eating the breadcrumbs directly out of the bowl.
I made this several months ago, but if I remember correctly, I had to cook mine about 30-35 minutes before they were cooked all the way through.
YUMMY!!

Baked Lemon Pasta

2009-06-10T06:58:00.000-07:00

from Pioneer Woman Cooks.

I made this for Chris & I a few nights before my parents came to visit, and it was YUMMY. I made the entire recipe, so I was really excited about having all the leftovers. But then my brother Greg secretly showed up in the middle of the night, and I never saw the lemon pasta ever again. The end.

1 lb. thin spaghetti
1/2 stick (4 TBS) butter
2 TBS olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
Juice of 1 lemon
Zest of 1 lemon
2 cups sour cream (I used fat-free)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste if desired
Plenty of grated Parmesan cheese
Flat leaf parsley, chopped
Extra lemon juice

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cook spaghetti according to package directions until al dente.

In a skillet, melt butter with olive oil over low heat. When butter is melted, add minced garlic. Squeeze lemon juice into the pan. Turn off heat.

Add sour cream and stir mixture together. Add lemon zest and salt. Taste, then add more salt if necessary. Pour mixture over drained spaghetti and stir together, then pour spaghetti into an oven safe dish.

Bake, covered, for 15 minutes. Then remove foil and bake for an additional 7 to 10 minutes. (Don't bake too long or the pasta will dry out.) When you remove it from the oven, squeeze a little more lemon juice over the top. Top generously with Parmesan cheese, then chopped parsley. Give it a final squeeze of lemon juice at the end.

MY NOTES:

I used less butter and olive oil, and it still tasted delicious.

Spinach and Brie Chicken

2009-06-09T09:40:00.000-07:00

from Martha Stewart Living.

Serves 4

Coarse salt and ground pepper
8 thin chicken cutlets (1 1/2 pounds total)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 package (10 ounces) frozen leaf spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
4 ounces Brie cheese, cut into 8 slices

Heat broiler, with rack set 4 inches from heat. Place chicken on a large rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Dividing evenly, spread one side of each cutlet with mustard; top with spinach, then cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Starting at short end, roll chicken up tightly, and arrange, seam side down, on sheet.

Season rolled chicken with salt and pepper. Broil, without turning, until tops are lightly browned and chicken is cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.

MY NOTES:

I split the recipe, but .75 lb of chicken cutlets almost wasn't enough for both of us. Next time I will probably get a pound of chicken, and pound it to get it extra thin so it can hold more stuffing (like Chris said, "more spinach and more cheese!").
I also added a dab of olive oil on top of each piece of chicken before going in the oven so it wouldn't dry out.
The Dijon mustard and pepper on top adds a nice kick...an easy weeknight meal!